When my wife’s grandfather, whom we affectionately called “Pappy,” passed away Christmas Eve of 2023, we decided to speak at his funeral. We shared a few things we learned from him over the years. He would have been 86 today. Pappy was an incredible man who was loved by everyone who met him. I’m so blessed to have had the chance to meet him, get to know him, and love him over the years. Some lessons were specific to him, and some could certainly help our world. Here’s what he taught us:

1. Ford is superior to all other cars
   • He had so successfully convinced us of this fact that when our family was growing from 2 kids to 3 kids, we actually considered buying a Ford Connect delivery van because it was the only van type of vehicle with sliding doors Ford made at the time. We ended up settling for a Chrysler because we realized people would think we were driving around delivering cake or flowers all day if we bought the Ford Connect.
2. Potato Chips can and should be a side with every meal.
   • A meal is not complete without potato chips. Except for….
3. Pecan Pancakes
   • We remember going to breakfast with Grandpa many times and all he would order were Pecan Pancakes with syrup. No eggs. No meat. Not even potato chips. Just Pecan Pancakes. Preferably from Cracker Barrel, but Lulu’s will do.
4. Star bit screws are the best.
   • No matter what project Grandpa was helping us complete, he always used star bit screws. These do require a special bit.
5. Squeaky hinges can be fixed with any type of oil…
   • …even butter.
6. If you visited the cottage, you better be ready to swing from the wooden swing.
7. You can cool a soft drink by holding it in front of the AC vent in the car while your wife does her shopping.
8. Peanut butter and jelly is the best sandwich
   • …and you don’t even really need the jelly. If you do use jelly, spread peanut butter on both sides to seal the bread from getting soggy.
9. An apple a day does NOT keep the doctor away.
   • If you’ve heard the story about Mr. Jacob, you know what we’re talking about. And that leads us to the next one.
10. Safety first. Wear your seatbelt and get your colonoscopy
    • He would always tell people to get checked.
11. Never cut across a parking lot or “Tricky Pete” will get you to collect the insurance.
12. All babies should be taught to click their tongues.
13. Aside from “When Calls the Heart”, the best series is “Christy”. Just this past summer he was crying over how much she loved those children.
14. If you ever stopped by the house, you better be ready to eat. He would make sure Mam fed you something.
15. He loved a good tailgate, especially if it was before one his grandson’s football games.
16. At the car show in Auburn, IN, there were plenty of places to eat, but only one place to get your hot dog. He was loyal that way.
17. Grandpa didn’t like you to touch his stuff.
    • We came up to help clean out the barn, and he knew exactly how much every single item cost him, who he got it from, and what it was worth.
18. You buy the worst house on the best street, the same with cars.
    • He didn’t care what a house or car looked like, he cared about the bones. He seemed simple. But he was the most dependable man you could find. Solid bones and a heart of gold.
19. The top 3 desserts
    • Pie, of any kind, but especially Mam’s Rhubarb Pie
    • Peanut Butter fudge
    • And ice cream
20. Cornbread is best in milk.
    • But when it gets soggy, you DO NOT dump it in Mam’s flower bed.
21. Donuts are best eaten on the buggy bench by the barn watching the sunrise.
22. Starting conversations
    • The best way to start conversations with strangers is to wear the hat of your desired topic of conversation that day. Also, the best coffee is from McDonalds. Two creams, two sugars.
23. God is good
    • Over the last several years we watched Grandpa go through some really tough times with his health. No matter what was going on, he always talked about how God was so good to him and he put his faith in God in every circumstance. This is probably the most important lesson we learned from Grandpa. If there is one lesson he would want all of you to learn, it would be this one. To put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, and if you do, you will join us so we can see Grandpa again some day in heaven.

I guess you could call these #granddaddylessons, until we meet again.

#daddylessons