Twelve Lessons I Learned from My Grandpa November 4, 2011

April 23, 2011

My grandpa left this world for the beauty and glory of heaven on October 13, 2011. To say I loved my Grandpa James “Jim” Street is an understatement. Admired, adored, appreciated, loved . . . I don’t think I realized how much I loved him till he was no longer here. I definitely hadn’t considered how much I’d learned from him until his passing. Ever since the day, thoughts continue coming to mind.

Here’s a snapshot of who my grandpa was and what I’ve learned from him. If I become half the person he was, I’ll be thrilled.

Generosity. Whether buying our meals at restaurants, slipping us $20 or $50 as “gas money,” generous Christmas and birthday gifts, or helping us buy our first (or second or third) car, Grandpa (and Grandma) often gave generously, both to their grandkids and kids. And I’m pretty sure Grandpa has helped multiple family members, friends, and employees of his businesses in times of need. Recently, my mom commented that my grandpa has helped in instances we don’t even know details about.

A “good” man won’t make it to heaven. Many considered my grandpa a “good” man. And he was. I’d be first in line to tell anyone that. But that’s not why he’s now in heaven. He had a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. He gave his life to Christ in 1991 after he fell 23-feet onto concrete and lived. Before then, he’d been a faithful church-goer for years, again a “good man.” But those Sundays in the pews didn’t determine his eternal state. My mom asked Grandpa in July if he was “ready,” reminding him that his eternity didn’t depend on being “good.” He told her that, yes, he was “ready to go” because he knew Jesus as his Savior. How about you? If you don’t know if you’re going to heaven when death arrives, you can. Here is more information on how you can know God personally through His Son Jesus.

Lack of education doesn’t lead to lack of success. When he was in 10th grade, Grandpa’s father was tragically diagnosed with a brain tumor. He unexpectedly died weeks later. Because grandpa was one of six siblings (with a mom who was pregnant with her seventh baby) at the time, he was forced to quit school in order to help provide for his family and take care of his siblings. Even with no high school diploma, Grandpa worked hard to provide for his family. And, despite that lack of education, he spurred his kids and grandkids on to get a college education—even telling my mom that he’d pay for her education if she chose school instead of marriage at age 18. (She chose marriage!)

One can never have too much integrity. Grandpa was an honest man, a quality that is scarce today in some people (if you want my honest opinion!). For 30 years, he co-owned a construction company with his brother. Soon after his brother died, Grandpa co-owned Allen & Street Construction with my dad for seven years. Grandpa never cheated men out of their wages, nor customers out of labor and material costs. (For the record, my dad has operated in business the same way.) I know operating with honesty and integrity isn’t easy because I know others who haven’t. But Grandpa “did” integrity well, and he would tell stories of how honesty paid off. His example spoke loud and clear to me at a very young age, and I carry the knowledge today that you can never be too extreme when it comes to integrity.

Make family a priority. Grandpa was never too busy to spend time with his family. Never. Whether fishing trips, vacations, Sunday lunches after church, attending events when we were growing up, sitting on the front porch swing chatting on beautiful days, or phone calls after his grandkids moved out of town, we knew he loved us because he spent time with us. I knew we were his pride and joy, even until the day he died. While home for his funeral, I heard countless times from family members, “Your grandpa loved his grandkids.” Yes, he did.

Sometimes you just have to dance! In 1991, my parents, sisters, Grandma, Grandpa, and I traveled to Orlando, Florida, on vacation. My sis, Staci, was nine at the time and one afternoon at Sea World she was slightly pouty (probably because she didn’t get her way!). Grandpa danced a little jig in the park and her smile returned. It wasn’t uncommon to see Grandpa dance a step or two just to make somebody smile. Plus, he loved real, “honky tonk” country music (think Mel Tillis or Johnny Cash), which often set him into a short dance.

Humility and kindness. He had no high school diploma, yet he worked hard for what he earned. And he never thought he was too good to help someone in need or that he was better than anyone else. He also never lived beyond his means or forgot those who Jesus called “the least of these” (Matthew 25:40).

Don’t give up easily. Although his failing body no longer allowed for physical labor he still helped Dad a few years back with paperwork while in business together. Then, the wretched Alzheimer’s disease began to set in and take small pieces of him and he had to surrender that aspect, forcing him to officially retire. But the decision wasn’t easy, and it pained him to quit. He’d been working as a carpenter since he was a young teenager and quitting seemed foreign. The decision to do so was difficult and he didn’t quit easily.

“Every day you’re livin’ is a good day.” Many may not know this, but Grandpa spent the last 20 years of his life in constant pain. On November 8, 1991, at the age of 61, he fell 23 feet onto concrete. As one can imagine, that type of fall can be brutal on the body (assuming one even lives). When the pain became almost unbearable in the latter years of his life, he’d still say “every day you’re livin’ is a good day” when I would ask how he was doing.

Always make time for dessert! Grandpa Street loved sweets. Period. No other explanation needed.

He loved to work. He spent most of his life working. During his two-month stay at the nursing home before his death, he was given a box of pipes so he could sit and “work” while in his wheelchair. Because that’s all that was on hand (and because the disease sometimes left him confused), nursing home employees thought the pipes would suffice. But just weeks before he died, Grandpa matter-of-factly stated, “I’m a carpenter, not a plumber.”

The human body is resilient, especially if you’re not ready to pass on. Our family used to joke that Grandpa had nine lives! After the accident in 1991, he battled numerous aches and pains, hospital stays, surgeries, procedures, and health issues. We’d often get calls from Mom or Dad saying GP was hospitalized but not to worry. That’s because he always bounced back. His body just wouldn’t give up. So, when I got the call near midnight on October 13 that he’d died, I was in a slight state of shock. His body had finally given up, but it was still hard to believe.

These are just a few of the lessons I learned from my sweet grandpa. If you knew him, you were blessed. If you didn’t, I wish you could’ve met him. He was one of the men I admired most in my life and for years I called him “hero.” He was a hero to many, and I am honored to carry on his legacy.

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