Searching or Living

On August 29th my grandfather, Clyde Wyatt, died just before his 92nd birthday. You might remember I wrote about him here. He was an amazing man and had a tremendous impact on my life. His obituary was well written and talked about how much he loved living. I thought a lot about his life and compared it to how people live today. It seems to me that many people, at least the one's in some of my circles, are searching. Searching for something deeper, something to make them happier, a meaningful relationship, the right church, the right job, etc. And I began to wonder as I looked over his life if maybe we're spending so much time searching that we're no longer living. 

Papaw was secure in his relationships, most importantly with his relationship with Jesus. He didn't have all the answers, but he was secure. He only had an 8th grade education but understood exactly what Christ had done for him. Sometimes I wonder if we get so caught up in wanting to understand everything that we miss the importance of understanding just exactly what He did do for us. 

Papaw was productive. In the prime of his life he held a full-time job at Sayles bleachery while also maintaining a family farm. It occurred to me that maybe we aren't as productive as we should be. Maybe we have too much time to be searching because we don't spend a lot of time doing. He was always quick to help his family and neighbors, while today many of us do not even know who ours neighbors are.

Papaw knew that time was important. Even though he was blessed with what any of us would consider a good  long life, he knew that it could not last forever, so he took time to invest in those around him. He taught all of us lessons, if we were willing to listen. He knew that whoever was right in front of him was who he had to opportunity to help, he didn't search it out he just knew it.

Papaw knew that his church was his true family. Papaw understood that nothing happens by chance, even the community that you live in. He loved his church, worked hard for his church and was no closer to any of his children or grandchildren than he was to the men in his Sunday School class. He was not an educated man but worked and studied very hard to contribute to his church. He didn't leave the first time his feelings were hurt or he needed something "deeper". He worked hard to be the change the church needed to be at the same time trying very hard not to hurt feelings or be easily offended.

When I look back on Papaw's life I will forever be grateful that he showed me what true living is. He was clearly a person the bible describes as "salt of the earth" for anyone that came in contact with him left more "flavorful" than when they came. The most beautiful thing about Papaw's life was that the living never stopped. Because he knew Christ as his Savior he just went right on living. Only now there's no health scares, no trouble breathing, no leukemia and he gets to TRULY LIVE in the presence of Jesus! I know he'll  like that because as he said just before he died, he "really liked living."