A joyful heart is good medicine,

~ Proverbs 17:22(a)

Recently I was asked who are the greatest men in your life that have influenced you, historically, biblically, and current? Over the past few years I have taken time to introduce you to two men that have made a huge impact on my life (PawPaw & my Dad); today I would like to introduce another man in my life that the Lord has used to impact me and teach me tremendously over the years.

This man is my Dr. PawPaw! Appropriately named, and not because as the oldest grandchild it was me that named him, but he is a doctor but more importantly a PawPaw! Sometimes we would see our grandparents at the same time, so “Dr. PawPaw” helped us call them apart! He is one of the most loving and joyful man I have ever been around, and when you ask anyone who knows him or who he has ever operated on they will tell you the same thing. Over the years since he joined our family in 1992 when he married my Nana, I have watched him, admired him and learned a lot from him. Here is a short list of ways he has impacted me and taught me:

1. Be Joyful – Dr. PawPaw is the most joyful person I know, and this isn’t an understatement. He is always whistling and singing everywhere he goes. If he is taking out the trash for my Nana, he is making up a song “taking out the trash today just for Doris Bay! ” I have had endless songs made up on the spot about me and whatever we were doing, and the family wasn’t the only one, when people here who my PawPaw is they always say, I saw him when I broke my _______ and he was always singing songs about me!  Every time I see him, he will have a new story or joke to share, even if it is at my Nana’s expense that gets him in trouble! I think his favorite joke when someone tells him hi that he doesn’t recognize is: “who is that? Well I’m glad they don’t have a limp!” (he is an Orthopedic Surgeon)  He has taught me to be joyful no matter the circumstances and to spread that joy to others.
2. Be Humble – My Dr. PawPaw while being a doctor for most of his life he has had the opportunity to do a lot in the surrounding area for the local hospitals and local community, and if you didn’t know any of that and met him he would come across as an average Joe. I’ve never seen him look down on those around him or to think too highly of himself, and never wants any recognition for anything he has done. He has taught me to be humble in everything I do.
3. Love Others Well – My Dr. PawPaw, loves people, a lot! Its part of what makes him a great doctor and a great PawPaw. He just genuinely loves people. Multiple friends have come with me over to his house so he could examine a knee or an ankle and he didn’t mind checking them out; and he will always later ask me how they are doing. Anything he can do for you he will. I remember when him and my Nana first got married, all of us grandkids wanted McDonald’s for lunch, he said ok took down our orders jumped in his car backed out of the driveway and pulled right back in got out and said, “Where’s McDonald’s?” He simply wanted to take care of his grandkids and was set on doing it until he realized he had no idea where McDonald’s was. He has taught me to not always ask questions as to how or why, but to simply love those around you.
4. Work Hard – One final thing for this short list of things I have learned from my Dr. PawPaw is to work hard. My Dr. PawPaw is now 92 and just retired two years ago (you read that right). In a day in age where everyone wants to make it to 65 be able to retire and not have to work, he worked until he was 90! Because he loved what he was doing, he loves people and helping people out. And when he is not in the office he is always working on some project around the house, fixing something or building something. He has shown me and taught me that no matter what you do, to work hard at it and enjoy it.

My Dr. PawPaw continues to teach me on what it looks like to be a man, husband and grandpa. To be joyful, humble, love well and work hard in all that you do. And for that I am thankful!