Laura’s paternal grandfather lost his battle with cancer today, this afternoon in his bed, as peacefully as could be.

He is the first grandparent to pass away, on either side, for both of us. We have been so blessed to have families that have been healthy. It is a rare, but true blessing to have eight grandparents still alive while Laura and I approach the age of 30. Sadly, now we only have seven.

Bill was a very funny man, always smiling, making us laugh, telling jokes, or acting goofy — to get us to smile. He had a sweet spirit about him that was contagious and attractive. I remember an afternoon where he and Laura were sitting on the couch and he was grabbing her knee to tickle her. She was struggling to breathe because she was laughing so hard from the tickling. He relented and then she grabbed his knee to tickle him. It didn’t tickle him at all, but he roared out in a silly laugh, to mock her ticklishness. All the while, I’m laughing because he’s acting like it tickled when, really, she wasn’t able to get him back! Or, he’d poke her in the ribs, she’d squirm, and then he’d yell in a mad voice to, “Sit still girl! Quit shaking the couch!”

It truly is amazing to see someone like Bill be so happy, when he came from such poverty and lived such a hard life. His life is a lesson to me to not become cynical or bitter. See, he grew up with nothing. And when he had kids, he had so little money, he would walk the rails, and at the sharp turns in the railroad, he’d look for and pick up coal that had fallen from the coal car, to take home and heat his house. (Now, he has a coal miner figurine, carved out of a piece of coal, pictured here.) A coal miner in West Virginia didn’t earn a fancy living or garner much respect in the eyes of most, but Bill was a wealthy man — not in finances, but in family, spirit, and attitude. Someone like myself has a lot to learn from people like Bill. He never played the “woe is me” card, never felt sorry for himself, and lived like he had no regrets.

I have a fancy job, make decent money, have a nice house, drive a nice car, eat out at restaurants, have fancy toys and a big TV. Big deal. Would I have the same spirit about myself if my material possessions were taken away? Would I be as cheerful as Bill if I grew up with nothing? I would hope the answer is yes, but Bill wouldn’t have to hope — he lived it!

In the end, God provided for Bill and his family. Today, his nice house is paid off, the funeral taken care of, four kids, now grown, had their needs met, and God took care of this coal miner’s family. God always provides, doesn’t he? Bill has had a blessed life, and the final blessing God bestowed upon him, in a final act of grace upon this man, God took him swiftly, painlessly, and quietly. His oldest daughter and a visiting nurse stood at his bedside this afternoon. The two were discussing how Bill didn’t have much time left, and that his breathing would stop and start and stop yet again. At one point, the nurse said, he just won’t start breathing again. His daughter looked down and noticed he wasn’t breathing. She said, “Like now? I don’t see him breathing.” And that was it. He was in heaven. God took him so peacefully, that he was taken right in front of others, and they didn’t even know it. Losing him this year makes this past Christmas extra special.

Even though Bill lost his battle with cancer today, he leaves us as an inspiration to look beyond ourselves, make due and be happy with what we have, and be a joy filled blessing to others. We are so happy that Bill no longer has to suffer in this earthly tent we wear for 80 some years. He is now cancer free, pain free, and able to run outside and know what it truly means to walk with Him. I look forward to seeing him again.

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