The Day God Was Watching Over Us
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I was five years old the summer Sam and I decided we were going fishing.
Our dads both worked long hours, and we had it all figured out. If we dug the worms ourselves and had everything ready, they'd have to take us when they got home. It was foolproof. We were five — everything was foolproof.
We found an old metal coffee can, a little rusty around the edges, and headed out to do our digging. Before long, we had that can full of what we were sure were the finest earthworms in all of North Carolina. We were proud. We were ready. We were going fishing.
We marched straight to the front yard where our mamas were visiting, can in hand, ready to present our master plan.
My mama looked down into that can — and let out a scream that I can still hear to this day. She knocked that can right out of my hands, grabbed me up, and ran for the porch. Sam's mama couldn't even find words. She just snatched him up and followed.
Right there on the front porch, they stripped us down to our underwear and went over every inch of us, checking for bites, for marks, for anything.
Because what Sam and I thought was a can full of earthworms?
Was a can full of baby Copperhead snakes.
We had picked them up with our bare hands. Placed them in that can one by one. Carried them across the yard. And not one of those snakes had bitten either of us. Not once.
That was the day I first understood that God was watching over me.
I've carried that with me ever since — through the years, through the hard times, and into everything I put my hands to today, including every bar of soap I make at Big PaPaw. There's something about working with your hands, staying close to the land, and trusting that you're being looked after.
I hope that feeling comes through in everything we make.
— Robert, Big PaPaw Soap Company
Real beef tallow, natural ingredients, and a little Southern soul in every bar. Made by hand, the old-fashioned way.
Made by hand, watched over from above — give it a try 🧴
🌲 Mountain Fresh Tallow Soap — Clean, crisp, and built for real life.
🔥 Smoky Barn Tallow Soap — A little rugged, a lot of character.
🧴 Classic Clean Tallow Soap — Simple, pure, and just right.
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