Monthly Archives: April 2012

A Closer Witness

Posted on April 30, 2012 by Doc Arnett

There is no sense of sky this morning,
just a low-lying grayness that closes in,
shutting off the sense of anything
beyond the near bluffs and hills
just past the creek. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Nature, Poetry, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged beauty, dew on rose, northeast Kansas, optimism, perspective, rain, raindrops on a rose, rainy morning, roses, sadness, seeing what is near | Comments Off

Reflecting on Fifty Years of Change in Societal Beliefs

Posted on April 27, 2012 by Doc Arnett

Some folks say “it’s only weather”
and I’d say that most days
it is sort of trivial conversation
but then again, I guess tsunamis and hurricanes
are weather, too.
Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Nature, Poetry, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged attitudes, beliefs, changing times, cultural change, shift in views, societal change, weather | 2 Comments

And in that returning, I believe her celebration will sound a stronger chorus, resonating with the bark and blooms of the Appalachians, a full resounding with all that God has made and done. Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Family, Nature, Prayer, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged Appalachia, Blue Ridge Parkway, cancer, cancer survivor, Doniphan County Kansas, mountains, North Carolina, radiation, radiation therapy, smoky mountains, spring | Comments Off

Neighbors

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Doc Arnett

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed an ambulance over at the old apartment building near our house. At the time, I thought I should go over a while later and see if there was anything that we could do for the family. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Death & Dying, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged ambulance, care, concern, gospel, help, neighbor, prayer, sharing the gospel | Comments Off

Well-Grounded

Posted on April 23, 2012 by Doc Arnett

It is not that I am nostalgic about the beginnings of the Twentieth Century; I have no desire to land in the swirling fevers that followed the Civil War, Bleeding Kansas or the age of excess that preceded WWI and the Great Depression. I do, however, like to see the occasional downtown that does not look like an architectural junkyard. Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Remodeling/Construction, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged architecture, downtown, faith, Fort Scott, Ft Scott, Kansas, old buildings, preservation, renovation, solid | Comments Off

Bailout

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Doc Arnett

On the other hand, being a privileged person in a privileged society, I believe there are other options. I could contact my elected officials and propose that this section of the highway should be re-routed in such a way as to eliminate any irritation to me and inflict it upon my neighbors. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Humor, Relationships, Remodeling/Construction, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged assistance, bailouts, government bailouts, highway noise, insomnia, noise, remodeling, responsibility, sleep, traffic noise, whining | Comments Off

Long Distance Love

Posted on April 18, 2012 by Doc Arnett

I guess there aren’t too many of us who haven’t played the “What If?” game a time or two. What if I’d taken the other job? What if I’d moved back there? The game can be anywhere from interesting to torturing, amusing to masochistic. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged choices, distance, distance from family, family, long distance relationships, phone calls, second guessing, self doubt, separation, separation from loved ones | Comments Off

Holding to Hope

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Doc Arnett

There is, sometimes,
a fine line between hope and madness,
a keen edge between the ledge of despair
and believing
Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Poetry, Prayer, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged attitude, belief, courage, despair, determination, evidence, faith, hope, optimism, surrender | Comments Off

An Ill Wind

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Doc Arnett

After several minutes of encroaching claps of thunder, the strength of the storm erupted in the early hours of our Sunday morning in Kansas. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Nature, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged birth, blood clots, C-section, daughter, family, he, Kansas, lightning, rain, shortness of breath, storms, thunder, wind | Comments Off

Spring Morning

Posted on April 9, 2012 by Doc Arnett

In the ebbing darkness of an April night,
the bright circle of the moon
holds full and warm
above the ridge. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Nature, Poetry, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged creation, evidence of God, full moon, greater power, Higher Power, humanity, seasons, spring, testimony | Comments Off