Tag Archives: family

Through the Eyes of a Little Boy

I can take my Old Man Me, look at my life—both past and present—and twist myself up with guilt, regret, disappointment, and disillusionment. Or… I can remember that little kid and ease down to my knees, bow my head, and give genuine thanks for being blessed beyond imagination. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Devotions, Christian Living, Family, Farming, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blessed Beyond Belief

Realizing that I can choose any one of three bathrooms in our house made me remember we didn’t even have an indoor bathroom! So many things to be grateful for… Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Devotions, Humor, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Blessed Beyond Belief

Old Roofs, Old Men… and Younger Ones

And old roof that needed replacing and a sixteen-year-old grandson willing to help replace it… made for some mighty good memory making! Continue reading

Posted in Christian Devotions, Christian Living, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Old Roofs, Old Men… and Younger Ones

Berry Pickin’

In spite of very strict rules forbidding such, my mom used to wear pants when she’d go blackberry picking back in the Fifties and Sixties. It was, I think, a wonderful application of the concept Jesus taught when he said, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

But she did wear a dress over the pants! Continue reading

Posted in Christian Devotions, Christian Living, Family, Farming, food, Gardening, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Berry Pickin’

The Brother We Never Knew

My oldest brother lived only a few hours. For fifty years, he was un-named and lay in a tiny grave marked only by a small metal marker that said, “Arnett-Infant Son.” Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Devotions, Death & Dying, Family, Poetic Contemplations, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on The Brother We Never Knew

A Birthday Reflection

Never underestimate the good that can come from one small act, even as small as clicking “Happy Birthday” on Facebook. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Devotions, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation, Teaching | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on A Birthday Reflection

Watching for the Bus

Paul figured out that we could see the bus coming from a half-mile away… if we stood in the right place. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Devotions, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Family, Farming, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Watching for the Bus

Working on Sam’s Cabin

I am sitting on the steps of a small porch Of a small cabin tucked into the corner Of a big backyard in an old town in South Carolina. Coffee in hand on the last day in November, I am … Continue reading

Posted in Christian Devotions, Family, Poetic Contemplations, Poetry, Relationships, Remodeling/Construction, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Working on Sam’s Cabin

Evening Serenade

Grown kids and growing grandkids, guitars and singing in a back yard in the shade in the fading part of a summer day feels like family and seems a bit like immortality. Continue reading

Posted in Poetry, Relationships | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Evening Serenade

A Good Christmas

Nothing about it was perfect: the weather, the food, the people. But all of us imperfect people enjoyed being together and that makes for a great Christmas. Continue reading

Posted in Christian Devotions, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , | Comments Off on A Good Christmas