Category Archives: Death & Dying

Tough Situation, Easy Decision

I’ve never been in the place of having to make that kind of choice. So far, my medical choices have been pretty simple. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Family, Prayer, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Tough Situation, Easy Decision

February Dawn

The last crescent of a winter moon gives its glow to the snowy frost along the hill sloping toward the shed. Between the moon and the ridge, elm trees along the fence line stretch the black of their brushy ends against the orange rim of the eastern sky. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Farming, Nature, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on February Dawn

The Freezing Fog

we must strive in the shadows of clouds
and never allow our seeing to vanquish vision.
Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Farming, Nature, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on The Freezing Fog

Witness of Weakness

Passing through our middle years, we are still occasionally surprised not to see that younger memory of ourselves when we look in the mirror. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Farming, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Witness of Weakness

Virgel and Lucille

It was his goal to live to be ninety years old, a feat he accomplished early this year. But, it was not his goal to live as a semi-invalid. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Virgel and Lucille

Walking the Olentangy on a Rainy Afternoon

There are many who die

in this notion of nature’s balance,

unaltered by willful compassion,

the greater preying upon the lesser
Continue reading

Posted in Christian Living, Death & Dying, Nature, Poetry, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Walking the Olentangy on a Rainy Afternoon

When/When Solutions

Many of life’s little conflicts can be resolved when people are more interested in making things work than they are in making them difficult. Working things out is always greater honor to those we love than is making a stink in their name.

Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on When/When Solutions

Pnuema

We should not end this walk

in this world

only slightly charred

at the easy edges of unspent devotion

but rather so thoroughly given

and so thoroughly used

that at our leaving

all has changed to ash.

Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Pnuema

Burn Pile

Five days later, the stump is still burning,
a slow smoldering of substance
still enough like wood to hold fire. Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Farming, Nature, Poetry, Resurrection/Return, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Burn Pile

Taking Down the Old Elm

How like a man

anchored to his opinions

but long past feeling faith

is an old

dead

tree.

Continue reading

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Death & Dying, Nature, Poetry, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Taking Down the Old Elm