Category Archives: Family

Live and Learn

Posted on October 20, 2011 by Doc Arnett

It strikes me that we seem to learn pretty quickly from some experiences, such as adjusting chain length on a porch swing. Then, from others, we can be as dense as a doorstop. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Relationships, Remodeling/Construction, Spiritual Contemplation, Work | Tagged adjusting porch swing, assembling porch swing, gentleness, life experience, porch swing, wisdom | Comments Off

Finding the Falls

Posted on October 19, 2011 by Doc Arnett

Even though muted by the gray of an overcast day, there was still plenty of glory in the mix of maples, oaks, ash, poplar and plenty of other deciduous species. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Nature, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged autumn, Calloway Gap, fall colors, hardwoods, North Carolina, Ruby's Rock Falls, smoky mountains | Comments Off

Autumn Blessing II

Posted on October 18, 2011 by Doc Arnett

Walk gently
in the midst of this day’s madness,
contribute nothing
to the sadness that is already in the world.
Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Nature, Poetry, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged benediction, bitterness, blessings, fall, forgiveness, kindness, mercy | Comments Off

My son, Sam, sits on the big recliner in the corner of the living room, holding Levi. He is the youngest of three, not yet three months old. His lips curl open, a ready smile in response to a gentle finger nudging his throat or cheeks. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Nature, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged air filters, family love, grandchildren, sunset, travel, visiting | Comments Off

Solo Vacation

Posted on October 6, 2011 by Doc Arnett

Regardless of equine and feline concerns, I’m excited about the trip, looking forward to the visits, even though I will miss my wife. It is a particular blessing, too, to know that neither of us will dread my coming home.

Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged children, fishing, flying, grandchildren, mountains, nature, visiting | Comments Off

Noise Machine

Posted on October 5, 2011 by Doc Arnett

The distractions of our busy-ness may be keeping us from alerting to the signals of more important issues: a child needing something more than fifteen minutes help with homework, a neighbor on the brink of despair, Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged background noise, busy, caring, distractions, focus, insomnia, Missouri floods, rest, sleep, traffic noise | Comments Off

Rite of Passage

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Doc Arnett

we have largely lost the rite of passage that marks moving from child to man. In this age of indulgence and every kid with a cell phone by age nine, we have blurred the line that used to signal adulthood. Continue reading →

Posted in Aging, Christian Living, Family, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged adolescence, adulthood, grandchildren, grandparents, privilege, rite of passage, teenage, thirteenth birthday | Comments Off

September Blessing

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Doc Arnett

On this day of sky so blue the least, thin cloud seems but a thought, may the Lord’s own hand bless you with peace that stretches from dawn to dusk and lay you down gentle, ready for your rest. On … Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Farming, Nature, Poetry, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged beautiful day, benediction, blessing, fall weather, September | Comments Off

Key Words

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Doc Arnett

I knew as well as I knew my own name that he meant for me to “bring the cows up into the lot” but I was eager to get back to fishing. So, I did what he said instead of what he meant and hurried back to the pond. Not thirty minutes later I was wishing that I had done otherwise. Continue reading →

Posted in Christian Living, Family, Farming, Humor, Nature, Relationships, Spiritual Contemplation | Tagged dairy farming, definitions, discipline, life lessons, meanings of words, obedience, prepositions, spanking | Comments Off

When/When Solutions

Posted on September 26, 2011 by Doc Arnett

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.