O'Friel's Schpeel

End of the study of the Book of Daniel

2010-10-22T09:14:00.002-04:00

It took a few months, but my friend and I completed our study of the book of Daniel this week. Some things that really stood out to me were:

God is sovereign. Over angels and demons; over all of human history - including the rise and fall of Gentile nations; over His people, Israel, Whom He chose, chastened, yet still loves; over kings, and over His holy prophets; And in the end, it is His divine plans and purposes that prevail.
God has a plan. And it is unfolding.
This world is headed to an epic time of trouble. God revealed to Daniel that the rebellion against God's authority and a refusal to honor Him as God grows to the time of the end. Man's rebellion will reach its zenith under the reign of an unholy one, the Anti-Christ. But he will be brought to a sudden end!
Christ is coming. He will assume the throne of David, and His kingdom shall fill the earth. "And He shall reign for ever and ever." King of kings, and Lord of lords.
Man is a speck. An insignificant little "nothing," that must come to realize his place in light of the Great God. The Lord God is great and awesome, a revealer of mysteries, and alone is worthy of glory, honor, and praise.
Daniel was a great man of God. He was a stalwart example of a person who, from the time of his youth, made a conscious choice (and series of choices) to not defile himself with the things of this world, but rather to follow God wholeheartedly with devotion, obedience, and humility. God honors this with a promised allotted place in the age to come. His prayer life humbled me. His character challenged me. His life inspired me.
God loves Israel. Though He is angered by their stubborn refusal to follow Him, He will "deliver" a remnant in the end times. While the 'time of indignation' did not end at the end of the 70 years of exile, God has not forgotten His covenant with the fathers of Israel. All He has promised, will come to pass, for He has loved his 'first born son' with an everlasting love.
The Church is a witness for NOW. In the time of the end of this age, the Church is strikingly absent. The Lord will again turn His attentions (and affections) towards Israel. Though the latter will suffer horrendously, some will "shine like stars of heaven," dying for their faith in their God and in His Son. It was exciting to see the end, in spite of the recognition that what will precede that is a time of terrible persecution and suffering at the hands of Anti-Christ.
Christians have only "now" to be what we ought. For me, the biggest thing was to see that God expects His people to glorify Him and to be a witness to His Person when it is their time to do so. Israel had the statutes and the covenant. They had met with God personally at Sinai. They were then responsible to follow the Lord in humble obedience that the world would see that the God of Israel IS God. They failed. As I pondered that, it struck me: How much more culpable, then, is the Church? We have the entire revelation of the Word of God. We have lived in light of the Incarnation, and Christ's death and resurrection. God has come to dwell within us by His Spirit! If we fail to glorify Him, in spite of His grace and mercy, are we not guilty of the same rebellion as Israel? I think we will be held very accountable to the LORD. "For to whom much is given, much more will be required." If God punished Israel this severely (and for this long) for failing to uphold His glory, then perhaps Christians (all of us) would do well to consider our own lives . . . and shudder. Have we grown lax because we have been saved by grace, through faith? Should not the recipients of such mercy be MORE holy than Israel? More bent on glorifying God? More obedient? More faithful?

Into the Mystic

2010-09-24T12:52:00.008-04:00

Okay...not really! (wink) Sometimes I post things on Facebook that are misunderstood. I feel that a recent post this week may fall into that category. So, I wanted to clarify the point intended by my post regarding my son's request for a Bible on the very day I had ordered a new one for him...

...From the outset here, I need to say that I truly think that the timing was evidence of God's sovereign leading and not some mystical, supernatural manifestation of God's direction for me. Neither was it an act borne out of some inward feeling. Frankly, anyone who knows me at all knows that I rarely make a move when it comes to things like this based on feelings. In everything I do, I earnestly try to weigh what I am considering against the Word of God. And when my feelings coincide with the revealed will of God, that's great. And when they do not line up with the Bible, I try to shove my feelings aside and press forth with what God has said, knowing that I cannot trust my heart but only Him. The reason I share all of that is to say that I did note that a couple of the posts that were added to my initial one could have left a person with the impression that I had some little epiphany that afternoon, or was moved totally out-of-the-blue, apart from any thing other than my own feelings to order those Bibles. Nothing could be further from the case. I was simply noting the timing ~ which I believe was an affirmation from the Lord that I was doing what He wanted done.

Actually, I had come to a personal decision about the kids and what I felt they needed to better apprehend the Scriptures over the last week or so. That conviction was borne out of two things.

First, our own devotions sort of prompted my thinking. I often spend a great deal of time re-translating verses when they are using the one version they both currently own, bringing out word meanings. Ironically, those "fixes" are already translated correctly in say a NASB or KJV Bible because they are word-for-word translations, rather than a thought-for-thought rendering of God's Word. Practicality and ease of study is one major factor in my decision.
Secondly, watching them stumble through their copy of the Word each week during the Scripture reading portion of our weekly worship services prompted me to see what I could find for them. The NIV and the ESV are NOTHING alike in the way they read. There is a big difference reading something taken in a more verbatim manner than a paraphrase, and the same is true of Bible translations. What was a good Bible for them as small children is now a hinderence to them as they sit in more adult-centered times of teaching. And I feel that focusing so much on trying to read one version while listening to another actually interferes with one's ability to worship the Lord Who speaks through His Word to us during this precious time of our services.

Bottom line: this move was not some epiphany! Neither was it some esoteric experience or divine sign to "mom" that said, "Dawn, buy the kids a Bible today!" ☺ That said, because I had not discussed with them what I had been thinking, the timing was,...well, a little too coincidental to be coincidence, if you catch my drift?

I am pretty passionate about "getting it right," when studying the Word. And while the LORD has been teaching me recently that His Word is not meant "to be conquered," but rather to conquer my heart and mind, the fact remains that the Word must be understood to the best of our ability to apprehend it. So, the conviction that I have about that issue, combined with a couple of recent observations, were catalysts that led to the decision to buy the Bible that day.

Because the origin of such neat events in the life of a family is borne out of God's Word, the credit/glory ultimately for even such things still belongs solely to God. After all, only the LORD puts it in the heart of a depraved sinner to love His word, to cherish it and to purpose to teach it to our children (Deut. 6) or in the case of my son, to better learn it. The way the LORD works astounds me, frankly! He moves our minds and hearts to want to act, and then also to act - all through His ministry through the Word of God. Maybe in that way I feel that the decision was led of God, or Spirit-led for it came from a growing conviction about the Word, itself - a conviction that grows stronger day by day in this sinner's heart.

As inept and failure-ridden a follower as I undoubtedly am, the LORD loves my children deeply. And I see evidence of it all the time. He is a good and loving God! While some of the posts that followed my initial Facebook post depicted this whole scenario as me being somehow mystically led of God, the fact is that "the steps of a righteous man are ordered by the Lord." And sinful though I am, that I stand clothed in the imputed righteousness of Christ permits me to assert that the Lord is leading - even me. However, as always, that leading's impetus begins and ends with the Word of God. To testify here to this truth, the very day I had purchased those Bibles I had reflected on Psalm 119 and the charge from Deuteronomy 6 to "teach your children." It was obvious, having meditated on on the Word that morning, what I needed to do. I do not know what prompted my son. But how good is God that even as He calls us as parents to obey Him, by the Spirit He grants our children a desire to obey Him, too!

Proud to be a Christian

2010-08-09T15:53:00.001-04:00

Saw this today on Facebook: " Proud to be a Christian"

I didn't hit the "like" button because frankly, I'm not sure I can agree with this statement. I marvel at the notion that I could be proud and a Christian. Aren't these mutually exclusive concepts?

Everything about our salvation drives home that we are helpless, hopeless sinners incapable of doing the first thing to "save ourselves." Apart from the truly amazing grace of God, to the Lake of Fire I speedily go - and justly! Everything I have and am and ever will be is the gift of God. Faith and repentance in the Lord Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection are both gifts of God - not derived by works, so that no one can boast. So, then, where is boasting? It is excluded! For it was not by works of righteousness which we have done but by His mercy He saved us. To me, perhaps the only thing I will boast in is in my weakness. I boast in my helplessness and God's ability to bring life to the dead, open blind eyes, and impart eternal life to this mortal, perishable soul.

Can we be proud of Christ? Perhaps! But, mostly, I am humbled to be a Christian. That God did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us arouses no thoughts of pride in this Christian. To the contrary, God's unspeakable gift of His Son to die as a propitiation for my sins makes me fall to my knees, to lay down on my face, and cry, "Hallelujah! What a Savior."

Some things about my week at Royal Family Kids Camp

2010-07-20T22:36:00.001-04:00

What is Royal Family Kids Camp?
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of serving at RFKC. This camp ministers to children who have been significantly abused, usually by a family member or someone with whom they lived, emotionally, verbally, physically or sexually. Usually, the abuse they have endured is a combination of some or all of those. While it is sickening to think that there are people who prey upon the innocent in their care, that there are godly, compassionate, caring individuals every year who spend their time and money to minister to these kids is very encouraging. And I am so glad I was able to again serve at RFKC! This camp gives these children who come to us via CPS of Marion County the "royal treatment" and a Christian camping experience unlike any other. From the moment they arrive and their bags are carried for them and transported and placed in their beautiful and air-conditioned cabins in a swanky, large conference center, these kids get treated like royalty. They receive all sorts of gifts and have the week of their lives. And mostly, they are exposed to the unconditional love of Christian people who serve them tirelessly for a week, and live out the Gospel before their eyes. RFKC is not your typical Christian Camp. Christian Camps are awesome, and I send my two kids every year because they benefit greatly from it. However, there is no camp like RFKC. There are three RFKC camps in Indiana currently. Please join us in praying that more believers will catch on to the vision of reaching the victims of abuse with the gospel of Christ in the years to come!

Same Camp, New Workers
The staff this year was made up of several new faces to our camp. This was our fifth year, and from the standpoint of dealing with challenges, our toughest. But, the graciousness I witnessed and the love evidenced by every single worker throughout the week as they dealt with the children was awe-inspiring. One aspect of the work this year that I most appreciated was the team-spiritedness of one and all. Frankly, there is no way the work that I had to do could ever have been done without a whole lot of help. So, I praise the Lord for each and every one of the workers and for the directors, Diane and John, who do an incredible amount of work each year to make this camp happen.

The Cattle on a Thousand Hills . . .
The Lord provided the resources again this year for camp. When I think back on where we were financially just a few months ago, I am humbled by my lack of trust in God to provide. Clearly, He wanted this camp to happen and was more than able to "make it so" through His people and His Church. Lesson learned, my Lord!

A Word of Thanks
Speaking of churches, I am especially thankful to the churches in the area that supported the camp. Brookville Road Community, First Baptist Church of Beech Grove, and Gray Road Baptist are all to be commended for their support. How encouraging it is to me to see the Body of Christ work as one body to reach children with the gospel of Jesus Christ! Very cool!

My Part
As for the gospel, the Lord enabled me and all the others numerous opportunities to present the Truth of His Word, including the good news of Jesus Christ. And I am so grateful to the Lord for the opportunities He enabled and tailor-made. It is never tiresome seeing our Great God in action! As for my part of it, teaching the Bible stories to children who have, in some cases, never even held a Bible in their hands was a new challenge. I think I have somewhat taken for granted teaching my little Sunday school class full of students whose parents know the Lord and who have been, from infancy, taught the Scriptures. Wow! I am so blessed to get to do that each week. Nevertheless, in our camp, the majority of children do NOT come from Christian homes. So, there is no way to present Bible lessons in the same manner you might approach a Sunday school or AWANA group. Literally, we had to start at Genesis 1:1. Where else could we begin to tell the story of our God but "in the beginning?"

It was incredibly exciting to "take the gospel" to people who have never before heard it. While the teaching surely was nothing to write home about, the content was fantastic and it thrilled my soul to be able to share the Truth about the origins of man and the faithfulness of our God to send a Savior! Up to now, I have always filled the role of counselor so heading up the work of developing the curriculum and teaching was definitely a stretching experience for me. We had been blessed to have had the same gal do this for us for four consecutive years and to say that I have an even deeper appreciation for all she did having filled her shoes would be an understatement. However, as I am sure she could attest, God does enable us to do whatever He calls us to do. So, I do thank Him for all He did through (and in spite of) me this year in this new position.

Special Moments
In addition to scheduled teaching times, the Lord afforded several teachable moments which was great. Since the workers are believers, every one is a servant and Bible teacher in a very real sense. And the counselors especially did a marvelous work of introducing devotions each day with the children. Again, it is so hard to do this with children that have no such habit or have never before been exposed to studying the Bible. But, they persevered through distractions and little bodies that are bent on wiggling and I know that the Lord will greatly use those times and the seed that was planted to eventually open the minds of those children to the Truth.

For certain, trusting the Lord to work in hearts is what this whole ministry is really centered around. And therefore this camp could not be in better hands! These kids were brought to this camp for a divine purpose. And we trust Him to do His work in them in His perfect time!

On a personal note, each night as a relief counselor I would read the Scriptures in the boys' dorm. This hour and a half time slot ended up being the toughest time each day for me. The boys are . . . well, boys, for one thing. And they were never willing partners in turning out the lights and calling it a day at camp. (ha ha) And with all the fun they were having, I cannot say that I really blamed them. I wanted to share about one little boy, particularly, who really struggled throughout the week with his behavior. Let's just say he was none too happy about having the Bible read to him. In fact, more than once I really wondered if he might be demon-possessed! (Okay - it wasn't THAT bad, but it was pretty tough at times!)

He yelled at me quite a lot the first night to "shut up" and threw things at me. The 2nd night, he cursed at me for insisting that he turn off his mp4 player and listen to the Bible story. When I took it away from him, then the fireworks really began. (Yikes!) Oh, and yes, in care you're wondering, he again tossed every item he could get his hands on at me and then yelled all sorts of obscenities, demanding his stuff back! He had a temper for sure! And he was unafraid to show it. (he, he, he) However, since I am not one who is prone to quitting easily and far more stubborn than he'll ever be, I pressed on and eventually, I outlasted him. Seeing that his temper tantrum was not getting the desired result, he gave up, slumped down into his bed quietly and listened to the Bible story until he finally drifted off to sleep.

It's hard to aptly paint this picture, but the stress he caused the other boys was very real and it was difficult at times to know what to do. We tried to calm him down and reason with him, but I think he's grown accustomed to throwing a fit and getting his own way. Love is not always doting. Sometimes love demands discipline. For the wisdom the Lord granted during these difficult times, and for the co-laborers who helped, I certainly do praise the Lord.

On a positive note, the rest of the cabin listened carefully each night. The next day, I always asked a question about the Bible story and gave a prize to the one who could answer it correctly (and these were not easy questions - mind you). To my great joy, there would always be at least one boy who could answer the question of the day. It was hard not to do a little dance when they would go into all this detail, telling me what they had learned the night before. It was staggering to hear Truth pouring out of these little bodies. So fun!

Well, back to my special boy... in spite of all of his outbursts and protestations, he did end up listening more readily to the Bible being read to him more and more as the week progressed. In stead of fighting it, he began asking to have passages read to him. The last night, prompted by his very wonderful and patient counselor who had spent a lot of time with him reading the Word and encouraging him, he came up to my chair and apologized to me for the way he had treated me. He even told me that he loved me. For just a moment, I saw 'what could be' in that hurting little boy. It was a powerful moment! When he had crawled into bed, and could no longer see me, I admit that I totally lost it and cried silently! It was just one of those moments where you see that God is doing something in a heart and it is so moving that the only way you can respond is to just weep for joy. Praise the Lord for what He has started to do in that little boy! Great stuff!

While it is so awful to see the damage that has been done to these great little kids, it is far greater to see that love truly does make a difference. And while these boys and girls were not magically transformed in a week's time, each child made strides in some way. And for each little bit of progress or ounce of faith that was grown, I praise the Lord.

Things the Kids Got to Do
Swimming and diving; horse-back riding; visiting the petting station and nature center; trying their hand at archery, wall climbing, and fishing playing in the lake on the Blob; hiking; arts and crafts; playing on two mega slides: The Bullet and The Black Hole; and holding many competitive games of Cornhole and carpet ball. And I'm sure I'm forgetting plenty! They also had a movie night, a birthday party replete with cake and ice cream and a huge bag full of very cool toys for each child, a manhunt for a train robber, and other fun evening activities.

What I came away with this week:

The Lord has given me such a love for my co-workers in Christ through all of this. When the body of Christ works the way that it should, it is truly a beautiful sight to behold. If any of you are reading this, know that I deeply love and appreciate each and every one of you. Truly, you ARE my brothers and sisters!
And lastly, the Lord expanded my heart to really and deeply love these kids - right where they are. Let's face it. Well-behaved children are easy to love. But God has called us to love all people, period. And what is so great is that, by His grace and with His help, it isn't even hard to do.

May our Heavenly Father work in the hearts of our kids and bring them back to us again next year so we can continue to "plant" and "water" and watch Him bring the increase, all for His great glory!

2009-12-21T20:37:00.001-05:00

School

2009-08-11T14:41:00.000-04:00

The kids jaunted off on a big, yellow bus yesterday, down the road to their respective schools. Remind me again why this is supposed to be cause for celebration? I know people mean well, but it is incomprehensible to me that a parent should express elation at the resumation of the school year. Sure, I am very grateful for the fine education they are receiving (thank you, awesome teachers and principals - you know who you are!). It is with full recognition of the immense blessings American children have that they are provided with opportunties to learn and to grow, a circumstance denied millions of children all over this world. Yet, I do not embrace this new year with jubilance. I miss them! I miss hearing them playing, or talking to them, or even seeing their little faces. Eight hours away each day is a long time, and a part of their lives I'll miss out upon and never get back in this life. I suppose for that reason I am eternally grateful that they both know the Lord and this life is not all there is! One lifetime, one childhood with my beautiful babies, just wouldn't be enough!

Kids, Mommy misses you SO MUCH!

"We All Have the Same Facts . . .

2009-07-31T16:10:00.001-04:00

the difference lies in how we interpret them."

With those opening words, the running commentary begins as visitors make their way through the eye-popping, high-tech, multi-media presentation of the main exhibit at the Creation Science Museum. The plan had been to take my own children immediately upon the opening of this museum, but each time we planned to go some 'crisis' would arise and we would be prevented from visiting. But, we finally did get to go, and it was so very well worth the time.

Hannah, Bryce, Joseph, and Rocky

An acquaintance of mine had shared with me that her son was beginning to have 'doubts' about the Bible due to the inundation of Darwinism via textbooks at school. Worldview matters. In fact, I would say that this is a point that is hammered home beautifully by the lectures and exhibits at the CSM. In response to this mother's concerns I suggested maybe the thing to do was to address his questions head on by taking him to this museum. She agreed and although it took us most of the summer to both find the same day, free, we finally managed to head down there yesterday.

Joseph, Bryce, and his mother, Brandy

I just wanted to say that this 11-year-old young man was radically transformed by what he saw. He is so bright and asked such great questions! Plus, you could just tell that everything he was seeing was provoking some good, independent thinking. I think we were all greatly encouraged and educated by what we saw.

Plus, the resources we returned home with will prove a huge help in the years to come when our children continue to be given 'bad' and flat-out fraudulent information regarding the origins of this universe, world, and lifeforms - especially animal lifeforms. It exalts not only the Bible as authoritative and accurate, but it truly raises one's appreciation for science. Afterall, science is a wonderful field of study. It's not the enemy, neither does it ever contradict the Bible. Anyway, I could write the book on that, but will simply challenge anyone who has the first interest to 'come and see' for yourselves.

For more info, check out http://creationmuseum.org/

More photos of trip to KY

2009-07-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

The Sun Shines Bright . . .

2009-07-22T12:21:00.000-04:00

on my old Kentucky life!

Cumberland Falls, July 2009

The kids and I scooted down to Corbin Kentucky on Friday afternoon directly following Hannah's last day of basketball camp. We 'jammed' to one Beatles album after another (I know they are CD's now, but they'll always be 'albums' to me) with the kids playing DJ and part-time navigators. We had fun and sang songs most of the way down. We opted to pass through Cincy, rather than to travel through Louisville. My uncle, Bill, suggested that it would be much easier and it was a very enjoyable way to travel. We went through, rather than around, the city and I had not been in downtown Cincinnati since I was a girl, so it was neat to see the large buildings and historic parts. Because it was well before rush hour, we had no trouble whatsoever passing through in a timely way, either. We arrived in Corbin around 6-ish which allowed us time to unpack and head off to the Williamsburg Donkey Races. :0)

I just have to say that it was quite funny watching those donkeys throwing people right and left all over the track! (ha) I am sure that belies a real lack of character of some sort on my part, but I don't care - IT WAS HILARIOUS! I won't bore you with every detail but I wanted to share a couple of things. Firstly, there were heats to eliminate contestants to the best of the best, and yes, even the worst of the worst. I didn't see the pathetic little bobble-head trophy for the worst donkey rider, but I agreed entirely with the poor kid who won the prize for worst ride. Let's suffice it say, he's probably still very bruised and battered even today! (ha) What still amazes me is that there are so many people willing to humiliate themselves and pay such a price (for I guarantee everyone leaves this thing with some sort of battle scar) that they have to have heats. People there are tough!

The donkeys are not all created equal. Some have a real attitude! I don't know what this one donkey's real name was, but he will forever be dubbed "Diabolo" in my mind - NOBODY could ride him. I would watch each little heat and shake my head when some poor schmuck would choose HIM for their ride of choice - poor fools!!! He would throw them so fast they didn't even know what day of the week it was, then he would step out of the way every time someone attempted to jump back on, leaving the leaper to a muddy fate, face down in the dirt. Or, when someone did manage to get atop of him, he would run really hard and then come to a full stop in order to throw his 'rider' (a term I use loosely, for 'victim' would be far more apt) right over the top of his head, so that the ridee would be catapulted onto the dirt, again, face first. He was a viscious one, that donkey!

Anyway, the final race was by far the best. One guy was actually doing very well riding the ol' donkeys and in the last race for the championship had his ride all the way around the track and was well ahead of the pack. However, that's when the donkey decided to have the last laugh. Trotting as fast as he could towards the finish line, the crowds cheering them on and the rider thinking he SOOOO had this race in the bag, the donkey locked his front knees 2 feet from the finish line and threw his almost-champion head first across the finish line! Too bad the only way you can win is if both you AND your donkey cross the finish line. (Ha) Oh, man! I about fell off the bleachers laughing! Anyway, the guy I had picked, #3, ended up slowly trotting on by and won the race and championship for this year. Who'd have thought donkey racing could be so entertaining?

The attitudes and behavior of the people of Kentucky are actually very refreshing. People take their time to do things, and each person who waited on us in stores (big or small, privately owned or in national chains) was patient, friendly, helpful, and kind. I guess I didn't realize what a big rush we are all in here until I experienced how much more patient the people we met are. I have to say that I find that pace and approach to life much preferable. Friendliness goes a long way! There were a lot of smokers, though and the kids were in shock! They aren't used to seeing people - all kinds of people - smoking. Once I explained that this is tobacco growing country however, they took it in stride.

After the donkey races, Bill took us to a little carnival and the kids had a ball riding the rides. Joseph was very reluctant at first to ride one that went up fairly high into the air, and since he's had a fear of heights all his life, I doubted he would get on. But, Uncle Bill did manage to coax him on and once he got a few times around on that thing, he was an 'old pro' and totally into it. I think the kids rode that same ride 4 or 5 times!! (ha) While there, we ate some yummy, very spicy french fries. I still don't know what they made them with, but they were great - very spicy! Bill bought the kids lighted necklaces which were very cool. They blinked with multiple colors and patterns. At night, there are something to see. It's remarkable how much fun you can have with a $2 lighted necklace! However, I wouldn't suggest heading into a port-o-potty with one as a sole source of light. Let's just say that I nearly had an epileptic seizure in there before I could finish doing my business! (Ha Ha)

What was in those french fries, anyway? :o)

On the way home we grabbed some 'real food' and had a nice dinner with Otella before heading to bed. Of course, we had to regale her with stories of donkeys, dirt, and daring rides on daunting carnival delights.

We started off the day on Saturday heading into downtown Corbin for a block party being sponsored by a local telecommunications company. There was live music, mural painting for the children, and free food! The thing with the mural was sort of funny to me. Some of the adults were joining in but were taking it all very seriously, carefully keeping their paint in the lines. What made it humorous to me was the fact that not 2 feet away on the same mural, 2-year-olds were slopping paint everywhere, using the wrong colors for everything, and making the mural look more like it had been covered in mud than paint! The adults didn't seem to mind too much, so long as nobody messed up their section. Adults are really nothing but kids in bigger bodies I think.

The live music wasn't exceptional, but I loved one guy who played the mandolin and sang. The others were obviously trying to be somewhat professional and taking turns singing songs. There must have been 4 or 5 guitarists. But this last guy sat on the stage, barefoot, with an old baseball cap on it and sang with a deep Kentucky accent. That is in no way a case of denigrating him. His voice was wonderful, and he did the best song by far. Love John Prine!! Anyway, I really enjoy live music so that was treat!

We popped into a music store there and enjoyed looking at the very pretty guitars. Hannah salivated over several she wouldn't mind having! (Ha) We like to never got out of there, the owners were super sweet and very chatty!

After that, we headed to Cumberland falls (see picture above) and were impressed with its beauty and power. Initially, we attempted to walk along the water down to the falls but a kind woman informed us that they had just spotted a water moccasin. Therefore, we implemented Plan B - walking back on the path! We walked through a small portion of the grounds/park that surrounds the falls and then hopped into the car to see the mountains and forests from numerous other perspectives. We stopped back at a rather well-known lodge and the view from the patio is breaktaking, frankly.

I have a number of pictures, but I really like this one. Bill, who is a very good photographer, took some fantastic pictures - much better than this one!

When we returned to the house, Bill fired up the grill and we had very delicious hamburgers (Angus Beef!) and then a large bonfire. We listened to music to firelight and tiki torches, and played along with guitars and a keyboard. It was awesome! We had a nice bonfire the next night, too, and I think Bill and I finally made our way back into the house sometime after midnight. It's hard to go in when you're enjoying such a beautiful night with the chorus of bugs and frogs and Van the Man playing. Ah, this is summer at its best!

Sunday afternoon we headed out on a pontoon Bill had rented and the kids had a ball driving it all over the lake, inlets, coves and so on. Laurel Lakes is expansive and breathtakingly beautiful. We stopped at a small, secluded beach area and ate lunch. This was no ordinary little lunch, however. Did you know that Corbin is the birthplace of THE Colonel Sanders' Kentucky Fried Chicken? Well, neither did I! But, apparently, it is and we bought food for our big day on the lake in the KFC museum/restaurant. It was something to see. Great care has been taken to reproduce elements of the original kitchen and dining area. I don't know. Maybe it was just in my head, but eating that chicken Sunday afternoon from that particular place just tasted a little better than usual.

Anyway, after lunch the kids swam a bit. We headed further down into the lake system and found a swimming spot. It was chilly but the kids and I swam for a good while as Bill and Otella sat in lawn chairs and enjoyed the view - very relaxing! We came home and ate a sandwich and had our second night around the fire.

Monday was our last full day and we made the most of it. Bill and I ran to Wal-mart to get our photos developed. It took forever but the pictures are such a treasure! We decided to head back to the same swimming spot we had visited the day before. However, the temperature was nearly 10 degrees warmer so the swimming was not just nice, it was ideal! We spent much of the day in the lake.

Bill and Otella got in there with the kids and were so great all week, playing with and including the children in everything. They are terrific people and outstanding hosts. Thanks to them for their hospitality and generosity to us. We will never forget it!

Anyway, after swimming all afternoon we came home and cleaned up so we could head out to China King, or King China - I cannot remember. It is a Chinese buffet and has to be the best one this lady has ever been to, personally. There was an abundance of delicious seafood dishes, in addition to the regular Chinese buffet fare - and even delicacies like fried frog legs! It was just tremendously good!

When we returned home, we stopped at the new arena cut into a huge mountain in Corbin, and from it you can see for miles. Really cool! Upon returning home, Bill fired up the Goldwing and took me on a 30-mile night ride. If it had been up to me, we'd have kept riding all night! But, the kids wanted a ride, too! :o) So, he cruised on home and took each of them for a nice, long ride, too. Otella and I went through pictures and just had the best talk!

Did I mention how great my family is? :)

Tuesday we packed up and headed back for home, but not before Bill made us walnut pancakes. We sure ate well during our stay! (ha) After a tearful goodbye (for I truly hated leaving knowing it could be months or even longer before I would see this lovely couple again) we got into the car and headed for home. Leaving again about mid-day seemed to afford us ideal driving conditions and we made it home in good and timely fashion.

We greatly appreciated the gracious hospitality of my aunt and uncle and enough could never be said of the true beauty of the state of Kentucky! Maybe, if I'm really lucky, I'll get to live there someday.

Summertime, and the livin' is easy. . .

2009-07-14T21:56:00.000-04:00

One would think summer would be a case of easy-livin' but the reality of the matter is, I've been busier than a one-armed paper hanger! (Think on that for minute - you'll get it)

Thus far, in addition to numerous visits with family, the kids and/or I have done the following:

Two week fitness bootcamp - Me - still haven't fully recovered (whimper, moan)
Weekly trips to the Library - All
Band Camp - Hannah - 1 week - (Mercifully, the child opted to play sax rather than the oboe... whew! That was a close one!)
Basketball Camp - Joseph - 1 week
Twin Lakes Christian Camp - Hannah and Joseph - 1 week
Royal Family Kids' Camp - Me - 1 week
Basketball camp - Hannah - (in progress, 1 week)
Went to see two movies Star Trek (was awesome... I'm just saying) and Monsters vs. Aliens (did anyone else burst out in laughter when the presidential character went up to the alien, and pounded out the little musical theme from Close Encounters of the 3rd Kind, and then lifted his hand up in the classic Vulcan, "Live long, and prosper" greeting?) TOTALLY HILARIOUS!
Devotions - Working our way through the book of Joshua (very good study with the kids)
School Work - Kids are daily working through their Summer Bridge Workbooks to keep them fresh and ontrack for school in August
Ministry responsibilites (okay, this is mainly me, but still!)
Hueston Woods - We had a wonderful day of hiking last week in the beautiful Buckeye State!

It's enough to make a person long for summer to end! Anyway, I do not share that for any other reason than to lead me to say the following: If you're not hearing from me, THIS IS WHY!!! And, truly, this list doesn't cover it all. We're headed to Kentucky this week to visit my wonderful Uncle Bill and Aunt Otella. Should be a good time! Once things settle down here (they will do that eventually, right?) I will resume posting pictures and blogging. However, with the sun shining and the kids home, it just seems a far better use of my time to expend my energies with my sweet children.

To all whom may read this: Hope your summer is as wonderful as ours has been!

Dawn

Get Your Motor Runnin'

2009-07-14T21:47:00.001-04:00

In my family, riding motorcyles is practically a genetic mandate, and the kids are off to a good 'Armstrong' start taking a little cruise last weekend with Grandpa on the Harley. SWEET!!!!

How can you recognize a happy cyclist? He has bugs in his teeth, of course. :o)

I Think I'm Turnin' Japanese, I Really Think So!

2009-05-09T21:09:00.000-04:00

Mike took the kids and I to dinner to Fujiyama's Steak House and Sushi Bar. It was a first for the children, and they had quite the time. The 'chef' enjoyed tormenting and teasing the kids, and Joseph got so tickled and laughed so much that he had to make a dash to the restroom at one point to prevent cause for great embarrassment! Anyway, the kids asked me to snap a few pictures of their first Japanese Steak House experience so, here are the kids, posing for the camera.

A Day to Remember and to Rejoice

2009-05-05T20:49:00.001-04:00

It's hard to believe that seven years ago, I called Mike into Hannah's bedroom to witness our daughter praying to God to express her faith in the LORD Jesus Christ as Savior. It's an overused cliche, but truly feels as if it were only yesterday. Yet, as I reflect back through this little lady's life, each year of spiritual growth can be measured in deeper understanding of God and His Word, maturity, and depth of character. My dear Hannah, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." Amen! May God grant you all the holy desires of your heart. Love you more than life - Mom.

Mom Through Children's Eyes

2009-03-09T19:02:00.000-04:00

Joseph, 9 -- Hannah, 11

The kids were asked these series of questions about their mother. Their responses are differentiated below by the first letter of their first name.

1. What is something mom always says to you?

J: clean up your room

H: clean your room

2. What makes mom happy?

J: When I respect her & do things the way she wants me to do them

H: When we do what’s right.

3. What makes mom sad?

J: When people disrespect her, including me

H: When we do what’s wrong.

4. How does your mom make you laugh?

J: By saying funny stuff!

H: By tickling us, and making sarcastic jokes.

5. What was your mom like as a child?

J: (long pause, lots of thinking) I don’t know

H: (long silence) She used to play basketball and was aggressive. She stood up for what she thought was right, and liked animals.

6. How old is your mom?

J: 41?

H: 42?

7. How tall is your mom?

J: OH! Don’t know!

H: 5’ like 10” maybe?

8. What is her favorite thing to do?

J: To tickle me in the ‘pit-ties’ (translation: arm pits)

H: Study God’s Word

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?

J: Drinks coffee and reads her Bible

H: (lots of laughing) She works on her Bible study, and she cleans house.

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?

J: Playing her guitar

H: Winning the Nobel Prize

11. What is your mom really good at?

J: Singing

H: Teaching us.

12. What is your mom not very good at?

J: Making people NOT laugh

H: Keeping her temper.

13. What does your mom do for her job?

J: Do you even HAVE a job?

H: Taking care of me

14. What is your mom's favorite food?

J: lasagna with zucchini

H: Fried chicken

15. What makes you proud of your mom?

J: When she gets a compliment on doing something

H: The way she loves us and is able to be a good witness.

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?

J: Porky Pig

H: Bugs Bunny

17. What do you and your mom do together?

J: We play

H: We like to talk to each other, play, and she sings lullabies to me.

18. How are you and your mom the same?

J: We both are good at reading.

H: We both like to read and look a lot alike.

19. How are you and your mom different?

J: (laughing) She has brown hair, and I have blonde hair

H: We have different personalities. I’m a drama queen, and sometimes I cry over stuff that doesn’t even matter. My mom is just the opposite, and laughs at everything. She doesn’t care what other people think about her.

20. How do you know your mom loves you?

J: She shows it.

H: I know she loves me because she’s always there for me, and never misses anything. She does everything she can for me, and sacrifices for me. She tells me and I believe her.

21. Where is your mom's favorite place to go?

J: Ooo . . . I don’t know.

H: Church

Do you think your kids know you? (Ha) This is a humbling little exercise, but a lot of fun and good for a few laughs.

This was initially posted on my Facebook page, but since some of my family members are not on there I am reproducing here on the blog, too.

"Some say the world will end in fire, some say with ice."

2009-03-09T10:10:00.000-04:00

Recently, a friend of mine invited the kids and I to attend an ice-skating/birthday party she was hosting for her eldest child to be held at Ellenberger Park here in Indianapolis (head east on St. Clair street from Emerson Avenue if you want to check it out for yourself). Now, since I have managed to maintain a perfect record of never having broken a solitary bone in my body to date - and because I wanted to keep it that way - I refrained from donning a pair of ice skates myself and venturing out onto the rink of death, er . . .um, I mean, the ice. But, my children were undeterred by my recurring insistence that 'somebody's going to break an arm tonight,' and struggled on a pair of skates.

As only my son could have done, he managed to show up to the rink with one ankle sock on under his shoes, and entirely sockless on the other foot. (Grrr!) So, I had to take off my nice, warm, long socks and hand them over so he could skate. (Joseph - thanks ever so much! I love February at the ice rink minus socks. I owe you one, buddy! ha ha!)

They clopped along the big rubber mats and shakily navigated their way onto the ice. Both were afraid and I wasn't sure they were going to attempt it, but eventually, gloved-clad hands pressed against the plexiglass walls, both eased their way around the rink. As the night wore on, they both made their way out onto the ice and didn't do too bad skating. The videos are snippets of their first experience on the ice. Enjoy!

Champions!

2009-02-22T18:21:00.000-05:00

The girls got 'er done this afternoon, with an impressive win over Cascade. Congratulations to the Franklin Central Lady Flashes (5th Grade Team), and thanks to the coaches who have been nothing short of wonderful!

Evangelism Explosion Banquet

2009-02-20T20:07:00.000-05:00

Sunday, the LORD gave me the privilege of speaking at First Baptist Church in the city of Montpelier to share about E.E.. The believers who meet there were extremely kind to me and I thank the LORD for the tremendous way I was treated by those in attendance. They were surely a blessing!

The thing I wanted to write about, though is that in my attempts to encourage the brethren to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to get better equipped to share the gospel, I ended up being pretty encouraged myself. Thinking back through all the lives that have been touched through this tremendous discipling, gospel-training ministry has rekindled a passion within me to seek to 'get back in the saddle' and get to work somehow in E.E.. "Oh, Lord - use me once more, I pray!"

I praise the LORD for the people He has allowed me to meet and to work with and to come to know through the Evangelism Explosion ministry.

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them, because they were
distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd.
Then He
said to His disciples,

"The harvest is plentiful,
but the workers are few.
Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send
out workers into His harvest."

O'Friel's a Franklin Central Lady Flash!

2009-02-20T20:00:00.001-05:00

Looking serious as a heart-attack, little Miss Hannah is caught posing for a picture before a big, semi-finals game against the only team that beat the Flashes this season - Roncalli! The Flashes played solid defense and played well for the first game of the tourney, advancing to the semi-finals. Facing Roncalli, a team that mirrors the flashes in many way, made everyone a bit nervous!

The game was nip and tuck all the way and ended up going into overtime. Honestly, I do not know who endures more stress - the players or their parents - at times like these. (ha) But, we all survived and the Lady Flashes managed to come out on top. It was a big win, and the girls are all looking forward to playing in the championship game Sunday afternoon.

For Hannah, this experience has been a tremendous opportunity. The coach has been extremely patient and instructive with her. Unlike all the others, this is Hannah's first year playing the game. But everyone has been great about it and she has grown so much in every way. We are proud of the progress she's made and the mental toughness she is developing.

All I have to say now is . . . GO FLASHES!!!!! :)

My Baby Isn't a Baby, Anymore

2009-02-20T19:43:00.000-05:00

It's truly hard to believe it, but my daughter is now eleven years old. Where has all the time gone? Fortunately, she's growing into a wonderful young lady. I remember a star-lit night laying out under the stars with my dad, talking. I was pregnant, just a month or two along, and was sharing with Dad some of my hopes and dreams for this little girl growing inside of me. We held hands and prayed together that the LORD would graciously allow her to be a 'mighty warrior' for Him. As we opened our eyes, we saw a shooting star (true story!). Now, I am not saying that it was definitely the a sign, but I have to say, sign or no - the LORD has certainly answered that prayer.

To my beloved Hannah - hearing your teachers commend you for your bold witness, compassionate concern for others, and tremendous growth in character and responsibility is so incredibly humbling because I know that if you are ANY of these things, it is solely and purely by the grace of God. I am so proud of you! Happy Birthday, baby!

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2009-01-28T12:16:00.001-05:00

The Snow Day!

Let's be honest. For a kid, is there really anything better than school being cancelled due to snow?? I seriously doubt it. And, oh, my! The kids have been living it up! We now have a well-worn icy patch the width of the inflatable snow toy, a.k.a. 'Greased Lightening, or 'Snow Bomb,' down the front of our yard. The kids (mine and a few neighbor children combined) have slicked this section of yard down to the place where they can catapult themselves onto the snow board, leaping upon it and sliding right out into the street!!! (Don't fret, Grandma - they ARE watching for cars, which are few and far between today.)

This is what winter is supposed to be like - fun, not just frigid. What a blessing!

How Can We Tell How Big We Are?

2009-01-26T20:25:00.000-05:00

Today is what we refer to as Joseph's spiritual birthday. Five years ago today, kneeling beside my husband and daughter, the three of us had the once in a lifetime privilege to enter upon 'holy ground' as we were invited to listen in as Joseph, our then 4-year-old son, prayed to God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth, to express his thanks for giving His One and Only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the Cross for his sins and for raising Him from the dead for the forgiveness of sins and the gift of eternal life. It was a mouthful for a little boy his age, but the sincerity and seriousness with which he spoke bore witness to the full recognition of his need as a sinner to be saved by Christ. It was something I shall never, ever forget. And, today is the day each year we take time out of our busy lives to celebrate Joseph being born again (born from above). If you're wondering, yes - we most certainly have a party, replete with cake, candles, and ice cream!

When he and I were driving home from school, I asked him about his day and he said it was good, but that he was really excited about tonight. Feigning not to have any idea what he was referring to I innocently asked him, 'Oh, really? Why is that?' Sometimes I can be such a stinker! :) He wasn't fooled for a minute, though. He just said, "You know," with a big smirk on his face. And, of course, I knew full-well what he was alluding to and why he was excited. During our morning quiet time before school, the kids and I had been reading through the Parable of the Sower (which I always think should be called the Parable of the Soils!), and Joseph really perked up because he recognized - especially in light of what today is for him - that the soil of his little heart was 'good,' that is, it was open to the gospel. These morning devotions are often the highlight of the day for us and this one was especially meaningful.

All of that to say this: On the way home from dropping Hannah off to basketball practice, Joseph asked a great and what I felt was a profound question. In essence he said, "You know how we grow taller and bigger and smarter as we have a regular birthday every year?" (I resisted the temptation to make a smart remark and just nodded and agreed, letting him come to his point) He went on, "Well, how will I know if I am growing bigger and stronger, spiritually? Will it show up on my body somewhere?"

Moments like this make me so glad I'm a parent. I never would have thought to wonder about something like that had he not raised it. This is not to say that I never ponder (and truly wonder) about spiritual growth and if I am experiencing any of it. Of course I think of it quite a lot. But, his question about needing/wanting to see some sort of evidence was pretty cool, I thought.

We talked for a bit and worked together through some thoughts, finally settling upon looking to Christ as the 'benchmark' and Christian character - Christlikeness - as the way we could rightly evaluate our spiritual growth. It was an excellent discussion, and frankly, somewhat convicting. It seems to me that I have a lot of 'growing up to do.' Maybe we all do.

Oh, to be like Him! As we celebrate our Savior's great mercy to me and my family, how I pray that you are being ever more transformed into the image of God's Son, from glory to glory.

First Time Out

2009-01-19T23:06:00.000-05:00

What's to Come!

I am hoping to keep those who might be interested on what's happening here in "O'Friel Universe" (you know who you are!). Will have to keep it short for now though. The kids have to say their prayers and hop into bed for the night!