Southern Indiana Living - Jan / Feb 2021

Southern 

Indiana 

Health 

Heroes: 

Saint Meinrad 

Abbey Infirmary 

Staff 

Jan/ Feb 2021 

Living 

Local Artist Spotlight: 

New Albany Author 

Washington County Painter 

Orange County Sculptor

A special kind 

of compassion. 

The earlier you reach out, the sooner we can help create more 

moments and memories. Whether that means six months or three 

years, let us help you or your loved one get the most out of life at 

every stage. Call 800-264-0521 or visit HosparusHealth.org. 

Create more moments. 

2 • Jan/Feb 2021 • Southern Indiana Living

Missi Bush-Sawtelle, Owner 

812-267-3030 

Merry M 

Ledges L 

I N T HE WOO D S 

Rustic Wedding Facility 

www.MerryLedges.com 

• Charming • Private 

• Rustic • Unique 

Located in Corydon, IN 

Southern Indiana Living • Jan/Feb 2021 • 3


Featured Stories 

12 | HEALTH HEROES 

St. Meinrad Abbey Infirmary Staff 

16 | BRANDON HOUSE COUNSELING 

Non-profit provides mental health support to teens 

b 

Southern Indiana Living 

JAN / FEB 2021 

Local Artist Spotlight: 

20 | THE CREATIVE HEART OF SUSIE BYERLEY 

Oil painter and grandmother 

22 | FOLLOWING YOUR DREAMS 

Local horse owner shares tips in book 

24 

24 | CAST IN BRONZE 

Sculptor David Cox creates works of art using lost wax 

casting 

In Every Issue 

7 | FLASHBACK 

An Old-Fashioned Snow Day, 1967 

8 | A WALK IN THE GARDEN WITH BOB HILL 

The history of basketball 

11 | A NOTE TO BABY BOOMERS 

Who’s right during this pandemic? 

30 | EVERYDAY ADVENTURES 

Winter Escape 

12 


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JAN / FEB 2021 

VOL. 14, ISSUE 1 

PUBLISHER | 

Karen Hanger 

karen@silivingmag.com 

LAYOUT & DESIGN | 

Christy Byerly 

christy@silivingmag.com 

COPY EDITOR | 

Jennifer Cash 

Flashback Photo 

An Old-Fashioned Snow Day 

New Albany, Indiana 

1967 

COPY EDITOR | 

Sara Combs 

ADVERTISING | 

Take advantage of prime 

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karen@silivingmag.com 

ON THE COVER: St. Meinrad 

Abbey // Photo by Carol 

Ubelhor Troesch 

Check out more 

features and stories 

on our EPUB Exclusive! 

www.silivingmag.com 

// Photo courtesy of Stuart B. Wrege Indiana History Room, New Albany-Floyd County Public Library 

Southern Indiana Living is 

published bimonthly by SIL 

Publishing Co. LLC, P.O. Box 

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Any views expressed in any 

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According to library records, this photo of six children playing on the ice on frozen Fall 

Run Creek in Bedford Park in New Albany, Indiana, was taken by Ed Moss on December 

28, 1967. 


A Walk in the Garden with Bob Hill 

Having some connections to 

the game, most Hoosiers 

surely realize our beloved 

basketball was invented in 

one day by Dr. James A. Naismith, 

who was born in a farmhouse near 

Almonte, Ontario – yes, he was a Canadian 

– on Nov. 6, 1861. 

Yes. Basketball. Farm. Canadian. 

Promise. 

I know so because about 30 years 

ago I wrote “The Amazing Basketball 

Book,” a paperback, now out-of-date 

history of the game available for only 

$2.50 on Amazon (plus who-knowswhat 

shipping) and on forgotten 

bookshelves everywhere. 

Naismith was orphaned at 9, 

taken in by a tough-minded uncle, 

worked farm fields and as a lumberjack, 

dropped out of high school at 

15 and eventually attended McGill 

University in Montreal to become 

a minister. He earned his doctorate 

and then found himself, in 1890, at a 

Young Men’s Christian Association 

(YMCA) school in Springfield, Massachusetts. 

The sports world already had 

football, track and baseball. But believe 

it or not there was this sports 

hole in the calendar all winter just 

waiting to be filled. 

In the fall of 1891, Naismith’s 

boss, Dr. Luther Halsey Gulick Jr., 

asked Naismith to come up with that 

very sport those bored students could 

try in gymnasium class scheduled for 

two weeks away. On the fourteenth 

day, Dec. 21, Naismith came up with 

basketball. 

Merry Christmas. 

Seasonal serendipity ruled. Naismith 

found a soccer ball and a janitor 

found a pair of peach baskets and 

nailed them to a running track 10 feet 

above the gym floor. Imagine if that 

running track had been 12 feet off the 

floor. Or, if as originally intended, 

square wooden boxes were to have 

served as goals. Would wooden boxball 

with 12-foot dunks have survived? 

Thus, Naismith had the equipment, 

but the game needed some 

rules. So, he blasted out 13 of them in 

about an hour – promise – and basketball 

rolled out its first game with 

a few changes to occur over the next 

129 years. 

Those original 13 rules were 

printed in the school newspaper. Naismith 

suggested the goal be 15 inches 

across – it is now 18 inches. He explained, 

“The object of the game is 

8 • Jan/Feb 2021 • Southern Indiana Living 

This is the History of Basketball. Promise. 

to put the ball into your opponent’s 

goal. This may be done by throwing 

the ball from any part of the grounds, 

with one or both hands.” 

The “grounds” part assumed 

this new game could be played outdoors, 

which it was – and is. The first 

men’s game was played at the YMCA 

in Springfield in 1891 with women 

joining in shortly afterward at nearby 

Smith College in 1893, although their 

game would take much too long to 

spread. 

Reading those first 13 rules – and 

remember they were written in about 

an hour – shows some foresight into 

the best and worst possibilities of basketball. 

Along with Naismith’s intent 

on keeping the Christian game and 

participants healthy and “clean,” as 

we say in the modern vernacular. 

Players could not run with the 

ball. There was no dribbling. No 

shouldering, holding, tripping or 

striking would be allowed. The first 

infringement was a foul. The second 

would disqualify a player until the 

next goal was made. 

Think that over. Commit a second 

foul and your team is short a 

player until the next goal. The good 

news is the original game had nine 

players on a side – there were only 18 

people in the whole class – so losing a 

teammate or two was not so damaging. 

Also – and again think of this 

in the modern game – if either side 

made three consecutive fouls it would 

count as a goal for the other team. It 

does sound quite Christian. 

Here was another rule with 

larger implications. If a ball went out 

of bounds, it would be thrown back 

into play by the first person touching 

it. Which indicates a mad scramble 

off the court and into the spectators 

with 18 people chasing an errant soccer 

ball. 

After thinking things over, Naismith 

suggested the number of players 

on a team should vary with court 

size with the number fluctuating between 

three and 40. He also invented 

the “center jump” to start a game but 

never imagined a pair of 7-footers

Players could not run with the ball. There was no 

dribbling. No shouldering, holding, tripping or 

striking would be allowed. The first infringement 

was a foul. The second would disqualify a player 

until the next goal was made. 

would be involved. Later in basketball 

history, wire cages were placed 

around the court to keep the ball inbound. 

Hence the word “cagers.” 

Promise. 

Speaking of nomenclature, in 

those very early days basketball was 

often called “football in a gym” and 

each half an “inning.” Backboards 

were just a necessity. They were hung 

up behind the baskets because fans 

sitting up in the balcony – or using 

the running track – could swat the 

balls away. Thus, the first wooden 

backboards were 6 feet tall and 12 feet 

wide. 

Anticipating the future, Naismith 

declared his game should consist 

of two 15-minute halves with fiveminute 

breaks in between. He just 

couldn’t anticipate the 267 halftime 

car commercials and mindless commentary 

breaks in today’s game in 

which coaches are paid $9 million a 

year and NBA players $40 million a 

year. 

The inventor never made a nickel 

on it. 

Somewhere about 1900, as basketball 

bounced forward and rules 

committees were established, it was 

decided a player could dribble once, 

but only with two hands, and take a 

single step over before passing. The 

killjoys also decided a goal from out 

of bounds would not count. 

In the early years, basketball 

moved all over the northeast but 

with no universal rules. Lessening 

the rough play became a further talking 

point when one Harvard player 

was whistled for 15 fouls. The limit 

was then set at four, moved to five in 

high school and college and six in the 

NBA. 

Do I hear seven? 

Prior to 1923, each team was allowed 

a designated player to shoot 

free throws and it wasn’t until 1932 

that the 10-second line at midcourt 

came into play. Prior to that a team 

could hold the ball forever. The threesecond 

rule – now five seconds – for 

people hanging in the lane didn’t 

come into play until 1932. 

Oh yeah, the center jump after 

every basket was dropped after 1937. 

And because early-1890s Naismith 

basketball was first modeled on 

football, those first basketball “field 

goals” were worth three points. It just 

took a while to get back to that. 

Promise. 

Image credit: Ntdanai / shutterstock.com 

About the Author 

Former Courier-Journal 

columnist Bob Hill 

enjoys gardening, good 

fun, good friends and 

the life he and his wife, 

Janet, have created on 

their eight bucolic acres 

near Utica in Southern 

Indiana. 

LM Sugarbush 

Maple Syrup Festival 

February 26-27 and March 6-7, 2021 

9:00AM - 5:00PM 

321 N. Garrison Hollow Rd, Salem 

LMSugarbush.com 

Enjoy farm tours, activities for the kids, craft and 

food vendors, live music, delicious pancakes and 

waffles, and of course, maple syrup! 

Contact us at: 

www.washingtoncountytourism.com 

or call 812-883-4303 to plan your trip! 


Thank you for choosing Harrison 

County Hospital as your community 

healthcare provider! 

Our Patients Have Awarded 

HCH 5 STARS 

For Overall Patient Experience! 

*based on HCAHPS Summary Star Rating 


www.hchin.org

Who’s Right During This Pandemic? 

A Note to Baby Boomers 

Our yard was bigger than 

most. 

So, I had my share of 

childhood friends. 

When enough kids showed up, 

we smacked plastic baseballs onto 

our tin roof and into the vegetable 

garden. When enough kids showed 

up in dirty clothes, we got dirtier 

playing football. 

Rimmed in trees and shrubs and 

rickety sheds, the place was fit too for 

epic games of tag and hide and seek 

and cowboys and Indians. Political 

correctness was not a concern. 

Breaking up by dinnertime was. 

Bruce usually was there. Bruce 

got into more hot water than Dennis 

the Menace. He also had more fun. 

I never told him, but I envied 

Bruce. Still do. 

In fourth grade, maybe fifth, 

Bruce stopped by with a cast on his 

arm, ready to play like always. The 

phone rang at our house. 

Bruce’s mom asked my mom 

to be sure Bruce sat out. Mom did 

her motherly duty. Bruce threw a fit. 

Mom went back in. When the coast 

seemed clear Bruce, well, you know 

… . Mom again laid down the law. 

Bruce again went ape. 

Best as I recall, Mom wore down. 

Bruce never did. 

We all know a Bruce, don’t we? I 

thought of my Bruce as this nightmarish 

pandemic took hold and wouldn’t 

let go. 

Bruce took chances like I ate 

Hershey bars. Rules were meant to be 

bent on an off day, broken otherwise. 

Today’s leaders, at least most 

of them, urge us not to be Bruce. Be 

careful, they urge. Sacrifice. Keep 

one another in mind. This virus hates 

risk-takers like Bruce hated being 

grounded. 

We all know people who have 

holed up these past too many months. 

And we know others who mostly go 

about their routines. Many of us pick 

and choose our ventures and hope for 

the best. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? 

Where are you on the spectrum? 

How much Bruce is too much, too 

little? 

I again work out at the gym. 

Should I? I again eat occasionally inside 

restaurants. Is that foolish? 

I am a senior. I am stuck with 

health challenges. My father and my 

grandfathers did not live all that long. 

None of this reality helps me sleep. 

All of it is right up the virus’ alley. 

Then again, maybe at last I am 

a bit more like Bruce. Should I be 

proud? Or do I still need a mother to 

keep me in line? 

Mom, bless your soul, do not 

worry. My Bruce imitation only goes 

so far. Down deep, risk and I do not 

get along, pandemic or no pandemic. 

I like flu shots and don’t like heights. 

Flying in planes is cool, jumping out 

of them isn’t. 

And these days, I wear my mask 

and keep my distance. 

I grab a rail when going up stairs. 

I’ve given up wading more than knee 

deep in the ocean. Sure, sunscreen 

could be more of a friend and flossing 

less of a hassle. But I learned to 

text message the kids. 

Change need not be a four-letter 

word after all. 

Aging is as much about change 

as was every other step along the way. 

To think I figured pimples would be 

as bad as bad gets. To recall believing 

money flow like water once the last 

diaper was bought. 

To assume it gets easier when 

family and friends die. To have 

counted on needing like 19 seconds 

to settle comfortably into retirement. 

Like to imagine this virus stuff 

would be practically history by Easter 

or the Fourth of July or surely by 

Labor Day. No March Madness, no 

Olympics, no plays or concerts. Work 

at home, learn at home and worship 

at home. Get together on Zoom or 

whatever. Live large a virtual life? No 

way. 

Way. 

The Bruce in us cannot be trusted 

any more than Bruce could be trusted 

that day in my backyard. A busted 

arm was no more an excuse to Bruce 

than, to some of you, is this virus. I 

could try to convince you to believe 

the experts, to follow science. 

Then again, we remain almost 

as much at a loss for answers as were 

last March, don’t we? I go on doing 

what I do. You go on doing what you 

We all know people who have holed up these 

past too many months. And we know others 

who mostly go about their routines. Many of 

us pick and choose our ventures and hope for 

the best. Who’s right? Who’s wrong? 

do. Who’s right? 

Bruce moved to Louisville not 

long after the cast came off. We lost 

touch. I suspect my mom was relieved. 

No one came along to take 

over the Bruce part. 

A few summers ago, more than a 

half-century later, I settled into a lawn 

chair for a blues concert in my hometown. 

Wearing a Lite beer T-shirt, the 

group’s husky-voiced singer wailed 

and bounced about like he was at 

Woodstock. 

He looked familiar. He was familiar. 

He is Bruce. 

We caught up briefly at intermission 

and talked of getting together. It 

hasn’t happened. 

If it does, will Bruce have on a 

mask? • 

After 25 years, Dale Moss 

retired as Indiana columnist for 

The Courier-Journal. He now 

writes weekly for the News and 

Tribune. Dale and his wife Jean 

live in Jeffersonville in a house 

that has been in his family 

since the Civil War. Dale’s e- 

mail is dale.moss@twc.com 


The spirit of the Saint Meinrad 

Archabbey infirmary is one of 

calm and comfort. Like many 

other health-care facilities, it is 

filled with dedicated people and caring 

hearts. Many days are long and 

tiring, but the compassion is inspiring. 

Ann Phillips, director of health 

services, who manages the health 

clinic, wellness department and the 

infirmary, has been with the Archabbey 

for 22 years. “Working at the Archabbey 

is definitely more family-oriented. 

You are respected and valued 

as an individual,” she said. 

Saint Meinrad Archabbey was 

founded in 1854 by monks from Einsiedeln 

Abbey in Switzerland. They 

came to Southern Indiana at the request 

of a local priest who was seeking 

help to serve the pastoral needs of 

the growing German-speaking population 

and to prepare local men to be 

priests. 

The Benedictine community 

at Saint Meinrad consists of about 

85 men who dedicate their lives to 

prayer and work. The monks live 

by the wisdom and guidance of the 

Rule of St. Benedict, the sixth century 

instructions for community living, 

written by St. Benedict. 

The infirmary, which averages 

around 10 monks, is an integral part 

of this community, as it allows those 

needing extra care and attention the 

ability to have that without leaving 

their home, whether for a short time 

of recuperation or for their remaining 

time. 

Archabbot Kurt Stasiak, OSB, 

speaks very highly of the staff. “It 

has been quite a few years since 

one of our monks has had to die in 

a hospital. Our monks, like so many 

people, would prefer to die at home 

rather than away, and the excellent 

and competent care our nursing staff 

provides usually makes that wish a 

reality.” 

The pandemic this year has been 

challenging for the staff and community 

alike. 

“COVID has challenged me and 

my staff, especially when many of the 

monks and nursing staff were both 

sick. We had a lot of fatigue. I also experience 

COVID-decision fatigue, as 

this can be very overwhelming. People 

rely on you to know the answers,” 

Phillips said. 

All but two of the monks in the 

infirmary have had, and have recovered, 

from COVID-19. 


Cover Story 

Health Heroes 

Saint Meinrad Archabbey infirmary staff provides 

care and comfort during the pandemic 

Story and Photos by Carol Ubelhor Troesch

“Those were the hardest few 

weeks we have had. We were short 

on staff, as some were off because of 

COVID. It was challenging, yet it’s a 

rewarding feeling now, because we 

made it through really well,” added 

Ann Wahl, a CNA who has been part 

of the staff for nine years. She says 

that the Saint Meinrad staff works 

hard to respect the fact that this is the 

monks’ home. She adds that she likes 

to serve people and help them maintain 

their individualism. 

Fr. Bonaventure Knaebel, OSB, 

agrees. Along with traditional healthcare 

needs, the monks often call on 

the staff to help with other important 

details. Knaebel says that he has macular 

degeneration, and that someone 

reads the Community Bulletin to him 

each week. The former archabbot 

(1955-66) is now 102 years old and 

has the rare ability to say he has lived 

through two pandemics, in 1918 and 

2020. 

“The nurses take care of us. A lot 

of little things come up that demand 

their attention. When I’m looking for 

something, and cannot see it due to 

my eyesight, they are always willing 

to help.” 

The daily activities for each of 

the monks varies, depending on their 

health and interests. 

Mass is celebrated each day in 

the Infirmary Chapel, with various 

monks coming from the monastery 

to assist. Meals are also taken together, 

often in silence, but occasionally 

with talk of current events, television 

shows or spiritual topics. 

Br. Jerome Croteau, OSB, who 

spent many years on the Archabbey 

building crew and working with the 

vineyards, also enjoys being able to 

go outside when the weather permits. 

The courtyard is a popular spot 

for many of the monks on beautiful, 

sunny days. He agrees that the staff 

is there for them, not only medically, 

but also in a very caring way. 

“Here, our patients are like part 

of our family,” said Doris Schaefer, 

who has worked in the department 

for 10 years. “If they need help with 

special things, like reading, writing 

letters or mailing things, I can help 

them. One of the greatest achievements 

is earning the trust and love of 

my patients.” 

Fr. Micheas Langston, OSB, 

mentions that the monks often try 

not to bother the nurses, but the nurses 

will tell us “that’s what I’m here 

for.” An Army chaplain for many 

years, Langston also taught Spanish 

“Care of the sick must rank above and before all else, so 

that they may truly be served as Christ, for He said: 

I was sick and you visited Me, 

and what you did for one of the least 

brothers and sisters you did for Me. 

Let the sick on their part bear in mind that they are 

served out of honor for God, and let them not, by excessive 

demands, distress their nurses. Still, the sick must 

be patiently borne with, because serving them leads to 

greater ground.” 

- Rule of Saint Benedict, Chapter 36 

Pictured: (left hand page) ) Doris Schaefer and Br. Jerome; (this page, top) Br. Giles and Mary Jo Waninger ; (this page, bottom) 

Br. Jerome Crouteau, OSB, Fr. Bonaventure Knaebel, OSB, Fr. Micheas Langston, OSB, and Ann Phillips 


and German at Saint Meinrad and 

was involved in parish work here in 

Southern Indiana. He returned to the 

Archabbey five years ago and still has 

frequent calls and letters from past 

students and those he knew from 

service. “Being able to talk to people 

is wonderful, since we cannot have 

visitors at this time, and we only go 

out for any necessary doctor appointments.” 

Wellness Coordinator Jill Memmer 

exercises with a group of monks 

twice a week in the infirmary. “With 

COVID, I have had to switch my 

mindset from mainly face-to-face interactions 

to virtual. I count my blessings 

that I have been able to adapt my 

programs and everyone seems willing 

to adapt along with me.” 

Memmer says that one of her 

favorite memories is from a few 

years ago when she asked the eldest 

monk about the key to living so long 

and he simply smiled and said, “just 

keep breathing.” “The experiences 

and knowledge the monks have to 

share with me and the world make 

our twice-a-week workouts a mutual 

benefit to them and to myself.” 

“I’m proud to call myself a 

nurse,” said Phillips. “This profession 

is definitely a calling, a lifestyle 

and a passion; the monks have taught 

me to view the profession as a ministry. 

It takes a lot of compassion and 

empathy to be a nurse. You have to 

have the desire to make a positive impact 

on the lives of our patients. Even 

though the days are long, and, at 

times, stressful, I leave knowing that 

we did a darn good job.” 

Stasiak easily sums up the compassion 

of the infirmary staff: “I’ve always 

said our infirmary staff is one of 

our greatest blessings. As so many of 

our co-workers have done, they have 

proved themselves several times over 

these past months as we’ve been living 

under the COVID pandemic. Caring 

for the sick while there’s a worldwide 

sickness going on is certainly 

not for the fainthearted. Our infirmary 

staff shows their strong and caring 

hearts day after day. They are among 

the most ‘careful’ — that is, ‘full of 

care’ — people I know.” • 

For more information on Saint Meinrad 

Archabbey, visit saintmeinrad.org. 

“I’ve always said our 

infirmary staff is one of 

our greatest blessings. 

As so many of our coworkers 

have done, they 

have proved themselves 

several times over these 

past months as we’ve 

been living under the 

COVID pandemic. Caring 

for the sick while 

there’s a worldwide 

sickness going on is 

certainly not for the 

fainthearted.” 

- Archabbot Kurt Stasiak 

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JANUARY 23 

CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS 

December 21 - January 22 

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CARRY-OUT AVAILABLE 7 DAYS A WEEK 

Hours Subject To Change Due To COVID-19 


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CrawfordCountyIndiana.com 


Making a Difference 

Brandon’s House Counseling 

Local non-profit offers much needed mental health services to teens at no cost 


Story by Darian Eswine 

Photo by Michelle Hockman (page 17) // Quorthon1 / shutterstock.com(page 16) 

Founded in 1993, Brandon’s 

House Counseling was, is and 

will always be a place to provide 

much-needed mental 

health services to teens at no cost to 

their families. 

Susan Parr created the counseling 

center as part of her master’s degree 

project before graduation. She 

realized there was a gap for a lot of 

people seeking services who either 

had insurance that limited the services 

they could receive, couldn’t afford 

the co-pay or didn’t have insurance 

and couldn’t afford the out-of-pocket 

cost for therapy. 

Parr was working with a young 

man at the time who had witnessed 

his father murder his mother. What 

was obviously a very traumatic event 

was made worse because he had a lot 

of limits to the care he could receive 

to aid his healing process. 

Parr saw that and realized it just 

wasn’t right, so she partnered with individuals 

in the community and with 

Depauw United Methodist Church 

in New Albany to create Brandon’s 

House. 

“We officially serve 13- to 

19-year-olds,” director Kathleen Randelia 

said. “We will make some exceptions 

generally on the younger 

end of that for siblings, for example. 

It’s a case-by-case basis.” 

For the past 27 years, Randelia, 

who became the director in 2018 after 

Parr retired, said they have focused 

on providing mental health counseling 

in a professional manner to as 

many people as they can at no cost to 

families. 

“We provide outpatient therapy, 

individual and family therapy for 

the most part. There are times where 

we’ll do group therapy, career counseling 

or couples counseling,” Randelia 

said. “We don’t do crisis intervention 

where if someone is having 

a mental crisis they would call us. 

We always refer to hospitals or other 

agencies that do that. We are exclusively 

outpatient.” 

One of the things Randelia 

makes sure clients understand is that 

even though they are getting free 

care, the staff is equally professional 

and educated and they stick with 

the state and national guidelines for 

mental health practices. 

With COVID-19 affecting everyone 

in different ways, Randelia said it 

has greatly affected the teens her team 

works with and their well-being. At 

the beginning of the pandemic, they 

switched to telehealth appointments 

exclusively. In June, they transitioned 

back to in-person only to switch back 

to telehealth in November. 

“At one point, we had 40 individuals 

on our waiting list. It really 

spiked,” Randelia said. “Mental 

Health Association sent out a State of 

Mental Health Report and their 2020 

data showed a marked increase in

individuals seeking help for anxiety 

and depression since COVID started. 

I want to say it was a 90% increase.” 

Randelia said research is showing 

what she’s seeing with their clients. 

Teens are facing a lot of uncertainty 

in their lives right now. Their 

anxiety and depression symptoms 

have increased. In fact, in Indiana 

suicide is the second-leading cause of 

injury death in teens, just behind auto 

accidents. 

“A lot of them are really not 

adapting well to the online school 

process,” Randelia said. “I have a lot 

of parents who are frustrated because 

their kids who were really good students 

are now failing in classes and 

that adds stress to the whole family.” 

Randelia said that although 

everyone is facing uncertainty and 

stress this year, teens are seeing an 

even greater impact on their health. 

“If you think about all of the 

challenges adults have had adapting, 

teens feel everything much more intensely 

just because of where they’re 

at developmentally,” Randelia said. 

“So they’re going to feel those highs a 

lot higher and those lows a lot lower 

so for them it’s been even more of an 

emotional roller coaster this year.” 

Because of this, she said a lot 

of their focus in therapy has turned 

to working with clients on life skills, 

whereas the focus used to be more on 

the problem or issue for which they 

came to counseling. 

“We’re doing a lot more of 

‘how do you stay connected to your 

friends,’ because for adolescents social 

support is even more important 

than it is for adults,” Randelia said. 

“How do you organize your day 

when you’re not in the classroom that 

separates their lives in periods? How 

do you manage to keep yourself on 

task and focused?” 

Family members are encouraged 

to stay involved and often bring 

the teen to the session whether virtually 

or in-person. 

“One of the things with therapy 

that we find often, in order to help the 

teens the best possible way we can, 

we need to include family members 

and their support system in that process,” 

Randelia said. 

If you are a family or friend and 

notice a loved one saying they’re always 

tired, ignoring their personal 

hygiene or having a general lack of 

interest in themselves, withdrawing 

from social situations or being more 

emotionally vulnerable, these may be 

signs of a deeper issue. 

“If you think about all of the challenges adults 

have had adapting, teens feel everything much 

more intensely just because of where they’re at 

developmentally,” Randelia said. “So they’re going 

to feel those highs a lot higher and those lows a 

lot lower so for them it’s been even more of an 

emotional roller coaster this year.” 

“Those are things you want to 

have conversations about. Teens especially 

aren’t always comfortable 

talking about their emotions and 

thoughts and that is where counseling 

can come in because it’s that outside, 

third-party to talk to,” Randelia 

said. 

She said there used to be a fear 

that if you asked someone direct 

questions – “have you thought of 

self-harm?” – then you could put 

thoughts there that weren’t there before. 

But, she said this isn’t the case 

and that these questions are sometimes 

necessary. “It’s not going to 

make them think of it if they haven’t 

already.” 

As director of Brandon’s House, 

Randelia does a little bit of everything, 

including managing her own 

caseload of clients, managing the staff 

and handling the marketing and fundraising 

for the organization. 

Being very grassroots in nature, 

Brandon’s House does not take federal 

funds or tax dollars as they usually 

come with very specific restrictions to 

- Kathleen Randelia 

services. 

“We don’t want to have any barriers 

in place,” Randelia said. “We 

do accept some local grants and also 

have many individuals who sponsor 

us and support us throughout the 

year.” 

They also hold five to six fundraisers 

throughout the year. This year, 

they have switched to virtual events 

and are seeing about 50% of the revenue 

they usually make from in-person 

events. • 

To support Brandon’s House Counseling, 

visit brandonshousein.com to donate or 

find more information. For more resources 

on mental health, visit mhanational. 

org or nami.org. 

If you or someone you know is entertaining 

suicidal thoughts or thoughts 

of harming themselves or others, visit 

suicidepreventionlifeline.org or call 800- 

273-8255. 


Painters of SoIN 

“Cock of Walk” 

The Creative Heart of Susie Byerley 

Oil painter and grandmother 

Standing at the top of a small hill 

within the town of Hardinsburg 

in Washington County, 

the home of Susie and Wayne 

Byerley is surrounded by 7 acres 

of woods. Here, in this green world 

where diverse species of birds come 

to feed, goats saunter and fish swim 

in the pond, Susie Byerley is often 

thinking about how to translate these 

refreshing scenes and myriad inflections 

of color onto canvas. 

“I am always painting and mixing 

colors in my head,” Byerley said. 

“I am always evaluating what process 

to use so others can enjoy seeing 

what I am seeing.” 

Wildlife and domestic animals 

are some of her favorite subjects to 

paint. “Animals have always been 

a part of my life,” she said. “As a 

young girl, I loved horses and spent 

hours drawing their fine details. I 

later worked for a veterinarian for almost 

30 years. It is not surprising that 

when I began to paint seriously, in 

my mid-40s, I would paint animals.” 

A female cardinal perched in the 

snow is the subject of Byerley’s painting 

titled “Proud Lady.” 


“There are actually hints of blue 

and green in her tan feathers,” Byerley 

said, explaining the title of the 

piece. “Her confident demeanor suggests 

that she knows she is as beautiful 

as the more brilliant red male.” 

“Proud Lady” is a fairly recent 

painting that Byerley compared to 

one of her earlier works done when 

she was aiming at something closer 

to photorealism. “Allie With Fish,” 

the earlier work, is characterized by 

painstaking detail and precision, 

looking almost photographic. 

Byerley explained the shift: “As 

I grew as a painter, I wanted to capture 

more movement rather than the 

stillness of a photograph. In ‘Proud 

Lady,’ I softened the edges and 

blurred some details to create more 

vitality and also to leave something 

to the viewer’s imagination.” 

In a painting titled “Lambright’s 

Barn,” Byerley captures the mellow 

and peaceful attitude of a group of 

cows lazing inside a barn where light 

breaks through the stall gate and a 

small window. 

“I have a lot of fun representing 

the personalities of animals,” Byerley 

Story by Judy Cato 

Photos by Lorraine Hughes 

said of this painting. 

In a painting titled “Cock of the 

Walk,” a strutting rooster with a bright 

red cockscomb and grand arching tail 

feathers stands his ground over his 

hens and a piece of watermelon. 

Byerley is also well known for 

her still-lifes and exquisite portraits 

that often incorporate nature. Her 

response to the COVID-19 pandemic 

was to get to work painting portraits 

of her three granddaughters. “If I got 

the virus, I wanted them to have these 

portraits,” she said. 

When doing portraits, Byerley’s 

preference is to paint from live models, 

but her granddaughters’portraits 

were painted from photographs. 

“From models, I learn real skin tone, 

the anatomy of the face and where exactly 

light hits the face,” Byerley said. 

“With COVID, this had to shut down. 

Also, I would not ask my granddaughters 

to sit still for me. That 

would be torture. But they do like to 

get dressed up for photographs.” 

In her portrait of Macie holding 

a bunny, the frame is filled with 

the thrill of a moment. The little girl, 

oblivious to her strap falling down or

hair blowing about, is wholly captivated 

by the furry, wriggling animal. 

Lillie, reading by the pond, is under 

the spell of her book. The book’s 

title is hidden from view, leaving it to 

the viewer to guess what story might 

have provoked her trace of a smile. 

Charli, in a blue strapless dress, 

appears all grown up and poised with 

her hands gracefully folded. But there 

is some ambiguity in her face. Her 

eyes and expression seem to plead 

that she is still just a kid. Byerley said 

of this portrait: “Charli is 12, the time 

of metamorphosis.” 

The Byerley home and property 

is reminiscent of an artist retreat 

center. Byerley’s husband, Wayne, is 

also an artist - a wood turner - with a 

woodshop on the property where he 

creates segmented bowls on a lathe. 

Byerley’s studio, a transformed 

bedroom, is brimming with artist’s 

supplies and stacks of completed canvases. 

The magnificent windows in 

the home provide ample light to display 

the couple’s artwork in a gallerylike 

setting. 

When the couple are not making 

art, they enjoy other creative pursuits, 

such as gardening, cooking, canning, 

reading and fishing, and Byerley also 

sews and makes jewelry. 

Although Byerley has studied 

with several nationally known artists, 

she feels the most gratitude to Trish 

“Lambright’s Barn” 

“Animals have always been a part of my life. 

As a young girl, I loved horses and spent hours 

drawing their fine details. I later worked for 

a veterinarian for almost 30 years. It is not 

surprising that when I began to paint seriously, in 

my mid-40s, I would paint animals.” 

- Susie Byerley 

Artist Susie Byerley at her home in Washington County 


Alder, who taught art at Paoli High 

School when Byerley was a student 

there. “She opened myeyes to art and 

taught me that there is nothing I can’t 

do,” Byerley said. 

Byerley has also won several 

prestigious art awards that have validated 

her work, but awards are not 

her motivation for working hard. 

What does motivate her? She pointed 

to a quotation by Erma Bombeck 

tacked to her refrigerator. Bombeck 

wrote: “When I stand before God at 

the end of my life, I would hope that 

I would not have a single bit of talent 

left and could say, ‘I used everything 

you gave me.’” 

Byerley said “this quotation has 

had a profound effect on my life and 

work: I feel it deep down.” • 

To see more of the artist’s work, 

visit atelierlouisville.com/carousel. 

php?galleryID=246648 

Pictured: (right) “Proud Lady”, a painting by Susie Byerley 

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PHILANTHROPY IS ALWAYS IN SEASON. 

For 25 years now, Harrison County Community Foundation has been helping our community experience 

philanthropy through every season – and every season of life. Scholarship for young people and adults. 

Funding Preschool and Pre-Kindergarten. Supporting youth programs and seniors’ meals. Investing in fiber 

internet backbone. COVID-19 relief. Providing grants and other resources for nonprofits. Funding mental 

health services and addiction treatment programs. 

Of course, plenty of opportunities and challenges remain. Together we can tackle the next 25 years and 

beyond. How are you going to experience philanthropy - this season and next? In what season of life are you 

going to help someone or perhaps need help yourself? 

Find out more by visiting hccfindiana.org or contacting us at 812-738-6668. 

25 YEARS 

PHILANTHROPY 

EXPERIENCE 

COMMUNITY 

L E G A C Y 

Harrison County Community Foundation 

1523 Foundation Way NE 

PO Box 279, Corydon, IN 47112 

P 812.738.6668 | F 812.738.6864 

hccfindiana.org 



Local Author 

Following Your Dreams 

Janet Wolanin Alexander 

New Albany horse owner shares tips in book 

Story by Julie Engelhardt 

Photo by Letha Cupp 

We all have dreams, hopes 

and aspirations — whether 

they have to do with 

careers, relationships or 

personal goals — but we often have to 

let them pass by due to circumstances 

that get in the way. We may not have 

the time to pursue them or be in the 

right place to make them happen, 

meaning we might have to wait until 

later in life for them to occur. 

Such is the case of former science 

teacher and nature enthusiast 

Janet Wolanin Alexander, who lives 

in New Albany. She is the author of 

the book “At Home on a Horse in the 

Woods: A Journey into Living Your 

Ultimate Dream,” an inspiring collection 

of essays and poems. The book 

gives the reader insight into her quest 

to become a full-time horse owner, 

how she accomplished that goal in 

her 40s, her deep connection with 

her four-legged companions, and her 

personal and spiritual growth along 

the trail. While this book connects 

deeply with horse owners and equestrian 

enthusiasts, it is also for those 

who are searching for ways to attain 

their goals and follow their dreams, 

regardless of age or circumstance. 

Alexander, who’s now 68, has 

had a deep fascination with horses 

ever since she was a child. She grew 

up in the city, near Cleveland, Ohio, 

but never lived in close proximity to 

stables. “My parents weren’t horse 

people themselves and didn’t quite 

relate to or understand the whole 

thing,” she explained. “They probably 

thought it was a typical girl fancy, 

a passing stage that would go away 

when puberty and boys came along, 

but it never did.” 

In chapter 51 of her book, titled 

“A Range Horse,” Alexander ruminates 

on where her love for horses 

stemmed from. She writes, “Perhaps 

part of my horse craziness can be attributed 

to growing up in the 1950s 

and ’60s, when Westerns abounded 

on television.” She cites shows that 

were popular during that time period, 

which include “Big Valley,” 

“Cheyenne,” “Bonanza,” “Death Valley 

Days,” “Gunsmoke,” “The Lone 

Ranger,” “Maverick” and “The Rifleman.” 

These were shows where horses 

were as prominent as the human 

players. 

“I just fell in love with watching 

the horses,” Alexander said. “I had 

such a fascination with them.” 

Alexander’s love for horses increased 

when she was able to finally 

go on rides through her involvement

with area youth groups, like Campfire 

Girls, and local church organizations. 

“We’d go on field trips, and 

I enjoyed the outings where we got 

to ride horses,” she said. Also, near 

Cleveland, there was a stable where 

they could rent a horse for an hour 

and take guided rides. Her father 

also knew a professor through Case 

Western Reserve University who 

had opened a summer camp, which 

included riding. When she was old 

enough to drive, Alexander began 

leasing a horse and would head out 

to go on rides. “I’d take any opportunity 

I could get to go riding.” 

After high school, Alexander 

enrolled in the University of Dayton, 

where she majored in education with 

an emphasis in biology and English. 

She began teaching, and it was during 

this time that she was able to become 

seriously involved with horses. 

She began providing evening care 

for an Appaloosa gelding named 

Geronimo, and along with that, she 

was granted riding privileges. Eventually, 

Geronimo was for sale, so Alexander 

bought him. She began taking 

dressage lessons with Geronimo, 

and they began going on trail rides, 

which is an activity Alexander greatly 

enjoys to this day. When she was 

in her later 20s, Alexander decided 

that she wanted to return to college 

to earn her master’s degree. In order 

to pay for her schooling, she had to 

take out student loans, but she also 

reluctantly sold Geronimo. In chapter 

49, “My Worst Nightmare,” Alexander 

tells of her agony over selling the 

horse, something she thinks about to 

this day. 

When Alexander was in her 

early 40s, she met and married her 

husband, who was also an educator. 

She and her husband had different 

religious backgrounds, so in order 

to have a better understanding of 

his faith, she enrolled in a class at his 

church. One of the assignments she 

received was to schedule a private 

The book gives the reader insight into her quest 

to become a full-time horse owner, how she 

accomplished that goal in her 40s, her deep 

connection with her four-legged companions, and 

her personal and spiritual growth along the trail. 

meeting with a minister, a woman 

named Reverend Judy. Judy invited 

Alexander to discuss anything she 

wanted. 

“I had no idea what I was going 

to talk about,” Alexander explained. 

She eventually opened up to Judy 

about her passion, her burning desire 

to have a horse, and how she felt 

tortured when she drove past horse 

farms or saw owners in their riding 

garb. Alexander also expressed how 

angry she was at God. Right there, 

in front of Judy, Alexander said she 

“put God on notice.” In her book she 

writes, “I informed the big bully that 

I was no longer going to play the enabling 

victim in this game because I 

no longer wanted a horse. ‘So there,’ I 

told God, ‘you can’t hurt me any longer.’” 

Expecting that she would receive 

a dressing down from Judy, Alexander 

went on to tell how the next 

unexpected moment changed her life. 

“She wasn’t flustered or angry, 

and warmly looked at me and said, 

‘Jan, don’t you get it? Who do you 

think put your love of horses into 

your being? It’s not going to go away, 

until you fully open your heart and 

accept it.’” 

Alexander said that she was 

floored by this response to her outburst. 

“It was just so — this idea 

was so different than I had expected, 

and so pleasant,” she admitted. “I 

felt like the room was spinning and 

overwhelming, and I immediately 

accepted it. What’s wrong with being 

happy? If you’re happy, then you can 

be a better servant.” 

This was the turning point that 

Alexander needed, and after talking 

openly about it with her husband, the 

opportunities to work with horses, 

leading to eventual long-term horse 

ownership, began to take place. 

Through various personal connections 

and friends, she was offered the 

chance to ride and exercise a horse 

named Dancer’s Streak, a registered 

Arabian who was a 5,000-mile endurance 

champion who had entered 100 

endurance rides, including 13 oneday 

100-milers. Through Dancer’s 

owners, Alexander met others who 

gave her the opportunity to ride their 

horses, eventually meeting the horse 

that she’s now owned for 20 years, 

Highlander, a Tennessee Walker- 

Arabian mix. “He has great breeding 

and he’s a good trail horse,” she said. 

“A trail horse is the best of all horses 

because basically, they have to do everything 

a horse has to do in the ring. 

In nature, they’re performing similar 

activities. They have to be aware of so 

many different things we might encounter 

— wild turkeys, horse traffic, 

bicycles, people on four-wheelers, an 

errant truck that gets lost, backpackers, 

thunderstorms — you name it.” 

For many years, Alexander was 

under the impression that she had to 

be quite wealthy to own a horse, but 

soon realized that her dream was attainable. 

“Horses are still an expense, but 

we moved to Indiana because it’s less 

expensive, housing is less expensive 

and horse keeping is less expensive,” 

she said. “I don’t take lessons, so I 

don’t have that expense, I only have 

one horse, I don’t compete in any discipline, 

so I don’t have entry fees for 

shows or fancy costumes for me or 

my horse, I don’t own a truck and I 

don’t own a trailer, and I board at a 

stable next to 80 to 100 miles of trails.” 

And even though it took her 20 

years to realize that dream of fulltime 

horse ownership, Alexander 

made it happen. She found her home 

on the back of her horse. 

In the latter part of Alexander’s 

book, after sharing her stories and experiences 

that led her to horse ownership, 

she includes appendices to help 

guide the reader. The first includes 

safety riding tips, such as riding with 

someone if you can, items to carry 

while you’re on your ride, wearing 

a helmet and how to practice good 

trail etiquette. The second appendix 

is titled “Self-Study Discussion Questions.” 

In this chapter, readers will 

find 14 questions that will help them 

work through discovering how they 

can meet their goals. 

Her book gives readers an insight 

as to how they, too, can find 

their personal “home,” no matter 

what it is or where it may be. • 

Alexander’s book is available on Amazon 

at amazon.com/At-Home-Horse-Woods- 

Ultimate/dp/1640857850. 



Sculptors of SoIN 

In a remote, forested area of Orange 

County, close to the Craw- 

ford County line, sculptor David 

Cox built – mostly by himself – 

his home, two studios, a gallery and 

his bronze foundry. This place that 

he shares with his partner, emerging 

artist Ann Burns, may not be the easi- 

est place to get to, but once there, the 

sylvan landscape, with its nut-brown 

buildings nestled in a hollow, is idyl- 

lic. 

The function of a foundry is to 

take an original sculpture in clay, 

wood, stone or other material, and 

replicate it in cold metal. Cox creates 

his original sculptures in clay before 

rendering them in bronze. He has 

also produced work in bronze for 

dozens of other sculptors who must 

trust him to execute their sculptures – 

large, small, in various styles and ma- 

terials – to perfection. One national 

caliber work that Cox, as head techni- 

cian, cast into bronze is the Blue Ash 

Veterans Memorial in Blue Ash, Ohio. 

Sculpted by Ken Bradford, the 

work consists of 11 life-sized figures 

in period military uniforms repre- 

senting 11 wars of the United States. 

The method Cox uses to turn 

sculpture into bronze is called “lost 

wax casting,” also known in French 

as cire perdu. This is a painstaking 

process with deep roots and a distin- 

guished lineage. A variation of this 

method dates back 5,000 years ago, 

with the ancient Sumerians getting 

credit for developing it most effectively. 

Today, it is still the most accu- 

rate and reliable method of turning 

sculpture into metal. Rodin and Bran- 

cusi, to name only a couple, both had 

works cast using this method. Cox 

summed it up this way: 

“Lost wax casting is the gold 

standard, the only method sculptors 

use because of its precision.” 

There are at least seven distinct 

stages of this complex process. Cox 

thoroughly enjoys talking abou them. 

“The original sculpture, called a ‘pos- 

itive,’ is used to make a ‘negative’ 

rubber mold,” he explained, sim- 

plifying as much as possible. “Hot 

wax is poured into the rubber mold 

to make another ‘positive.’ This wax 

figure is dipped into a mixture called 

a ‘slurry’ to create a negative mold 

that can withstand high tempera- 

tures. This is heated to 1300 degrees 

to melt, or “lose,” the wax, leaving 

an empty mold. The molten bronze is 

poured into this empty mold, heated 

to 1850 degrees, and when cool, the 

“Jeherek”, created by David Cox 

Cast in Bronze 

Local Sculptor, David Cox, uses lost wax casting 

to create original works of art 

Story by Judy Cato 

Photos by Lorraine Hughes

Some of Cox’s ideas come from books. He is 

an avid reader, with a floor-to-ceiling library 

that stretches the length of his living room. 

His sculpture “Jherek” is based on a character 

in Michael Moorcock’s science fiction trilogy 

“Dancers at the End of Time.” 

mold is broken open to reveal a solid 

bronze sculpture.” But there is more. 

“In a process called ‘metal chasing,’ 

the sculpture is chiseled into its final 

form. Finally, chemicals may be add- 

ed to create a patina – a gloss or sheen 

– on the metal,” Cox concluded, ac- 

knowledging that a lot more could be 

said. But one thing is clear: The work 

requires an immense array of intri- 

cate technical skills and knowledge, 

as well as a whiff of brawn. 

The more imaginative side of 

Cox’s work happens when he cre- 

ates his clay sculptures. These shapes 

arise, he said, “from looking at the 

world askance rather than directly. I 

am open to shadows and forms that 

“Bull”, created by David Cox 

appear out of the corner of my eye. 

They seem to come out of ether.” In 

his sculptures “Leap” and a horseh- 

ead that is “Untitled,” he seems to 

sculpt movement itself. There is so 

much swirling and flowing vitality 

in these sculptures that the viewer 

might feel lighter – freer to move and 

transcend limitations – after seeing 

them. 

Some of Cox’s ideas come from 

books. He is an avid reader, with a 

floor-to-ceiling library that stretches 

the length of his living room. His 

sculpture “Jherek” is based on a char- 

acter in Michael Moorcock’s science 

fiction trilogy “Dancers at the End of 

Time.” “The sculpture is pure fanta- 

Artist David Cox in his studio 

sy,” Cox said. 

“This is how I imagined him. I 

was inspired by the book because the 

characters had powers to transform 

into other creatures.” 

His largest sculpture, “Totem,” 

weighing over 120 pounds, is also 

a fantasy that was inspired by Inuit 

carvings and totem poles. Other influences 

on Cox’s work include Cub- 

ism, Art Deco and the S-shaped curve 

of design. His sculpture “Bull,” for 

example, he said “is an exercise in Art 

Deco stylization.” 

“My work has its own rhythm,” 

Cox said to describe how he works. “I 

don’t follow a schedule. I moved here 

20 years ago to get away from all that 

scramble and noise.” Before moving 

here, Cox had traveled the U.S. in 

search of technical knowledge; over 

the years, he supervised numerous 

employees, and was the first to open 

a gallery/studio/foundry in Fountain 

Square in downtown Indianapo- 

lis where he worked for 30 years. But 

he is more himself here: “I love the 

quiet, the solitude, the freedom and 

being close to nature,” he said. 

He is also supportive of his part- 

ner Burns’ drawing and painting. 

Burns is unassuming and does not 

like to shine a light on her own work, 

but Cox pointed it out, noting that 

she was previously selected by the 

Krempp Gallery in Jasper to exhibit 

her work in a juried show. 

In this out-of-the-way place in 

Southern Indiana, off the beaten path, 

creativity and the artistic process 

matter, and are treated with uncondi- 

tional respect. • 

For more information about Cox’s work, 

go to dlcoxsculptor.com. 


Pictured: (left) an untitled sculpture of a horse head; (right) “Totem”, a 30 inch tall sculpture // all 

sculptures by artist David Cox 

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Local Business Spotlight 

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Everyday Adventures 

The Star of Christmas 

A Winter Escape 


Ifeel sorry for my wife because she 

usually has crummy birthday weather. 

As a midwest February baby, she’s 

lucky if it breaks sixty degrees. It’s often 

freezing, rainy or worse. One year she 

even got to celebrate with eight inches of 

snow on the ground. 

By the time my April birthday rolls 

around, however, the birds are singing, 

the sun is shining and temperatures are 

comfortably in the seventies or higher. 

Sure I’ve had a few cold snaps and rain, 

but most of my birthdays have been absolutely 

beautiful. Last year it hit eight-five 

that day. No joke. 

About ten years ago, I was feeling 

guilty for hogging all of this spectacular 

birthday weather for myself, so I decided 

to take my wife somewhere warm. Out of 

the blue we received an offer in the mail 

for half off a February stay at a Disney resort. 

What a deal, I thought. This would 

be the perfect chance to show her what a 

tropical birthday like mine felt like. 

The day we left home it was fortyfive 

degrees. When we touched down 

in Orlando, it was a balmy eighty-three. 

Now this was going to be living the dream. 

While all of those suckers back home were 

bundling up with hats and scarves, we 

were going to be soaking up the sun. It 

was awesome. For about five hours. 

Unfortunately, the night we arrived, 

a freak cold-front barrelled across Florida. 

Temperatures plummeted to the low fifties 

with blustery, biting winds. Every 

time we stepped outside it felt miserable. 

We hadn’t packed anything warm so we 

had to buy Mickey gloves and hats. The 

young lady working in the gift shop said, 

“This is so weird. It’s been in the eighties 

for weeks!” 

Maybe it was my imagination, but I 

kept thinking the other tourists were giving 

us dirty looks for bringing the bad 

weather with us. We had done our best to 

escape Old Man Winter, but it looked like 

he had come along for the ride. 

Of course, the morning we flew 

home, the temperatures rebounded, and 

Florida was back to its sunny self. All the 

local residents cheered when our plane 

left the tarmac. 

I guess, though, we’re not the first 

people to try to run away from our circumstances 

just to find ourselves back in 

the same boat. The fantasy of escape is a 

powerful lure for the human heart. 

If we’re unhappy at work or unhappy 

at home, it’s easy to convince ourselves 

that a new job or a new family would fix 

the problem. If only my spouse were different 

or my friends were different or my 

boss was different, then I’d be happy. 

The only problem is sometimes we 

change jobs or friends or spouses but we 

find ourselves just as frustrated as before. 

No matter how far we run, the one person 

we can’t run away from is ourselves. Like 

my ill-fated Florida trip, sometimes we 

bring the bad weather with us. 

So maybe when it comes to fixing 

all the things we think are wrong with 

our lives, the best place to start is with us. 

But that’s where we need help. The great 

news is there is God who made us and 

loves and is more than happy to jump in 

and help us navigate the foul weather of 

our soul. 

In the book of Psalms a king named 

David once prayed, “Search me, God, and 

know my heart; test me and know my 

anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive 

way in me, and lead me in the way 

everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV). 

That’s an uncomfortable prayer, a 

dangerous prayer, but a prayer that can 

Now this was going to be living the dream. While all 

of those suckers back home were bundling up with 

hats and scarves, we were going to be soaking up 

the sun. It was awesome. For about five hours. 

be the beginning of God transforming 

our lives from the inside out. Like a warm 

front blowing into our hearts, it can be the 

beginning of a brand new day. • 

Image: Vixit / shutterstock.com 

Jason Byerly is a writer, pastor, husband and 

dad who loves the quirky surprises God sends 

his way every day. You can read more from 

Jason in his books Tales from the Leaf Pile and 

Holiday Road. You can catch up with Jason on 

his blog at www.jasonbyerly.com.

For your adventures, 

on-road and off. 

2021 Chevy Colorado 

JOHNJONESAUTOGROUP.COM 


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12/21/20 8:48 AM

Southern Indiana Living - Jan / Feb 2021

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