AMISH

I love to read and do a lot of it. Lately I’ve been reading some fiction books featuring the Amish cultures. These books have made me do some serious thinking about my way of life. There were a couple of things in this last book I read that I especially took note of, (figuratively speaking, and I wish I had made a real note of them but I’ve taken the books back to the library):

• All work is like a prayer to God.
• The “English” are always rushing through what they are doing to get to the next thing.

These two things really made an impression on me. I am one that rushes through a task so I can get to another one. It seems like I live with the motto “let’s get this over with.”

So this morning I decided to take my time cleaning the house and not rush things, but think of honoring God by making our home clean and organized. (Of course the organization of it will take some doing, but I’m working on that too.) I’m surprised at how much I actually enjoyed the cleaning. Yes, I have other things I want and need to do, but the immediate task was the one I focused on. WOW! I can’t believe the good feeling I had not only as I was working, but when I was finished.

I tend to hurry through too much. Some of the things on my “to do” list are actually not important. Often my priorities are out of whack.

According to the books I’ve read, the Amish homes are very sparsely decorated. They live without electricity, although they do use propane gas and gas motors to run some things. Their first priorities are, not necessarily in this order: family; God; home; and neighbors. They don’t believe in “revenge” and work disagreements out among themselves. Yes, they are human, they do have disagreements and arguments, but they don’t believe in harboring the hurts from those. They believe in forgiving and asking for forgiveness.

The women do a lot of hand work, sew on treadle sewing machines, wash with wringer washing machines – powered by hand or propane gas generators, and cook and bake from scratch. They don’t have televisions or telephones in their homes. They do have access to phones, and if they have one it is out in the barn. That way the phone is not disruptive to their family life.

The men farm with horses and work in their sheds and shops using what we would call “old fashioned” tools. However, they get a lot done.

They live a simple life. It reminds me some of the times we lived at the ranch during the summer months. That was a simple way of living there, and one that not only I cherish, but our children do also. We don’t have electricity up there, so we learned to do things without it. Our children often talk of the fun and fond memories they have of living there.

Then why do I insist on making life complicated here in the valley. There are many things that add to the self-imposed complications that I have. The television and phone and even the computer are probably the most disruptive.

That reminds me of something I saw on TV the other evening. This 100+ year-old woman has written some books. She said that people could take away everything she had: her stove because she didn’t want to cook anymore; her TV; everything except her computer and she didn’t want anyone to touch that. That’s just how I feel, but I probably need to make sure the time I spend at the computer is productive time! Anyway, I’m going to try to simplify my life and make it more meaningful and comfortable. Meaningful shouldn’t mean cramming so much into life; it means simplifying and enjoying life!