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Monday, October 29, 2012

What About the Amish?

I do realize I haven't talked much about the Amish here.  However, if you spent time with me daily, you'd be annoyed by my constant chatter.  Okay at least if you were in my head.  You may even go as far to say, 'Obsess Much?'  Yes, yes I do obsess.  Truth is, my fascination is growing.

Okay, so since I live no where near an Amish community, I do depend on the internet and books from my local library to fan the flame of this new found fetish.  I'm pinning on Pinterest and hearting on Etsy Amish everything.  Just to clarify, I don't want to be Amish.  I'm drawn to their simple ways that reflect a strong foundation, security, a richness in life and faith.  

I do a lot of Amish stalking.  I, like most women who get caught up in the G-rated Amish novels, who want to know more about the people and why they do the things they do?  I've read a few short novels of mystery, murder, shunning and faith building.  I loved them all!  But... this wasn't fulfilling my desire to glean from them.   How do I apply some of their simple life-style in my life? 

Honestly I struggled with this for a while.  Please, someone help me!  I want to apply my desire to be Eco-friendly, loving and caring for God's creation while spending time in it with the Creator.  I want to slow down, spend quality time with my family, resist temptaion to be hip and trendy all the time, and keep up with my wifely and motherly responsibilities?  I want to spend time making quilts for loved ones, jams, baked goods, and grow things with my own hands.  I want to have a peace that I know only comes from spending time with God.  But how?  How do I do it?  How do I slow down, and still function where I'm at?

Today I found my self caught in a pit of temptation.  I'm constantly busy outside my home or online or in a store. The more I'm out the more susceptible I am to advertisements for things I don't need.  I remember when my husband and I got married we decided not to have Cable TV.  This was mostly because we thought it wise to avoid commercials, negative news, and wasting time.  We wanted to spend time with God, each other, and create or build things.  It worked great for a few years, but then we both got our own laptops for 'research'.  Originally they had specific purpose, work.  But now its odd.  Although we are selective online it has replaced Cable TV by sneaking in advertisements and is a huge time waster!

So how to solve Lindsay's world problem?  Haha... no seriously though.  I really want to change my bad habits and move in my convictions.  I know what I want to do, but how do I start?  Where do I begin?  Well, I've found a stepping stone in my path...

Recently I was blessed to stumbled across this book called Almost Amish: One Woman's Quest for a Slower, Simpler, More Sustainable Life, by Nancy Sleeth.  


Intrigued?  I was.

I loved the title and was instantly drawn to read it.  Wow!!!  Its like she read my mail!  This is exactly what my husband and I have been talking about for years.  But here is a woman of Christian faith that I can actually relate to and who practically implements the same Amish values I so admire into her modern life as an American God Fearing Woman.  Its a must read. 

When I finish this book I'll have a practical plan of my own.  I may not go as far as Nancy Sleeth, but I'll be working towards some of my own goals and spending more time Practicing the Presence of God.  Another great read, by Brother Laurence which has hugely impacted my walk with God. 

I hope to have a good mix of Amish and quilting and cooking here in the future, but I can't make any promises what that will look like or how often I'll share.  Thanks for hanging around to read this far. 

Love,
Lindsay

4 comments:

  1. Interesting! I was drawn to your blog the first time I saw its name. I, too, am trying to enjoy a simpler life with my family, but it's not always as easy as I think it will be.

    I happen to live in Amish country, in St. Mary's County, Maryland. You would love to come visit. I go every week in the summer to the Loveville Produce Auction and have a few Amish friends whom I've gotten to know over the past three years and who are very friendly and conversational with me and my kids. You would really enjoy talking to them--some of the women have even given me sewing tips! When I was growing up my sister actually worked for the Amish. She drove their produce to the farmer's market in her truck every Wednesday and Saturday. She got a really intimate glimpse into their lives and spend countless hours driving them back and forth. I haven't read any books about the Amish but I am interested in the lifestyle book you mentioned. I read a book called something like Animal Vegetable, something by Barbara Kingsolver a few years ago and it changed the way we live. We even bought a pig at the county fair and had it slaughtered and butchered. My kids know where their food comes from and we spend a lot of time going to produce auctions and farms. One day at dance my daughter said to her friend, "You know whenever you eat meat, you're eating an animal." The girl was blown away. She didn't know!

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  2. My heart is filled with Joy that you are the wife of my son and mother of my grandson! You are an inspiration, challenging me to evaluate how we live. I intend to read Almost Amish!

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  3. like you, I have read Amish fiction and been inspired by their simple but hard-working lifestyle. I find it so easy to get distracted by all the busy-ness around me too....

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  4. I'm going to check out this book for sure. Our son and daughter-in-law have been teaching a class at church called Everyday Justice by Julie Clawson. It addresses how the choices we make in how we live impacts the whole world. it's been very interesting and enlightening. It has definitely opened my eyes to how the choices I make even in what coffee I purchase has a global impact.

    P.S. I love how the person on the cover of this book is wearing a skirt made from Amy Butler fabric!

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