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| A Newly Settled Amish Farm in Vermont. |
I have noticed some new Amish families have moved to our area in the last several years. Their quiet way of life is calming and inspiring. From my observations of how they set up their new homes, here in rural Vermont, I see that they build their homes slowly, over time. (In the photograph above, you might be able to see that the siding on the house is unfinished.) I am assuming they do this as time and money are available. Some have been able to buy existing homes on farms. Others buy land and have to build their own house. In each case, it is instructive to see how they manage and set up housekeeping.
During necessary travels, over the last few weeks, I have noticed 2 Amish homes. In both cases, laundry was on the clothesline. Some of the children were seen in the yards, helping the family. One Amish lady was walking on the main road, with a grocery bag in her hand. She nodded to me, in a neighborly way, as I drove by. Everyone was busy and peaceful.
We can see how the Amish live from a distance. At other times, some may hire them for construction work, or stop in to buy baked goods from their produce stands. We are able to converse with them with a gratefulness for good neighbors.
For many years, I have enjoyed reading books by Rod and Staff publishers. These are Mennonites with a similar way of life. To really understand about the daily activities of both the Amish and Mennonites is by reading their letters in "The Budget" newspaper.
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| A sample copy of "The Budget" newspaper. |
The newspaper is very large and contains letters from a variety of residents in places such as Alabama, California, Kansas, Maine, Iowa, Costa Rica, and even Ireland, along with many other locations. The letters are newsy about family, gardening, mission work, the helping they do with neighbors and relatives, as well as their normal daily life of hospitality. These letters are eagerly read by readers who often know them personally and appreciate an update from life in their community.
Another helpful resource for finding out about their daily life is a book I have had for several years, called, "A Day in the Life of the Amish."
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| A book about the Amish way of life, from their own writings. |
More than 30 years ago, a publisher made arrangements with several Amish families who were willing to write a one-day diary and send it in to be compiled into a book. This was designed to help readers understand and appreciate the Amish way of life. The diaries remind me of the letters from "The Budget" but are much more detailed and interesting. The book also includes pictures of farms, jars of preserves, and many other scenes of home life. As I was re-reading their diaries, I thought of how busy they are. We often see them slowly riding by in a horse and buggy. They are not in a hurry. Their life is slow-paced but practical and productive. They are doing good things and good works every day of their lives.
While we may think that the Amish live isolated lives, that is far from the truth. They have an amazing community and large families. They enjoy each other's company and celebrate birthdays and weddings. They work together, helping each other with harvesting, sewing, building, and even make it an event to gather together to help someone in need.
It is a common habit for them to read Scripture, sing hymns, pray, and attend church services. Faith and trust in God are the strong foundation for their way of life. In this constantly changing world, their example is like a lifeline of hope or a lighthouse of guidance. I am grateful to have them as neighbors.
Blessings
Mrs. White
From the Archives -
A Blessing - The Light in a Messy House.
Beautiful Living - Feminine Grace.
What many of us crave - An Ordinary Life at Home.
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For happiness and cheer in the kitchen:
Mrs. White's old fashioned cookbook focuses on serving meals and setting the table in a humble home.
"Serving in the Kitchen: Cookbook with Recipes, Advice, and Encouragement for the Christian Home"
152 pages, paperback
8 comments:
Thank you for your post Mrs. White. Have you heard of ‘Family Life’ magazine? It is written entirely by Amish, mostly short stories, with a moral or life lesson. It is very reasonably priced and very encouraging. I think you would enjoy it 🙂.
Marney
A couple years ago, I watched a really good documentary on the Amish - and the different types. It was fascinating. Here in my area, we don’t have Amish but we do have a few Mennonites.
I'm sure they make good neighbors, but their dedication to good works is what they depend on to "hopefully" make it to heaven when they die. The Amish need the gospel.
For the last couple of years we have attended a church that was started by an ex Amish man and his family and it grew from a Bible study into a church. Their main ministry is to bring the gospel to the Amish. Sadly the Amish church does not preach/teach salvation through Jesus Christ. They believe in Christ, but believe good works are a part of it and following a lot of rules. A man named Joe Keim and his wife (formerly Amish) have a ministry to help those who leave the Amish church. Joe has also written a book as well. When they choose to leave they lose pretty much everything and don’t have money, marketable skills (especially the women) or even a drivers license. They lose their family and friends as well. I pray you have a chance to witness to your Amish neighbors so they can know true peace through salvation in Jesus Christ. 🙏 -Michele N.
Several years ago, my husband and I traveled to visit his brother in Pennsylvania, and that was my first and only opportunity to see Amish folks and their beautiful farms. Yes, the simple life of serving God and providing for your family as a community presents an idyllic picture. Blessings, Mrs. White!
We have a large Amish community near where we live. We have become good friends with one of the families. From what I learn from them there is a variety of Amish sects, some more conservative than others. The community has a store and I shop there once a month for bulk items like various flours, oats, crackers, snack items, dried fruit, yeast etc. They are always helpful and friendly. The store can be quite dark on cloudy days since they have no electricity and one time the owner lit some gas lamps that hung from the ceiling to provide some light. That was definitely a step back in time!
Unfortunately this is true. They need the gospel (salvation through Jesus Christ alone). A thing to pray for. Esther🌼
I would argue that many that have "the gospel" need to remember good works, especially in this hateful time when those claiming to follow the gospel are destroying so many lives. How dare any of us, even in this comment field, judge anyone else? That is only God's domain. We are all created in God's image, and to claim a person is illegal or unnatural is to claim that God -- and his image -- is imperfect. Jesus didn't die so we could be jerk's to each other.
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