Sometimes I envy the Amish.

[ticks]

I would love to live the way they do. I love the simple way of doing things and taking care of your family.

I think it would be hard without electricity.

 

[enjoy the ride]

If I wanted to live like the Amish, there is nothing to prevent it. But no way..............
I admire the work ethic and the independent streak- the respect for tradition too. But if that meant that I as a woman was required to do housework and not raise animals or train my horses or go where I wanted when I wanted - to be married or not as my choice or simply to make choices for myself, heck no.
Everyone could have the time to live life more basically, although I imagine that the Amish have as many problems in their way as anyone else. Just different ones.
Turn off the TV, computer and phone. Mostly stay at home to work as the season demands. Make all your social connections with like minded people who will form co-ops helping each other.
Never take a trip to see Yosemite or Yellowstone, the ocean or the Rockies- or a play or movie or read a novel - those are all time wasters.
This very post is a time waster- better stop now.

 

[Acre of Blessings]

If I wanted to live like the Amish, there is nothing to prevent it. But no way..............
I admire the work ethic and the independent streak- the respect for tradition too. But if that meant that I as a woman was required to do housework and not raise animals or train my horses or go where I wanted when I wanted - to be married or not as my choice or simply to make choices for myself, heck no.
Everyone could have the time to live life more basically, although I imagine that the Amish have as many problems in their way as anyone else. Just different ones.
Turn off the TV, computer and phone. Mostly stay at home to work as the season demands. Make all your social connections with like minded people who will form co-ops helping each other.
Never take a trip to see Yosemite or Yellowstone, the ocean or the Rockies- or a play or movie or read a novel - those are all time wasters.
This very post is a time waster- better stop now.

Well I be.
Who wasted time today (on a Saturday)? not me. I canned 30 lbs. of chicken, feed 25 chickens and 14 chicks, 2 goats, 2 turkeys, 2 Guineas and 3 ducks. Made supper for my family . Washed clothes. Worked in the garden. Fellowshipped with friends. Worked some on another quilt top. Chatted online in BYC & SS Forum. Getting clothes ready for church tomorrow. I see no where that I wasted any time.

I personally don't think this post is a time waster.

 

[enjoy the ride]

Opps- I can see I went astray here- I didn't mean this post is a waste -in fact I do spend a lot of time doing just this sort of thing.
I just meant that you can carve that kind of an Amish sort life out for yourself if you are willing to forego a lot of interesting and fun things. But most of us have chosen to do what we are doing- wqhich is to me a good thing.
So I'm sorry if I offended anyone- I meant that last remark as a joke on myself.
I am constantly amazed at what people do here- I do apologise for my poor wording.

 

[Woodland Woman]

A long time ago I went on a vacation to the Smokey Mountains. We stayed in a small campground in a tent. There was a group of Amish people that hired a driver with a van to take them for a vacation there also. I became friends with one of the women. It rained for days and everything was soaked so we spent a lot of time in the camp laundry room. This Amish woman was so thrilled with the clothes dryers that anytime one stopped she would jump up and put another dime in. I am not talking about just hers, mine or anyones! She was so nice but one of the other women she was with told her not to talk to me because I was a worldly influence. She translated for me and laughed about it. Every so often I think about her. I do like the way they stick together as family.

I think I could live that way except that they believe in joining the church and following the ordnung (certain rules) as a possible way of salvation. I believe Jesus Christ paid for our transgressions and through him alone is salvation attained.

 

[Beekissed]

Yes, that would be a serious drawback in living with them! And, it appears they DO get to go on vacation, then?

 

[Acre of Blessings]

Opps- I can see I went astray here- I didn't mean this post is a waste -in fact I do spend a lot of time doing just this sort of thing.
I just meant that you can carve that kind of an Amish sort life out for yourself if you are willing to forego a lot of interesting and fun things. But most of us have chosen to do what we are doing- wqhich is to me a good thing.
So I'm sorry if I offended anyone- I meant that last remark as a joke on myself.
I am constantly amazed at what people do here- I do apologise for my poor wording.

I'm

But if we all take a look back in our American history, our for-fathers lived the same way. They didn't have the conviences that we now have today. My Grandparents didn't have tv, phone, a/c, matter of fact when we went to their house, the only air you got inside was from sitting in front of a panting dog. LOL

With that said, you need to learn to live without these things. Hey remember, Feb. 9, 2009 your analog tv will no longer work. YIPEE! I guess next the govt' will be taking control of the phone services to.

I try to be as self-sufficient as possible. But, hubby has to work a job, so that takes the total SS out of the question. Just a few thoughts.

 

[coopy]

Did you know that the Amish people originated from the Mennonite. The Mennonite are similar in some ways but not all. Mennonites do drive cars. There are some other differences as well. If you are intrested you can google it and find more out about both.

 

[Beekissed]

I agree. Self-sufficiency starts in little ways. Like training yourself to be able to sleep under most any condition(not to need a fan, radio, TV, noisemaker running to lull you to sleep), to live without the convenience of a shower/running water (how would you wash your hair, clothing, etc.), to live without the constant and instant entertainment of the TV (play games, read, work a craft, just sit and talk), to have things available in case their is no electricity (and I don't mean a generator) like kerosene lamps, Coleman lanterns, etc. , to learn to live without A/C (it just makes all the harder to go outside!), to learn to kill and dress your own meat (deer, chickens, groundhog, squirrel, etc. ), training yourself to get going in the mornings without caffeine, or getting through the day without caffeine, or having nicotine to "calm my nerves". The list goes on. To train yourself to do without, for those times you may have to do without...

I started out my kids with the mindset of not getting so dependent on something that you "can't" or "won't" do without it. This way, you're not so unprepared and at a disadvantage when you DO have to do without it. I had to ban radios being played at bedtime when they started saying, "It helps me go to sleep!" Well, if you have trouble getting to sleep when you are a teenager, then you must not have done enough in the day to make you tired! (a Mom standby, if I ever heard one) I also initiated no movies, no computer, no anything with noise days. These days are for reading, playing games, or any other quiet activity that doesn't require electricity, or an assault on someone else's senses. To do without pop, as I feel this is a dependency issue before long...very addictive!

I know folks who play their TV all day, "just to have the noise" so they won't "get nervous being alone in the house"! What?

Dependency comes in sooooo many forms. Self-sufficiency isn't only about trimming the fat on the finances and making things from scratch.

 

[me&thegals]

wow, beekissed! I really never thought of all those other ways we are "dependent!" Thanks for making such great points--all very true!