Peace

I am currently reading a really good book - "Amish Peace". I have always had a fascination for the Amish. I think it's because I am envious of their simple life. They don't worry about what the world thinks. They don't worry about what kind of clothes they are going to wear or if they have the latest fashion. They don't worry about having to keep up with the Joneses in regard to their cars, their homes, their gadgets and toys, or their technology. Their faith is deep and abiding. I think if the truth were told, a good share of us want what they have only we are not willing to give up what we have to get it. In the book there is this notation: "Become Amish? If you admire our faith, strengthen yours. If you admire our sense of commitment, deepen yours. If you admire our community spirit, build your own. If you admire the simple life, cut back. If you admire deep character and enduring values, live them yourself." What a wonderful concept! However, it's easy to read, easy to imagine, but hard to put in practice. How many things in your house could you live without? Electricity? Gas or electric heat? Washer and dryers? Dishwashers? Electric refrigerators and gas or electric ranges? How about hair dryers, curling irons, flat screen tvs, radios, Ipods, computers, telephones, microwaves, electric mixers, coffee pots, toasters, electric fry pans, crockpots, vcrs and dvd players, cable or dish tv, sewing machines, airconditioning and/or fans....just to name a few! The list seems almost endless! Yet, the Amish live without all of these things - besides many others, such as cars, motorized farm equipment, motorcycles, and a host of others. Could you give up all of your gadgets and toys for the simple life of the Amish? Could you so easily turn the other cheek to someone who has hurt you? Could you readily forgive? We live a spoiled lifestyle. We want someone or something else to do the work for us. We don't want to give up anything and, in fact, continue to crave and covet more and more. With all of the so-called time-saving technology, have we really GAINED any more time? Are we happier? More content? More relaxed and stress-free? Are we appreciative of the things we have or are we just more selfish, thinking that we have a RIGHT to have all those things? America, and a few other countries as well, are inhabited with self-centered, spoiled, and selfish people. Once upon a time, when a couple got married, they literally had nothing to start their life together except for what the bride might have managed to collect in her hope chest. When I got married, we had an old sofa (given to us), a very tiny tv that was about 10 inches square (given to us), and an old coffee table (given to us). We didn't even have a bed. Today's couples think they need big fancy houses full of fancy furniture to start their married lives. They don't know how to scrape and save until they have the money to pay for something. I'm afraid my grandchildren are not going to know how to deal with these issues as they get older. Kids today seem to think the world owes them a living - along with a house and furniture and a nice car. For me, the older I get, the more I long to live a quiet, peaceable life, free of gadgets and gizmos - like the Amish. To have a deep and abiding faith in the Lord, and heart that freely loves and forgives.