Weekend Words

These books were published in 2012 and 2013.  Times have not changed for the good...

From Amish Proverbs - Suzanne Woods Fisher

On Money

It's not that the Amish aren't money savvy; they are.  But their goal in life isn't to accumulate wealth.  Money is a tool, not a goal.  They want only to support their family in an environment that best reflects their values.  They believe in ownership of land, hard work, frugality, honesty and industry.  But they strive to prevent affluent living, keeping up with the Joneses, and social status.  

Instead, the Amish give their highest respect to those who care for their homes and families and community.

The Amish put the brakes on accumulation and all of the distractions and complications that come with it.  There's a point where enough is enough, especially if it interferes with what is truly important to them: faith, family, community.  That's where they draw the line.

Enough is enough is a rare concept for our modern world.  A curious finding by a 2009 study shines a spotlight on one result of affluence: the higher the income, the study found, the less time a family spends together.  The decline in family time, the study found, coincides with a rise in Internet use and the popularity of social networks.  The study found that, whether it's around the dinner table or just in front of the television, families are spending less time together.

The Amish remind us that there is goodness and satisfaction in a simpler life.

He who has no money is poor; he who has nothing but money is even poorer.

You are only poor when you want more than you have.

It's not what you make but what you save that gets you out of debt.

It is worse to have an empty purpose that it is to have an empty purse.

If you want to feel rich, just count the blessings that money can't buy.

Most folks tend to forget that even a bargain costs money.

The values we leave our children are more important than the valuables we leave them.

From Amish Peace - Tricia Goyer

Open Your Hand and Give

Don't worry about these things, saying, "What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?"  These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.

Matthew 6:31-32

Recession has hit our country in recent years.  Friends have lost their homes.  Others have whittled down their savings.  Many are out of jobs.  But the Amish are a segment of society that has hardly been touched with financial trouble.  When the world around us uses advertising and promotion to urge consumers to buy more, the Amish raise their children to get by with just enough.  "Waste not want not" is a common saying.  Amish are consumers, too, but they consume in a different way.  They don't purchase products to make them look good or to bring comfort, ease or beauty to their lives.  They purchase food, clothing, tools, or other supplies because they have a specific need.

The Amish live by common sense, and they foster contentment with what they have.  They also open their hands and give to those who are in need.  Giving to others as a top money management technique may seem foolish, but the Amish received this advice from the One who owns everything.  Jesus said, "Give and you will receive.  Your gift will return to you in full - pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap.  The amount you give will determine the amount you get back." (Luke 6:38)

If you want to live in peace, throw away your long shopping list and learn to live with less.  Do you want to be unruffled and content?  Cease focusing on what you don't have, and instead consider what you can give to someone who has less.

Those who don't believe that God is there - and that He cares for them - have reason to worry and fret.  But our heavenly Father not only knows our needs but also brings others into our lives to help meet them.  He also brings people in need into our lives because He knows we will be blessed when we open our hands to give.