Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Complying

Our first year of living in our new home was almost up and it was time to get our house Amishified. It had been nice being able to enjoy the convenience of electric lights and refrigerator and we really didn't want to mess our house up too bad by making all the required changes, especially since we had no intentions of living in this community for long and wanted the house to be market ready.
Instead of stringing unsightly copper pipes through out the house to hook up propane lights we opted to buy several floor model types that used a car battery to power the two light bulbs. The battery needed to be recharged every week but we liked it much better than our other option.

We built a small addition to the house so we would have room for a gas refrigerator and water heater. It was frustrating having to make all these expensive changes especially since electricity wasn't a total no no in this community. Farmers used electric for their barns and the well pumps were allowed to be electric as well. Only the women had to be totally with out the convenience.

We had everything in order though by the Sunday that they were going to accept us as members in the church. We had already made plans to go check out a different church back in Pennsylvania the very next week and the only reason we agreed to become members of this church first was to make our move to a new community easier.

12 comments:

  1. You were certainly traveling a long journey...with some rocky roads and some smoother ones. I am so enjoying the traveling with you through this...and so grateful for your sharing!

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  2. So did you ever find those verses that you 'heard'? Where did they lead you?

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  3. Ugh so unfair. The men had electric but the women did not? that would drive me crazy.
    Blessings, Joanne

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  4. Heh, isn't it a marvel how the workload of a man is deemed worthy of electricity, but a woman's is not (in some circles.) 'course if a bishop never washed a load of clothes by hand why would he care? {shrugs}
    Don't get me wrong - I'm not a feminist at all (no way), but fair is fair where I come from. ;)

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  5. Couldn't help but think of you as I read the morning news... Prayers, many prayers for the Amish of Yates county.

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  6. I like Magnolia Tea's comment - well put. Isn't it funny how God was whispering to you during this time? That's what it seems like to me, or you may have overlooked a lot of those things. Things are starting to change... ;)

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  7. Love reading your story and have been a follower for awhile but first time commenter.



    ~Jean

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  8. That is strange! I too love reading your story.
    Blessings~
    Mikailah

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  9. It is the same in the "English" world, too....in general, of course. How many husbands get new lawn care tools, tv's, computers, etc while the wives use vacuums that barely suck, outdated appliances, etc. How many husbands get the new car while the wife and kids get the beater. I am not complaining personally, just stating what I have seen.

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  10. That figures... Throughout history men have always gotten preferential treatment (even these days when people claim there's no preferential treatment).

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  11. It sounds like it was difficult to find a community that you really felt like you wanted to belong to. What an ordeal!

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  12. That seems so hypocritical to me. If it's good for one, it's good for all. If it's not good, then no one should have it.

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