Friday, December 4, 2009

Answering Questions

I hope this isn't too personal, but I have been wondering why you left the Amish?

Since I am chronicling the journey of a happy little Amish girl to where I am today. Still happy, but no longer Amish. I will come to the part where we made the hardest decision of our life. And will share everything then.

And do you ever see your family?

It has been a long time since I saw my family last. Unfortunately our choice to leave the culture we grew up in put a strain on our relationship.

What are some of your favorite Christmas traditions?

Our favorite Christmas tradition is the huge Christmas breakfast I always make. We look forward to it all year long.

Have you any regrets about leaving?

We have no regrets about leaving. Our only regret is that we didn't leave sooner.

What is the most wonderful memory of being Amish?

My most wonderful memory? Hmmmm. This one requires a lot of contemplation. I have many great memories. I don't think it's possible to narrow it down to only one.

I have always wondered if all Amish communities are the same?

There are many differences between Amish communities. Some are so big that they won't even consider fellowshipping with other Amish churches that aren't bound by the same rules.

I was wondering if someone can become Amish?

Yes, there is a possibility to join the Amish. However it is a long drawn out deal, of learning two new languages (Pennsylvania Dutch for everyday conversations and German for church services.) and the quirks of living their lifestyle, and most important would be being accepted as a member of the church. Which is not an easy feat.

I'd be interested to know what church if any you attend.

We attend a non-denominational Bible believing church.

What are your thoughts on 'plain' anabaptism?

I think they have many good points and I still hold some of the convictions of being raised in that type of background. However over the years they have lost their focus on the main issues.

After your years of rumspringa what helped you make your decision on what to do with your life?

The word rumspringa means simply "running around" which is what it is called once Amish youth are considered old enough to join the youth group. Which in the community I grew up in and also a lot of others is not nearly as exciting as a lot of Amish books and movies portray it to be.

I joined the church when I started rumspringa and life was fairly boring.

For another former Amish view on rumspringa visit here.

I don't mean to be rude, but I am curious as to how old you were when you left the Amish?

I was in my twenties.

Do the Amish in your area vote?

No, the Amish in our area don't vote.

Did you all ever go out to eat?

The only time we went out to eat was when our friends from Georgia came to see us and would take us to a nearby Ponderosa. It used to be one of the highlights of each year.

What made you buy a computer when you left and how did you start blogging?

We needed a computer for a business we were in at the time. And I started this blog as a place to jot memories and have something that I'm comfortable with for the children to read online.

I have met numerous Amish people over the years and have noticed they never wear jewelry, not even wedding rings. I have often wondered why they don't at least wear wedding rings.

They class any and all jewelry as unnecessary and prideful.

Do you also speak a German dialect?

We still speak Pennsylvania Dutch at home at least 70% of the time.

I was wondering if after they leave are they welcomed back?

Anyone who leaves the Amish is welcome to come back if proper repentance is evident and they successfully pass a period of proving time. (Anywhere from 6 months to a year.)

Do Amish keep up with the current events?

Most Amish do. Some prefer not to.

Why is going barefoot so prevalent among the Amish?

It's comfortable and freeing to be released from the confines of shoes every spring especially if you are a child. Gardening is much easier if you don't have to worry about getting dirt in your shoes. And since wearing sandals isn't an option in a lot of communities I'm sure that makes a difference too.

My question is whether this was media hype because of one abusive family, which can happen anywhere, or are there some communities who are more severe with their children?

I have never been in any Amish community where it was okay to be severe with children. I have only ever known one family personally where there was a problem of abuse. There is a lot of exaggeration out there of how horrible it is to be raised in an Amish family. Some of it touted by bitter ex-Amish who are trying to inflict as much pain and damage to the Amish communities as possible.

I notice that your girls wear dresses that are plain-ish. Is this a carry-over from your Amish values or a matter of practicality? One more: do you still cover your hair?

I still have a lot of fabric left over from when we were Amish and I enjoy sewing. Also I am allowing Sunbeam to wear some of the Amish dresses Rosy used to wear. So I would call it a matter of practicality. I don't cover my hair at home, but still do most of the time in public.

21 comments:

  1. Thank you so much for posting this. I am new to your blog and have wondered about some of these questions. I can imagine that, though the right decision, it must have been a hard one for you at the time (leaving the Amish). I'm glad to see that you are enjoying your life and sharing parts of your old one with us! I'm looking forward to you continued blogs about your life and family.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I was interested to read the questions and your answers.

    ReplyDelete
  3. You have addressed every question I had in my mind. Thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you for posting what you have. I emjoy your blog and enjoy that fact that you are very happy at what you do.

    ReplyDelete
  5. See, this is what people love about you - your honesty. You're very open about YES, it was good and NO, parts of it weren't. You share without oversharing and help everyone to understand what your particular experiences were. LOVE IT! Let's go to Ponderosa sometime ~ ☺

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks for your candid answers.


    Blessings!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I must have missed the post about asking questions, but all that I've ever wondered is answered here and I'm so glad you took the time to help us understand!
    XOXO
    Joni

    I hope your aunt had a really happy birthday!

    ReplyDelete
  8. I dint know about Amish..so your post is very interesting.thank you for answering the questions.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I should have put this in the questions part, have you been to the website for the "Amish Cook" newspaper column -

    http://www.oasisnewsfeatures.com/ the editor is "english" and runs the site.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for being honest and truthful. This was very interesting, should you ever have questions for me, I hope to be as candid right back!!!
    I really enjoy your posts.
    Hugs,
    Margaret B

    ReplyDelete
  11. thanks for sharing. I have always had questions about the Amish around us. Thanks....

    ReplyDelete
  12. Thank you for sharing. It's really quite fascinating to learn about the Amish from someone with first hand experience.
    Sunny :)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Ditto what the others said. I enjoyed the post, you answered clearly and well!
    I was interested to read that you still use the dialect at home about 70% of the time. My parents left the Amish when I was small but we still use the dialect among ourselves...in fact, it's the only thing I really feel comfortable using with my family- English feels pretentious for some reason. Now that we have 'English' in-laws, though, we speak Eng more than we used to. I must say, I love our PA Dutch!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Thank you SO much for sharing your heart and your honesty in your answers.

    ReplyDelete
  15. So, so fascinating and I learned much I have wanted to know. I thought maybe I missed a post about you making a decision to leave.

    I love your writing and story telling and wish I didn't have to miss ANY posts but life happens and I do. Hope little Sunshine is doing well - all of your dear children, in fact - and glad to know that she has recovered. That would have been my question: Is she back to her old self or is she still suffering any repercussions? My heart was so touched by her.

    Bless you, dear girl, and your sweet ways.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Thank you for your visit! I'm learning so much about a life that I knew nothing about. The Amish have always been a big mystery to me and your Q & A's have been so interesting.

    rue

    ReplyDelete
  17. Thank you for a sunny look into the world of your childhood. I enjoy your reminiscences. Regarding going barefoot, my distinctly non-Amish experience is that there is nothing like feeling the grass and soil beneath your feet and between your toes. It's just more connected.

    Smiles,

    A

    ReplyDelete
  18. Interesting read! Thank you for sharing! :)
    Amy

    ReplyDelete
  19. Thank you so much for sharing from your heart and experiences. I truly enjoy reading your blog. Have a blessed day!

    ReplyDelete
  20. Just wanted to say thank you for putting your life out here like this. I love to read your updates and enjoy learning more. I have a couple of Amish friends in Ethridge Tn. And I love learning more about who they are. H

    ReplyDelete
  21. Hi There, I have enjoyed catching back up with your blog. I find your life so interesting. I have always admired the Amish--and thought that all of us could learn alot from them.

    Sounds like you are still following quite a few of their customs --with your family and yourself.

    Good Luck on your journey... You are a brave woman.

    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking time to comment. I love hearing your thoughts.