This was something I was constantly telling my schoolchildren when I taught 1st grade. READ, READ, READ! As an adult I have always enjoyed the occasional time when I could sit down with a good book. Now that I am a full time stay at home mommy, I have been able to squelch out a bit more time for choosing a book and reading. Before staying home, I knew I could get to a good book while on vacation. As of lately, I've been able to save reading at the end of the evening after the boys are put to bed. Of course, this keeps me up entirely too late as I just can't put the book down. I'll peek over at the clock and see the hours ticking away, 11:30...11:50...12:00 and I'll say to myself, "after this chapter, I'm putting it down." :)
So, I alternate between genres now and I'll try to read a fiction and then a non-fiction. Sometimes, it doesn't always work out that way but for the most part, it works just because of the availability of the books at the library. I just finished the David Jeremiah book and it was just wonderful I've recommended it to lots of people and so then my next book was a fiction. Well, before the DJ book, I started a series by an author I'd never read before, Beverly Lewis. Although, I haven't done the research...I think she writes children's literature too. I'll have to check. I picked the "Annie's People" series since two of the three books were on the shelf. The first book in the series is "The Preacher's Daughter", then "The Englischer" and finally "The Brethren". I have learned soooo much! Ms. Lewis writes from the point of view of an Amish girl, Annie, raised in Pennsylvania. Her writing comes from her own background experiences of her mother being raised in an Amish community and later leaving the fold. It's purely fictional but based on so much factual tidbits. Here's some things I've learned...
1. The Amish people speak dutch and their English is mingled with dutch words, like "jah" and "gut".
2. The Amish have different societies that allow and don't allow certain things like telephones, displaying talent, and modern appliances (such as fridge and washer)
3. The Amish have bishops, priests, and preachers. The preachers are chosen by a casting of the lot.
4. The Amish follow the scripture but follow more closely their own book The Ordung and in this book (I haven't done the research myself) but claiming salvation in the Lord is sinful and will result in the shun.
5. When an Amish boy or girl turns 16 they enter the time called the "Rumpspchring" (sp.). During this time, the teens are allowed to sow their wild oats, try the world out for size. They court, go to barn dancings, boys are given their own courting buggy, and during this time they ultimately decide if they will join the Amish church. Sealing the deal.
6. Amish call themselves plain while outsiders (the world) are fancy.
7. Mennonites are not Amish.
8. Amish children go to school until the 8th grade. It is usually a one-roomed schoolhouse with all the ages together.
9. Family is high priority in the Amish community. The families have many children and sometimes even have grandparents live in the home, too.
10. The Amish have hours long preaching services in each other homes. Then after preaching the society has a social gathering with food. Not large meals but appetizers, of sort.
Could you imagine eating after services every Sunday with the congregation? I personally would love it. As I have loved this series. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves to read something new and wants to learn at the same time. My next series I'm going to try from this author is the Nellie Fisher Series. It's actually based on true events surrounding a particular Amish community in Pennsylvania. Here's her website if you'd want to take a peek:
1 comment:
I have a hard time putting a book down myself. I joined a book club here in greenville. Which reminds me that I need to start reading that particular book. :)
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