Amish Values for your Family

Amish Values for Your Family provides an interesting look at how Amish life and culture might provide a positive role model for one's family life. Plenty of short chapters provide insight into the rhythm of daily Amish life, from pets to pastimes, from marriage to mothers-in-law, from new babies to grandparents, from bears to bulls, from early deaths to eggs discovered by twins. Each chapter focuses on a vignette into Amish culture, a short discussion of how it might apply into one's life, and Amish quotes relevant to the chapter's theme. The author is obviously taken with Amish culture and their attraction to living life simply.

I did enjoy the book. I find that there is always something to learn from other cultures. And when a group intentionally strives to live apart from the mainstream and actually thrives, it's good to see what they are doing well. Although the book does not describe negative aspects of Amish life, there are a lot of positives to learn from. I did find some differences in attitudes in the stories, notably how the discipline resulting in a prank gone awry versus the response to gasoline being stolen; however, that illustrates richness in their culture and the importance of context. Take-aways for me include industriousness in the whole family, the importance of the extended family, finding value in nature, and humility.

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.  Available now at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.