An Amish Lesson

This morning as we were hurriedly loading our children into the car so we could make it to church barely on time, Rob asked me, “Did you put those things there?” I looked to see the contents of our glovebox on the front passenger seat of the car. I then looked up and saw that the GPS navigator that was stuck to the front window was missing! Oh no, someone stole it. I’ve never been robbed before and was surprised at how violated I felt considering that it was a relatively small loss in comparison to what could have been taken. I thought, “that takes some nerve to get into our car and go through it as it sits in our driveway.” And then my mind wandered to who it might have been and I had a few guesses. I was upset all through the sacrament meeting at church and became mad at myself for leaving it in there and then not remembering to lock the doors either. Next my thoughts turned to how we never should have moved here and how frustrated I am with finding my place in this community. With Sabrina being 15 months old now I don’t always get a whole lot from the lessons at church, and since I was also a bit distracted by this incident, there weren’t any tidbits that got me thinking today. But since I have this goal to post something thoughtful on Sundays, I went in search of faith building stories and articles. I found what I needed on LDS.org (but Whitebinder is a good place to look too!).

I found The Healing Power of Forgiveness by James E. Faust

He tells this true story. I remember when it happened, but there are a few details here that were new and very touching:

In the beautiful hills of Pennsylvania, a devout group of Christian people live a simple life without automobiles, electricity, or modern machinery. They work hard and live quiet, peaceful lives separate from the world. Most of their food comes from their own farms. The women sew and knit and weave their clothing, which is modest and plain. They are known as the Amish people.

A 32-year-old milk truck driver lived with his family in their Nickel Mines community. He was not Amish, but his pickup route took him to many Amish dairy farms, where he became known as the quiet milkman. Last October he suddenly lost all reason and control. In his tormented mind he blamed God for the death of his first child and some unsubstantiated memories. He stormed into the Amish school without any provocation, released the boys and adults, and tied up the 10 girls. He shot the girls, killing five and wounding five. Then he took his own life.

This shocking violence caused great anguish among the Amish but no anger. There was hurt but no hate. Their forgiveness was immediate. Collectively they began to reach out to the milkman’s suffering family. As the milkman’s family gathered in his home the day after the shootings, an Amish neighbor came over, wrapped his arms around the father of the dead gunman, and said, “We will forgive you.” Amish leaders visited the milkman’s wife and children to extend their sympathy, their forgiveness, their help, and their love. About half of the mourners at the milkman’s funeral were Amish. In turn, the Amish invited the milkman’s family to attend the funeral services of the girls who had been killed. A remarkable peace settled on the Amish as their faith sustained them during this crisis.

One local resident very eloquently summed up the aftermath of this tragedy when he said, “We were all speaking the same language, and not just English, but a language of caring, a language of community, [and] a language of service. And, yes, a language of forgiveness.” It was an amazing outpouring of their complete faith in the Lord’s teachings in the Sermon on the Mount: “Do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.”…

Dr. Sidney Simon, a recognized authority on values realization, has provided an excellent definition of forgiveness as it applies to human relationships:

“Forgiveness is freeing up and putting to better use the energy once consumed by holding grudges, harboring resentments, and nursing unhealed wounds. It is rediscovering the strengths we always had and relocating our limitless capacity to understand and accept other people and ourselves.”…

If we can find forgiveness in our hearts for those who have caused us hurt and injury, we will rise to a higher level of self-esteem and well-being. Some recent studies show that people who are taught to forgive become “less angry, more hopeful, less depressed, less anxious and less stressed,” which leads to greater physical well-being. Another of these studies concludes “that forgiveness … is a liberating gift [that] people can give to themselves.”…

We need to recognize and acknowledge angry feelings. It will take humility to do this, but if we will get on our knees and ask Heavenly Father for a feeling of forgiveness, He will help us. The Lord requires us “to forgive all men” for our own good because “hatred retards spiritual growth.”Only as we rid ourselves of hatred and bitterness can the Lord put comfort into our hearts, just as He did for the Amish community …

…society needs to be protected from hardened criminals, because mercy cannot rob justice. Bishop Williams addressed this concept so well when he said, “Forgiveness is a source of power. But it does not relieve us of consequences.” When tragedy strikes, we should not respond by seeking personal revenge but rather let justice take its course and then let go. It is not easy to let go and empty our hearts of festering resentment. The Savior has offered to all of us a precious peace through His Atonement, but this can come only as we are willing to cast out negative feelings of anger, spite, or revenge. …

Let us remember that we need to forgive to be forgiven.

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Meth Warning

I’ve had an email forwarded to me a couple of times now with this information. It seems as if it’s for real. There are articles at snopes.com and abcnews.com to back it up. So be aware:

There is a very scary thing going on in the schools right now that all need to be aware of. There is a type of crystal meth going around that looks like strawberry Pop Rocks. It smells like strawberry also and it is being handed out to kids in school yards. I’m sure it will make its way around the country if it hasn’t already. Kids are ingesting this thinking that it is candy and being rushed off to the E.R. in dire condition.

It also comes in chocolate, peanut butter, cola, cherry, grape and orange ~ it looks just like pop rocks. That is what they are calling strawberry meth or strawberry quick.

Please instruct your children to not accept candy that looks like this, even from a friend, and to take any that they may have to a teacher, principal, etc.

Please pass this around. It could save some family a lot of heartache!

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Mom’s Brainwashing CD

I have wanted to put together a CD of some of my favorite songs for the kids for a while now. They aren’t necessarily my favorite songs, but they are all songs that either have meaning to me or that have lyrics I want them to hear. I’ve thought it would be fun for them to have songs that will trigger positive memories of their Mom. Heaven knows that in all of those therapy sessions in the future there will be plenty of memories of the mistakes I made! So this way I can plant positive messages in their growing brains as I play it over and over. Now that it is finished, I can already tell there will need to be a Volume II because there are so many great songs out there! I am also wanting to make another mix CD of some of our family’s and friend’s favorites. Tell me what yours are and help me make my next musical masterpiece!

Here is the playlist for “Brainwash:”

1. Skinamarink by Green Week – A cute song I like to sing to the kids at bedtime; this is a Rock version

2. I Just Wanna Be Happy by Gloria Estefan – A fun song to dance to and brings memories of living in North Carolina

3. Respect by Aretha Franklin – This is a song about how to treat each other

4. Unwritten by Natasha Bedingfield – An inspirational song about choosing what your life will be

5. You Can’t Hurry Love by Phil Collins – I have three daughters, there are bound to be some broken hearts

6. Captain Vegetable by Sesame Street – I couldn’t pass it up because it’s about veggies and very silly

7. Sunshine Medley by Greg & Steve – You are My Sunshine & This Little Light of Mine: Two of my favorites

8. Light in Your Eyes by Sheryl Crow – All about acknowledging your Maker

9. I Just Called to Say I Love You by Stevie Wonder – Because Mommy loves you

10. Jesus, Take the Wheel by Carrie Underwood – Let the Lord guide you through life

11. Come, Come, Ye Saints by Gladys Knight – An unique version of a traditional hymn of faith

12. You Raise Me Up by Josh Groban – This is a religious song for me about how the Lord can make more of us than we can of ourselves

13. I Hope You Dance by Leann Womack – My hopes for my children as they realize their potential

14. Bridge Over Troubled Water by Simon & Garfunkel – This could be from a mother, but also applies to Christ’s role in our lives.

15. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong – Such a peaceful song about enjoying the world around us.

16. So Big by Hap Palmer – I remember my Nana and Poppop loved to play the game “So Big” with the little ones.

17. Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by Baby Einstein – This is also a song I’ve sung at bedtime for all of the kids.

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You’re Under No Obligation

Some of you or your children may receive a little packet from Time for Kids thanks to my kids. Hunter and Emma’s school had a fundraiser thing where if they sent out a certain number of postcards to their friends and family selling subscriptions they would get a green bouncy frog toy. They both had to have it of course! I got my packet today and was reminded to let you know that nothing will happen if you throw it away. Hunter and Emma’s job is done, and they won’t even know if you order or not. However, if some magazine catches your eye, feel free to go for it!

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For all the Lost fans out there

Here’s a recent interview with the actor that plays Ben on Lost. I think anyone that stuck it out on the roller coaster ride of this last season will enjoy this.

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Ceramics and Clay

Hunter and Emma just finished a ceramics class that was offered through the community. They went every week for 6 weeks and made some really fun things! They still have some projects curing on the shelves at the studio, and we’ll add those to the gallery too when they’re ready. (Also in the gallery are pictures of Emma’s projects from her after-school class where she painted ceramics. Hunter took a “Mad Science” class and it was a blast, but there weren’t any projects to include in the gallery.) It was great fun for them and the little girls loved it too because we would play at the park next door during the class and watch the ducks on the pond there. We even fed the ducks sometimes which Hannah and Sabrina especially loved.

Now that this class is over, it’s on to bowling class, and although the kids were super late to their first class because we got stuck at an orthodontist appointment for Emma, it looks to be great fun as well. I just may need to bring a roll of quarters to keep Hannah busy at the video games because she would love to bowl right along with the big kids.

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