A Trip to Shipshewana & Amish Grace

Yesterday I had the chance to go to Shipshewana for the day! I met my mom, Aunt Lori, Aunt Linda, and Grandma at our first stop – the flea market! Oh did I find some deals! Side note: if you want to save some money and know a little bit about what they sell there, go to the flea market! It is a money-savers jackpot! Camping hot dog sticks – 3 for $5.00. Cologne for Dan – $15.00. And a few other odds and ends: microwave food cover, microfiber dust clothes, paintbrushes, cupcake mini cups – all $1.00. Oh, and then there is E & S! Never been there before, but it is a bulk foods store and if you know what prices are in the grocery store you normally shop at, you can save a LOT of money here! I bought tin pans w/ covers for a quarter of the price I would normally spend on them! Dried mango – half price of what I would normally spend (Dan LOVES dried mango!). All-Bran: half price once again. The last time I looked at buying All-Bran, it was like $5.00 for a smaller box. I got a big bag for less than $5.00. Oh, all this just gets me so excited! Oh, and I found the peppermints that my grandma always had (and still has) at her house growing up – so stoked! Needless to say, it was a trip well worth it!

More than anything, I had SUCH a great time with my family! It was a GORGEOUS day – Shipsee can get a little cookin’ in the summer, but it was a beautiful day. We also went to Yoder’s, and Wana Cup Restaurant. They went a few more places, but I had to go because we had an Impact pool party at 5:00.

One reason I love Shipsee so much is of course, the Amish. I just have such an appreciate for who they are! They are so sweet, friendly, and just gracious in how they talk. Also, I think they are beautiful. I was in one of the flea market booths and I saw this Amish woman (about my age) and I didn’t mean to stare, but she was absolutely gorgeous! Of course no make-up, a tan Amish dress, bonnet, and glasses. She was naturally beautiful. I wanted to tell her, but I didn’t know how that would come across. Regardless, I think the Amish are beautiful people.

I also love the culture with which they live in. I see them working hard, yet the value of family shines through. I see them take a buggy and horse around town which reminds me that they are not a “hurried” people. They take time to talk, to smile, to just be. Boy it’s refreshing! Typically you see two or three homesteads on a piece of property because they look out for their parents and grandparents – once again, the value of family is there.

My mom let me borrow a movie that I had gotten her as a gift. It’s called “Amish Grace.” It is the story of the Amish schoolhouse shooting back in 2006 or 2007 (I think). Brad Paisley’s wife Kimberly (you would recognize from the movie “Father of the Bride) stars in it. When I gave it to my mom, someone told me to tell her to have a box of Kleenex ready. Well, my mother told me the same. I absolutely bawled. It is SUCH a good movie – a heart-wrenching, a faith-checking, forgiving movie. There are many principles in this movie that you can’t help but want to apply in your own life. Yes the Amish do things differently than we may, but their culture is one of grace and forgiveness. If you get a chance, please watch this movie! It’s a life-changer! Btw…if you are thinking it’s one of the “cheesy-Christian movies” it is not :).

My dream someday would be to spend a day or two with an Amish family. I want to get to know what their daily life is like, how people view them, how they bake such good food, and how faith impacts their life. I sometimes get so sick of technology and electronics (hence why I never use my cell phone), that the Amish life just seems refreshing. But, I’m sure there are things I would definitely miss! So what do you appreciate about the Amish? What values do you appreciate?