Cousin Verna

Dear Readers,

Cousin Verna died last week. She lived in Arizona and was ill for many months. I never spent much time with her as she grew up in Kansas and moved to Arizona a number of years ago. The only time I saw her was at three-year Yoder family reunions and other sporadic reunions. 

When I was a young boy I can remember Verna and a friend coming to stay at my family’s house while she attended Bible School at Pleasant View Conservative Mennonite Church. She always had a ready smile and a wry sense of humor. I can remember hunting “snipes” at night when she stayed here, and roasting cashews. What is a snipe anyway? I remember getting sick after eating too many cashews. 

Verna was a light in my life and the life of my family. My family was only sporadic in church attendance at that time and never talked openly about a person having faith in God. I recognized then there was something different about Verna and some of my other Conservative Mennonite relatives. 

Dad and Verna’s dad Jake grew up Amish. I think Dad was the first of his family to leave the Amish church, but he did not leave for religious reasons. I think Uncle Jake, on the other hand, left the Amish and became Conservative Mennonite because they had an emphasis on salvation by faith in Christ. 

It was obvious to me that Uncle Jake, his family, and Cousin Verna were different. They had a ready smile, love, and acceptance of my family. I didn’t know it at the time, but I now know it was Jesus living in them that made them so different. 

I firmly believe Cousin Verna, her family, and many of my other relatives with obvious faith in Christ helped influence me to accept Christ for myself. For that I’m eternally grateful. 

See you next time.
Arlen

“Amish This” & “Amish That”

Dear Readers:

I often tell my wife my dislike for things labeled “Amish This” or “Amish That”. Currently there is a wave of labels of goods, services, and philosophies that have the word “Amish” attached to them. There are “Amish Goods”, “Amish Wisdom”, “Amish Books”, “Amish Furniture”, “Amish Heaters”, “Amish Proverbs”, “Amish Cheese”, “Amish America”, etc. The funniest one I ever saw was “Amish Meat". I'm still looking for the first Amish cow!

Why are businesses and people, in many cases “English” people, attaching the word Amish to their wares? Are Amish made products and Amish wisdom better than other products and wisdom?

I’m from Holmes County, Ohio, so I know that tourism there has brought great prosperity. Holmes County is touted as having the largest Amish population in the world, and has grown from a sleepy community with one motel/hotel in the entire county to having hotels, restaurants, bed & breakfasts, and tourist stores at every turn.

Is what happened to Holmes County a good thing? I’m not sure. I’m guilty of the same pride when I return and take friends and relatives through there and let them know where everything is located.

I also proudly tell my wife that if I ever start a business I’m not going to use the name Amish in the title, but will use the name “Yoder”. But by association almost everyone knows that Yoder is usually attached to having an Amish heritage. I would then vicariously be using my Amish roots to get gain.

I recently watched a video of Jim Cymbala, the pastor of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, where he preached to a group of pastors and missionaries about Jesus driving out the money changers. He said that Jesus drove them out on two separate occasions. My question is, can the use of the Amish label to products be compared to the money changers of the temple, or am I way off base? The money changers and sellers of animals to be sacrificed used the religious traditions of the Jewish nation to make money, usually at inflated prices. They let themselves believe they were doing a service, and they may have told themselves they were entitled to make a little extra money on the side.

Can the same be said of the use of the Amish name and traditions? I don’t have all the answers. I love my relatives that have grown up Amish. I love and am proud of my Amish roots. But I don’t want to be so infatuated with them that I forget a more important equation: Salvation by faith in Jesus Christ.

"For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Ephesians 2:8-10

See you next time,
Arlen

A Porcelain Doll

Dear Readers,

Last week I was shopping at Save A Lot grocery store when I saw some people that really struck my interest. You see my Dad grew up Amish and I have many Amish relatives. I have lived around and among Amish people all my life.

Lately, however, when I see an Amish person or family I try to think in my mind what their lives might be like. I think what might make them excited or happy? I think what might make them depressed or sad? Don’t ask me why I do it. I don’t even really know myself.

In Save A Lot what I saw was a really young conservative Amish couple and their baby. I know they were from a conservative sect by their apparel and the man’s haircut. The man was wearing a long coat and the woman a long shawl.

What really struck me, however, was the little baby. She was bundled up in dark outer clothing with only her tiny face showing. The face I saw looked perfect with its flesh and pinkish glow. The mother carried the little girl with ease in her strong arms as she looked for food bargains. The baby rested still as she turned with every move of the mother. I kid you not the first thing I thought of was that the little baby girl looked just like a porcelain doll that might be purchased in a store.

When I came back to reality I thought to myself, the baby in front of me is not a porcelain doll. She is a real person, full of promise and hope. Her whole life is ahead of her. What will her life hold? Will it hold happiness? Will it be filled with sadness? Will she get married and have a family? Will she have many brothers and sisters? Will she have people around her that try to understand what makes her feel fulfilled?

Many questions yet unanswered for this beautiful little living porcelain doll.

See you next time,
Arlen

Mose Yoder Reunion

(Note: I am departing my current blog trend to update on the reunion I attended on Saturday.)

Dear Readers,

I had a great time on Saturday, September 17, 2011 at the Mose Yoder reunion. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family and a great heritage.

Two of my uncles got up front to tell stories, many funny, of Grandpa, Grandma, and their travels between Kansas, to Ohio, back to Kansas, and finally back to Ohio for good.

Uncle Eli is the oldest living brother of my Dad’s family. He is a very friendly, gracious man, and the love of Jesus just emanates from him. At 93 years old Uncle Eli said that he still goes out and uses a weed-eater and does some other outdoor work. He was Amish for many years but now attends a Conservative Mennonite church.

Uncle Henry was the youngest member of the family and he and Eli are my only remaining uncles on my Dad’s side. He is 85 years old, but he is still full of energy and fun. When my son was still very young Uncle Henry gladly took him on his first buggy ride and Uncle Henry smiled the whole time. Uncle Henry was the main storyteller at the reunion. He remains a member of the Amish church.

One story was about Grandpa who was a “slater” that installed slate roofs on buildings. Uncle Henry told how Grandpa fell head-first off a roof onto the ground below. He said a man saved Grandpa's life by literally pulling his head back up from between his shoulders. That story made me cringe.

Cousin Mel, a son of Aunt Elma, my only aunt, showed us a picture of Dad with a strange woman. Dad traveled quite a bit and his sister Elma jokingly said that instead of having "a girl in every port", Dad had a "girl on every porch". I never knew Dad to be such a ladies’ man, but I did often hear he was full of wanderlust, always looking for the greener grass on the other side of the hill. He left the Amish church for good at the age of 22.

Uncle Eli told me that Grandma was hurt by Dad leaving the Amish church, but Grandpa did not seem adversely affected. As I was growing up Dad visited Grandpa or his brothers and sister at least a couple times per month. Unlike so many others leaving the Amish faith Dad was never shunned by his family, and I am really thankful for that. I wish that many Amish leaders would learn the lesson that it is not necessary for Amish parents to shun their children that leave the Amish church, and that the Lord can bless a family that has open arms to all members of the family in various stages of trying to find out what the Lord has for them.

Cousin Paul, who is still Amish, shared with me how he started a hardware store in Mt. Hope, Ohio in early 60's after he was newly married and still in 1-W Service (a Military Selective Service status for conscientious objectors). The former hardware store in Mt. Hope had gone out of business and had a poor reputation of not paying its debts. Paul said he started the new hardware business with very little money but made it grow so much that Lehman Hardware of Kidron, Ohio, which was well known in the area, bought him out to make a satellite store. Lehman Hardware hired Paul to manage the store. Paul managed it for many years until recently, and now only works about two days per week. Paul asked me about my involvement with Mission to Amish People (MAP) and the "Amish boys" that come to a Bible study at my home. I had spoken to him last year about the Bible study.

Cousin David, one of Eli’s middle sons, moved his family from a long time living in West Virginia to a Conservative Mennonite community in Maryland. He said he and his family moved there because the community in West Virginia was changing too much to suit them. He was friendly and I appreciate him a great deal. We talked about our common faith in Christ being the most important thing in life. I am not sure what he thought of me, a person that is no longer even Mennonite, being a born-again Christian.

I spent a long time talking to Roy, who was the host. I enjoyed the time I spent with him a great deal. He is the production manager for what used to be called Wayne-Dalton garage doors, and he rides his bicycle six miles to work and six miles home every day in rain, snow, sleet or sunshine. He said that about the only time he drives his buggy is on icy days. He was very humble how he became the production manager, and he is looking forward to the day when he can retire and just farm. It is interesting to think of an Amish man being a production manager of a major company with all the technology it uses....and he rides his bicycle six miles to and from work!

My cousins Steve and Verna seemed interested in the involvement of my family with Mission to Amish People. They were especially interested in the story I told about Mose Gingerich from Missouri who was in the television show “Amish in the City” about ten years ago. They smiled widely when I said that Mose gave his heart to the Lord during a National Geographic filming in our house about three weeks prior.

I did not talk very much with my cousin Ernest from Kansas, but my wife and he were engaged in conversation about MAP and his daughter Rhonda Shrock who lives in Indiana with her family and has become a well known writer for several newspapers, blogs, and colleges. My wife is also a writer so they had something in common to talk about.

I could go on and on talking about all the relatives I visited, and the ones that are gone whom I learned more about. I really missed talking with my cousin Ed who is my age. But all in all we had a really blessed day! I pray that many of my relatives that do not know Christ come to Him and find the joy and happiness of serving our wonderful Savior.

See you next time,
Arlen

Are Men Wearing Veils?

Dear Readers,

Growing up in a Mennonite family and having Amish grandparents I am very familiar with head coverings, or in many religious circles called a “veil”. My Amish grandmother wore a head covering/veil almost every day of her life. My mother and her mother wore head coverings/veils at all church events.

Recently in conservative Protestantism many movements are revisiting the use of veils for women as a means of showing submission to their husbands and leaders in the church. The proponents of veil usage revere the Amish and Mennonite culture for never caving into peer pressure to abandon its usage.

Many persons debate whether the veil is relevant in today’s society. Each camp uses scripture to make their points. The debate becomes heated at times.

This post is not meant to debate the merits, or demerits, of women wearing veils. I think there is a much more important debate to take up. The debate is the following: Are men wearing veils?

I think sometimes we become so busy debating external appearance, that we forget the internal appearance of a man, or if you will, “mankind”. Several questions are of vital importance if we believe the Bible to be true. They are literally a matter of bondage or freedom, life or death.

The first question is: Does mankind wear a veil?

The second question: Where is the veil?

Thirdly: Is the veil desired?

Lastly: What happens if the veil is removed?

The answers to the above questions are revealed in II Corinthians 3:14-17:

“But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (NKJV)

Below are the answers to those life and death questions listed above:

Does mankind wear a veil? “But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains…”

Where is the veil? “…a veil covers their hearts.” 

Is the veil desired? “But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away." and "It has been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away."

What happens if the veil is removed? “Now the Lord is Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”

I pray that the veil is removed from many of my family members, friends, and the readers of this blog that they may find true freedom in Christ.

See you next time,
Arlen