A Simple Life - Fall 2011

Summer is over; the leaves are falling; and it is time for us to head South.  It has been a great summer on Lake Henry in NE PA.  What a special place Clayton Park Campground is - filled with special people and some great memories and friends for us to relish.  If you are ever in that part of the country and want a "Golden Pond" type of experience - be sure and spend some time on Lake Henry at www.claytonpark.net.  Bring a fishing pole, some good reading material and enjoy the abundant tranquil, peaceful atmosphere.  Tell Sonja and Maurice hello from us - we know you'll fall in love with them as soon as meeting them.

We are currently spending some time with the Amish in Lancaster County, PA.  As you can see we are parked right across from the family's barn, and it is harvest time.....which makes me feel extremely lazy!!!   The Lancaster County Amish are known locally as "The Plain Folk"; their simple, slow-paced lifestyle is very enticing - until you notice their workday begins before sunup and runs past darkness.  But it is certainly fun to watch their family interact and work the farm.   Their major crop is tobacco, but they also have their own dairy and raise all the crops needed to support that enterprise (corn, alfalfa, etc....).

 That means all of the children, regardless of age, have duties they are responsible to perform.  Notice the six year old boy hitching up a mule team and getting them ready for a days work in the field.  It is almost comical to watch such a little person lead around two huge animals; however, he takes his job very seriously and the mules follow him wherever he leads!  Other times in the day "Josiah" kicks his heels up while having fun racing his 10 year old brother, who is driving a corn harvest machine and wagon home from the field.

Some people describe heaven as just a place where everyone will be sitting around singing songs and praying all of the time.....to be honest - that always seemed pretty boring to me - however, I hope it is not quite as busy as what happens on an Amish farm!!!  Somewhere in the middle would be just right!

Speaking of the Amish, I took advantage of this week to study the history of Anabaptist - which includes the Amish - and includes most of the denominations that are prevelant in mid America.  Ana-baptist is translated as Re-baptized.  The original movement did not agree with child baptism and instead taught that one should be baptized when old enough to make a decision to become a Christ follower as the central focus and purpose of their life.  Of course, not all of us decided to do without electricity and ride in buggies wherever we go, but underneath all of the outward appearance, we found we have much in common with the Anabaptist movement that we were not aware of.

                                                                               Tomorrow we must say goodbye to Pennsylvania as we head South through the Appalachian Mountains, West through the Smoky Mountains and eventually end up in Mountain Home, Arkansas where we will spend the weekend with Terry's youngest sister and Husband.  Then on to NE Oklahoma to be with family through the end of November.  December first is our next commitment at the campground where this all started in Kerrville, Texas.  We will spend the winter there and then head west to help in a New Mexico church camp next spring and summer.

So.......that catches you up with us........how are you doing and what is going on in your life.  Please send us a note, we would really like to know.

Oh......and by the way....... Happy Birthday to our new great-neice Kylee

my sister Kim's first grandchild.  Born 10/6/2011

Looks just like you Kim!!!  Hopefully she has Chris' brains!!  :-)