The Social Porcupine

  A new year is upon us, and with that the regular desire to make resolutions of personal improvement. But what if we took a year off from fretting over our weight, food choices, and hobbies and turned our eyes to the stagnated atmosphere of our homes, the dusty guestroom, and the next-door neighbor’s whose names we still don’t know although it’s been months since they moved in. What if we took a moment to learn from someone else whose been doing it a lot longer than anyone else, and cultivated the necessary assets a thriving community requires. It doesn’t really require much, except for a little self-denial and a whole lot of focused dedication to stick out something purposeful. I’ve recently read two nonfiction titles that are gloriously refreshing. I plan to keep extra copies around the house to give away, or to provoke further dialogue. I encourage my readers to do the same! Here is a little bit about both: 𝑩𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝑶𝒇𝒇 by Eric Brende Something for young couples to consi...

I've experienced responsibility much as Jonathan Button experienced age: rather opposite of most people, with an awfully lot at a young age and quite a bit less of it the older I've gotten. I'm turning into quite the gypsy, keeping my conservative appearances mostly because I like it. Some, mostly staunch conservative Christians have an issue with this. Why, I wonder, when it is they who sing old hymns such as  Wayfaring Stranger  and keep a copy of The Pilgrim's Progress next to their Bible.  They chide me on my wild ways, "You must have a home church. "  But this world is not my home. I am not meant to sit still, or to wait at home for the coming of some man or of the Messiah. We are all meant to be as children: wild and loud and happy. I should be able to pick my own flowers, thank you very much, without being accused of feminism.  I sometimes find churches to attend while traveling. Looking back on them I feel as if I experienced the same so...

First read: Part I Part II Current Richards family photo. Back row, left to right: JJ, Tammy, Caleb, Brandon. Front row: Gideon, Iris, Hope, and Faith.  Did you have many friends among the Amish? Rebekah:  I found that most all the ladies were friendly. A couple in particular I really felt like were friends. One was Freida. Another was Annie. I remember driving by her place and recognizing it from my childhood, getting out and saying,  "Do you know me?!" Tammy :  I had a couple Amish I considered friends, and I still exchange letters with them. Erin :  Oh yes! So close that to me we feel as if we are one of their family members. I just went to an Amish funeral for the woman that was like my Amish mother. The men don't hug women, but her husband hugged me five minutes, bawling his eyes out. Every time I return I feel tempted to live like the Amish again– my husband calls it Amish-meningitis. But he doesn't want to return—he likes me looking pretty, ...

Part I Part III Harrison children: Amish days.  Describe where you lived — the land, house, and some of your “conveniences”. Rebekah:  I remember when I first came to look at the house. The kids and I bought milk and got directions. An old white farmhouse with windows that had been boarded up because kids had vandalized the place and broken the windows. On the border of their community, the Amish wanted someone in this house I think to keep it from being vandalized. Its location also helped to keep us separate from them.There were a couple of skeletons of birds that were in the closet. Dusty . . . It needed cleaned . . . But all we saw was potential. When we moved in it was winter. It took hours for our little wood stoves to heat themselves up and get the house toasty . . . Although at first we had doors and rooms shut off so we were just heating the living room and kitchen. We covered the broken windows with blankets and tucked the little ones in blankets on stack...