(Review) Amish Values for Your Family

Amish Values for Your Family: What We Can Learn from the Simple LifeTitle: Amish Values for Your Family: What we Can Learn from the Simple Life
Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher
Publisher: Revell
Pub Date: August 2011
Pages: 188

Source: "Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and
Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.
Available at your favourite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker
Publishing Group".


From the Back Cover
"Amish Values for Your Family is charming! It will lift your spirits and bring you closer to the Amish."--Cindy Woodsmall, New York Times bestselling author of When the Soul Mends

When it comes to strong families that know how to truly enjoy life together, there is much we can learn from the Amish. Just how do they establish such strong family bonds, such deeply held values, and such wonderful family traditions? In Amish Values for Your Family, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher shares the secrets of Amish family life. In this inspiring and practical book, you will meet real Amish families that are a lot like yours. Through their stories you'll discover how to:
  • slow down

  • safeguard family time

  • raise children who stand strong in their faith

  • prioritize what's truly important

Amish values like community, forgiveness, simple living, obedience, and more can be your family legacy--without selling your car or changing your wardrobe.

As you know I love to read anything Amish and I always jump at the chance when I get to promote it and this book was no exception.

This was a quick read and I enjoyed reading it. What is nice about the book is that its one of those books you can pick up at anytime to read  a chapter or two any time you want to.

I have always had a fascination with Amish and there way of living. While I was reading this I realized that I share many of the same values with the Amish.

I think one of the many things I loved about Amish Values for Your Family is that every chapter begins with an Amish Proverb. Some of my favorites are:
  • The best things in life are not things.

  • A happy memory never wears out.

  • A happy home is more than a roof over your head, it's a foundation under your feet.

  • The more a child is valued, the better his values will be.

Suzanne broke the book down into sections:
  • Children are loved but not adored

  • Great Expectations

  • Daily Bread

  • Letting Go

Within each section there is several chapters talking about the specific topic and each chapter is a little story as told by an Amish person followed by Road Map (Getting there from Here) which summarizes the story and acts like a life application for the reader and following that is In Their Own Words which is written by Amish people that is taken from a weekly paper published for the Amish.

Not only did Suzanne do a fantastic job with the book but she also included so many neat facts that I was really surprised to discover. Did you know that within the last twenty years:
  • children's free time has declined by 12 hours/week

  • time spent on structured sports activities has doubled

  • family dinners are down by a third

  • that the number of families taking vacations together has decreased by 28%

  • and that we spend 40% less time with our kids

Some of those figures surprised me and some didn't. I think at times we do too much and don't stop to enjoy the basic things. I know for me we always have to sit down as a family to eat. I think this is something that we were raised to do and I want Michael to know how important that short time is for him and us to talk about things.

I am thankfully that I am able to stay home and not go out to work because that is one of my concerns is not spending enough time with Michael. I can honestly see the difference me being at home has made for him. Yes I admit it can be financially tight at times and it would be nice not to worry all the time but will that make us any happier as a family?

This is one of those books that you will pick up to read again and again. I know since reading this book I have picked it up a few times to read again and took any way something else from the book. This is something I think you would enjoy too.

Check back later today for my guest post with Suzanne, a give away and the tour for this book with my principle/value that I am taking away from this book.