Even though most people can stay connected with me through my blog, there are some who simply cannot do so. Take for example, a dear friend of mine that I’m honored to now have for several years. She is an Amish woman who lives in Paradise. Yes, Paradise. It’s a place in Pennsylvania.
Her letters are an absolute wonderful break from our high-tech world! She’s like my grounding wire to protect me from getting zitst from the shock of high voltage. She probably has no clue about how much comfort she brings in her words. Love bursts through every sentence she pens!
Those of us who lack the simpler life-style are wandering far away from knowing the kind of joy life can bring to those Christians which take things at a slower pace. It’s not that tragedy doesn’t happen to them. It does, but . . . if only people knew how differently it affects people like those in the Amish community compared to us on the outside!
I shall share with you an example of what I mean by including a true story my Amish friend wrote last September. These are her words:
I have something to share with you about that song [the song I last wrote about].
Someone to Thank
There is someone who daily my needs doth supply. These things don’t just happen, there’s someone on high. Tis His mercy and grace that allows me to live. He deserves all the thank I can give. I have – someone to thank for every new day. I have – someone to thank for the gift on life’s way. He is one who expects and one who accepts all the thanks that I feel each day.
There are many who do not believe in the Lord. Say He never existed to create the world. Oh how empty their hearts and how lonely their day with no Jesus to thank and to praise.
Greatest gift that the Father has granted to me is the gift of salvation that sets my soul free. Oh I never can thank Him enough for His love as He watches from Heaven above.
I wonder when I wrote the letter that I wrote that song on. Anyway, I think its been ever since – that song went ringing through my mind. I sang it till I knew all the words.
On Sept. 3rd, Monday evening Mel and I drove our horse named Dream over to our friends house. I was singing that song. It’s a drive of around 8 miles. (Our youth group has a board – parents who are elected to supervise the group – a term is 2 yrs. Well, we were elected on the board and our meeting was Monday evening, Sept. 3rd)
On our way home (we have a 3 lane highway to cross called Route 30) at the cross-way of route 30 and Bellemonte (about a mile and ½ from here), it has a light at the cross road. We really appreciate having a light there but at night especially we never cross before we check to see that the traffic has stopped. Trucks sometimes will go right through the red light. The light was turned green. Mel looked both ways. The road was clear and, just as our horse entered the east-bound lane, Mel saw a car coming at a high rate of speed. He [in the car] was traveling between 100-120 miles per hour. There was nothing to do. Mel said “giddy-up” to the horse, but before he could even pick up any speed to get out of the car’s way, he [the driver of the car] drove through the red light – hit and killed our horse and spun our buggy ¾’s way around.
Mel and I were not hurt. I had been singing that song on the way over and on the way back. The words “Tis His mercy and grace that allows me to live – He deserves all the thanks I can give.” just rang through my mind and kept me very calm.
Yes, we were very sad for our horse and we miss him, but it was a horse – our lives were spared, and the driver was spared. After hitting the horse; he hit a telephone pole, snapped his car in half (only a little on the back hung on), slid 240 feet, and the guy only had scratches.
We found out since then that he is in the Mental hospital now. They had taken him in on Sept. 3rd. The hospital said, “We can’t do anything for him today because it’s Sept. 3rd, Labor Day.” They gave him a pill and sent him home. That eve he borrowed his friend’s high-powered red Trans-Am and went for a wild ride.
It’s God’s mercy and grace that we are still living and I want to praise Him always. I hope I didn’t make you feel bad writing about the accident and our horse, but I felt I had to share it with you.
I am glad to be able to work and that we were not hurt. I only had one small black and blue mark. God is good to us.
So, now I ask you readers, “Who might be the best physician and ideal medicine for life’s tragic occurrences?” Never underestimate the mysterious ways in which God can work.
