Sarah Price's Blog, page 13

That’s how they prioritize. In that order.

While I do not profess to being an expert in anything (who really can be an expert–there is always something to learn), I do have an opinion that is based on research as well as my own personal beliefs.

Over the weekend, the media was in an uproar about President Trump’s Executive Order with the TEMPORARY ban on refugees from seven countries that are, apparently, breeding grounds for terrorism. Not surprisingly, media sources report conflicting information. In 24 hours, one Huffington Post article said that the order banned Syrian refugees “indefinitely”, a Wall Street Journal article said “120 days”, and a CNN article said the ban on Syrian refugees was both “temporary” and “indefinitely” in the same article.

People cannot trust the media.

Read the Executive Order. TEMPORARY is stated numerous times. 120 days is clearly used as the time frame for reimplementation of a new system to vet refugees in order to protect existing Americans and those residing in our country from incoming radical Islamics from those seven countries. The Order clearly states that the intention is not to deny refugees indefinitely but to determine “… what additional procedures should be taken to ensure that those approved for refugee admission do not pose a threat to the security and welfare of the United States, and shall implement such additional procedures.”

Democrats such as Adam Schiff, the Senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee claims that this plays into the Al Qaeda and ISIS narrative that the West does not want Muslims. Even anti-Trump GOP Senator Ben Sasse from Nebraska claims that this sends a message to our children that Americans are banning Muslims. Hogwash! That’s just their self-serving spin–there are approximately 50 Muslim countries in the world…43 of which are NOT on that ban!

Now, critics will ask how many terrorist attacks happened on US soil and where did the people come from? Not surprisingly, their response is ZERO. However if you research how many terrorist attacks were THWARTED since 9/11 and look at the information regarding country-of-origin for THOSE suspects, you start to see the big picture. And, remember, those are attacks that were thwarted and we know about. How many do we NOT know about? Surely the CIA does not share ALL of their TOP SECRET information–of course, that’s speculation on my part, but I bet I’m correct.

Many media outlets are claiming that this order is fundamentally reshaping America’s course in the world. I argue that is short-sighted and very convenient for those who forgot about 9/11. Al Qaeda and ISIS did that. Go back and read the 9/11 Commission Report if you really want to point fingers as to the root cause of this War on Terrorism. You might be surprised at the answer.

The bottom line is that this Refugee Order is not pleasant, especially for those caught in the crossfire. However, Trump campaigned about doing this so it should not come as a surprise to anyone. And as ugly as it is to ban refugees from safety, we need to realize that the Trump Administration is doing this for one main reason: the protect Americans before we start protecting others. It is not INDEFINITE but only until the process is fixed and can ensure the safety of Americans and the existing residents on our soil.

Frankly, I find no fault in that. For now, anyway. You see, I want to be able to protect my right to worship God, protect my family, and live in a safe community. Just like the Amish. Only then can I feel secure in helping others.

The post What we can learn from the Amish in regard to the Refugee Ban appeared first on Sarah Price.

Daniel stood in the middle of the pasture, his battered straw hat resting askew on top of head. The midday sun was hot overhead, despite it only being early May. The grass was already halfway to his knees and he could hear the crickets chirping, hidden in their burrows among the twigs and leftover leaves from last autumn. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. Instead, the sun gleamed against a brilliant blue backdrop. The depths of the blue were richer than any he could remember seeing in the past. It was truly a glorious day and a testament to the good Lord above.

Behind him, his father’s cows grazed. He could hear their movements, slow and sluggish, punctuated by mooing and heavy breathing. When he turned to watch them, he couldn’t help but smile. Most of the cows lingered near the large water hole at the bottom of the valley. With the unexpected heat, it had evaporated to not much more than a muddy patch of water but the cows loved to linger near it and, occasionally, wallow in the mud to cool off. They were predictable in their habits, he thought. Just like people.

His eyes traveled beyond the water toward his father’s farm. The white barn needed a fresh coat of paint, something his daed, Jonas, was sure to assign to him in the upcoming weeks. It was a large, two-story barn with the cows stationed at the lower level and the hay, grain, and equipment at the second level housing. There was a ladder to the second floor from the dairy section but there was also a large double door that led to the driveway, allowing easy access to the field machinery.

Next to the barn, closest to the lane, was the mule shed. It wasn’t as elaborate as the other outbuildings. In truth, it was more of a simple running-shed to protect them from the elements. The paint was peeling and there were shingles missing from the roof. But the mules had their own paddock to seek respite after a long day’s work. They often hung their head over the fencing, watching the cows meander through the rolling green pastures.

On the other side of the barn was the horse stable and farmhouse. The farmhouse was elongated since it was actually two houses in one. In just a few years, his parents would move from the larger section of the house to the back partition, the grossdaadihaus, so that their eldest son, Jonas Jr., and his growing family could benefit from more living space.

Daniel and his two younger brothers, David and Samuel, were the last of Katie and Jonas Lapps’ children living at home. Their seven older brothers and sisters had already married and moved to their own farms and houses to raise their families, except for their eldest brother, Jonas Jr. Some of his siblings lived close by while others lived a bit further away. Yet, as a true testimony to their upbringing, all of the children had remained faithful to the Amish faith, despite some bumps along the way.

Daniel knew that, in time, when he married, his two younger brothers would move with their parents to the back house. His brothers wouldn’t mind the smaller living quarters. The main house already seemed lonelier and quieter since both sister Sylvia and brother Steve married the previous year. It was much different living in a house without the noise and commotion of all of his siblings. But Daniel knew that there was a season for all stages of life. Nothing ever stayed the same.

At twenty-one, Daniel also knew the expectation from his family and church community. It wasn’t hard to figure out since those expectations were the same for all children in every Amish household. They were eager for Daniel to settle down from his rumspringa and accept the Lord Jesus as his savior through holy baptism. That was the precursor to establishing his own household with wife and children. But Daniel wasn’t ready for settling down. Not just yet.

Despite being in the midst of his running around years, Daniel avoided the Sunday singings by choice rather than design. He wasn’t interested in courting any girl, despite his suspicion that several of the single girls in the church community wouldn’t mind an invitation to ride in his courting buggy, a hand-me-down from his brothers. Jonas Junior, Emanuel, and Steve had all used the open-top buggy when they had begun courting their intended wives. But Daniel was reluctant. It wasn’t that Daniel didn’t like those girls. They came from good families and had every characteristic of being a fine Amish wife one day. He even suspected that his older sister, Sylvia’s friend, Millie, would have liked him to attend more singings, perhaps even offer her a ride home. He had done that once or twice in the past but that was the extent of his involvement with getting serious.

Daniel was happiest living life on his own. He favored staying with his parents, working the fields, and enjoying the peace and solitude of independence. Every morning and every evening, Daniel worked alongside his father and younger brothers, milking the cows and tending to the other animals. It was his favorite time of the day as it gave him time to reflect on life and the Lord without worry of interruptions from anyone.

For a moment, as he stared around him, he felt waves of peace flood throughout his body. God was indeed miraculously good, he thought, to give us this farm and this life. He was happy and that was all that God wanted, he thought. Happiness and obedience to His word. Daniel took a deep breath and started walking down valley toward his parents’ farm. On a farm in May, there were plenty of chores to tend to and Daniel was more than happy to accept the challenge.

Want to read more? I hope so!!

So many people enjoy reading about the Amish culture and religion. As our lives get busier and more stressful, it seems that our affection for this simple way of life increases. Technology that should make our lives easier does the reverse. Access to so much information should help us but it doesn’t. Communicating with people from afar should be enjoyable but often it isn’t.

Maybe that’s one of the reasons why we embrace the Amish culture.

And still we do not seem to learn from their examples.

Wouldn’t our lives be simpler with less “things” and attachments to the world? If we could separate ourselves from the things in life that upset us? Build walls around the bad while wrapping our arms around the good?

For the past month, I’ve been living in a small little town in Florida. I have to tell you that it will be very hard to return to New Jersey with its congestion, noise, and people.

Yes, people.

I’ve found that the residents of my little Florida town are kind and friendly, willing to help neighbors and ready at a moment’s notice to stop and chat. Strangers wave to each other, whether they are walking along the road or driving a car. And I love how they call me ma’am and Miss Sarah.

It reminds me a lot of an Amish community, where people are, indeed, a community and focused on the greater good rather than individual gain. Back in Morristown, so many people work their entire lives trying to out-do others, to be better, have bigger, achieve more. And the entire time they are focused on those goals, they are missing out on something important: living.

I think that’s one of the things that I love about the Amish. They live life. They appreciate what they have and accept what they don’t have. Most of the Amish that I have met do not buy things on credit…they wait until they have saved their money to make purchases. And those purchases are necessities, not frivolous things.

I’m learning a lot about myself while I’m down here in Archer. And I’m recognizing the parallels of this slower lifestyle with the Amish way of life. I only hope and pray that I can discipline myself to keep this lesson when I drive out the gate in April to return to New Jersey.

The post What We Should Learn From The Amish appeared first on Sarah Price.

Everyone who reads Amish fiction has heard about this mysterious period of time in an Amish youth’s life called rumschpringe. When Amish youth turn 16, they enter a new and exciting period of their life, the time when they can “run around” with their peers.

During this time, Amish parents shut their eyes to the “rules” so that their children can explore the outside world. The main theory is that it’s better for the children to know what they are giving up when they become baptized members of the church…rather than not know and leave later.

Unfortunately, the rumschpringe of a hundred years ago is a lot different than the rumschpringe of today. In fact, several church districts have been considering doing away with it because too many youths are experimenting with dangerous things such as alcohol, drugs, and even premarital sex.

Yes. You read that correctly.

That might come as a shock to many people who, like me, adore the Amish culture and religion, seeing it as an ideal that we should all strive to achieve. Understandably, we fall short of doing so.

So it really shouldn’t come as a shock to us that the Amish youth (and some adults) face the same challenges and obstacles that our own children.

Not so long ago, before social media and cell phones, the Amish youth were limited in who they could communicate with and, therefore, were not as exposed to the outside world. Oh, don’t get me wrong. Plenty of youth got themselves into undesirable situations. I remember in 1990 reading a story about an Amish young man who sold cocaine from a bar near Honeybrook, PA (I don’t remember the exact town name). I was shocked!

Today, however, it’s much easier to reach out to more people and not just those that are in a close geographic proximity to them. And while not all Amish youth experiment with such dangerous things, enough do that it has become a problem.

In Valley of Hope, I wrote the story about Samuel Lapp and his adventures during his rumschpringe. The youngest son in the family, Samuel isn’t ready to think about taking the kneeling vow and he certainly isn’t thinking about marriage. Some of the emotional upheaval he feels creates an awful lot of conflict for his family and his church community.

It’s conflict that I have personally experienced in my own life with my own son. And I imagine that many of you know a parent who has a Samuel Lapp in his or her life.

You see, when you really think about it, the Amish aren’t the only ones with rumschpringe. Our youth go through it, too. Like the Amish, some parents are stricter than others and tolerate less. But, in general, there are plenty of non-Amish youth who find themselves in a lot of trouble…like Samuel Lapp.

Like the Amish parents, we can only pray that they emerge from that running around period and come back into the fold.

The post The Problem with Rumschpringe appeared first on Sarah Price.

Organization: Corolla Wild Horse Fund, Inc.

This organization’s mission is “to protect, conserve, and responsibly manage the herd of wild Colonial Spanish Mustangs roaming freely on the northernmost Currituck Outer Banks, and to promote the continued preservation of this land as a permanent sanctuary for horses designated as the State Horse and defined as a cultural treasure by the state of North Carolina.

In honor of Kelley and Julie from Seaton Hackney Stables, I sponsored two horses, Buster and Noel, for eleven months (ok, it’s really a year but…we’ll just say eleven months to complete the song). This mother-daughter duo remind me of another mother-daughter duo. They rescued two mustangs and have hired Cat to train them. Their unwavering faith and support in both the mustangs and my daughter is amazing. Since I already hit up the wild mustangs out west, I wanted to include the wild Spanish mustangs on the East Coast in our giving. Hopefully they can visit the sanctuary with their little ones, Charley and Dean.

SING IT: One the eleventh day of Christmas, I give this happily:

Eleven months to mustangs in a sanctuary,

Ten bucks for ten days to Mustang Heritage,

Nine bucks for nine days to care for Abe the wolf,

Eight pairs of socks to the needy,

Seven underwear for men,

Six underwear for women,

Five bucks for gospel booklets,

Four books for little readers,

Three horse riding lessons,

Two meals to hungry men,

And a goat to feed a Sudan family.

The post Twelve Days of Giving: Corolla Wild Horse Fund, Inc. appeared first on Sarah Price.

Organization: Mustang Heritage Foundation

Are you surprised? Ha ha.

Of course, the wild mustangs must make the list. The MHF is the lead organization that facilitates adoption and training of mustangs. They work in conjunction with the Bureau of Land Management, the organization that holds the captured mustangs until adopted.

The MHF is responsible for the Mustang Challenge events. So, I have them to thank for my daughter’s passion for mustangs.

Organization: Mission: Wolf  http://www.missionwolf.org/

You might be thinking “Say wha’?” Wolves?

Yes. Wolves. I love wolves. We used to have a wolf-dog who was my protector and guardian angel. He would sleep outside of my bedroom door every night. Every. Single. Night. Marc gave him to me when I was going through a bad “spell”. Mason never once looked back. He jumped in my car, came home, and that’s where he stayed for six years until he passed away.

But that’s not the reason that I chose this organization.

In April 2015, my son and I traveled to Colorado. While there, we drove through some very treacherous terrain to the Mission: Wolf, located in the mountains. The drive was scary but well worth the heart palpitations. This organization is run 100% by volunteers who sleep in teepees or little 10×10 sustainable houses, tending to the needs of wolves. Their motto is “If you can get here, we’ll feed you and give you a bed.”

Anyway, it was an amazing experience for Alex (and me!). This one particular wolf, Abe, loved Alex and came up to him, sniffing his neck and letting Alex pet him. There was a connection between the two of them. Sometimes in life we have to realize that people are like wolves…they may run in a pack or they may choose to be lone wolves. Either way, they are still strong and beautiful.

I am giving this donation, Nine dollars for nine days (x 4 since it will be repeated on day 10 day 11, and day 12) in honor of my first true love, my son Alex.

SING IT: On the ninth day of Christmas, I give this happily:

Nine bucks for nine days to care for Abe the wolf,

Eight pairs of socks to the needy,

Seven underwear for men,

Six underwear for women,

Five bucks for gospel booklets,

Four books for little readers,

Three horse riding lessons,

Two meals to hungry men,

And a goat to feed a Sudan family.

The post Twelve Days of Giving: Mission Wolf appeared first on Sarah Price.

Organization: Morristown Baptist Church

This was another special request for socks for needy people (men) in Morristown. Isn’t there something special about putting on a new pair of white cotton socks? Well, I donated eight pairs of socks so that this church can distribute them as needed to people in Morristown. This church serves a very large Hispanic population in town and they do wonderful things to help new immigrants acclimate to life in America. The pastor and his wife are very special people and I’m honored to call them friends.

SING IT: On the eighth day of Christmas, I give this happily:

Eight pairs of socks to the needy,

Seven underwear for men,

Six underwear for women,

Five bucks for gospel booklets,

Four books for little readers,

Three horse riding lessons,

Two meals to hungry men,

And a goat to feed a Sudan family.

The post Twelve Days of Giving: Morristown Baptist Church appeared first on Sarah Price.

Organization: Morris County Jail

I had a special request for this one. Through the Morristown Baptist Church, we donated underwear for the men and women at the Morris County Jail facility. At first, I thought “Gee, there are so many other people who need things and those people…well…they committed crimes.” But then I remembered that Jesus came here for the sinners, not the “perfect” people (which there aren’t anyway). We are all sinners and, therefore, I scolded myself for hesitating and happily purchased the white underwear for the men and women.

Now, who to donate this to? I decided that I will donate this in honor of my father (for the men) and mother (for the women). Through their good upbringing, I have led a great life. Without such an upbringing, I might have been a bigger (worse) sinner and be a recipient of a donated pair of underwear, right? Fortunately, I’m not.

A parent is the guiding light for every child. They teach us to walk, talk, and be a good person. My mother always says that I have a big heart. Well, I obviously learned from the best: my parents.

Organization: The Samaritan’s Purse  https://www.samaritanspurse.org

This organization does a ton of different things for people all over the world. But for the fifth day, I chose to donate $5 for 30 Gospel booklets to be given to children so that they can learn about Jesus. Of course, that’s each month (x8 for day 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12). So, in reality, this is 240 booklets.

And I am giving this gift in honor of Lisa Bull who is my LRWF and spiritual compass/advisor. She has helped me so much on my journey to understand, love, and live Jesus. I still have a long way to go but…don’t we all?

SING IT: One the fifth day of Christmas, I give this happily:

Five bucks for gospel booklets,

Four books for little readers,

Three horse riding lessons,

Two meals to hungry men,

And a goat to feed a Sudan family.

The post Twelve Days of Giving: The Samaritan’s Purse appeared first on Sarah Price.