As you know, I am a huge fan of reading Amish fiction novels. Today I am so thrilled to have one of my favorite authors, Suzanne Woods Fisher, sharing an excerpt from her brand new, non-fiction book with you!
A Little Amish General Store
If you won’t admit you’ve been wrong, you love yourself more than truth. -Amish proverb
Blink twice and you’ll miss the little Amish general store in Buchanan County, Iowa. It’s tucked down a single-lane dirt road, hidden behind a white farmhouse, obvious only to those who know to look for it. Inside are shelves filled with all kinds of humble necessities: enormous black rubber men’s galoshes, Band-Aids, Kingsford charcoal, Mason jars. Lining the back of the store are shelves of glass hurricanes, in all sizes. They’re used to contain the flame of kerosene lamps, common lighting in Amish homes. Above the shelves of glass hurricanes is a handwritten sign, so startling in its message that you have to read it twice:
If You Break It, Please Let Us Know
So That We Can Forgive You.
When asked about the sign, the Amish storekeeper smiled, her face so open and honest and sincere that one couldn’t help but smile in return. “We know that accidents happen, that fragile things break. We’d rather be told something broke than have someone hide it or pretend it didn’t happen. We expect a few problems now and then.”
What an upside-down view of modern retailing! Most stores that display delicate or breakable items warn parents with small children and instill fear in the clumsy: “If you break it, you pay” or “You break it, you own it.” The message is clear: Shop at your own risk.
In a way, people have similar warning signs, though they’re not always visible to the human eye. In fact, it would be much easier if they wore a sign around their neck that stated the obvious: “I’m fragile. I’m broken. I’m wounded. I had a difficult childhood. I’m sensitive. I’m unhappy. I’m angry. If you hurt me, you are going to have to pay for it.”
But what would your response be to a friend who had a sign like the Amish store’s over the door of her home? Imagine if it said something like this: “Hurts and mistakes and misunderstandings happen in all relationships. Our friendship is more important than allowing an issue to divide us. If there comes a time when you might hurt me, intentionally or otherwise, I’m prepared to offer you forgiveness. Just ask.” Most likely, this is a friend you would visit often. You know you are loved. If your friendship hits a bump or two, as most do, it can be restored. Sociologist Brenè Brown calls this kind of person a “stretch-mark friend.” In Daring Greatly, she writes about such friendships: “Our connection has been stretched and pulled so much that it’s become part of who we are, a second skin, and there are a few scars to prove it.”
What about you? What if you were to hang a similar sign declaring a generous spirit of forgiveness in your own home? “This is a family that allows a margin of error. Our love for each other is greater than our failures. If we say or do something we shouldn’t have, forgiveness is always available. Just ask.”
Suzanne has generously offered to give away a copy of The Heart of the Amish to one of my readers! Just leave a comment below to be entered! I love the idea of a family commitment to a margin of error, how about you?
Excerpt taken with permission from The Heart of the Amish: Life Lessons on Peacemaking and the Power of Forgiveness (Revell, 2015).
Suzanne Woods Fisher is the bestselling author of ‘The Stoney Ridge Seasons’ and ‘The Lancaster County Secrets’ series, as well as nonfiction books about the Amish, including Amish Peace. She is a Christy award finalist and a Carol award winner. Her interest in the Anabaptist culture can be directly traced to her grandfather, who was raised in the Old German Baptist Brethren Church in Franklin County, Pennsylvania.
Suzanne hosts the blog Amish Wisdom, and has a free downloadable app, Amish Wisdom, that delivers a daily Penn Dutch proverb to your smart phone. She lives with her family in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can find Suzanne on-line at www.suzannewoodsfisher.com. She loves to hear from readers!
KA Disclosure: This post is not sponsored, I’m just really looking forward to reading this and so happy to get to share a piece from one of my favorite authors. Some affiliate links included.
