Nineteenth Anniversary Trip to Ohio's Amish Country

  This past week my husband and I celebrated nineteen years of marriage.  That sounds like such a long time, and yet it does not seem like it has been that long!  We were blessed to be able to take a short trip to our house in Ohio for the weekend, and my dear husband had some beautiful flowers waiting there for me upon arrival.   

  We had hoped to see fall color in all of its splendor, but the leaves are really taking their time to turn color this year.  All the locals say fall is arriving later than usual.  We did see some pretty color here and there, but I think in another week or two colors will be a lot more vibrant.  Maybe we will see more fall color another year.  

   In our short time there we drove all over Holmes County visiting various stores, eating yummy food and seeing beautiful scenery.  Hilcrest Orchard had the best apple cider, but I was disappointed to not be able to take home fruit for canning!  You can't take home fruit when flying.  The weight of the fruit would cost a fortune at the airport.  We will have to save the fruit for another trip when we are driving back.  

  We also went through a drive-thru safari riding through the park on a large wagon ride,  and we saw all kinds of animals.  One highlight was getting to pick up some friends and go out to dinner with them on Friday night.  We laughed and had such a fun time chatting with them.  After dinner we went back to their farm and sat in their living room where we chatted for a little while.  

I love the beautiful hillsides, barns and silos.  I never grow tired of looking at the beauty of these hills and how they look so different during different seasons and in different weather.  The hills radiate one kind of beauty when the sun shines over them and an altogether different kind of serenity when it is misty and raining.  They also take on various looks depending on the season.  Spring flowers are gorgeous and yet fall foliage is a different kind of magnificent wonder.  Then the whole area looks clean and sparkly when the snow covers the hills and trees.  Aww, I love this place so much!  

  As a side note,  I wrote about becoming friends with the Amish in my book "Legacy Reflections of a Homeschooled Homeschooling Mama."  You can read all about it in my chapter "Life Lessons from the Amish."  I am blessed to have some of the sweetest friends amongst the Amish, and I deeply treasure their friendship.  They inspire me in many ways, and I continue to learn a lot from spending time with them. 

I was pleased to see that our mum looked beautiful, and leaves are falling over the back yard.  I am sad that we missed the peak of the fall foliage, that will probably be out soon, but we were able to see a foretaste of what is around the corner.  It was a blessing to have some time away with my husband and to see friends even though our time with them was far too short.  I'm not sure when my next trip to Ohio will be.  Winter is coming, and it is a long way from Texas to Ohio.  For now I'll treasure the memories made, pray for my friends there, and look forward to the next visit!

Here is a poem that I came across during our time in Ohio.  I thought it was powerful and very true! 

"And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." John 8:32

It's so easy in this day where compromise abounds 

To redefine the truth until we like the way it sounds.

But truth is not negotiable, no, not at any cost, 

For when we start to alter it, to us the truth gets lost. 

It may seem insignificant to change in some small things, 

But when the truth is sacrificed, great consequence it brings.

God's Word is built on principles, not preferences of men; 

They must apply to all of life and not just now and then.

If we are to be the Church and be a light that shines, 

Truth must dictate how we live and not our own designs.

Truth is not negotiable, no, not at any cost,

For when we start to alter it, to us the truth gets lost.

-David L. Vanderpool