The Mosers share some of the lessons they learned by Becoming Amish
Twenty years ago, when Bill and Tricia Moser were in their late 30s, they stepped away from their upper-middle class lives in Grosse Pointe, Mich., and joined the horse-and-buggy Amish. No more BMWs. No more architectural career for him. No more occupational therapy career for her. No more happy hours with the creative class. No more hair salon. Motivated by a desire to live out their faith in a more moment-by-moment way, the Mosers chose homemade clothes, built pallets for money, tried to learn horsemanship and focused time on their children, their faith and their community.
In this essay, the Mosers share some of the lessons they learned from the Amish:
1. The Amish defy political and cultural categories. Living among them helped us shape our life in a way guided by faith, not by general societal expectations. For us, a fascinating part of the Amish journey was seeing how the people of this faith are both extremely conservative and extremely liberal all at the same time.
On the conservative side: They hold onto a give-no-ground stance on abortion and divorce. They advocate extremely modest dress. They reject offensive lyrics in popular music. They reject government involvement in citizens’ lives to the point of refusing government services like Social Security payments or unemployment benefits — benefits most of them pay into and are entitled to. They are entrepreneurial, with many having their own businesses. They advocate fiscal austerity.
On the liberal side, the Amish refuse to fight in wars. They gather to build houses for one another, donating their labor. They support one another in business in a socialist-like way (more on that in a second). They agree as a community that nobody should be getting rich while others in the community are poor. And while Amish communities emphasize the conservative principals of fiscal austerity, they do so with what most Americans would view as a completely unacceptable socialistic intrusion into family life: In our community, a panel of church members reviews any family’s purchase decision of more than $10,000. While somehow this way of life defies general society expectations, boundaries and rules, it all makes sense, all achieves unity, all achieves singularity under the teachings of Jesus, to honor God and care for our brothers and sisters.
2. Community is essential. When we left general society, we were seeking a community of faith where we could immerse in a shared sense of the Bible, a shared set of values, and shared life goals. We wanted to live where our interaction with faith was not just a Sunday-morning service and a Wednesday-evening Bible study, but instead a moment-by-moment part of our lives. Living among the Amish gave us that. When we gather with community members in a field to cut hay for horse feed, in a kitchen to can applesauce for the year, at a home site to build a barn, or even as we watch buggies pass our home on their way to school, each moment of that life, that work, that togetherness is an expression of our faith. We do not feel the separation of church and life that we felt when we were part of general society, even though we attended fine churches.
Young Amish men follow the cadence of a caller at an auction in Marion, Michigan in 2013. (Courtesy of Bill Moser)
We found that being part of a strong, tight community fulfilled a deep human need, a need that God created in us. Jesus speaks of our need to be part of a community, but our secular philosophers do so as well. As Wendell Berry said, “We have thus come again to the paradox that one can become whole only by the responsible acceptance of one’s partiality.” We lived the truth of that statement.
3. Capitalism can and should be done in a more humane way. It should focus foremost on supporting families and community versus enriching individuals.
Though the Amish would reject the term “entrepreneurial” as a prideful notion to avoid, the Amish launch many businesses and have a very high start-up survival rate. Sociologist Donald Kraybill, who has studied the Amish extensively, found 95 percent of new Amish businesses were still going after five years — far higher than in general society. But we found that the Amish achieve that remarkable capitalistic success in part by using principles that could be viewed as socialistic.
For one, the Amish help one another — even competitors — to a surprising degree. A tomato farmer might teach another farmer to grow tomatoes, and then they’d sell opposite one another in the same farm market. When we first became Amish, we bought a pallet business from an Amish man, and at the closing of the deal, the seller, whom I did not know prior to the business deal, realized that I did not have enough money to purchase the initial lumber I would need. He simply said, “I will just leave $10,000 in the checking account that you can use and you can pay me back when you are able.” In the view of American commerce, that was a ridiculously risky unsecured loan with nothing signed, no paperwork of any kind. In the language of our Amish community, that was brotherhood.
In many cases, when companies do have employees, there are built-in ways for workers to earn an ownership stake — sweat equity — so they can share in the profits. The community has a realistic understanding that a family needs a certain amount of money to lead a healthy life. Obviously there are exceptions to all of this, but in the Amish communities where we have lived, that generally means the owner of the company makes less than would be the case in general society, and the workers make more. The Amish see this as another expression of Jesus’ teachings of community of faith.
4. Education can happen outside a schoolroom.
My wife and I both went to college. Our broader family is highly educated. My wife’s brother is a chief financial officer at a university. My brother’s wife is a genetics researcher with a doctorate at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Nearly all of our siblings and their children have college degrees. So when my wife and I announced we were joining a culture that ended formal schooling upon completion of eighth grade, it caused much tension within our family. Education was the single most controversial aspect of our becoming Amish. And while it’s true that our children have only an eighth-grade education formally, as adults they are constant readers and constant learners, and when viewed by a broader measure of “Are our children successful in life?” the answer is yes.
When arguing the 1972 Supreme Court case that allowed the Amish to leave school after eighth grade, the lawyer William Ball built his argument with testimony from a county welfare agent, a sheriff and a school administrator, asking questions like, “Are any Amish on welfare?” No. “Are any Amish breaking the law?” No. “Are any Amish a problem in school?” No. The point the attorney was making is that we need to assess the success of Amish education from a more holistic vantage point.
Our eldest son is part owner of a metal fabrication company. Our second-oldest son is running a truss-building company. Our third son works at an orphanage in Ecuador. Our fourth son is learning to run a lumberyard. Our daughter is a teacher. Our youngest son is just now 18, and his career will take shape later. My wife and I feel God did not make us to sit in classroom chairs for 13 years and learn mostly from books. Life is more complex than that.
Final note about education. When my brother-in-law, the chief financial officer, was visiting recently, he asked to see the books of the truss-building business that our son runs, and I could just see him working to get his mind around the fact that my son, who never had formal schooling, was running a company of this scale with such a skill for organization and accounting. We are not saying everybody should stop schooling in eighth grade. That approach is part of the Amish faith, and they have a system of support built around that. But we do feel American education can learn from the Amish’s more whole-brain way of learning.
5. There were aspects of Amish life that weren’t for us. Ultimately, we left the horse-and-buggy Amish and transitioned to an Amish-Mennonite church, which is based on the same statement of faith as our Amish church but differs in some ways culturally. We drive cars now and are not so separate from general society. A main reason we made that transition was the language barrier. The Amish culture speaks Pennsylvania German, a language my wife and I were never able to learn — we felt like expats in Amish nation. And despite a willingness on the part of our churches to provide translation during church and community members’ willingness to speak English to us when visiting, the language difference felt like a screen between us and the depth of spiritual experience we sought.
Also, the horse-and-buggy Amish are strongly devoted to being separate from society, but we felt a desire to share our message of faith with a broader world, and the Amish-Mennonite church we joined is more open to that sharing. This essay is part of our desire to share.
6. It’s not easy becoming a horseman in middle age. You can ask our children for the details.
Bill Moser is a lifelong friend of writer Jeff Smith. The two recently collaborated on a book about the journey of Moser and his wife, Tricia, called “Becoming Amish.”
Reprinted from June 21, 2016
Girls on the Run Transforms Young Girls’ Lives
As students prepare to head back to school, many parents are looking for after-school activities that provide a safe and structured space where children can learn skills and be physically active. Girls on the Run offers this and so much more.
A recent independent study provides compelling evidence that Girls on the Run is highly effective at driving transformative and lasting change in the lives of third to fifth grade girls. The program’s intentional curriculum places an emphasis on developing competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, and contribution in young girls through lessons that incorporate running and other physical activities. Throughout the course of the ten-week program, girls learn critical life skills including managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others and making intentional decisions. It is the combination of the research-based curriculum, trained coaches and a commitment to serve all girls that sets Girls on the Run apart from other after-school programs.
The independent study was conducted by Maureen R. Weiss, Ph.D, a leading expert on youth development. “Girls on the Run participants scored higher in managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others, and making intentional decisions than participants in organized sport or physical education,” confirms Weiss. “Being able to generalize skills learned in the program to other situations such as at school or at home is a distinguishing feature of Girls on the Run compared to traditional youth sports and school physical education, and suggests that the intentional life skills curriculum and coach-training program can serve as exemplars for other youth programs.”
Key study results
1. 97 percent of girls said they learned critical life skills at Girls on the Run that they are using at home, at school and with their friends
2. 7 out of 10 girls who improved from pre-season to post-season sustained improvements in competence, confidence, connection, character, caring, or physical activity beyond the season’s end.
3. Girls in Girls on the Run were significantly more likely than girls in physical education or organized sports programs to learn and use life skills, including managing emotions, resolving conflict, helping others and making intentional decisions.
4. Girls who were the least active before Girls on the Run increased their physical activity level by 40 percent from pre-season to post-season and maintained this increased level beyond the program’s end.
For more information about spring registration for Girls on the Run, please visit GOTRMidMichigan.org.
A Look Back – Gayle Desprez
by Barry Clark Bauer
Gayle Desprez, vice president and cashier of Clinton National Bank recently
completed the first two-week session of a three year course at the University of Wisconsin graduate school of banking.
Desprez was among 1,500 bankers from 41 states and three South American countries enrolled in the course which includes studies in economics, investments, law, marketing and commercial loans. Instructors and speakers at the school are numbered among presidential advisors and members of U.S. Congress.
Desprez wil1 complete the course in 1973 after two more on-campus sessions and a home assignment program. He is a graduate of several other banking profession courses and currently serves on the board of directors of the American Institute of Banking for central Michigan.
AIB sponsors educational session for bank employees.
Benny and Jessie’s Pet Info – How to Calm Down an Anxious Dog
If you’ve ever experienced anxiety, you know that feeling nervous and stressed can become overwhelming, even debilitating, at times. Unfortunately, it’s not unusual for pets to also experience anxiety, and just as with humans, there are varying degrees and manifestations of the emotion. It can be extremely difficult for any pet parent to watch their dog suffer from anxiety. You’d do anything for him, but calming an anxious pet is no easy task and finding an effective treatment typically calls for the help a vet or a certified animal behaviorist.
“Dogs use body language to communicate how they are feeling,” says Ashley Atkinson, CPDT-KA and behavior consultant at Best Friends Animal Sanctuary. If your pet seems uneasy or fixated on licking, for example, he could be trying to tell you he feels nervous, stressed or even fearful. “It’s important to watch and observe your dog for his or her own ‘communication style’ and determine what signals he or she uses to indicate anxiety.”
The signs of anxiety are vast and may change for your dog over time. “Some symptoms may include pacing, trembling or shaking, hyper-vigilance, lip licking, frequent yawning and decreased appetite,” said Susan Konecny, RN and DVM medical director of Best Friends Animal Society®. “Physiologic effects may include increased salivation or drooling, dilated pupils, increased heart rate and panting, or skin lesions from self trauma or over-grooming.”
If you’ve noticed repetitions of this behavior, your pet may be experiencing anxiety. The first step to help calm your dog begins with attempting to determine what’s causing your dog to feel this way. An evaluation of good physical health by your veterinarian can also help to validate suspicions that a psychological stressor is the culprit.
Causes of Anxiety in Dogs
The causes behind the anxiety your dog is experiencing can be as vast as the signs and symptoms your dog displays to show their anxiousness. Some common causes of anxiety include past abuse, loud noises (like thunder), medical problems or other animals.
“To help a dog who is stressed, it is important to determine the cause of anxiety,” Atkinson said. “Once you know how to recognize your dog’s stress signals, like trembling or frequent yawning, you can learn to recognize what might be stressing him.”
Take your pet’s history into account and think about his past. If he is a rescue pet there may be more question marks, so take note when he demonstrates signals of anxiety. Perhaps, say, if he shakes around larger dogs, he could have had a bad experience with a large dog before he made it to you and his forever home.
Separation anxiety is another form of anxiousness that is usually easier to diagnose. Typically, a dog with separation anxiety will act out while you are away, and may chew or dig furniture, howl, pace or go to the bathroom inside the house.
At-Home Tips for Calming Your Dog Down
“Every dog is an individual and not only shows anxiety in his or her own way, but different calming techniques can have varying levels of success depending on the dog,” Atkinson said. Depending on what causes your dog stress, the solution can be as simple as recognizing the stressor and removing it. In other cases, however, you will want to seek out the help of a veterinarian, a qualified behavior consultant or dog trainer who can help determine the root of the anxiety and assist in relieving it, Atkinson said.
Here are a few things you can try to help calm your pet:
– Play music: Atkinson says that playing music specifically developed for pets can sometimes ease anxiety, especially if your dog suffers from separation anxiety and the songs are left playing while you are away.
– Aromatherapy and essential oils: there are some balms and sprays specifically formulated for pets that utilize the calming properties of aromatherapy. Rub the spray or formula in between your hands and pat your palms along your dogs back – just be sure he can’t reach where you applied the pet-safe oils so that he won’t lick anything off. Always follow the label instructions for proper use.
– Physical contact: try petting your dog or sitting near him and check to see if his anxiety symptoms subside. “Physical contact helps both humans and dogs relieve anxiety, fear and stress,” Konecny said.
– Exercise: anxiety can sometimes create uncontrollable energy, Konecny said. We are advised by our doctors to exercise to help relieve stress. This applies to dogs as well.”
– Give them a time out: some dogs get so anxious or wound up that no amount of calming, praising or reward will work to bring them down, not unlike young children. “When this is the case, they need a quiet space with no stimulation where they can turn off all the input and simply unwind,” Konecny said.
– Check your own state of mind: reacting to your dog’s anxiety with nervousness of your own can cause your dog to pick up on your anxiety and heighten the problem further, Konecny said.
Anxiety Medications and Supplements for Dogs
Your veterinarian can suggest and prescribe several anti-anxiety or anti-depression medications, some of which are used in human medicine. These are referred to as psychotrophic drugs and can be successful if utilized in combination with behavior modification training. By combining these drugs with specific training to defuse the stress reaction to the offending situations or sounds, a dog can develop confidence to ignore the stressors and eventually, medication may no longer be needed.
A few dietary supplements, such as the amino acid tryptophan and polyunsaturated fatty acids (especially dexahexanoic acid), play a role in optimal brain function and behavior and may also be recommended by a veterinarian.
Dog appeasing pheromones (chemicals transported in the air that mimic odor molecules which have a mood altering effect) have been known to help ease anxiety in dogs, as the smell is reminiscent of the pheromones mothers give off a few days after giving birth to their puppies. These odor molecules supposedly give puppies a sense of security and, when used as an anxiety reliever, can produce that same sense of calm and safeness. There are collars, sprays, treats, supplements and even diffusers that utilize this form of pheromone therapy.
Looking for options to ease your dog’s anxiety, paying attention to what causes him stress and are seeking professional help is the best path you can follow to calm an anxious dog, Atkinson said. Support your dog through this time, and don’t give up. The solution may not be easy, but with dedication, perseverance and the right professional input, you can help your dog overcome his anxiety symptoms.
Maralyn’s Pet Corner – Causes of Sudden Aggression in Cats
You’re on the couch, petting your purring cat just like you have on many previous quiet evenings. She turns on her side as you rub her belly, and she kneads her paws in contentment. Then, before you know what happened, she hisses and bites your hand. What gives? What happened to turn your mild-mannered cat into Cujo?
Unfortunately, aggression is not uncommon in felines; in fact, it’s the second most common reason for a visit to a behaviorist. Sudden aggression in cats is a scary and frustrating problem for many owners, who fear the unpredictable nature of the kitty fury as well as the physical damage he or she can cause in the throes of an attack. In addition to the painful nature of cat bites and scratches, they can also transmit diseases such as cat scratch fever or serious bacterial infection. Cat aggression is truly no laughing matter.
What Does Aggression in Cats Look Like?
Although owners often report a cat attacking out of nowhere, cats often exhibit subtle changes in body positioning before launching into an actual act of aggression. These postures may be a clue in pinpointing the trigger for the aggressive behavior, as well as a much-needed warning before future attacks.
Defensive postures are intended to make a cat look smaller and position herself in a protective manner. These postures may include: crouching, flattened ears, turning away from the person, hissing, swatting at you, raised hackles, or a tucked head. A defensive cat is often experiencing fear or anxiety about a situation that may or may not be apparent to you. You can be the recipient of fear-based aggression even if you’re not the one causing the anxiety.
Offensive postures make a cat look big and intimidating. These postures include: stiffened legs, hackles raised, moving toward you, staring at you, upright ears, growling, and a stiff tail.
In either case, you want to avoid interacting with a cat exhibiting these postures as they are on the brink of moving on to the real damaging moves. A cat in attack mode can move with startling speed and aggression, and inflict extensive damage in a very swift period when the mouth and all four paws are engaged.
What Causes Sudden Aggression in Felines?
Cat aggression falls into a number of categories. Taking a full and complete history about where the cat was located and what was happening right before the aggressive behavior began is a key component in determining the cause.
-Fear aggression is triggered by a cat who perceives a threat that he or she cannot escape. This can be a learned behavior based on past experience, and you may not be entirely sure exactly what the cat is fearful of.
-Aggression with a medical origin is also common. Pain is the most sudden medical cause for sudden aggression, particularly in older cats or those who have always had a calm temperament. Arthritis, dental disease, trauma, and infections are just some of the conditions that can cause pain and subsequent aggression when a cat is touched, or thinks he or she might be touched, in a painful area. In addition to pain, cognitive decline, a loss of normal sensory input, or neurological problems can all lead to aggression.
-Territorial aggression happens when a cat feels an intruder is infringing on his or her territory. While often directed at other cats, people and other animals may be the subject of the aggression as well. Triggers may include introducing a new pet or even a new person into the house, a recent move, or new cats in the neighborhood.
-Status aggression occurs when a cat attempts to run the house. Cats who growl when you try to move them, block doors, or bite you when you pay attention to another pet may be asserting themselves in this manner.
-Petting-induced aggression, the type described in the opening paragraph, occurs when a cat who enjoys being pet suddenly changes his or her mind. It’s thought that the repetitive motion over time turns from pleasant to irritating.
-Redirected aggression is one of the most unpredictable and dangerous types of feline aggression. In these cases, a cat is in a hyper-aroused state by some sort of external stimulus—an animal outside, squirrels running by that he can’t chase, a frightening noise or smell. In your blameless state, you walk by and wind up on the receiving end of this pent-up outburst, seemingly out of nowhere.
What Should I Do If My Cat Experiences Sudden Aggression?
The first stop any time a cat shows these aggressive signs without obvious provocation is your veterinarian. She can examine your cat and make sure he does not have a medical condition causing the unwanted behavior. If your cat has a clean bill of health, your veterinarian can refer you to a behaviorist who can help determine the triggers of aggression and the steps you can take at home to resolve the problem.
In many cases, simply being aware of the early signals of a cat about to freak out gives you the chance to remove yourself from the situation before it escalates to violence. While you can’t always control the causes of the anxiety, owners can often give the cat the space he or she needs to wind down without injuring anyone. With patience and some good detective work, many cats are quickly back in everyone’s good graces.
The Clinton County Arts Council of downtown St. Johns invites everyone to join in another fun, community oriented event.
This year the Briggs District Library chose author Jeff Smith’s Becoming Amish as 2017 Briggs Reads! selection. This is the true story of Bill and Tricia Moser, who were living in one of America’s wealthiest communities – Grosse Pointe, Michigan – when they stepped away and began a journey that led to full immersion in a horse-and-buggy Amish life. 
The Mountains Shall Depart by Robert E. Holzhei has been published by Book Baby & Smith Publishing Companies that distribute throughout the United States and Europe.
Jean Ellen Mayers, 87, of St. Johns, MI, passed away peacefully at her home and took her first breath of Eternal Life on Sunday, August 27, 2017.
Carl Kay Strahle of Holt, Michigan went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday, August 25, 2017 at the age of 80. Carl was born on March 23, 1937, at the family farm in Dewitt Michigan, the son of Earl and Gladys Strahle. He was a graduate of St Johns High School, class of 1955.
Cora Lee Price, age 86 of St. Johns, MI passed away Thursday, August 24, 2017 at her home.
New Police Chief: We are pleased to announce that David Kirk has been hired as the City’s new Chief of Police. Dave has been working in law enforcement and public safety for 27 years, and most recently has held the chief position in Portland, Michigan. Dave spent much of his professional career working with the Shiawassee County Sheriff’s Department, holding the position of division commander. He coordinated major crimes investigations while with that department among his other diverse responsibilities. Dave lives in St. Johns. He will take on the responsibilities as our chief beginning September 5, 2017.
Germaine Hansens
Janet Sue Carlson, age 41 of St. Johns, MI passed away Saturday, August 19, 2017, in DuPage River County, IL.
Rudolph Henry “Rudy” DeJaegher, age 83 of St. Johns, MI (formerly of Lansing, then Perrinton, MI) passed away Monday, August 21, 2017 at Grace Haven Assisted Living, St. Johns, MI.
John C. Fitch died Friday, August 18, 2017 at the age of 90. He was born July 12, 1927 in Muskegon, MI the son of John S. and Florence (Agate) Fitch. He graduated from Baldwin High School where he played basketball, sang in a quartet and also worked at the movie theater. John joined the Air Force in 1946 and earned the rank of Sergeant before his discharge in 1949. He graduated from Tri-State College in Angola, IN, in 1951 with degree in Electrical Engineering. While in college he met Sylvia McEntarfer, who became his wife in July 1950. In 1951 John and Sylvia moved to Owosso, MI where they raised their five sons, John, Thomas, Roger, Bruce and Bryan. John played golf, hunted small game, fished and loved to play cards with family and friends. He also coached little league baseball, was a member of the YMCA for many years, serving as President of the Y’s Men Club and helped build a log cabin at the Y outpost.