Prologue -- Women, barn raisings, and being there -- Volunteering the Amish way -- In pursuit of honest pleasure -- The flowering of beauty -- A more mellow measure of the seasons -- Dodgers fans and Amish roller blades -- Amish feminism -- Freedom with responsibility -- In search of Utopia -- No excuses for shunning -- The link between criticism and humility -- A leitmotif of pride -- The comfort of language -- Amish women and good gossip -- Speak well of others -- The echoes of their voices -- Sound no trumpets for my giving -- Sewing for our grandmothers -- Quiltings, a lifeline for women -- Pacing ourselves to manage stress -- Slowing down -- The sanity of evening -- The blessings of simple communication-snail mail and e-mail -- The Amish were right about progress -- Laughter, the elixir of life -- Women and the scent of a farm -- The Old Farmers' Almanac and my grandmother's garden -- An Amish prayer life -- The nudgings of God -- Yield not to temptation -- Faith in action -- The Lord helps those who help themselves -- The hope of salvation -- An Amish guide to fashion -- Banjoes, Fiddles, and barns -- The more of courting and being together -- In praise of weddings -- She who finds a good husband -- Marriages and soulmates -- Marriage and sexuality -- Bed courtship and bundling -- The chemistry of staying together -- Fasting, Feasting, and holidays -- Playing Mary and the meaning of Christmas -- Artists and dreamers -- Amish woman makes good -- Should I hire a maid? -- View from a buggy -- The accumulation of wealth : Friend or foe? -- The psychology of common sense -- The paradox of heaviness and lightness -- We have respect for the dying -- My cousin's son -- The soothing sounds of silence -- Drop by anytime -- Competition or cooperation -- Flavor and flair of my mother's kitchen -- Justice laced with forgiveness -- Forgiveness -- A simple tool for resolving anger -- Finding freedom in chaos -- Living with imperfection -- A quiver full of children -- Reinventing our world for children -- Creative discipline -- Singleness, schools, and the Amish story -- Children and chores -- Read to the children -- Uncovering racism with intelligence -- Morality or ethics? -- Transcending the mundane -- The recovery of neighborhood -- The simple American dream -- The fleeting nature of fame -- Her hair, the glory of her head -- Amish exercise and the simple life -- Work hard and rest well -- Going to church -- The oil of kindness -- Aunt Sarah's afghan -- Peace begins at home -- The search for home -- Crime, Punishment, and the village -- Modern medicine -- Technology and the Amish community -- The television and altered values -- Giving in to contentment -- Friendship for the ages -- Architectural gems and old age -- The grandmother's place -- What I learned from my grandmother about love -- Epilogue.
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