Another Moment of Decision (1997)

The first "moment of decision" I posted is here. I found this in "The Plain Reader", edited by Scott Savage. It is a book of articles from Plain Magazine, a publication of the Amish and other "plain folk". It's about one family's choice to decentralize themselves so to speak, to spread back out. To reclaim their sense of security from market forces and put it back in their own hands and the hands of God. By way of contrast with the first:

Author: Robbie L----
Date: 4/16/97 9:19 A.M.
Priority: Normal
Subject: Taking a Flying Leap into Space

Effective May 16, 1997, I am terminating my employment with ________. This is my thirty days' notice.
Jerrie and I have felt the Lord leading us away from the Corporate Scramble for some time. We actually ignored this urge for several years, but only in the last year have we had an inkling of where we were to go. We are moving back to Oklahoma, among most of our relatives, to locate an acreage on which to homestead.
"Homestead," not as in the legal definition, but as in raising our own food (plants and animals) and making a life, instead of merely making a living.

Background (for anyone who wishes to read on):
1) Because our economic system is so organized, corporations must grow to survive, and the growth of thousands of organizations means the ultimate consumption of all natural resources. If this continues, there will be nothing left to pass on to our descendants. This is not what I want for my descendants, so I'm not helping to do it anymore.
2) Because our economic system forces competition, employees are constantly being pushed to run, run, run. My artistic blood and my conscience both rebel when we often seem to be fooling our customers into thinking that they are getting quality work, instead of taking the time to actually give it to them.
3)What keeps our economic system going? Well, everybody in the western world wants to live like royalty; travel, fine food, nice clothes, power. To live like royalty you need a large contingent of servants fulfilling your every whim. In the old days, a few people were royalty and everyone else was their slave. In the present day everyone is royalty (or wants to be), and machines are our slaves. This works in the short term, but will surely fail when (a) the energy runs out, or (b) the environment has become so miserable that life is a royal pain. The industrial age was a nice diversion, but Jerrie and I are getting back on track and going on to the future.
4) We are also unhappy with a social system that separates fathers from their children, and lately, mothers from their children, for a majority of the day, leaving children's upbringing to strangers. Homesteading and home schooling (already in progress) let us all stay at home where we need to be.
5) Sitting behind a desk day after day is killing my body. Many of you know that I constantly fight back problems. Being up and active and doing real physical work will do tremendous things for my health. And no, I'm not planning to just sit on a tractor.
6) I fear I'm missing the majority of God's gifts by hiding out in a building my entire life. I've got to check out the other side and see how much joy I've been avoiding by not immersing myself in Creation.
We aren't making this move lightly, but only after much agonizing thought, discussion, and prayer. However, things have certainly gone right for us since we made the decision -- so many things that we are certain it's God's will for us to go.
We are not waiting until I reach retirement age. We want to do this while the kids are still home, and while we are still young.
For the most part, I have enjoyed my time with _________. I have definitely enjoyed my colleagues in Computer Land (just south of Fantasy Land). Thanks for all the assistance with all the problems, the encouragement, and the laughs. I'm not leaving in a bitter mood, but with my eyes fixed on something that promises to be much better.

Catch me, Lord! Here I come!

Robbie