This past week has been a little rough emotionally. I interviewed for a position last week that I really, really thought I was going to get. Nope. Sent an application in to a temp agency "yeah yeah, we'll set something up." Nothing.
When we thought we were moving, we rented a storage unit. Didn't get a lot moved out there, but enough to give us some breathing room in the house. That all needs to come back this week. I've been bringing back a few crates at a time and going through them. Basically, I've been able to eliminate 1/3 of them; that's not a whole lot.
The good news is we've once again been relying on our home storage. Sadly we are out of toilet paper, so I've had to go get more of that, but otherwise we're doing ok. Yesterday I got the garage/3rd bedroom opened up enough that I wanted to rearrange my home storage so I could see what I had. Those cases are heavy, and I am lazy, so I didn't get them moved. But I really felt like it was important that I take inventory.
The nudge from the Almighty? Today I went to my "new" church and my women's group is having not one, but TWO events in the next 30-45 days on self reliance and home storage. The first one is a dinner event where you make something out of your home storage and bring it to share/eat. There's a little competition with a "prize" (really?) for the best entry. I feel slightly guilty that we practice Real Food Storage vs "traditional" food storage. I plan on bringing my famous chinese beef and tomato dinner. I may break down and bring chicken tortilla casserole too. That one is actually easier. It should be slam dunk.
RFS vs "traditional?" Those who have followed me for a while know that I tend toward the asian/vegan style of food storage: rice vs wheat, heavy on dehydrated or freeze dried vegetables, sauces and seasonings that are more asian in orientation (soy sauces/dried, oyster sauces/dried, peanut/sesame oils vs plain vegetable oil) etc.
The second one is a slam dunk too: live on your home storage without going to the grocery store for two weeks. That one is the last week of September and the first week of October (we're actually living this way now, do I get credit? lol), so basically they are giving you a heads up to plan and prepare ahead. My prepper mind went immediately to the stuff I already know I'm short on: TOILET PAPER was first, canned vegetables (we've plowed through our corn and peas), bulking up on canned meat, although I will probably get some more "TVP" style meat for DD19. I really need to find my dehydrating book, and this is also a perfect opportunity to try out some vegan food storage recipes for DD19 (look for a video on dehydrating Almond Milk soon.)
Thankfully, it is just "live off your food storage" without going to the grocery store, not "live off your home storage" without going to the store. The latter to me includes: a way to heat, a way to air condition, a way to cook, a way to bathe etc. (in other words: going off grid and cooking, eating, living that way for two weeks, like in a disaster scenario.) I'd fail the latter challenge.
Although to that regard, another nudge from the Almighty. We are grateful that at present the current owners of our house have the attitude "stay as long as you want." So I'm going to go on faith they mean it, and we are going to start blooming where we are planted. If it would ever stop raining long enough to get the lawn mowed so I can get pallets moved so I can get rainbarrels set up (kills me all this rain, no collection.) I found out I have to start planting in JANUARY here in Texas, so that doesn't give me a lot of time to get things set up.
And a small mea culpa for not following the nudges of the Almighty. We have been working, not gazelle intense though, on getting out of debt the past two years. If we had been gazelle intense, this self-caused financial hardship would not be so bad. It would be difficult even out of debt (the $2k a month outgo for insurances is a killer) but we could survive. As it is, it's really tough. A reminder that we are nudged for a reason. We can disregard if we want, but then we shouldn't be whining when it rains and we are caught without an umbrella and get soaked to the skin.
Vaya con Dios.
Sunday, August 21, 2016
Tuesday, August 9, 2016
Uber-ing my way out of debt
Some of you already know I quit my job a week ago. I probably should have tried to hang on longer, but when it gets to the point where you're physically threatened because you won't break the law, it's time to go.
So in the meantime, while I'm waiting for other work or unemployment to come through (or litigation), I'm Uber-ing.
Yesterday was my first "full time" day: 6 hours. I earned $60, basically $10 an hour. Now, before you pooh-pooh the earnings I hope to convince you of the blessings of signing up to Uber (here's a link: https://partners.uber.com/i/
1. $60 x 5 days a week = $300. $300 x 52 weeks a year = $15,600 !! That's a pretty hefty chunk of change for a part time job. For us, that's enough to pay off 1/3 of our total debt, or pay for two of our children to serve full time missions for the entire duration. I've actually earned slightly more (hour wise) at night during prime time (rush hour traffic) but haven't done it consistently.
2. Uber-ing is relatively "instant cash." You don't have to spend days/weeks/months applying for jobs and interviewing and hearing back. You do have to have a car in good condition (hint: apply online https://partners.uber.com/i/
3. You get paid every week, direct deposit. You do get a 1099 at the end of the year, so you'll have to set some aside for taxes.
4. You meet some really interesting people. Oddly enough, most of the people I've Uber-ed are women, so I think they are more comfortable when a woman picks them up. I shuttled a blind person yesterday, as well as an 89 year old gentleman who was a crack up.
5. You can opt on the Uber partner app (once you're approved) to have continuous fares. Basically what that means is when you are nearing the drop off for Ride #1 Uber will send you a message "hey Ride #2 is right near you, do you want the job?" and you accept or decline. Accepting means you just go from fare to fare to fare without any down time, and without much back and forth.
I was pretty much busy all day yesterday. I dropped my DH off at work, stuck around his free Wifi lobby and applied for jobs for about a half hour, turned Uber on, and had a fare within 15 minutes (which surprised me, since I wasn't "downtown.") I stayed busy after that until I turned Uber off around 3pm.
My plan is to continue doing the same daily M-F, until I find other work. I live too far outside the metroplex to drive in alone just to Uber. $1200 is about the delta I need to make between DH's job and covering the bare basics of bills and living. Sure, there's gas involved (talk about wishing I had a Prius!!) but for the time being, it'll do.
Would I be "money ahead" working at McDonald's et all for $10 a hour? Expense wise, maybe. Can they guarantee me 30 hours a week? Probably not. I have a second interview today and hopefully sometime this week I can get in front of a temp agency. Our personal lives (job notwithstanding) are in such a state of flux that I really need to have some flexibility.
I decided to start doing Uber a few months ago (sporatic to be sure) when I heard a guy on the Dave Ramsey show question Dave about "how to plan for retirement when his self-employment job doesn't have any major expenses." Dave asked him how much he netted after expenses. He said about $4k a month. Dave said, that's pretty good, what do you do?
He said: "I drive for Uber."
Dave about had a cow, and so did I. Check it out. Seriously for a part time job, it's pretty sweet.
So in the meantime, while I'm waiting for other work or unemployment to come through (or litigation), I'm Uber-ing.
Yesterday was my first "full time" day: 6 hours. I earned $60, basically $10 an hour. Now, before you pooh-pooh the earnings I hope to convince you of the blessings of signing up to Uber (here's a link: https://partners.uber.com/i/
1. $60 x 5 days a week = $300. $300 x 52 weeks a year = $15,600 !! That's a pretty hefty chunk of change for a part time job. For us, that's enough to pay off 1/3 of our total debt, or pay for two of our children to serve full time missions for the entire duration. I've actually earned slightly more (hour wise) at night during prime time (rush hour traffic) but haven't done it consistently.
2. Uber-ing is relatively "instant cash." You don't have to spend days/weeks/months applying for jobs and interviewing and hearing back. You do have to have a car in good condition (hint: apply online https://partners.uber.com/i/
3. You get paid every week, direct deposit. You do get a 1099 at the end of the year, so you'll have to set some aside for taxes.
4. You meet some really interesting people. Oddly enough, most of the people I've Uber-ed are women, so I think they are more comfortable when a woman picks them up. I shuttled a blind person yesterday, as well as an 89 year old gentleman who was a crack up.
5. You can opt on the Uber partner app (once you're approved) to have continuous fares. Basically what that means is when you are nearing the drop off for Ride #1 Uber will send you a message "hey Ride #2 is right near you, do you want the job?" and you accept or decline. Accepting means you just go from fare to fare to fare without any down time, and without much back and forth.
I was pretty much busy all day yesterday. I dropped my DH off at work, stuck around his free Wifi lobby and applied for jobs for about a half hour, turned Uber on, and had a fare within 15 minutes (which surprised me, since I wasn't "downtown.") I stayed busy after that until I turned Uber off around 3pm.
My plan is to continue doing the same daily M-F, until I find other work. I live too far outside the metroplex to drive in alone just to Uber. $1200 is about the delta I need to make between DH's job and covering the bare basics of bills and living. Sure, there's gas involved (talk about wishing I had a Prius!!) but for the time being, it'll do.
Would I be "money ahead" working at McDonald's et all for $10 a hour? Expense wise, maybe. Can they guarantee me 30 hours a week? Probably not. I have a second interview today and hopefully sometime this week I can get in front of a temp agency. Our personal lives (job notwithstanding) are in such a state of flux that I really need to have some flexibility.
I decided to start doing Uber a few months ago (sporatic to be sure) when I heard a guy on the Dave Ramsey show question Dave about "how to plan for retirement when his self-employment job doesn't have any major expenses." Dave asked him how much he netted after expenses. He said about $4k a month. Dave said, that's pretty good, what do you do?
He said: "I drive for Uber."
Dave about had a cow, and so did I. Check it out. Seriously for a part time job, it's pretty sweet.
Sunday, June 12, 2016
A LONG POST-- Venezuela: It will happen here.
For those of you not dialed in to the world news (no offense intended, USA news outlets are notorious for the ostrich syndrome), there's a massive problem in Venezuela. It's been building for a few years, but like the story of the frog in the water...the heat turned up ever so slowly until the frog died; in our scenario the people of Venezuela are getting there too.
Venezuela is a cautionary tale for those willing to listen. Sadly, like the Venezuelan people, too often we will think it doesn't apply to us, or it can't happen "here." This adds truth to the saying "those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it."
Venezuela only a few short years ago was a cash flush beautiful country. A democracy. Goods and services brimming, stores and merchants overflowing with success. The Venezuelan people had not a care in the world.
Enter the socialist 'president' Hugo Chavez. Using his 'executive order' powers he instilled policies which had a bad effect (the lukewarm water) on the economy: social programs which required massive funding (taxes) by the private sector, a currency control board which limited the amount of foreign (translation: US) dollars a person could legally have in their possession, dictating to farmers what they could and couldn't plant, buy or sell which increased dependency on imports (vs buying 'local.') However, the economic world still turns on US dollars, and since Chavez refused to pay in US dollars, importers who were willing to accept Venezuelan currency dropped dramatically.
By the end of Chavez' reign, shortages for basic necessities stood officially at 28%. It was much higher, but the government refused to officially report shortages by 2014. (Keep moving people, nothing to see here.)
So by 2014, at least 1/4 of the time you go to the stores, any store, you will not be able to buy regulated (just like here) products such as: milk, meat, chicken, rice, coffee, oil (cooking), precooked flour (think tortillas), butter, toilet paper (!), personal hygiene products, and medicine.
Enter President Maduro in 2012. A little bit of relief for the Venezuelan people as it was an election year (sound similar?) The government bought in bulk in US dollars and as a result, you were only out of food and supplies 16.3% of the time (officially.)
By 2015, the truth was this:
and this is after hard-core rationing has been put in place. Shortages for all products stands at 80%. Shortage is a misleading term. You can't short a null (a zero) situation. Even if "there's room for 10" products, if there are only 2 products on the shelf, that's not being "short" product: that's there's ONLY TWO to be had.
Grocery lines look like this:
often fueled by nothing other than rumour that a store has product.
By February 2016, with a food famine looming, Maduro was asked "what about the Venezuelan people?' His response echoed Marie Antoinette's famous line (lais les mangent du gateau: let them eat cake): "they should grow a garden." When it was pointed out city dwellers could not do that, he shrugged.
I truly hope that Venezuelan members of the LDS Church followed a prophet's counsel and laid up food and supplies for a year, or followed a prophet's counsel to grow a garden, even a small one. Or a prophet's counsel to get out of debt and lay up a small reserve of cash. Sadly, I think they are just like us: blinded by our sloth and greed ($500 for an iPad, no money for food storage), buying in to Satan's lie that "it can't happen here" versus God's truth that it will.
Time has run out on the preparedness clock for the Venezuelan people. Fortunately for others like us, it has not. We still have time to start learning how to garden (yes, even here in Texas in crappy soil or renters in California or apartments. Search YouTube for kiddie pool gardens.) We still have time to buy and store long term staples and grains like rice and pasta (use dry heat processing a la Cheryl Driggs http://simplyprepared.com/dry_heat_processing_print.htm which requires no special equipment other than normal canning jars and lids.)
We still have time to learn how to can, or to buy freeze dried or dehydrated foods, or simply "buy 10" when the grocery store is having a sale. I know it is "too much" trouble for you to simply do it. Will you feel the same way when your children are hungry? You can't even stand the whining when you're running late to/from an activity and the kids didn't get to eat before they left. Or on Fast Sunday. How are you going to manage when they don't get to eat for days? It's a major problem when your girls don't have the right sanitary products once a month. $40 buys you a year's supply of WalMart brand pads. $40. Go do it today and stick them under your teenage daughter's bed. Or spend $20 and get a 6 months' supply. Even if they're not "her kind." They'll be more her kind than you cutting up your towels.
You still have time to run to the Asian stores or Sams/Costco and buy 50# of rice for $36. We are major rice eaters, and our family of five uses a pound of rice (that's 3 uncooked cups) per dinner meal. That's 365 pounds of rice for a year's supply if we are eating once a day. That's a skosh over 7 bags for a year's supply. Times $36 = $252. For a year's supply. Sure, it sounds like a lot all at once. So the next time you're shopping at Sam's, Costco or the Asian store (crying for lack of them here in Texas), just ADD A BAG to your cart. You might feel it when you load it into the car, but I promise you won't feel it in your wallet.
Fortunately for us, the conundrum is not do we have the time, or is the product available. It is simply, and possibly tragically: do we have the will?
Venezuela is a cautionary tale for those willing to listen. Sadly, like the Venezuelan people, too often we will think it doesn't apply to us, or it can't happen "here." This adds truth to the saying "those who don't learn from history are condemned to repeat it."
Venezuela only a few short years ago was a cash flush beautiful country. A democracy. Goods and services brimming, stores and merchants overflowing with success. The Venezuelan people had not a care in the world.
Enter the socialist 'president' Hugo Chavez. Using his 'executive order' powers he instilled policies which had a bad effect (the lukewarm water) on the economy: social programs which required massive funding (taxes) by the private sector, a currency control board which limited the amount of foreign (translation: US) dollars a person could legally have in their possession, dictating to farmers what they could and couldn't plant, buy or sell which increased dependency on imports (vs buying 'local.') However, the economic world still turns on US dollars, and since Chavez refused to pay in US dollars, importers who were willing to accept Venezuelan currency dropped dramatically.
By the end of Chavez' reign, shortages for basic necessities stood officially at 28%. It was much higher, but the government refused to officially report shortages by 2014. (Keep moving people, nothing to see here.)
So by 2014, at least 1/4 of the time you go to the stores, any store, you will not be able to buy regulated (just like here) products such as: milk, meat, chicken, rice, coffee, oil (cooking), precooked flour (think tortillas), butter, toilet paper (!), personal hygiene products, and medicine.
Enter President Maduro in 2012. A little bit of relief for the Venezuelan people as it was an election year (sound similar?) The government bought in bulk in US dollars and as a result, you were only out of food and supplies 16.3% of the time (officially.)
By 2015, the truth was this:
and this is after hard-core rationing has been put in place. Shortages for all products stands at 80%. Shortage is a misleading term. You can't short a null (a zero) situation. Even if "there's room for 10" products, if there are only 2 products on the shelf, that's not being "short" product: that's there's ONLY TWO to be had.
Grocery lines look like this:
often fueled by nothing other than rumour that a store has product.
By February 2016, with a food famine looming, Maduro was asked "what about the Venezuelan people?' His response echoed Marie Antoinette's famous line (lais les mangent du gateau: let them eat cake): "they should grow a garden." When it was pointed out city dwellers could not do that, he shrugged.
I truly hope that Venezuelan members of the LDS Church followed a prophet's counsel and laid up food and supplies for a year, or followed a prophet's counsel to grow a garden, even a small one. Or a prophet's counsel to get out of debt and lay up a small reserve of cash. Sadly, I think they are just like us: blinded by our sloth and greed ($500 for an iPad, no money for food storage), buying in to Satan's lie that "it can't happen here" versus God's truth that it will.
Time has run out on the preparedness clock for the Venezuelan people. Fortunately for others like us, it has not. We still have time to start learning how to garden (yes, even here in Texas in crappy soil or renters in California or apartments. Search YouTube for kiddie pool gardens.) We still have time to buy and store long term staples and grains like rice and pasta (use dry heat processing a la Cheryl Driggs http://simplyprepared.com/dry_heat_processing_print.htm which requires no special equipment other than normal canning jars and lids.)
We still have time to learn how to can, or to buy freeze dried or dehydrated foods, or simply "buy 10" when the grocery store is having a sale. I know it is "too much" trouble for you to simply do it. Will you feel the same way when your children are hungry? You can't even stand the whining when you're running late to/from an activity and the kids didn't get to eat before they left. Or on Fast Sunday. How are you going to manage when they don't get to eat for days? It's a major problem when your girls don't have the right sanitary products once a month. $40 buys you a year's supply of WalMart brand pads. $40. Go do it today and stick them under your teenage daughter's bed. Or spend $20 and get a 6 months' supply. Even if they're not "her kind." They'll be more her kind than you cutting up your towels.
You still have time to run to the Asian stores or Sams/Costco and buy 50# of rice for $36. We are major rice eaters, and our family of five uses a pound of rice (that's 3 uncooked cups) per dinner meal. That's 365 pounds of rice for a year's supply if we are eating once a day. That's a skosh over 7 bags for a year's supply. Times $36 = $252. For a year's supply. Sure, it sounds like a lot all at once. So the next time you're shopping at Sam's, Costco or the Asian store (crying for lack of them here in Texas), just ADD A BAG to your cart. You might feel it when you load it into the car, but I promise you won't feel it in your wallet.
Fortunately for us, the conundrum is not do we have the time, or is the product available. It is simply, and possibly tragically: do we have the will?
Sunday, February 28, 2016
Living a septic-based, semi-off grid life
Did I mention that our landlord (a very very nice man) passed away last month? His daughter (a greedy person) stands to inherit the house, and a week to the day her father passed knocked on our door wanting to know "when we're fixing to leave, she wants to sell 'cuz she's got bills.' " Whatever. Welcome to someone with a contract, from California, where we collect lawyers like Texans collect guns.
Still, it has refocused us. We were not planning on staying past the summer as it was; we knew staying here would only be temporary. It's been a good place: helping me filter through what I need to live on, what I want to live with (or without); a nice blend of "country" and off grid living. For example, our heat and hot water is propane based, from a 150 gallon storage tank on site. It's kind of nice to have "food storage" for propane, except that when we first moved in, it took two weeks for them to hook it up, so we were without hot water for that time (like in Texas August 104 degree average outside temp that's a hardship, lol.)
I used to complain all the time about sewer, garbage and water service being tied together as a city service. Out here, water is co-op, and you do have the option of digging your own well and being water independent. We are also septic system based (which is what is prompting this blogpost) which is great (translate: free) until the septic tank is full (which is where we are now) or gets full due to heavy rain (ditto.) Then you need to pay someone to have it pumped out (out here, about $300.) We are down to one working bathroom (different bathrooms on different septic lines...somebody thought ahead!) which would be no big deal except that bathroom was built in what used to be the garage--so no insulation. It's like an icebox. Changes what time you take a shower for sure! Still, it's nice to have sewer lines independent of paying a monthly bill unlike the City of Huntington Beach which doubles/triples your bill if you don't pay on time.
We still live north and south facing. The stint of 4 days without electric in HB completely converted my kids to the advantages of north and south facing: natural daylight all day long (assuming windows). Ironically due to the garage being converted to a third bedroom, laundry and bathroom, there is only one west facing window in the whole house. Our place in HB had the same blessing: the house stayed relatively cool in the summer, a bit on the chilly side in the winter (but that's due to poor insulation and glass windows.) We had great internet in HB and pay a small fortune for practically non-existent radio wave based internet.
So as we head into house hunting season, it's starting to become apparent the things which are rising to the top of the list:
1. North and south facing, not negotiable.
2. Liking the propane life...needs to be modified so that it can run also on smaller tanks (like I did in Hong Kong), including tankless water heaters.
3. Converting to/adding complete SOLAR is top on the list. Yes, our electric bill is small (compared to California) even in the summer, but I really want to be energy independent.
4. Septic is fine, but I need to plan for "what if" when it backs up.
5. Space to garden is a must (just went to a Texas Gardening class yesterday, more later.)
6. An energy efficient wood or pellet burning fireplace is a must. In an ideal world, something which warms the house, can be cooked on, or bake in. They have them, they are just expensive.
7. I'm still thinking one-story is preferable to a two-story home.
8. An enclosed garage is a must. Getting a detached one is like a $30,000 addition to the house, so I need to find a place which already has one.
9. I'm on the fence about high speed internet. The dilemma is: high speed internet generally means living "close in" to populated areas. TEOTWAWKI high speed internet won't matter nearly as much as items 1-8, but in the meantime......it sure is a pain to be without it like I am now.
10. Luxuries: a grey water system. Double paned windows. Chickens. Bees. Living not more than 15-20 minutes away from a 24hour Walmart for those 10pm "must haves" (mostly medical issues, occasional chocolate cravings.) Not living further than 15-20 minutes from church or a hospital. An outdoor, off grid kitchen and showering set up.
I am truly grateful for my past and present inconveniences: lack of electric, lack of heat (might have forgotten to mention this place does not have central heat), lack of water, lack of sewer, lack of internet. Each one, when it occurs, prepares me more and more, and becomes less and less of a "crisis" and easily dealt with as a minor annoyance.
Monday, February 8, 2016
Being Spiritually Centered
I may have mentioned before, my friend Wendi gifted me with some tapes by James B. Cox, on how to better become spiritually centered. One of his main views is that all "problems" are centered here in the temporal, earthly world. All solutions to those problems can be found by tapping in to the Spiritual world: seeking answers and revelation from God.
One of the things I've been working on the most is remembering my stewardships versus ownerships. As an "owner" I would focus on how "I" want to do it. As a steward, I focus on how God wants me to do it. This has had a great impact on my work in Dallas for example, where I function as the de facto COO. My favorite phrase is "I don't tell you (the owners) how to run your business, I just account for it."
It's been a long 6 weeks by anyone's standards: baseball season has started, I've been in two major car accidents and am still recovering with a concussion from the 2nd, hence the reason I haven't blogged in quite a while. Despite circumstance, time waits for no woman, so I have found myself having to rely even more heavily on my Father in Heaven to get me through it. (Although I am experiencing that with a concussion, you actually can change the way the world tilts on its axis...lol.)
I am grateful for the opportunities to seek the Spirit rather than sink comfortably in to darkness. Friday I succumbed a bit: I had provided for DH to be comfortable in his travels which included direction on adding cash to his debit card for motel charges; instead he called late Friday afternoon wanting to know how he was going to rent a room since he didn't put money on the debit card like I had instructed. Tired, my head hurting, I was my old self, speaking brusquely. I should have instead spoken the facts calmly: you made a choice to ignore, there are natural consequences.
I've noticed it's harder to get out of a familiar rut than it is to stay out of it in the first place. Sunday one of my local church leaders spoke about how "the purpose of this life is to struggle, it's hard to get back to God." I couldn't disagree more. If one chooses to do it God's way, it's actually pretty easy. It's easy to feel the Spirit, it's easy to gain assurance you are on the right path, it's easy to have the Spirit with you always.
It's when we try to do it "our" way or the world's way, that the way becomes hard. Perhaps that is why Christ encouraged us to take His yoke upon us, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Thank you for letting me blog about this. I needed a way to shift in to a spiritual center, and sharing this got me there.
Vaya con Dios.
One of the things I've been working on the most is remembering my stewardships versus ownerships. As an "owner" I would focus on how "I" want to do it. As a steward, I focus on how God wants me to do it. This has had a great impact on my work in Dallas for example, where I function as the de facto COO. My favorite phrase is "I don't tell you (the owners) how to run your business, I just account for it."
It's been a long 6 weeks by anyone's standards: baseball season has started, I've been in two major car accidents and am still recovering with a concussion from the 2nd, hence the reason I haven't blogged in quite a while. Despite circumstance, time waits for no woman, so I have found myself having to rely even more heavily on my Father in Heaven to get me through it. (Although I am experiencing that with a concussion, you actually can change the way the world tilts on its axis...lol.)
I am grateful for the opportunities to seek the Spirit rather than sink comfortably in to darkness. Friday I succumbed a bit: I had provided for DH to be comfortable in his travels which included direction on adding cash to his debit card for motel charges; instead he called late Friday afternoon wanting to know how he was going to rent a room since he didn't put money on the debit card like I had instructed. Tired, my head hurting, I was my old self, speaking brusquely. I should have instead spoken the facts calmly: you made a choice to ignore, there are natural consequences.
I've noticed it's harder to get out of a familiar rut than it is to stay out of it in the first place. Sunday one of my local church leaders spoke about how "the purpose of this life is to struggle, it's hard to get back to God." I couldn't disagree more. If one chooses to do it God's way, it's actually pretty easy. It's easy to feel the Spirit, it's easy to gain assurance you are on the right path, it's easy to have the Spirit with you always.
It's when we try to do it "our" way or the world's way, that the way becomes hard. Perhaps that is why Christ encouraged us to take His yoke upon us, because His yoke is easy and His burden is light.
Thank you for letting me blog about this. I needed a way to shift in to a spiritual center, and sharing this got me there.
Vaya con Dios.
Saturday, January 2, 2016
Levels of Preparedness
unfortunately,
I have now missed this Glenn Beck episode twice (original air date December 1) and tonight
(caught the last few minutes.)
Managed to find this
list though:
Think for a moment about
the last time you experienced an emergency situation such as a winter storm or
a power outage. How prepared were you? Now consider a bigger problem such as a
large-scale food shortage or water contamination incident. What if a disaster
forced you to leave your home for days or even weeks? How well would you
survive such situations? Just the thought can be overwhelming. On his TV show
tonight — chalkboard alert — Glenn will tackle these questions and lay out
practical action plans you can take with your family. Preparedness experts
Justin Wheeler and Daniel Dean will join Glenn to share tips and advice on how
to take your level of preparedness up a notch. It begins with asking yourself
the following four questions:
1. How would a friend
describe my level of preparedness?
2. What supplies do I
have on hand?
3. What steps have I
taken?
4. What scenarios am I
ready for?
Find out your level of
preparedness by matching your answers to the ones below.
LEVEL 0 How a Friend Would
Describe Me
• No thought or
effort put toward preparedness. Every emergency situation is a potential
disaster. Supplies I Have on Hand
• Less than one week of
food in my house.
• No self defense plan
or equipment.
• No water stored or way
to purify it.
• No extra
medicines/prescriptions.
• No grid-independent
energy/heat capacity. Example of Supplies at This Level
• Condiments in the
fridge, Pop-Tarts in the cabinet.
Steps I Have Taken •
None. I see articles online and government alerts about being prepared for
emergencies, but haven’t put any energy toward it yet.
Scenarios I’m Ready For
• situation, such as power outage for one day or less due to rainstorm. ***In
trouble after 1 day of emergency***
LEVEL 1 How a Friend
Would Describe Me • You have awareness that one should have some stuff on hand
for emergencies, and some effort put toward that. Note: This is how most
Americans actually live their lives. Supplies I Have on Hand
• About two weeks worth
of food and water (or way to purify water), somewhat informally, mostly extra
canned goods.
• Basic first aid and
OTC medicines on hand because you buy value-sized to make sure you always have
a little extra. Example of Supplies at This Level
• Flashlight and
batteries.
• Non-perishable foods:
canned goods, cereal, pasta/rice, etc.
• “Bathroom” first aid
items (Band-Aids, Ibuprophen, thermometer, Vasoline, etc).
• Bottled water, a
gallon of bleach.
Steps I Have Taken •
Physical copies of key documents: birth certificates, marriage license,
passports, mortgage, car title/registration, etc.
• I’ve talked to the
adults/older children in my household about “what we’d do if” scenarios, such
as a fire, flood, power outage, etc.
Scenarios I’m Ready For
• Small regional issue, minor disruption of services, such as power out for
three+ days due to earthquake, ice storm, etc. ***In trouble after a few days
of emergency or if forced to leave home***
LEVEL 2 How a Friend
Would Describe Me • You’re a “Boy Scout.” You probably wear a belt even if you
have suspenders on. You feel consciously responsible for being prepared.
Regular, organized effort put toward being prepared physically, if not mentally
and spiritually. You’re someone friends/family think of as “prepared” and would
probably turn to in an emergency.
Supplies I Have on Hand
• At least one month of food and water stored (or way to purify water).
• Prescriptions on hand
sufficient for at least a month.
• Capacity to generate
off-grid heat/power on site (e.g. generator, basic solar).
• An “emergency kit” on
hand so you can grab it and leave home if necessary.
• Something on hand you
can use for self defense, could be a firearm, could be a baseball bat. Example
of Supplies at This Level
• Non-perishable foods
specifically stored for emergencies, sufficient for two meals per day per
person: rice, beans, dry pasta, canned goods, oats, salt, etc.
• Actual portable
first-aid kit sufficient for the household/family.
• Candles or lantern,
matches.
• Sleeping bags and
extra blankets.
• Water stored and water
purification supplies.
Steps I Have Taken • A
plan. My household has a plan in place that covers a few specific scenarios,
such as what we’ll all do in an ice storm/blizzard or if there is a terror
attack in our area. The people in my household know what to do and whom to
contact if there is an emergency.
Scenarios I’m Ready For
• Regional issue including significant disruption of basic services, such as a
power outage of up to 1 month. ***In trouble after 1 month of emergency or if
forced to leave home for longer than a couple of days***
LEVEL 3 How a Friend
Would Describe Me • You take pride in being self-sufficient. Whether or not
most people around you know it, you think about worst-case scenarios and how to
be ready for them, both for yourself and for others. You’re mentally and
emotionally ready to respond in emergency situations.
Supplies I Have on Hand
• Up to six months of food and water stored or planned for emergencies.
• Trauma-capable first
aid capabilities, including lacerations that need stitches/suturing.
• Defensive firearms, plus training and
ammunition sufficient to make them useful.
• Cash on hand in case
ATMs/Banks aren’t accessible for a short time. Example of Supplies at This
Level
• Bulk food items that
store for longer than two years: beans and rice in bulk and in sealed
containers, powdered milk, canned meats/fish, canned and dehydrated vegetables
and fruits.
• Cash on hand to cover
rent/housing and 1 month of household expenses (e.g. groceries, gas).
• First-aid kit includes
trauma bandages and supplies.
• Handgun and/or shotgun
for household defense
Steps I Have Taken • I
have a plan covering both staying at home for a short-term emergency, but know
what I’d do if I had to leave home.
• I’ve started to
develop some skills that I can use in an emergency situation where
basic/government services aren’t available.
Scenarios I’m Ready For
• A minor national or major regional emergency, such as a dirty-bomb or
biological attack/epidemic, long term power outage or major civil disobedience
in numerous cities around the country. ***In trouble after three+ months of
emergency or if economy collapses***
LEVEL 4 How a Friend
Would Describe Me • You’ve made prepping a “way of life” to an extent and are
ready for anything. It’s more than a personal thing; this is a group activity
now, within your family circle, and perhaps with friends and neighbors.
Supplies I Have on Hand
• A one-year supply of food/water or more, and the capacity/plan to grow more
in a garden.
• Barter items that will
be useful in an economic collapse, such as silver/gold, ammunition, building
hardware, clothing.
• Major first aid
supplies, including antibiotics, basic surgical equipment, etc.
• The capacity to generate
energy, heat and potable water off-grid, including fuel as necessary.
• Both handguns and
rifles/shotguns on hand, enough ammo that you’re worried about being on an ATF
watch list.
Example of Supplies at
This Level • Significant food storage, including a scheduled calories/day diet
for all household members: dehydrated and bulk dried foods (MyPatriotSupply).
• Major first-aid/trauma
and emergency dental kit plus potassium iodate tablets sufficient for 10-15
days.
• A handgun and rifle
for all willing adult members of the household, 1000 rounds of ammunition per
weapon.
• Propane or other
cooking and heating fuel safely stored.
• Gold and silver coins,
rounds or bars .
Steps I Have Taken •
Serious training both for myself as well as other household members, including
survival/medical skills, farming, sewing skills that will be necessary during a
prolonged breakdown of services and government control.
• I have a relocation
plan that involves my own family and potentially others, including provisions I
can use both locally and wherever my retreat location is.
Scenarios I’m Ready For
• A major national emergency, such as a complete economic collapse, a
nuclear/biological war or pandemic, or an EMP taking out the US Power grid
***In trouble if there isn’t some semblance of a stable recovery and government
after a full year***
LEVEL 5 How a Friend
Would Describe Me • You are a ready to survive a Zombie apocalypse. You
absolutely terrify the Liberal Intelligentsia.
Supplies I Have on Hand
• Gardening and/or farming equipment.
• Solar bank with deep
storage batteries.
• Farm animals.
• Horses or ATVs for
travel (with stored feed/fuel).
• 500+ gallons of
fuel/diesel stored below ground.
• Battle rifles and
carbines, at least 10,000 rounds of ammunition per weapon.
• Copy of the Bible, the
U.S. Constitution, the Federalist Papers, Atlas Shrugged and books by Glenn
Beck (lol).
Example of Supplies at
This Level • Heirloom seeds, fertilizer/compost.
• FAL, M-14 or AR-15
rifles, accessories, extra magazines and equipment.
• Goats, cows, pigs and
chickens or other livestock.
• Extra auto parts for
ATVs/Vehicles: batteries, starter, alternator, belts, hoses, water pump, etc.
• Kerosene and lantern,
wood or coal stove and fuel.
• Surgical kit including
scalpels, clamps, sutures/staples, blood transfusion kits.
Steps I Have Taken • I
have a fully capable small farm/ranch, with food and supplies for myself,
family and visitors.
• I have the plans and
capability to defend it all against marauders up to platoon-sized foreign/UN
troops.
• I have the ability to
generate an income in a scenario either through selling food, equipment or
services I am sufficiently skilled to deliver.
• I have the spiritual
and philosophical basis to make morally correct decisions for myself, my family
and property in a doomsday scenario.
Scenarios I’m Ready For
• The End of Days/Rapture/2nd Coming, global thermonuclear war, eruption of the
Yellowstone Caldera, election of Hillary Clinton ***In trouble only if I fail
to maintain my moral compass during trying times***
Source: http://www.glennbeck.com/2015/12/01/ask-yourself-these-four-questions-to-reveal-your-level-of-preparedness/?utm_source=glennbeck&utm_medium=contentcopy_link
Source: http://www.glennbeck.com/2015/12/01/ask-yourself-these-four-questions-to-reveal-your-level-of-preparedness/?utm_source=glennbeck&utm_medium=contentcopy_link
Wednesday, December 2, 2015
The Miraculous Hand of God in my Life
So often when we think of God intervening in our lives, we only consider or recognize it when something bad does not occur; absent its total prevention in our lives, it's easy to lull into the lie that God does not exist or care about us.
I am choosing today to praise God for all the miracles He does in my life. Providing a safe haven, work for my family, food on the table.
Last night I worked until 9:45pm. Through a string of circumstance, my DH did not come meet me at work, but went straight home (he was riding his motorcycle; his plan was to leave it at my work and ride in this AM with me.) By the time I found out he had forgotten to meet up, he was too far down the interstate to return.
I ended up leaving work about 10:15. I-30 is reasonably populated until you pass Rockwall. Once you pass Rockwall, there's "a lot of Texas country" until you hit the next "big" metropolis, Greenville. In between Greenville and Rockwall for us TMobile city folk, there's a lot of dark and a lot of dead cell phone space.
About 11pm, I hit something in my car, which took out my oil pan (I'm hoping that's all it is anyway.) As I pulled over to the side of the road, I realized this could turn out badly. Instead, the events unfolded to demonstrate the power of the miraculous hand of God.
1. Rather than the middle of dark nowhere, I broke down over an overpass surrounded by a 24 hour gas station, Taco Bell, McDonalds, and for an added coup de grace, a Holiday Inn Express. Did I mention the Almighty has been nagging at me for a week to start packing a backpack of emergency essentials in the trunk of my car? (backpack, food, water which I normally carry anyway, a sleeping bag.) I was "too busy" to put the stuff together, so God landed me here.
2. We got paid yesterday, and I was too busy at work to pay bills immediately (my normal MO) which would have brought my account to near zero.
3. The accident occurred a little outside Rockwall, still a TMobile service area. Four miles to the north, you're in a TMobile dead zone for about 10 miles; I would have had no way to get help.
4. AAA is big in Texas, and they refuse to just pull you off the road (too many state highways), they have to take you to the nearest repair station. My plan comes with 7 free miles, after that you have to pay per mile. Guess where Kia of Rockwall is located? 6.6 miles from where the accident happened.
5. The tow truck driver (I am in Texas, after all) really went the extra mile; staying with me until my family could arrive to take me home, getting all the drop off paperwork at Kia and putting it in the drop box for me while I stayed in the truck (about 200 yards from the locked gate, did I mention it was 40 degrees last night?)
6. I ran over a piece of engine from a semi-truck. The tow driver goes, "hey, you could take this metal and turn it over to a scrap yard and maybe get $60-80 for it." (He was serious.) I'm like, dude, you've already gone the extra mile. You keep it and sell it. He was like, "wow, really? Are you sure?" Yes dear, I'm sure. I don't even know where a scrap yard is, lol.
7. Have I mentioned Texans are the most polite people in the world, EXCEPT when they are driving. Usually no matter the conditions: rain, sleet, snow, fog, etc., they drive 80 miles an hour right on your **** tail. Not last night. Closest car behind me was 100 yards, well back enough for me to pull over safely.
8. You already know DH quit his job two weeks ago, the one with a company car provided. They were supposed to come get it last Wednesday (before Thanksgiving) but haven't yet. The battery died, but other than that, it's in excellent condition.
9. Our Go To neighbors (who live 15 miles from us) have been gone all week. They got home yesterday morning. My DD was able to reach them last night (at near midnight) have them come jumpstart my husband's company car which he was then able to use to come get me in Rockwall. They were willing to drive all the way from Greenville to Rockwall (that's 45 min one way) to come get me if need be. DH came and got me, you know, with the car which was supposed to be gone a week ago.
10. This morning I'll be able to either rent a car or get a loaner from Kia. Either way we will have transportation. My Go To neighbors just stopped by to see if the company car starting was a freak occurrence or if it is still good (it's still good.) But I wouldn't have even occurred to me to follow up if the situation was reversed!
We live in a fallen world. God can not and does not usually intervene in all the bad that happens. But more often than not, He extends His hands and softens the blow, we just have to choose to see it.
I am choosing today to praise God for all the miracles He does in my life. Providing a safe haven, work for my family, food on the table.
Last night I worked until 9:45pm. Through a string of circumstance, my DH did not come meet me at work, but went straight home (he was riding his motorcycle; his plan was to leave it at my work and ride in this AM with me.) By the time I found out he had forgotten to meet up, he was too far down the interstate to return.
I ended up leaving work about 10:15. I-30 is reasonably populated until you pass Rockwall. Once you pass Rockwall, there's "a lot of Texas country" until you hit the next "big" metropolis, Greenville. In between Greenville and Rockwall for us TMobile city folk, there's a lot of dark and a lot of dead cell phone space.
About 11pm, I hit something in my car, which took out my oil pan (I'm hoping that's all it is anyway.) As I pulled over to the side of the road, I realized this could turn out badly. Instead, the events unfolded to demonstrate the power of the miraculous hand of God.
1. Rather than the middle of dark nowhere, I broke down over an overpass surrounded by a 24 hour gas station, Taco Bell, McDonalds, and for an added coup de grace, a Holiday Inn Express. Did I mention the Almighty has been nagging at me for a week to start packing a backpack of emergency essentials in the trunk of my car? (backpack, food, water which I normally carry anyway, a sleeping bag.) I was "too busy" to put the stuff together, so God landed me here.
2. We got paid yesterday, and I was too busy at work to pay bills immediately (my normal MO) which would have brought my account to near zero.
3. The accident occurred a little outside Rockwall, still a TMobile service area. Four miles to the north, you're in a TMobile dead zone for about 10 miles; I would have had no way to get help.
4. AAA is big in Texas, and they refuse to just pull you off the road (too many state highways), they have to take you to the nearest repair station. My plan comes with 7 free miles, after that you have to pay per mile. Guess where Kia of Rockwall is located? 6.6 miles from where the accident happened.
5. The tow truck driver (I am in Texas, after all) really went the extra mile; staying with me until my family could arrive to take me home, getting all the drop off paperwork at Kia and putting it in the drop box for me while I stayed in the truck (about 200 yards from the locked gate, did I mention it was 40 degrees last night?)
6. I ran over a piece of engine from a semi-truck. The tow driver goes, "hey, you could take this metal and turn it over to a scrap yard and maybe get $60-80 for it." (He was serious.) I'm like, dude, you've already gone the extra mile. You keep it and sell it. He was like, "wow, really? Are you sure?" Yes dear, I'm sure. I don't even know where a scrap yard is, lol.
7. Have I mentioned Texans are the most polite people in the world, EXCEPT when they are driving. Usually no matter the conditions: rain, sleet, snow, fog, etc., they drive 80 miles an hour right on your **** tail. Not last night. Closest car behind me was 100 yards, well back enough for me to pull over safely.
8. You already know DH quit his job two weeks ago, the one with a company car provided. They were supposed to come get it last Wednesday (before Thanksgiving) but haven't yet. The battery died, but other than that, it's in excellent condition.
9. Our Go To neighbors (who live 15 miles from us) have been gone all week. They got home yesterday morning. My DD was able to reach them last night (at near midnight) have them come jumpstart my husband's company car which he was then able to use to come get me in Rockwall. They were willing to drive all the way from Greenville to Rockwall (that's 45 min one way) to come get me if need be. DH came and got me, you know, with the car which was supposed to be gone a week ago.
10. This morning I'll be able to either rent a car or get a loaner from Kia. Either way we will have transportation. My Go To neighbors just stopped by to see if the company car starting was a freak occurrence or if it is still good (it's still good.) But I wouldn't have even occurred to me to follow up if the situation was reversed!
We live in a fallen world. God can not and does not usually intervene in all the bad that happens. But more often than not, He extends His hands and softens the blow, we just have to choose to see it.
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