The National Inflation Association is pleased to announce its top 10 predictions for 2011.
1) The Dow/Gold and Gold/Silver ratios will continue to decline.
In NIA's top 10 predictions for 2010, we predicted major declines in the Dow/Gold and Gold/Silver ratios. The Dow/Gold ratio was 9.3 at the time and finished 2010 down 15% to 8.1. The Gold/Silver ratio was 64 at the time and finished 2010 down 28% to 46. We expect to see the Dow/Gold ratio decline to 6.5 and the Gold/Silver ratio decline to 38 in 2011. Later this decade, we expect to see the Dow/Gold ratio bottom at 1 and the Gold/Silver ratio decline to below 16 and possibly as low as 10.
2) Colleges will begin to go bankrupt and close their doors.
We have a college education bubble in America that was made possible by the U.S. government's willingness to give out cheap and easy student loans. With all of the technological advances that have been taking place worldwide, the cost for a college education in America should be getting cheaper. Instead, private four-year colleges have averaged 5.6% tuition inflation over the past six years. College tuitions are the one thing in America that never declined in price during the panic of 2008. Despite collapsing stock market and Real Estate prices, college tuition costs surged to new highs as Americans instinctively sought to become better educated in order to better ride out and survive the economic crisis. Unfortunately, American students who overpaid for college educations are graduating and finding out that their degrees are worthless and no jobs are available for them. They would have been better off going straight into the work force and investing their money into gold and silver. That way, they would have real wealth today instead of debt and would already have valuable work place experience, which is much more important than any piece of paper. Colleges and universities took on ambitious construction projects and built new libraries, gyms, and sporting venues, that added no value to the education of students. These projects were intended for the sole purpose of impressing students and their families. The administrators of these colleges knew that no matter how high tuitions rose, students would be able to simply borrow more from the government in order to pay them. Americans today can purchase just about any type of good on Amazon.com, cheaper than they can find it in retail stores. This is because Amazon.com is a lot more efficient and doesn't have the overhead costs of brick and mortar retailers. NIA expects to see a new trend of Americans seeking to become educated cheaply over the Internet. There will be a huge drop off in demand for traditional college degrees. NIA expects to see many colleges default on their debts in 2011. These colleges will be forced to either downsize and educate students more cost effectively or close their doors for good.
3) U.S. retailers will report declines in profit margins and their stocks will decline.
Although most analysts on Wall Street believe retailers will report a major increase in holiday season sales over a year ago, NIA believes any top line growth retailers report will come at the expense of dismal bottom line profits. NIA expects many retailers to report large declines in their profit margins for the 4Q of 2010 and first half of 2011. Retailers have been selling goods at bargain basement prices in order to generate demand. Americans, being flush with newly printed dollars from the Federal Reserve, have been eager to buy up supplies of goods at artificially low prices. However, shareholders will likely sell off their retail stocks on this news. As share prices of retail stocks decline, retailers will begin to rapidly increase their prices by mid-2011.
4) The mainstream public will begin to buy gold.
Although the mainstream media continues to proclaim we have a gold bubble, it is impossible to have a gold bubble when mainstream America isn't buying gold. The average American is more likely to be a seller of gold through companies like Cash4Gold, in order to raise enough dollars to put food on their table. Most Americans today don't even know the price of gold. During the next 12 months, we expect to see a huge ramping up in the public's knowledge about gold. More Americans than ever will know the current price of gold and understand that it is real money. By the end of 2011, we expect the general public to begin looking at gold as an investment, just like they began looking at Real Estate as an investment in 2003. Sometime during the next six months, we believe you will overhear a stranger at a restaurant talking about investing into gold. We believe the price of gold could surge to as high as $2,000 per ounce in 2011.
5) We will see a huge surge in municipal debt defaults.
In the closing months of 2010, we saw yields on municipal bonds rise to their highest levels since early 2009. After 29 consecutive weeks of inflows into municipal bond funds, investors are now pulling money out of municipal bond funds by record amounts, with $9 billion exiting municipal bond funds in the five weeks leading up to Christmas. NIA believes there could be a small dip in municipal bond yields over the next couple of months as investors realize that municipal debt defaults might not be imminent, but we expect municipal bond yields to begin rising again by mid-2011 with a huge surge in municipal debt defaults coming in the second half of 2011. Although the Federal Government has a printing press that it uses in order to pay its debts, cities and municipalities do not.
6) We will see a large decline in the crude oil/natural gas ratio.
When we released our top 10 predictions for 2010, crude oil was $73 per barrel and we predicted that oil prices would rise to $100 per barrel in 2010. Crude oil ended up rising by 26% in 2010 to $92 per barrel, coming short of our outlook. However, it is possible our $100 per barrel oil forecast might be off by just a month or two. We wouldn't be surprised to see $100 per barrel oil within the first two months of 2011 and if so, we expect to see a huge movement in America this year towards natural gas. The crude oil/natural gas ratio currently stands at 20. Historically, the crude oil/natural gas ratio has averaged 10 and based on an energy equivalent basis, crude oil and natural gas prices should have a 6 to 1 ratio. Brand new fracking technology has caused natural gas supplies in the U.S. to rise to record levels. Although our country might be flooded with natural gas, the natural gas fracking boom that is taking place across the U.S. today is causing ground water in the U.S. to become contaminated. Americans living near natural gas wells that use fracking, are finding that they can now light the water coming out of their faucets on fire. New government regulations are likely to crack down on natural gas fracking and this will come at the same time as American individuals and businesses begin to convert their automobiles and machinery to run off of natural gas. A large decline in the crude oil/natural gas ratio in 2011 is likely, possibly down to as low as 15.
7) The median U.S. home will decline sharply priced in silver.
For the past couple of years, being able to make ones mortgage payment has been the primary concern for the average American. In an attempt to support housing prices and keep mortgage interest rates at artificially low levels, the Federal Reserve has been implementing massive quantitative easing and buying mortgage backed securities. NIA believes the Federal Reserve will be successful at putting a nominal floor under Real Estate prices. NIA also believes that the Federal Reserve's actions will cause a massive decline in the value of the U.S. dollar, which will allow Americans to more easily pay back their mortgages with depreciated U.S. dollars. However, the Federal Reserve will not be successful at reinflating the Real Estate bubble. In fact, in terms of real money (gold and silver), NIA believes Real Estate prices will decline to record lows. The median U.S. home is currently priced at $170,600 or 5,500 ounces of silver. Priced in silver, the median U.S. home price is down 16% from one month ago and 45% from one year ago. After the inflationary crisis of the 1970s, silver rose to a high in 1980 of $49.45 per ounce. The median U.S. home price in 1980 was $47,200, which means the median U.S. home/silver ratio declined to a low of 954. With the Federal Reserve printing money at an unprecedented rate and record amounts of new homes built during the recent Real Estate bubble, NIA believes it is inevitable that the median U.S. home will decline to a price of 1,000 ounces of silver this decade and possibly as low as 500 ounces of silver. In 2011, we believe a decline in the median U.S. home price to 4,000 ounces of silver is possible.
8) Food inflation will become America's top crisis.
Starting a few decades ago and accelerating in recent years, America has seen a boom in non-productive service jobs, mainly in the financial sector. Most of these jobs were made possible by inflation. Without inflation, which steals from the purchasing power of the incomes and savings of goods producing workers, the majority of the jobs on Wall Street would not exist today and our country would be in much better financial shape because of it. With most Americans in recent decades seeking non-productive jobs in the financial services sector because that is where they could access the Fed's cheap and easy money, very few Americans sought jobs in the farming and agriculture sector. In the 1930s, approximately 28% of the population was employed in the agriculture sector, but today this number is less than 2%. Agriculture currently makes up only 1.2% of U.S. GDP, compared to the services sector, which makes up 76.9% of U.S. GDP. There is currently a major shortage of farmers in the U.S. and a lot of land that was previously used for farming has now been developed with Real Estate. To make matters worse, agricultural products now trade on the international market and Americans must now compete against citizens of emerging nations like China and India for the purchasing of food. Prices of goods and services do not rise equally when governments create monetary inflation. Inflation gravitates most towards the items that Americans need the most and there is nothing that Americans need more to survive than food and agriculture. As the U.S. government prints money, the first thing Americans will spend it on is food. Americans can cut back on energy use by moving into a smaller home and carpooling to work. They can cut back on entertainment, travel, and other discretionary spending. However, Americans can never stop spending money on food. The days of cheap food in America are coming to an end. The recent unprecedented rise that we have seen in agricultural commodity prices is showing no signs of letting up. In the past few days, sugar futures reached a new 30-year high, coffee futures reached a new 13-year high, orange juice futures reached a new 3-year high, corn futures reached a new 29-month high, soybean futures reached a new 27-month high, and palm oil futures reached a new 33-month high. We estimate that it takes as long as six months for rising agricultural commodity prices to be felt by U.S. consumers in their local supermarket. Even if food producers and retailers accept substantially lower profit margins in 2011, we are still guaranteed to see double-digit across the board U.S. food inflation in the first half of the year. That is correct, let us repeat, NIA guarantees that Americans will see double-digit food inflation in the first half of 2011. Shockingly, except for Glenn Beck (who was kind enough to feature our food inflation report), absolutely nobody in the mainstream media is doing anything to warn Americans about the food inflation crisis that is ahead. In fact, left-wing groups like Media Matters (funded by George Soros) have been working tirelessly to try and discredit NIA's research while reassuring Americans that they need not worry about food inflation. The truth is, when Americans realize that they can no longer take food for granted, we will likely see the outbreak of an all out food price panic with everybody rushing to the supermarket to stock up on goods before prices rise even further. The end result will likely be government price controls and empty store shelves, but NIA doesn't project this to occur until later this decade.
9) QE2 will disappoint and the Federal Reserve will prepare QE3.
The Dow Jones is now back up to 11,670, which is where it was in mid-2008 before the crash. NIA believes that most of QE2 has already been priced into the market, before the Federal Reserve even prints the $600 billion. At some point, we expect it to become apparent to all that the U.S. economic recovery is phony and stock prices are rising solely due to inflation. In our opinion, we will see some sort of catalyst that causes the stock market to sell off at some point and the consensus on Wall Street will be that QE2 will not be enough to save the U.S. economy. By the end of 2011, we expect the Federal Reserve to begin planning QE3. QE3 might be the final dose of inflation that causes the U.S. economy to overdose into hyperinflation.
10) Sarah Palin will announce she is running for President as a Republican.
NIA believes that Sarah Palin has been setup perfectly to run for President in 2012 and that she will announce her candidacy for the Republican nomination with great fanfare from tea party supporters in 2011. We give Sarah Palin credit for recently speaking out against the Federal Reserve's QE2 and warning Americans about the food inflation crisis that is ahead. Unfortunately, we believe Sarah Palin is not a true independent and is being controlled by the Republican establishment, which is just as responsible as the Democrats are for the financial crisis we have today. As President, Palin would be unlikely to implement the measures that are necessary to prevent hyperinflation. In our opinion, we need to elect a true libertarian candidate as President who will cut government spending, balance the budget, and restore sound money. NIA intends to support Ron Paul, if he decides to run for President. It is important to spread the word about NIA to as many people as possible, as quickly as possible, if you want America to survive hyperinflation. Please tell everybody you know to become members of NIA for free immediately at: http://inflation.us
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Live Simply, Live Consciously, Live Deliberately
My motto in life is the title of this entry--I coined that phrase a while back--it defines my life, my beliefs and goals--This entry is about what it means to me--I am hoping to more seriously begin living my life by these 3 principals in 2011--
When I woke this morning and began my daily task, I began thinking on simplicity and what it really means to "Live Simply"--When you look back over time, when folks really did live a simple life they had only what they needed to survive--simple food, simple clothing and simple homes--anything other than the bare necessisties were considered luxuries--now-a-days what were luxuries for them are considered 'needed items' to us and some are--times have changed and so has technology so many items are now 'needed' items--I have simplified my life so much over the past 7 years and I wouldn't change a thing--I still have a ways to go in my own personal journey of where I would like to be in the next year--There are many more ways in which I wish to simplify my life--
Letting go or getting rid of 'stuff' isn't all there is to simplifying ones life--sometimes it's letting go of a way of thinking, a habit, a grudge,and beginning new ways of thinking and habits--It's accepting who you are and where you are in your own life--When we accept who we are, and where we are and have a vision of where we are going the rest is simple--Just keep your eye on the goal--When you are looking to your own goal, you will not have time to look around and be all depressed and downtrodden--You will be consciously and deliberately working towards the goal set before you--
When we "live consciously" we make a concerted effort everyday to know our goals and work to achieve them--That don't mean we are out building a fence everyday or planning everyday, it means we are consciously doing things for our families and ourselves to make our lives simpler, cleaner, healthier more sustainable--If you have a compost bin and you add to it daily you are consciously changing some part of the environment in which you live to make like better in some small way---We become aware of this, I feel we become happier, healthier people--When you become aware of your own journey in life, and accept it I feel you have a great inner peace--
When we "live deliberately' we are very aware of what we are doing and why we are doing it--we weigh the pros and cons of our actions--When trying to attain our goals we must work deliberatly, steady and carefully--thinking through our next step--You carefully weigh each decision and how it will effect the next step in your journey--We must do this with not only adding critters to our farms, but with our purchases as well--We will become keenly aware of how each thing we do effects the next thing and the next thing--so on and so forth
For instance you wanna begin pantry stocking--Some would rush out and buy all kinds grains, freeze dried foods, canned foods etc..just because they read somewhere they should--Then to find out you cannot or will not use it--This is irresponsible and not a good financial decision--You should first sit down and think about your families likes, dislikes, financial situation, storage situation, what it is you are stocking up for,how long you want that food to last--You know you want food that will help you survive and sustain you in a crisis--Thats "simple", so now you need to make a "conscious" effort to plan it all out according to your families needs, wants, likes and dislikes--and lastly you "deliberately" make the plan happen--Maybe not over night, but over time--you make steady strides--You know the goal, you know the reason and you have a plan to get there--
Each of us is on a personal journey--mine will not be yours, yours will not be mine--But each of us can begin looking at our lives and decide that in 2011 we are going to "Live Simply", "Live Consciously", and "Live Deliberately"--I wonder if every person or even half of the people on earth truly lived by these 3 principals what a differet world we would all live in--One more thing to ponder--LOL
Blessings to you and yours in 2011
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
When I woke this morning and began my daily task, I began thinking on simplicity and what it really means to "Live Simply"--When you look back over time, when folks really did live a simple life they had only what they needed to survive--simple food, simple clothing and simple homes--anything other than the bare necessisties were considered luxuries--now-a-days what were luxuries for them are considered 'needed items' to us and some are--times have changed and so has technology so many items are now 'needed' items--I have simplified my life so much over the past 7 years and I wouldn't change a thing--I still have a ways to go in my own personal journey of where I would like to be in the next year--There are many more ways in which I wish to simplify my life--
Letting go or getting rid of 'stuff' isn't all there is to simplifying ones life--sometimes it's letting go of a way of thinking, a habit, a grudge,and beginning new ways of thinking and habits--It's accepting who you are and where you are in your own life--When we accept who we are, and where we are and have a vision of where we are going the rest is simple--Just keep your eye on the goal--When you are looking to your own goal, you will not have time to look around and be all depressed and downtrodden--You will be consciously and deliberately working towards the goal set before you--
When we "live consciously" we make a concerted effort everyday to know our goals and work to achieve them--That don't mean we are out building a fence everyday or planning everyday, it means we are consciously doing things for our families and ourselves to make our lives simpler, cleaner, healthier more sustainable--If you have a compost bin and you add to it daily you are consciously changing some part of the environment in which you live to make like better in some small way---We become aware of this, I feel we become happier, healthier people--When you become aware of your own journey in life, and accept it I feel you have a great inner peace--
When we "live deliberately' we are very aware of what we are doing and why we are doing it--we weigh the pros and cons of our actions--When trying to attain our goals we must work deliberatly, steady and carefully--thinking through our next step--You carefully weigh each decision and how it will effect the next step in your journey--We must do this with not only adding critters to our farms, but with our purchases as well--We will become keenly aware of how each thing we do effects the next thing and the next thing--so on and so forth
For instance you wanna begin pantry stocking--Some would rush out and buy all kinds grains, freeze dried foods, canned foods etc..just because they read somewhere they should--Then to find out you cannot or will not use it--This is irresponsible and not a good financial decision--You should first sit down and think about your families likes, dislikes, financial situation, storage situation, what it is you are stocking up for,how long you want that food to last--You know you want food that will help you survive and sustain you in a crisis--Thats "simple", so now you need to make a "conscious" effort to plan it all out according to your families needs, wants, likes and dislikes--and lastly you "deliberately" make the plan happen--Maybe not over night, but over time--you make steady strides--You know the goal, you know the reason and you have a plan to get there--
Each of us is on a personal journey--mine will not be yours, yours will not be mine--But each of us can begin looking at our lives and decide that in 2011 we are going to "Live Simply", "Live Consciously", and "Live Deliberately"--I wonder if every person or even half of the people on earth truly lived by these 3 principals what a differet world we would all live in--One more thing to ponder--LOL
Blessings to you and yours in 2011
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
Goals for the Farm
Originally posted on December 31,2010
I like to every now and again make a list of goals I would like to accomplish for the farm--It just kinda gives a sense of clarity and focus to what we are doing here--It also helps stay on track, and not get ahead of ourselves--It gives us direction--
So for 2011 here is what we would like to accomplish in no particular order
Get fencing done(property and critters)
Build the garden beds
Get herb garden started
Purchase meat birds
Get barn from my dads and reassembled
Add 2 more dairy goats(MAYBE)
Get house addition done
Organize the yard/garden tools etc..
Continue pantry stocking
Get Greenhouse built(by March)
Get at least 3 months ahead on land pymts
For now that is my list--it may get edited from time to time--as we accomplish these goals or need to add to them--It just seems to help when we are accountable not just to ourselves but someone else also--Don't ya think?
Do you have any farm goals this year?
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
I like to every now and again make a list of goals I would like to accomplish for the farm--It just kinda gives a sense of clarity and focus to what we are doing here--It also helps stay on track, and not get ahead of ourselves--It gives us direction--
So for 2011 here is what we would like to accomplish in no particular order
Get fencing done(property and critters)
Build the garden beds
Get herb garden started
Purchase meat birds
Get barn from my dads and reassembled
Add 2 more dairy goats(MAYBE)
Get house addition done
Organize the yard/garden tools etc..
Continue pantry stocking
Get Greenhouse built(by March)
Get at least 3 months ahead on land pymts
For now that is my list--it may get edited from time to time--as we accomplish these goals or need to add to them--It just seems to help when we are accountable not just to ourselves but someone else also--Don't ya think?
Do you have any farm goals this year?
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
Looking Forward, Renewal and Revival
December 31, 2010
I woke this morning with a feeling of looking forward to 2011 and all it will bring--While I believe there will be many trials ahead, I also feel it will be a time of renewal & revival--renewal of strength, renewal of a heart for God, renewal of goals and dreams--I think there will be a revival in the hearts of many this year--Some that had been 'straddling the fence' so to speak will have a personal revival and renew that relationship with the Lord--I think there could be a revival in many churches across the nation--God's people I hope will begin to take a stand for what is right in our nation in 2011--We must not forget our rights as christians, citizens, and human beings--I look forward to 2011 with renewed hope in my heart, a revival on the horizon and all the wonder of what the Lord will do in the coming months!--I look forward to this little community growing and being able to encourage, uplift, and minister to those looking to simplify their lives, their home and their hearts--I look forward to great things taking place in here--
Yes, 2011 promises to a blessed year here on the Farmstead!
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
I woke this morning with a feeling of looking forward to 2011 and all it will bring--While I believe there will be many trials ahead, I also feel it will be a time of renewal & revival--renewal of strength, renewal of a heart for God, renewal of goals and dreams--I think there will be a revival in the hearts of many this year--Some that had been 'straddling the fence' so to speak will have a personal revival and renew that relationship with the Lord--I think there could be a revival in many churches across the nation--God's people I hope will begin to take a stand for what is right in our nation in 2011--We must not forget our rights as christians, citizens, and human beings--I look forward to 2011 with renewed hope in my heart, a revival on the horizon and all the wonder of what the Lord will do in the coming months!--I look forward to this little community growing and being able to encourage, uplift, and minister to those looking to simplify their lives, their home and their hearts--I look forward to great things taking place in here--
Yes, 2011 promises to a blessed year here on the Farmstead!
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
Years End--Reflections from the Farmstead
Originally written December 28,2010
I do not do resolutions, I resolved years ago that resolutions just dissapoint us--LOL--so I reflect on the previous year and share what I have learned and changes I hope to make personally--
2010 has been a year of positive changes, purging and growing--2010 brought with it many trials, but equally as many blessings--If I had to come up with a theme for the year it would be 'purging the negative, embracing the positive'--
Early 2010 was hard, we had much snow and I was still dealing with back issues from my car accident--the snow made it really hard to haul water daily, it was a very trying and depressing time in our life--It was a hard winter last year and seemed so much negativity surrounded our lives during this time--We were desperatly trying to build a home, but seemed no one was much interested in helping and we just did not have the funds to hire it done, nor did we want to go in debt--We learned who our 'real friends' were during this very trying time in our lives--Finally we gave up the idea of building a home and began looking into alternatives--the cabin was growing increasingly small and it was time to do something different--
Early 2010 brought us new life on the farmstead which is always a joy, just seems to make the winter more tolerable in my humble opionion--it was a very long winter last year, which I suppose kept us chased indoors and gave us all a lot of time to reflect on what needed changing in our lives--the end of winter last year was a defining point in our lives--the purging began--people that had played a significant roll in my life were just really beginning to bring me down--not just emotionally but also spiritually--while it was hard, I had to 'purge' them from my life--Negativity begats negativity--it's counter-productive and not what the Lord would have for our life--it took some time for me to work through the emptiness and the emotions, but the Lord has blessed me tremendously since following his lead to move away from negative influeneces--
Spring finally arrived with renewed hope and ambition to begin again--We planted the garden and it was wonderful--we worked hard on our land and added new things, planted some flowers, had some baby chicks hatch--goats were born and we began milking our doe--Life was going well--Financially things were hard, very hard--work was just not there for dh and it was a very trying time--but somehow by the grace of God we survived--Early summer brought about even more positive changes in our life--I settled my car accident and was able to pay off my car, buy a small mobile home and pay off a couple more small debts we had and even had some 'fun money' left--that put us in a financial position we had never been in--we only owed for our land--Things were beginning to look up--I was litterally thanking the Lord daily for what he had provided for us--While the accident was bad and really changed my life(will never be the same)the Lord used it to bless us greatly--July brought even more awesome changes, we had been without running water for 18 months to the day, when they showed up to finally drill our well--It was a miracle to us--it has been so long, so hard--it was surreal--It was actually 18 months and 10 days later before I could actually turn on a faucet and get water--LOL--I cried--not tears of saddness, but tears of thankfulness, gratitude, relief, happiness and just being overwhlemed by the fact of what a toll it had taken not having running water--you adjust, but its hard!--The rest of summer was awesome--I would get up daily and thank the Lord for the provision of us getting water and being debt free--While the next phase of our life was the hardest thing we had ever had to do it was much needed--we put our youngest dd in a facility for autistic children--while she is not severe and is very high functioniong, her behavior was dangerous for all of us--God has also used this time to befall many blessings on us--I am positive things will be different from here on out--
Fall brought about even more awesome life changing events--After many years of self-employment and over a year of looking for a job--we were blessed!--It was not his ideal job, nor does it pay much, but we were thrilled that he got a job--a steady income--God just really turned things around when we turned things around(purged the negative)--There is no where for us to go from here, except up--Our lives are good, we are happy, we are content--Funny how a job is often taken for granted then one day its all gone--We have definatly learned to not take things for granted--
Many lessons like the one above has been learned this past year--The only regret I guess I would have is that I did not 'purge' sooner in my life--I feel like I spent alot of time and energy on negative people and in turn had a negative outlook on my own life--We managed to meet most of our goals last year inspite of the cirucmstances in which we lived--I cannot wait to see how the Lord blesses us this year and in turn how we can bless others!--We are in such a better place than last year--we have running water, a steady income, a home and vehicles that are paid for--We truly are blessed--I think this last year one thing I have learned to not take things for granted like I used to--the saying is true "here today, gone tomorrow"--I think sometimes we get so comfortable in our lives we just take for granted that we have running water, electric, a paycheck etc...that we really don't understand that those things can be gone in the blink of an eye and through no fault of your own--I think I have a better grasp on what is truly important in life, I think we have found that place that we have 'enough' in our life'--we still have those things we would like to have, but they are not necessary to make us happy--we have found our place of simplicity--We love our life in spite of the fact others 'don't get it'--I no longer feel the need to 'explain' it to them--rather, I just smile and think, it's ok you don't get it--it's no longer important for me to 'help' them get it--I think that comes from really accepting who you are as a person, woman/man, in God--And we know who we are, we are content being on the path set before us and we no longer try to live like someone else nor do we feel the need to convince others why our life is what it is--we do what we do because the Lord led us here--it's that simple!
We have finally 'arrived' so to speak and know where we are going, how we are gonna get there and we are doing what the Lord has led us to do--We are not going to waste time looking at what others are doing or try and mimic that--we are on our own path, doing our own thing and that is so very freeing--We no longer have dreams that are impossible to reach with what we have--our goals and dreams are very realistic--it will just take a bit of work on our part to make them a reality--Funny how when you struggle with money, your goals are just never within your reach and you seem to dream bigger than you are--but when you can afford them you tend to downsize--I think maybe its because once you can do something you realize it's just not that important anymore--and you begin to realize that money is a precious commoditiy and not one to be squandered on the 'sillier' things in life--We are working daily to be good stewards of what the Lord has provided--we use what HE has given us in a way that will hopefully glorify HIM--
2011 promises to be a year of greatness for us and while there will be trials, possibly in ways none of us can even fathom--I know the Lord is faithful and will take care of his own--I am hopeful to remain steadfast and praise him even in our valleys--after all its in the valleys we grow--Our lives have come full circle in so many ways--We have had little, and we have had alot--but regardless the Lord has been there every step of the way--2010 was a year of growing and some of it was very painful--but I have come through it a better person and I am hoping to use what I have learned this next year to encourage and uplift others--You won't stay in that valley forever--We have learned to be thankful for all that we have--we have learned to be grateful for a paycheck that is steady--we have learned to be thankful for great friends, near and far that bring a positive outlook to our lives--We have learned that when we have a postive outlook on life even when trials are almost more than we can bear, we get through them much easier--Negativity begats negativity--Positive builds positive--There is always positve amongst the negative if we will just take the time to find it!
I am hopeful that 2011 brings about even more great changes in our lives--changes that I can look back on with great joy, even if we face massive trials I am hopeful that I can view it as a learning experience and thank the Lord for it--I want to be able to see the 'forrest in spite of the trees'--I am looking forward to 2011 in spite of the gloomy forecast for the economy and this world--We will make it through if we keep our focus on the Lord!
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
I do not do resolutions, I resolved years ago that resolutions just dissapoint us--LOL--so I reflect on the previous year and share what I have learned and changes I hope to make personally--
2010 has been a year of positive changes, purging and growing--2010 brought with it many trials, but equally as many blessings--If I had to come up with a theme for the year it would be 'purging the negative, embracing the positive'--
Early 2010 was hard, we had much snow and I was still dealing with back issues from my car accident--the snow made it really hard to haul water daily, it was a very trying and depressing time in our life--It was a hard winter last year and seemed so much negativity surrounded our lives during this time--We were desperatly trying to build a home, but seemed no one was much interested in helping and we just did not have the funds to hire it done, nor did we want to go in debt--We learned who our 'real friends' were during this very trying time in our lives--Finally we gave up the idea of building a home and began looking into alternatives--the cabin was growing increasingly small and it was time to do something different--
Early 2010 brought us new life on the farmstead which is always a joy, just seems to make the winter more tolerable in my humble opionion--it was a very long winter last year, which I suppose kept us chased indoors and gave us all a lot of time to reflect on what needed changing in our lives--the end of winter last year was a defining point in our lives--the purging began--people that had played a significant roll in my life were just really beginning to bring me down--not just emotionally but also spiritually--while it was hard, I had to 'purge' them from my life--Negativity begats negativity--it's counter-productive and not what the Lord would have for our life--it took some time for me to work through the emptiness and the emotions, but the Lord has blessed me tremendously since following his lead to move away from negative influeneces--
Spring finally arrived with renewed hope and ambition to begin again--We planted the garden and it was wonderful--we worked hard on our land and added new things, planted some flowers, had some baby chicks hatch--goats were born and we began milking our doe--Life was going well--Financially things were hard, very hard--work was just not there for dh and it was a very trying time--but somehow by the grace of God we survived--Early summer brought about even more positive changes in our life--I settled my car accident and was able to pay off my car, buy a small mobile home and pay off a couple more small debts we had and even had some 'fun money' left--that put us in a financial position we had never been in--we only owed for our land--Things were beginning to look up--I was litterally thanking the Lord daily for what he had provided for us--While the accident was bad and really changed my life(will never be the same)the Lord used it to bless us greatly--July brought even more awesome changes, we had been without running water for 18 months to the day, when they showed up to finally drill our well--It was a miracle to us--it has been so long, so hard--it was surreal--It was actually 18 months and 10 days later before I could actually turn on a faucet and get water--LOL--I cried--not tears of saddness, but tears of thankfulness, gratitude, relief, happiness and just being overwhlemed by the fact of what a toll it had taken not having running water--you adjust, but its hard!--The rest of summer was awesome--I would get up daily and thank the Lord for the provision of us getting water and being debt free--While the next phase of our life was the hardest thing we had ever had to do it was much needed--we put our youngest dd in a facility for autistic children--while she is not severe and is very high functioniong, her behavior was dangerous for all of us--God has also used this time to befall many blessings on us--I am positive things will be different from here on out--
Fall brought about even more awesome life changing events--After many years of self-employment and over a year of looking for a job--we were blessed!--It was not his ideal job, nor does it pay much, but we were thrilled that he got a job--a steady income--God just really turned things around when we turned things around(purged the negative)--There is no where for us to go from here, except up--Our lives are good, we are happy, we are content--Funny how a job is often taken for granted then one day its all gone--We have definatly learned to not take things for granted--
Many lessons like the one above has been learned this past year--The only regret I guess I would have is that I did not 'purge' sooner in my life--I feel like I spent alot of time and energy on negative people and in turn had a negative outlook on my own life--We managed to meet most of our goals last year inspite of the cirucmstances in which we lived--I cannot wait to see how the Lord blesses us this year and in turn how we can bless others!--We are in such a better place than last year--we have running water, a steady income, a home and vehicles that are paid for--We truly are blessed--I think this last year one thing I have learned to not take things for granted like I used to--the saying is true "here today, gone tomorrow"--I think sometimes we get so comfortable in our lives we just take for granted that we have running water, electric, a paycheck etc...that we really don't understand that those things can be gone in the blink of an eye and through no fault of your own--I think I have a better grasp on what is truly important in life, I think we have found that place that we have 'enough' in our life'--we still have those things we would like to have, but they are not necessary to make us happy--we have found our place of simplicity--We love our life in spite of the fact others 'don't get it'--I no longer feel the need to 'explain' it to them--rather, I just smile and think, it's ok you don't get it--it's no longer important for me to 'help' them get it--I think that comes from really accepting who you are as a person, woman/man, in God--And we know who we are, we are content being on the path set before us and we no longer try to live like someone else nor do we feel the need to convince others why our life is what it is--we do what we do because the Lord led us here--it's that simple!
We have finally 'arrived' so to speak and know where we are going, how we are gonna get there and we are doing what the Lord has led us to do--We are not going to waste time looking at what others are doing or try and mimic that--we are on our own path, doing our own thing and that is so very freeing--We no longer have dreams that are impossible to reach with what we have--our goals and dreams are very realistic--it will just take a bit of work on our part to make them a reality--Funny how when you struggle with money, your goals are just never within your reach and you seem to dream bigger than you are--but when you can afford them you tend to downsize--I think maybe its because once you can do something you realize it's just not that important anymore--and you begin to realize that money is a precious commoditiy and not one to be squandered on the 'sillier' things in life--We are working daily to be good stewards of what the Lord has provided--we use what HE has given us in a way that will hopefully glorify HIM--
2011 promises to be a year of greatness for us and while there will be trials, possibly in ways none of us can even fathom--I know the Lord is faithful and will take care of his own--I am hopeful to remain steadfast and praise him even in our valleys--after all its in the valleys we grow--Our lives have come full circle in so many ways--We have had little, and we have had alot--but regardless the Lord has been there every step of the way--2010 was a year of growing and some of it was very painful--but I have come through it a better person and I am hoping to use what I have learned this next year to encourage and uplift others--You won't stay in that valley forever--We have learned to be thankful for all that we have--we have learned to be grateful for a paycheck that is steady--we have learned to be thankful for great friends, near and far that bring a positive outlook to our lives--We have learned that when we have a postive outlook on life even when trials are almost more than we can bear, we get through them much easier--Negativity begats negativity--Positive builds positive--There is always positve amongst the negative if we will just take the time to find it!
I am hopeful that 2011 brings about even more great changes in our lives--changes that I can look back on with great joy, even if we face massive trials I am hopeful that I can view it as a learning experience and thank the Lord for it--I want to be able to see the 'forrest in spite of the trees'--I am looking forward to 2011 in spite of the gloomy forecast for the economy and this world--We will make it through if we keep our focus on the Lord!
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
December 21 2010
Common Sense Passes Away
Author unknown
Obituary: Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing boys were charged with sexual harassment for kissing girl classmates; teens were suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher was fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Common Sense Passes Away
Author unknown
Obituary: Common Sense
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault.
Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting strategies (adults, not children are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well intentioned but overbearing boys were charged with sexual harassment for kissing girl classmates; teens were suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch; and a teacher was fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition.
Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer aspirin, sun lotion or a sticky plaster to a student, but could not inform the parents when a student became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband; churches became businesses; and criminals received better treatment than their victims.
Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home and the burglar can sue you for assault.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live, after a woman failed to realize that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap, and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust; his wife, Discretion; his daughter, Responsibility; and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know my Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm a Victim.
Not many attended his funeral because so few realized he was gone. If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Why is it
December 20 2010
In 2003 when hubby and I began our adventure into a more simple and sustainable lifestyle, most truly understood us and thought it was great--but there were a few that looked at us like were aliens from another 'rock' somewhere--LOL--We litterally walked away from our brick home in the burbs, consumption driven, high living, money spending like there is no tomorrow, electronic laden, credit card spending, keeping up with the Jones' lifestyle and never looked back--We have no regrets whatsoever--However there are some that just don't get it--It's like they think we are not motivated to have more than we have, or that we must live this way due to finances etc...They make it known to others that they totally disagree with our CHOSEN lifestyle--*shrugging shoulders and shaking head*
Now let me add, I don't personally have time to care about if someone lives using a credit card, or have 1200.00 month in vehicle pymts, or 1500.00 mortgage or spends 1000.00 a month on groceries--they are CHOOSING that lifestyle--so why is it so wrong for me to CHOOSE mine?--We have been through alot to be in the financial postion we are in--we CHOOSE not to be indebt up to our eyeballs--It does not enrich ones life to be debt for things--it burdens people--Enrichment comes from being debt free and knowing you have enough 'incoming' to take care of the 'outgoing'--
Why does most of society think those of us choosing simplicity, gardening, canning, and getting back to the land are somehow destitute poor, hippy's or otherwise in someway defective?--Maybe as Christians we are following the Lords plan for lives, or maybe we just decided we were tired of the rat race--maybe, just maybe we LOVE our life--
Why is it if a person doesn't own a 300,000 dollar home, or a 50,000 dollar vehicle or every credit card known to the industry that most feel those people are 'poor' or 'lacking' in life?--Jesus never owned a home or had money? He was very simple man with a very simple message--Our society is truly lacking in values--So what if my life is not all fluffy and pretty with hair done up, nails painted and wearing designer clothes--does that make me somehow defective?--Absolutly not--I have chosen to live on a farm and trapse around in animal pens and get goat and chicken poo on my clothes, gather eggs, and raise my own food--I LOVE getting dirty and not worrying about my hair or makeup--My worry is taking care of my family's needs and seeing that we are prepared for whatever comes our way--I choose to be 'plain' and simple--no one makes me--I am following the Lords lead--Granted, monetarily I am not rich, nowhere near it--But my life is good--My husband has a job in a time when many are unemployed--We have 18 acres of land when many struggle to pay a mortgage or rent--Our vehicles are older, but in good repair and we hold the titles free and clear!--many have tore up vehicles and cannot afford to fix them and owe more on them than they are worth--We have nice gifts under our tree in a time many children will have none--I am blessed--I am blessed because I chose this life--a life of simplicity--I feel the Lord called us to this life and we answered--I would not trade my life--if someone offered me a mansion in the nicest city all paid for--I would have to kindly refuse--I have everything I could ever want right here in the woods--and that is--
The Lord,hubby,children,land,critters--I don't need fancy hairdos, manicures, and all that jazz--I am content--I am happy--I am blessed--why is it?--I am doing what the Lord led me to do!--It don't get any better than that!
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
In 2003 when hubby and I began our adventure into a more simple and sustainable lifestyle, most truly understood us and thought it was great--but there were a few that looked at us like were aliens from another 'rock' somewhere--LOL--We litterally walked away from our brick home in the burbs, consumption driven, high living, money spending like there is no tomorrow, electronic laden, credit card spending, keeping up with the Jones' lifestyle and never looked back--We have no regrets whatsoever--However there are some that just don't get it--It's like they think we are not motivated to have more than we have, or that we must live this way due to finances etc...They make it known to others that they totally disagree with our CHOSEN lifestyle--*shrugging shoulders and shaking head*
Now let me add, I don't personally have time to care about if someone lives using a credit card, or have 1200.00 month in vehicle pymts, or 1500.00 mortgage or spends 1000.00 a month on groceries--they are CHOOSING that lifestyle--so why is it so wrong for me to CHOOSE mine?--We have been through alot to be in the financial postion we are in--we CHOOSE not to be indebt up to our eyeballs--It does not enrich ones life to be debt for things--it burdens people--Enrichment comes from being debt free and knowing you have enough 'incoming' to take care of the 'outgoing'--
Why does most of society think those of us choosing simplicity, gardening, canning, and getting back to the land are somehow destitute poor, hippy's or otherwise in someway defective?--Maybe as Christians we are following the Lords plan for lives, or maybe we just decided we were tired of the rat race--maybe, just maybe we LOVE our life--
Why is it if a person doesn't own a 300,000 dollar home, or a 50,000 dollar vehicle or every credit card known to the industry that most feel those people are 'poor' or 'lacking' in life?--Jesus never owned a home or had money? He was very simple man with a very simple message--Our society is truly lacking in values--So what if my life is not all fluffy and pretty with hair done up, nails painted and wearing designer clothes--does that make me somehow defective?--Absolutly not--I have chosen to live on a farm and trapse around in animal pens and get goat and chicken poo on my clothes, gather eggs, and raise my own food--I LOVE getting dirty and not worrying about my hair or makeup--My worry is taking care of my family's needs and seeing that we are prepared for whatever comes our way--I choose to be 'plain' and simple--no one makes me--I am following the Lords lead--Granted, monetarily I am not rich, nowhere near it--But my life is good--My husband has a job in a time when many are unemployed--We have 18 acres of land when many struggle to pay a mortgage or rent--Our vehicles are older, but in good repair and we hold the titles free and clear!--many have tore up vehicles and cannot afford to fix them and owe more on them than they are worth--We have nice gifts under our tree in a time many children will have none--I am blessed--I am blessed because I chose this life--a life of simplicity--I feel the Lord called us to this life and we answered--I would not trade my life--if someone offered me a mansion in the nicest city all paid for--I would have to kindly refuse--I have everything I could ever want right here in the woods--and that is--
The Lord,hubby,children,land,critters--I don't need fancy hairdos, manicures, and all that jazz--I am content--I am happy--I am blessed--why is it?--I am doing what the Lord led me to do!--It don't get any better than that!
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
Semi-Sabbatical
Originally written 12-8-10
This last week has been a difficult one--having a special needs child is just so hard--It's even harder when help seems forever out of reach--I had much time to reflect and ponder this week, I took a semi-sabbatical of sorts--I needed time to just think--I spent time reading my bible, praying and just spending time 'being quiet' to listen--I didn't have any major ephiphanys or "hallejuah moments" as I call them--you know when you hear the angel choir singing hallejuah in the background--LOL--when the light comes on?!--but I did think alot about how God is our only real hope in any situation--that doesn't mean other humans cannot help us, but it does mean we need to rely on him even when seeking help from others--I tend to get a bit 'hot headed' at times when it comes to my dd--she has struggled for long with so many things and as tired as we are as her parents, I cannot imagine how much more tired she is--I also have to realize that not everyone is a believer and their way of viewing the world is different than mine--Looking at the world as a non-believer is totally different than looking at things as a beliver--At times it can cause conflict--While I do think this place dd is at is a great place and has done alot to help her--I still get a bit 'put out' by the attitudes of some there--Doesn't mean they are wrong, but there is way in which to talk and deal with people that is much less demeaning and hurtful--I suppose the issue we had/have is not in vain, as it has made me lean on the Lord even more, search my own heart and listen to my heavenly father--anytime we do that we cannot go wrong--
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
This last week has been a difficult one--having a special needs child is just so hard--It's even harder when help seems forever out of reach--I had much time to reflect and ponder this week, I took a semi-sabbatical of sorts--I needed time to just think--I spent time reading my bible, praying and just spending time 'being quiet' to listen--I didn't have any major ephiphanys or "hallejuah moments" as I call them--you know when you hear the angel choir singing hallejuah in the background--LOL--when the light comes on?!--but I did think alot about how God is our only real hope in any situation--that doesn't mean other humans cannot help us, but it does mean we need to rely on him even when seeking help from others--I tend to get a bit 'hot headed' at times when it comes to my dd--she has struggled for long with so many things and as tired as we are as her parents, I cannot imagine how much more tired she is--I also have to realize that not everyone is a believer and their way of viewing the world is different than mine--Looking at the world as a non-believer is totally different than looking at things as a beliver--At times it can cause conflict--While I do think this place dd is at is a great place and has done alot to help her--I still get a bit 'put out' by the attitudes of some there--Doesn't mean they are wrong, but there is way in which to talk and deal with people that is much less demeaning and hurtful--I suppose the issue we had/have is not in vain, as it has made me lean on the Lord even more, search my own heart and listen to my heavenly father--anytime we do that we cannot go wrong--
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
Contemplating
The past few weeks I have found myself drawn to the farmstead--Not real sure why other than when I look around, listen to the news and others I feel sense of peace and security here--The things going on in the world and even in our small towns leaves me feeling a bit uneasy, but on the farm I seem to find balance--All around me seems to be an attitude complacency, and that doesn't set well within me--It reminds me of a springtime storm here in the South that is brewing--All the signs are there, but they are going unheeded and people set idlely by until the storm is upon them and then its to late--they are overtaken--I have found I take much comfort in my home, farm, family, friends, God and His word lately--The Christmas season is upon us which may be one reason I feel such a sense of peace here at the farm--I am much not of a people person and tend to like to be 'away' from the crowds--but I feel the real reason is simply God moving his people in a different direction--There seems to be a seperation going on--Many of God's people are hearing his voice to prepare and seperate--I really used to feel the urge to tell others, of course I was met with raised eyebrows and an attitude of "your crazy'--I still feel like it needs to be told, only now its not as urgent--I feel more the urge to make sure my family will be taken care of--No one knows what the future holds for our country, but one thing we can be sure of is that the Lord will never leave not forske us--he will prepare his children for the long haul--Maybe my needing to be home is simply the fact it is quiet and I can hear that still small voice that speaks so clearly if we listen--Whatever the reason, I am content and happy, more so than I have ever been--I have no fear, no worry--I have a peace that is amazing--I look around at our little place and I am thankful--thankful for all the Lord has done and will do--When I must get out and leave the comforts of my home and farm and go into town or to the stores I find myself feeling empty--As I hear the chatter of others discussing all the money they are spending, or who's getting divoced, or this and that--I am so glad I have been called out and seperated--My life is simple, not full of drama--to some the word to describe my life would be boring--But I find my life full of pleasure and satisfaction--In spite of the all of the upheavel and potential dangers facing this old world--I have a place a peace and solace--I find that place on my farm and in my Lord--
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
::Until Next Time::
The Deliberate Homesteader
Should Belivers Prepare
I did not write these articles--But I found them very good and I decided I would put them here and have them for "future" reference--And if you all wanna read them--fine--LOL
Here is a story that has been passed around alot over the years--It is such a good example--It really goes along with these articles
The Deliberate Homesteader
A man was trapped on his roof during a flood. As he sat and waited, he prayed to God for help. When one of his neighbors passed by in his boat and offered a ride to safety, the man refused because he wanted to wait on God. The neighbor left and the water continued to rise. Later on in the day, a life-raft came by and offered him a ride, but again, the man decided to hold off for God’s rescue. Finally, a Red Cross team arrived in a helicopter. As they lowered a rope to save the man, he waved the rope away because he knew God was going to save him. Not long after that, the flood water swept over the top of the house and the man drowned. When he arrived in heaven, the man asked God why He never answered his prayer and saved him from the flood. God answered, "I sent a boat, a life raft, and a helicopter and you refused each one – what did you expect?!"
Steve Collins
Many Christians see that hard times are coming. The biblical prophecies have warned about an unprecedented, global, end-time crisis, and we may be entering the early phases of that crisis now. Indeed, one does not need to be a believer to understand hard times are coming. Any non-believer can see it easily just by watching the news and reading internet reports.
Based on my emails and Christian links sent to me, I see two camps of modern Christian thought on how Christians should react to this crisis. One camp says we should simply "have faith" and rely on God to protect us in the future. An extreme version of this viewpoint maintains that it is a failure of faith to make any physical preparations for the crisis. The other camp believes that people should make physical preparations now to prepare for very difficult times ahead of us. This blog will make it clear I am in the latter camp, and that the scriptures support that view.
Remember Hurricane Katrina and the survivors who lacked everything and awaited rescue from helicopters and hand-outs from the government? Due to historic debt and the financial crisis, the government is in far weaker condition now that it was in the time of Hurricane Katrina. You may be "on your own" for some time in the event of a local disaster. In the event of a national disaster, you may be on your own for months. Even FEMA advises citizens to have some stockpiles of essentials to be able to "be on your own" for days in the event of an earthquake, tornado, hurricane, etc.
Proverbs 22:3 warns: "A prudent man foresees the evil, and hides himself: but the simple pass on and are punished." Proverbs 6:6 advises mankind: "Go to the ant, you sluggard, consider her ways and be wise, which…provides her meat in the summer and gathers her food in the harvest." These scriptures advise believers to foresee future dangers and prepare for them in advance while they can do so. God equips some animals to store up food supplies for winter, but he gives human beings minds with which we should be able to see dangers coming in the future. God warned Joseph of a terrible famine that was coming in seven years in order to give him time to make prodigious preparations for seven years to prepare for it (Genesis 41:46-49). Joseph did not "lack faith" by making advance preparations; he showed faith by acting on the warnings and making those preparations! If Joseph had not done so, Jacob’s family and many others would have starved to death. God gave Noah a 120-year advance warning about the impending Deluge, and Noah and his family acted on God’s warning and built the Ark (Genesis 6:3, 14-22 and Hebrews 11:7). God gave Lot and his family advance warning to get out of Sodom before it was destroyed. The biblical record is clear that God expects his people to act on his warnings. The Bible is full of warnings about famines, pestilences, wars, persecutions and evil times which will befall the earth in the last days. God has already given us many warnings in his Word! Like biblical personalities of old, we should act on those warnings.
One reader of this website sent me the first link, a warning from Christian pastor David Wilkerson that God’s judgment is about to fall in the form of a severe crisis. This is not an alarmist warning–one can come to this same conclusion simply by reading the financial pages. Whether his timing proves to be correct or not, his counsel for believers to have at least a 30-day supply of food and necessities is wise advice and is based on the wisdom of the scriptures in Proverbs cited above. A disaster needing that kind of preparation could be precipitated by an earthquake in California or the New Madrid fault zones, a mega-hurricane, a financial collapse in which the dollar loses most or all of its value, a government-declared "bank holiday" of unknown length or a war in the Mideast which paralyzes oil shipments and banking transactions for a considerable period of time. Any number of things could cause a sudden, global crisis. Another possibility is a bird-flu pandemic or some other kind of global plague. Another reader sent me the second link that the alertness of a Canadian lab discovered the presence of live avian-flu cultures wrongly mixed among vaccinations vs. that very threat. If these active cultures had been disseminated in the form of vaccines, a mass pandemic could have struck as a result of either human error or intentional terrorism.
Believers may have to rely on God for help when sudden, unexpected disasters or threats overtake them. However, I think it is "tempting God" to do nothing and wait for him to protect us from an impending danger when he gives us plenty of advance warnings. Christ himself declared that it was "tempting God" to deliberately place yourself in a dangerous situation to see if God will protect or rescue you (Matthew 4:6-7). By refusing to make preparations when God has given advance warnings, is one not "tempting God" by ignoring God’s warnings? Believers should also remember Paul’s strenuous warning in I Timothy 5:8 that one "denies the faith and is worse than an infidel" if we do not "provide" for the needs of our own household. If God gives us numerous advance warnings of dangerous and hard times in the latter days (which he has), should we not take God seriously and prepare for those anticipated dangers (as did Noah and Joseph) so our households are prepared for the danger?
If you believe the biblical warnings of famines, pestilences and severe challenges in the latter-days just ahead of us, then you can see the evil times ahead of time. Proverbs 22:3 tells us that if we can see those dangers ahead of time, we should prepare for those hard times. You know what the needs of you and/or your family will be if a disaster (or disasters) strike. You should act on God’s counsel and make preparations now…before the hard times hit. This is not a "lack of faith." I think it is exercising proper faith to take God at his word and act on those warnings to meet difficult times. I don’t know when these times will hit, but we know the Bible warns us that these hard times are coming.
Not only should you make preparations for the well-being of yourself and your loved ones, it is also wise to make preparations to help others who will be in need when hard times come (Ephesians 4:28). Remember that it is "more blessed" to be the giver than the receiver (Acts 20:35) in a time of need.
Should We Prepare?
I have seen several debates on the issue of how to prepare for Daniel’s 70th week. As I read them, I saw that there is an even bigger question which must be answered. Should we prepare for Daniel’s 70th week? Many seem to have the idea that they should not prepare because God will supernaturally take care of His Church during this time. However the Scripture is clear that many believers will fall during this time (Rev. 6:9-11; 12:17; 13:7, 10; 14:12). Although we trust God to provide for us, we are only being foolish/lazy if we do not prepare for what He told us in advance was coming. God still works miracles, and He may work a miracle on your behalf. However, I would not count on it, if you are failing to heed the warnings He has already given you. Others have the idea that every Christian will be killed so there is no use trying to save anyone. However the Scripture is also clear that not all Christians will be killed (I Cor. 15:51). There is a hope of surviving and there is a very real danger of being killed or starving to death. Knowing this, does it make sense to make physical preparations?
What did Joseph do after revealing to Pharaoh that seven years of drought were approaching? What did Paul do when the Jews plotted against him (Acts 9:23-25)? What did the Christians in Rome do when the severe persecution broke out? They went into the Catacombs. This was a safe isolated place where they stuck together in order to help each other and fellowship. They also were able to help other oppressed people from their safe haven. They would not have been able to help others if they were not in hiding because they would have been in prison or killed. What I am trying to say is that it makes sense to try to protect your own life and the lives of others as long as you can do so without denying Christ. Saving our own life should not be the driving force in our lives or it will lead to sin. However, we should not throw out the baby with the bath water. How many of you used your seat belt or put your child in a car seat even before the law required it? Do you have a smoke alarm in your house? Do you lock your door at night? We do things to protect our own lives every day. When we see someone who does not take precautions, we automatically assume that they do not understand the seriousness of the danger. Those who assume that God will protect them without a need for caution don’t usually live long.
When I see Christians not wanting to make preparations for the hard times ahead, it makes me think they don’t really believe the hard times are coming. If I as a Christian am tempted to think this way, what do you think the nonbelievers are thinking? There are many people preaching things today, but they do not really believe what they preach, they just parrot them. Do we look just like the parrots? We should let people know what we think is coming and make preparation. When they see us making preparation they may think we are crazy, but they will know we really believe what we preach. When they see things happen like we (through the Scriptures) predicted, they may turn to the Savior in faith as well.
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