An apology to Digging4Truth and Edward Anglin

[EA]

Originally Posted by Edward Anglin

Watch how many times something bad happens to someone and we Americans say "you deserve better."

Extreme Home Makeover is full of hard-luck stories of people who supposedly "deserve" a new house because tragedy befell them.

Deserve?

Really?

How stupid is that?

Finances are emotionless. The balance sheet doesn't care what your excuse is. Bad decisions lead to bad lives. Good decisions lead to better lives.

None of us "deserve" anything simply because we are American. None of us "deserve" what our neighbor has.

Get your butt to work. Quit whining about what everybody else has. Stop envying.

Sheesh.

Originally Posted by rgcraig

I agree everyone should work, but most on EHM are working - there usually is other hardships that befall them.

You missed my point. The idea that they "deserve" something is stupid.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

What does dancing have to do with anything?

I could can, but I don't have a garden. I'll just buy up extra canned food from the store.

Not when your dollar is no longer worth the paper it is printed on.

[Praxeas]

Originally Posted by Edward Anglin

I did not vote for Obama, I voted for Bush...twice.

But Bush was a joke of a president. He is the worst Republican president in history.

The situation we are in is bigger than two-party politics. In fact, I see very little difference between the donkeys and elephants nowadays. The republicans seem to want a little less of anything the dems want.

A little less abortion, a little less spending, a little less environmentalistic frenzy, a little less government control....yada, yada, yada.

This situation was conceived in the idea that we Americans "deserve" certain things.

That we deserve the newest cars, a second home, multiple credit cards and name brand everything. This attitude infects us to the core. It has poisoned the very heart of our government.

For gosh sake, what was GW's advice to American's after 911? What did he think would defeat terrorism? Spend! Spending!

You were unpatriotic if you weren't spending.

I voted for GW because I thought he was the lessor of two evils...Study the fall of Rome and no matter which vision you read about how they fell, you will see America.

Corruption in politics...check
Immoral society...check
Invading foreigners...check

In fact it's funny that one of Rome's down-falls was that they took in a poor neighbor as cheap labor and they eventually rose up against the Romans.

Rome was enthralled with the warrior mentality too. They loved their wars. They loved their war games...they loved their violence.

They were a pagan society driven by non-Christian ideals.

The worshiped men as gods. They idolized men.

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

Not when your dollar is no longer worth the paper it is printed on.

True.

[missourimary]

Originally Posted by Digging4Truth

...There are lots of things that a person can do to become self sufficient but the main thing is this... I used to use my wealth to obtain more debt and, therefore, new & cool stuff.

I now use my wealth to decrease my dependency upon and my need for additional wealth. I feel this is wise for me and I walk according to that wisdom.

Originally Posted by deltaguitar

You know everytime we have a tornado or hurricane or something I always think that it would be a good idea to have a was to be self-sufficient.

Originally Posted by rgcraig

But, what can a single woman like me do?

I can't hunt.

RGC I'm single too. There are things we can do, no matter where we live or whether we are single or not, that will help.
Prepare for a long term emergency.
Get a kit together with candles, coal oil lantern, oil and wicks, food, small outdoor grill that could burn wood, alternate heating source if you own a home (wood stove?), extra blankets and coats, even needles and thread... look around your house.
Leave the lights off some nights. Look for the benefits of not having phones or electricity (more rest, peace and quiet). Mental preparation.
Make note of the things that you use daily, and consider how you would manage if you didn't have access to those that rely on a system (water, plumbing, natural gas, gasoline, electricity). You don't have to do without them to consider what you would do without them. Convince yourself it wouldn't be "bad" but might be "challenging". Think of how you could benefit (better health, produce products or teach skills others would need)
Gather a few simple items that can be stored long term which would help if you couldn't access utilities, couldn't go to the store, etc.


I have canned and dry goods that I use and replace regularly. I own a home with a small yard, but have planted several fruit trees and perennial herbs that should produce most of the spring/summer. I have books on homeopathic medicine, including herbs I have in my house and yard. I maintain good health so that I can walk or bike if fuel and cars are not available.

I want an alternate power source (solar for my area) but haven't gotten there yet. I have considered buying a few acres in the country, but transportation to them if I'm not living on them is a problem, and defense of them if things get really bad and people try to steal my fruit, veggies, animals and so forth would be difficult.

Of course, I like the idea of living off the grid and living creatively. I've joked with my parents (also concerned) and told them if this really happens, I don't know what they plan to do, but I plan to move in with them!

[rgcraig]

Originally Posted by missourimary

RGC I'm single too. There are things we can do, no matter where we live or whether we are single or not, that will help.
Prepare for a long term emergency.
Get a kit together with candles, coal oil lantern, oil and wicks, food, small outdoor grill that could burn wood, alternate heating source if you own a home (wood stove?), extra blankets and coats, even needles and thread... look around your house.
Leave the lights off some nights. Look for the benefits of not having phones or electricity (more rest, peace and quiet). Mental preparation.
Make note of the things that you use daily, and consider how you would manage if you didn't have access to those that rely on a system (water, plumbing, natural gas, gasoline, electricity). You don't have to do without them to consider what you would do without them. Convince yourself it wouldn't be "bad" but might be "fun".
Gather a few simple items that can be stored long term which would help if you couldn't access utilities, couldn't go to the store, etc.


I have canned and dry goods that I use and replace regularly. I own a home with a small yard, but have planted several fruit trees and perennial herbs that should produce most of the spring/summer. I have books on homeopathic medicine, including herbs I have in my house and yard. I maintain good health so that I can walk or bike if fuel and cars are not available.

I want an alternate power source (solar for my area) but haven't gotten there yet. I have considered buying a few acres in the country, but transportation to them if I'm not living on them is a problem, and defense of them if things get really bad and people try to steal my fruit, veggies, animals and so forth would be difficult.

Of course, I like the idea of living off the grid and living creatively. I've joked with my parents (also concerned) and told them if this really happens, I don't know what they plan to do, but I plan to move in with them!

Thanks!

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by missourimary

RGC I'm single too. There are things we can do, no matter where we live or whether we are single or not, that will help.
Prepare for a long term emergency.
Get a kit together with candles, coal oil lantern, oil and wicks, food, small outdoor grill that could burn wood, alternate heating source if you own a home (wood stove?), extra blankets and coats, even needles and thread... look around your house.
Leave the lights off some nights. Look for the benefits of not having phones or electricity (more rest, peace and quiet). Mental preparation.
Make note of the things that you use daily, and consider how you would manage if you didn't have access to those that rely on a system (water, plumbing, natural gas, gasoline, electricity). You don't have to do without them to consider what you would do without them. Convince yourself it wouldn't be "bad" but might be "challenging". Think of how you could benefit (better health, produce products or teach skills others would need)
Gather a few simple items that can be stored long term which would help if you couldn't access utilities, couldn't go to the store, etc.


I have canned and dry goods that I use and replace regularly. I own a home with a small yard, but have planted several fruit trees and perennial herbs that should produce most of the spring/summer. I have books on homeopathic medicine, including herbs I have in my house and yard. I maintain good health so that I can walk or bike if fuel and cars are not available.

I want an alternate power source (solar for my area) but haven't gotten there yet. I have considered buying a few acres in the country, but transportation to them if I'm not living on them is a problem, and defense of them if things get really bad and people try to steal my fruit, veggies, animals and so forth would be difficult.

Of course, I like the idea of living off the grid and living creatively. I've joked with my parents (also concerned) and told them if this really happens, I don't know what they plan to do, but I plan to move in with them!

MM... I know that the closing of this post if probably a little in jest and a little serious as a heart attack. LOL...

But there are some good things to come from a financial hardship and one of those things is family coming back together.

Families used to live nearby one another and even several generations no the same land. This was necessary for survival but with affluence this fades away. We no longer "need" one another in that manner.

There will be many families coming back together in a situation like this.

Not all things that come from financial failure are negative.

[rgcraig]

I just received this - thought it was appropriate for this thread.

One day , the father of a very wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country with the express purpose of showing him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of what would be considered a very poor family.

On their return from their trip, the father asked his son, "How was the trip?"
"It was great , Dad."

"Did you see how poor people live?" the father asked.

"Oh yeah, " said the son.

"So , tell me, what did you learn from the trip?" asked the father.

The son answered:

"I saw that we have one dog and they had four.

We have a pool that reaches to the middle of our garden and they have a creek that has no end.

We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.

Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.

We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that go beyond our sight.

We have servants who serve us, but they serve others.

We buy our food, but they grow theirs..

We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them."

The boy's father was speechless.

Then his son added, "Thanks Dad for showing me how poor we are."

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

[Digging4Truth]

Originally Posted by rgcraig

Isn't perspective a wonderful thing? Makes you wonder what would happen if we all gave thanks for everything we have, instead of worrying about what we don't have.

It certainly is.

That is what this is all about for me.

This is all about recentering my priorities. This is all about realizing that I have had my focus in the wrong areas. This is about coming home to the things that really matter and, with all that is in me, leaving behind a life that runs me ragged and gives me nothing.

Thanks for sharing that Renda.

I was just saying to someone... You know... you never see a movie about a person who was raised in the country and then finds themselves being forced into the city and then, when they find that it is time to return to the country, suddenly has second thoughts because they unexpectedly found everything they ever wanted in the city.

They don't make movies like that because that isn't the way it is.

Simplicity is King.

As far as the path I am traveling... I can honestly say that, if I found out tomorrow that the entire economy was turning around and all was going to be well, I wouldn't change my path.

This is what I want... rain or shine.

[missourimary]

D4T, RGC,

very true. Survivors have always looked for the positive or the possibilities in their situations, rather than the problems. We would do well to look for the possibilities and the positives and remain flexible. It could be bad, it could be worse. Something will happen, but I will prepare the best I can and trust God for the rest.

Good things about the economic crisis:
Obama's approval rating has dropped enormously and the media is no longer 100% behind him. ()
(sorry, couldn't resist that one)
Improved health:
More exercise
Need to eat healthier foods (they are less expensive and more affordable and accessible in crisis)
Loss of extra weight!

Improved budgeting:
Increased debt awareness
Paid off debt
Re-analysis of what is necessary and what is fluff in life

Waste reduction:
Less waste, more saving
More recycling

Mental improvement:
Less distraction
More sleep (no lights at night to keep you up)
Less busy-ness
More time for prayer and more fulfilling work (hands on work that gives you personal results is VERY fulfilling)