Wow Bee, that did come across a little hard. I know you didn't mean it to sound that way, so no offense taken. I love you and appreciate the wisdom you bring to the forum. Yes, I have worldly goods, am I rich? I don't consider myself to be so, but in comparison to others less fortunate, I suppose I could be considered "rich." At the same time, I only have to look next door or across the road to see homes MUCH "richer" than ours. We sold a home much nicer than this mobile home and paid for it and the 8 acres it sets on. We sold some land and paid for the improvements we wanted to make here. Both the previous home and land were the result of years of going to work, making the payments, doing without, and finally getting it paid for. Everything that we have, we have worked hard for. We've been up and we've been down. We've had plenty and we've been so broke that the electricity was cut off. Through it all, God saw to it that we never missed a meal. We never went hungry and while we had hard times, we also had good times. We consider ourselves blessed.
We give God the credit for our present home, for finding buyers for our land and previous home, both handled without a realtor. Throughout the whole process of buying a new home, selling and moving, God had his hand in it all. We were led here, maybe to be a blessing and help to our community. Maybe we are supposed to be here, because hard times are certainly coming. There are families near us with small children. There are older couples living near us. Black, white, Hispanic and even native Americans in the mix that makes us a community. The knowledge we have on being "self sufficient" "self reliant", "self sustaining", or" self anything" might come in handy in helping our community survive. Cut off the paycheck on most families and they will be hungry in short order.
Am I worried? You bet I am. Can I do anything about it? Some, no. Some, yes. I will work hard to be prepared, not to hunker down and to heck with everyone else, but to be able to help others in my community that need help. I sure can't help anyone else if I can't help myself. Our own daughter and family is the reason we are here. If the economy goes to crap, they will be hurt badly by it. Both of them are educated and have the student loans to prove it. That's how it is in today's world. You go to the dance, you pay the fiddler. And pay and pay and pay...... The old saying, God helps those that help themselves.....might I add.... God helps those who help themselves AND who help others.
When we talk about being or becoming self sufficient, it doesn't come from a selfish place. It comes from a wiser place of knowing that we are to be prepared. Remember the story of the wise and foolish virgins? Matthew 25: 1-13 Christ gave warning to be prepared when he comes. I try my best to be prepared for when He comes or when I leave this world. In the meantime, I live in this world and I try to be prepared for whatever might come. I can't control the economy. I can't control inflation. I can't control wars. What the world leaders do is not for our benefit, but for theirs. For every one of us that are on this forum or others like it, there are hundreds of thousands more that don't have a clue. I can't help them all, but I can help those around me.
I say all this in explanation so that you understand that the "self" in SS doesn't necessarily mean selfish, but prepared. Prepared for what? We don't even know what is coming down the road, but we know something is coming, it's not good, and we don't want to be caught living out in La-La Land when it hits. At our present rate of debt, we as a country cannot continue on this road to rack and ruin. Bee, you are right in saying that forums can be difficult to get our point across. So please don't be offended by what I have written, you are a valued member here and I always look forward to your postings.
So stocking up on things that we use gives me a certain peace of mind. How can stocking up be a bad thing, when through the dreams of Pharaoh, Joseph interpreted them, stocked up for the coming famine, and saved nations, most notably his own family? God is giving me the ability to see beyond all the ponies and rainbows spouted by the country's inept leaders so that we can be a benefit to our selves, our family, our neighbors and our community. The growing pile of canning supplies might help a family have something to eat. The garden seeds might help a family grow something to eat. Stocking up? You bet we are. Doing all we can to be able to take care of ourselves when, and I say when not if, the economy goes to crap? You bet we are. We won't be a burden on our community, but a help to our community. The Lord is showing us the warning signs, who is paying attention?
