Reminder Order Your Heirloom Seeds

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This post is a reminder order your Heirloom Seeds?

Many have already started their seeds, some in warmer climates already have plants in the ground. In our neck of the woods, we are still too early to plant.

I spent time yesterday ordering seeds. I like a company called:  Anne’s Seeds. http://www.anniesheirloomseeds.com  It is a family owned operation. I noticed their seed potatoes are already gone.  I simply didn’t get it done in time. But I should be able to purchase them locally and so can you.

Anne’s Seeds has a list of her favorites as well as the tried and true varieties. I have been going through the medicinal herbs and adding to my collection. A good book on these would be a good addition to your library. I have not found one yet I would recommend so if you know of one pass it along. There are many companies selling heirloom seeds. I urge you to stick with Heirlooms as you can harvest the seeds and save them for next year.

Anne’s has a good explanation on how to save tomato seeds. It is worth taking a look at.

Side note: The government in England is trying to outlaw heirloom seeds. I guess the big seed corporations want to ensure people must buy from them every year because most of their seeds are sterile. I heard rumblings recently they want to do something like that in the US. It’s probably best if you begin to stock up now.

What about canning jars?

If you had to can all your own food how many jars would it take to feed your family for a year? I can remember growing up, my grandmothers spent hours canning. I can still see the rows and rows of filled jars of fruits and vegetables. Yet through the years, canning has been replaced by the convenience of canned goods from the grocery store. However, consider if you can’t purchase food at the store you’ll need to grow it and preserve it yourself. You will need hundreds of jars and lids. If you figure you need to open several jars for each meal…well you can do the math. Every family is different. But that’s a lot of jars…jars you will have trouble getting if stores are closed or supplies are gone. Pints, quarts and even half gallons are among our supplies.

What about lids?

Where canning jars can be reused, many lids cannot be. I found Tattler Reusable lids. http://www.reusablecanninglids.com/  We used them last year and found them to work really well. They are a bit pricey, but the ability to use them year after year is a plus. I am still buying some the tried and true lids. They are in my storage room also.

Don’t forget extra rings.

Through the years the rings will get rusty so it’s a good idea to have extra rings on hand as well.  They make a plastic lid for the jars you can use after opening that are easier than using the canning lids and rings. They are not expensive and much more convenient.

Wax will work

I can remember my mom using wax to seal preserves. You can still do this, but it is not popular according to the research I’ve done.  However, having wax around to make candles is a good idea.

I would consider purchasing some of all of the above as you can afford them. It is always better to be ahead of the crowds and better safe than sorry. I know this is a repeat, but I think this is important to consider and start purchasing.

It’s my hope you have a blessed week.

Off Grid Living Preparations

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Here is my list of recommended preparations for Off Grid living or just hard times ahead..There are so many things we can do or purchase that would make life easier if times get bad. I suggest you sit down and start a list. Here are some of mine.

1. Study and memorize Bible verses that will provide guidance and encouragement in days of struggle and hardship.                                                                                                   2. Learn who lives in your community that is like-minded and equally yoked with Jesus, so when times get bad you know who you can trust.                                                                                                                                     3. Start gardening, canning and food storage now.                                                                                                                                                  4. Canning. Purchase jars and lids. Tattler.com has reusable one. Purchase canning pots and cookers (pressure)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    5. Get a dehydrator and practice, so you can dry your own food. (Dried has a longer shelf   life.) Airtight containers will help with shelf life.                                                                                                                                                            6. Purchase packaged long-term food is desired.                                                                                                                                       7. Purchase Heirloom Seeds only. (Store in air tight cool dry place. They will store for several years though germination may be lower as time goes by.  These can be bartered later if needed.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   8. Learn how to harvest your own seeds and store them.                                                                                                                       9. Don’t forget toilet paper, feminine hygiene supplies, diapers, cleaning products, candles, matches, rags, etc.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      10. Clothesline and clothes pins.                                                                                                                                                                                                       11. Lye, laundry soap, bleach. (Learn how to make what you can.)                                                                                               12. Medical kit. Make sure you have aspirin, antibiotic ointment, silver/colloidal silver home processor, bandages, tape, sterile scissors, butterflies, gauze, cold/hot compresses, ace bandages, braces, cold, cough and allergy medicines, buy any prescription medications you take ahead if possible.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           13. Purchase a good book on Herbal remedies. Many old methods are as good and healthier than taking pills.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                14. Lip gloss, sunscreen, hand lotions, shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste. (Learn how to make these.)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      15. Razors and blades, eyeglasses, contacts and solutions                                                                                                                 16. Vitamins. (A good multi-vitamin is good if you aren’t eating a balance diet.)                                                     17. Drinking water…make sure you have a good kit to sterilize and filter water.                                                     18. Set up a greenhouse (if possible).                                                                                                                                                                                                19. Purchase a good set of knives and supplies for butchering.                                                                                                       20. Purchase a propane stove and extra propane and or a wood burning stove.                                                    21. Freezer bags and paper.                                                                                                                                                                                                                               22. Purchase “How to” books you think might be helpful. (Cooking, canning, baking, bread making, gardening, building, butchering, farming, back to basics, off grid).                                                                      23. Guns + ammo and bows + arrows for self-defense and hunting.                                                                                        24. Blankets, pillows, bedding.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  25. Extra winter gear. Coats, gloves, scarves, boots (Keep in mind growing children.)                                                 26. Survival gear. Tents, sleeping bags, canteens,lanterns, oil lamps, camp stove, batteries, tarp.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           27. Repair parts for car, trucks, machinery, wells and pumps.                                                                                                                                                         28. Topical and terrain maps of local area.                                                                                                                                                                                         29. 2-way radios. Possible Ham-radio(Short wave).                                                                                                                                                                                                            30. Sewing machine and supplies. needles, cloth, pins, zippers, buttons.                                                                                  31. Learn as much as you can about Solar, wind, hydro power for living off grid.                                                                            32. Gather family games, board games, cards and card games, volleyballs, footballs, baseballs, bats, bases, gloves.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    33. Start a library. fiction and non-fiction, DVDs.

If you have any more items I missed, please let everyone know.

In the next weeks, I will begin giving you websites you can check out to help you with Off Grid living. There are many really good one that provide lots of great preparation ideas and help.

Homemade Mosquito Traps and Repellents

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Please note, these are not my ideas. I saw them on facebook and decided they were worth passing on. I would give credit to the author if I knew who it was.

HOMEMADE MOSQUITO TRAP


Items needed:
1 cup of water           1/4 cup brown sugar                               1 gram of yeast          1  2-liter bottle

HOW:

1. Cut the plastic bottle in half.
2. Mix brown sugar with hot water. Let cool. When cold, pour in the bottom half of the bottle.
3. Add the yeast. No need to mix. It creates carbon dioxide, which attracts mosquitoes.     4. Place the funnel part, upside down, into the other half of the bottle, taping them together if desired.                                                                                                                                5. Wrap the bottle with something black, leaving the top uncovered, and place it outside in an area away from your normal gathering area. (Mosquitoes are also drawn to the color black.)

Change the solution every 2 weeks for continuous control.


Natural Repellent    

A natural repellent…slice a lime in half and put cloves into it. Place them around your table or patio. 

 

If you have any other ideas along these lines, please pass them along and I will post them also.

Flee to Jesus

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When times get hard and we are suffering, we have two choices…blame or Flee to Jesus/God. I remember a time in my life (fifteen years ago) when we lost our business and our home. I felt in my heart of hearts, God could have turned things around. Yet, he did not. I was angry. I blamed God. In the middle of this awful time in my life instead of running to the arms of my Lord I ran from Him. It took two or three months before I took a serious look at everything that happened. I began to see those things I had control over and those I did not. I realized I had some responsibility in the down fall of the business, but even more I did not. In those dark hours as I struggled to understand, I began to see God loves me too much to cause me this great pain. He suffered with me as I cried and tried to comfort me. It took time for me to grasp the idea, He now had a new plan and I’d have to choose which way to go…my own way or fall into step with Him.

It’s very common for people…believers and unbelievers to blame God when something bad happens. Especially in the death of a child or loved one, it’s commonplace for people to believe God’s responsible. I would encourage you to consider the following. We know the character of God is love. Even in our narrow view of love, we know love always wants the best for us. It looks out for us, cares for us, holds us near its heart, protects us where it can and on and on. Yet, in times of trouble, it is so easy to forget God’s love for us and that He wants only good things for us. My question is why do we blame God? Is it because we’ve been conditioned to believe He controls everything? Therefore, He could and should stop whatever bad thing comes our way? If that’s the case, why did God give us free will? Why give us a mind to reason out decisions?  If God controls everything…we are robots. We are not. Men and women were made in God’s image (likeness). So what is his image? He creates, he reasons, he makes decisions, he learns (well as much as the creator of heaven and earth has to learn), he teaches, he has emotions and much more. We are like Him. But we have one more thing…dominion.

Genesis 1:26-30 (NKJV) 26 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” 27 So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 29 And God said, “See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of all the earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed; to you it shall be for food. 30 Also, to every beast of the earth, to every bird of the air, and to everything that creeps on the earth, in which there is life, I have given every green herb for food”; and it was so.

God gave man dominion over the earth. This means we are in charge of the earth and our lives here. God can and will help, but God delegated authority to us. He will not violate our free will.  He will take bad things and help turn them around. He will warn us if we are the verge of a bad decision or something is going to happen. If others sins against us, He encourages us to forgive. If we sin against another we are asked to repent because sin never affects just us.

Romans 8:28 (NKJV) 28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

I say all of this to remind us that we can look to Jesus and run to him when evil abounds in the world. As times get bad, as suffering and pain fill our hearts, we can flee to Jesus. His love is boundless. He will never leave or forsake us. We can count on Him.

Prepare Your Heart – Part 2

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Writing about preparing your heart for hard times ahead can bring disagreement between Christian groups as well as unbelievers. Some of us think self-defense and preparation will be necessary. Others trust God will provide all our needs. The first group believes we must defend ourselves and many in the latter group promote peace at all cost even unto death.

I have confidence Jesus expects us to prepare for these dark days. The following are examples of God warning his people and telling them to get ready.

  1. God had Noah build the ark in preparation of the flood.
  2. He sent Joseph to Egypt. When the forewarning of a famine came, Joseph stored food for seven years so there would be enough.  When the drought came upon the land Joseph’s family was saved as well as all of Egypt.
  3. Revelation was written to warn of evil times ahead and the call to return to God. I do not know if we are actually getting close to the end. But evil is growing.

I am in ‘the prepare your heart’ group. I believe Jesus gives us the right and obligation to defend ourselves and our families because the time will come we will be persecuted.

Luke 22:35-38 (NKJV)
35 And He said to them, “When I sent you without money bag, knapsack, and sandals, did you lack anything?” So they said, “Nothing.”
36 Then He said to them, “But now, he who has a money bag, let him take it, and likewise a knapsack; and he who has no sword, let him sell his garment and buy one.
37 For I say to you that this which is written must still be accomplished in Me: ‘And He was numbered with the transgressors.’ For the things concerning Me have an end.”
38 So they said, “Lord, look, here are two swords.” And He said to them, “It is enough.”
John 15:20 (NKJV)
20 Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also.

Jesus makes it clear…people persecuted Him and considered him an outlaw. He implies the same will happen to his followers. So, He tells his disciples, if you don’t own a sword, go buy one. I interpret this to mean we have the right and obligation to defend ourselves and above all our children.

In our society, negative feelings about faith and Christianity in particular are common. There is a deliberate effort to remove any mention of God, Jesus or faith from our government, schools and workplaces. In our universities, people of faith are ridiculed and belittled by zealous professors and students. Young children cannot wear any clothing to school that speaks of Christian faith without being asked to remove it. Any time we disagree with the prevailing opinion of the media or politically correct, we are mocked.

My heart aches even considering what is ahead, what could happen. I’m certain many struggle with this. However, it’s important to settle what you’ll do and how you’ll react now. Here are some questions to consider.

    1.  What do you believe and going to do when faced with situations out of your control?  Food and fuel shortages, possible bank closures…you get the picture.
    2. Would you pull the trigger and shoot someone who tries to steal from you or kill you for your supplies. (If any of this happens, people will become distressed. Desperate people will steal, hurt or killing others to provide for themselves and their families.)
    3. Do you have like-minded friends or family you can band together with in hard times? People who are willing to defend you if need be?
    4. Have you resolved your potential actions with your faith?

 

When asked ‘What would Jesus do?’ by a sister in the Lord,I had to search my heart. I accept: Jesus loves us and died for us (for everyone). He wants us to live long and happy lives free from worry. He taught we should be giving and share with others. We are the light of the world. Yet, He also warned us the days would become evil and dark. He warned us we would be persecuted. He told us parents would turn against children and children against parents. Nothing could be more heart breaking. And He told us to buy protection.

This brings us back to the beginning. Is your heart prepared to protect and defend your family? Do you have the food and shelter needed to survive if chaos reigns? Jesus died for me…protecting me from eternal death. Should I do any less to protect and defend my family? Should you?

None of this is easy to contemplate. No one wants to consider how far our nation will have to fall to bring us to this kind of chaos. The fact is I’m not sure I could pull the trigger and shoot someone. This is why I’m writing about this now. I’m preparing my own heart.

 

Have the Hard Times Begun with the Terrorist Attack in Boston?

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With great sadness we received the news of the terrorist attack in Boston yesterday. (We are praying for those involved.) Is this a sign the hard times have already begun? For twelve years we have been fortunate enough to catch would be attackers before they struck. Hearing about those arrests, we should have known it was only a matter of time before one was successful.

Where you surprised by the bombings? I wasn’t nor was my husband. We’ve been expecting something like this for some time. Though we don’t know who did this yet, I have to wonder if they came through our open borders.

I don’t believe there is any way to reason with these kinds of people. They simply shut out the voices of logic. People with hate in their hearts don’t just give up and go away. Hate eats at their soul like a cancer consuming their compassion and rationality.

It’s difficult for me to understand this kind of insanity. To plan an attack like this or to jump for joy at the pain and suffering of others whether I know them or not is unthinkable. Yet, a great many people are doing that now in foreign countries and even here in the US.

If we help them they hate us. If we don’t help them they hate us. We can’t win for losing. It’s baffling.

I’m concerned this is just the beginning. Now that one strike has been a success, will more follow suit? People like this will be encouraged by this horror and others will want to create their own claim to fame.

The shootings and knifing at movie theaters, schools and other public places are equally bad. Each person was playing a game trying to rack up the winning score.  Mental illness is on the rise. Instead of addressing that issue, our government wants to limit our means of protecting ourselves. Again, I’m baffled.

Is there no one with common sense anymore? Is there anyone with wisdom and understanding who can step up and give us hope? I’ve been expecting hard times for a long time. I didn’t expect it to begin this way, but I believe evil is on the rise. That said, I’m not sure this is the beginning, but I believe we are getting close.

Are you ready for the increase in evil in our country…in our world? Are you ready for a major event affecting food chain supplies, fuel supplies and other day-to-day needs? Are you prepared spiritually for what’s ahead? I know we’re not. But I believe we must step up our preparations and get ready now.

Prepare Your Heart

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Is your heart prepared to protect family and home when chaos hits our country? We are Preppers because we believe hardship will come to the United States and we want to be prepared for it. Whether a natural or man-made disaster will not matter, the time may come you will have to defend what is yours. You need to prepare your heart now.

It is just as important or more so, to prepare your heart as well as stock pile supplies. You need to think through how you will react when the unthinkable happens. People who are preparing usually have all the bases covered. Food, seeds, gardening tools, canning jars, lids, medical supplies, you name it and we’re collecting it. Many have gone back to basics becoming or are self-reliant. But I would venture to say, not many have thought about actually defending themselves or their family. I’m sure most of you have guns and ammo, but having them and using them are very different things.

In all your preparations for difficult times ahead, how much have you prepared your heart? What happens when your neighbor comes to take what he can at gun point? Or a stranger? How do you deal with the idea of shooting someone to prevent them from killing you and taking your food stocks? If they ask nicely would it make a difference? What about the family members you warned numerous times? The ones who thought you were crazy. What do you do about them?

What if all the stores close down? Now you are dependent on what you have stored along with what you can grow? Will you share?  What are you going to do to protect yourself and your family? Can you protect them?

Do you have a circle of family or friends who are like-minded and can band together with you? If you do, can you trust them with your life?

No one wants to think about these things. In a recent conversation, my husband was put on the spot when another man asked him if he would actually shoot someone who came to steal from him. His answer was yes. The other man was shocked. This was his response.

“The Bible tells me I’m responsible for my family first. So if I have excess, I will share. However, if what I have is all I’ll be able to get, I’d have to say no. If they would not take no for an answer, I’d have to defend myself and my family. Our survival might depend on it.”

I have written Flee to the Mountain a Christian fiction story about the Hamilton family. They establish a community filled with like-minded people who see difficult times ahead and prepare for them. They establish a small ranch completely self-sufficient and off grid. They prepare their hearts for the evil ahead through Bible study and discussion well ahead of time. When chaos reigns and terrorist strike, they are prepared to survive.

Right now, this seems extreme, but it would not take much for it to become reality. All of the questions raised above need to be settled in your heart (and your spouse’s) before the situation arises. It is especially important where family is involved. These are life and death decisions. Your survival and that of your family might come down to the determinations you make now. You are preparing because you believe something is on the horizon.  I urge you to at least consider your options and discuss them with your loved ones. Don’t wait until a split second decision might put you or a loved one in grave danger. Begin to prepare your heart today.

 

 

Are You Wealthy?

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Being rich or wealthy is usually equated with money. However, money is not the greatest wealth we can achieve today. There are many people who are rich in money and poor in relationships, family, morals, and much more that affect our success in life.

In a recent conversation with a friend, he said many think my husband and I are wealthy. I knew he meant in money when I laughed. No, we are not rich in money…far from it. Yet, as I thought about it, I realized we are very wealthy in everything that really matters in life. We have a great marriage of nearly forty years…as best friends and lovers. We have family and extended family who love us and who bring us great joy…children and grandchildren who make life interesting, fulfilling and meaningful. We have friends who hold us accountable for walking the Christian life. We have co-workers who support us, encourage us and hold us to a high standard of excellence.  We have faith in Jesus that brings it all together in new life, love and peace with our creator.

Money is amoral. It is neither good nor bad. What we do with it makes the difference. The choices we make in life are very different. It seems the more we give of ourselves, the richer we become.

I heard once of a Love Bank. It is an imaginary box that is filled as we are kind and loving toward others, helping or listening to them. It is reverse of a regular bank. In a depository, the more you put in the richer you become. In the Love Bank, the more you give away, the richer you become. Of course, this is not popular in our culture.  The philosophy of today is one of ‘give me’ or ‘what are you going to do for me?’ As a whole this is bankrupting our nation both monetarily and spiritually. It threatening our way of life.

It is time people wake up and open their eyes. As we prepare for the hard times ahead, we must learn to share, support and encourage one another. It is not all about me or you. I do not believe in collective salvation…we individually stand before God to account for our lives. Yet, we must have a community of like-minded people who we can count on and who can count on us in the coming days. I encourage you to establish your own Love Bank and find a circle of family or friends who will stand with you in the coming days.

Easter

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Easter brings great joy! Jesus paid the ultimate price. Through His blood my sins have been forgiven and my debt has been paid. Jesus is alive, raised from the dead and He raises me to new life also. Now I have peace with God and He is my Father. Joy unspeakable joy!

What does Easter mean to you? Does it make you reflect on your life? Does it ask the question…how many of your sins did Jesus die for? Of course we all know He died for all our sins. But do we really acknowledge each time we sin, Jesus suffered for that particular sin? And if we accept Jesus died for our sin, why do we continue in our wickedness?

As we grow in our faith in Jesus Christ, as we learn His ways…God’s ways, we are called to live holy and righteous lives. We have been invited by Jesus to share in his suffering and death by the renewal of our hearts and minds through the new birth…our new life in Christ. Our old disobedient stony heart is replaced with a new heart and a new desire to please God. Peace between God and man is restored. God becomes our Father as we are adopted into His family and becoming his children.

The entire message of the cross is one of sin, punishment and death. Yet with the resurrection, we add healing, liberty from sin and eternal life to the work Jesus accomplished.  To be clear, Jesus one who had no sin, who lived a holy and righteous life, took our sin and suffered our punishment and death. (Death meaning total separation from God.) While Jesus was dead, He broke the chains of sin and death before bringing forth new life when God raised Him from the dead.  Now we are dead to sin and alive to God. The disobedience of man in the Garden of Eden brought guilt, shame and death to all people. With the work Jesus has done, we are raised to new life through faith.

For me, Jesus Christ is the savior of the world…my Savior, my Lord, and my King. He took my sin, my punishment and my death. He has given me a new life, a new heart and a new desire to walk in righteousness and holiness, not in my power and strength, but through His. It is my hope to be His hands and feet on this earth. I long to be a true witness of God’s love to all I meet. Our entire life on this earth is one of preparation…preparing to meet God upon our natural death. Will we live with God in heaven for eternity or will we die in permanent separation from God forever?

As you think about Easter this weekend, consider how Jesus and his life, death and resurrection have affected you.  If you have accepted Jesus as Savior, is your life different? If not, why not? I challenge you to step out in faith and be a light in our dark world…a light shining for Jesus. If you don’t know Jesus, I would urge you to learn of Him. He is the greatest gift the world has ever known. All you have to do is receive Him, learn of Him and your life will never be the same again.

Encouragement

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Encouragement is important to everyone and we need to be doing more of it. From the time we are small until our dying day, encouragement is something we all need. I remember encouraging my children to walk. Every small step brought a smile and great delight. As they grew, I tried to inspire them in their studies, urging them to do their very best in everything they do and shared my great pride in them. All of this conveyed my pleasure in their successes. Yet, even more important are the times of failure. When things didn’t go as they planned or they didn’t get the grade, job, or success they wanted, again we cheered them on to try again. We all have successes and failures in our life. The important issue is what we learn from the life’s lesson.

Believers in God/Jesus, we have an added calling to uplift people and encourage them no matter what the outcome. There are too many negative voices in our world that hurt people. We need to learn to balance the negative in our world with our positive encouragement. We should never be accused of tearing someone down. (This is usually an off shoot of gossip and should be avoided.) We need to be known as people who build others up.

1 Corinthians 14:12 (NKJV)
12 Even so you, since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, let it be for the edification (encouragement) of the church that you seek to excel.

In closing, I challenge you in your Christian walk to inspire, hearten, cheer, reassure, boost, raise the spirits, give confidence and support those around you. By assisting, helping and fostering those we come in contact with, we share the love of Jesus. We are called to be a peculiar people…different than the world. What better way to do so than being the voice of hope and light in our dark and evil world.