One less bad habit and a bag of beans.



Ok, so here's the deal.  I really don't like writing about stuff that is going to make people think that I am crazy, weird or over the top.  It was really hard to hit the "publish" button on this one.  This is information that I am really passionate about and that I feel like everyone needs to know about, whether you agree with me or not.  I don't think for a second that I am delivering this news as NEWS to any of you, but hope to catch the attention of even one person who is in the dark.  Or...I might just bore you to death.

Some of you may be aware of the current state of our economy.  We are 15 trillion dollars in debt with no end in sight.  Unemployment is out of control and the housing market is in the dumps.  Some of you reading this may know all the facts.  Some of you don't really care about the politics of it, but know that your grocery budget has been going up and up.  Some of you think that you know all the facts, but are being manipulated by the media.  Wherever you are on this, please be rational and educate yourselves so that you can make the best decision for yourself, your family, your nation. 

So what does this mean for you?  Well, I could go on and on and put a bunch of quotes and statistics on here, but I'm not going to do that.  The reason I am not going to do this is because I don't want to take the time to do something that won't make one bit of difference.  I also don't want to tell you where to get this information because it's something that you have to find out for yourself.  I also don't want to deal with people making rude comments and calling me names :).  If you want the information, go and get it.  Let me give you some advice first.  Don't believe only one source.  The media tends to portray things with a certain slant, so make sure that you are getting your information from more than one point of view so that you may find the TRUTH.  I don't think that there is a person reading this that doesn't see some of the warning signs, ok, the flashing red lights that are saying "WAKE UP AMERICA, WE'RE HEADED DOWN THE WRONG PATH!!!!!!".

I believe that we are heading for some very difficult economic times.  Here in America we find it hard to believe that we could ever find ourselves in poverty or even worse in a position where there were food shortages, inflation and a dollar bill that was completely worthless.  I believe that this is a very possible scenario.  The Federal Reserve has been printing money left and right in order to bail out banks and falsely prop up our economy.  In doing so, they are flooding the economy with money, which in turn causes inflation.  You would be completely blind if you hadn't noticed that the price of things has been going up lately.  Well, imagine it just keeps happening...well, it will unless the Federal Reserve stops what they are doing.  Do you see that happening?  I don't. 

This is where you, the people come in to play.  If you continue to vote in a President that is not doing what he promises and is only interested in maintaining the status quo, the American people are going to continue to suffer.  I understand that many of us feel like we are picking the lesser of two evils when it comes to voting for our next President.  It's a tough situation, but let me just say that if we vote for someone that is against our priniciples what do we have left?  We can't give up on our principles.  In all honesty, I don't think that the next President is going to have much of an opportunity to turn things around before the economy takes a nose dive.  I believe we have run out of time, however the work still needs to be done so that the hard times can evolve into something even better for the USA.

We can change things around. It's going to be tough, it's going to take time, but it's well worth it. I don't believe that government is the answer. It's part of the answer, but a very small part. The answer is us. We must educate ourselves about what is going on and become people of merit. People that can stand together, no matter what our beliefs are. We must stand for the same principles and have integrity, honor, humility, honesty and courage. Now I know this isn't simple, because I am far from having all of those characteristics and I mess up all the time. Striving to obtain those characteristics WILL effect change in those around us, it REALLY will. We must be the example to others around us. I am sure all of us can think of someone who fits that bill. Haven't you always wanted to be more like that person? Haven't you?  I think it's time we stop focusing on eachother's differences and start focusing on a common goal.  We have to stop waiting for someone to come and save the United States from the pit that we are in.  It's OUR responsibility, not the government's.  I am sick and tired of waiting.

I know that I am shooting for the stars here.  Believe me, I sound ridiculous to myself most of the time too.  But, here's the deal.  I have to tell you that I believe hard times are coming and that you should be prepared.  You should be storing food, water and any other essentials that you find pertinent for your family.  If you can't afford it now, find a way.  Try and imagine affording it a year from now when things may cost much more.  Also, please, please prepare yourself spiritually, emotionally and mentally.  The people around you will need you to be a beacon, a light to those during hard times.  If you aren't spiritually prepared for the hard economic times that I believe are coming, you will not be able to be used for His purpose.  Believer or not, we can all make the choice to prepare ourselves so that we are in a better position to help others.

There is always something that you can do to better prepare yourselves.  A few extra cans of soup is better than nothing, although I encourage you to do much, much more.  If I am wrong, the worst that can happen is you will have some extra food on hand.  I can't imagine that any of you would want your family or friends to be in a position where there isn't enough money to eat through the month.  Some of you may be in that position already.  There is a lot of good information out there on food storage, dig as deep as you want.  If you aren't committed, but you think there might be some hard times coming, at least stock up on some basics like rice, wheat, beans and canned goods. 

I think we are in trouble.  But, this doesn't mean it's all bad.  I think that with the trials can come greatness, perseverance and change.  Changes need to be made and if this is what has to happen in order for changes to come, we need to prepare ourselves as best we can.  Since I feel like I just put a big cloud over your head, here is an encouraging verse that gives me assurance when I start to worry.  "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1).

So I guess what I just wrote about was how the government totally sucks right now, the economy is going down the tubes along with our humanity and we need to do something about it and also stock up on food just in case.  I should have just written that....oh well, it's already done.

Please don't write me off as crazy.  At least consider/ponder/pray on what I have said.  Some of you out there know all of this already.  Maybe you have already started preparing.  Some think I am causing unncessary panic.  I hope you're right.  But what if I'm right?  When I say "I", that opinion is based on those who I choose to go to in order to find the FACTS and the TRUTH.  Please do not listen to anything this is not FACT and TRUTH.  By NO stretch of the imagination am I educated on politics and economics, but I know the facts and the truth when I see it.  It doesn't take much to see what is happening and what is coming.  No one on earth knows when, nor the severity.  And don't forget, with the bad can always come good if we let it.  Come on people!!  Let's change America with one less bad habit and a bag of beans!  Good luck and God bless.

It is what it is.

This really is my favorite saying.  I can't even begin to tell you how many times I've said it.  I don't like to beat around the bush or candy coat things for the most part.  It just is what it is.  Isn't that life?  Sometimes I get caught in this trap of thinking that my problems are bigger than anyone else's.  That what is going on in my life must be more dramatic than other people's.  I think most of us get caught in this frame of mind from time to time.  Most of us realize that we don't have it worse off than everyone and that our problems don't trump everyone else's.  Some of us don't.

I've wondered to myself why I got handed the cards that I did.  Not because I don't like the cards, but because sometimes I wish I had a different hand.  Why do I do that?  Is it because the hand I was dealt was so crappy?  Do I really have good reason to feel this way?  It's at times like these that I really sit back and evaluate my life. 

What would it take for us to be content, happy?  Would our circumstances have to perfect?  I think that is the trap.  Whenever I find myself wishing for something more or for different circumstances, it's because everything in my life isn't exactly perfect...and easy.  No one ever said it was going to be easy.  And as certain as that, no one ever said it was going to be perfect.  PERFECT.  Hmmmm, that word brings only one person to mind.  Jesus.

Jesus is and will be the only perfect human being to walk this earth.  We cannot compare ourselves to Him when it comes to our own attempts at perfection.  We can only hope to attain a portion of what Jesus did.  And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God."  Luke 16:15

WHOA!  Hold the phone!  What are you exalting?  Is it your self pity?  Your self righteousness?  Your bitterness?  Are you upset because you can't buy what you want?  What is it?  I know I've been there.  I struggle with this too people.  Think about it.

We are a society that is hell bent on accumulating stuff and portraying ourselves in a unrealistic way.  We feel that need to get more, buy more, have more than the next person or we just don't quite feel....American, accepted, good enough, cool, whatever it is.  We feel ashamed to admit that we can't buy something because we don't have enough money.  Not having enough money would be like admitting failure.  But why?  Doesn't this have something to do with not being humble?  Oh believe me people, I totally relate to this.  It's hard to tell someone that you are broke or that you can't go do something because you don't have the money.  It's shameful, but why?  In the same way, we feel like we must portray our relationships as perfect, or at least better than what they really are.  We feel like our kids need to be the smartest or at least the best at something.  Jesus says this:

But He gives a greater grace. Therefore it says, "God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble."  James 4:6

Through our humility we will recieve God's grace.  If we are not humble, God himself tells us that he will oppose us.  Where is the pride in your life?  Where do you need to let go and humble yourself? 

So many of us have much more than we need.  There are many others around us who don't.  Perhaps if we haven't already we should look to give our surplus to others and be the blessing that we were made to be.  Even if you don't believe in God, you know that giving of yourself and your possessions to others is something that us humans get great pleasure from. 

Many times the trials of our lives include our kids, our marriage, our family, etc.  We compare our own to someone else who seems to have it so much better.  The life you have is yours.  Accept it, own it, find something to be thankful for.  Be the change that you want to see in your marriage, at your workplace or your church.  And never forget those that God has set before you as an example of thankfullness.  We all have or have had those people in our lives that make us thankful for our own health or happiness.  There is always someone who has it worse off than you do.  Help them instead of focusing on what you don't have or what you wish you had.  Or honor their memory by choosing to look ahead instead of back.  "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15

Ya know, life really is just what it is.  Be thankful, keep your focus and have a giving heart.  I'm sure gonna try.  Cuz ya know what?  I have an abundance of things and people to be extremely thankful for.