Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #180
Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #180. It's great to have you with us. Welcome all the new Patriots jumping aboard to get prepared. It is great having all of you visit but especially encouraging when California, Delaware, Rhode Island, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Washington, and Oregon pop up as the location of the visiting guest. This is a good sign, I hope.
What a great week it has been. We look around and see so much depressing and negative news around us and it's getting worse. Right? Change it. Fix it. You control your own personal remote control. Turn the channel or better yet turn it off. Get out and do things you enjoy. Find people you like to be around. Force yourself to talk about something other than politics and Washington, D.C. Control the narrative and stop letting it control you. Give yourself a break as needed. You will find it rewarding.
It was a great week because we got to spend lots of time with fellow Patriots which always makes it a great week for me. We spent five days in Huntsville to start the week and then journeyed to the mountain to have dinner with Festus and Mrs. Festus. While in Huntsville, I had the opportunity to be the guest speaker at the monthly NARPNet meeting on Saturday. You can read more on this below under my thoughts for the week. I appreciate the NARPNet host for the invite and opportunity to talk preparedness with the group. It was great to see HFS Patriots attending the event.
A couple HFS Patriot sisters hosted a get together lunch rally after the NARPNet meeting in the morning. Yes, it is always great to break bread together, but these opportunities to spend time together and bond is priceless. Group conversations and even small group conversations taking place is important and great opportunities to learn, share, build, and plan. If you have the opportunity to do so, please do it. Thanks to the HFS Patriots who could attend this event. It was great to see you again.
While in Huntsville, Ms. Lucy and I had the opportunity to share time and dinner with two special HFS Patriots. It was so good to see you and spend time together. I know you continue struggling with health-related issues but witnessing your faith so strong and your will power equally strong, you are a true testament to others. Our prayers remain with you. Stay strong and keep the faith.
We had the opportunity during our journey home to East TN to cross the mountain and spend time with Festus and Mrs. Festus. It was GREAT to see both of them, share a good meal, have some laughs and shed a few tears of joy. Sometimes we get caught up in our earthly dwellings and responsibilities, but we need to pinch ourselves or tie a ribbon on our finger to remind ourselves to say a big "thank you" to God for all the blessings around us. Many parents and grandparents get tied down daily running here and running there with children and grandchildren, doing clubs, events, practice and as athletic supporters. Hopefully you are able to see the positives vs the time consumption of your task. It is the same with preparedness. Even when I spend time with fellow Patriots talking preparedness, I equally value the time to have personal conversations about life. It is important.
None of us like or enjoy what we are witnessing in our nation and world today. It is changing faster than the national debt clock. I also believe we are all here for a reason and our paths crossed for a reason. Do you? If you are a person of faith, you understand each day is according to God's plan and we all are here for it. God is not through with our nation, and he is not through with us. The question is what are we going to do about it?
I want to thank everyone who purchased books and HFS Digital Sticks this past week. It is greatly appreciated.
Survival Kit - It is very important that we each put together a personal survival kit. Because of age and need, what we identify to go in our kit may be different. Even when the stress level increases and threats loom around us, we must ensure we have something available to help us survive. For me, I choose this No 10 can (6 lb 9 oz) of sausage gravy equipped with a survival straw. When times are rough and events prevent me from being able to cook or heat it, I can use my personal gravy life straw to get my much-needed fix. What is your "must have" survival resource?
Actually, my Patriot brother in Huntsville, AL, gifted me this gold mine of must have survival need, along with some very kind words. I truly appreciate your thoughtfulness and even more so your very kind words to me. Because I know you and know the man that you are, I know your comments came from your heart. Thank you very much.
A trip to Huntsville is always better when I get to see and chat with you at some point. By the way, this can of gravy is so heavy I could drop it from a tree as a weapon. It gives an entirely new meaning to squirrel and gravy for breakfast. (smile) Lighten up!
Thanks again my brother. Appreciate it.
HFS 3rd Annual Autumn Rally in Waynesville, NC - October 22nd, 2022 - More information will be posted on this event in the future.
HFS Thursday Zoom - There was no event this week
Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:
Facebook – Hope for Survival
YouTube Channel – Hope for Survival
MeWe: - //mewe.com/p/hopeforsurvival2
Odysee - Hope for Survival (odysee.com)
Parler - Preparedness101
Check out the HFS YouTube video at the following link. Hope For Survival - YouTube The latest YouTube video dated Sept 15, 2022 titled Warrior Mindset with author John Dyslin. This is part 3 of the Nehemiah Strong series. https://youtu.be/ocCkxVq8iEE
Connect and give me a shout. Share with family and friends.
Guest and Newcomers
If you are a guest or newcomer to the HFS journey, please check out this link for additional
information offered through HFS. https://www.hopeforsurvival.com/post/guest-and-newcomers-information-page
Hope for Survival books and HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents -: You can obtain information on the two HFS books at this link: Survival, Preparedness, Disaster Management for individuals or family (hopeforsurvival.com)
Hope for Survival - How Food, Water, Shelter, and Security Could Save Your Life (Book 1)
Hope for Survival - The Mindset (Book 2)
HFS Thumb Drive for Emergency Documents - We just restocked the HFS Thumb drive and have them available now. Follow this link and you will see the add at the top of the page. Blog | Survival (hopeforsurvival.com)
We must make this brief public announcement to protect the innocent.
Ding, Ding, Ding....Attention HFS readers..... Opinions shared in this newsletter are just that, opinions, and nothing more. Read at your own risk. The owner and author of this site is not responsible for hurt feelings or thin-skinned readers. I do my best to show restraint and respect to the best extent possible. I take as many precautions as possible and try to remain as nonpolitical as possible, however, there are times when I just can't help but point certain things out. Occasionally I use words only Patriots recognize and understand. It's not personal against any non-Patriot. It's just the truth. Sometimes we must pull up our spenders and suck it up. Just saying. Stay the course, read what you want, and avoid the rest. Avoid fear porn as much as possible and the day will be okay. When all else fails… Keep the faith and always have Hope.
Let’s move along and get to some thoughts...
Thoughts for the week -
Calling all Patriots -
If you are a true American Patriot, a real American who lives and believes in a Constitution and Justice System (as originally established), one who believes in "We the People" regardless of political alignment, skin color, and social status, I challenge you to take 140 minutes from your day and watch this video. I have asked the question from Jan 7, 2021, why do we see no elected officials, either party, standing and defending the rights of the Jan 6, 2021, American citizens who are being denied their Constitutional Rights to proper representation and a fair and speed trial? Intruders crossing our borders are treated with more respect and given better rights as non-citizens. Those who broke the law should be afforded a speedy trial and punished fairly. This is not the case. Set aside your existing beliefs of Jan 6 and watch this video. You won't regret it. What Really happened on January 6th? (rumble.com) (Thanks Festus for sharing this video to me)
I have asked the question until I'm blue in the face, where are the elected leaders who campaign and make promises to fix the system and right the ship back on course. Where are they? Oh, that's right, they are playing by the rules and refusing to ruffle feathers. Nothing. Crickets. Silence. Millions continue to focus on orange man bad. While waiting on the magic rabbit to pop from the Q Annon hat, I include orange man bad in the same question. Some will tell me he doesn't want to get in the spotlight or give political cause to have the left come for him. WHAT!!!Are you kidding me? Nothing has ever stopped the man from stepping up and stating his feelings on any topic. He has and continues collecting millions of campaign dollars yet has not stated if he will run for office in 2024. Most, if not all, of the Jan 6 Patriots still being held went to Washington DC to support Orange Man Bad. They are now locked up and orange man bad is silent. He has stated numerous times he ran for office in 2016 and 2020 for the people. He stated he would be a voice for the millions of frustrated Americans trying to save the nation. And he was the voice, and he did speak out. Sometimes too much. But, for a man who never hesitated to state his opinion, why is he NOT speaking out to defend the Jan 6, Patriots? They would have walked through fire on his command.
If you watched the video above, a majority of Jan 6 Patriots tried to stop others from damaging property or entering the capitol. And truthfully, that is not really my point. These Patriots traveled from every state to show support for Orange Man Bad. These Patriots, like any liberal supporting their own candidate and function, are afforded their freedom of speech and rights to a speedy trial. Crickets. Nothing. No one. No one is asking while these Patriots are rotting away. Oh, maybe that is because they all signed and supported the Patriot Act giving the government to pick up and hold identified domestic threats. That could be you, me, and any other American loving Patriot. You see, you are no longer authorized to decide what you love and how you will support it. Still don't believe it? Still wavering on the fence on which way to fall? Listen to this link fully. Listen to mainstream voices of Bongino, Waters, and Carlson, in this clip. The Communist Left & the UniParty is Gutting Our Republic & Doesn't Care What We Think or Do - Kinetic Action is Close | The Hagmann Report ( FULL SHOW) 9/13/2022 » The Hagmann Report
I want you to think about this. Watching it from your living room television or hearing it explained by your neighbor, is one thing. This could be you, your spouse, a parent, or your child. Are you still on the fence? No access, unable to afford proper legal representation, poorly fed, unhealthy living conditions.....shall we continue? These are Americans and no one is speaking out for them. Who will speak out for you?
HSF has been calling out and warning those who will listen for years. Crazy stuff. Insane things that would be coming in the future. Transhumanism. Bartering. Human Chips. Global Brain. Digital control and tracking of humans. Re-education camps. One World Government and Agenda 2030. Crazy stuff. It's so crazy it is coming true. Reality. Many believed our words to be far-fetched and crazy, ten years ago. Conspiracy and fear porn. We heard "You should not say this stuff because it scares people." Ten years ago, I could understand it. Today, I have to laugh. I'm not trying to scare you. I'm trying to wake you up. Much of what you will hear in this video may be new to you. It is not new to Festus and me. Check this out to get a better picture. If you are fragile, put on your seat belt. 146 More 'Vaccines' in Development, More 'Sudden' Deaths Coming & Transhumanism | Dr. Sherri Tenpenny with Doug Hagmann | The Hagmann Report 9/15/20222 » The Hagmann Report
For Festus and I, much of this is simply validation to what we detected years ago. Get prepared and get ready. Spiritually, psychologically, and physically. Soon we will likely not be available to beat the drum and warn others. We will be silenced. Or will we?
Next .....
Thought from the mountain………by Festus
As you read this you may think this is a Bible study. You would be correct in that I read something and then try to apply it to my life, family, local community. You know………..the five mile radius. I do the same thing with articles and research that I do. So stay with me and let’s look at the next couple of months.
A lot of folks look at the books of Daniel and Revelation in the Bible for discussions about the end times and indicators of the second coming of Jesus Christ and what our world will be like until then. There is a lot of information in those books and many hours of study can yield valuable results in our personal walks in faith and preparation.
Today though I will draw your attention to the book of Hosea, first several verses of chapter 4. I typically use the NIV translation of the Bible so the verbiage in your Bible may be different.
In verse 1……”there is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land.” I think that accurately describes our country and the world in general today.
Verse 2…….”There is only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed.” Again, pretty accurately describes our world today. All bounds of traditional faith, ethics, justice, constitutional law, and morality have been broken by many and mostly without penalty.
These two verses describe the uniparty controlling the country today. People will say there are differences between Democrats and Republicans but are the differences really that much separated from each other? Both political parties spend heavily, give lip service and supposed outrage to what the other party is doing but at the end of the day does anything really change? The government keeps getting bigger, creates more fear in the citizenry, taxes more heavily, takes more constitutional protections away, etc.
Verse 3……”Because of this the land mourns, and all who live in it waste away: the beasts of the field and the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying.” People are slowly wasting away, whether they realize it or not. In general, people cannot think critically about things like previous generations did. We have mega-droughts; food shortages due to severe drought and also man-made problems like materials shortages due to production cutbacks and/or distribution reductions (think fertilizer or energy), a wave of food production and storage facility fires, corporate control of productive land, seed; livestock reductions due to lack of food and water, etc; financial havoc hitting people from all sides (think inflation, job losses, debt loads, etc). And I would also say a drought of faith which can result in a loss of hope.
Verse 4……”you stumble day and night, and the prophets stumble with you”. Maybe this is saying that people in general, church leaders, and also government leaders are all in the same condition…..the blind leading the blind. Government is corrupt and churches are dying due to lack of real leadership and responsibility. They seem to be more concerned about money and power than ideals and convictions. Think about it.
Verse 5…..”my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge”. We are at war whether we realize it or not and so far we are pretty much being defeated. Fear is being used as a powerful tool to manipulate and control people (think the last two years of Covid). Looks like food and energy are the next weapons to be used. If nothing changes in the progression, we will be destroyed.
Verse 6. 7,8, 9………..talks more about leaders selling out and using the weakness of the people to better themselves.
Verse 10…….”They will eat but not have enough.” It is human nature to always want more. More of whatever your hot buttons are.
With all this in mind and looking forward over the next couple months, what can we realistically expect? Will the midterm elections really make any difference in the overall scheme of things? Hopefully there will be big changes in the balance of power in the local, state, and federal governments. This would help the country maybe catch a breath and clarify a direction for the next election. But again, will it really make much difference in what the uniparty and other powers that be actually do? There are many who ask a very good question………….why vote when the system that allowed 2020 to happen has not been fixed and bad actors prosecuted? I feel the same way. However, it is all we have at this time. So everyone MUST inform themselves the best they can and go VOTE.
With that being said, unless or until there is a change of heart and mind in the population in general that demands and forces changes in leadership at all levels, nothing will really change as a result of this election in November 2022. We have been saying for quite a while that time is short and the need to prepare and get involved in your family and community is NOW. I think it is now long overdue. There is no time to play around. We touched on this in the last zoom meeting………the time to be a grey man is gone. Now we have to stand up.
I’ll date myself but to put it in a word picture we now have to get behind the wheel of a big block V-8 with holly carbs and a hurst shifter on the floor with rubber coated oil drums on all four corners and a full tank of 100% gas (not the watered-down ethanol stuff). Time to head out on the highway and make things happen.
Festus out.
Next ....
Preparedness - Theory vs Reality
I was honored to be the guest speaker on Sept 10, 2022, at the Northern Alabama Regional Preparedness Network group in Huntsville, AL. It was great being back in Huntsville again to be with HFS Patriots, friends, and new like-minded preparers. I want to thank the host of NARPNet for the invitation and opportunity to speak to the group. Along the preparedness journey, I believe it is important to cross-check information and share positives and negatives learned along the preparedness journey.
I felt it was important to bring a presentation offering something new and not continue beating the same drum we often hear, which is "get prepared now." I chose to present the topic Preparedness - Theory vs Reality. It was a great opportunity to talk about the mindset from years ago and share initial presumptions made years ago, some realizations along the preparedness journey, and the reality of lessons learned today, based on the initial theory and realizations along the way.
I built the presentation based on notes I had been documenting over a period of months, as I often do. As I share with HFS Zoom Patriots, I try to use every topic and need to build a block style foundation of skills in personal, family, team, and community needs. Each block builds upon another to reach a point of having a preparedness structure. This is based upon the following HFS Preparedness Template. Each step is established through completing and understanding what each block is about and contains. The HFS Stairwell for preparedness is completed through reading, attending classes, training, and building preparedness plans. As you can see at the top of the HFS umbrella, Risk assessment, management, threat mitigation, to achieve plans is critical and provides overarching protection to the process below the HFS umbrella.
Once built, I shared the brief with Festus to discuss each of the steps and information included, since Festus and I traveled this journey together for the most part. Thousands of hours doing research, discussion, reading, and praying about what our paths crossed and trying to determine what we believed it would mean then and in time. I honestly believe had we known back then how close our analysis would be today, we probably would have buried our sanity deep in a cave to never come out. Some may say we did do just that.
Initially I explained how over the past ten years I have trained an estimated 5,000 to 7,000 individuals in about ten states on some level of preparedness which would include at least one or more of the 25 classes I offer to present. Examples would be basic preparedness for the individual, family and group preparedness, vetting, the psychology of preparedness, bartering, five-mile radius and more.
Due to available time to present my information, I made each list fairly basic to get the intent of the point across and to give other leaders and preparers something to ponder or recognize as possible shortfalls they are also encountering in their preparedness efforts. The information was well received as indicated by numerous hand claps and applause throughout the briefing. i appreciate the positive receipt of the information but more important is my perception the attendees understood what I was sharing.
The first stage, Theory, is based on thoughts, knowledge, and presumptions made in the beginning of this journey. These basic theories occurred roughly seven years before the establishment of Hope for Survival.
• Find likeminded people and work together to prepare
• Stock masses of preparedness resources such as ammunition, food, water purification, medicinal, ham radio equipment….. Ammunition seems to be the key resource needed to fight the imagined Army coming over the nearest hillside
• Obtain as many skills as possible and align with others who are skilled
• Identify a bug out location if required, but also as a fallback plan
• If possible, work with others to form a plan to bug out together to a central location and build a community when the time arrives
• Bugging out as a lone wolf is inviting and survivability seems likely because no one is prepared as each of us are individually
• Stay up to date with the main threat, which appears to be a rogue government
• Get involved with Patriot groups personally and politically
• Know your potential enemies near you which is likely to be those supporting the opposing political party against Patriots and 2nd Amendment Rights
• Keep your thoughts and plans silent as possible (OPSEC)
• We didn’t know what we didn’t know yet
I then provided the group a framework that was the establishment of Hope for Survival and those who started with HFS from the very beginning should recognize the HFS foundation. The original stated theory changed just a bit.
• HFS Theory: Prepping vs Preparedness
• Prepping is preparing for Doomsday (Single event)
• Preparedness is preparing for potential life disrupting events (Natural, Manmade, Technological events, situations changing your daily routine such as job loss, illness, short and long term. Versatility vs Single event
• Adapting and adjusting daily vs singular focus on one big event
• Events in our nation started changing and becoming more apparent at the government level (politics, laws, executive orders), against Veterans, Patriots and Christians)
• Tools used against the general population: Escalating debt, welfare programs, border intrusions, and media, used against the original intent of our foundation and ability to survive as originally designed
• Complete political division developing amongst citizens. Is there a difference between liberal and conservative parties? What is best for America?
• Political figures aligning with identified enemies to our nation. Greed
• Prolonged wars with no evidence of a desire to win and come home. What was the original intent vs the intent at the end?
• A weaponized Department of Justice softening on domestic criminals committing violent crimes against humanity
• State governors aligning with National Political Parties vs what is best for the people in their states.
• Domestic groups committing crimes against citizens of opposing political parties, looting and burning private property with impunity. Think Seattle and Minneapolis vs Jan 6 outcomes
• Individual, family, and community self-reliance vs dependability on a system or others
The realization phase was the journey from theory through the years to reach today or what we believe to be some realities learned.
• Preparers are:
• Unable to break free of original theories in preparing and adjusting to different threats locally
• To focused on Washington DC, Trump, Q Annon, Covid 19 and media driven propaganda creating a psychological psychosis that kidnaps minds and creates a false sense of hope vs stepping up to the plate locally
• Captured by the cause and not focused on the effect of the cause to individuals and how the cause will impact their life locally
• Not focused on their own local needs such as meeting their sheriff, community, and potential threats in their five-mile radius
• Still contemplating Bugging In or Bugging Out vs building a community team in their area
• Attending lots of meetings and not focusing on skill training such as gardening, water purification, medical skills, communications, raising animals….
• Not building plans such as their Emergency, Food, Water, Communication, Security, and OPSEC plans and instead still maintaining a vision within their head how it is going to go down
• Will fail due to inability to gather and build intelligence plans within a community and five- mile-radius
• Willingness to lead, as needed, lacks and in many cases fails this much needed requirement. Very important to families and communities
• Focused on skills they enjoy and know vs taking time to learn much needed additional skills lacking in basic understanding, design, and implementation
You should always remember this basic premise. YOU are your biggest hurdle and greatest threat to you and your family. Each and every day you wake up, you are nine meals away from starvation. When the trucks stop rolling, todays supply, and demand system is managed by just in time supplying of food, fuel, and medicinal needs.
Furthermore, you are only going to get from this what time and effort you put into it. How much is your life and the life of your family members worth to you? When mainstream media voices are now telling you something is wrong and you need to buy food buckets to have available, everyone should already be doing so. But it is a personal decision, and each individual must decide what to do or to do nothing. Tick tock, tick tock.
Next .....
Food Storage Options -
These are options to consider once you have identified the required numbers of food types and built a nutritional guide to now select your food options. You should know the long storage limits on the types of foods. Don’t focus strictly on dehydrated or freeze dried, canned foods, or Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s). Build a plan based around your location, threats, special needs, available types of food, storage limits, and special diets.
When constructing the food plan, I put together multiple food types to build the plan. My plan consists of dehydrated, freeze dried, store-bought canned items, canned meat and vegetables, garden vegetables, purchased bucket foods, #10 food cans, and I also packed my own 5-gallon buckets with an assorted selection of beans, oats, pastas, sugar, and flour. When a bucket is pulled from my stock, I review the inventory of the bucket to ensure the items needed are contained in the bucket. All selections packed in the bucket are first stored in mylar bags with an oxidizer to dry out any moisture. The mylar bag opening is then folded over and ironed to secure it airtight. I then place the selected item in the bucket. Once the inventory is completed, I secure the lid. You can find the food grade 5-gallon buckets at your local Lowes or Home Depot or else order online from most preparedness stores. I keep an inventory list of all my food resources, number of ounces, calories, and estimated life span.
Canned Food (Store bought) – 8 to 30 months – Food expiration dates are for store purposes. Canned goods are consumable past the expiration date unless the can is damaged. (This does not pertain to tomato or dairy products. Use common sense in each case or ask questions.)
Canned Meats (Store bought) – 5 to 15 years – These are excellent contributions to your food supply and diet as a great source of protein and nutrition. You can purchase about any selection of meat off preparedness websites, and at most local grocery chains, Sam’s Club, COSTCO, or Wal-Mart.
Canned Vegetables and meats – 5 to 8 years – This is a fantastic way to store healthy food. We use a pressure canner to process garden grown vegetables, wild game, and grass-fed beef purchased straight from the farm. We also can chicken and pork to add to our inventory. Canning is so simple, even I can do it. Most canners will come with a book that explains the exact weight you need to set on the toggle and the time and processes to use with each type of meat or vegetable. Fresh healthy food at your fingers tip, and as a bonus it’s already cooked. You can eat cold or warm through a method you have on hand.
Dried Food (Buckets) – 20 to 25 years. The food bucket provides great capability for quick access to food or to carry during a bug out event. This item comes in many brands and food choices. These are great bulk items for long term storage. If time permits, review brands and watch for sale events for cheaper prices. If the brand and price doesn’t matter to you, check out the bulk purchase from COSTCO where a pallet of food is delivered to your home. Calculate the total months needed for your order vs. selecting types of foods wanted. This is a quick fix.
Mason Jars (Glass Pint, Quart, and Gallon jars) – These are used for both pressure canned meats and vegetables, as well as for storing dry goods. When using for dry goods, be sure you include the appropriate oxidizer to help complete a dry seal of the product being stored. Label the lid with the product and date of being sealed.
Do your best to store food stock in a dry, cool climate as much as possible. Focus closely and carefully when setting up your food inventory. Remember, your life could depend on it. If you have limited space for food storage, there are several ways of disguising your home to hide parts of your inventory. I have witnessed food hidden between the walls, above ceilings, buried in old freezers and refrigerators, blocked and covered to appear as a lamb table, inside redesigned box mattresses, and inside redesigned sofas with hide-a-beds. How you do it is up to you, but you want to keep it out of sight to the average eyes. The last thing you want is for your neighbors to spread word that you have a large food stock. It may mean nothing today, but if we elevate to a Level 1-3 stage, your food could become a key topic of conversation to outsiders, and you might be the last to know it.
If there is significant distance between your home or bug in location to your alternate bug out location, consider establishing a cache at a secure location between home and your destination. You may leave home with some level of food to get you to your destination, however, unforeseen events may jeopardize your food for safe passage. Your food cache could be the difference in arriving at your alternate location without being famished.
The Starving
So how do you get around the issue of being a good-Samaritan with your food when others are starving? As part of your food plan, you should add extra food to your food plan. Personally, I purchased the large industrial cans of food (beans, corn, and rice). I do have food to provide to others, however, it will not come from my own plan. When the body begins to starve and the immune system begins to break down, a person is more susceptible to illness. Think about this, do you want to open the door when the hungry person is knocking for help? Not opening the door will probably tug at your heart, but remember, every time you open the door you are opening up the gateway to your family.
One of the hardest jobs you will have is keeping your family healthy. Okay, so you will not want to open your door to potential illnesses and diseases. So why would you not simply set up a table and put the donated food out on the table? Or hand it out from the table? Keeping what you have and where you have it stored a secret will be a big challenge as time goes on. When people are hungry and starving, word travels fast and once they realize you have food, guess who will be the target? When your neighbors realize you aren’t losing weight and you appear fairly clean and healthy, they will start to figure out you must be prepared. When hunger grows as fast as word that you have food, you now have a big problem. Your neighbors will now be on your doorstep. They will turn on you fast. Starvation will win over friendship every time. So, if you are going to donate food, you need to take it some place away from your home where most won’t know you. Wear baggy clothing to make it appear you have lost weight. Consider dirtying up your skin and face to make it appear you are in the same condition as the others. One of the most important aspects of this is to make sure no one follows you home. DO NOT lead others to your home. Do not allow anyone to follow you home or conduct surveillance of your property. You will be overrun and lose not only your resources, but possibly your life.
I struggled with this part of preparedness as much as any part. By nature, I am a giving person who understands being hungry. I asked myself, what scripture addresses this? I offer you this:
Romans 12:20
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.”
1 Timothy 5:8
“But if anyone does not provide for his relatives, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith, and is worse than an unbeliever.”
2 Thessalonians 3:10
“For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: If a man will not work, he shall not eat.”
Find peace in your heart with what you decide is best for you and your conscience. I do believe each decision may be different for each family. I cannot make this decision for you.
You must do what your heart and faith lead you to do. Just remember, every meal you take from your food supply is one less meal available to feed a loved one. This is why establishing a community team and working your preparedness planning is so critical to your survival. Your best friend may knock on your door and ask for food. Can you turn the person away because you are saving your food for a child or loved one? Now is the time to figure it out and not when your doorbell rings.
Until next week, be at peace and know each of us can make tomorrow a better day for someone else.
And that's my thoughts for the week....
Preparedness News –
1. From Linda Loosli - Food Storage Moms - How to Take Care of Your Pressure Canner (foodstoragemoms.com) - This is so important. Please don't take the safety of your canner for granted. Read your book and follow all safety instructions. If you have a pressure weighted gauge (jiggle) it is essential, you always conduct a safety check before each use of your canner. Some will argue the canner could explode and others will argue not likely. If it is a possibility, why take a chance? It could pose a threat regardless of likely hood so why risk it.
2. From Tricia Drivets - Urban Survival Sites - 11 Plants You Can Use As Soap | Urban Survival Site - You may wish to print this out for your paper library. Good information to consider for soap substitutes.
3. From Heather - Ask a Prepper - Foods You've Been Storing Wrong Your Whole Life - Ask a Prepper - Good information, especially for folks just starting in preparedness.
4. From Tim Makay - Modern Survival Online - 17 Types of Food Storage and Preservation Techniques (modernsurvivalonline.com) - More good tips to help in your preparedness efforts.
5. From Greg Seebregts - Homesteading Hippy - 15 Things To Do for Your Bees To Keep Them Healthy (thehomesteadinghippy.com) - HFS currently has several Patriots who already practice beekeeping while others are starting to take classes and learn the process.
Other News -
1. From Tyler Durden - Zero Hedge - China Creates 'Digital Twin' Of Americans: Former DoD Cybersecurity Expert | ZeroHedge - This is scary stuff for anyone new who hasn't kept up with the worlds transition to a digital world. (Thanks, Festus, for this submission)
2. From Patricia Tolson - Epoch Times - EXCLUSIVE: Jan. 6 Prisoners and Families Expose Brutal Truth About Jail Lockdown (theepochtimes.com) - I continue beating and will continue beating the drum. Excuses will not cut it. Orange man bad and the rest of the elected officials, both parties, should be standing on the podium 24 hours pers day demanding Constitutional rights for these Patriots now labeled prisoners.
3. From Joseph Weber - Just the News - Senate will delay vote on same-sex marriage measure until after midterms | Just The News - Spineless is about all I can say here. These overpaid leaches work for us, we the people. Last count I read earlier this week; 403 GOP elected officials plan to vote in support of this bill.
4. From Daniel Greenfield - Front Page Magazine - He Called America Racist, Now He's in Charge of Our Nukes | Frontpage Mag - I don't know if I should hide in the closet, barf, or scream here. People often ask or comment on the mental state or position of today's military leadership. Uhm, this may help answer your question.
5. From Tyler Oneil - The Daily SIgnal - Gavin Newsom's Hate Commission Should Terrify Conservatives (dailysignal.com) - Some wll never learn and some will drink the Kool-Aid even when the glass alerts the drinker the kook-aid is poison. Need I say more?
Drum roll...........
That's all my Patriot brothers and sisters.
Prayers - Please keep our great nation, our elected leaders, military and first responders in your thoughts and prayers. We pray for good health and wisdom. Please pray for our leadership to find answers and guidance to the problems facing our great nation. May your faith remain strong and answers to the unknown provided. God is good and may our prayers blanket and protect you and your circumstances. I pray for each, and every one of our Patriots.
May we pray for all the blessings and things in life to be thankful about and continued hope for revival around the world. We must continually pray for the unsaved, our family and friends who live each day without the protection for eternal life and salvation.
As Patriots we must stay strong and never give up. Our home, community, and nation need us now more than ever. Stay focused on your local community and things that will impact you around the nation. Don't allow the events around you to create fear in your life. Build your own self-reliance and focus on faith and hope. Remember we are a blessed nation, and we must continue to be great people today and make a better tomorrow. Keep charging.
Blessings,
Bravo Echo Out,
Preparedness101@protonmail.com
