Greetings and welcome to the Patriot Express Newsletter Edition #264. I do believe this is the last PENL for April 2024. Yes, the year is flying through each month like me working my way through biscuits and gravy. Yes indeed. The difference for me is I know what I'm getting with my breakfast choice and the rest, well, each day seems a tossup, huh? I'm tying this newsletter from the road so buckle up and hang on.
Ms. Lucy and I spent the week in the Show Me State taking a few days of R and R in St Louis and Branson, MO. We checked out the Arch and the Gateway to the West, took a boat ride on the river, then attended a St Louis Cardinal baseball game. I think Ms. Lucy was more fascinated by the engineering of the arch, and I was thrilled to be back in a major league ballpark again. It was all pretty cool. In my previous life while stationed outside of St Louis I would attend about 30 home games per year. There's just something about the sound of "play ball" and singing "take me out to the ballgame" that helped escape in the baseball adventure.
We arrived at Branson, MO early in the week and hooked up with two of our dear friends and HFS sister and brother, from our neighborhood who travel to Branson annually for fishing and relaxation. It was great spending time together away from life and busy schedules on each end of our daily routines. When they shared pictures of the bass fish they have caught (and thrown back) this trip, many would be thinking wall mounted. Beautiful catches indeed.
By the time you get this weekly posting, we will be near Tulsa, OK to visit one of our awesome HFS families who continue doing great things in their faith and the preparedness arena. We have kidded for a few years to "never say never" about crossing paths on their home turf. We will be in Oklahoma, Thursday and part of Friday, and then start our journey back across the US to Eastern, TN.
As I type this newsletter, I will tell you we really needed this week away from our busy lives and what seemed to be go, go, go. Though the trip was busy and a lot of miles in a short period, I needed to get out and see America again for myself to see how visible the changes we read about are taking place. Maybe we could call it my own personal vulnerability assessment. As I have always shared with you, listen, take notes, and then go do your own assessment of what you are hearing and reading about.
Let us move along....
Upcoming Preparedness Events:
Mountain Readiness Expo - May 03, 2024, 9:00 AM – May 05, 2024, 12:00 PM
VanHoy Campground, 742 Jericho Rd, Harmony, NC 28634, USA - Mountain Readiness Expo 2024 | Mountain Readiness
Kentucky Bushcraft Revival
Communications: You can now follow HFS social media on the following outlets:
Facebook – Hope for Survival -Join us for daily posts on preparedness.
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MeWe: - //mewe.com/p/hopeforsurvival2
Odysee - Hope for Survival (odysee.com)
No zoom rally this week.
Check out HFS YouTube. - No new YouTube videos posted this week.
If you have not, please consider subscribing to the HFS YouTube channel by hitting like and then subscribe. Connect and give me a shout. Again, hit subscribe and 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 - I reached out to a sister Christian, dear friend and one of our Patriot sisters and asked her to share some thoughts with us for this week's PENL. She delivered, indeed.
Special Guest Article - Author - Dr. Tracy,
“War is upon you if you will it or not!”
This famous quote from Tolkien is absolutely true and relevant to our modern world situation. We can no longer pretend that our society is safe and sustainable with the number of threats directed at us as a nation and as a people. Our chickens have come home to roost.
We need only look historically and find that we are the end of our reign due to our increased decadence, prolific corruption and social and physical decay. The same thing happened at the end of every empire….they stopped fighting others and began fighting inwards on themselves. How else do you see Rome as a Republic starting as Free Citizens in the beginning and throwing Christians to lions in the end? Here we are.
So what do we do?
First we do not fear….we prepare.
Preparation is the act of getting mentally and physically ready for any eventuality. In other words we see the reality of the world around us and we intelligently and thoughtfully and intentionally prepare for collapse in any area, financial, physical, biological, nuclear, natural.
Second we plan.
Planning is an essential part of being a responsible citizen. If you fail to plan…you plan to fail…as the old adage states. None of us can fully rely on another source other than God for our provision. WE must make the best use and efficiency from what we have been given, have earned and what is provided to us in nature. We must be aware of our surroundings, our personal state of health and resources, our systems of supply and governmental involvement in our lives. Once we take stock of these things we plan accordingly. For instance, if you foresee the supply chain for your necessary medications being down then you plan for alternatives or stockpile.
Alternatives can be found in naturopathy, herbal medicine or Apothecaries. You can research each of these easily through the web or by talking to or making an appointment with a naturopathic doctor or a pharmacist that provides their own personalized medications such as Scarbrough Pharmacy in Findlay Ohio. There is also Jase Medical and other pharmacies that you can get emergency supplies of medication or talk to your doctor about extra supply.
Planning for water and food is essential just because our aging grid is a concern, not to mention the physical and cyber attacks aimed at our utilities and infrastructure. Again do not fear. Prepare. Here’s a thought….we have only relied on electricity as a planet for a little over 100 years. There are still agrarian societies in our nation that function and thrive just fine without it. The Amish for instance. They continue to propagate their way of life in the midst of modern amenities without partaking of any of them. They have no phones, no electric, no sewer line or municipal water hook ups and they are doing just fine. So to believe that we are incapable of living off grid without pain is pretty much a fallacy. There are Homesteading groups throughout the nation as well, teaching lost skills and creating a way of life that intermingles modern amenities with older farming methods. The point is that if we plan it we can do it.
Third We come together with common purpose.
How can two walk together unless they agree? This is an actual Bible quote. We are most likely to disagree if we are all trying to control one another and resources rather than live together “having all things in common” like the early disciples of Jesus did. We should really take a look at Ananias and Saphira and see the dangers of trying to play both sides of the fence.
If we are truly forming alliances and communities to ride out whatever disaster that is likely to overtake us then there has to be agreement on the common purpose. The preamble to our Constitution laid that out for our form of government with eloquent and specific language as to the purpose of what we were to be. Even though we have strayed from the original intent I believe the bedrock principles are sound. If you are going to work together and live together for mutual survival you must come together regularly and have a dialog about leadership and what principles are guiding and governing your group. Here’s a hint…..you don’t have to have an overarching hierarchy….you can have leadership without dominance. Jesus was the best example of the servant Leader. He led from the bottom up not the top down. It was mutual and the wellbeing of the whole of the group was His focus and concern. He taught and talked, he didn’t demand and dominate. Strength can be both firm and gentle. Firm, Fair, Friendly is the way to run a community. You can still defend your lands and not be passive, but you don’t have to be aggressive either. After all Jesus did tell Peter to buy a sword to defend himself if he didn’t have one already. Just sayin….
Fourth research and write your intentions and provisions.
What are your principles for living or surviving what is coming? Survival itself is not enough. We all want to survive but at what cost? When the rest of the world turns feral will you turn feral with it? That is base survival and it’s not sustainable. Base survival will only ever consume it is not capable of building toward a future or of creating higher thoughts and principles that lead to community. Living is the goal. Living brings about the common provision to not only sustain but to thrive. Our mindset has to be on living and preparing to live.
There are several documents and books that you may find useful. One is “The Civil Defense Book” by Michael Mabee. It is a structure of what a community needs in order to defend and live after societal collapse. Although I do not subscribe to everything in the book it is at the very least a primer and guide to forming a community prepared.
Another book that I recommend is “Nuclear War Survival Skills” you can download the early version for free. There is an updated 2022 version that you can buy. The reason I recommend it is because it is a definitive guide and will help take the fear out of it by giving facts and dispelling myths about what will happen during and after a nuclear attack. It also gives detailed instructions on how to shelter and build shelter with common household items and how to survive that aftermath including how to plant and get water.
I recommend too, after you have had conversation with your group, preparing a document declaring your intentions for your group and deciding governance. Will you elect a leader or appoint? What will your guiding principles be? What is your communication plan? Who will do what and how will you share resources? That way in the end when it hits the fan you have a guide as to what to do and who to rely on. Remember it is only a guiding document not a law or rule book. Each individual can participate for MUTUAL benefit….any other ambitious desires or selfish inclinations cannot be entertained or it doesn’t work. It has to be All for one and One for all! Can it be done? YES! We have examples of Pioneers building a nation out of the wilderness, of tribal communities living off the land and of Jesus’ Disciples in the Early Church and in small towns even now. The common thread is that all of these entities were under harsh circumstances and were attacked by larger forces or the elements and they all came through in some form or fashion. They were damaged, crushed and violated but were not destroyed. We can LIVE!
Five: Discretion and Defense
Once you have your plans and your provisions you have to consider discretion and defense. You don’t want all of your plans and details out for public consumption. You have to include how you are going to integrate new people or if you will admit new people in. How will you vet them? Do you have resources for them or are they coming with their own or do they have a skill that will be of mutual benefit? How will you defend your group from those who want what you have? What happens when bullets aren’t enough or when they are not available? Not telegraphing your numbers, provisions, procedures or defenses will be essential. It is vital that everyone is on the same page as to who and how information is disseminated and received. It is also vital that all are trained in defense of the community.
That’s it for now. Just some things to think about and to start a dialog with your group. See you next time.
Thanks, Dr. Tracy for your time and submission to the HFS PENL.
Next ........
In last week's PENL I mentioned a guy that Ms. Lucy and I met locally through the local marketplace information page I do believe. A few hours later and our vehicle was full of medicinal plants and bushes while our brains turned to mush with new knowledge.
I wanted to introduce this wealth of knowledge to you. He is relatively new to Eastern TN having moved here from Chicago in the past seven to ten years. If you take a few minutes and skim through his YouTube channel you will be smarter in ten minutes or so. Seriously. From wood chop gardening to fence post pulling, chickens, sweet potatoes, and more. Check him out at Sub Terra.
Let us move along to some other news.
Preparedness News -
1.From James Walton - Urban Survival Site - How to Turn Your Basement into a Survival Shelter (urbansurvivalsite.com) - This is from our HFS Patriot buddy over at Prepper Broadcast Network. Good information to consider.
2. From DIY - Old World Garden Farms - Crisp Dill Pickles Recipe - 7 Secrets To Making Crunchy Dill Pickles - Old World Garden Farms - We love pulling a jar of home canned pickles off the shelf. How about you?
3. From Bob Rodgers - Preppers Will - How Long Will Your Canned Food Last? (prepperswill.com) - Quality pressure canned food will last as long as your lid is secure. Open it, if it stinks, toss it. We currently have and use farm raised beef that was pressure canned in 2014. No problems. Use your judgement of what you smell and see. Simple as that.
4.From Prep School Daily - Prep School Daily: Top 10 Favorite Herbs That I Never Use - Imagine a world of rice and beans, or beans and rice, seven days per week and no spices. Yikes.
5. From Suburban Survival Blog - Home Threat Detection Planing: Secure Your Safety Early (suburbansurvivalblog.com) - This is loaded with information. What is your security and protection worth to you?
Other News -
1.From Tucker Carlson - The Real Reason Republicans Aren't Stopping the Invasion - (Thanks Festus for this submission)
2. From Stan Szymanski and Jack Lawson - American Partisan - ENCOURAGING ANGELS: Wargaming the American Apocalypse - Positively Identifying the Enemy - American Partisan - Excellent read. Do you know who the enemy is? (Thanks Festus, for this submission)
3. From Revolver News - Alex Jones shares bombshell clip revealing how we're in the final days of the Dems' Cloward-Piven Strategy... - Revolver News - I remember when another crazy loon by the name of Glen Beck laid this all out for the world to see while working at Fox News and guess what? Yea, no one listened. Pay attention because this will likely be on the final exam.
4. From John Daniel Davidson - The Federalist - No, Speaker Johnson Didn’t Cave On Ukraine Funding Because Of Secret Intel Briefings - Conservative Review - Do you ever get to the point in your daily reading that you want to stop and throw up? Just wondering. Sometimes I wonder if we, as a society, are reaching a point where it is easier to lie and get away with it than tell the truth and have to stand on it.
5. From Frank Bergman - Slay News - Speaker Johnson's Office: No Border Security Legislation Will Be Passed by Congress This Year - Slay News - Go ahead and move along fine people, nothing to read here. Your Congress has failed you once again and like a squawking carnival worker in November they will stand smile and beg for your vote.
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.
Our HFS family has many prayers needs for health and moral. We love you all and continue praying for each of you.
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,
