Stinkin' thinkin'...or gardens of laughter?

A prepper's not a doom-and-gloomer. Time to grow a sense of humor! Ready for a laugh? This one will push your funny button: ...and turn up your speakers! This Week's Sponsor: The Prepper Shaker: A "Growing" Epidemic Will you be one of the "vital few" or the "trivial many?". We've got an epidemic of our own we need to spread, and it has nothing to do with swine flu! Growing a sustainable family garden can and should become as common and important again as the family car. Why? Find out in this compelling and timely article by Master Gardener Jim Kennard: A "Growing" Epidemic From the Funny Farm: Tater Tots When it comes to prepping, some people are like potatoes: Some watch while others do the work. They're the Speck-Taters. Some talk about what others are doing. They're the Common-Taters. Some cause problems and get under your skin. They're the Aggie-Taters. Some make plans and never do anything. They're the Hessie-Taters. Some sit for hours and stare at their food storage. They're the Medi-Taters. And some steal other's work and call it their own. They're the Imi-Taters. Fortunately, some people really DO get prepared, and do everything they can to help others do the same. They're the Facili-Taters. So what kind of 'Tater' are you? Now there's some food for 'Tot."   Prep Talk: Weed 'Em and Reap! I love this little piece by Bruno Gideon:    Even the most casual of gardeners knows that weeds, if unpicked, will eventually destroy a beautiful garden. It’s the same with our thoughts. If we don’t weed out the negative ones, they will choke whatever is beautiful in our lives and trap us in a bitterness from which there is almost no escape. "Give weeds an inch and they’ll take your yard." -- Anonymous "And so it criticized each flower, This supercilious seed; Until it woke one summer hour, And found itself a weed." –- Mildred Howells The trick is to be like a good gardener and weed out negative thoughts before they take control of our health and our charisma. Be on the watch for them each and every day. As soon as you detect one, ask yourself, “Is it really worth letting this take over my life?” and get rid of it as soon as you can. Is a negative thought threatening your garden right now? Pull it out! Best Regards, Sharon Iezzi Your Hoppy-Go-Lucky Editor Parting Shot: Messages From God Keep on...preppin'! * * * * * The Prepper-Upper is published weekly by James Talmage Stevens, Publisher Author of Making the Best of Basics: the all-new and updated 11th edition. Editor: Sharon Iezzi Subscribe to The Prepper-Upper by Email More free info at familypreparednessguide.com * * * * * If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to a friend. Your comments are always welcome! © 2010 All Rights Reserved Worldwide. You may NOT copy and distribute any portion of this blog for commercial purposes without written permission. Mail requests to: ready2prepare @ gmail.com

Stressed with the rest...or at your best?

When the you-know-what hits a rotating nut, will you be stressed with the rest, or at your best? If you're a prepper, you're already one step ahead of the rest. Why stress, when all you have to do to outrun the bear is stay one step ahead of the slowest camper? This Week's Sponsor: The Prepper Shaker: Keep It Super Simple! If you are overwhelmed by the magnitude of what it would take to sustain you for a year, then think more in terms of what it would take to keep you alive for a few days, weeks, or months in case you didn't have anything else to eat except what's on hand. There are only three things to remember about building your in-home storage program with the Basic concept: Store what you eat! Eat what you store! Use it or lose it! The biggest challenge in procuring an in-home storage supply is financing its acquisition. Creative use of current household items, wise budgeting in accordance with the family's income, and smarter shopping will help maximize your ability to accomplish your goal. But until the in-home storage program is established as a primary financial priority--after planning the repayment of current debt, of course--it will not become a reality. You don't have to do it all at once; just tell yourself, "I just have to begin, and then I can continue from there." It's as simple as that! James Talmage Stevens, Making the Best of Basics, 11th Edition, 2009, Chapter 8-2 From the Funny Farm: Dolphin Stress Test Please stop, take a deep breath, and look at the picture below of two identical dolphins jumping in tandem out of the water. Intensive psychological research has shown that the more differences you spot in the two dolphins, the more stressed you are. Extreme stress affects your ability to concentrate and see things clearly. Be assured that the two dolphins are completely similar. If you can spot any sort of difference without looking too hard, you are definitely stressed and should pack up work and go home immediately.    Prep Talk: Taking Care of Y-O-U Did you remember to take care of Y-O-U today? Y-O-U (Your Own Upkeep) can't be neglected just because there are other (seemingly) more important things to do. If you neglect Y-O-U, then you'll be doing the same as M-E right now (Mending Everything)! The body, the mind, the spirit, and our relationships all need regular upkeep to stay in good condition. Imagine for a moment that you (physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually) are like a typical American home with a kitchen, living room, dining room, den, bedrooms, one or more bathrooms, and a yard. In this imaginary home the kitchen, bedroom(s) and bathroom(s) take care of you physically. The den takes care of feeding your mind and entertaining your brain. In the living room you cultivate relationships; and in the dining room you feast upon spiritual things. Which rooms in your imaginary home get the most use? Which ones are gathering dust? Which rooms get cleaned most often? Least often? Why? Is the dining room any less important than the kitchen? The kitchen lets you prepare and eat quick meals on the run but the dining room lets you serve others and enjoy what you're eating on a much deeper level. How about the living room? Is yours just for show or do family, friends and guests gather here frequently to discuss and do things together that really matter? Your living room is a place to live. Are you using it to its full potential? What goes on in the den? Is it a place of learning or mindless entertainment? Do the kids have educational toys to play with? Does the library include good books, audio tapes, videos and dvds that stretch the mind and inspire you to improve? Do the music you listen to, the pictures on the walls, and the knick-knacks on the shelves stimulate greater, nobler, richer thinking or keep you mentally in the slums? And then there's the yard. Are you letting the grass grow under your feet? Time to get moving! Without regular upkeep a house quickly falls into disrepair. Without regular upkeep a life, too, quickly fall into disrepair. Health starts to fail. Minds turn to decadence and decay. Relationships break apart with tragic results. Spiritual neglect leads to despair, depression, addiction, even suicide. It's a lot easier and less costly to take care of Y-O-U (your own upkeep) in at least some small way every day than it is to stop and take care of M-E (mending everything) when things start to fall apart. You can pay Y-O-U now or you can pay M-E later. The choice is yours. Best Regards, Sharon Iezzi Your Hoppy-Go-Lucky Editor Parting Shot: Now That's Respect! A man and a friend are playing golf one day at their local golf course. One of the guys is about to chip onto the green when he sees a long funeral procession on the road next to the course. He stops in mid-swing, takes off his golf cap, closes his eyes, and bows down in prayer. His friend says, "Wow," that is the most thoughtful and touching thing I have ever seen. You truly are a kind man." The man then replies, "Yeah, well we were married 35 years." Keep on...preppin'! * * * * * The Prepper-Upper is published weekly by James Talmage Stevens, Publisher Author of Making the Best of Basics: the all-new and updated 11th edition. Editor: Sharon Iezzi Subscribe to The Prepper-Upper by Email More free info at familypreparednessguide.com * * * * * If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to a friend. Your comments are always welcome! © 2010 All Rights Reserved Worldwide. You may NOT copy and distribute any portion of this blog for commercial purposes without written permission. Mail requests to: ready2prepare @ gmail.com

Tomorrow has come...

A classic old song says, "tomorrow never comes." Well, tomorrow HAS come. Are you ready for it? A foolish old uncle named Sam got himself in one heck of a jam; borrowed all he could get to spend his way out of debt, and now Uncle Sam's on the lam. This Week's Sponsor: The Prepper Shaker: Got Plastic? In 2004, motivational speaker and author Joe Tye presented some sobering facts about America's addiction to credit and its consequences for the next generation. But take heart! There IS a way out, and it starts right where you live. Go here to get your "prep pill." From the Funny Farm: School 1958 vs. School Today Scenario #1: Johnny goes quail hunting before school, pulls into school parking lot with shotgun in gun rack. 1958: Vice principal comes over, looks at Johnny's shotgun, goes to his car, and gets his own shotgun to show Johnny. Today: School goes into lockdown, the FBI is called, Johnny is hauled off to jail, and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors are called in to assist traumatized students and teachers. Scenario #2: Johnny gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school. 1958: Johnny shares aspirin with the school principal out on the smoking dock. Today: Police are called and Johnny is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is searched for drugs and weapons. Scenario #3: Johnny takes apart leftover Independence Day firecrackers, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, and blows up an anthill. 1958: Ants die. Today: Homeland Security and the FBI are called and Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. Teams investigate parents, siblings are removed from the home, computers are confiscated, and Johnny's dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again. Prep Talk: Initiative or Excuses? Do you know what crucial quality distinguishes a go-getter with lots of initiative from a couch potato with lots of excuses? HINT: It's a five letter word which causes Fearless Action Instigated Through Hope. That's right: FAITH is where true initiative comes from. It doesn't matter which church you go to, or whether you go to church at all. It's something anyone can develop with practice. And faith works just as effectively for growing your food storage as it does for growing corn, growing a family, or growing closer to God. Faith, therefore, is a "working" word ... not a "sitting around" word. Something to think about... Best Regards, Sharon Iezzi Your Hoppy-Go-Lucky Editor Parting Shot: Secret African Weight Loss Formula Keep on...preppin'! * * * * * The Prepper-Upper is published weekly by James Talmage Stevens, Publisher Author of Making the Best of Basics: the all-new and updated 11th edition. Editor: Sharon Iezzi Subscribe to The Prepper-Upper by Email More free info at familypreparednessguide.com * * * * * If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to a friend. Your comments are always welcome! © 2010 All Rights Reserved Worldwide. You may NOT copy and distribute any portion of this blog for commercial purposes without written permission. Mail requests to: ready2prepare @ gmail.com

Ready...(Mind)Set...Go!

When your heart tells you, "Prepare!" but your mind is still elsewhere, all you need to settle on a plan is a certain way of thinking, "Yes I can!" This certain way of thinking about preparedness requires focus, discipline and faith, but it works. Are you up to the challenge? Is this the year you will prepare--all the way? Wherever you are on the path, we're here to help! This Week's Sponsor: The Prepper Shaker: Paradigm Time! From the Funny Farm: Lesson for the Day Prep Talk: Seeds of Dreams Do you know what the single greatest source of light and energy for growing things planted on earth (the sun) has in common with the single greatest source of light and energy for growing things planted in your mind? The answer is simple. Both operate by faith. Would a farmer bother planting seeds in the ground if he didn't believe they would grow and produce something he wanted? Of course not. Would all the sunshine in the world grow a seed that wasn't planted? Of course not. A farmer must have faith that his work of plowing, planting, nourishing and cultivating will, when combined in proper balance with the light and energy of the sun, produce the desired result (a good crop). It is that faith which keeps him working day by day, month by month, until the crop is harvested and sold. So it is with our dreams of success in whatever form they may take. We must first believe that the seeds we are planting in our minds (our ideas) will grow and produce something we want. Then we must have faith to keep doing the work necessary to ensure that our efforts will, when combined in proper balance with the light and energy of divine providence, produce the desired results (the realization of our dreams) in their proper time and season. Best Regards, Sharon Iezzi Your Hoppy-Go-Lucky Editor Parting Shot: End-of-the-World Headlines When the end of the world arrives how will the media report it? USA Today: WE'RE DEAD The Wall Street Journal: DOW JONES PLUMMETS AS WORLD ENDS National Enquirer: O.J. AND NICOLE, TOGETHER AGAIN Microsoft Systems Journal: APPLE LOSES MARKET SHARE Victoria's Secret Catalog: OUR FINAL SALE Sports Illustrated: GAME OVER Wired: THE LAST NEW THING Readers Digest: 'BYE Discover Magazine: HOW WILL THE EXTINCTION OF ALL LIFE AS WE KNOW IT AFFECT THE WAY WE VIEW THE COSMOS? Lady's Home Journal: LOSE 10 LBS BY JUDGMENT DAY WITH OUR NEW "ARMAGEDDON" DIET! Forbes magazine: TEN WAYS YOU CAN PROFIT FROM THE APOCALYPSE TIME magazine: RENEW YOUR SUBSCRIPTION FOR ETERNITY Keep on...preppin'! * * * * * The Prepper-Upper is published weekly by James Talmage Stevens, Publisher Author of Making the Best of Basics: the all-new and updated 11th edition. Editor: Sharon Iezzi Subscribe to The Prepper-Upper by Email More free info at familypreparednessguide.com * * * * * If you find this information valuable, please pass it on to a friend. Your comments are always welcome! © 2010 All Rights Reserved Worldwide. You may NOT copy and distribute any portion of this blog for commercial purposes without written permission. Mail requests to: ready2prepare @ gmail.com