(Image &copy SuburbanHomesteader.com)

Prepping is a practical skill that can benefit any household. Even if you don't think the poop will ever hit the fan, our families don't have to suffer so much (if at all) when the next natural disaster hits or if a political/economic decision or act of war affects our food or household good supply lines.

SHTF VS. TEOTWAWKI

If you do decide that you want to err on the side of caution and prepare for a disaster that may be inevitable, there are two scenarios you need to know about. There are a lot of acronyms for both scenarios but they are known best as SHTF and TEOTWAWKI.

Read the rest from the Redneck Survivalist ...

As scary as any of those events may be, they actually aren't super hard to prepare for. Yes, you may have to learn some skills you would prefer not to but the outcome for your family is much better.

The Suburban Steader has a great post called "21 Prepper Skills You Can Improve This Weekend" that I highly recommend reading. It's not an overwhelming or complicated list. Just some solid self-sufficiency skills you might be surprised you may already know or can develop without too much trouble.

Wishing you much peace, happiness, and success,


P.S. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you feel I can ever be of service to you.

Unknown

It's sad but true: in an emergency, pets are often left behind because there simply wasn't enough time to grab them and their stuff. Images from the aftermath of disasters like Hurricane Katrina illustrate how lost they are, how sad and grief stricken their human family members are, and the dangers that first responders face when trying to rescue them.

It doesn't have to be that way.

Both the Humane Society of the United States and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have resource sections designed to help you plan for potential disaster and even have outlines for simple but dependable disaster kits. These kits can also double as ready-to-go travel kits, reducing your stress and prep time before/after trips.

Make a kit for each one of your pets and check the kits periodically - just like you double-check your family's kit - to make sure they are in good shape and everything is updated as needed.

Unknown

Ants. Ants everywhere! You don't want to wait until you have an infestation that feels like the scarab attack scene from The Mummy but you aren't ready to call in a pest control specialist yet either.

So, What Do You Do?

The fastest and easiest thing to do is mix about a 1:8 mixture of Dawn and water in a clean spray bottle. Then simply spray down any area you see ants! Counters, cupboards, the corner of the window where they are coming in. Don't rinse it off. Wipe it dry. The little bit of Dawn residue left should not be an issue for children or pets but it will bother the heck out of the ants. You can also spray their trail directly to disturb their progress.

[signoff]

Unknown

Water is one of the most essential - if not THE essential - item to stock up on in case of an emergency. It's usually one of the first things to sell out at stores but also one of the hardest to know how and how much to store.

Food Storage and Survival has a great post titled "FEMA Basic Water Storage Guidelines (With Commentary)" that can help get us all started on the path to adequate water storage.

Check out FEMA's water guidelines (which include a link to a downloadable PDF):
http://www.ready.gov/water

Then head over to read Food Storage and Survival's "FEMA Basic Water Storage Guidelines (With Commentary)":
http://foodstorageandsurvival.com/fema-basic-water-storage-guidelines-with-commentary

[signoff]

Unknown

Wheat germ is an easy way to boost the nutritional properties of the food we eat and I've been sneaking it into everything I can lately!

[su_quote cite="Wikipedia: Cereal germ" url="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cereal_germ"]Wheat germ or wheatgerm is a concentrated source of several essential nutrients including Vitamin E, folate (folic acid), phosphorus, thiamin, zinc, and magnesium, as well as essential fatty acids and fatty alcohols.[8][9] It is a good source of fiber.[10] White bread is made using flour that has had the germ and bran removed.[11] Wheat germ can be added to protein shakes, casseroles, muffins, pancakes, cereals, yogurt, smoothies, cookies, and other goods.[12][/su_quote]

Concentrated source. Of all that good stuff! The stuff that was taken out of the flour we buy at the store. Flour we use in everything from our bread and tortillas to pastries and gravies.

Wheat germ isn't just a good but unexciting, spur-of-the-moment nutrition experiment. There are actually some really delicious recipes on Kretschmer's website that use wheat germ in some really surprising ways!

[signoff]

Unknown

Is your faith being tested? Are you struggling with a negative self-image? Do you feel like you are stuck in a cycle of negative events and wonder "where is my God"?

You aren't alone! At some point, we all go through seasons of doubt and struggle to understand and accept why bad things happen to good people.



What do you think? Leave me a comment below!

[signoff]

Unknown

Choosing to be your best self isn't just about how you look. It is about your mindset, self-care, and your wellness. We all know appearance isn't everything (or at least, it shouldn't be) but it does impact how you present yourself and interact with others.



What do you think? Leave me a comment below!

[signoff]

Unknown

How's your day going? I haz a happy and I don't know why but I'm claiming and embracing the heck out of it!



[signoff]

Unknown

Sometimes it's hard to focus - there are so many things to be done! - and it may start to feel overwhelming. We start to wonder if we're just not cut out for it (whatever it may be).

Maybe I'm just not meant to be a ...

[su_list icon="icon: coffee" icon_color="#ff1493"]

• Homeschooler


• Work-at-Home Mom


• Work-Away-From-Home Mom


• Proverbs 31 Woman


• Stock Investor


• (Add Your Other Hats Here)

[/su_list]

Instead of beating ourselves up for not being the perfect everything we should slow down and breathe. Not even our favorite all-in-one, multifunction printer/scanner/fax/copier machines can do EVERY task at once!

Look at everything that needs to be done. Pick a task to start with and go from there.

[signoff]

Unknown

Jeez. I really hate being a whineypants. It makes me mad at myself. Yet, what is a personal blog for if I can't vent now and then, right?

So, yeah, here goes:

I'm a weepy, sad mess and it's all my fault.

It's my fault because I'm not changing what I should because I don't want to accept things aren't working out the way I wanted. I don't want to accept there is no happily-ever-after. I don't want to accept that I can't do all the things I used to, the way I used to, as fast as I used to. I have a baby. Things are different. My c-sectioned body is different.

Mommy hormones are making me emotional but I work from home so I'm here a lot. A lot of people think it means I don't do anything so I should have the house immaculate, all meals made from scratch, the kids tended to perfectly, and should be able to graciously accept visitors at any hour of the day because, you know, I'm bored.

Oh yes, I'm also a go-to babysitter for emergencies and sick children because - again - I "do nothing" at home.

Really, now. Imagine doing your job while your kids make noise, people drop by, the laundry is going, the dinner is cooking, the house needs cleaning, and you haven't even changed out of your jammies yet so you don't even feel prepared to face the world at all!

My God. If the people ridiculing me say they see me online "all the time", doesn't that mean THEY are online "all the time" too? So exactly how much "work" are they getting done, hmmm?

RAWR. It just gets my goat!

As for the relationship, oh my God. Do.Not.Even.Get.Me.Started. I knew marriage wasn't going to be a walk in the park but this is absofreakin ridiculous!

God, spouse, kids, family, friends. That was my thinking. What I got is ex-wife, stepkids, husband, husband's friends, husband's family, maybe God, maybe me, maybe the baby, and eventually maybe my son, CJ.

Not acceptable. Not acceptable at all. It's not what I signed up for. Not what I was promised.

Then I stop to think, we're all imperfect creatures, he says we'll fix things, I say okay because damn it, we're married already and have a baby. Like a damn idiot.

So I'm changing things. Slowly but surely. Slowly because my mind and my soul are having a hard time accepting that I was stupid. I was lied to. I was used. By someone I grew up with. Someone who knows my story and my family's history.

The lies he's told about me. The way his peeps mock me. Jerks! It's on! It's time to put on the Big Girl Panties and bust out the can of whoopass.

Step 1: Start making more money. As a Virtual Assistant, as a blogger, as a writer, as whatever. Independence comes to those who can support themselves and their children.

Step 2: Implement a Life Plan. It doesn't matter if I don't hit all the goals or the goals change. It matters that I start taking the steps to be happy. For myself. For my kids.

Why should my children grow up thinking they have to settle for anything less than true happiness, peace, joy, love, and a good life with a good, honest spouse?

To paraphrase Jim Carrey in The Mask: Looks like Momma's gotta go kick some ass!

Wishing you much peace, happiness, and success,

Unknown

[su_quote cite="Psalm 35:11 (King James Bible)"]False witnesses did rise up; they laid to my charge things that I knew not.[/su_quote]

It hurts when someone continually casts you as the enemy, the villain in their life story, even though you have done nothing to them. No matter how far out of your way you go to bless them, to be there for them, they are making a repeated choice to believe negative things about you or want to push you out of their life.

You may be left in confusion, wondering - perhaps even flat out asking - why? Why do you treat me this way?

Maybe something about you may be rubbing them the wrong way or it could have nothing to do with you at all. Perhaps your presence requires them to act in a manner far different than they'd prefer. In other words, they were not being honest with you and not being themselves. Now they are trapped in a role they wear like a shrunken pair of wool pants.

We will not always get along with those around us but you may want to pray and seriously reconsider any relationship that refuses to acknowledge and accept the good in you. In the end, it doesn't matter why. What matters is that you are not being (and may not ever be) treated as the blessing you are.

[signoff]

Unknown

It's been a whirlwind year and a half but I'm back! From single mom to a 12 year old to married, +2 kids (14 and 10), and an almost miraculous conception. My baby girl is 4 months old now and I'm jumping back in to the mix.

Let's connect (or reconnect!) if we haven't already. :)

Penny's Empowerment Club | Empowering The Perfectly Imperfect Proverbs 31 Woman
http://pennysempowermentclub.com
http://facebook.com/PennysEmpowermentClub
http://twitter.com/PennyFull

CJ's Kids Club | Promoting Self-Confidence And Natural Learning Fun
http://cjskidsclub.com
http://facebook.com/CJsKidsClub
http://twitter.com/CJsKidsClub

Wishing you much peace, happiness, and success,

Pearl 'Penny' Lane-Soliz

Independent ItWorks Distributor

Anonymous

Many relationships run into trouble when they fail to honestly discuss and plan for the needs of a home business.

The partner who works outside the home may come home feeling tired and ready to rest - after all, they did their work for the day - but looks around and sees chaos. Children needing/wanting attention, housework left undone here and there, and their mate chattering about the joys and troubles of the day, seeking affection and assistance with it all.

It gets even worse when you add a home-based business into the mix. You've now added pressure to run a business and consistently create income. Things that normally involve more than one person or department.

[su_list icon="icon: hand-o-right" icon_color="#ff1493"]

• A/R and Billing
  You won't get very far if you can't manage your accounts receivable and accounts payable. An accountant can help you set your system up but you do need to know how to use it and how to read your reports. After all, overdue accounts won't collect themselves.


• Content/Product/Service Development
  Without a product or service to sell, you won't make any money.


• Customer Service
  Happy customers mean repeat business, referrals, and income.


• Human Resources
  The business may be too small to offer a benefits package but you do need to know when you can take time off and how much you actually get paid. Your accountant can help you determine how much tax and other deductions you should pay but it is up to you to stay on top of that.


• Marketing and Advertising
  You need to let potential clients know you exist and help craft the impression they have of you and what you do.


• Technical Support
  Tech helpers can become tech nightmares when gadgets stop working like they should and software starts glitching, losing important data. It needs to be fixed quickly so that you and your clients can get back to work.


• Web Development
  Your website is a living business card. Until it goes down or gets hacked. All that content you worked so hard to create needs to uploaded and properly formatted. It needs to be updated and kept secure.

[/su_list]

Focus Is The Key

[su_pullquote]"It must be nice to stay home."
The stress and strain builds up every day with both sides may be thinking they are carrying the heavier load and could a better job than the other partner.[/su_pullquote]A traditionally employed parent's primary focus during work hours is the job they are paid to do. (Except for the times they are on social media like Facebook but that's an entirely different post.)

A stay-at-home parent's primary focus is the well-being of the children and upkeep of the home.

Meanwhile, most work-from-home business models force the work-from-home parent to choose between the kids and the home or the business. Often many times a day!

It can be hard emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually. Downright frustrating and tear inducing on one day, absolutely a praiseworthy effort on another:

1. You've struggled with writer's block and are finally on a roll when the baby starts to cry.


2. You need to record a tutorial or lead a live teleseminar but the older kids are happily running around, chatting and laughing loudly.


3. You finally put out all those household fires - washed the dishes, got the laundry started, put the baby down for a nap - when the phone rings. It's a potential client but you still need to make sure the older kids eat a healthy lunch.

The bad news is that there isn't an easy, one-family-fits-all answer. It all comes down to what you and your partner have chosen to focus on and what both of you think "the work day is done" means for the work-at-home parent.

[signoff]

Unknown

Sometimes it sucks to think of how good what could have been looks compared to "what's meant to be". I think somehow it all turns out okay, we move on (what choice do we have?), and we find something else but every now and then ... there's that little twinge.

Why do things happen the way they do? If God gave us all free will, how can there be destiny, a "meant to be"? Why does it work out for someone else? Heavy questions I don't have an answer to and probably never will.

It's easy to talk about fate, destiny, and things being meant to be when we experience a positive, happy, and desirable outcome.

When hurtful things happen though, it can be hard to reconcile how a loving God would allow - even pre-ordain - our hurt. Does He seriously feel that we deserve to have a terrible thing happen to us?

If there is a plan for each of us, I don't think it is written in stone.

God gave us free will, which means we all have the opportunity to change what is/was planned for us. It also means we can directly and indirectly affect what happens to someone else.

It's that latter part that gets us into trouble more often than not because we usually can't see how our choices impact someone else until AFTER we've done or said whatever we did or said.

God does not hurt us on purpose or allow us to be hurt for no reason.

Like a good parent, it must pain Him to see how we behave sometimes but He knows He must let us all grow up, make our mistakes, and harness our free will to become independent individuals.

Sadly, that means that sometimes we will hurt someone or someone will hurt us. It's up to us to seek His comfort when we need it, to try to make amends with those we hurt when we make a mistake, and to strive to keep our hearts from growing hard. Easier said than done, I know.

All I can do - all I can tell you - is to just keep praying and believe that God will make things right somehow. That's what keeps me going when the hurts of my past come sucker punching me out of nowhere.

[signoff]

Unknown

Facebook page owners will soon be faced with another decrease in organic reach. Currently at around a frustrating 16%, that number is anticipated to drop down to a paltry 1-2%.

[su_note note_color="#feffc7" text_color="#000000"]Facebook Reportedly Slashing Organic Reach for Pages | AdWeek
Facebook is reportedly slashing organic reach for Pages, a move that could have a sweeping impact on brands that have spent big on the social platform as well as local companies that have worked hard with limited resources to develop often modest fan bases.[/su_note]

On the down side, in order for most companies to remain competitive, an increased ad budget will be required.

On the up side (depending on your side of the fence), it will be easier to gain page views by simply paying for them instead of deliberately creating the eye-catching content most of us have come to expect from the posts that we share.

Internet marketers who have relied primarily upon Facebook ads to get noticed will probably not notice much of a difference. Except perhaps as a ping in the pocketbook with increased competition over target audiences.

Facebook is a business and has a bottom line to consider. However, it is also a social media and networking channel with no to low cost competitors like Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.

If you are a Facebook page owner, how will this affect you? Will you be taking your business elsewhere or hanging on for the ride?

[signoff]

Unknown

Good morning, my fabulous friends! Today is Thursday, March 20, 2014 (18 Adar II, 5774).

--- { Today's Psalms } ---
If you are following along on our Monthly Psalm Rotation Calendar, we'll be reading Chapters 88-89.

--- { Today's Empowering Thought } ---
"I trust God/the Universe to deliver my highest good in every situation."

Sometimes things look or feel so bad that we simply cannot imagine anything good coming out of them. Disasters, accidents, painful arguments, illness, aging - the list could go on and on.

Our sadness and depression could go on and on too, if we don't step in and take control of our thoughts and the emotions they inspire inside of us.

When you can't think of anything remotely qualifying as a Silver Lining Moment, practice this Month's Consciousness Exercise and then repeat to yourself that God (or the Universe, if you prefer) will always deliver your highest good in every situation.

Repeat it as many times as you need to. Meditate on it. Absorb it. Then seek out experiences that make you happy. Watch a silly movie, go to the closest comedy club or improv, spend time at the park with your dog.

Whatever it is - no matter how simple it may seem - if it works for you, do it.

--- { This Month's Consciousness Exercise } ---
Close your eyes and imagine you are blowing up a balloon with all the things that are bothering you. The things you worry about. The things that you aren't sure how to deal with. The things that bring you down emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even physically.

Don't tie a knot on that balloon though. See yourself letting the balloon get almost full and then just letting it go. Imagine laughing at the crazy flight pattern that balloon is taking as it deflates and flies away from you.

Breathe. Feel the lightness. It will all work out. You will be okay. You are strong and have more control than you realize. Reclaim it.

[signoff]

Unknown

Good morning, my fabulous friends! Today is Wednesday, March 19, 2014 (17 Adar II, 5774).

--- { Today's Psalms } ---
If you are following along on our Monthly Psalm Rotation Calendar, we'll be reading Chapters 83-87.

--- { Today's Empowering Thought } ---
"Peace and happiness are a conscious choice."

We can choose to look for the Silver Lining Moment in every seemingly negative situation. We can choose to embrace the little things that make us smile and let go of the things that make us feel bad.

It's okay to honor our emotions by letting ourselves feel the sadness and pain. Just remember to let it go.

--- { This Month's Consciousness Exercise } ---
Close your eyes and imagine you are blowing up a balloon with all the things that are bothering you right now. The things you are worried about. The things that you aren't sure how to deal with. The things that bring you down emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and even physically.

Don't tie a knot on that balloon though. See yourself letting the balloon get almost full and then just letting it go. Imagine laughing at the crazy flight pattern that balloon is taking as it deflates and flies away from you.

Breathe. Feel the lightness. It will all work out. You will be okay. You are strong and have more control than you realize. Reclaim it.

[signoff]

Unknown

Faith is a tricky thing. It can be extremely frustrating - sometimes maybe downright depressing - to get an answer that is the complete opposite of what you are asking for. How do you reconcile your wants and wishes with the answer you get when that answer is nowhere near what you wanted?

Here you are, praying for deliverance or at least a bit of relief, working so hard to be the best person you can be, maybe even taking extreme efforts to "fix" a situation, but someone else just keeps getting away with being mean, insensitive, or downright hostile.

Why Lord?

 
Why are You keeping me here? Why won't you open another door or window for me? Why are You telling me to not give up but instead to pray for this person?

Does this mean He doesn't want to help or we somehow deserve what is happening? No! God is not mean. He doesn't torture us (even if it does sometimes feel like it!).



Growth is never easy and He will not make our road harder than it has to be BUT we do need to let go of what we think should happen. We need to let go of our expectations and surrender to what is and will be.

We need to live fully in the moment. Deliberately choosing to look for the Silver Lining Moment while letting go and letting God. That is the ultimate sign of our faith and reliance on Him.

[signoff]

Unknown

If a woman's feelings are hurt or she feels rejected enough times by her partner, she will begin to hold back parts of herself in an attempt at self-defense.

Among other ways, this can manifest itself as expending less effort on keeping the home tidy, seeming not to care about her appearance, or even not being as engaged with family events.

It's not material gifts that she seeks or an attempt to force her partner to put her first - she's smart enough to know she can't force someone to love her if she wants the relationship to be real and honest.

It's a gradual shutting down, a letting go, that only real interaction can cure. Small things, such as:

• Taking walks around the neighborhood together.
• Watching the sun set or looking up at the stars together.
• Holding hands and hugging for no reason.
• Sweet kisses as you pass each other in your home.

Actions, not things.

If you are concerned about finances, try a romantic date night in with candlelight, sparkling juice in wine glasses, a home cooked dinner on your best plates, and a slow massage or couple's bubble bath.

Keeping your relationship fresh, exciting, and loving is something that takes effort but will result in a long, mutually satisfying partnership that lasts a lifetime.

[signoff]

Unknown

[powerpress]

[su_quote]"A woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets in hot water." ~ Eleanor Roosevelt[/su_quote]

Ahh, another truth. Although I don't think this applies just to women. Men and relationships can be held to this yardstick as well.

Truly, I didn't know how strong I was until I stopped to breathe and took a look back. Surprised the heck out of myself. I - like many of you - have survived a lot!

The thing that truly got me was realizing that - had I not gone through the things I had - I would never have known how strong I actually am.

[signoff]

Unknown