Friday, April 30, 2010

BE PREPARED TO TAKE CARE OF SELF & FAMILY

Be prepared to take care of yourself and your family. Even if you have money in the bank and the banks are insured, with things going the way they are right now, it probably wouldn't be a bad idea to keep some cash in a cookie jar. In case of an emergency they'd shut down the banks so there wouldn't be a run on them.

Have food enough for at least a week if not longer. Plant a garden if you have the room to do so. Grow your own food. I remember my Grandparents telling me they knew there was a "depression" but that they didn't notice it much because they were poor already, they lived in the country and they grew their own food. They made do with what they had, and lived off the land.

Learn how to "put up" your own food, i.e., can it, freeze it, dry it. I live on a lot in the middle of town that is 33' wide and 152' deep. I've been able to have a sizeable garden in that space.

I once spent several frantic days of a very hot summer week before I had air-conditioning canning a "side" of beef. My father-in-law asked casually "would you like to have a side of beef", and of course, I said yes. In the past all sides of beef I got were neatly packaged and frozen and I'd bring them home and put them in the freezer. He hauled out a whole rib of beef (approximately 3' x 3' and put it in the trunk of my car! I was astounded. What am I going to do with that? I asked. "Can it." When I got home, I shifted the raw side of beef out of my trunk into my son's little red wagon and hauled it into the house where I somehow got it up on the kitchen table. Then I sterilized canning jars and heated up my pressure canner, and began carving chunks of meat off the ribs and plopping them into cans. When the cans were full, I'd put in a teaspoon of salt, put sterilized lids on top, pop them into the pressure canner, and when it was full, put the lid on it, and can the beef for a half hour or more, the whole time resuming the whole process once again, sterilizing more jars, filling more jars, until I had canned nearly 48 quarts of beef. I got all the jars filled and into the refrigerator, still canning in the pressure canner all night long.

I had already canned lots of tomatoes and peaches and green beans from our garden, but with the beef, we lived on vegetable soup a lot for a couple of years. I even ended up canning vegetable soup so we could have it spread out over the year instead of eating it all at once. Beef stew worked well too.

At the time we were also burning wood to supplement our gas furnace in the winter. We cut down trees (some of them I pushed down), and split them and put them in cords for burning. We'd then toss them down into the old coal bin at the house, and burn them in a wood stove that was attached to our furnace. We went through some pretty cold winters and saved a lot of money on natural gas by burning wood. The only downfall was forgetting to run down the basement and fill up the woodburner, and we'd awaken to a house that was 45 degrees (the gas furnace would kick on at 45 degrees when the wood fire went out).

I remember my Grandmother telling me about her mother's bank savings. For a number of years my Great-grandmother had saved her egg money at the bank, in preparation to buy herself a new woodstove for her kitchen. When the depression
came along it wiped out her savings account and she never did get a new woodstove.

The one thing I noticed through those years was that no matter how much money was coming in to the house, there was always enough. One way or another we always survived and we always had enough to meet our basic needs.

The one thing we need to remember is that "God is the Source of our Supply" and we should stop worrying about where it's coming from, just sigh a deep sigh of relief as say "Thank you God for taking care of us."

Monday, April 19, 2010

CULTURE & MORALITY

Cultural moral principles and virtues learned in childhood from elders in one's family society color one's behavior and is a sort of built-in guide for one's adult moral character for life. It's a convenient thing to have learned because it takes away the necessity of "fretting" over every one of one's actions to determine whether they are right or wrong.

Early learning in church and school, particularly in the early 50's set children's minds as to the right and wrong of actions. Even unstated moral upbringing based upon hidden cultural attitudes color one's belief system.

For instance, my maternal grandmother was the grand-daughter of a Shawnee woman who married a Swiss farmer. We heard hints of our heritage from early days, but no one ever actually voiced the information we were Native American. We were always cautioned not to mention that we were "Indians". When my Grandmother was in her mid-90's she said "I suppose its all right to talk about it now." That's when she actually confirmed that her grandmother was a full-blooded Shawnee. She joked "where do you think I got this nose?" She said she thought her nose looked like that of the Indian on the buffalo nickel.

As a result of that information and the wonderful plethora of information available on the internet I began studying the Shawnee, and in particular the words of the wise Chief Tecumseh. I realized the upbringing I had, and the words of my Grandmother were very reflective of the ideas and ideals of Tecumseh. Aside from the great understanding of the morals of the Indian, and the wisdom with regard to Creator and the world, I realized the character of the Indian family is somewhat different from people from other cultures.

For instance, the Indian woman is well-respected and the younger men will go to the older Indian women for advice. Even the warriors would seek the wisdom of the women in their decisions. In a lot of cases it was the quiet, calm, assertive leadership of the women of the tribe that kept the family and the tribe stable. Perhaps that's why I tend to be somewhat bossy?

From the time I was small I was always and constantly chafing against restrictions put on "girls". I was told I couldn't do something because I was a girl. I never understood that, and I became very stubborn about proving girls could do anything they wanted to do.

As well, this could explain as well why I've never been able to take orders well from any man. I listen, and sometimes I do what they want, but not if there's a better, quicker, more efficient way to accomplish the same thing. One employer/friend used to ask me constantly "why won't you ever obey me?!" Well, mostly because his orders were ridiculous, and then there was my reply "When did I take THAT vow?" As I recall I left out the obey part when I got married too. I think in all relationships one must have respect for the other person. There's only been one man in my life that I ever "obeyed" unquestionably. I never could figure out why I did. Perhaps its explained by the fact that I dreamed he was my father in a previous life.

Understanding that the way a child is brought up is important to a child's character growth, and noticing the complete lack of the teaching of morality and virtuous princples in schools, I took my son out of public school in the 2nd grade and put him into a Catholic school. We are not Catholic, but after looking at various parochial schools, St. Pat's filled all of my requirements. They kept trying to get him to convert, and I told them when he was 13 he could make up his own mind about it. When he was 13 he decided he wanted to return to pubic school for high school.

I supplemented his school education, whether parochial or public, with some teaching of my own, pointing out things I learned in church and school and pointing out to him the history lessons from the past, and history as it was being made and what was happening. One Easter I went out of my way to explain to him Good Friday and Easter and what I had learned that it meant, and how it all fit in with my spiritual understandings. He was about seven at the time. He put his hands on his hips and said "Mom. I go to Catholic school! I know about Easter.

At any rate, the teachings he got in Sunday School at the Church of God, and the lessons he got at St. Pat's were good for him and helped him build character. Knowing my Catholic friends, however, I wonder if he also has that Catholic "guilt" trip.

I think its the duty of every individual to understand their own morality. Unfortunately the world is populated with dark souls who would corrupt us and the world around us if they can. Fortunately we need to keep on remembering we are ultimately ruled by the Natural Laws of God and that our beliefs in the Laws of the Universe, the Energy that is God, and adherence to our own understanding thereof will keep us in good stead with society.

ILLEGAL CONFISCATION OF PROPERTY BY GOVERNMENT

It is unconstitutional for Congress or the President to confiscate private property under cover of regulation!

This is exactly what the founders of the Constitution were very careful to write into the Constitution to prevent its happening.

They also very carefully wrote in elements to prevent tyrannical take over under the guise of "democracy". However some time ago "people" began equating America with democracy. In order for the country to survive, we must teach the people this country is a Republic and not a democracy.

With all of the criminal acts being perpetrated under the guise of law by this administration and abetted by the Congress, I would be outright ashamed to even call myself a Democrat!

I've been praying since election day because I saw this coming. I even saw the mortgage crisis coming some 20 years ago when I was preparing bankruptcy papers for clients and saw the outrageous mortgage loans being written for worthless properties. One home that was lucky to have a worth of $5000 because of its location and condition was mortgaged for $120,000.00! Greed, pure greed on the part of everyone involved from Seller to Realtor to Appraiser to Mortgage Broker to Buyer all contributed to the problem.

Look first to yourself about everything that is wrong with socieity, and realize one can only fix oneself. In the meantime continue to pray Thank you God for preserving the Republic, and thank you God for preserving our natural freedoms, to life, liberty & property.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

COMMITMENT & LIFE LIVED ACCIDENTALLY

So long as I can remember I’ve had a problem with committing to relationships with others. It’s not that I don’t like other people, and don’t want to be with other people but perhaps it’s the idea that I’ve had a fear of.... well.... commitment. But once I get into a relationship, romantic or business, I tend to stick with it.

My father stated it well, “Jana has never known how to trap a man and hasn’t a clue why she should need to do so.” Perhaps that’s the clue. If someone wants to be with you shouldn’t it be their decision to make? And shouldn’t it be my decision whether I want to be with them or not?

Marriage proposals have been problematic for me. The ones I did accept didn’t turn out so well. And two I did accept were because I was "on the rebound" from another relationship. Luckily I didn't go through with them. I remember going steady in high school and wearing another person’s class ring, but I wouldn’t let anyone know who I was going steady with. It isn’t even that I can’t be faithful to someone. I never cheated on anyone I was married to, nor anyone I went steady with. Once I was in a relationship that worked for me I would be faithful.

Probably a part of it has to do with my never having planned anything up until I was 25 years old. Up until then I’d never thought about it. I didn’t know I could plan my life. I learned I could plan my life when I was about 21 or 22, but didn’t really actively plan anything about my life until a good ten years later. I sort of lived my life accidentally.

I didn’t choose to be a paralegal. I accidentally became a legal secretary as my second job right out of high school. I listed that job on my resume thereafter, and everytime an employment agency would see that, they would send me out to get a job as a legal secretary. Then I accidentally became a paralegal when I went to work in California. I did enroll in paralegal classes in California and did become certified as a paralegal there, but only to learn to be more effective in the job I already had. I didn’t actually plan on taking those courses. Life just sort of happened to me, and I ended up taking law courses because my boss was appointed to the bench, not because I planned to become a lawyer. I learned more than I ever wanted to know about torts and contracts. Then life happened and I ended up back in Indiana again working as a paralegal!

I have been accused of being “manipulative” by a couple of people in the past, and it always astonishes me, because I don’t even “manipulate” my own life. If something is supposed to happen in your life, it does.

When I made mistakes in the past I would educate myself so that I wouldn’t make the same mistakes again. But I never considered that a plan of action or a way to manipulate anyone else. I am a pragmatist, and I notice patterns in life. Perhaps subconsciously I use that knowledge of patterns, particularly in the behavior of others, to dictate how I communicate with others. Perhaps everyone does this.

I have observed there are people of evil intent who do actively scheme to hurt others. It has been my practice to refrain from doing anything that would harm another. My grandmother told me it was wrong to gossip about others. I will never “turn someone in” for anything I perceive to be a wrong action, unless that wrong action has harmed me or my family.

At any rate I’ve never planned on doing anything to force another person to do anything for my own well-being. I’ve always known it wasn’t right to do such a thing. It always hurts me when people accuse me of having done so, and always comes as a surprise. Living life accidentally may be considered by some as being impractical or silly or reckless, but it has never lead me astray. Life lived accidentally is an adventure.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

ACLU - who do they think they are?

American Civil Liberties Union . The title sounds encouraging until you discover they're people who want to undermine our civil liberties with stupid non-constitutional restrictions on our liberties! I've changed their name to America's Confused Lawyers (Useless).

Let's start with their convoluted atheistic attacks on our right to worship & express our faith.

It was the intent of the authors of the Constitution to provide schools for the children of our country, and the subjects that should be taught were: Reading, Writing, Arithmetic, & Religion. They provided that the country was NOT to have a national religion, i.e., we were not to be a Catholic Country or a Protestant Country or a Jewish Country or a Muslim Country. We were to be a country that was filled with people who were free to pursue their own religion, so long as it was a belief in One God. We were to teach this belief of One God in the schools. Universal Laws (natural laws of God ) were to be the laws of the country.

The country was established as a Republic and not a Democracy. Republics are ruled by the people, whereas Democracies are ruled by those given power by the people to rule and make decisions. Democracies fail because those people given power let the power go to their heads and they become tyrannical. A Republic will always survive on the faith of the people for its survival and their reliance on One God. We can save our country by adhering to the motto In God We Trust.

Friday, April 16, 2010

NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER UNCONSTITUTIONAL? NO WAY!

Some liberal judge has decided the National Day of Prayer is unconstitutional! Obviously the judge in question hasn't read the constitution and has no idea of the intent of the authors of the constitution. I read case law for fun sometimes, and I like the appeals court judges who view every situation differently and understand that just because previous case law decided something one way doesn't necessarily mean that it was decided correctly and that it can't be understood in a different way. However, when judges can arbitrarily make case law biased against their political viewpoints, it is outright and completely wrong.

It's time for Americans to stand up and shout when wrongs persist. We were guranteed life, freedom & the ability to acquire property. We were not guaranteed property that we didn't earn. It is unconstitutional to redistribute wealth.

What part of the oath of office haven't these "leaders" listened to? They swore to uphold the Constitution. It appears to me that their intent to usurp the Constitution of the United States by redistributing the wealth is in itself, if not treasonous, it is impeachable.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

TEA PARTY MEANS....

I think some people in Washington still don't even know what "tea party" means. It means we're sick of being taxed to death on everything as a result of Washington over-spending. Even though I live in a State that's doing fairly well with regard to deficits and has been surviving on surplus and good business practices, eventually all of this is going to bleed over into the State coffers with Washington deciding what we should be doing and then sending orders to the States to pay for the things. It is supposed to be the other way around!!

Tea Party means we are having a civilized revolution to get rid of the people in Washington who just keep on doing all of the same old things over and over again. It's time to get rid of every one of them! It's time for Obama to take his toys and go home because we don't like him doing what he's doing, and we are never going to agree on what he's saying no matter how many times he says it!!

I look at the man and wonder "what the heck are those ears for?" they certainly aren't for hearing what the citizens of this country are saying. He is our elected PUBLIC SERVANT. He believes he's been appointed our MASTER! It's time someone sat him down and read him the truth. The only people he should be bowing to is us, the people of this country.

Furthermore, it's time everyone stopped using the words Democracy as they apply to the United States of America. That's where everyone has gone wrong. We are not a democracy, but we are a Republic. Remember the Pledge of Allegience to the flag? It's "we pledge allegience to the flag..... and to the REPUBLIC for which it stands."

As well, when and why did someone decide that Religion should be eliminated from our country? The founders of this country certainly never had that in mind. In fact, they believed the country should teach Religion in the schools! The only thing they didn't want was for the country to be a "Catholic country" or a "Quaker country" or a "Baptist country", i.e., there was to be NO NATIONAL RELIGION. All religions, and all denominations so long as they believed in the concept of ONE GOD were to be taught in the schools and in our churches. It was never to be eliminated!

If you want a really good understanding of the Constitution and the things our forefathers fought and bled over, then read ...for a start...The Five Thousand Year Leap. It tells what made America last so long.

And keep the faith, because prayer and adherence to the natural laws of God will restore America to what the forefathers wanted it to be. Just keep praying positive, "Thank you God for restoring our Constitutional Freedoms"...pray positive always. Remember if there's something you don't want, saying "no, no I don't want that" merely brings it to you. Say "thank you God, I'd rather have...(and then say the positive thing you want to replace the thing you do not want.)"