"Being fit enough to survive won’t happen overnight. It takes a long time to harden especially if you are older. Most “tactical” courses are money that is wasted. The way you have been trained to eat will kill you. Prepare for war. Pray for peace. God bless, – Mark X."
You will have to read the rest of the letter to get the whole gist of his meaning, What You "Learn" Can Kill You.
For some reason that Frank and I have yet to figure out, December 3, 2014 was a day that we decided to change our lives. Why that particular day we don't know. We had a conversation with the neurosurgeon
Now fast forward 10 months. Frank and I have lost almost 50 pounds each. We feel better and are able to do more than we have in a long, long time. Now go back and look at the quote from Mark X. "Being fit enough to survive won’t happen overnight. It takes a long time
to harden especially if you are older." We would have to agree with that. It has taken a while to get in better shape and adjust to the weight loss, and neither one of us has reached our weight loss goal yet. 
Now for his next sentence. "The way you have been trained to eat will kill
you." If you read the rest of his letter he talks about fat, carbs and the popular healthy ways we're 'supposed' to eat. Most people are surprised when we tell them we are eating all of the meat and fats we want, lots of them. We are very careful about the amount of carbohydrates we eat because of how they are metabolized in the body. It was surprising for us to find out that the body, and especially the brain, prefers to obtain it's energy from protein instead of carbohydrates. We had always thought of carbohydrates as 'energy' food. Turns out they are the 'sleeper' foods because of the insulin spike needed to deal with all of the sugar produced from the carbohydrates. The book Protein Power explains it much better than I can, so if you are interested, I would recommend reading it.
Last Sunday at church, the preacher commented on Frank's weight loss and told him he looked very good. Frank told the preacher that he is better shape now at age 65 than he has ever been and the reason for that is because we have a war coming. You see, even though we're not sure of the how's or why's of the life changing events in our diet and life, we do know the purpose. We agree with Mark X, "prepare for war, pray for peace".We wrote an article the other day called A Group of Your Own. There were multiple comments, but I want to share one in particular along with Frank's response to the comment.
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"Even the people I know who do believe everything in America is coming undone are either too ignorant (I mean "not having knowledge") or are too afraid to admit that everything they have believed in and loved will soon come to an end. They seem to feel that, if they can just keep their heads down and not acknowledge it, the crises will all go away and everything will be okay. While that attitude perturbs me, I can understand it. I, too, am overcome with inexplicable grief for the loss of culture, country, and the bountiful prosperity and liberty America has known. Some days, I just want to ignore what is going on and never read or watch "news" again.
People I love seem to understand what is happening, but they refuse to move a muscle to do anything about it -not even to prepare with a few weeks extra groceries. This makes it all the harder for those of us who have been preparing. It is so hard to trust people anymore, even those who have been friends for years.
Anonymous"
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"Hello and thank you. We feel the same way, there are days that I just don't even want to think about it. It grinds on my spirit, soul and heart. But I pull myself up, and continue on with everyday life.
If folks will study history, wars don't start with a single event, there are multiple divisions and factions that are precursors to war, or what we call the beginning of a war. We are well advanced into those stages right now. We are going to experience war in this country. The lines are being drawn. Our government is actively dividing this country. I can't speak of the divisions, because I could be charged with a hate crime. This is where we are, and remember, we are well into this process. This process can't be stopped. Get ready. Frank"
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Now Frank is absolutely not an historian or an expert on war, but then you don't have to be a meteorologist to see the obvious signs of a storm coming. We have war coming in this country. So what are we going to do to prepare? Continue to talk about it? Or we can wish, or we can hope, but hoping for something is a very poor strategy. Whatever you need to do,
Until next time - Fern
hello!
ReplyDeletei ramble and dither, so delete this if necessary.
i read things but cannot always remember the source.
my mind ties the information together and forms a skeleton for ordering thoughts and other incoming info.
recently i read a letter to a web log from a young man, about 30 yrs old, with kids.
his work is with people aged 70 and above.
he relates that the world in which they were raised and still live strikes him as being alien to the world of today's reality.
he regretted that his kids would never experience the type of society in which his clients had been born and raised.
the other article i read yesterday concerned the terrorization of a 5 year old child at her 'school'.
she had a bit of paper that her grandfather had given her, in the shape of an 'ell'.
a school administrator screamed at the infant and threatened to have her arrested for carrying a gun!!!!!!
her classmates called her a murderer.
this was done, no doubt, at the urging of the adults-- i use the term 'adults' very loosely.
i'm sure the infant had no idea what hit her.
i have lately seen 2 people in different places, one an 'adult', wearing t-shirts with the word 'haters' on them.
these, who accuse us of being haters, are the haters themselves.
they hate us, they hate the God-given order of things.
they call evil good and good evil.
they are twisted inside.
what we escaped from in naziism we are being embroiled in here today.
the only way out is to fast and pray as Israel did when an undefeatable enemy camped around them. in the night the enemy began to fight amongst themselves.
the danger to Israel was removed by the mighty hand of God.
with all the drugs, whoring, torture and murder of the unborn and of those already in the birth canal , the apparently utter corruption in government, the attacks upon and meddling in the affairs of foreign nations by the u.s., how can our long-suffering and merciful God delay any longer the necessary punishment of the evil home-grown here under our noses and on our watch?
in fairness, He cannot allow the evil to fester longer.
war always comes, the prophets tell us, and there are perfect descriptions of nuclear war in their writings. it is inevitable.
the dissolution of this nation has seemingly long been planned.
of course, satan is 'the power behind the throne' as usual.
but if we resist the devil he will flee from us.
americans have no resistance and no spiritual muscle.
they are like the plentiful food for demons that c. s. lewis describes in 'the screwtape letters'.
plentiful but so trivial as to be tasteless. like unending, unsalted gruel.
i see no way out. i see the just punishment coming.
all we can say is 'God have mercy!'.
when some of those who wish a return to the Constitution say we should take up arms, i say 'against whom?'.
those who enforce the new and evil regime are the young who have been brought up under the brainwashing. that is, almost everyone under the age of 40 has had at least part of his brain washed.
as the twig is bent so grows the tree.
on a private note, what about eastern oklahoma may make it a bit safer than other parts of the country?
some are moving out of the usa as they have funds to do so.
You're right, Deb, "almost everyone under the age of 40 has had at least part of his brain washed." It has been a slow, methodical process which has now come to fruition.
DeleteWhy eastern Oklahoma? There aren't very many people here and the climate is survivable in all four seasons. It doesn't get too cold in the winter, although part of the summer can be really hot. You can grow food almost year round, and there is plenty of water. It's a bonus that this is a very beautiful place with lots of vegetation, hills and mountains, not the Rockies or the Appalachians, but beautiful, nonetheless. Thank you for sharing.
Fern
Changing your diet, or rather food plan, to one that provides health is the best thing you can do for yourself. Obviously you'll feel better, your endurance will increase, you won't be as sick as often and if you are you will heal faster, work that required lots of bending from the waist will be easier so there won't be as much strain on your back....and on and on. In the past 5 years I've lost 112 pounds by simply changing my diet - it was promoted by being diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes (of which I no longer have symptoms but will never be "cured" of, despite what shows like The Biggest Loser say). Even things like cleaning the microwave are easier as I no longer have to use my little one-step stool to reach the back. I accomplish so much more during the day because I'm not tired from lugging around all that excess weight.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently rereading the Nearing's "the Good Life", written about their life in Vermont and Maine starting in the 30s. Even way back then they were touting about how bad commercial food was and how much better growing your own was, and doing for yourself as much as possible, and surrounding yourself with like minded people, and bartering for goods they weren't able to produce. Sounds like many of the current blogs on being prepared. And I think still very sound advice.
Love the photo of your greenhouse. What are the gray bins? They look like they're converted from something with a different purpose. Also found the temp difference amazing - what was the outside temp? Happy growing!!
Hi, Bellen. Thank you for your comment. The gray bins are restaurant type bus tubs often used for cleaning tables and other various chores around a restaurant. They are a plastic type material that is affected by sunlight, but not to the degree of the much thinner plastics. We use them for multiple purposes. They stack well, clean easy and are relatively inexpensive. We buy ours at Sam's Club in bulk.
DeleteA serious congratulations for the weight loss. Even at my age, 65, I have changed my life. Some days it's hard to wrap my head around, I am more physically active and work harder now than I have in the last 40 years. Anybody can do it. It's not like I run 5 miles everyday and lift weights. First I changed the way my head thinks, then my diet. I still eat all the food I want. I wonder what life would have been like if I had eaten this way since I was a child? Not carrying that extra baggage day in and day out, year after year. Again, thank you for sharing.
Frank
Fern, and Frank,
ReplyDeleteGood morning, I'm back for just a bit then it's off to the Estate in TX to continue working toward out goal of selling it.
We are what we eat..........both my husband and I are working toward being healthier, and to get off any/all medications prescribed by our doctors. As we get older, the weight doesn't just drop like it did when we were younger. It takes time and dedication, and determination to succeed. We watch what we eat, and make sure to exercise daily. Our motto......It's a life style change, not a diet!
I love your greenhouse, what have you planted in it so far? And are your blue barrels full of stored water?
Hugs to you and Frank,
Sandy
Hi Sandy. Yes, it is a life style change, not just something of a physical nature, but one that's mental and spiritual as well. It was easier for us to make the changes we needed if it was a fully encompassing package. It's difficult to change something physical if your mental is in disagreement.
DeleteYes, the blue barrels are filled with treated water, and their primary function is for temperature stability and thermal mass. That's where calories go to church, thermal mass, with their BTU cousins.
Frank
F and F yet another excellent article. Note to Frank, My new CB base station should be here on Friday. Your responses to my questions convinced me.
ReplyDeleteWith regard to eating right, I am 66 and have drastricly changed my eating habits from carbs to protein over the last couple years. While my diet does include carbs, just more heavy toward protein. My storage goes the same way.
Regarding your comments on war, I think we are facing war from 3 fronts. 1, The war on Christians started by our own government. 2, The war between liberals and conservatives, a new civil war so to speak, and lastly nuclear war with Russia and its friends unwritten by this administration. None of these is as simple as I present but do present and clear and present danger. JMHO
Carl in the UP
Hello, Carl. There's probably a chill in the air this time of year. I have close friends from the UP. I've never been there, and I feel I missed seeing a unique part of the world. I've been all over lower Michigan and to Duluth, so I wish you the best in your endeavors.
DeleteSo, what kind of CB package did you get? I need details, antenna, radio, power supply, terrain and stuff like that.
The three ideas about war? The first two have already started. I don't know about the third, it's just as viable as many of the options available. The Christians and Conservatives are openly under attack, and at some time it will become sharply more physical. Make sure you are fully prepared for the cold and the wind. Thank you for sharing, and let me know about your radio.
Frank
Frank and Fern, Your greenhouse is looking good! I am the person who posted the comment you re-posted today, and I just wanted to concur with "war is coming". I am also the poster who lives in the Mat-Su Valley in AK (with the greenhouse with the Lexan panels like yours).
ReplyDeleteBecause we live in AK and will likely be the first target of any Russian aggression, the repeated incursions into Alaskan air space (for quite a few years) and the recent incursion into Alaskan waters by the Chinese navy is very concerning to us. It is not the least concerning to most everyone else we know. They are still trapped in the old notion of America's unbeatable military might and not only have no fear but give the idea that Russia may very well attack us at some point no thought at all.
It all looks very dangerous to us, and when Kerry or the king make wild, "tough" statements in response to Russia's military backing Syria's Assad, we cringe knowing that Putin will not (cringe). Time to get all our family a passport so we can flee into Canada if the time comes when we need to do so. NOT kidding.
You might wonder why we still live in AK with its unpredictable but mostly cold weather where our growing season is either short or non-existent and where the prices for all goods brought in are exorbitantly expensive, and now where the threat from Russia and China are looking pretty real.
It's our home. No other place looks very safe to us ether, and at least we are somewhat far from the maddening crowd and D.C. The remainder of my relatives live in OK and VA. We're not sure what face the coming war will take - civil, regional war or foreign war or world war. But yes, we, too, know it is coming.
One last comment, as I am rambling! A really good BBC program we would recommend people watch just to learn some ways to "make do" and to "buck up" in war time or any other serious economic time s Wartime Farm. There are 8 episodes that can be found free on You Tube.
Keep your spirits up. Though war is coming, the place to build the toughest, highest, strongest barricades is on the spiritual front.
I live in the Midwest, and I am concerned about Alaska. I pray for you, and all Americans.
DeleteThank you, Prepared Grammy. We pray for all American patriots, too, wherever they live. The world we live in offers no safe havens. We just have to trust in the good sense God gave us and in His plan, of course.
Deleteanonymous - i think your idea about getting your family's passports in order and fleeing to canada if russia goes after alaska is a good idea! alaska borders canada's yukon territory and the yukon is very sparsely populated with lots of game, many rivers for fishing and much fresh water for drinking. i would plan an escape route right away! and speaking as a canadian - most canadians love americans but we especially love alaskans!!!
DeleteKymber, yes, we have been thinking along these lines for a few years but have not acted on getting passports. We have a travel trailer that we have kept ONLY because we might need to use it for an emergency evacuation for our family - could be a major earthquake, but we also had a very bad forest fire summer in AK.
DeleteAs for a plan out of Alaska into the Yukon and British Columbia, we're kind stuck there, because as you probably know there is ONE highway out, and it would be clogged with evacuees. We probably wouldn't NEED a passport if we had to flee, and we hope Canada would allow American refugees through their border. We do need a passport to travel into Canada at the present time, and hopefully we would see the "handwriting on the wall" before we were caught up in a mass emigration wave.
For those who haven't followed the news on his part of America, the Chinese and Russians have been provocateurs for YEARS now, testing out the weakness of American will in this oil rich region, and the Russians have major designs on the Arctic. With the personal conflict between Putin and our king, the heated rhetoric of our king in light of his obvious weakness and lack of resolve to protect America, the chances for real war has been "upped" markedly.
Of course, I'd bet that a Russian-American war is not a scenario even remotely considered by many Americans because they are focused on Iran and the Middle East, ISIS, immigration, etc. But the big boy on the block has always been Russia, and yes, we can ALMOST see Russia from our backyards! ;-) They are too close for comfort for sure!
Thank you for your Canadian support, Kymber! ;-)
Hello, Matsu. There are places in Alaska that are survivable from the elements, as you well know. The Matsu valley is one of them. Relative to other parts of Alaska, the temperatures are relatively moderate. Yes, the winters are long, but so are the summers.
DeleteWhen the problems occur, most will leave Alaska, leaving it similar to the way it was before the mass movements of the 60's and the 70's. Most people will go back where they came from. I would not want to be anywhere near Tok or Beaver Creek, Yukon during the hard of winter. It gets COLD there, real COLD.
I like the area where you are. Originally, it was a very productive area, and, yes, home sweet home means a great deal. Stock up on the things you need, especially seeds that will work in your area.
In relation to invasion, who knows? We'll just have to wait and see. But I would much rather be where you are, than anywhere in the northeast corridor, or any major city, for that matter even Anchorage. Take care.
Frank
What a great article! I love the greenhouse and everything in it. So brilliant, the way you found room to grow, store, and expand while still keeping your OPSEC. Losing weight is a lot like quitting smoking: you won't until you make up your own mind to do it. I have lost 25 pound in 3 months by watching calories, upping my exercise, and gradually switching over to more protein and less carbs. My health is much better, my blood pressure is damned near perfect, and I can now do a lot more physical work. That will be important in the coming wars. Isn't it odd? The government and Elites all deny any of the troubles that everyday Americans see all of the time? From the uber wealthy to the very poor, we all see what is coming to pass. I feel very sad that my country is being torn apart deliberately.
ReplyDeleteI enjoy your blog very much!
-Sandra T.
When I quit smoking is when I started gaining all of this weight, Sandra. It's finally time for the pendulum to swing the other way. Let's face it, anything that is an addictive habit, whether it is smoking or eating, is difficult to change. Good for you and your weight loss, congratulations! And, you're right, it will be critical in the coming wars. We are so grateful that we've been given the eyes to see. Thank you very much for sharing your experience and thoughts.
DeleteFern
I agree with all you have said. My husband and I are trying to stockpile some food and water, and are trying to be as self-sufficient as possible. My main concern, however, is how to deal with our family and friends when the time comes that we have food and they do not. I realize we will have to eat less during the crisis, simply because if we don't lose some weight like everyone else, everyone will know we have food! But what do you do when your neighbors, who thought you were crazy when you advised them of the coming hardships, come to you demanding food? We have discussed finding a small rock outcropping or cave with water nearby to store additional food - just in case. What are your plans for this inevitable scenario?
ReplyDeleteHi, Vickie. Tough questions with some simple answers. An example. Forest fires are coming. The forest service and sheriffs department issues an evacuation warning. No rescue personnel will attempt rescues after a certain time.
DeleteLet's take a look at this. Everybody has been advised to leave. If a person chooses to stay, emergency personnel will not attempt an evacuation. The people that stay are on their own. Emergency personnel are not there to die for other's stupidity.
Back to reality. Your neighbors have been warned. Your neighbors, relatives and friends have all been warned. They all have the same opportunities as you. There are exceptions, of course.
If you feed all of those people you are going to starve. That's it, cut and dried simple. Turn away everyone, even the pretty, the handsome and the young. Sorry. This is difficult to say, it will be even more difficult to implement. Prepare mentally to do the unthinkable and do it now. Take care.
Frank
I always feel so inspired when I read one of your posts.
ReplyDeleteYes, I guess I can go out and plant some carrots and radishes. Fern would.
Yes, I guess I can process another 15 pounds of apples. Fern would.
Yes, I can try to walk a third mile today. Fern would try.
Just Me
You write some very humbling comments, Just Me. I like your name and what it describes. We are nothing special, we're just ordinary, homesteading folks that have never quite fit the mold of society. In most circles we are, and always have been, outcasts. We are just us. Blessings to you.
DeleteFern
Fern and Frank - the greenhouse is gorgeous! and since my hubby worked in a restaurant for years, he recognized some of your tubs as bussing tubs. did you purchase them or find them somewhere? he always keeps an eye out for tubs and particular-sized water jugs in people's garbage as we use the tubs as-is and plant all of our lettuces and green onions/chives in them. he cuts the water jugs in half and then we make 2 deeper tubs with those and use them for radishes, garlic and beets. i also wonder like the commenter above if you are storing water in the blue jugs - you mentioned you were filling them for heat retention and that will definitely work - but you can also use that stored water for washing and/or drinking if it is filtered or purified with tablets or bleach.
ReplyDeleteas for diet - i have told you before that we approach food as medicine - food can be used as preventive medicine and also as medicine if you are ill. our ways of eating are soooo important to our health - physically, mentally and spiritually. if we eat good nutritious food we have more energy, are stronger and can do much more work! and i find that if you eat good nutritious food every day - you don't need to eat as much which will really come in handy if SHTF!
your friend,
kymber
Hi, Kymber. We get our bus tubs new from Sam's Club. Yes, the water in the barrels is treated. And you're right about diet, it affects everything in your life. Thank you for all of your comments.
DeleteFrank