On the CS site someone is asking if others have been feeling a "urge" to stock back up. I thought I was the only one feeling like that until I saw their posting. Although, I've noticed that over the last couple of days on the TB2K site there have been several preparedness posts. So my question is, how do y'all feel?

-- Deena in GA (dsmj55@aol.com), June 01, 2001

Answers

We've been feeling the same way. My husband is finally finishing the fences so I can have a serious garden to feed the family instead of horses, deer and chickens.

There is an awful lot of military air activity going on and our physicians assistant, who is a Navy Reserve, just got called up for a 6 month tour of duty. Anyone recall the last time the Reserves were called up for that long of a tour?

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), June 01, 2001.

Don't laugh, but last time I felt this way, Reagan was in office and had just cut taxes, sending the economy into the toilet, you remember the Big Recession back in the 1980's? If you had stocks, you sure do remember!!!

Tax cuts mean another Big Recession is about to hit us again, coupled with 3.00 a gallon gas coming, means Hard Times for us rural folk who need heavy equipment to make a living!

Remember this next national election, try something other than Republican and Democrat, will you??? Like Libertarian, or Green Party, or anything other than the above? Everyone who thought that Dubya was the next "Great Leader" ought to be eating their shorts about now, what did you think that Big Oil Money was going to do after he was elected, keep oil prices low? Big Money only cares about one thing, making more of it, at any cost, at any hazard, who care's about the environmental impact, just make more money!!!

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), June 01, 2001.

I've been feeling this way for 5 years already! It seems like it is becoming a tic more obvious why folks should be preparing, but then again...HEY, the stock market ended UP for the week. Isn't that great? We can all spend, spend, spend and just forget about difficult times that may arise. Dontcha think? Annie, I remember that after Reagan took office everyone in my family started doing better economically. Of course since it is my family, it was probably the reverse of what happened to the rest of the country. I was not nearly as broad based then as I am now. Being a teenager at the time, that must be excusable...? At any rate, things really don't appear to be so rosy on the horizon.

Laura, is your friend being sent to the middle east, by any chance? Blood for oil again?(that burns me up!) Or is it the Israel, Palestine thing? Perhaps both.

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), June 01, 2001.

Not only have I been concerned about putting away some extra grub for the last 4 or 5 years--I'm also attemptin to get out of debt. Becoming more self sufficient in other ways too. Being able to survive without the grid, propane, gasoline and storebought grub. I think we could make do at our location but it sure wouldn't be easy. I know enough to survive but would be limited somewhat by my inability to do real hard physical work anymore. However---by usin my old haid a little more I think the physical demands would lessen. Christ is coming soon! It's real simple-we're in the last days and things will not get any better until He comes for His Church. His coming is at hand-the remaining prophseys that have to be fullfilled can and will be done in record time. Matt.24:44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), June 02, 2001.

Ya'll, I've been having the feeling I should stock up and learn to take more care of myself without "boughten" goods for 25 years. And I'm still not ready, despite all those years of learning and collecting. Actually, I think the real problem is my expectations are maybe a bit high, you think?

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), June 02, 2001.

Boy, talk about a feeling of relief!! I thought I was the only one getting that "urge". I haven't yet learned to can, so I must buy my canned goods. This past winter, I built a pantry in my basement. Shelves are 2 feet deep. 2 shelves are 8 feet long, the other 2 are 5 1/2 feet long. I watch the sales like a hawk, and stock up as much as the budget allows. I've always been a bug about having food in the house, having raised 2 kids alone for the past 10 years. The ex never seemed to grasp the concept of a pantry, so when we split and the kids and I landed here, that was a priority for me. But lately, it's been an even stronger urge, which is strange because I now live alone. My daughter is married and has a family of her own and my son was away at college, but is now getting ready to go on tour with his band, so you'd think the urge to stockpile would be a little less critical. If anything, in the last couple of months, the urge to get out to the land, and get ready for "something" has bordered on overwhelming. Something's coming, whether it's the Second Coming of Christ, or serious financial or economic problems. I am as sure of this as anything I've ever felt before. Somehow I just know that if I'm in the woods, on my homestead, that I'll be just fine. Well enough rambling, before y'all think I'm nuts. Y'all take care. John

-- John D in PA (zeke1@usachoice.net), June 02, 2001.

Doreen, Tom says he's not at liberty to say where this assignment is, but his unit is specialized in harbor defense and anti-terrorism.

Part of my urge to get prepared is kinda like a Noah thing or Livitical farming. It seems I've been arranging our critters so to have male and female unrelated of each species. I'm not real big on rabbit, but we kept a nice doe and got rid of two related bucks and kept an unrelated one. I have a nice flock of hens and pullets, but I'm looking for an unrelated brown egg rooster. I keep a two year supply of open pollinated seeds for my garden and have a large variety of fruiting trees and vines planted and a written inventory of local little known wildfoods.

Not only do I feel a need to prepare for my immediate family, but also for my neighbors and relatives who will leave the cities when things get tough.

Some people think preparing for hard times means investing in and hoarding gold and guns. I am more of a beans and Bible person myself.

One of the cool things that happened this week is two of the neighborhood kids showed me where the old WWII underground bunkers are. They said they think there's another one on my property.

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), June 02, 2001.

How about another "slant" to this stocking up thing! Could it possibly be for the benefit of those left behind at the rapture? Something to think about, ain't it? Matt.24;44

-- hoot (hoot@pcinetwork.com), June 02, 2001.

I really don't consider what we are attempting as much as stocking up as its a hedge to make our transistion to full self sufficient easier if the need arises. If for some reason I awoke tomorrow with no supplies available in the market I want to be able to continue while getting into full gear to rely on our own provision sources. I may not want to embrace an Amish type existance today, but it would be nice to know I could weather a few seasons while I got it right if we had to.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), June 02, 2001.

I really prefer to think of my "hoarding" as more of a return to the old ways of keeping things ahead for the seasons when you could not go out and harvest. I've never been a fan of the "just in time" system of anything, especially groceries. People with a "just in time" pantry usually are the ones that come knocking on doors trying to get some salt, or bread, or eggs, etc., or else they have to run to town to buy just one item at a time. This is very inefficient on both time and fuel, not to mention aggravating.

-- Green (ratdogs10@yahoo.com), June 03, 2001.

Green, you are right that part of stocking up is rooted in the old ways. When I was a teenager we live high in the mountains between two avalanche areas. By October 10th every year, the fuel tanks for the generators were full,10 cords of wood split and stacked, Mom's pantries were full, we had two freezers full, including frozen milk and cheese. One particularly bad year, the storms were so bad and the avalanches so deep no one got out for more than a month. We didn't want for a thing because Mom was very thorough, she grew up in the woods 30 miles from Sandpoint Idaho in a log house her father built. We had enough to share with neighbors who didn't know how to stock up, and we ate like royalty on moose roasts and frozen strawberries.

Hoot, I finally figured if I was annoyed with my kids asking "But why?" God must get equally annoyed with us asking that question. With enough patience we wil see why. I stockpiled last year and it payed off this spring when I shared it with a family that lost their jobs, our last running vehicle broke down and cost $2,000. to fix and I had 6 people staying with me for a week after Resurrection Sunday. It gave me a chance to give my freezer and pantry a good cleaning. No one suspected that I hadn't had more than 50 dollars to spend for groceries for 4 months, not even my Mom. I guess I should tell her I was paying attention all those years.

-- Laura (LadybugWrangler@hotmail.com), June 03, 2001.

Yes, very much so, and that is NOT normal for me. I was born and raised in the city and just started learning to homestead this past year. Now we have 30 chickens and 3 goats, and rabbits and worms on the way. We're fighting to get a garden going in what appears to have been a gravel driveway sometime in it's past (don't ask- its' scary!) and learning to can all at the same time, plus buying storable foods on sale every chance we get and bringing home lots of lidded buckets.

I agree with Hoot. I don't think we have a lot of time left,and that's scary, but for those of us who are looking to the Lord, isn't that WONDERFUL???

Sorry if I upset anyone. I've been reading some excellent scripture today and I'm all hyped up : )

-- Kristin, in LA (positivekharma@aol.com), June 04, 2001.

Glad I'm not the only paranoid one. About 2 months ago, I mentioned to DH that I was getting a hunch that we needed to replenish the Y2K pantry. He thought it was a good idea, not because of any particular event, but just because. We were very grateful during last winter's ice storm to be prepared. We had hot food and a warm house when alot of folks were out in freezing temps trying to cook on a barbeque. I've never been one to prepare ahead too much, but the older I get, the more I seem to want to be ready for any crisis. As for the Lord returning, I am comforted in that for myself, but I hope He tarries for the sake of so many unsaved loved ones. But then, that's another whole subject, isn't it?

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), June 04, 2001.

I too have been feeling the urge to stock more. I have for many years tried to keep things stocked and during the Y2K thing, beefed that up. I have let it go back down some but am planning to replenish my pantry with lots of home grown organic goodies this year! A lot of that feeling comes from living in the country and not wanting to run to the store for something I'm out of as someone above mentioned but I also have a feeling of uneasiness right now about our country. Americans are so spoiled and think things are always going to be the way they are now and everything will always be available. They should look at history. We haven't always enjoyed such affluence in this country. I have thought about what Hoot said that maybe the urge is from God to prepare for those left behind when the rapture occurs. I hope that if that is the case, not only my food but many Christian books, videos, and of course the Bible, will also be used.

-- Barb (bjconthefarm@yahoo.com), June 04, 2001.

Dear folks if you are wondering whether to "stock up" or not, you need to look up and smell the chemtrails. The foo-foo isn't about to hit the fan--it has already impacted the ventilator and hit so hard it bent the blades. And air conditioned, baby-on-board, Mac-church people who are reading the "Left Behind" soap opera and planning on missing all the upcoming scary political, climatic, and technological changes need to suscribe to "Voice of the Martyrs" magazine and read what fun some of their less fortunate Christian brethren are having getting "tribulated" in the right here and now.

John McCain and the traitor-powered Democommunist leadership have been barbecuing down at McCain's big spread in Arizona this past weekend and planning among other things how to disarm and enslave you all. Don't you reckon after they round up your guns, they'll be coming back for your extra food and fuel before too much longer?

Genetically modified food, terminator seed technology,everything from varroa mites in honey bees, to bovine spongiaform encephaly, to hoof and mouth virus attacking animals--I don't know if we will be starving here in Amerika or not, but SOMEBODY is going to be missing some meals.

-- Rags (RaggedReb@aol.com), June 04, 2001.

Rags, you are right on the money on several points, darn it. He who controls the food controls the people.

-- melina b. (goatgalmjb1@hotmail.com), June 04, 2001.

Yep. Food is the oldest weapon. We now have such ridiculous monopolies in agri business that we have allowed ourselves to fall into the trap of losing our ability to feed ourselves if the genetic mods cross pollinate too extensively. Eeek.

Rags, sad as what you said is, you still made me smile!

-- Doreen (bisquit@here.com), June 05, 2001.

Hi everyone! Just found this forum. I am the one who posted this same question on the CS forum and have enjoyed reading all the responses here and there. I agree with you all, believe we are end times, but not sure if that is why I feel the urge to be more self=sufficient and stock up. But I am "obeying" because God has a plan.

-- connie in nm (karrellewis@aol.com), June 07, 2001.

Yes, I believe you should have a pantry full. Lots of Christians have suffered, have been tortured, and died burned at the stake, drowned and all kinds of hideous ways to be tortured, and people have the gall to believe these left behind series as if they were God breathed. In this world WE WILL have trials and TRIBULATION...I am so glad even my own children can read scripture and interrupt it. But my children have read Gods word more than once already. ALWAYS BE PREPARED!!!

-- Judy (inhishand65@yahoo.com), June 08, 2001.

I typed and error. I meant interpret, not interrupt.

-- Judy (inhishand65@yahoo.com), June 08, 2001.

Wow!

-- Jennifer (none@none.com), September 30, 2001.

From a post above, someone evidently thinks that we Christians believe we will be Raptured prior to the Tribulation in order to be saved from persecution and martyrdom. I believe that may be part of it, but the main reason, as far as I can see from the Scriptures, is that in those last seven years the emphasis is back on Israel. The Church Age is over, it's back to the last few years where God deals specifically with the nation of Israel. And, the Bible also says that that which restrains evil will be removed for the duration of the Tribulation -- this speaks of the Holy Spirit. God can't remove the Holy Spirit with born-again believers still here, because we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit at salvation, and God promised He would never leave us nor forsake us. So I don't think it's an issue so much of sparing some Christians from great hardships, as the poster above was correct that Christians in the past, and even here and now, have faced and are facing great hardships. There isn't really any intrinsic reason why we should be spared, other than the timing of the removal of the Holy Spirit to allow all mankind to see and know the evil within their own hearts when they are allowed free reign without any restraint. I am more thankful than I can say that I *won't* be here to see that, because even with some slight restraint still, the evil is becoming almost overwhelming. Certainly it's enough to make me feel sick when I look at it.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), September 30, 2001.

I know that the saints will be caught up to meet the Lord at the beginning of the Second Coming, but have read nothing that makes me think we will be "taken" prior to that time, or that we will not be here during the coming days of trial... The Lord has taught us how to prepare, and that we should not fear if we have done so.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), September 30, 2001.

What Kathleen said! I think as Christians we need to focus on doing what we have been called to do. We need to be salt and light. It doesn't matter if Christ returns today or two hundred years from now, we must live EVERYDAY like it was tomorrow. The disciples were fully convinced it would be any moment. I am fully convinced it could be any moment. We must be careful not to interpret too much into our day and time. We should live everyday like Paul did. Reaching people for Jesus. We should not forget our children. Perhaps the most important people that you witness to are your children. They are the future church. A Christian parent should not assume that it is a pastors responsibility to tell their children about Jesus. It is not the Sunday School's responsibility to tell your children about Jesus. The responsibility is placed into your hands the moment you receive a child from the blessing of the Lord. Today Children seem to be the responsibility of everyone except the parents God provided with their care. When they are six weeks old we send them off to daycare. When they are five years old we send them to the public school system and then daycare after school. When they turn eighteen we ship them off to college. In the mean time we try to give them some semblance of our values in the three hours before they go to bed and the hour before they go to school. When they get to High school they no longer care if they see us or not, preferably not. Perhaps in our discussions of preparation we should talk about preparing our children. They are an important part of what God sent us to earth to do. Since the bombing I have seen many people talking about how to explain what is going on in the world. What we should be explaining is how to be prepared for the hereafter. If a child knows their state qith God they can deal with all that life has to offer. If, on the other hand, they do not know the love of God then they are like flotsom on an open sea. A child without Jesus is a child with no hope. God Bless.

Little Bit Farm

-- Little bit farm (littleBit@compworldnet.com), September 30, 2001.

My ministry and calling is for an end times ministry and it hasn't really begun yet, unless God forgot to tell me about it! What is it I am supposed to minister?

People are gonna ask why didn't Jesus take em out? Why, if God loved them would they have to go through all of it? Why would God allow those who believe in Him to be killed for thier faith? Why, Why, Why?

The other part of my ministry, or so it has been confirmed over and over again, much to my chagrin is to stock up so that when things get bad I have food and supplies for those who didn't prepare. OOOOHhhh boy! Now I only make minimum wage so that means that I am continually praying about what to do and how to do it.

God keeps having people donate stuff to me to stock up! I got blankets, sheets, winter coats and stuff I will never use and God keeps telling me to put them back so I do!

Don't assume that just because the passage in II Thess 2 refers to that which is taken out of the way being the Holy Spirit...I've thought about it a lot, but if the Jews are sealed in Revelation and there is to be a big revival among God's chosen people the Holy Spirit has to be the One doing the work...

Christians are already sealed and that is one reason you never find mention of it in Revelation.

My advice? Study the Word so that you know it for yourself, not because somebody taught you their opinion of it. The Holy Spirit will teach you all things if you will give the Lord a chance.

Learn how to pray according to scripture and learn how to ask according to scripture so that your prayers may be answered.

Learn the promises of God by studying the Word and finding out how others were touched by God. Those are promises. They start in Genesis and go all the way through Revelation.

Expect to hear the voice of God and that He will direct your paths. Be innocent as doves and wise as serpents. In other words, know what tactics your enemy uses, you are in a spiritual war and it takes spiritual weapons to win.

Know that in gettin prepared for the coming tribulation you will go through fiery ordeals and it is not punishment from God, but God showing you that you can trust Him even when circumstances say otherwise.

God bless...

-- Stephanie Nosacek (possumliving@go.com), October 01, 2001.