Remember all of those online webinar classes we offered that you wanted to take but simply didn’t have the time to do so?  Or worse, the class was being taught in a time zone half way around the world from you, making it that much more challenging?

Perhaps you recall enjoying some of the classes we’ve had in the past but wished for more complete written information as a follow-up, or more recipes, or more visual “show how.” 

I think the one we hear the most is from people who wish that we had it recorded so that they could review it again and again.

Well, we’re happy to say that you’ve finally got all of your wishes! Whew! And boy, are we tired! *grin*

As of October 1^st, we will begin to release our best and most requested training events in a prerecorded and a complete written format. We’ve expanded the written content to be more book-like, so that the training therein can stand on its own, and we’ve expanded the visual portion of the class so its more comprehensive and inclusive of some of the aspects that have gotten left out in the past webinars because we’ve run out of time.  Now with this new format all you have to do is get comfortable in front of your computer either by yourself or with family and friends, any time you want to learn about your most compelling preparedness topics! Even better, since the training is now broken down in chapters, if there is a portion which you want to bypass because of your existing expertise, you can easily do so without wasting your time or diluting your enjoyment.

Whether you prefer to watch a demonstration or read instructions, these perfectly combined packages of education will provide you the same quality of instruction you’ve come to expect from The Preparedness Pro with just a little exception—convenience! You can now watch the training as much or as little as you want and you can also read a complete synopsis of the training event PLUS additional written resources in print. And since we’ve chosen to embrace the world of technology in delivering these courses to you, there are no shipping costs! Yeah! While I must say I’ve been exhausted trying to put all of this together and keep up with the blog, my health and the health of a very dear friend, I have to say I’ve been so EXCITED! Every time one of you has e-mailed me expressing disappointment that you were going to miss a date of an event, or that you wished there was more written content etcetera, I just knew this had to get done.  In fact, it’s actually better for us all this way. I can take a vacation if I want (ha! Like that will happen) and you can enjoy it at 3:00 a.m. or 3:00 p.m. I love that your family and busy schedules no longer need to be sacrificed just so that you can get complete Preparedness Training.

Additionally, since I’m no longer restricted by time restrictions or seat capacities, I’ve opted to provide detailed and fully comprehensive visual and written education of the most requested training events that have been offered in the last 2 years PLUS the ones that you guys keep hollering for. By revamping previous courses and creating some long-overdue ones, I’m confident that this venue of training will over-deliver and exceed your expectations every time. I’ve added a lot more content into the video portion of the classes, and gone to the expense of editing both the visual and the written portions.  Neither you nor I are restricted any more by a “reasonable amount of time to expect someone to sit through a class” or those “bladder breaks” we’ve experienced during the training. *grin*  YOU get to decide when that takes place with the push of the pause button. 

There’s even better news too. Thanks to the pool of talent I’ve encountered during the first step of assembly for these products, I can now provide you with some of the classes that you’ve been asking for that don’t portray themselves very well in a Powerpoint and voice presentation. This means, yes, you will now have access to Pressure Cooking and Making Wheat Meat in a video format! Yeah!! And did I mention that there are also a lot of great recipes? Yup. I know there will be a few of you excited about that. Each recorded visual presentation will provide you with a quality learning experience, complete with a detailed resource guide for you to reference again and again. This new development means no more cutting corners on a vital topic just because of time restraints. No more getting up early on a Saturday morning just so you can make a class halfway around the world! And no more missing the classes you want but just can’t seem to find time for. Enjoy these highly educational topics at your own pace and in accordance to your own interest. Simply slip into your most comfortable set of clothes, curl up with some munchies, and enjoy this vital training anytime, anywhere, you desire.

I love that the folks in both coasts of the U.S., South Africa, Norway, and Scotland can ALL enjoy this now. I’ve been trying to get it done for what seems like forever, but now it’s really here! Excuse me while I whoop!

Just be aware that we’re not going to release them all at once. And even though we’re spending some bucks to try and make them as professional and thorough as possible, we’re going to price them modestly. It’s more important to me that you have the training but not at the cost of other vital preparedness items.

So what I’ll be doing is as soon as I get a class ready for  the final editing stages, I’ll announce a pre-release of the course about 30 days prior to its official launch date. Any persons who purchase the class during that pre-release time frame will get a substantial discount. Even better, for this first pre-release, those of you who have already enjoyed the live webinar version of the two classes we’re prelaunching  will receive the new, more complete one, but with a $7 credit  towards your purchase! In othe words, if you paid  for The Wonderful World of Wheat in the last 12 months, you’ll be able to purchase at the pre-release price of $20, and then we will credit you $7.  My husband isnt’ too keen on that cause he knows how much info I provided in the first place. But he’ll get over it. hee hee.  (We wanted to do a full credit of your previous class, but the logistics of that were a nightmare since we had so many different prices over the last year. *sigh)  Anyway, I like offering a little something extra cause I’m so excited about the launch!  This way you get the best of both worlds without having to pay for it twice at full price!  Remember, the previous tuition credit will be credited to applicable purchasers after you’ve made the purchase and the offer is only good during the pre-release period which ends after the first 50 purchases. So don’t delay if you want that extra savings.

Now I realize that there are some of you out there who are a little technically challenged. To be truthful, I’m probably one of the worst. But I assure you that viewing these classes this way will be super easy. All you need is your computer and an internet connection and you can enter a world of professional, detailed, and accurate preparedness knowledge!  Remember, this isn’t just audio. This is a visual class presentation PLUS the written resource as well. You can even save the materials to your own computer to view at your leisure.  No matter what you choose to do in your preparedness preparation, I believe I’ve still managed to create some fun, professional, and upbeat classes that will really help you be prepared in many different areas. The fun, professional and upbeat style of The Preparedness Pro will expertly steer you in each of your preferred topics.

So are you ready for the first batch of pre-released classes? Here they are!

Due October 1^st, 2010—“Enough and to Spare” Coupon Training Boot Camp

This 4+ hour training will expound on every possible coupon saving strategy so that you can get the most out of this important financial strategy. Not only will you save literally hundreds of dollars a month using this training, but you’ll also be quickly putting together your preparedness supplies for free or cheap!  Unlike previous education opportunities, this class now comes with the exclusive book “Enough and to Spare” written by Kellene Bishop. You will find out where to get all of your coupons, how best to manage them, when to use them, where to use them, and how to stay on top of them without feeling overwhelmed!   There are literally hundreds of people who have taken this class and have loved it—even those who were already couponing! This particular class impacts 7 out of 10 of your Principles of Preparedness, so it’s definitely not one to miss!

Regular Retail price Oct. 1^st is a steal at only $45 but the Pre-Sale Special Price is only $30!

Next:

Due October 1^st, 2010—“The Wonderful World of Wheat”

I’ve been teaching this class for over 10 years now and it’s continued to develop and expand. Now I’ve got all of the aspects of wheat combined in one class—complete with valuable written information that you can reference at any time. For a more detailed description of this class, just go to this link.

Regular Retail Price Oct. 1^st is only $30, but the Pre-Sale Special Price is only $20!

More Classes Coming Soon! I’ll be sure to let you know when they are coming out and give everyone the pre-release price opportunity as well. Look forward to these classes coming your way soon!

Pressure Cooking Galore!

 Solar Oven Success

 Neanderthals in the Kitchen

 Integrating Essential Oils

 UNDERWhelmed in Food Storage

 Food Pantry Makeover

 Financial Velocity

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If you would like to host a preparedness party for your business, community, or church group, please contact Vicky at vicky@preparednesspro.com

For any questions or comments on this article, please leave a comment on the blog site so that everyone can benefit!

Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

by Kellene Bishop

I’ve been reading a great book over the last couple of weeks, “Molon Labe.” In it the author reminds the reader several times that all fights are decided before the battle begins. The point being that it’s the level of preparation which takes place before a battle which determines the victor.  To me that’s certainly what preparedness is all about—a way to ensure that we win as many of life’s battles as are thrown at us, but this particular saying comes in full view when it comes to physically defending yourself as well.

In the case of the self-defense, I advocate consistent, challenging practice which will ensure successful self-defense BEFORE an encounter ever occurs. While any attacker may have life-long experience as a bully or a law breaker, it doesn’t make him/her superior to you in their battle with you specifically. Through consistent mental and physical rehearsal you stack all of the odds in your favor when applied to various “what if” scenarios. Your level of preparedness, not your knee-jerk responses, determines your state of victory. This is how you win your battles before they ever begin.

Even better, confidence, calm, presence of mind, necessary tools, and a clear conscience are the fruits of such preparation—even if you are called upon to defend yourself, which may result in harming another person.  For years, some of our nation’s most advanced warriors are able to maintain mental stability by mentally preparing for scenarios prior to their engagements, thus literally allowing them peace of mind and conscience, in spite of the nature of the battle. There is simply no price of time or money that can be put upon such fruits, in my opinion.

This past Saturday I took a couple of my girlfriend’s children to the dollar theater to see “Shrek 4.” Both children were under 12, with the youngest being only 9 and who also has Asperger Syndrome. Unfortunately, by the time we were able to get into the theater for seating, there were very few options left for 3 people to sit together. Thankfully one of the theater employees escorted us to a side row of 4 seats, with the outside seat being occupied by a hefty man. The movie had just begun and so the employee quietly leaned down and requested the man allow us to scoot by him and be seated.  As if he had just been asked to relinquish control over his own private remote, and give up a years worth of beer, and run a 5K marathon, he responded as if he was quite put out.  His only “effort” to allow us to pass was to spread his overstuffed sausage legs further apart. Yes, it was so attractive,–not—and a bit creepy. Because of his size, it was still a bit difficult for the kids to get past him, let alone myself—who is also quite chubby. It would have been so much easier if he had simply got up from his seat, and stepped into the aisle a moment.  I suppose that I’m a bit spoiled nowadays with such a notion, as common sense and common courtesy seem to be anything but common. But I guess I’m spoiled by the man I married, as he certainly would have stepped out for us and any stranger. Needless to say, it was irritating to have an example of such rudeness displayed to the kids.  Well, being the somewhat sassy person that I am, I just couldn’t hold it in and it had to be heard. I just had to say it. And say it I did. “Well, I guess chivalry is dead”, I quietly demurred.

I didn’t have any anger when I made this statement, nor did I shout. I suppose that a kinder person would have just kept quiet and tolerated his rudeness, but I guess I’m not very good at keeping some of my thoughts to myself. Having said my two cents, I realized that such an inconsiderate man would have been compelled to say something in return, but I suppose I had simply expected an apathetic “whatever” from the sweating, heavy breathing mammoth.  Not that I expected an apology in response to my comment, but I was a bit startled with what did come out of his mouth. “Why don’t you just shut your mouth or I’ll punch you in the face!”

Wait a minute.  Did you really just threaten to physically assault a woman with two kids simply because she called you out?  Really? This was your very first instinct, to threaten physical violence in a packed movie theater without a care in the world as to the consequences?  This was your knee jerk, comfortable, standard response?  Folks, that’s saying a whole heck of a lot right there!  But more importantly, understand what I’m about to share with you here.  I’m only 5’2 ½”—yes, you’ve got to count the ½ inch. *grin*  And I’m just over 200 pounds. So no, I’m not an imposing person to deal with physically. In fact, I suspect that I’m looked at as an “easy mark” by some fools due to me being out of shape.  This man was approximately 6 feet and weighed probably about 300 pounds.  In spite of these physical factors, combined with his revealing physical threat right off the bat, , I was not frightened. In fact, it’s probably my lack of fear of any repercussions which I thought I could handle which caused me to utter my initial sentence within earshot of him. I was calm and confident. In fact, my only concern at the time was that I didn’t want to cause the kids to feel uncomfortable—especially the youngest. So I simply replied, “I’m not trying to fight with you. You could have simply been nice and let us in. It was two kids for crying out loud.” His response, “Shut the hell up or else.”

I must say, I was a bit shocked at the intensity of his anger in response to such a small incident and in spite of there being plenty of people surrounding him. Like a crazy mouse dancing free and happy in a room full of cats, he seemed to posses no shame, no modicum of morality, and certainly no care in the world about anyone else. It was easy to see that he was comfortable with his rage and his attitude against others who inconvenience him. Since I would be sitting beside him during the course of the movie, I decided that I would make clear to him that I wasn’t quite who he thought I was.  I wasn’t about to just play dead. I suspect that too many had cow-towed to him like this in the past.  While it may seem overly dramatic, given his “first impression” I saw the faces of various women in my mind’s eye, who may have been the brunt of his societal standards. I’ll be honest. There was a point when I asked myself if the opportunity would present itself for me to use my Asp on this guy. I was almost excited for a split second at the prospect. (I love my Asp!) I know. I know, just a titch warped. As such, I looked right at him and said very clearly “Sir. I’m definitely not the woman you want to mess with.” He turned his head to me for a moment as if to size me up.  He then sarcastically replied, “Oh. I’m really scared.”

“Good! That’s just where I like ‘em. Overconfident and unaware,” I said, still looking directly at him.

He then turned his head back to the movie and said “Just shut up and watch the movie. That’s what you paid for.”

I decided that I had said enough at this point and ran the risk of upsetting the kids if our voices got any more elevated so that they could hear.

Now, there’s a reason I’m telling you all of this and it’s not for a purpose of self-aggrandizing. It’s because there are two important things for you to learn from this scenario. First of all, I was told by one of my friends that I should have said “Let’s see how scared you are with a forty caliber pointed at you.”  I suspect that my friend was just getting into the mood of things in this comment, but if I had said something to that effect, I actually could have gotten myself in a whole lot of trouble. I could have easily been accused of inciting a riot, “brandishing a weapon”—even though I wasn’t literally showing my firearm, disturbing the peace, and lastly, creating a threat. More importantly, if a person ever truly does feel threatened in such a situation, you certainly would not want to show your cards like that. If you truly feel threatened, then do something about it. Act, not react. Don’t tell someone what you’re going to do. You lose the element of surprise. If the situation calls for it, then just do it.

In this case however, I felt that for the time being this guy was just full of himself and didn’t like being called out by a girl.  If I had truly felt threatened, then it would have been within my legal right to have physically assaulted him with non-deadly force.  Yes, in such an instance I, being out manned in weight and height, would have been legally within my rights to have “thrown the first punch” so to speak. As women, it’s not necessary for us to get hit, shoved, beaten, etc. by an imposing threat first, before we respond. I realize for some of you that that may be hard to conceptualize. But after Mr. Sausage made his first physical threat of punching me in the face, I would have easily have been “in the right” with a solid punch to his wind pipes, or whatever other physical maneuver I would have felt necessary—enough to minimize the physical threat of this man. However, that’s only the case if it was me, short and chubby, against him.  Had a 6 year old boy said that to me, then I would not be permitted to proactively defend myself. It all boils down to the level of threat and the weight of advantages, vs. disadvantages.

For example, if it had been my husband who was being talked to that way, he would not have gotten away with a first strike because of his training, physique, and the fact that he was armed. In order for a well-trained man to have responded to this threat, Mr. Sausage would have had to make a physical threat imminent. Now, remember, that just because you can do something legally, does not necessarily mean that you should. When we pick up one end of the stick, we are always picking up the other. And the other end meant that I would stress out the kids, hurt myself at least a bit, and probably end up being the lead story on the 6 o’clock news that night. So, I decided that I wasn’t going to take this too far. But did I just sit there and watch the cute movie and not give this anymore thought? No; that also would have been foolish on my part. This man gave me every reason to be in a state of heightened awareness.  As such, I was strategizing, in the event that my leg bounced just the wrong way to make him mad, or one of the kids aggravated him if they had to squeeze out to go to the bathroom, or if I took too much of the arm rest on my right. Because this man had already shown himself to be emotionally volatile, I made sure that my Asp was in my grasp, my pepper spray was ready to spray, and I discreetly removed my knife from my purse and put it in my pants pocket. Combined with my readiness and willingness to use appropriate physical leverage, if necessary, I was ready if I had to defend myself as if it all depended on me.  But I also recognized that the two kids were a liability to me if there was an altercation. So, I decided to bring in reinforcements. I texted my husband and invited him to join me at the dollar theater. Through a series of texts he was brought up to par on the scenario, and secured a seat right behind Mr. Sausage in the theater.  I casually made it obvious to Mr. Sausage that I knew the man sitting right behind him. Towards the end of the movie it seems that all of the preparedness paid off.  When the movie was getting ready to wrap up, Mr. Sausage decided to calmly exit before all of the mushy, happily ever after took place in the film. No parting words, not even a grunt. All he left behind was the stench of his body odor and a lesson learned. Even better, he left me with no regrets. No fear. No rattled children. All was well.

As the children and I exited the movie theater, all they talked about was how cute the movie was. They were impervious to the problem, didn’t notice that my husband had joined us or that I had additional contents in my various pants pockets. We were able to keep everyone else safe without any stress or concern.

There’s one other thing that I want to share with you. While I was sitting there, enjoying the movie, I thought about you. Yes, you.  You; who may lack the sufficient confidence necessary to handle such a situation. You; who may be lacking in the appropriate tools of leverage necessary to handle such a situation.  You; who may think that you’ll only need such tools and tactics when “the end of the world” comes to pass.  While a firearm would not have been appropriate self-defense tool for this particular level of threat, nor would the environment, would you have been essentially unarmed otherwise? I decided that this man had obviously pushed around, without challenge, too many people (probably mostly women) in his life thus far. I want to do my best to ensure that you are not one of them in the future. So, I decided to share this little story with you. I hope it provides you with some food for thought and that you will see that occasions for sharp mental and physical self-defense capabilities are not limited solely to robbery, rape, or a home invasion. They are not all solved with one particular tool each time either.  The great benefit of really internalizing and learning self-defense though, are the scenarios which you can walk away from without any regrets, and with your confidence still intact.

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If you would like to host a preparedness party for your business, community, or church group, please contact Vicky at vicky@preparednesspro.com

For any questions or comments on this article, please leave a comment on the blog site so that everyone can benefit!

Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

By Kellene Bishop

Hey Folks. Happy Friday to you!  As some of you know, I’m helping to take care of friend who’s battling breast cancer. As such, I’ve made sure that I have plenty of reading materials on hand. Since I’m already an admitted book addict, I’ve probably used this opportunity as an excuse to devour several books that I’ve been wanting to read but haven’t had the time.  In the last month I’ve read several books—some of them I couldn’t put down—and I thought that I’d share these books with you. I frequently get e-mails asking me what I would recommend. So here you go:

“The Coconut Oil Miracle” by Bruce Fife, C.N., N.D.—This is a very well written book with tons of references and resources to back up that author’s medical research into the wonder world of coconut oil. In it you will discover the major cover up of the proven merits of coconut oil. Did you know that it’s the closest thing we have to a mother’s breast milk?  Did you know that not all fatty acids are created equal? Some actually HELP your body, while others—such as those found in Canola oil—actually introduce toxins into your body.  Did you know that coconut oil components have long been an additive used by pharmaceutical companies to successfully combat HIV? After reading this book, you’ll no doubt have another powerful method of independence in your pantry as well as a long-term shelf-stable one at that! The author also includes a great sampling of recipes which you can use to make sure you’re making coconut oil a great part of your diet.

“Dishonest Money: Financing the Road to Ruin” by Joseph Plummer—I’ve shared with many of you my love for the book “The Creature from Jekyl Island.” This is a big book, but an enlightening read. However, Dishonest Money could easily be considered the cliff notes to “Creature.”  I think it’s critical that everyone really understands what’s behind the workings of our U.S. currency so that they can make wise decisions to be better prepared in the very likely event of its demise. The author does a great job of taking a somewhat complicated subject and makes it very clear and concise. I have to agree with others when I say that it could be one of the most important reads of your lifetime.

“MÔLON LABÉ” by Boston T. Party otherwise known as Kenneth W. Royce—The title is Latin for “come and take them,” however, it’s not a surrendering plea, it’s a challenge. The book is a thinly veiled novel which takes a look at a group of Americans who accomplish the unfathomable—they create a state of TRUE freedom in the United States by setting up camp in the state of Wyoming, gradually gaining control over political parties, and gradually reversing all of the legal wrongs that have fully penetrated our society, court systems, State Constitutions, and our no-so-freedoms today.  The education of the book is priceless and the story line is so engaging, I had a hard time putting the book down at 1:00 in the morning several times.

Just a little warning though—there are two characters in the book who are lacking in vocabulary skills and thus they drop the F-Bomb periodically. I personally loathe such verbiage, but the author depicts these characters as they truly would be in the real world. The pollution of the dialogue is certainly not to the point though to ruin the reading experience for me.

“The Can Opener Gourmet” by Laura Karr—This book is a great resource for meal ideas which can be created from shelf-stable foods in your pantry.  While it was originally intended to cater towards the culinary challenged, it’s a great resource for folks who may end up suddenly living off of their long-term food pantry. Several of the dishes are simple enough that even my husband—who LOATHES cooking—has been willing to take them on.  I think that every prepared home could find plenty to enjoy in this book.

“Water: For Health, for Healing, for Life: You’re Not Sick, You’re Thirsty!” By F. Batmanghelidj, M.D.—This book is a critical read for anyone who’s wanting to store a sufficient amount of water for their family for that “just in case” scenario.  The author puts water in it’s proper vital perspective, and helps you understand the “why” behind water consumption.  If we all followed the counsel in this book, I’m positive that we all would experience a significant reduction in our symptoms of ill health and completely eliminate many of them as well.  Did you know that WATER is the very first nutrient your body requires?  Every other system in our body, which helps us to function and to fight disease, is contingent first and foremost on the water we consume. So, before anyone dismisses the proper role of water in their preparedness efforts, read this simple book and be enlightened.  I highly recommend his other books as well that delve into greater detail of the relationship between water consumption and obesity, depression, and cancer.

Lastly, I wanted to mention a book that one of my readers recommended called “Hanging by The Thread” by Donald B. Anderson. The author brilliantly writes of a terrorist cell known as “the thread” which infiltrates all levels of society here in American and threatens to destroy it with financial manipulation, orchestrated food shortages, acts of war, etc.  It was another good read that I couldn’t put down.

Just as a reminder, some of the books that I’ve mentioned in the past that are some of my very favorites novels which deal intimately with the topic of preparedness are “Alas, Babylon” (a novel) by Pat Frank, “One Second After” (a novel) by William R. Forstchen , and “Patriots: A Novel of Survival in the Coming Collapse” (also a novel) by James Wesley Rawls. I also love to read books by qualified authors which help to make the scriptures more clear as they relate to the last days. No reading is complete without this context taken into account as well. 

There was a book that I was sent to review recently that I didn’t really care for called “Noah’s Castle” by John Rowe Townsend, but perhaps I’m too hard of a critic when it comes to addressing topics of economic or societal collapse. I just couldn’t relate to any of the characters in the story line and felt frustrated that the author didn’t tie everything together in a manner which I consider to be true.  However, I will say that there were several parts of the book which were helpful reminders in my preparedness efforts—most particularly the importance of holding your cards close and only sharing information with individuals you know you can trust. It also reminded me how important it is to align with trusted friends who are like-minded and well educated in the area of preparedness.

If any of you have books to recommend, I’d love to hear about them as well.  It’s all a part of your Mental Preparedness principle, so I highly encourage such reading.  Reading of the very scenarios that you may come in contact with someday will give your brain great resources to guide you through such times.  Reading is a form of mental rehearsal which can’t be appreciated enough, in my opinion.

Become a fan of Preparedness Pro on Facebook

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If you would like to host a preparedness party for your business, community, or church group, please contact Vicky at vicky@preparednesspro.com

For any questions or comments on this article, please leave a comment on the blog site so that everyone can benefit!

Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

By Kellene Bishop

I may sound like a snob saying this, but to be frank, I don’t do fear.  Nope, I simply refuse to do it.  Any decision made out of fear is usually wrong or at the very least, incomplete. Why would I willingly want to knowingly make wrong decisions when I make perfectly innocent wrong decisions without the nasty toxin of fear added to the heap? Seriously. Fear is underrated. There’s a lot of validity in the saying “The only thing to fear is fear itself.” Bottom line, fear has no place in our lives. Every fear we have, we can conquer and counter with actions which smother it with peace.

Let’s be straightforward here. Fear does not come from a place good.  It’s as useful as a cheap plastic toy made in China. Fear—not greed, not pride, and not guilt—is the most dangerous emotion polluting mankind today. Fear clouds our mind. It demeans us into less than we really are.  It camouflages every scenario it touches so that the truth and the solution cannot be seen clearly.

Today I received an e-mail from a friend. It was written by a so-called expert on a forum site for folks who are interested in being prepared. Here’s the message displayed on the forum by the poster. It says:

“A comment before you read this short article.

There is a calm on [this site]right now..

It’s (sic) as though the sense of urgency has left us.

Perhaps it’s (sic) just the normal middle of summer, when we are all off busy doing the things we do. But there is a perceptible feeling of “calm”.

And yet.

Winter is coming.

All is not right.

Strange things are happening all around us.

There is a pause occurring.

It’s (sic) almost as though people are holding their breath on the roller coaster knowing that the next big drop is just about to happen.

I honestly think we are approaching the next precipice. Something significant is going to happen very soon now. Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security. The water in the kettle is just about to start boiling…

So, when I read this statement, I couldn’t help but utter aloud, “What a JYNORMOUS pile of horse crap!”

I’m just plain fed up with folks saying that the boogey man is coming. For crying out loud, the boogey man is already here, he has been here, and he will always be here. It’s called LIFE.  Will it get tougher? Yes; but not because of what will happen. Misery, desperation, and despair only come to those who are not prepared. The intensity of the pain and suffering we endure during our trials is solely contingent upon our level of preparation. Think about it. Do you really think that a multi-billionaire gets upset when he wastes a half gallon of milk?  No. Of course not.  His level of preparedness is such that such a trial wouldn’t make an impact on him. However, to a single mother of 5 kids, living on her disability checks, spilling the last half gallon of milk you’ve got until the next check comes could be a sorrowful moment. How much we suffer during the tougher events on the horizon is completely up to us!  We can be arrogant and obtuse and somehow believe we are more powerful than the law of gravity, or we can decide right now that we are going to minimize our misery by being prepared now! To be blunt, a prepared person does not need to worry about the “boiling water” or the “roller coaster” plunging downward.  Even better, a truly prepared person would never utter this fecal diatribe because they would not possess the nature to spew such gloom and doom with persons that they care about. That doesn’t mean that specific aspects of imminent trials should be ignored, not mentioned, and foolishly dismissed. But what it does mean is that we will not allow FEAR to motivate us.  Any action we make with fear as our fuel will be rife with disappointments and shortcomings. However, making the many decisions throughout our preparedness efforts from a place of peace, love for others, and a earnest desire to be our best selves in any situation is a perfect formula for success.

Sure, I’ve tried to keep folks up on the reality of things which are taking place. I too believe that there will be a serious financial collapse very soon and I also believe we will be accompanied by a food shortage as well. Even more so, I believe that all of that will occur prior to all of the prophecies in the Book of Revelations being realized. Yeah. The scenario won’t be pretty. But our environment of living, thriving, and loving does not need to be contaminated with fear. Understand that although the scriptures depict some pretty awful scenarios, such events are not shared with us so that we can be scared. Rather, it’s the exact opposite.  No one needs to fear what they have suitably anticipated. That’s why, I believe, that we have a glimpse into such scenarios. It’s His way of saying “this is going to happen, but don’t worry so long as you are prepared and follow me.” Where is the fear in that approach?  Conversely, I find nothing but beautiful promises in such passages to those who will put away their foolish ways and grow up and get prepared. I think to believe otherwise is to alienate ourselves from the Lord. There is no way, no how, that the Lord shares these things with us to make us FEAR. He’s all about love, patience, kindness, tenderness, and mercy. Granted, He has to live the laws of consequences just like we all have to. He wants to make it clear what playing for the other team will be like—because you can bet that team leader won’t be giving us the straight story.  But folks, if we want to stay sane and productive in the midst of all that is coming, FEAR is not the way to do it. Preparedness is.

Look at it this way. What’s the very, very worst that could happen?  You or your loved ones could die, right?  I suppose it could be worse if you died a particularly painful death, sure.  But seriously, I say big deal? Yup, I’m going to miss some wonderful folks.  And yes, the adjustment will be mournful for a bit.  But there IS a better life waiting for us all on the other side. I know that’s true. Don’t you? So, the so-called worst case scenario isn’t so bad after all.  But what would be bad is if any of us prematurely went to the other side knowing full well that we didn’t put up a good fight on this side to take care of ourselves and our fellow men. Perhaps we’d even be plagued by that torment of shortsightedness for a long time. That would be worse. Much worse.  So, let’s all take the best path here folks, get positive, get smart, and get prepared.

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By Kellene Bishop

A perfect storm is brewing folks and it’s a mixture of Mother Nature, misinformation, and apathy.

Today Russia, the worlds 3^rd largest exporter of wheat, announced that they were banning wheat and wheat derivative exports for at least the next four months. (Click here for article)  They are asking that other nations, including Kazakhstan—another major grain exporter, to do the same.  Keep in mind that China, one of the largest importers of wheat, is presently experiencing the worst drought of the century. Additionally, the news article quotes a Russian official claiming that the United States had a good harvest this year, and thus the news of today is no cause for concern.  There’s only one problem with that…the U.S. is already in the hole in their wheat harvest, as well as other grains, and is desperately attempting to build up ANY reserves, let alone the reserve level of 300% of our annual grain consumption.  U.S. farmers have already sold 75% of their crop—a benchmark that typically would not be accomplished until Spring 2011.  Considering the wheat commodities continue to increase dramatically. Depending on your source and the timing of your research, June, wheat prices were at about $3.50-$4.72 per bushel. Today they are at $6.70 to $8.08 per bushel! That’s a top end price increase of 71%! Thus the early buying trend coupled with such stark price increases clearly indicates that folks all over the world, as well as here in the U.S., are anxious and in desperate need for wheat.  They can’t afford to wait until the prices come down again to purchase because they all know that Mother Nature has not been too kind this year. Expect wheat commodities to give you a better return on your investment, folks, than your 401K, mutual funds, and real estate investments right now.

The Weather Man is not expected to be kind to Russia any time soon either.  This is actually their driest season of the year.  This particular drought has delivered them the lowest rainfall and highest temperatures they have seen in 30 years, particularly in Southwest Russia, Ukraine, and Belarus.

In the news article, the Russian official also mistakenly claimed that Europe has had a nice wheat harvest this year as well.  Um. Did he miss the news about Europe’s record dry season this year? (search Wall Street Journal online for many articles about this topic.) As a result, their own grain, fruits, and vegetables are taking a marked hit this year.  The ripple effect simply cannot be ignored. The German market had to increase their produce and grain costs by 15% just last month; they are not expecting any relief until the next growing season. The domino effect of this is that the European economy has relied heavily through the years on selling their grains to the rest of the world. The fact that they won’t be able to supply enough this year could really compromise their financial security.  France, Europe’s largest wheat producer, is expected to take a hit this year due to weather problems as well. Germany’s wheat and barley production is expected to reduce by at least 20% and their corn by 15% this year.    Parts of England are reporting severe difficulties to the point that some crops didn’t even have the chance to germinate. With weather forecasts predicting more high temperatures across most of Europe and Russia, things aren’t likely to improve anytime soon. It’s not about just losing a week of production and growing time.  Crops are already strained and one more week could kill a significant percentage of them.

Did I mention also that Canada had a miserably low harvest this year as well?  Oh, and Argentina, previously the largest exporter of wheat, is now having to IMPORT wheat.

To put this all into a perspective that may impact you more clearly, do you remember during the summer of 2008 when Costco and Sam’s Club customers were challenged in finding wheat and rice?  Well this particular decrease in wheat production was only at half of what it is this year worldwide.

The thousand foot view takes a look at this stark increase in the cost of our most important food crops, our significant decrease in the access to this crops, AND consideration of our oil prices and availability.  All of these factors together, affecting our two most important inflation/pre-hyperinflation factors to consider, and we should indeed snap out of any feelings of apathy that we have in being better prepared.  Once again though, I reiterate that the information I distribute is not for the purpose of inducing panic. Instead, it’s an effort to give you concrete, real life information that will ideally put your preparedness efforts in motion.  If you have a sufficient supply of grains and the skills which you need to prepare them, then not only will you be able to ride through this cacophony of events, but hey, you could even assist your family financially by investing—either tangibly or via the stock market—in these vital commodities. Personally, I’m grateful for whatever warped programming I have in my somewhat OCD mind that causes me to never feel like I have enough grains.  As a result, for the last 10 years I have been compelled to find room in my budget any time I see any significant reduction in the price of grains. (My husband thinks we can never have enough water. I guess if he’s good with that, and I’m good with chocolate and grains, then we’ll make it ok. *grin*)  In terms of stocking up on wheat and other grain products, I encourage every other prepper to do the same. (Chocolate never hurt anyone either. Hee hee) Perhaps this article will assist the non-believers in your life to take a little action for their well being also.  One can only hope.

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By Kellene Bishop

Many moons ago (I think nearly 11 years) my hubby and I decided to go to Walt Disney World for a delayed honeymoon. As a part of our Land/Cruise package, we were given about $300 in the form of a gift card that we could purchase any of our food with as well as any items that the restaurants sold.  We did such a good job in budgeting the use of this card while we were there that we found ourselves still with about $100 left the night before we were to board on the cruise ship. In essence, our gift card would be useless and expired as soon as we left the park. So, my husband, in one of his rare less-than-brilliant moments, decided that he wanted to use the leftover credit on some Cinderella steins at Cinderella’s Castle. I think it only took me a couple of years to finally donate those things to the local Salvation Army store.  My point in telling you this story is that soon, this is very similar to the position we all be in with the U.S. currency we presently hold. It’s called hyperinflation, and I firmly believe it’s in our own backyards, circling around to our front doors.

I firmly believe that if folks understood this, and they understood that their paychecks will soon not be able to purchase even the most basic essentials, I’m positive that they would start looking at ways to maximize their dollars right now, while they still DO something for them. While this may sound a bit overly dramatic, I assure you that it’s based on extensive research and experience in recognizing the looming hyperinflation that is an imminent threat to our nation right now.  Yes, I said, right now.  This shouldn’t sound like a new alarm to anyone reading this. Although I suspect we tend to block it out because we’ve been hearing it so much.  But don’t you think it would be an absolute shame to needlessly suffer simply because those who love us warned us “too much?”  How ironic is that!

As proud as I am to live in this country I believe we all have to realize that we are not the exception to the empirical rules of financial law…we cannot spend our way out of the debt that our nation is in.  IF debt was the only problem, then maybe such a move could be accomplished—but only because it was a lucky gamble. In this case though, it’s not a gamble—it’s an illicit manipulation and those who have the most to gain are definitely aware of the consequences. What does this mean? Well it means absolute bankruptcy. It means a halt to food stamps, unemployment benefits, critical municipal services, Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security income. It means that folks who have IRA’s will all suddenly feel like they work for Enron in its last day.    It also means empty grocery stores, rationing of essentials, but even if you aren’t a part of that ostensibly elite group of manipulators, you are not left without a map.  There has NEVER been a time in history in which a nation has been able to sustain debt in excess of 15% of their Gross National Production.  Never.  The death warrant on a healthy economy has already been signed, sealed, and delivered, folks.  The only thing we can do is prepare for the consequences and I’m telling you today that using coupons is one of those ways that you can do so!

Regardless of the calories you expend at work, the numbers of hours you clock in, or the floor number of your office, you do not have any control over the value of the dollar in your paycheck.  Unless you are receiving a 13% raise every 4.3 weeks, you are not keeping up with the REAL cost of living increases.  This 13% represents an average of the increase of all of the “necessities” which we purchase on a regular basis.  So, are you in a losing game right now? Yes—BUT only if you ignore the problem.  If you take advantage of what tools that are available out there to help you combat hyperinflation, then you will make it through until the spiral death resets our economy.

First of all, let’s be clear, no one can presently cure hyperinflation of the U.S. dollar. Like I said before, we’ve already picked up the wrong end of the stick and the other end must follow. We can improve its impact, but the fact remains that there are trillions and trillions of dollars printed and in circulation. These dollars only exist to create the illusion that money is aplenty. Again, money is only worth what it can buy. And right now there are too many dollars chasing too few items to buy.  That may not ring true to those of us who never see such an abundance of dollars in our checking account. And I’m sorry to say, that’s exactly what the Federal Reserve is counting on—for you to only see things from your immediate point of view.  The uneducated have always been the most valuable tool of the maniacal. But, what we can do is get focused—not on the value of the dollar, but what that dollar can STILL do for us now.

No, coupons aren’t the answer to living during hyperinflation, but they are indeed an ideal solution for those who have the foresight to make use of them now! Seriously, if I could come to each one of your houses and speak to you for just a few moments about the importance of this tool in preparing yourselves against the disaster of hyperinflation, I would do it.  It’s that important to me. But, unfortunately, such a labor—regardless of how passionate and well-intended I may be motivated—is simply not realistic.  And so today, I try once more to get you mentally accept and act on this great tool—not to manipulate you, not because I have this pompous sense of having to be right all of the time—but seriously, because I am positive that I see things pretty clearly right now, and I KNOW that the coupons can help you and those around you very quickly, abundantly, and that they won’t be able to help for many more years. So I say, get while the getting is good! Once the financial collapse has undeniably occurred, the paper the coupons are printed on will be worth no more than the paper the currency is printed on.

Last month I was able to purchase over $950 worth of groceries and my total out of pocket was just under $204.00. How?  Well yes, coupons had a key roll in that, along with a store special.  But we should also take note that part of the reason why I can do that now is because so many products are at artificially low prices. We’ve all come to accept that there are “loss leaders” at grocery stores—you know those items which are such a ridiculously low price just to entice you into the store? Well, considering that I got three grocery carts full of stuff last month for free or cheap, I’d say that’s a whole heck of a lot of loss leaders, wouldn’t you? Just like the present rate of inflation, money printing, and national deficit, this is NOT something that can be sustained. The more I can get for “free or dirt cheap” the more the rational side of me gets a bit concerned because I know that what goes up, must come down.  When it finally hits that there are too many useless pieces of paper aka currency, chasing after too few products, the stuff is really going to hit the fan. The knee jerk reactions to this kind of a problem are price fixing and rations. When that takes place you then have a black market. No matter what, unprepared people go hungry.

So, I have a proposal for you folks.  PLEASE allow me to teach you how to effectively use coupons now, while you can.  We have a class coming up the end of this week on Saturday.  After that it will be on August 21^st.  However, I’m giving everyone fair warning—the prices of all webinars are increasing in prices the first week of August, so be sure you get registered to which webinars you’d like to attend, now. Our nation’s hyperinflation nightmare isn’t going to pay much heed to empty excuses later.  I know, 100%, that I can help ANYONE get ready for tougher time through this completely, kick-butt coupon boot camp! it’s about time that we all get a bit more serious and focused and fight fire with fire. I hope to see you there!

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

By Kellene Bishop

Gotta Love That Pressure Cooker!

Two weeks ago I had to make a meal, pronto, for my husband and I.  Since I had been writing most of the day, I hadn’t exactly planned anything. So at 4:30 p.m., I finally decided to rummage in my freezer to see what was available. I saw a freezer-burned ham bone. While that may not sound very appetizing to most of you, I assure you that freezer-burned meat is no problem when you have a pressure cooker.  So I placed the ham bone in some water and a couple tablespoons of Shirley J’s Slow Cooker Pork Seasoning in my pressure cooker. I stabilized the pressure at high heat for about 30 minutes while embarking on a kitchen cleaning frenzy. As I was doing so I spied about 3 cups of pinto beans that I had purchased in the bulk foods section of Winco which I had forgotten to seal in a Mason jar. So I decided that ham and beans sounded like a good option for dinner before I dried my beans out too much.

All I did was rinse the beans off and then added them to the pressure cooker with the ham bone. Thanks to a pressure cooker, by 5:30 p.m. my husband and I were enjoying a very tasty ham and beans meal with only these three ingredients. Pretty impressive when you consider that most dishes of this nature call for soaking the beans overnight and slow cooking the entire meal most of the day.  Instead, we enjoyed a convenient, comfortable meal with all of the nutrients intact. I like having a meal in a jiffy without nuking it or compromising the texture and taste. And thanks to this invaluable technology, I got every drop of bone marrow from my ham bone. Yum-Mee!

Now some of you may be surprised that I didn’t have to soak the beans or simmer the ham and beans for hours. But that’s simply one of the great things about having a pressure cooker. I easily use my pressure cookers every week to make meals that would usually take an exorbitant amount of time.  Whole grain white or brown rice only takes 10 minutes on high pressure—and turns out perfectly every time.  Irish cut oats, wheat berries, any type of grain or legumes turn out wonderful with a minimal amount of effort. Even better, when I use a pressure cooker, I don’t have to heat up my house by cooking all day AND I am able to continue cooking on high heat even though I have my stove top turned all the way down to the lowest setting. From a preparedness standpoint, this is especially handy in the event that you have to live off of a limited supply of precious fuel such as propane, butane, or kerosene.

So, for this weeks article to aid you in using your long-term pantry items, I hope that I’ve sufficiently encouraged you to check out this marvelous tool of everyday preparedness. If you already have a pressure cooker, I hope you won’t hesitate to constantly try new things and see just how much of a great impact it can have on your busy schedule and sophisticated palate.

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By Kellene Bishop

Let’s face it. A household that’s full of enough groceries and other household supplies to last a year isn’t exactly a common sight nowadays. In fact, I know many persons who would actually label such a person as a hoarder. However, they would be woefully incorrect in this assessment and I hope that many of you can shake off the negative stigma that such a label carries with it.

If I were to pay my utilities a year in advance or save enough money to live off of for a year without incurring debt, would someone presume to judge me as a hoarder?  Would such a wise financial act cause a sense of scarcity among the banks and creditors of the world? No. In fact, the strength of a nation’s savings accounts has long been viewed as a sound barometer to the financial strength of that nation. If I were to pay all of my insurance premiums a year in advance, I’m offered a sizeable discount.  If I were to pay my wholesale invoices immediately upon issuance I am also issued a profitable discount. In fact, I’m sure that most of us would consider a person with such healthy financial habits to be a wise financial steward, would we not? Do we label Mr. Gates, Buffet, or Trump paranoid fools because they have had the audacity to “get while the getting’s good?”  Then why in the world would anyone accept the label of a hoarder simply because they are stabilizing their dollars and leveraging their money wisely by stocking up on necessary items today?

Ah, look at how our spoiled selves have evolved when it comes to obtaining food and other necessities.  First we are given the luxury of shelves and shelves of options right around the corner that we can quickly make our purchases conveniently in an air-conditioned environment with the swipe of a piece of plastic.  The variety and availability of the selection of food we are given rivals the Amazon book list (I don’t know about you, but I have seven well-known grocery stores within 5 minutes of me all trying to get my attention and hard-earned money). Though we no longer have to tend to the gardens, the cattle, and endure the backbreaking work to eat, we still haven’t been satisfied. We want things even easier. So Necessity has created restaurants.

We simply sit down, look at a menu, order our meal and in many instances pay less for it than if we were to have to buy all of the stuffs to make it ourselves.  No dishes to clean. No table to set.  We expect it hot, safe, and served with a smile.  But no…this still isn’t a good enough option to our grocery stores.  So Necessity has given us fast food.

We barely have to stop what we’re doing to order a meal with a minimal amount of effort, and Voila! It’s readily handed to us in any weather, virtually any time of the day, and many brands can be obtained in any part of the world.  But still, this isn’t good enough for us. We demand that Necessity give us take-out.

A phone call and a credit card number delivers to us some of our favorite flavors and scents from across the world.  No thinking, cleaning, or human interaction is required. We call or log online. We pay. We eat. If room service is late, some call it the suffering of egregious affronts.

Meanwhile the options become more and more abundant for us. We are bombarded with offers from an army of grocery stores for our dollars. Reward points. Gas discounts. Curb-side service. Every possible enticement that can be conceived is conjured to win our attention. Every restaurant in our area jockeys for their share of our appetites. And every drive-thru window strives to make it even easier to reach into our pocketbooks and eek out support for their establishment. Heck. We don’t even have to name the foods we want to order. We can simply order an entire meal by number.

Is it any wonder that very few of Americans have taken thought of providing nourishment and comfort for their family tomorrow, let alone next year?  Even when there is plenty of food in the home we still find too much fatigue or too much immediate desire to drive us to spend our money elsewhere. Is it any wonder why the kitchen cupboards are shrinking in size while the entertainment rooms and garages are demanding most of our household space? We seem to be sufficiently convinced that these options will always be there, will always be affordable, and will always be safe.  Is that a way of life we are really comfortable embracing?  Is there any certainty of sustainability in that choice?

Sure a year’s supply of food and provisions for a family looks quite out of place when contained all in one space—but then again, I think that those lime green smart cars look pretty outlandish too. It makes no sense to me for persons to accept being prudent with their money, but refusing to buy into the wisdom of being prudent with that which money will always need to buy.  In fact, they haven’t even dared to create a game show that awards the winner  a year’s supply of all of the groceries their heart desires. Even the deep-pocketed detached bureaucrats know that’s too much of a financial uncertainty. Granted, I certainly wouldn’t be investing in food items that will perish sooner than my dollar value, but it certainly makes sense to me to invest in necessities that will undoubtedly keep their value long past my retirement account.  If credit companies can charge astronomical interest by providing that which people want right now, doesn’t it make sense for us to pay ourselves for that which we will most certainly need in the future?

Just as I believe that I will still need a roof over my head one year from now, I’m certain that I will still be in need of a meal six months from now?  If I can purchase some of that meal at a discount and stock up now, how is that any different than making a smart stock purchase today?

I realize that stocking up on foods and such isn’t exactly a popular decision. In fact, there have been times in our civilization in which people are encouraged to scoff and scorn at such persons even as they are fed and nourished by the very hand which they criticized. But understand that no one is exempt from having an abundance of undisputable proof that stocking up on necessities is a wise financial choice and not one held exclusively by extreme survivalists.  This isn’t some crazy preparedness person telling you all of this. There is irrefutable evidence.  I have yet to find any instance in which mankind was able to stop eating. And yet we can all find countless examples throughout history in which the currency which mankind relies upon to purchase his meals has become worthless. No one knowingly bets AGAINST a sure thing, and yet kitchens and pantries across America are doing that very same thing—they are betting that somehow the financial mistakes made in their generation will lead to different results; that somehow their political leaders are able to defy gravity and never permit a financial crisis from occurring; and that somehow they will be saved from any consequences their poor decisions bring them.

So, my dear friends, the next time you see me or someone else with dozens of bottles of shampoo, deodorant, Spam, ketchup, body wash, and mayonnaise filling the shopping carts, recognize that they are not a hoarder. They are simply being wise by financially investing in their future needs—and I hope they are wearing their wisdom with pride.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

By Kellene Bishop

You’ve not doubt heard the saying “Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.”  You could say that I live by this particular motto in my preparedness efforts. However, today I’m going to discuss with you a topic that I have never seen addressed in a preparedness venue—preparing for THE worst.  What is the “the worst?”

More than 200,000 American women every year—in a time of relative calm, comfort, and civil order—are raped. Yet, in every crisis scenario which has EVER occurred in our nation’s history in the last 70 years—such as hurricanes, earthquakes, financial collapse, etc—the numbers of rape reports increase substantially amidst the darkness of tragedy.  So, my question for you today is, what are you doing now to PREPARE to defend against THE Worst in your everyday life as well as during a time of great struggle?

Rape is a disgusting and horrifying crime, and to most women, their greatest nightmare. The very thought of the word repulses most. According to FBI records, more than 90,000 attacks are reported every year in the U.S. That number pales in comparison to what’s really happening. The U.S. Department of Justice estimates that more than 300,000 women are forced to survive a rape each year.  But according to other studies, less than one in three women reports their real-life nightmare to police or other authorities. As such it is believed that one in five women in the U.S. today, under the age of 26 will be raped. I share this tidbit of information to you only for the purpose of getting you, my dear readers, to begin to comprehend the reality of this dark side of human tragedy because only when we understand the reality of this particular criminal event can we begin to prepare against it—in defense of it.

It pains me to even feel like I have to address this topic. But over the last 2 years I’ve had several conversations with women, their husbands, their children etc. which lead me to believe that there is an alarming amount of naïveté among good families who are trying their best to prepare for tougher times. Let’s get real here for just a moment, even if you don’t believe that this horrific event can happen to yourself or someone you love dearly right now, you must believe it is possible amidst a more challenging time.  Yes, desperation breeds horrors—horrors that most women never want to think about.  Do you recall the litany of nightmare stories which occurred during hurricane Katrina? The single location of the Louisiana Superdome became a carnival land for deranged and disconnected males, committing rape against women, elderly, and even children as young as 10 years of age.  Later, as refugees migrated to the Houston Astrodome, the same grotesque acts occurred, along with beatings, theft, and other acts in defiance of human decency.  Clearly, we don’t live in Disneyland, Folks, and it certainly will NOT get better during a crisis. It WILL get worse. So, what are you doing to prepare for it?

Ladies, we’ve got to stop assuming that someone else will be there to defend us against such an act.  For those of us who feel sufficiently connected to a knight in shining armor, understand that during a time of crisis that knight is likely to be off fighting known dragons elsewhere in the form of filling sand bags, foraging for food, being a sentinel to a larger perimeter.  Even the imaginative minds of cartoon crime fighters have never tried to create a super hero that could be in all places at all times, so why do so many of my female and MALE friends believe that they will “be there” to defend against such a horrific occasion? The possibility of your husband, boyfriend, father, or some other protector being present at “just the right time” when such an attack is thrust upon you is minimal even in today’s relative social climate.  It is much less likely in a strained social environment. As such, women (young and old) must educate themselves (mentally and physically) as to how to defend and PREVENT such instances. No nonsense mental and physical education such as that taught by Women of Caliber, is critical to your everyday survival.

Ladies, rape is not just a brutal sexual act that you bravely endure, nor is it just about the physical assault that usually goes hand in hand. If you are lucky enough to physically survive such an event you will find yourself fighting an even darker enemy in the subsequent months and years. Victims of rape also find themselves continually abused by the psychological aftermath. Many woman survive the physical assault only to have their quality of life destroyed because of the emotional damage. Worse, is when these same women are raped who also are raising children.  Insecurity, fear, anger, and even self-loathing are often the “after shocks” which destroy the virtuous legacy a mother desired to pass on to her children.  A mother’s projection of the pain she’s endured will inevitably affect her children if she doesn’t receive proper care following her attack.  And yet such care is not likely to exist in a time of great turmoil. So, me dear readers, we all have a choice to make. Will we prevent such an act from even coming into play in either ours or our loved one’s  life, or will we risk “just crossing that bridge when we come to it” or deny that it even exists?

Gentlemen,—particularly those who have an aversion towards tools of “excessive force” and protection—are you willing to risk that such an event will never happen to your wives, daughters, or other loved ones so that you can remain inside your comfort zone? Most men do not want to even consider that such an event would ever happen to the women they care about—let alone whether or not they will be capable of coming to the rescue. As a result, too many men are ill-prepared in their own preparedness efforts against this dark story of society. Sadly, some are even non-supportive of their wives’ efforts to take their own self-defense more seriously. I assure everyone who reads this that whatever comfort you have now by avoiding such a reality in your own immediate circle of relationships or more extended, will be insignificant the instant you painfully exclaim, “If only!”

The rampant criminal acts that took place during the Depression were not associated with obtaining food, money, or other vital need.  In an unsure world, deviant persons are likely to engage in ANY kind of an act which makes them feel like they are in control again.  This is why rape becomes so prevalent in a scenario of social tragedy. Ultimately, rape is about control.  This is why you hear of these same horrid acts in present-day Rwanda, Zimbabwe, Haiti, and S. Africa.  These nations are out of control.  Many of their mealtimes are full of nothing but desperation. Dark souls are being driven to establish some semblance of control into their lives.
Please understand that rape is not a crime of strangers.  Sixty-four percent of the time the woman is raped by a trusted companion! That’s a particularly dangerous problem because the ripple effect brutalizes them once again at close range. Compounding the problem is that the woman frequently has deep emotional feelings and even sincere love for the attacker so the crime is never reported, opting instead to give the perpetrator another chance, allowing the nightmare to continue. The survivor sits alone in silence, darkness, and fear…unless…

What if women, in particular, stopped relying on knights in shining armor to protect them from this heinous crime? What if, instead, women took their safety into their own hands by becoming fully informed and educated on how to recognize a looming rape occurrence and how to successfully thwart it?   A physical self-defense series.  A self-defense firearm training class.  All of these are ideal counter-measures to ensure that a woman never has to become a survivor and be left to simply dance to the present music that’s played for them.  If a rape is fought back with skill and a pre-conditioned mind, then the survivor will be able to much better cope with the incident, leaving it behind with a sense of conquering evil rather than being trampled in its path. The same is true of the men in our lives who genuinely care about us.  If they hold the tools and the knowledge to prevent and fight back against a rape, then their lives also have the real peace that’s necessary to survive a time of turmoil. And particularly in this case, there’s a lot to be said for Peace in Preparedness.

Lest anyone think that I’m simply agitating a problem without offering a solution, I am purposefully being incomplete in my assessment of solutions in this particular article. How a person elects to defend themselves is a very personal decision—one that must be made with conviction.  While I won’t attempt to be secretive that I believe firmly in the effectiveness and even the necessity of using a firearm to defend against such occasions, I cannot project that same belief on others. But what I can do is to demonstrate the reality of the need for serious preparedness and hopefully aid in the education that’s necessary to make an informed decision in this regard.  Too often I hear folks ignorantly believe that “protection” is only necessary for those who are not willing to share their goods and supplies. Today I’m sharing with you that that notion is a fallacy and I hope and pray that you will take this information today to heart—if not applicable for your own benefit, perhaps in your efforts to assist others in making this difficult but necessary decision. Ultimately I hope that I won’t conjure up nightmares for you, rather you find yourselves recipients of the peace that comes with proper, realistic preparedness.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.

Author’s note: My wonderful friend and assistant, Vicky has the nerve to take off work this week so that she can participate in her son’s wedding. Geesh! Unfortunately, I’m completely inept at editing my own work, adding photos, links, etc. without her.  So you’ll have to endure the rough stuff until she returns next week. (unless I get a chance to work on it in the wee hours of the morning-Vicky)

By Kellene Bishop

Sure, I believe that we should love our neighbors, but trusting them with our safety and security is a whole ‘nother matter.

The History of Neighbors:

You may find it interesting to note that during the Hitler regime, the neighbors of the Jews and so-called “traitors” were the greatest asset to Hitler’s intelligence operations. Hitler used all manner of lies, propaganda, intimidation, and bullying to get regular, everyday citizens to betray their neighbors to the Reich for either being a Jew or being sympathetic towards the Jews.  If a particular person were to betray a significant number of their neighbors, then they would often be awarded additional food rations and other favors that irresistible to some during a time of famine, poverty, and chaos. As a result of the harshest of living conditions, many Germans would wrongfully accuse a neighbor of being a sympathizer simply so that the informant could put a meal on the table.

When the Soviets first occupied Lithuania in 1940, they did so under the deceptive position of liberation for the Lithuanian people. But some citizens did not fall for this guise and were wise to the true intents of the Soviets and the looming Nazi regime. These attentive patriots worked bravely and selflessly to escape the certain enslavement that was in store for their nation and were naturally motivated to likewise warn their neighbors of this pending demise. It’s important to note that the Soviets and the Third Reich did not tolerate lukewarm loyalty from any of their counterparts. The KGB (rightfully) believed that if a person was not vehemently supportive of the Soviet occupation, then such a person was a dissident and thus likely to compromise the strength of the Soviet plans for world power.  As such, if neighbors were not regularly providing the identities of other persons as “resisters” to the Soviet regime, then they would find themselves cast with a hue of suspicion and be considered as a rebel sympathizer—subsequently tortured to death. It was primarily through this means of intelligence gathering, that by the end of the war the KGB (and later, the Nazi’s) killed nearly 96 percent of all Jews in Lithuania all because there would rarely stand a man who had the courage to trade their own life for freedom and friendship.

Today, in stark contrast to the charm and friendliness of the citizens in Vilnius, Lithuania, there is The Museum of Genocide Victims. This museum tells the all too familiar story of neighbors turning on neighbors—usually in the name of a false sense of morality or financial gain. In this case, hundreds of thousands of Lithuanians and Poles were brutally murdered for standing up to an evil and suppressive regime throughout many years. Ironically, this museum is established in the former KGB headquarters where tortured and murdered persons were represented coldly by a name and a location by the very people that they celebrated, prayed, and wept with.

(As an aside note, I also find it interesting that the Soviets felt so threatened by opposing points of views even though a sparse few of the resisters were armed with any type of weaponry. It was simply their beliefs that the Soviets felt were so dangerous to their evil objective.)

I don’t share this information with you to remind you of a horrible blemish on the history of humanity, rather to remind you that such circumstances are not apt to be isolated solely to history. Any stressful or catastrophic future event is just as likely to challenge the strands of decency we bear. As I’ve said time and time again, desperation and fear cause people to do unspeakable acts.  Thus, in the interest of preparedness, I feel that it’s important that we recognize that the friends and neighbors with whom we share our preparedness efforts and plans must be chosen wisely and prayerfully; our lives may well depend upon it.  I realize—of course—that when one catches the spirit of self-reliance and independence we desperately want to share such convictions with other persons we care about.  There is certainly a strong case of wise stratagem in converting our own neighbors and friends to a state of preparedness for our own sakes. Those who are properly prepared are less likely to compromise our own reserves, right? However, we all must still prepare for “Plan B” in the event that the anticipated loyalty and bravery does not hold firm. As such, I encourage you to not be free flowing with specifics of the fruits of your self-reliant state or plans of relief until you are certain—spiritually and mentally—that such information will be held sacred by a brave soul.

Our Own Mental Fortitude:

While there is much to consider in this respect, “who can I trust?” I submit that there is an even more important question we ask ourselves while we have the peace and comfort to support such an exploration. “Who will I be under dire circumstances?”

I’m sure that I’m not the only person in the world today who’s ever been painfully betrayed by close friends.  In fact I dare say that some of my escapades of such cutting experiences would be suitable for a compelling auto-biography. But I know that I’m in good company with exceptional men and women such as George Washington, Tecumseh, Grace O’ Malley, and of course Jesus Christ.  I am not an exceptional recipient of these circumstances. But more importantly that what may be thrust upon us by the cowardice of others, I feel it’s vital that we ensure that we possess the appropriate amount of spiritual and mental preparedness to maintain a strength of character in all instances. Will I betray another for a meal?  Will I stand up for another’s freedom by surrendering my own life?  Will I be decent so long as my children’s lives are not in jeopardy? I feel that considering this series of possibilities will do much to strengthen our own mental fortitude.

Examples of Strength:

It doesn’t require much time on Facebook or in front of the daily news to realize that there are many persons surrounding you who do not believe in self-reliance, freedom, and independence as you do.  Worse, there are few persons who are willing to work hard to establish healthy state of preparedness and then back up the courage of convictions with bravery in light of all kinds of torture, starvation, or embarrassment. Instead they feel emboldened with a sense of entitlement that simply because you have, they should receive. This pervasive thought process may not seem life-threatening today, but under the cloud of war, famine, or other challenges, it may seem perfectly rash to a weak mind.

Love our neighbors? Certainly! I believe that because of such a love we are required to forgive them their wrongdoings. In fact, I believe that the scars of those who were betrayed so cruelly during the 2^nd World War will be healed contingent on the measure of forgiveness they extend to their traitors as well as the scars we carry by betrayal in our own lives. But let’s understand that the Parable of the 10 Virgins, Jesus’ betrayal by Judas, the sell-out of Joseph in Egypt by his brothers, and many other thought provoking scenarios only addresses loving of our neighbors, not blindly trusting them. In fact, in the case of Christ and Joseph in Egypt, we are given all kinds of examples of carrying cautiously in light of human betrayal. In light of all of these points, I feel that there’s a great deal of wisdom in the admonition to “trust not in the arm of flesh.” In fact we are warned of this reality in the scriptures as we are told that even brother shall fight against brother and even the strongest of bonds between a woman and her own child shall be shredded amidst times of turmoil and trial.

I like my neighbors, a lot. We talk over fences. We gather at celebrations. At Christmas time we all exchange homemade gifts of love and loveliness. But it’s a very different outlook when I ask myself if I could trust so and so with my life and freedom. Unfortunately, there are only a handful of people in this world that I feel I could answer affirmatively. As such, I either need to get to know them all better so that I can be accurate in my summation or I must be wise in my decisions of  who I can trust. After all, I believe I have a solemn responsibility to care for my family and choice friends so that we may fulfill all of our purposes here on earth.

The Reality:

There is a reality for which we must mentally prepare so that we might peacefully anticipate a day of great turmoil without losing our emotional strength. We have greater ability to be at peace if we acknowledge that such a compromise of trust could happen to us.  It’s wise and even peaceful to face this reality so long as we harbor no hatred or fear of those who would violate our trust. We must accept that vile brute force can and frequently does triumph over kindness, love, and decency. The Polish and Lithuanian Jews who were annihilated by the Einsatzgruppen didn’t believe that something so atrocious could ever happen to them.  George Washington never wanted to believe that Benedict Arnold would betray his country in exchange for a little financial gain. The great Chief Tecumseh couldn’t fathom that anyone would not want the Indian nations to be unified in strength and peace. After bravely conquering entire armies of men who threatened the destruction of Ireland’s civilization, Grace O’Malley never expected her own son to betray her into the hands of prison. Though Christ had foreknowledge of Judas’ betrayal, it still brought him tears of sorrow.  But all of these persons were able to thrive in peace and victory in spite of these crushing turns of event. And with a little bit of caution, we too can endure anything that life throws at us, in spite of fickle, fine feathered friends.

May your trusted friends be many and your preparedness efforts be even more abundant.

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Copyright Protected 2010, Preparedness Pro and Kellene Bishop. All Rights Reserved. No portion of any content on this site may be duplicated, transferred, copied, or published without written permission from the author. However, you are welcome to provide a link to the content on your site or in your written works.