Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Changing Tires or Diapers...Which One Stinks Worse? June 26, 2014

Tires - Can't Live With Them - Can't Live Without Them

A few days ago my husband blew a tire on his trailer. He asked me later if I would help my son change it. I don't have much experience with changing  a tire, but I figured it couldn't be TOO hard.

When I got ready to "loosen" (haha haha hahah) the lug nuts I realized I didn't have the right tool. So, I tried to use some of my husband's other tools to get those stinkin' things off! It took me probably 30 minutes to get the lug nuts to the point that my son could even start his part. Needless to say, my husband finished the job.

For any guys out there, you might think, "This is the easiest thing in the world!" For the ladies, not so much. It is important for us to know basic car repair/ maintenance so if we are ever stranded, we can get back on the road in no time. Many people might think, "Duh! That's a no brainer! Call AAA!" But what if you are in a dead zone and your cell phone doesn't work? It is better to be prepared.

So - my challenge to you is to....

Practice Changing a Tire

All those who can change a tire by next Thursday will receive a bar of hand-made soap. I just made some Teatree, Orange and Oatmeal soaps. (wink wink)

Here is one lady's experience.

http://gottawannaneedagettaprepared.blogspot.com/2010/09/day-6-challenge-change-tire.html

Even though changing a tire can stink worse than changing a diaper, it will be a good exercise (physically and emotionally).

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So, we've had an ant problem (as opposed to Aunt problem). We went to Home Depot and Walmart for the BEST OF THE BEST in ant...suppressant (muhahah). We tried the ant hotels and syringe gel poison.  Neither one took care of the problem.

Enter - clove oil. I put 1/4 C water and 7 to 10 drops of clove oil in a small spray bottle. I sprayed them directly. They stopped dead in their tracks. I only had to do it a few times that day and suddenly, the ants stopped coming in the kitchen all together. I wonder if they could hear the haemolymph (ant blood) curdling screams of their comrades in arms - because they stopped completely.

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Lessons from Lehi June 19, 2014

Like Abraham - the Father of Many Nations

We learn about self-reliance all the time in the scriptures. These examples are amazing! Poor Noah probably gets exhausted - we use him as an example a lot, but for good reasons. What about other awesome prophets who obeyed? Who else was spiritually and physically prepared to leave everything they had behind because the Lord directed it be done - for their protection?

His Spiritual Self-Reliance :

What's not to love about Father Lehi? I always pictured him like a lean Santa Claus with the cool little bead headband that holds his keffiyeh (cloth hat) on. Do not be deceived by appearances, this guy was willing to do everything he was commanded (which is way more brownie points than a midnight flight with magical reindeer once a year). Only he had to escape the "naughty" kids who were threatening his life. Although he had to take a few "naughty" kids with him...sheesh, they're everywhere!

I am guessing he inherited the spiritual gift of dreams and visions from his ancestor Joseph (you know, the dreamer who was sold into Egypt). Before we get halfway through the third chapter in 1st Nephi, he has four visions/ dreams. Some of his family make fun of him, calling him a "visionary man." Well...yeah, they were visions. This is the tool that helped him, his family and the "household" of Ishmael to escape the fall of Jerusalem. That's pretty big. However, having information that something is going to happen and acting on it...are two different things. 

I LOVE what Nephi says (1Nephi 1:20) "...But behold, I, Nephi will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen , because of their faith, to make them mighty, even unto the power of deliverance."

Dang Gina - raise your hand if you would like the power of deliverance from the abominations foretold in our day? OOooOo pick me! You don't have to have dreams to be obedient, but when you SEE the destruction, and you READ in the Book of Life what is going to happen - it tends to be a self-motivator.

His Temporal Self-Reliance:

So, when he is told in a dream to leave, he takes with him:

• His family
• provisions
• tents

That's all folks. We don't really have much information on how much time they had to prepare for their journey outta there, but with threats on Lehi's life my guess is - notta whole hecka. The "colony"  also didn't have much in the way of provisions because we read a little later how they are near starving in the wilderness and upset with Nephi for breaking his bow. But when all is said and done, the Lord makes up for what they weren't able to bring with them - but they had to have a starting point. They also had to know to to prepare the hunted game they found in the fertile parts of the land. Thank goodness for the Liahona though....whew! What a life saver?

If great things come in small packages, 1 Nephi 2:15 definitely fits the bill. "And my father dwelt in a tent." I bet he used his tent often. Maybe even as part of his job. A wealthy man who was willing to leave everything behind to obey. We may never be asked to do that - but I have to ask myself, "What have I been asked to leave behind in our day?"

In 2011 Sister Julie Beck (the General Relief Society) said this in a training to Stake Relief Society Presidencies:

"I have a sense and a feeling as we have watched some of these disasters in the world, that this is a time for us to learn and prepare from these experiences. Sister Thompson gave an testimony of that, and the preparation happens in our own homes. There are not enough tents in the world to furnish every person with a tent unless the members of the church have a tent in their own homes...a simple thing like that. And then the storehouse is pressed down, heaped over and running over in our own homes."

I am so thankful for the tender mercies of the Lord. I love the examples of faith I find in the scriptures. Someday, I hope to meet Father Lehi. I hope to give him a hug, thank him for his example, and maybe squish his cheeks. That's what I do to my dad. :)

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - EPP! What Did I Just Step On? 6/12/2014

Sometimes surprises are good, like a surprise birthday party or a surprise "going away" party. Sometimes surprises are bad; for instance your cat decides to deposit a "surprise" in your driveway dirt because her litter box isn't good enough anymore. Nice. It is the polar opposite of the soft, warm feeling you get from serving someone.

Emergencies can be THAT kind of surprise multiplied exponentially. Let us plan ahead with an EPP (Emergency Preparedness Plan), which a PIP (Plan In Place) is part of.

I am so thankful for the easy to follow, common sense approach that the ladies at Food Storage Made Easy have put together on their website. It is completely absent of the "doom and gloom" or "zombie apocalypse" many preparedness websites offer.

What I am about to share with you, I highly encourage you to print it and implement it in your Family Home Evenings, family discussions, Sunday afternoon down time or whenever. This Emergency Preparedness Plan tells you step by step what you can do to be better ready for the larger scale "bad" surprises. You can find that here: http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/fsme/docs/eprep-handout.pdf

The plan includes instructions on :

• The Family Plan
• 72 hour kit and Emergency Binder
• Evacuation List and Car Kit

In later tips, we will try to implement some scenarios to practice. For instance, how long does it take you to put the essentials in your vehicle for an evacuation?

Even though surprises of the uncomfortable variety sometimes happen to us, if we have an EPP, there will be less stress where we will be able to help our family with a cool head. Make a goal to do a little something every day.

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Perfect Beans and Fun with Fennel June 5, 2014

Who knew fennel could be so fun?

This morning I spent a while making the second video in our Self-Reliance Cooking Series. It is called : How to Make Perfect Beans in a Wonder Oven.

You can watch my skills here :) : http://youtu.be/gyL8r_pRwZ8

If you have any questions let me know!

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What the heck is fennel? Why is it useful? Is it in your spice cabinet? 

My Oma (Grandmother Tenney) had a fennel bush outside her house for years. I always thought it smelled like licorice. Yumm!

Fennel has so many amazing uses! Here are only a few:

#1 When we have trouble digesting food we get gas build up (maybe from too many beans???). Enter fennel - possibly with a cape - fennel helps the body to produce more enzymes!!! Isn't that crazy? Enzymes help us to break down food easier. When we digest better, the whole body functions better.

#2 Fennel is a common ingredient in European cough remedies....hmmmm...why don't we see that here? Probably because they don't want people to assume because you have a cough you're gassy too? Who knows.

#3 I have personally used fennel to increase my milk supply when I wasn't making enough for one of my babies.

This website is one of my favorites for education on herbs and spices and the things they can be used for. 

http://www.herbs2000.com/ 

Here is what they have to say about fennel. I have used fennel for digestive issues before with great success. Here are other uses fennel can help with. Fennel...it does a body good. Pass it...on.

http://www.herbs2000.com/herbs/herbs_fennel.htm

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - Do Your Tomatoes Say "Cheese"?

Aren't They Cute?

Don't you love it when you go to take a picture of your beautiful tomato plants and they smile with their beautiful teeth? It makes you just want to pinch their cheeks! It is because of all the calcium you've been feeding them. What? You don't give your tomatoes calcium?

Ok, my tomatoes don't have teeth either. But, they still need calcium just like we do.  Well why? It prevents blossom end rot (not that people get end rot on our blossoms...anyway). It makes the plant overall stronger so it can produce healthier tomatoes for you. After all, if you loose your blossoms, no tomatoes can come from them.

Here is an easy way to do it with egg shells that you would normally discard.  Here is a link (look for the third question and answer):

http://www.gardensalive.com/article.asp?ai=867

Lets focus for just a minute on the calcium we need. Some may say that "I don't need any more calcium. It is FORTIFIED in EVERYTHING." That can actually be a problem. How is it that we live in country that fortifies EVERYTHING with calcium and have so much osteoporosis?

In order for the body to assimilate (break down/ use) calcium it must be consumed with magnesium and phosphorous also.  They are like the Three Amigos. If you mess with one bean, you must mess with the whole burrito. If you don't, your body sits there with this calcium and says, "I don't know what to do with this...I'll stick it in the shoulder in the form of a bone spur."

Not many foods contain all three, so a variety of foods beans, dark greens etc are necessary to absorb calcium. We are told over and over that milk is an excellent source of calcium....now don't get mad....but....once commercial cows milk has been pasteurized, it renders the calcium useless. It is still there, but it acts like a teenager in front of a video game when you're talking to it. Nobody's home.

If you can get a hold of raw milk, that calcium is untouched and works like it is supposed to. But where do the cows get the calcium? Green food.

So my whole purpose for bringing  this up is that our bodies need these minerals. Does your food storage contain the foods that have useable forms of the Three Amigos?

If your storage can provide the calcium you and your plants need, you'll both be smiling...big cheesy grins.

Self-Reliliance Tip of the Week - Are You a Sponge-Kid Too? May 22, 2014

You little "natural" sponge...

I enjoy going to classes and learning just about everything I can get my hands on **. Some days I feel like a little sponge-kid (as opposed to Sponge Bob) and soak up as much as I possibly can. This especially applies to anyone willing to teach a class on herbs. I love what they have to offer us in any way Heavenly Father has provided them for our use.

I am not a doctor, so this email has not been evaluated by the FDA, DEA, DOJ, PETA, or EFTPS to cure or prevent any disease. But honestly, I've never looked to any of them for reliable information on...anything...except maybe a shoe-tying tutorial or something. So, use the information I am about to share with wisdom and prudence (wink wink - D&C 89).

In one class I went to, by an herbalist, we were given a hand-out called, "Best Herbs for Emergency Preparedness Kit". As I list them, you will see some herbs mentioned more than once. That is because in the wisdom of our loving Father, he planned it that way. This list is not "complete" in any way, but it IS a good start! The herbs and organs they strengthen/ uses are listed as follows:

Antibiotic:      Garlic, Goldenseal root, Oregon Grape Root (all three are antiviral and antibiotic)

Liver:             Cilantro - regulates liver enzymes and function

Gall Bladder:   Yarrow: removes blockages and acid in the gall bladder
                        Hydranea: dissolves stones in the gall bladder

Spleen:             Oregon Grape: Strengthens the muscle
                         Yarrow: purifies the blood (and prevents reoccurring infections)

Lymphs:            All Spice: removes tumors and blockages in lymphatic system
                        Dandelion: cleanses lymph nodes

Heart:               Burdock: strengthens ventricles, pulmonary, aorta
                        Hawthorn: cleanse atrium/ muscle strength
                        Arjuna: valves, veins
                        Apple pectin: cholesterol, plaque

Bronchial:         Mullein: removes mucus from the respiratory system

Pancreas:         Sage: removes sugars from the blood
                       Rosemary: strengthens pancreas

Adrenals:         Eleuthro: cleans and helps filter
                       Chickweed: neutralizes acid

Kidneys:         Nettle: creates mucus to rid stones
                      Horsetail: neutralizes acid

Blood Purifiers:  Oregon Grape, Yarrow, Burdock, Sage, Chickweed, Nettle, Dandelion, Yellow Dock

Circulation:      Cayenne: thins the blood in large and small capillaries 
                        Horse chestnut: cleanse veins

Sinuses/ 
Allergies           Ginger: drains
                        Uva-Ursi: dries sinuses

Parasites:          Rue (for adults)    Dill/ Cumin (for children) - Diet of no refined foods/ sugars/ dairy 
                         when killing parasites.

Bowels/ 
Constipation       Rhubarb Root

One time when my sister was visiting me, her husband woke in the middle of the night with a head-ache and asked her to go to the cupboard to look for some Tylenol. When she opened the cupboard, all they found was herbal tinctures. "Uhhhh....." They had no idea how to use them. "Go to the bathroom cabinet." He told her. There they found one bottle of Tylenol in my husband's cabinet.

It is important to become educated on how to use herbs before you just start "poppin' capsules". One of my favorite websites is http://www.herbs2000.com/. There is a lot of information on specific herbs, their uses, and recommended dosages. You can even search by ailment. ROCKA ROCKA!! (Notice I didn't say "raca", because that would put me in danger of hell fire :) ).

I believe doctors and modern medicine are excellent tools to have. I also believe we have been given many tools to care for ourselves. Self-reliance has never been so sweet.

**I have been contemplating teaching some classes on herbs. If anyone is interested, let me know.

Self-Reliance Tip of the Week - The Dilemma: Should I Warn My Neighbor?

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

We all have them. Neighbors who get on our nerves. There are the ones who like to party and make lots of noise; the lookey-lou who seems to think your business is their business; the yellers and screamers; those that walk in and think you are their grocery store or pharmacy; and then the quiet ones...you really have to look out for those :). Well after all, "they" do say, "tall fences make good neighbors."

Sometimes neighbors would be the last people who you would want to have a deep discussion about solar cooking, freeze dried foods or especially...washable toilet paper. The truth is, these people may be who you rely on the most in the event of an emergency, because they are right THERE...like State Farm.

A story was told me once that during the LA riots in 1992 there was a neighborhood of elderly people who had a PIP (plan in place) for the best way for all of them to be safe when everything was running amok. These wise people decided on a signal that if one person saw someone suspicious in their neighborhood, it would alert all homeowners to come to their porches with their chosen item of protection in hand in-case someone wanted to play hardball. Nothing was stolen or broken because of this plan.

Sister Susan shared with me the idea of planning a Neighborhood Preparedness Meeting. It is tempting to think, "I have way too much to do. There is no way I could plan such a thing." It just might save your life and property. And, the hope is they will be on your team.

This is a simple outline of what you might want to accomplish at such a meeting:

• Decide on a date
• Make invitations
• Print copies of information on 72 hour kits and evacuation ideas, etc.
  
• Show your own kits as an example
• Challenge them to make their own kits - Schedule follow up meeting.

This is an excellent missionary opportunity too :) (wink wink) If you would like more information, let me know.