Meanwhile, Down At Hobbit Cottage ...

"... she can laugh at the days to come."   ---From Proverbs 31

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Most mornings I carry a yellow Fiestaware mug of hot chocolate upstairs here to my computer and watch Tessie at Youtube.

(If you hate Youtube, you're not doing it right.) ツ

Tessie gives us tours through her acre of PA;  we step down rows of her huge green garden, then up to the deck after we visit her chickens. Then inside her 1963 mobile home, Tessie whips up dinner in the crockpot if it isn't already simmering over a fire outside.

Tessie's bedroom-sized pantry makes my prepper-loving heart beat harder. Wow, all those beautiful jars of food she's canned within her hutches!

And more. Tessie shares so much more: life lessons, homemaking knowledge, wisdom.

And you know? These past what-the-heck? months, she's kept me balanced. God's used her inspiration to stop me from permanently camping out in a 2020 spiritual battlefield, 24/7, fighting the good fight of faith amongst all the crazies out there.

Now, what's wrong with that? The 24/7 part. Face it, God's way too wise to wreck our health with a wildly-out-of-balance purpose/gift/calling. People do that to themselves: God does not.

So with a thankful nod to Tessie, here's a tad of what's kept me joyfully balanced since March when many of us were shooed inside our houses lest covid-19 find us and make us sick. Or afraid.

Yet there's been no fear here at Hobbit Cottage, nor will there be. Mostly, I'm having the time of my life.

But then, I've always lived upon the opposite track. Always.

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An early photo of my farm garden.

Some cucumbers were born there so I'm hoping to use them for Aunt April's Refrigerator Pickles. (My friend, Connie's, Aunt April, not mine. heh.)  I'll include the recipe, below.

Of course I still feed the birds. Sometimes they sit on our porch railing and stare inside the house, willing me to remember to feed them. (Kinda eerie.)

Lots of salad-making this year. 

Now, my own little hutch of canned foods, though in the basement, always makes me smile and feel fine about the days ahead. Oh, and it's fuller now. (Forgive the darkness which is our basement.)

Oh, and weekly I check my itemized stock-up list to see if I'm short on anything for our 6-month supply.

When we all 'got sent to our rooms', that was my birthday week and guess how I spent my birthday money? On more stock-up groceries. Alas. So finally last week I bought something for myself: two original Nancy Drew books. They're awesome.  ツ

Here are a couple I bought later (long story).

Oh, and did you know that when the first 34 Nancy Drew books were edited more PC in the 60's, they also removed 5 chapters from each? What the--? Can you imagine your own favorite book having 5 chapters taken away? Gracious. 

I own perhaps 9 originals with all 25 chapters and prefer each non-PC, old-fashioned one over the updated rest. Deal with it. 😉

Oh, and I'm still shining 'this little light of mine'. heh.

And I'll end with this: Color me grateful for God's warnings, instructions and love. He brings me much joy in the midst of battle.

"Put on the full armor of God..... fight the good fight of faith."  --- Ephesians 6:11, 1 Timothy 6:12

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Here's a favorite Tessie video.

Here's another.

And in this one, Tessie speaks of her life story. She also speaks to the importance of learning skills and living prepared for the future.

There are many more!

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Aunt April's Refrigerator Pickles:

Place in 1/2 gallon jar:

6 cups sliced cucumbers

1 cup sliced onion

Mix cold and pour over cucumbers:

1 3/4 cup sugar

1 cup vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

Let stand in refrigerator 3 days. 

Oh! And again, if you want to leave a comment, but can't for whatever reason(s), you can always email me at the address near the top of my blog: GladOne4@yahoo.com

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

For Those Who Don't Understand

"By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith."   --- Hebrews 11:7

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Recently I reread that verse and thought, "Wow. God warned us, also, that our own 'yet unseen' catastrophe was flying toward us."

He mega-warned us.

He used the Bible.

And prophets.

And preachers.

And teachers.

And preppers.

And pundits.

And finance folks.

And Youtube.

And unknowns in the 'burbs.

And circumstances.

And---

Well, He majorly warned us. 

And if some Christians were caught unprepared for this flood of chaos? It certainly wasn't God's fault. He's never made a mistake in His whole life.

Folks, He's still warning us, for this mind-exploding upheaval isn't over. The exposing of lies and liars, in fact, has just begun. And because of His great mercy He's given us second chances! Yet those never last forever.

But daily I observe this at Facebook: Amongst my friends' posts (and mine), those which receive the most likes, loves and comments? The humorous cartoons, pretty pictures and non-controversial, pleasant personal stories.

And I groan, you know, at the sleepiness. Recall verses like this:

"A prudent person foresees danger and takes precautions. The simpleton goes blindly on and suffers the consequences."   --- Proverbs 22:3

 Ha! Just got a funny picture in my mind: 

If Noah had Facebook while he built the ark? I simply cannot imagine him on coffee breaks posting only scenic photos, dog videos and clever cartoons. Uh, no. His conscience and sense of urgency would've balked and forbidden him.

And may that help you understand us 'warners' better. 

I realize we've changed lately, but so has our world. And we've prepared for the future, yet we worry about those who believe in no reason to do so, spirit or soul or body.

So we keep trying to shake others awake, even when they slap away our hand and roll back beneath the blankets.

It's that nagging sense of urgency from God. That's partly what I blame my own urgent-sounding-nagging upon. Draw near to God and He will most certainly draw near to you!

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Have you read Mario Murillo's blog lately? My oh my oh my. The guy is on fire--the good kind.  ジ  Read his posts long enough and your questions of "Why is this happening?" will be answered.

And prepping food is just one aspect of all this, but here's a video with a good stocking-up idea if you're low on funds (tho' personally, this late in the game, I'd double or triple the daily items. Er hem.). Here you go.

And here's a list from Michael Snyder about 50 things we should all have on hand if possible.

Oh! And I wanted to offer once more my personal alphabetized stock-up list. You know, to get you started or to remind you perhaps of a few forgotten things. Only one person asked for this last time so here you go in case you forgot.   シ  Email me at GladOne4@yahoo.com for a copy.

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"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15

One Thing I Love About This Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Virus Time

"But if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."   ---Matthew 6:15

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A return to the lighter side today! (Whew, right?) ツ

Way back when I used to visit the supermarket, three times I faced emotional trauma there. 

What the heck?

Well, I stood in line at the check-out and twice a (different) man stood only 6 inches behind me and once a woman did that. I could feel their breath upon my neck, smell their scent, hear them breathe and their hand-held groceries bumped my back.

Unfortunately in each instance, a shopping cart (and line) was behind them so if I'd turned and asked, "Could you please step back?," the entire line would've had to shift backwards and well, being a typical first-born, we so hate to bother people. 

So I spoke nothing. Just stood there sharing my personal space with a creepy stranger.

And good gracious! Each time after paying for my groceries and pushing my cart to the door, I felt my body trembling. Probably I resembled someone plugged into a dripping electrical socket and my mind spun in mad circles because of clueless mortals and myself, even. You know, that I'd not had the courage to speak-up.

Yet I've grown more courageous since then and Honey, you go sidling up to me now and I'll definitely call you on it. I don't care if 50 people must move backward. (Look at Debra all feisty in her old age.)

But hey! Turns out I won't need to speak anything, what with social distancing, right? Woo hoo! No stranger will ever again breathe down my neck in line, not with all those 6 foot markers on everybody's shop floors. Someday, yes, that'll change, but I'm thinking we'll always be standing at least 3 feet apart.

Oooooo, three feet. I can handle that, yes sirree, Bob! So thank-you covid-19 for that one good thing in the midst of all your otherwise ridiculous insanity.  ツ

"Rejoice in the Lord always and again I say rejoice!"   ---Philippians 4:4

"When I tell strangers I am not a hugger, some take this as a challenge, like they can hug me into submission, like they can will my aversion to hugs away by the strength of their arms. Oftentimes, they will draw me into their body, saying something condescending like, "See, it isn't that bad." I think, I never thought it was, and I stand there, my arms limply by my sides, probably grimacing, but still, they don't get the message that I am not a willing participant in this embrace. The fortress hath been breached.”
― Roxane Gay

Look for the good in any situation: only true searchers will find it.

Oh, and you extreme extroverts might not understand my post (and angst), but this was written for those do get it. heh.

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This news totally made my entire week!  --

California Revival Brings Beautiful Harvest of Souls ...

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A very special thanks to those who congratulated me on 16 years of blogging!

"For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." ... Matthew 6:14,15