Sustainability, Self-Sufficiency... Plan B, or Plan A?

What does that MEAN? Is Self-Sufficiency even POSSIBLE? Do we want to WORK for sustainability? What's the point? Why can't I just buy what I want from the store?

These are things I have heard and things I have SAID.

And it's amazing. One day I just kind of had a different mindset... I wanted to garden. I wanted to eat healthier. I wanted to raise animals. I wanted to hang my clothes from a clothes line. I wanted to bake my own bread and make things from scratch...

But why?

Well, I guess one thing (of MANY) that I think about, is like in this video (Nightline ABC), what is my plan B? What happens if we don't have electricity? What happens if there is a MAJOR terrorist attack and stores and business have to close down?

I know there are a lot of what if's, but what if?

COULD you fend for yourself? Could your grow your own food? Could you figure out how to grow your own food without the Internet? Would you live comfortably? Or would you live in panic?

I trust that in these situations there is a great big God that knows the beginning and the end. He will take care of me and my family. But that doesn't mean that I can live like I am spoiled until then...

I CAN work with my hands, and I CHOOSE to do so. I HAVE TIME to raise animals, and I CHOOSE to do so. I HAVE TIME to make many things from scratch, and I CHOOSE to do so.

I know many of you have full time jobs, and this is in NO WAY a knock to anyone. But I hope it is something you think about. I hope this is something you PRAY about. I hope this is something you look up and buy a book about, or copy some pages off the Internet and keep in a file, "just in case".

For those of you who are stay-at-home's, or part-timers... pray about your time also! Pray about how your time can most wisely be spent! What kind of new things would you like to learn, and spend a little more time on?

What is YOUR plan B?

My suggestion? Take it one day at a time. Learn one new thing. Then learn one more new thing. Then one more. You don't have to be an expert first off. And I pray you don't buy a field full of animals and plant a 2000 sq ft. garden your first year. Cuz' if you do, I am afraid you will crash and burn your first year. Pick something you enjoy, and do it. Little by little. Buy a new book here, and plant a small 8'x8' garden there. Maybe get a few chickens. Talk to people who know animals or know gardening. Talk to someone who knows how to knit, and would like to teach you.

Have a plan B...

Mine? Well, it's far from Self-Sufficiency. Some days, I'm tired. Heck, LOTS of days I'm tired. But at the end of the day, I lay my tired head on a pillow case dried by the sun and wind, and I am happy. I have accomplished what I have set off to do. My goals are to learn new things little by little. Expand gardening space each year. Canning more this year than I did last. Learn a new skill or two. Get a few more new animals. Plant a new fruit tree. Take God's creation, in all of it's splendor and appreciate it. Use it. Love it. Reap from it. And then thank the Creator for all that He has given us for the taking, and all it takes is a little learning and some physical labor.

I love it.

My "plan B" is God's "Plan A"...