What to do RIGHT NOW-Part 1

It is our responsibility to ourselves, our families and the Body of Christ, to practice good preparedness when we see concerning signs. Actually, preparedness is a lifestyle that we should always be engaged in, but when clear signs are appearing, all the more. Holy Scripture is rife with the admonition to prepare. We are not to be complacent and simply “trust in God.” We are to observe, take action and then, trust in God for what we cannot control. I have heard many people say over the years (and even now), “Just don’t be concerned. Live your life and God will take care of it.” I have to wonder if these people have ever read the Old or New Testaments. Here are 2 verses, one from each Testament:

“And from the fig tree learn a parable: When the branch thereof is now tender, and the leaves come forth, you know that summer is nigh.”

Matthew 24:32

“Cast thy bread upon the running waters: for after a long time thou shalt find it again. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight: for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full, they will pour out rain upon the earth.”

Ecclesiastes 11:1

Of course, spiritual preparedness is of primary importance, but physical preparedness is also our responsibility, especially toward those in our care. We have seen events in the past 6 months, much of which we have never seen in our lives…a nightmarish dystopia emerging. Depleted and rationed supplies (including food), lack of access to medical and dental care, businesses forced to close (further lack of access), economic distress, widespread social unrest, shocking abandonment of common sense and reason (get rid of police force?), forced quarantines, lockdown of travel, education disrupted, supplies (such as gardening items including seeds) and jobs arbitrarily deemed “non-essential,” families torn apart through separation (even when dying or grieving-cops were counting heads at a cemetery near me, in the open air?), inability to use restrooms, inability to celebrate or worship, being told where to stand and how much oxygen you can breathe, inability to normally socialize or even smile at others (the psychological effects on many children will be with them for the rest of their lives-we are now raising a generation of mentally ill people), privacy reduced due to being forced online, a completely immersive fear-driven mind-control operation (necessary for people to accept all this insanity), cessation of free speech, people growing cold and frightened toward one another, God’s house turned into a horror show of tape, signs and masks-separating us like cattle for the slaughter. Have I missed anything?

We must ask ourselves, “Where is all this going?” When will the next lockdown be? Tracing, testing, vaccinations…these are the things already being openly discussed. What is not being told? All of the above new realities have set a precedent for the obliteration of all basic human rights. Why more people are not deeply concerned about this is a great mystery.

So if you still don’t think there is reason to prepare, I wish you the best of luck…

More About Hiking!

Important note: The following advice is for local hiking in well-populated areas only. Please always use your own discretion and consider your own unique needs. These are only suggestions.

My family and I spent the 4th of July in the exquisite New Jersey Highlands, pictured above. Appropriate, since the Highlands, according to the federal Highlands Conservation Act, is an area of “national significance,” due to, “the importance of the water, forest, agricultural, wildlife, recreational, and cultural resources of the Highlands region.” It is a national treasure. Instead of celebrating a nation rapidly descending into tyranny, we spent the day preparing for where this tyranny may soon lead us…out of Babylon and into the Authentic Life, close to nature, apart from the world.

Our son was the architect of the excursion, planning it out in advance from a map. It is always a bit dicey doing a hike you are unfamiliar with, because what you see on the map is only a vague semblance of what you actually encounter on the ground. He knew he would be going with his out-of-shape middle-aged parents, so he kept it to about a mile, which was perfect. I hope to increase my stamina over time. I said in A Tale of Two Realities (please read if you haven’t), that I had not hiked in years. Two hikes and I am now addicted. The peace and wonder I feel, along with the sense of empowerment and accomplishment, is intoxicating.

The hike evenly divided into two halves, the first being the difficult “trail connector” and the second, being an established, level trail. At the half-point, you see the bewitching vista above. The picture does not at all do it justice. It had more a sense of grandeur from the perspective of a bridge, over a large pond (the entire walk circumvented the pond). The creek you see comes down from the pond. The rocks there seem to be encased in sand, long petrified. It is interesting to think of the history of the formations and also the human history, when you encounter unexplained remnants like rock walls, perhaps going back hundreds of years. What the picture does portray is the mysterious, magical nature of those woods-you expect to see a fairy or an elf pop out any minute! It can all be quite romantic, you can easily forget the dangers of these parts, which are black bears, copperhead snakes, lyme and other ticks, poison ivy, falling branches and hunters in hunting season, to name a few. All these issues need to be kept in mind and prepared for.

We started by spraying ourselves with heavy duty bug spray, mainly for the ticks. I had my new mini backpack with water, first aid kit, two tick removal tools, compass, protein bars and tissues. The trail connector was a rocky, narrow path. We had to keep our eyes open for poison ivy and I learned that all boots are not hiking boots. My department store booties have zero ankle support. Real hiking boots are now on my priority list. You hike & learn! We passed a family fishing and learned the pond has bass and catfish. Good to know. Also muskrats and a swim team which has its own camper and porta-potty. Also good to know. Not really, nevermind…another issue one must be prepared for….you do you! Then there was a nice respite area in the shade where we took a much-needed break on this hot day. The rest of the way was easy and we exited at the “start” of the trail, where there were various instructions, including what to do if you see a black bear. At home, first thing: tick check and changing clothes.

We also saw these striking flowers:

BUTTERFLY WEED, a type of milkweed, great for home gardens. EDIBLE & MEDICINAL USES.

And here’s the itchy culprit from the last hike:

This appears to be STINGING NETTLE. It is widely known to have medicinal properties.

I have mentioned the need for provisions and awareness of the dangers of your area. In addition, maps and compasses are important when venturing out into nature. In our case, my son had studied the area, it was well populated and we had our cellphones. I would however, recommend not relying on your phone and always having a hard copy of a map with you (you may consider a laminated map in case of rain). Of course, getting lost is the main issue, but simple awareness of your environment is important too. As for getting lost, never rely on your “great sense of direction” or assume it can’t happen to you. Study the area before entering and have a plan. Know which direction you must travel if you do get lost-that is the purpose of the compass.

Rand McNally has many great resources for hiking and road travel. You might be interested in products like the following:

New Jersey Atlas & Gazetteer 2021 Road Atlas

Map It! Seek & Find: Fun, educational way to familiarize yourself with cartography-there are 2 volumes-great gift!

If hiking is too difficult for you, I hope you are inspired to bring God’s creation more into your life in some way. Nature is part of living life to the fullest and understanding God, the Author of the Authentic Life.

First Saturdays At Home-Never More Important!

The observance of the Five First Saturdays are one of the requests of Our Lady of Fatima, to obtain reparation to her Immaculate Heart. As humanity is now engulfed in a difficult and confusing situation, there has never been a more important time to respect this request of Our Blessed Mother. We know not how this will ultimately play out. We much beseech God’s mercy. Trust. Be at peace. But take this as a serious warning. Public masses are shut down. Even confession is gone in some places, which was previously unthinkable. Our Blessed Lord said:

“Watch ye, therefore, praying at all times, that you may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that are to come, and to stand before the Son of man.”

Luke 21:36

So we, as Children of God, are at peace.

Normally the First Saturdays are observed in church. Since many are now at home, we can still fulfill this request to the best of our ability. I am sure our dear Mother will accept this. She has requested they be observed for 5 months in a row, but it is not a bad idea to perform them perpetually. Following are the activities (and the substitutions where applicable), based on the World Apostolate of Fatima’s recommendations. This is all done with the intention of making reparation to Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart and what a wonderful devotion to do with your family at home during this time!

1) Receive the Sacrament of Penance. At home: Make an intention to receive the sacrament as soon as possible. I might add, to say an Act of Contrition, trying to be sorry for the Love of God (perfect contrition), not just the fear of punishment.

2) Receive Holy Communion. At home: Make a Spiritual Act of Communion (see link below for help with this).

3) Recite the Joyful Mysteries of the Holy Rosary (some say the Sorrowful Mysteries during Lent).

4) Meditate on the Mysteries of the Rosary for 15 minutes with Our Blessed Mother. If you are unaccustomed to this devotion, this may be the most challenging aspect for you. Here are some tips: Place yourself in Our Lady’s presence (a picture or statue is very helpful). Ask her to enlighten you further on the Mysteries you just contemplated in the Rosary (I suppose you could contemplate other Mysteries as well). Let your thoughts drift. Imagine the Mysteries visually. Don’t try, just let the inspirations come to you. And they will! As you perform this exercise more, it will get easier. Your relationship with Our Mother will grow and eventually it will no longer be an “exercise,” but an intimate and wonderful conversation!

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Today is a traditional feast of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady. Our Lady of Sorrows, pray for us!

Please see the World Apostolate of Fatima’s page addressing the First Saturdays during this time. Lots of great info:

https://www.bluearmy.com/first-saturday-devotion/

The Situation

If you have not read my previous post, please do so now. Thanks……(I have not posted on the current situation till now because I felt what I had written on New Years Day really said it all). I always pray to the Holy Ghost before writing. What made me write those words on New Years Day? Impending judgement upon humanity is on my mind on a daily basis and has been for a long time. So, its not so strange that I wrote that. But it did seem to be a foreshadowing of what was about to happen. What was the main point? To be joyful! So please meditate on that for now and stay tuned for my next post.

There is much I want to say and much I feel I have to offer at this time, so my posts will now become more frequent. However, I cannot write too much right now because I am still in “stabilization mode” in the midst of this situation, its fallout and potential fallout (please note, I am avoiding any emotionally-charged or system-created language-there are reasons for this which I will be discussing). There is emotional stabilizing we all must do and also preparedness stabilizing WHICH DOES NOT INCLUDE HOARDING AT THIS TIME. It is too late to stockpile the things that are not in good supply. That is why we speak of “preparedness.” Once a situation hits, the rules change. And it has hit. Pray for guidance at this time. Many are not exercising good judgement and it is causing needless suffering.

A friend of mine had an incredible insight today. He said something to this effect: “In even the most difficult times, there is a sliver of something rare and precious to be discovered.” With God’s help, may we discover this! God bless you all and your families! CFM

Update on the Winter Wonderland....

A few days later and things are pretty much back to normal. Nothing but sunny days are forecasted for the next week....good. Not that I mind snow, I just mind too much of it.

We were fortunate to have not lost power during the storm, though we've gotten pretty used to it in recent years...even being without power for several days. Even as preppers, its not easy and it helps to have someone else to stay with. The power outages tend to be patchy when they happen, so if you have friends and family nearby, you may be in luck. Also, keep in mind that someone may have to stay with you at a moment's notice. That's probably my worst nightmare...depends who it is and how bad my house is that day.

One of our neighbors let us borrow his snowblower, which was a huge help. The stove decided to start working again and the plumber came yesterday to fix the water heater. So....I don't smell anymore, I'm glad I'm nice to my neighbors and I've learned the importance of keeping up with home maintenance and....checking the snowblower before the storm!

"When It Rains, It Pours...."

...OR...When It Snows...It Snows A Lot!

In the past 24 hours, Long Island (where I live) has been blanketed in several feet of snow, high winds have come roaring through, temperatures have plummeted, thousands have lost power, driving has been banned, trains have come to a standstill, a full moon has caused worse than usual flooding and sadly, a number of deaths have been reported. O Mary conceived without sin, pray for us who have recourse to Thee!

As for my personal situation, I can't even open my back door right now because it is blocked with so much snow. Not the safest situation, but my husband did shovel the front entrance. On the bright side, it is a beautiful, sparkling winter wonderland. It just makes you want to cozy up, start a fire and make some hot chocolate! Sometimes I envy those who live in areas of perennial paradise, where there is no winter...but, there is something wonderful about the changing seasons, each one possessing unique beauty. If I moved elsewhere, I think I would miss that. When the spring comes and everything returns to life, there is a greater appreciation for it. I think the cold winters and hot summers are part of what makes New Yorkers the tough people that we are. It is a place of extremes and we just take that in stride.

Okay, my friends, I haven't finished (I promise I'm not making this up!)...wouldn't you know, our snow-blower broke....and completely unrelated to the storm, our hot water heater and our oven/stove broke. All on the same day as this whopper of a storm hit. So, completely snowed in, no hot water and we had to move the dinner cooking on the stove to a crock pot. Thankfully, we have not lost power.

Sometimes I think God is trying to prepare me for something! Sometimes I think I hear Him saying, "So, Chiara, you want to prepare for the Apocalypse? You want to be a leader, helping My Church through the coming days? Okay have a go at THIS!" At times, I can't help but laugh at what life throws me. And we should always be lighthearted and never get too down (have you read my last post?). The path we tread leads straight to Heaven and life is just too short to let anything disturb us. Just love and trust-that's it. Be a source of joy to those around you, even in the worst circumstances. And always count your blessings...for instance, I may not have hot water, but at least I have water. I can't take a shower, but I stockpile baby wipes for sponge-bathing and hand-washing (they also have many other uses, even if they dry out). I may not have a big oven or a stove, but I have a toaster oven, a crockpot, a microwave, 2 grills and a fireplace (REDUNDANCY!). I have heat. I have tons of food. The day that concerns me is the day when survival becomes truly compromised, truly in the balance. And I believe that day is coming...for all of us.

This is just one more experience to learn from, in terms of short-term emergency preparedness. As a prepper, I find there is no replacement for actual, real-life experiences. The trick is...make the effort to learn from them. Identify your preparedness weaknesses and make a plan to systematically fix them. Reflect on how you and your family handled it. What was good? What could have been done differently? Taking notes and discussing it with your family is a good idea. These situations are invaluable opportunities which should not be squandered. In a few years, you'll hardly remember the details, so make an immediate effort to examine the experience. Perhaps it was sent to you for a reason.

BTW, today is the beginning of Septuagesima (wow, that came fast!) and the feast of Saint Francis de Sales, patron of writers. Saint Francis de Sales, pray for us!

Welcome to "In Search of The Authentic Life!"

Hi, I'm Chiara F. Mathews and I'm so glad you have found my new blog! I really hope you enjoy it and get something valuable out of it. This blog will explore (in an organic way, by creating an environment of ideas) the question, "How did God intend for His children to live?" Obviously, we as faithful Roman Catholics (BTW, I am faithful to our Holy Father Francis) must pursue holiness in accord with Catholic teaching. These topics will be dealt with, but we are also concerned here with how God intended us to live in practical everyday life and social structure. It should be obvious that western culture is desperately in need of a reality check. We are not living anything remotely like an "authentic" life. And this will surely have consequences.

In my study of disaster preparedness and sustainability (2 aspects of survival), I have begun to see a picture emerging....a thesis that the safest way to live, the surest way to survive, also happens to be the way our Creator intended us to live....close to the earth, with respect for it. This is not a new idea, I only seek to bring my own contribution to the table.

Due to limitations that I have right now, we are going to start this blog off slowly. I hope to post about once per week. Unfortunately, I do not have the time right now to moderate comments, so there will be no comments. However, please email me if you like, with any comments or feedback and I may decide to post them. My email: [director@nomenchristi.org]

Thanks for stopping by and I hope you will continue to take this exciting journey with me.:)