What to do RIGHT NOW-Part 2

Here is further biblical support for prepping. These are just my humble thoughts on how these verses may be interpreted:

BIBLICAL SUPPORT FOR PREPAREDNESS

“Now therefore let the king provide a wise and industrious man, and make him ruler over the land of Egypt: that he may appoint overseers over all the countries: and gather into barns the fifth part of the fruits, during the seven fruitful years, that shall now presently ensue: and let all the corn be laid up under Pharao's hands and be reserved in the cities. And let it be in readiness, against the famine of seven years to come, which shall oppress Egypt, and the land shall not be consumed with scarcity.”

Genesis 41:33

This refers to the responsibility to take a leadership role and to be “wise and industrious” in the care of the people who rely on you.

“Give not sleep to thy eyes, neither let thy eyelids slumber. Deliver thyself as a doe from the hand, and as a bird from the hand of the fowler. Go to the ant, O sluggard, and consider her ways, and learn wisdom: which, although she hath no guide, nor master, nor captain, provideth her meat for herself in the summer, and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou rise out of thy sleep? Thou wilt sleep a little, thou wilt slumber a little, thou wilt fold thy hands a little to sleep: And want shall come upon thee, as a traveller, and poverty as a man armed. But if thou be diligent, thy harvest shall come as a fountain, and want shall flee far from thee.”

Proverbs 6:4

This is a strong admonition to take care of your own needs through discipline and hard work.

“There is a treasure to be desired, and oil in the dwelling of the just: and the foolish man shall spend it.”

Proverbs 21:20

The holy, who live a good life, performing their duties and exercising prudence, will be blessed with abundance.

“The prudent man saw the evil, and hid himself: the simple passed on, and suffered loss.”

Proverbs 22:3

When you see the threat looming, you must take action.

“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

Think ahead, plan ahead and watch the signs around you.

“In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening let not thy hand cease: for thou knowest not which may rather spring up, this or that: and if both together, it shall be the better.”

Ecclesiastes 11:6

Work harder than you think you need to, for some of your work may not bear fruit.

“For I know the thoughts that I think towards you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of affliction, to give you an end and patience.”

Jeremias 29:11

Though calamity may come, God will preserve many of His children (so we must never give up and keep trying to survive).

“Hear the word of the Lord, ye children of Israel, for the Lord shall enter into judgment with the inhabitants of the land: for there is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is no knowledge of God in the land. Cursing, and lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have overflowed, and blood hath touched blood. Therefore shall the land mourn, and every one that dwelleth in it shall languish with the beasts of the field, and with the fowls of the air: yea, the fishes of the sea also shall be gathered together.”

Hosea 4:1

When immorality abounds, we may expect a great chastisement to come.

“And there came to him the Pharisees and Sadducees tempting: and they asked him to shew them a sign from heaven. But he answered and said to them: When it is evening, you say, it will be fair weather, for the sky is red. And in the morning: Today there will be a storm, for the sky is red and lowering. You know then how to discern the face of the sky: and can you not know the signs of the times?”

Matthew 16:1

We must be watchful and understand the implications of what is happening in the world.

“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

Again, we are told to observe the signs around us and be prepared for what surely will come.

“Watch ye therefore, because ye know not what hour your Lord will come. But know this ye, that if the goodman of the house knew at what hour the thief would come, he would certainly watch, and would not suffer his house to be broken open. Wherefore be you also ready, because at what hour you know not the Son of man will come. Who, thinkest thou, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath appointed over his family, to give them meat in season. Blessed is that servant, whom when his lord shall come he shall find so doing. Amen I say to you, he shall place him over all his goods.”

Matthew 24:42

This probably refers more to spiritual preparedness, always our primary concern, though there is a reference to the temporal.

“And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and he said to him: If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself from hence. For it is written, that He hath given his angels charge over thee, that they keep thee. And that in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest perhaps thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus answering, said to him: It is said: Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

Luke 4:9

When signs are clear that danger is looming, we must not remain complacent that God will take care of us, but do what we can to help ourselves and others (then trust in God for what we cannot control).

“But if any man have not care of his own, and especially of those of his house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.”

1 Timothy 5:8

This is an admonition to provide well for those in our care, which includes having the foresight to see when we must prepare for difficult times.

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…

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary

From the Tridentine Mass:

Hail, holy Parent, that didst bring forth the King who ruleth Heaven and earth for ever and ever!

Bestow upon Thy servants, we beseech Thee, O Lord, the gift of Thy heavenly grace: that as the childbearing of the Blessed Virgin was the beginning of our salvation, so the solemn feast of her Nativity may bring us an increase of peace.

O Virgin, Mother of God, He whom the whole world cannot contain, enclosed himself in thy womb being made man.

Alleluia, alleluia! Happy are thou, O holy Virgin Mary, and of all high praise most worthy: for out of thee hath risen the sun of justice, Christ our God. Alleluia!

Truly blessed art thou, O Virgin Mary: the Creator of all things thou didst bear; Him who made thee thou didst bring forth and a Virgin evermore thou dost remain.

Blessed is the womb of the Virgin Mary, which bore the Son of the Eternal Father.

From The New Marian Missal, Sylvester P. Juergens, SM, Doctor of Sacred Theology, writes:

“At the time of Mary’s birth, the whole world was plunged in darkness. The heathen nations were steeped in vice and pride. The Jews too, had corrupted their ways and departed from God. Everywhere there was sin and gloom, scarce any bright spot on the face of the earth. But when Mary was born, a light arose amid the darkness: the dawn of the glorious day that was to usher in the Redeemer. So too, the darkness of the sinner’s soul is dispersed by Mary’s holy influence. Where the love of her is born in the soul, all becomes full of light, and Jesus comes to make His habitation there. Mary, in the first hour of her life, brought more glory to God than all the Saints of the Old Testament. In her were made perfect the obedience of Abraham, the chastity of Joseph, the patience of Job, the meekness of Moses, the prudence of Josue. It is because she is the model and pattern of these and all other virtues, that she can communicate them to us.”

To fully practice the Catholic Faith, is to remain continually in a state of joy, primarily due to our Communion with Christ, but also due to the celebration of such wonderful feasts, as the one we celebrate today. No matter what happens around us, we cannot help but be joyful. And this is just a foretaste of the eternal joy of Heaven. The prayers above from the Mass are some of the most beautiful and moving, as they describe the wonder of Mary’s role as Mother of God. Let us honor her birth today, all over the world, to console her sorrowful Heart in this month of September. Let us show Our Lord there is love for His Mother on earth, that His mercy may descend upon us at this time of great need.

As the missal states above, the “world was plunged in darkness” when Mary was born. We are in great darkness once again. But Holy Church reminds us today, through Our Lady, that there is always hope and reason for joy. May we hold onto this knowledge through the coming days and show all those around us that we truly are different, we truly represent something apart from the world. May we draw all we come in contact with to the Everlasting Light of the Most Holy Trinity!

Image courtesy https://www.turnbacktogod.com

September: Month of Our Lady of Sorrows

This month, we honor the sorrows of our Heavenly Mother. A wonderful devotion is the Chaplet of Our Lady of Sorrows, in which one meditates on the 7 Sorrows with a specially designed chaplet. You can buy one for a good price at Direct From Lourdes (get some Lourdes water while you’re at it!). The feast is September 15th.

Our dear Mother must look upon her children right now with great sorrow. Humanity is being separated and torn apart at the most fundamental levels. The Church has lost much attendance and the House of God has been turned into something looking more like a makeshift military hospital. Let us resolve to console her this month as she grieves over the world. Who knows what will transpire in the next several months? But there is reason for concern. Prayer and prepping are going to be critical, starting immediately. As it says on our Home page, “Pray & Prep!” This has never been more important in our lifetimes than it is RIGHT NOW.

Here is a selection of some of the interesting feasts this month:

3-St. Gregory the Great, Doctor, ”The Greatest of the Great”

4-First Friday

5-First Saturday / St. Teresa of Calcutta

8-BIRTH OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY

12-MOST HOLY NAME OF MARY

13-St. John Chrysostom, Doctor, “The Golden-Mouthed,” “Doctor of the Eucharist” / Anniversary of Fifth Apparition at Fatima (Don’t forget our Holy Hour!)

14-Exaltation of the Holy Cross

15-OUR LADY OF SORROWS (new) / SEVEN SORROWS OF OUR LADY (trad)

16-Ember Wednesday (prayer and penance-trad meat at one meal)

17-St. Robert Bellarmine, Doctor, “Prince of Apologists,” “Gentle Doctor of The Controversies” / St. Hildegard of Bingen, Doctor, “The Teutonic Prophetess,” “Sibyl of the Rhine”

18-Ember Friday (prayer and penance)

19-Ember Saturday (prayer and penance-trad meat at one meal) / OUR LADY OF LA SALETTE (hist)

21-St. Matthew, Apostle & Evangelist

23-St. Pio of Pietralcina

24-OUR LADY OF RANSOM

29-Sts. Michael, Gabriel & Raphael, Archangels (new) / “Michaelmas Day” (trad)

30-St. Jerome, Doctor, “Father of Biblical Science”

This blog gives old and new feasts. The titles of the Doctors of the Church are taken from The 35 Doctors of the Church,TAN Books.

Full Update

A Mystical Triad: Death, Birth, Initiation

Triduum of Death.....or of.....Heaven! New Years Blessings, etc...... The Situation

I would like to talk about where we’ve been and where we are going. The above posts were written on this past October 31st [2019], January 1st and March 31st. They were written consecutively, as I was not posting as frequently until the world changed. When “The Situation” was upon us, I realized I could not be silent and I had to step it up.

The above posts are interesting to look at as a kind of “Mystical Triad:” 1) Collective Meditation on Death: Halloween and the Catholic Triduum 2) Collective Meditation on Birth: Christmas and the New Year 3) Collective Initiation into a Changed World. In terms of the Initiation, for the Faithful, it is during Lent, a time of penance and preparation, a time when one is best disposed to enter into such a challenge. How good is God! What are we actually being initiated into? That is our choice. As usual, we have 2 possible paths: the world or Christ. I will not elaborate. I encourage you to reflect and pray on this. I am just observing and putting pieces together. It is important in these times, to maintain the position of observer. Otherwise, we run the risk of getting caught up in emotion and deception. Think of it like surfing. The surfer rides atop a wave that could easily decimate everything in its path. The surfer uses all momentum and no friction. It is genius.

My personal journey through this Mystical Triad is a story as well. There was a death in my close family on All Hallows Eve. As for the News Years post, it turned out to be strangely prophetic. I spoke of remaining joyful in spite of the way the world is going, and focusing on a better future. “The Situation” came just after a trip to Florida, fraught with symbolic events, including a kind of baptism in the sea off the eastern coast, waging battle with the waves. I see the entire trip as a preparation for what was about to happen, including a message of consolation.

“The world is wide, and I will not waste my life in friction when it could be turned into momentum.”

Frances Willard

I had intended to deal with the emerging crises in the world and how we might respond. Instead, my writing took an organic path of feastdays and general prepper issues, peppered with some commentary on “the situation.” I am actually happy for this, since these are the two aspects of this ministry that concern me: an Authentic Spiritual Life and an Authentic Natural Life. Crises should be seen through these lenses, not the other way around. In other words, all things must serve Salvation and normal life. Anything which disturbs those 2 things, is unacceptable. Again, I won’t elaborate, but you can figure it out.

I think I will continue pretty much the same way. I will be featuring a product which solves the “Trapped in a Dark Basement” horror. Here’s a sneak peak if you can’t wait. There are a number of website improvements that are important. These can take a lot of time and you may or may not notice them. I will be working on that as well.

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I said I would give commentary on “The Rome Life Forum,” but this has gone by the wayside. I still recommend you watch-see below. These talks are quite intellectual and interesting. They get into deep and technical theology. It can be hard to follow, but just take it in and you will get the gist. It is well worth it. Also, some very important content is there, to contemplate at this pivotal time in human history. Please note, Nomen Christi Apostolate does not necessarily endorse all ideas which are expressed in this conference.

The Rome Life Forum Online Conference took place May 20th through May 22nd. The theme was “Coronavirus in the Light of Fatima: A Tragedy and a Source of Hope.” Guest speakers included Cardinal Burke, Bishop Athanasius Schneider, John-Henry Westen and John Smeaton, among others. Some topics were: “Fatima: Heaven’s Answer to a World in Crisis,” “Divine Judgement in Human History,” and “The Eucharist, the Greatest Treasure of the Church, in Times of Tribulation.” This conference was hosted by LifeSiteNews and Voice of the Family. From LifeSiteNews: “Speakers will focus on whether the COVID-19….could be part of the chastisement, preceding the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, that Our Blessed Mother spoke about in Fatima in 1917.”

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.

The Catholic Bug-Out Bag?

We’re Catholic preppers here, so why not a Catholic bug-out bag? This is something you should keep in your car or have handy to go at all times, a bag with many of your essentials in the event of an emergency when you are traveling or must leave your home quickly. Basic survival items and first aid should be included. For your Catholic bug-out bag, we will focus on an online store, which is a good resource…

We will look at many items which would do well in your Faith-centered bug-out bag. We know the spiritual life is more important than the physical, so if you’re going to have fire-starters and first aid kits, you should also have those things which support your soul. This is not to necessarily get you to buy from this store, or to buy these specific products. My goal is to get you thinking and give you some ideas. I will choose items I feel are well-priced and that are conducive to travel. These also make great gifts items, stocking stuffers or goody bag gifts for First Holy Communions, etc.

Discount Catholic Store

From their “About” page:

Discount Catholic Store first opened in the year 2000 out of a love for Catholic spirituality. We strive to offer Catholic items that facilitate spiritual growth, healing, comfort, inspiration, wisdom and guidance, and which will ultimately draw each soul closer to God. We hope our products will be “avenues of grace” for everyone who receives them…

One of the main categories of devotional objects one would want in a bug-out bag, would be sacramentals. According to Traditional Catholic Dictionary Online, a sacramental is: “Certain pious practices or objects blessed by the Church. The blessing is attached, that these may serve to increase the devotion of the faithful. Scapulars, holy water, etc., are widely used sacramentals.”

Why would you need sacramentals when “bugging out?” Some can protect from demons, remit venial sin and purgatory time, and grant temporal favors. Our Lady said of the Brown Scapular, to Saint Simon Stock, “WHOSOEVER DIES IN THIS GARMENT SHALL NOT SUFFER ETERNAL FIRE.” (Of course, there are stipulations with such an amazing promise). You should consider having your sacramentals blessed by a priest or deacon, if they have not been blessed. My guess is that they do not have to be blessed to be considered sacramentals, but the blessing increases the spiritual power. Please see Catholic Encyclopedia for more info.

Below are some great Catholic “bug-out” items, many of which are sacramentals:

Saint Joseph Holy Oil & Prayer Card, with medal

Lourdes Water Medal

Holy Land Keepsake Set (water, oil, Crucifix, incense, earth)

Holy Water (water not included) Key Chain

Divine Mercy Relic Medal

Saint Michael Relic Medal

Saint Clare Relic Medal (this is my patron saint-probably good for warding off attackers, if you know her story)

Our Lady of Fatima Relic Medal

Divine Mercy Relic Prayer Card

Saint Clare Relic Prayer Card

Fatima Relic Prayer Card

Saint Gerard Relic Prayer Card (for pregnant women or those seeking pregnancy)

Saint Michael Relic Prayer Card

Fatima Prayer Card with Medal

Saint Christopher Prayer Card with Medal

Jesus Relic Necklace (Crucifix)

Laminated Brown Scapular

Scapular (Sacred Heart & Our Lady of Mt. Carmel)

Mount Carmel Scapular (Brown Scapular)

Green Scapular, Spanish

Brown Leather Scapular (Sacred Heart & Our Lady of Mt. Carmel)

Brown Wool Scapular with Holy Water Bottle

Divine Mercy Scapular with Cross & Medal

Children’s (small) Rosaries

Miraculous Medal-Aluminum

Miraculous Medal-Gold Look

Dog Tag with Saint Michael Prayer

Crucifix Pendant, 1”

Crucifix Pendant, 3/4”

Act of Contrition Pocket Coin

Urgent Prayer to Our Lady Pocket Coin

Cross with Prayer Pocket Coin

Divine Mercy Pocket Coin

Footprints Pocket Coin

Guardian Angel Pocket Coin

Holy Family Pocket Coin

Memorare Pocket Coin

Salve Regina Pocket Coin (Hail Holy Queen)

Serenity Prayer Pocket Coin

Saint Florian (fire protection) Pocket Coin

Saint Michael Pocket Coin

Glow-in-the-Dark Rosary Ring

Silver Tone Rosary Ring

Travel Mass Kit (comes with “Instant Priest” hologram)

Don’t forget your pocket Bible!

The Weaknesses of My Bug-Out Bag

Yes, that is my bug-out bag and my doggie sniffing it! A bug-out bag is simply a bag with supplies, in case of emergency, when you are out or traveling. It should always be kept in your car. If you don’t have one, make one-or you can order them pre-made online. Probably a good way to start is to order one, and then tweak it to your own needs. At least you will have something right away, with minimal time and effort. Mine is bright red, which is good if you want to be seen (lost in the wilderness), but not so good if you don’t want to be seen (running from Governor Cuomo). Probably a camo one is better, and you can always carry a bright-colored poncho or something.

This past week, my father-in-law was ill (prayers?) and we had to go deal with the situation. We unexpectedly had to stay overnight and there were a few difficulties, which reminded me that I need to be better prepared. We had no change of clothes (after a hot, sweaty day), no toiletries, no dog food and I did not have my two medications. We had to get a few things from the store and I just took the meds when we got home. We all make mistakes. But we must learn from them because next time, it might not work out so well. Someone recently said to me that I should have a change of clothes in my car-funny how life gives you these little warnings-but do we heed them? I will be making it a priority to re-vamp my bug-out bag. In addition to the above items, I could also use a pocket Bible, more food and water, painkillers and some cash.

We can expand our ideas about the “bug-out” bag. You can think of your purse as an everyday mini bug-out bag (for guys, what? a fanny pac? LOL). In my purse, I carry a few first-aid items, a pocket knife (which has come in handy so many times), hand sanitizer, tissues, extra keys, paper and pen, rosary beads, “call a priest if I’m dying” card…and my purse isn’t even very large! Then there is the standard emergency bag I spoke of above. In addition to these, you should have an overnight bag that you can grab quickly whenever you need it (or whenever you travel more than an hour away). You may or may not want to keep it in the car, since toiletries and medications can be sensitive to hot and freezing temperatures. But if you can keep medication with you at all times, that is a good thing.

I am not discussing right now, everything that should be in a bug-out bag or generally kept in your car, but there are many resources online for that. Of course, you need to tailor it to your own needs as well. All items should be contained in sealable plastic bags, in case of rain. Keep track of expiration dates on food, water, etc. Understand water may freeze and burst a container. Have a list of all items in the bag, so you can glance at it and see what is there (believe me, you won’t remember, and fishing through everything is a hassle). Have it all well-organized. As for ID, or having your info in it, that is at your discretion. Trackable electronics-also at your discretion. Weight of your bag is also a consideration, if you wind up on foot.

We have all learned a lot in the past few months. We see how access to all the things we have taken for granted can be blocked overnight. We see how we can potentially be quarantined against our will or locked into a certain area at a moment’s notice. We see society breaking down on every level….all the more reason to be prepared, including when you travel anywhere. It is also a good idea to keep your gas tank full. Consider the possibility of other modes of transportation (boat, small plane) or different routes.

Making bug-out bags can be a fun project for the whole family. Mini backpacks are great for kids and they love them. Pick a weekend one of these days and just do it. Then you can have a wonderful little hike and picnic to celebrate your accomplishment! And its all important togetherness time and a prepper learning experience.

Corpus Christi Thursday / Fatima Holy Hour Saturday

The wonderful trad feast of Corpus Christi is tomorrow and the new similar feast of The Most Holy Body & Blood of Christ, is this Sunday. This is joyful time for those who will now be able to receive the Holy Eucharist, but sorrowful for those who cannot. We officially cannot on Long Island. But I have been receiving from a very holy priest. I believe on faith, that I will not get ill or make anyone else ill due to my desire to receive (Jesus said, "If you shall ask me any thing in my name, that I will do”). I wear my Brown Scapular (as Our Lady of Fatima requested) and also use bottled holy water. Anyway, I don’t care if I get sick. I would most likely not die and even if I do, so what? I’ve been to confession. I will not live in fear! Our Lord said, “Ask and you shall receive.” You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Please see our post tomorrow on Corpus Christi.

The June “Fatima Family Holy Hour for the Church” is this Saturday. If you recall, we are doing this every 13th of the month, through October. There will be a printable PDF for you and your family. It is a simple program to do at home. Please come back Saturday for your print-out! Quite frankly, I have put a lot of work into this-I did the same thing on the Fatima 100th Anniversary-and have gotten a disappointing response. If you could just email one other person about this, that would be great-you can be part of the team! If you do participate, please contact us (above) and let us know. Your comments may be shared.

A Tale of Two Realities

New York City. Lots of traffic. Even now. One would think there might be at least one decent rest-stop on your way around the city, or at least, by the time you get to New Jersey, somewhere on Route 80. Nope. Tons of land where it would be very easy to place a rest-stop. With all the minutiae the states concern themselves with, has no one thought of building at least one rest-stop around the city? I gave birth some twenty-something years ago to an almost 10-pound baby. Quite frankly, my body has never been the same. Do you see where this is going? (Don’t drink Snapple when you’re pregnant and don’t eat the 12 slices of whole wheat bread per day that they tell you to.)

Earlier this week, my husband and I were on our way to visit that same baby, traveling from Long Island to New Jersey. We finally got to The Home Depot shopping center off Route 80. I have gone to the Dunkin there, but I assumed the restroom would not be open, since the Dunkins around us have kept them closed. The only other place was The Home Depot. I came upon my first encounter with the “long line to get in” situation that I have seen pictures of….a grotesque zombie apocalypse of masks, blocked-off entrances and security guards. I thought, “I’m a middle-aged lady who’s been sitting in traffic forever-surely they would have no problem with me using their facilities.” So I walked up to the guard and explained my situation. He said, “Let me ask.” He came back. “No.” I was stunned and expressed my displeasure. I checked over at Dunkin and their restroom was open. My son is going to be getting doughnuts every time we visit. He would rather have doughnuts than duct tape or siliconized acrylic sealant.

Do I really have to state the obvious? We are losing our humanity. This should concern all of us. Reminds me of Our Lord’s words:

"For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?"

Luke 23:31

Almost as soon as we got through the door with the box of doughnuts, my son said, “Want to go hiking now?” He has been making good use of his time off by hiking and gardening, much to prepper-Mommy’s pleasure. He found a large wooded area nearby while geocaching, and has been exploring all the trails. He was very excited about showing us a breathtaking ravine he found. I have not hiked in years and was already a bit tired from a poor night’s sleep, but I did not want to disappoint him. It was a long-shot, but I was going to give it my best effort.

As we approached the trail, I felt like Prepper Wonder Woman, with my hiking boots, olive-green pants with tons of pockets, wad of tissues, bug spray and mini first-aid kit. It was pure adrenaline from that point on. The world disappeared behind us as the sounds of birds and running water surrounded us. I felt free, able to breath without a mask, able to walk the path of a true human being, without feeling like a criminal. It was not a quick or easy hike. First, down a rocky hill, then we had a choice between crossing a muddy creek or walking on top of a huge mysterious pipeline. I chose the muddy creek that looked like quicksand. It proved to be a cinch. I felt over-confidence and arrogance wafting through me (not very subtle foreshadowing) as I watched my poor husband and child perilously walking atop the big pipe. Then it was quite a ways down another trail to the ravine. Suddenly, a magnificent vista of hills, trees, rocks, water and frogs appeared. It was a truly magical moment with my husband and son.

I eagerly ran down to the water and splashed my hands around in it. I felt pricks go through my thin pants and suddenly my arms and legs were all itchy. So much for Prepper Wonder Woman. My first thought was, “I’m in the middle of nowhere-what if I have a severe reaction?” I calmed down and hoped for the best. I told my son to take a picture of the plant so we could identify it when we got back (actually, we should have done it right there, with the phone). It was time to go back anyway, so we headed back and within a few minutes, the itching subsided. (I still haven’t gotten around to identifying the plant-but I should-this is how you learn as a prepper!} I barely made it back-the downwards hill at the start was now an upwards hill. At the least, the experience gave me a sense of empowerment and accomplishment. At best, a pivotal moment in my life at a pivotal moment for humanity. The choice between two realities.

I see the rest of my life as a journey back to those woods.