Category: survival (Page 2 of 4)

Remember Days of Gas for 25 Cents? Inflation Took Care of That

February 16, 2022 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Another day, another dollar. That is a phrase I heard lot as a kid. In the 1940’s things were scarce including money. One dollar was a lot back then.

Now days, if you don’t thousands of dollars a month, you are in poverty. It is called inflation.

I remember gas being 25 cents a gallon. .05 cents for a package of gum, and $2.99 for a carton of cigarettes.

We survived by having uncles that had farms and they shared the crops with us. I ate every kind of dish that you can make potatoes out of. Tomatoes were plentiful, so we canned them. Peaches the same way. We all went together to have Beef packaged for all of us.

I made money for school clothes by working on my uncle’s farm every summer.

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Of course it isn’t close to being that hard these days.

I want you to know I had a very happy childhood. I knew what family was. We would all gather together often. That meant a lot to me. The lov overflowed during those times.

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Did you have a good or bad childhood? Was it hard for you? I hope way back then you realized you were loved deeply by God. He was with you during all of your storms. He was just a prayer away.

That is what got me through some tough years in my early life. I accepted to Lord when I was fifteen years old through the Young Life meetings.

I faced the world in a whole different way after that time. I was at peace with my living conditions.

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Today is the first day of the rest of your life. If you have felt abandoned, and are struggling. Struggle no more. Pray to God, and also ask Jesus into you heart. Those two things will see you through many storms of life.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Top Five Ways to Survive in a Not so Friendly World

August 11, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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I had my usual Physical therapy today. Went pretty smoothly. Getting stronger each visit.

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The governor of my state of Oregon announced today that we are going back to mandating masks for indoor events. The new Delta virus is causing havoc everywhere. We are back to where we were over a year ago.

Here are some scary statistics. Two of the biggest cities in our nation have had a tremendous increase of deaths from the virus. In one of the cities 95% of the deaths were not vaccinated. In the other city it was 94%. Pretty clear facts that shows everyone needs to get their shots now.

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I don’t know about you, but I am struggling with all the turmoil that is going on all around us. Fake news, rioting, racism, lying by politicians, bad decisions by congress, and a president that doesn’t even know how many people live in our country.

I sat down and tried to figure out how I could face all of this mess. Here is what I came up with:

Time to wear blinders like horses do. Only look straight ahead to the future.
Only believe facts. not fairy tales.
Do not blame people around you for problems, look in the mirror.
Reach out to help those who are confused and depressed.
Rely on your family and friends to see you through the storms.

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If you are overcome with all the turmoil. Make you own list of survival ideas. Live by them every day.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Clean Up Your Sinful Cobwebs and Make Them Spiritual

May 31, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Every year I go outside and clean the cobwebs from my eaves, and porch. This year I looked at them later and the cobwebs were all back. I didn’t kill the source which was the spiders.

I related that to our own lives.

We allow cobwebs to form in our lives. They overcome us and we are lost. We try to clear them up only to see them came back. We didn’t kill the source. The source is sin.

Sin can control us to the point that we want to give up. We are trapped in the web struggling and can’t break free.

How do we get out of there?

We identify the lies/sins we have been living with.
Confess the lies to God.
We reject the lies.
We replace the lies with God’s truth.

Think about that the next time you are cleaning cobwebs out of your eaves.

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I have been wondering what will happen in the near future to our world. there are wars going on. There is rioting everywhere. The murder rates are sky high in the big city. Portland, Oregon was up a staggering 200%.

This is, of course, is caused by the defunding the police actions. There are policemen and women who are quitting the force because of zero support from the mayors of these cities. BTW.. All of these big cities have democratic mayors.

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We need to become battle warriors for God. Not physical battles, but spiritual battles. We need to pray for our country. We need to come together in our churches, and pray as a group. Powerful prayers can move mountains.

Seems so simple, but it is powerful.

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How is your world spinning? Going too fast?

Always remember that God is with you on your every step. He will protect you from the evil around you. He loves you. He created you in His own image. You are His son/daughter.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Death Has Ways of Pulling us Down Like huge Magnate

May 12, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

I was posting on my other blog this morning at www.dougbolton.com, and I realized that I have lost close friends not only in the military, but in life as well.

The two in the military were in peacetime. My best buddy, who had signed up with me to go into the military, died of some kind of crude while in Korea.

The second buddy died right in my own platoon, also in Korea, He suffocated in a honey bucket. A honey bucket is where to locals put their human waste for fertilizer.

These two deaths were extremely hard on me.

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When I got out. I went back to college to be a teacher. I got a job in Albany, Oregon.

I lost three students during my career there.

The first one was a car accident. The boy had taken his mom’s car without permission and went on a joy ride. He was only 14 and had no license. As he was driving, he hit same loose gravel and went off the road. He was killed instantly.

The second student died right in front of me in the school. He had a massive brain injury. The last thing he said was, “I can’t see.”

The last one was suicide. He was a troubled kid, who kept getting into fights. I am guessing he didn’t like where he was in life, and ended it all.

So, I lost five people who I cared very much for. This doesn’t even include my own family members who have passed away.

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Have you been there? Have you lost friends and family?

You certainly are not alone. Many of us have had to face that.

How do I keep going after all the death I have seen?

I thank God for each and every day I have on this earth.
I love all of my family to the max.
I keep in touch with old friends to see how they are doing. It cheers them up and I cheers me up as well.
I pray for God’s protection which gives me peace and comfort.

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Never let the dark side overcome you into thinking the world is lost. Be strong and know God is with you. He can overcome any fears you may have. He will give you peace and comfort through the toughest of storms.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

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I was Suicidal Until God was With me.

May 10, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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I told you yesterday that I had my first physical therapy for getting better balance. Well, something I had to do during the therapy injured my back. Now I am a lame duck. I will have to heal before I can go back.

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One of the things we most fear is that we are alone on this world. We feel isolated, and lost. We do not know where to go for help.

David in the Old Testament felt that way. He was suppose to be king, but Saul had other ideas. Saul was trying to find David and kill him. David ran and hid. He lived in caves, for fear he would be found and killed.

What a terrible existence.

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Have you been lost and fearful? Have you felt there was nowhere to turn to?

You certainly are not alone. Many of us have felt that fear of being alone. We have felt there was nowhere to turn to.

Let me share some thoughts that I think will give you hope and comfort.

God is near in times of need. He can take care of all your worries and fears.
God is sufficient in the times of need. He is capable of handling all your burdens.
You need to be saying, God is mine in my time of greatest need.

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Never think you are alone. Never think God has forsaken you. He loves you and wants the best for you. You are His child.

I was alone and lost in the year 2001. I was ready to end my life. Then I realized that God was right there with me. That gave me peace and comfort. I made it through that day, and I am here today talking to you.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Be Strong During all the Turmoil We Must Endure right Now

April 12, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Another beautiful day outside. Going to have to go on a walk to build my strength back up.

Whenever I think of walking, I think of our brothers and sisters in the military, who don’t dare go on a walk. They are hunkered down for fear of being shot. Never forget them.

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I can’t list all the things I think our country is doing wrong right now. The list would be long. I pray for our president, because to be honest with you, I do not think he is even in charge.

The far left is dragging him down like a huge magnate.

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I read an article where a second Lieutenant, in uniform, was dragged out of his car and pepper sprayed. The video doesn’t show him doing anything wrong. He told the officers he was afraid to get out of the car. Their answer… “You should be!”

He has sued the police department and I hope he wins.

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We still have more National Guardsmen in the nation’s capital than there are in Afghanistan. That is appalling. What are they afraid of?

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While in the military I found that the more you accept orders the less strain you will be in.

Some of the guys I knew tried to “buck,” the system, and it didn’t work out well for them.

The discipline I learned for the military has helped me in my civilian life.

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Up date on my upcoming book, Signs of Hope for the Military: In and Out of the Trenches of Life.

I have added another person to interview. I spoke to him while at the Oregon Coast. He has some funny ,and yet sad sharing to do and I know it will help other veterans.

Everything else is in the final stages of preparation.

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How are you doing today? Is the world spinning too fast?

You are not alone! There are many people struggling right now.

No job, lost relationship, death of a loved one, the pandemic.

It goes on and on. It is hard not to drown in the muck and mire.

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FEAR NOT!!

Even though it sometimes feels like there is no hope, God uses some of our darkest moments as our doorways to hope.

To know God’s voice is calling you is hope.

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Things can affect your life, but it can not define your life.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Being Ill Can Pull You Down Like a Huge Magnet

March 29, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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I had an interesting night last night. Many of you may have already done this. I went to a sleep center to spend the night. They are testing to see if I get enough oxygen when I am breathing.

I got there at 8:00pm. The tech lady, told me it would be a short wait because there were other patients waiting. Well, two hours later I get my turn to prepare.

They put every type of wire they could invent on your body. On your head, stomach, and legs. Glad I could not see myself in a mirror. 🙂

I woke up this morning at 6:00am and they sent me home. I won’t know the results until I meet with the doctor.

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It is let off steam time for me. Our president said yesterday in a quote. “I refuse to meet the deadline of May 1st to pull out all of troops from Afghanistan.” He doesn’t seem to care about our troops.

President Trump had all of that arranged and now it has disappeared.

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Do you often feel overwhelmed when health issues come knocking at your door. I know I do. I have heart problems; hearing loss; bad back, and several other ailments.

It seems that at least once every week, I have a doctor’s appointment. The week of April 4th-10th I have a huge 5 appointments.

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If you have similar problems, I certainly hear you. I know it isn’t easy to have so many thorns in your side. It not only is painful, but stressful.

So, how can we overcome all the negative part of life, like health.:

God didn’t promises us a rose garden, and of course there are those pesky torns.
God never has us face more than we can handle. Lean on Him for your strength.
I use my ailments to be a witness to others. I share with them that I do not care to have the ailments, but God has chosen me to calm other people because if it.

Never let ailments, or attacks from the dark side overcome you. With God on your side who can be against you? NO ONE!

Be strong and face the storms head on. By doing this you are a very positive example to those around you who are suffering as well.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Storms May Come and Storms May Go, But God is Always There

February 17, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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This is the week I have surgery to replace a battery in my defibrillator. It will be Friday. Today I am having a echocardiogram. That will tell them what my refraction rate is. (How well the heart is working.)

I hope the surgery will not only make me healthier, but help me with my dizziness as well. It has been a long haul, but hopefully the end is in sight for good health.

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We are still recuperating from a devastating freezing rain episode. Still many fallen tree around the neighborhood. Why aren’t they cleaned up you say? The tree businesses are swamped. There is damage on every block here.

The good news is that there were no one hurt from all the fallen trees as to what I have heard.

There are people who are still without electricity. Again, the electric companies are overwhelmed.

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Adversity has knocked at our doors and is trying to pull us down like a huge magnate.

Everyone around me here has faced adversity recently. The pandemic and severe weather have taken their toll. It is hard, at best, to see the positive side of things when all of this is happening to people.

How do I handle it?

I know that God will not allow anything to come at me that I can’t handle.

I know that adversity is just a way to grow even stronger.

I know that people are basically strong and can face the storms of life.

I know that if I help others through this adversity, then they will be happier and so will I.

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I am hoping that every is well with you. If not, fear not! God is with you for every step you take. He gave you your first breath. You are His child, and He will protect you through the tough times.

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Remember:

You are ever alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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The Furious Weather We Are Having Causes Much Pain and Destruction

February 16, 2021 / Butch / 0 Comments

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What a scary few days we have had here lately. It’s called freezing rain! I feel that freezing rain is one of the most destructive weather situations you can face.

There was an inch of frozen rain on the ground and trees. The ground was a problem, but the real danger was the trees. They couldn’t take the weight of the ice.

There were trees that broke in half everywhere. Right across the street from me, there is still a tree on the roof of the house. The crews are totally swamped right now.

Next door to them is another tree that lost a massive limb that completely blocked the driveway.

You do not think of the ramifications of a storm like this until you have no electricity. That is devastating. You can’t cook. You can’t use your electric toothbrush, or electric razor.

You can’t use the toaster to even make toast.

There was no heat as well. That was very hard on us. We had to sit in front of the natural gas fireplace wrapped in blankets. We threw extra blankets on our bed at night.

We had to eat out of a cooler that was in the garage. BTW… the garage door wouldn’t open either.

This went on for 48 hours.

We have survived, and the electricity and heat is back. We have a friend staying with us that doesn’t have any electricity or heat. We are so glad we can help her.

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How are you doing this winter? Have you had severe weather like we have had?

I pray that everything is going in the right direction for you now. This is the time to lean on God. He knows what is happening. He knows what you are going through. Pray for His protection, and calmness.

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God didn’t promise us a rose garden, and of course there are those thorns. He will not make you face anything you can’t handle. He is a loving God, and wants the very best for you.

Stay strong in this not so friendly world. Don’t let the dark side overcome you. I realize that our country is close to chaos right now. Many wrong things are happening. Cling to the promises that God has for us and survive.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Remember, the Darkness Can Not Overcome the Light

December 14, 2020 / Butch / 0 Comments

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Darkness seems to be spreading through out our world. The pandemic has raised its ugly head even more.

We have enough on our plate to have to worry about getting the virus. It is Christmas time and people should be doing Christmas shopping and yet, they stay at home and do it online. It is another form of a lock down.

I have been on lock down since March. I have health issues and the virus would do me in if I got it.

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So what do we do? Should we give in to the darkness?

Of course not!! There is always light, and darkness can not overcome it.

I am referring to the light of Jesus. He is always there showing us the way through the darkness. If you fear what is ahead, Jesus said, ” Fear not for I am with you.”

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I have gone through some horrific times in my life, and every time I came out at the other end, because of the light ahead.

I also need to remember that if I reject the light, there is not alternative, but to face darkness.

Do not give in to the darkness. Look for the light.

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Yes, we face many mountains in our lives. They seem too high and mighty. However, God is mightier than any mountain. He can move them for you.

Some people make mountains out of mole hills. They over react and start saying, “The sky is falling!” Never listen to them. You know God is there for you, and with him on your side who can be against you?

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If you for some reason feel inferior to others. Stop! God created you in His own image. He made everyone equal. He doesn’t make anything that is bad. He doesn’t make mistakes.

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Remember:

You are never alone.

You are never forsaken.

You are never unloved.

And above all…never, ever, give up!

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Category: survival (Page 2 of 4)

Remember Days of Gas for 25 Cents? Inflation Took Care of That

Clean Up Your Sinful Cobwebs and Make Them Spiritual

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