Posted: 10/22/2007 1:01:27 PM EDT
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I have been struggling with things for a couple of years, and I think I am starting to change. Part of the appeal of prepping is that it dovetails naturally into my genetic desire to be a pack-rat. I just can't help it. When you pair that with the 'Tim Taylor-itis' to want the latest and greatest, well, I don't think I am alone in this SF group. How do you decide when enough is enough?? I have enough guns that my grandkids (when we have them) won't be able to shoot the barrels out of the guns. I have about all the storage that is available full of food, water, and STUFF!! I am a devout christian, and so as not to interject religion into this forum, suffice it to say that I am working on being satisfied with my situation. I am going to continue to work on skills, and critical thinking.....how to adapt to situations, run options through my head, etc, but I am nearing the end of my continual hunt for 'STUFF'. I am sure I will probably be kicked off the group for heretical statements like this, but am I alone? I am not saying that I will never buy another gun, or case of ammo, but after a while, it gets a bit absurd (I am not trying to insult anyone, I am referring to myself). There will always be a newer and better gun/magazine/ammo/gizmo/etc. I intend to put the vast majority of my efforts into my studies and skills. Just fishing for thoughts. YMMV Doc |
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ETA: I understand what you mean about being a pack-rat. I'm not one, but I have gone through times with my preps where I wondered if I was storing my treasures here on earth, rather than in heaven. But food to feed your family in hard times and the tools to defend that food are not treasures. Just take a step back and reevaluate your preparations and what you actually need to store. |
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User Info IM User Email User Reply Quote Report I have been struggling with things for a couple of years, and I think I am starting to I am a devout christian, and so as not to interject religion into this forum, suffice it to say that I am working on being satisfied with my situation. I am going to continue to work on skills, and critical thinking.....how to adapt to situations, run options through my head, etc, but I am nearing the end of my continual hunt for 'STUFF'." Paul would say (paraphrasing) that he knew both how to have plenty and how to have little (abased and abound IIRC). He would further says that Godliness with contentment is great gain. The always something new, always something better thing is just the old nature showing through- worldliness. We are ALL guilty of it brother. Your able to recognize it for what it is cause the Lord has opened your eyes. Just remember to keep everything in balance, cool new camoflage for your dog and tactical gear for your gerbils is no good if you can't FEED your family. I think the Lord is VERY clear on that- "if any man provide NOT for his own and especially those of his own household, he is worse than an infidel." So in other words, cool gear is great, but if you can't feed your family your not a man. Lowdown3 |
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Being able to step back and ask the question is probably a very good sign. Balance is the key. Maybe actively forcing your self to work on 'people skills' for a while, and chanelling the compulsive impulses into something that doesn't involve acquiring things. I don't know what kind of neighborhood or community activities you are involved with, but maybe something like neighborhood improvement, or building a playground, or volunteering with the emergency response team for disasters, or something. The payoff in getting to know your neighbors well would be huge in an emergency situation. |
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Make a will - seriously - to determine who gets all your guns, tools, etc. be creative, some can go to arfcommers  Draw up a list of the bare bones essential tools - stuff you'd absolutely need in a full "we're never coming back" evacuation. Include baby photos or heirlooms in this calculation. Then draw up the "not essential but important" stuff - that make the difference between 'survival' and 'camping' or 'squared away so we can help others'. Stuff that doesn't fall into these categories is extra stuff or prudent stuff - like a huge pantry, etc. If you collect firearms consider the ramifications of becoming -one day- the "arsenal" of religious freedom or something for your church. Others collect stamps and garden gnomes or base ball cards. Come hell and high water a stockpile of fire arms might come in more handy than knickknacks. The important thing to do though is not obsess with stuff if your life is for people.... Noah built an ark but it was for people and animals. Joseph built huge grain stores but again it was for people, the common good. Whatever you do with your hobby, the more it involves others and redounds to some benefit towards them, the better it can be and less an idol. |
Amen! |
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You know I often envy the folks here on the forum that are just getting started. For the rest of us, I think we all have been are where you are right now. I guess I would consider I met the minimum of what I would like to have 20 years ago and on some things like cook stoves I'm at the ludicrous level. One thing we don't do and should never stop doing is learning. Its from that learning that leads us to new things and acquiring them. Its like a side effect. Many of us don't really hunt but stumble on things. There's two thoughts in life. One is he who dies with the most money wins and the other he who dies with the most toys. Where you fit in those two often is based in how you perceive life in general. If you are one of those that want to make every minute count like its your last, then you will acquire stuff. We all know or should know processions aren't what makes us rich in life. There are far more important things than material things. Nothing can touch the love of good woman, a family, and true friends. We simply progress in life from I have to have this to I want this, that's all. Tj |
The one I have been thinking on the last few months is "He who dies with the most toys, still dies!!". I will continue to persue my missionary work, and serve my clients to the best of my ability, and keep trying to take the emphasis OFF the stuff. God, family, friends, work, and stuff.......hopefully in that order. That's the best answer I have right now. Thanks for the input. Doc |
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Possessions can be taken away. Fire, flood, theives, and other stuff can remove the books from your shelves and the food from your pantry. The knowledge in your head that lets you provide for you and those you are responsable for is where the real wealth lies. I have enough stuff around to go a few months through a lot of problems. Some stuff I own will probably outlive me but I use it. I am changing from being a packrat to just having what I really need. If something is pretty darn outrageous or I have so much of something that I don't think I will ever use it up then I don't worry about having it and I look into giving it away to others who truly need it. And really that "truly need it" is a phrase I use a lot. I want a lot. I only need a little. I like having some extra in case I need it, but I don't want to store the stuff and take care of the stuff and insure the stuff against fire, theft, flood, and whatever else. And since I don't spend time with stuff or worrying about stuff I can spend more time with my relatives or dating or doing things that are worth spending my time on. |
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No. You are not alone. I am approaching the 'limit' for me with regards to survival preps. Guns? Got enough to equip a thrird world country. Ammo? Got enough to retake Saigon. Other stuff? Plenty. It gets to a point where youa re more or less overwhelmed with gear and equipment. I pretty much have these bases covered. There really are only three areas in which I continue to work towards improved preps: 1) Real estate. I'm NOT talking about a bug out location. I am talking about a rural home with decent everyday survival applications. 75 to 100 acres, some open pasture for beef production and field crops, decent woodlot for cordwood, two wells (one manual), small barn, fencing, and an energy efficient home, etc. I'm simplying looking for the right parcel. 2)Here is the big one: Sufficient financial resources to ensure that that my day to day prosperity and income are maintained despite medical problems, job losses, economic down turns, pension funds collapses, etc. What is this magical figure? It depends on your spending habits and debt load of course. Given the general rule of withdrawing 3.5% of your nest egg, a sum approaching a nice tidy two million will do. 3) Skills: Sounds crazy but I am dying to learn to blacksmith and to train and drive oxen. Oxen are lower maintenance than horses, and work hard on lower quality feed. A bit slow though. Regardless, a team of oxen and the ability to work em would be invaluable in many situations. |
while this is generally a good point, it is important to remember that necessity is the mother of ingenuity. think of it this way--it is amazing what a man can fix, given a toolbox and a manual, or even just a toolbox and proper motivation. but the common denominator is the toolbox. this is not to deemphazize the importance of training, but i do take exception to gear - skill = death. it's important not to give ourselves the excuse to quit. i learned that lesson the hard way during a storm on lake travis when i was a 14-year-old kid. i barely knew how to sail, but my grandfather insisted that i take 2 cousins along with me. a couple of hours in, a summer squall hit, with winds of 40+ kt, and the dam about 1/2 mile to leeward. now, i had taught myself to sail out of a book, and had no idea what the proper procedures were for heavy weather sailing. but i knew that i had the responsibility to get these 2 kids back safely, and i knew i had the equipment i needed to get it done. and over the next hour, i damn well figured out the skill part. i completely understand what you're saying, and i agree that it's too easy to get into the "gear will save us" mindset. my point is that if we get into the other mindset ("certificates/classes will save us") it can give us an excuse to fail. and in the arena we're talking about, failure is not an option. i think the wisest course is to nurture this mindset: -i can survive without gear. -i can survive without training. -i can survive without planning. -i can survive without help. -i can survive without anything other than the strength of my will, which is the mightiest tool i own. (but all that other stuff makes it a hell of a lot easier) 
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