Category: Abuse

Abuse, Christianity, Chronic Epstein Barr, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Compassion, God/Jesus, Healing, Holistic Health, Homesteading, Human rights, Humanity First, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Politics, Scripture

Right and Left

Lisa Burbank

“A wise man’s heart inclines him toward the right, but a fool’s heart toward the left.” (Ecclesiastes 10-2)

Yeah, I confess, I might’ve been listening more to the little guy with the pitchfork seated on my left shoulder when I posted this line of Scripture on social media the other day rather than the guy with the angel’s wings on the right. I certainly heard a rather devilish snicker.

But it’s funny how He works.

The Lord can take even our less than stellar motives, actions, etc. and still use them for His good. Sometimes it’s just to shine the light on something.

You see, back in 2020, I often shared the most hateful and cruel memes designed to slander and poke fun at then-President Donald Trump. I had bought into the mainstream media narrative that he was the second coming of Hitler and he should be banished from all society. And every time, that man with the pitchfork not only snickered, but wrung his hands in glee. No, Mr. Trump is far from perfect. And he’s certainly done some questionable things.

But so have I.

And so have you.

We all fall short of the glory of God. Because we’re human, not God. We may strive to be Christ-like, and that’s truly worth striving for. In fact, it’s the only goal worth obtaining. But, as we take those steps closer to Him, it’s also important to remember that others are on the same journey…and we should be cheering them on, not tearing them down. Still more have never even started that journey and what example are we setting to lead them along with us? We’re all sinners. And He loves each. And every. One of us.

Including former-President Donald Trump.

Now, fast forward to 2024. After much reflection, and having watched countless interviews and speeches from Mr. Trump, I’m no longer with CNN and MSNBC when they crucify him daily for things they give others a Pasadena for. Heck, they even blamed him for getting shot in the ear. Seriously? How much of their hateful vituperative has led to, I think we’re at, three attempts on the man’s life? Words matter. And they can have deadly consequences. Whatever we think of Mr. Trump and his policies, he is somebody’s husband, father, grandfather.

Today, though I voted for her and Biden in 2020, I don’t believe Kamala Harris is the answer. She flip flops on too many issues that I believe she will flip flop back against if elected (gun buy backs, fracking, defunding the police). But I try not to sling any hate at her as I did Donald Trump in 2020. Do I succeed? Obviously not. The barely veiled snicker over a line of Scripture that was clearly used for political reasons proves it. Instead of memes, I try to share videos that shine a light on her record as a DA, an AG, and VP. What has she done? What hasn’t she done that maybe she should have? I.e. I try to keep it about policy, accomplishments and failures, not her person. Again, I don’t always succeed. But that is the goal I strive for. And I try to remain cognizant that she is somebody’s wife, stepmother, sister.

Words matter.

But here’s the thing: despite my recent lack of decorum, He’s using this to shine a light right back on my behavior from 2020. The same staunch Democrat friends who gloated and then waged an attack on my Republican friends and family members in 2020 when I shared memes that were insulting and hurtful to them, slapped back against me and my post with mockery, sarcasm, and in some cases, even verbal abuse. They *got* the dig for which the sharing of this line of Scripture was intended against the “Left” or Democrat party.

And that’s not what His word was intended for.

However, He is using this lapse, not only to shine a light on my behavior, but to point to the same insidious behavior that has plagued our society since the creation of social media: the lack of accountability and loss of humanity in our responses to people we cannot see on the other side of the keyboard. We forget that they are friends and neighbors, family and co-workers. And, even when others are ugly about things, the rest of us shouldn’t respond with more ugliness. No politician is going to step in and stop the divide. They want our votes. It is up to us to step up to the plate and remember the hearts and minds that have blessed our lives in the past, and continue to bless our lives today.

Because God loves each and every one of us. Always.

Does this mean I won’t share anymore memes? Probably not. But it’s about policy this time, not the person.

For me, I cheered when Roe v. Wade was overturned and the abortion issue was returned to individual states to decide. It’s a lie that the more conservative states won’t perform a D&C to save a mother’s life. But this is another blog post in the making…and I’ll never solve the dilemma on my own and will only stir up hatred and anger and even violence if I continue to pursue it. But that’s where I stand on the abortion “rights” issue.

I also cheered when both Robert Kennedy, Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard endorsed Donald Trump. I’m tired of seeing so many people struggling with chronic health issues (myself included) due to the poison that’s in our food, our water, our soil, our so-called “medicine”, etc. I hope Mr. Trump follows through in giving them each a place in his administration next January. I hope Mr. Kennedy, alongside Senator Rand Paul, does a thorough investigation into Dr. Fauci and the NIH regarding gain-of-function research once Mr. Trump is in office again. I also don’t want to have to place the word “organic” in front of my food anymore. I want cruelty-free and organic practices to be put into place throughout every aspect of farming. I would like to retain the right to grow and raise my own food and medicines, but I also want to see healthy, wholesome food available in the grocery store, or market, for every single person on this planet. And I believe Mr. Kennedy would do everything possible to make that happen if he’s allowed that place in another Trump administration.

Lastly, I see far too many parallels in this transgender movement that is targeting minors and the pedophilia I grew up as a child. Both ask children to make life-altering decisions about their bodies before they’re mature enough to truly understand the consequences. Yes, gender dysphoria is a real thing. But it’s also true that, depending on your source, 75%-90% of those diagnosed with it, outgrow it once they’re through puberty. It breaks my heart to see otherwise healthy young girls having full mastectomies…especially when I consider the trauma every woman who has ever had to have one to save her life from breast cancer experiences. How is mutilating young bodies an answer? How is rendering any child sterile from having children of their own someday an answer? Far too many who have detransitioned have found that they do not go into a late puberty but, for many young women, they go straight into menopause. How is that okay?

So those are the rocks I stand on…that, and I’d like to stop seeing Christians mocked and derided and denied the same 1st Amendment rights that other religions enjoy in this country. But He did say the world will hate us because we are His.

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animals, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Compassion, Exhaustion, Faith, Frugality, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Herbs, Homesteading, Minimalism, Politics, Prayer, Prepping, Proofreading, Religion, Scripture, Spinning, Weaving, Writing, YouTube

Going Forward

Lisa Burbank

“You have rejected us, O God, and burst forth upon us; you have been angry–now restore us! You have shaken the land and torn it open; mend its fracturs, for it is quaking. You have shown your people desperate times; you have given us wine that makes us stagger. But for those who fear you, you have raised a banner to be unfurled against the bow. Selah” (Psalm 60: 1-4)

            The water’s out again. It’s happening more frequently these days. We’ll have running water for a few days, and then the taps will run dry for 2, 3…one time 9 days’ straight. We’ve considered that a combination of local drought, mixed with the flood we had last year, may have run the well dry—or semi-dry. That’s a scary thought but, a credible one. Of course, it could still be that I need to replace the pump, or the resident rodent population chewed a wire somewhere. At this point, we simply don’t know. And the means to find out exactly what’s wrong, and actually get it fixed, is beyond me at the moment. We could be talking tens of thousands of dollars when all is said and done.

As I said in a previous post, I am bodaciously tired of all of this. The struggle has become unbearable. Moving would be our best option. This may be home but, home needs way more TLC than I can give it to make it comfortable and safe again. The problem is my credit is toast at this point. Can I hang in here long enough to rebuild my credit before home becomes completely uninhabitable? We’re almost there now.

            So many things, so many worries…I still have some juvenile felines that need spaying. The roof still leaks. Even when the water runs, there’s no hot water; the tank died a year and a half ago. We heat water for bathing on the stove…or rather the hot plate. The stove no longer works either. The house is a fright. This last because I’ve allowed depression to get the better of me. The task is too enormous and there never seems to be enough time. It’s nothing some serious elbow grease wouldn’t fix but, still, it can be overwhelming with all that needs doing and fixing. I’d love to rent the biggest dumpster imaginable and just toss almost everything in it, start anew, and less is best.

            On the plus side, my friend’s little boy made his First Communion yesterday. What a cause for rejoicing! His little face was aglow as he accepted the body of Christ for the first time. Quite a lot of extended family came to church to celebrate with him, including his older brother home from college. The only downside was the low number of children making that First Communion. I praise God for the 5 who received it. However, I remember the long line of children making their First Communion when I was a child. Sad that people do not make religious education a priority today. Maybe we’d have fewer shootings, fewer suicides, less drug addiction and abuse. Maybe not but, even a tiny seed of hope planted in the heart can do wonders. That’s what Jesus does for you; He fills you with hope. When you have Him, no earthly concern can truly hurt you.

            I’m also doing a weed walk next month, my first. I hope to create new business cards beforehand so I can pass them out to any who join the walk. I’m hoping to build a local following before I start uploading videos to YouTube. I want to get comfortable with the teaching aspect of it before I have to do it on camera. There’s also the whole technical learning curve before YouTube becomes a *thing* in my life. I will, of course, share the link once I finally do hit YouTube. In the meantime, there’s local weed walks and workshops…and a renewed commitment to build a brand through my blogs.

Yes, blogs…with an S.

Most who have been following me for a while know I also have an author’s page. I’m still working on the first novel but, I occasionally do book reviews on my author’s page. I am looking to get more intentional with that, too. The link is https://lisaburbank.wordpress.com

Then there’s the latest blog. This one started as a classroom assignment. We were asked to build a website for selling your product(s) and/or services online as a freelance writer. Well, I confess, I don’t sell any services as a freelance writer. Maybe in time I will. I’m pretty good at editing. And I’m gaining some experience with grant writing since becoming the director of a library. But, as a student, even having scaled back to part-time studies, the time needed to edit another’s work, or assist someone in the grant writing process, would be overwhelming. And, to be honest, when I consider selling those services, it makes more sense to me to do so through my author’s page.

However, that didn’t fly with the professor; I tried. It had to be a new website.

Now that the boring bibliography-about-nothing-in-particular is gone, I can revamp it.

Over the years, The Herbal Hare has been such a hodge-podge of *stuff*. I’m looking to get more intentional with what I include here vs. what should probably go somewhere else. For example, some years’ ago, I wrote a piece about growing up with alcoholism in the home and how it affects the whole family, sometimes for generations. I received a lot of new followers but, it didn’t have anything to do with homesteading, herbs, or prepping, and I lost a lot of those followers who didn’t like the new direction. I’ve also gotten social/political a time or two…and alienated some readers with that. I’m hoping that https://auntielisaspeaks.com will be an alternative. The Herbal Hare will remain a blog about herbs, homesteading, prepping, fiber arts, frugal living, minimalism, antiquated skills, animal husbandry and, yeah, still a bit of a hodge-podge. Homesteading encompasses a lot of ground.

Auntie Lisa Speaks will be one-part memoir, one-part social commentary, and one-part call to action to remember that no matter the issue, there’s a real person on the other end of the screen. Their thoughts and feelings do matter, and their struggles are real. Part of that call to action will also be a call to follow Christ; our country really needs God back at the center of things again.

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Addiction, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Faith, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Healing, Herbs, Holidays, Plants, Religion, Tradition

Monday Meanderings

Lisa Burbank

“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul; in You I trust, O my God. Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.” (Psalm 25:1-2)

With Easter come and gone for another year, the self-imposed dietary restrictions given for Lent have also come and gone. I lamented in a recent post that I failed to keep my vows 100% by partaking of a fortune cookie when Mom and I went out for Chinese food one night. I wasn’t even thinking of it as a “sweet”; it’s just part of the meal in my mind. But, otherwise, I did fairly well with avoiding traditional “junk” food.

I still haven’t mastered the other half of my vows: to read a chapter of Scripture each day. It’s been spotty at best. However, He’s still working in my life, still working through me and in me.

I just polished off a small bowl of Maple Kettle Korn from Bureau’s Sugarhouse in Connecticut. On Good Friday, Mom, Robert and I drove up to The Book Barn in Niantic, CT. I called ahead of time to confirm that they would be open on the holiday but, I neglected to check the time that they open. We got there about an hour beforehand. After a brief discussion, we decided to do an early lunch…and found the restaurant also wasn’t opening for another hour. We drove down the road some more and came to a place called Smith’s Acres, LLC.

What an amazing place!

It’s relatively small but they carry all manner of landscaping plants, succulents in their greenhouse, and floral arrangements. There’s a farmers’ market inside featuring fresh produce, jams, jellies, honey and maple syrup, all manner of sauces, and a refrigerator full of ice cream. If we added some herbs for growing, and homemade yarns, it could almost be the store of my dreams.

Mom found the Kettle Korn up by the register. We’ve been enjoying it since Easter and remarking how incredibly delicious it is. I didn’t realize until I went to toss away the empty bag that it was Bureau’s product.

Bureau’s Sugarhouse used to have a booth at the Woodstock Fair every year (they may still…). I worked at the Fair for several seasons (2012-2016) and, for one of my co-workers, purchasing a bag of their Maple Kettle Korn was an annual treat. After hearing her rave about it, I bought a small bag one year and fell in love with it. I haven’t had it since I left the fair.

That’s probably a good thing for my teeth and my waistline!

Where He’s working on me, is the return to “desserts” now that Lent has ended. While I’ve enjoyed the Kettle Korn, the bag of black licorice jelly beans (is there any other kind??), and a few other “sweets”, I’ve really been paying attention to my body since the return to them.

I felt better without them. I slept better, too. It’s also renewed my commitment to take better care of myself. Who knew?

I wrote about my dream homestead in my “About” section. And I’ve certainly talked about it on the blog many times. I want to be here to enjoy it. Once I’m back on my feet financially–and we’re getting there slow but sure since taking the director’s seat at the library–I believe I can accomplish that end.

I’m also learning to leave it in His hands. His plans are greater than my own. I want to be here to see that, too.

For anyone else who celebrated Lent by sacrificing in some way, what are some of the ways He’s blessed you? I’d be delighted if you’d share in the Comments’ section below.

May God bless you & keep you!

19th century, Abuse, Animals, Appreciation, Christianity, Creativity, ecosystems, Faith, Global Warming, God/Jesus, Herbs, Homesteading, Prepping, Religion, Understanding, Writing

Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad

Lisa Burbank

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man.” (Proverbs 3:3-4)

I’ve been working on that third website and still questioning the wisdom of it. Yes, there’s been a desire to branch out a little, defend the innocent when it comes to abuse and neglect, defend Mother Earth, tackle those few social issues that capture my interest enough to comment. But I’ve been completely stymied by the purpose of the assignment.

We were asked to pick a subject, research it, and then use this subject to help build our brand. Not a single topic had anything to do with herbs, homesteading, prepping, animal husbandry or rescue, 19th century living, frugality, fiber arts, or faith.

That’s my brand.

I chose “social media research”. As a writer, I can recognize the importance of researching sources of information. I’m just not sure how creating multiple posts about how to fact-check and verify an article will prove interesting to anyone else on a live platform. Do I even want it to? And, while this post has nothing to do with herbs, homesteading, prepping, animal husbandry or rescue, 19th century living, frugality, fiber arts, or faith either; still, I reckon most of my readers here are used to my rambling detours by now.

As I write this, and as I continue to build the other page, I’m also struck by how He works.

I’m not exactly kicking and screaming against this other page. In fact, I can even see the merits of separation between this blog and the new one, especially if I decide to tackle some meatier subjects. But, despite the fact that I will probably take the other site down once class is over, the effort of building a new site (something I actually enjoy) has given me some ideas for this blog. As I seek to define this other site, what it will contain, what it’s about, my intention for this blog is becoming clearer. So He’s brought about a blessing even in the midst of something as mundane as “social media research”.

What are some of the unexpected blessings He’s brought to your life? I’d be delighted if you’d share.

“I come in the little things, saith the Lord” — Evelyn Underhill

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Alcoholism, Appreciation, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Gratitude, Herbs, Homesteading, Politics, Prepping

Snow Days

Lisa Burbank

“He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in His arms, he said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the One who sent me’.” (Mark 9:36-37)

I feel like a little kid today. It’s the first “real” snowfall of the season. I say “real” because the few light dustings we’ve had earlier in the year don’t count, do they? I mean, you can’t build a snowman, or have a proper snowball fight, with barely an inch of snow on the ground. However, winter storm Anthony, as the meteorologists are calling it, is a bit more substantial. I haven’t properly measured, or consulted the news’ stations but, merely by eyeballing it, I’d say we have 4-5 inches on the ground.

And, no, I didn’t spend the day building a snowman. Instead, I stayed in my pajamas all day, read a book, drank lots of Chai tea, and now I’m focusing on some homework…albeit, with this brief detour into blogging.

I have to build another website/blog for this term’s class: New Media. Another website/blog in addition to this one, and my author’s page. I’ve been questioning the wisdom of trying to keep up with 3 separate sites when I often drop the ball on the two I already have but, c’est la vie! I want a passing grade. And the only way to do that is to comply. If it proves to be too much, once the class is over, I’ll take it down. Sorted…

Of course, having another page also means coming up with enough content to support another page. I recently went through this site and tried to remove as much of the social/political stuff as I could. As this website was started as a place to share about herbs, homesteading and prepping, really, the social/political stuff doesn’t belong here.

Nor does it belong on my author’s page.

But there are social issues that I do care about that I’d like to write about from time to time. I’ve spoken a time or two about my childhood growing up with alcoholism, and having a father who wanted nothing to do with me…and a stepfather who wanted a little too much to do with me. I see some social issues in the news today that are all too reminiscent of that childhood and, lo and behold, a new site may be born.

However, when I started this new class a few weeks’ ago, I decided to go to a different platform to start this website. We use Wix at work so I am growing familiar with it. And, I figured, if I’m on a totally different platform, it’ll be harder for any social/political views to accidentally wind up on the wrong blog…and potentially alienate any longtime followers who do not share my views, or appreciate the research I hope to do to support my views.

And here I have to put in a plug for WordPress. Wix has got to be the most finicky, pain-in-the-@$$ website I have ever encountered. It looks like I may be starting from scratch creating this third website/blog…here on WordPress after all.

Who knew?

And, incidentally, it was my decision to close the library today. That feels so weird. The little kid in me delighting in the first “real” snowfall of the year is trying to reconcile this adulting thing where I have to make informed decisions for the greater good of my team. It was the right decision, given the snowfall and the slippery, sloppy roads. It just feels very weird–in a good way–to be the one called upon to make such a decision.

I am grateful. I am grateful for the new position. I am grateful for the responsibility entrusted to me. But it still feels weird. Maybe I should reconsider the snowman after all.

May God bless you & keep you!

PS Once this other blog is up and running, I will post a link somewhere for others to follow.

Abuse, Alcoholism, Animals, Christianity, Faith, Homesteading

Happy New Year 2023…(Observed!)

Lisa Burbank

“Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying ‘Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

“He who was seated on the throne said “I am making everything new!’ Then He said, “‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.'” (Revelation 21:1-5)

I missed the usual “Goodbye” to the old year with its remembrance of those lost to The Herbal Hare Tomestead on New Year’s Eve; I was in bed long before midnight. We did have one loss. And I feel it keenly: the last of my bunnies, Miss Tumbleweed, died over the summer months. She was 10 years’ old, a good age for a rabbit but, knowing she lived to a great age, doesn’t make the loss any easier to bear. She spent the last couple of years of her life without another rabbit for companionship but, considering where we’ve been financially, investing in more rabbits would’ve been foolish. When her brother, Sweet Pea, died, I moved her cage into the kitchen so she could at least be in the thick of things instead of sitting lonesome in what had been the rabbit room (doesn’t every good homestead have one of those?). Now we’re The Herbal Hare Tomestead without the hare (rabbit).

(Insert heavy sigh here)

I miss having rabbits. I enjoyed the nightly “bunny time” when I would let the bunnies out of their cages to stretch their legs, try a few binks, and explore. I usually had a book in my hand…though the usual ankle-head butts from one of the buns set it down again. It was the ultimate “down time” for me. I miss grooming them, too, though it could often be stressful (not all bunnies like to be handled too much). There will be more bunnies at this homestead again. In due time…

I don’t usually make New Year’s resolutions; they rarely stick.

This year is different…and I have every intention of making it stick:

This year I am hoping to grow my relationship with my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. (Yes, and I can already hear the Adversary whispering his lies…)

My faith has taken a beating these last few years. I feel a little like Job, who lost so much, went through so many trials and tribulations, only to be given even more than he had had to begin with. I’m holding onto that hope. However, the thought of losing–comforts, things I’ve worked for, places that have meaning, and especially loved ones, like Tumbleweed–is a tough pill to swallow. But I’m leaving it all in his hands. Thy will be done.

Phew! That was tough even to write…

He’s been in my corner so much lately, helping me to navigate this foreclosure process; protecting my family though this fixer-upper has become unsafe and scary to live in; giving me full-time employment in a tanking job market, and showing me who is really in my corner on the human side of this equation. Despite present hardships, I have hope in my heart and feel blessed beyond measure. Blessed be the name of the Lord! It’s time to truly walk by faith. I want that closer relationship to Him. It’s no kind of life without Him.

Trust.

I have so little of it. Such is not uncommon when you’ve grown up with alcoholism in the home, certain types of abuse, etc., the dysfunctionality of such a home. I stick my toes in the waters–new jobs, a path towards one of many dreams, even relationships of every shape and size–only to pull them back out again. I procrastinate. I allow fear to rule over me, distrust and lack of confidence. Those dreams are for other people. More importantly, I forget to ask Him how He can use me. How may I serve YOU, Lord? How may I further your kingdom here on earth? Are the dreams you’ve put on my heart part of that kingdom? What if I gave everything to those dreams and let you take the reins to where they lead? Can I find that measure of trust needed deep down inside?

I can’t…but He can.

I think I have this year’s song of the year, too: What If I Gave Everything? by Casting Crowns. You may give a listen here:

May God bless you & keep you!

Tumbleweed 2012 – 2022

Abuse, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Community, Compassion, Culture, Family, Friendship, Human rights, Prayer, Scripture

Bright Blessings for Brooklyn Farm, Pet & Hardware

Lisa Burbank

“Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor’s life. I am the Lord.” (Leviticus 19:15-16)

I don’t think I’ve ever given a plug for a local business before; I try to maintain a certain level of anonymity as to where I am located…safety reasons only. However, I am heartsick over what is happening to some neighbors of mine.

I went on Facebook yesterday to wish all the friends with birthdays this week happy ones. One has a very harsh review of a local business: Brooklyn Farm, Pet, & Hardware (BFP&H). This review had nothing to do with the service they received, or the products they purchased, or some rude manners from staff. It had everything to do with their political views. Seriously? I then decided I would go to BFP&H’s Facebook page and post something positive, a “thank you” for their service, a Merry Christmas, etc.

Their Facebook page has been hacked. There is now a picture of a blond woman and, underneath her photograph, it says this business is now closed…permanently. It also lists the business as being in Oklahoma??!?

Seeds of hate sown for something as petty as a difference of OPINION. That’s all.

I am heartsick for my friends at BFP&H, for the harm to their business, their livelihood, the attempts to discredit them.

These are the people I know from BFP&H:

First of all, I don’t know of too many businesses today that are full service. 50 lb. sacks of feed, bales of hay, etc. are carried out by staff and loaded into your vehicle. Staff is always polite and cheerful. The property is always clean and inviting.

When I fractured my shoulder almost 4 years’ ago, while they do not have a regular delivery service, per se, hay and feed was delivered to my doorstep. They even stacked the hay in my garage so it was easier for me to get to. I didn’t ask. It was simply offered.

Just before C-19 lockdowns, I had gone shopping and stocked up, as much as I could, on feed and hay so I could shelter in place. When Beth didn’t see me for a few days (I tend to visit every 4 days or so, about how long a bale of hay lasts for me), she actually stopped by the house to make sure I was okay, that I wasn’t sick or in need. Who does that anymore?

Brooklyn Farm, Pet, & Hardware does! They have been a pillar in this community and I find it appalling that anyone would be so cruel as to give poor reviews of their business, or hack into their accounts, in an attempt to destroy them over some political ideology. And I’m sure this isn’t an isolated incident.

What have we become as a nation? As a people? Many of the “essential superheroes” were later fired for refusing a certain medicine. No thought as to why this might be. Perhaps, like me, they’ve had adverse reactions to jabs before and chose not to…sanctioned by their primary care physician. Maybe they looked at friends and family, and the rate of failure to protect them from infection, despite multiple applications. Maybe it’s none of our business and we should respect folks’ right to choose what seems best for themselves. Fear mongering has brought out the worst of the control freaks in our society. Disagree with them and they’ll wreck your business, bring your family to ruin. Haven’t enough Main St. businesses been ruined by foolish lockdowns and an over-inflated economy? We’re on the brink of a recession, at the very least. Must we bring down those who are still treading water for our own selfish sense of entitlement?

“My way or the highway” cannot be the mantra anymore in our society. Loving one’s neighbor as ourselves needs to be sung from every proverbial mountaintop…and there’s a parallel in nearly every religion: “Surely the believers are none but brothers unto one another, so set things right between your brothers, and have fear of Allah that you may be shown mercy” (49:10 (Quran)); “This is the sum of duty: do naught unto others which would cause pain unto you” –The Hindu Mahabharata 5, 1517. “It harm none, do as ye will” Wicca. In the Torah, the first five books of the Hebrew Bible, it is “Love thy neighbor as thyself” (Leviticus 19:18).

Is the need to be right worth shattering your brothers and sisters?

I pray that whoever is doing this evil thing will have a change of conscience, that they will take as many steps as possible to bolster those around them…instead of tearing them down. You have the right to disagree, to voice that opinion. You have the right to cease patronage to an establishment for that difference of opinion. But, to seek harm against that establishment, to harm others…no, you do not have that right.

I pray that any harm done to my friends at BFP&H is amended, that their business is strengthened and can recover from this assault. I pray that their Facebook page is restored and that neighbors can again find them and support them on social media.

And I pray this for every single entity that has been similarly maligned.

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Animal Rights, Animals, Appreciation, Christianity, Faith, Frugality, God/Jesus, Gratitude, Healing, Scripture, YouTube

Overcoming “Stupid”

Lisa Burbank

“This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalms 118:24)

I read somewhere, can’t remember where exactly, but I remember reading somewhere that when you’re under a lot of stress, you get “stupid”. I.e. You make a lot of choices that you wouldn’t be making if you weren’t under so much stress. If your standard of living wasn’t stuck on survive…or even just going through the motions to make it look like you were surviving.

I’ve always hated the word “stupid”. My stepfather called all of us “stupid” on a routine basis. Such is the results of alcoholism and the subsequent abuse that usually accompanies it. But that’s neither here nor there.

“Stupid” works in this situation.

In the last couple of weeks since I’ve gotten my promotion at work, it’s like there’s this part of my brain waking up. “Wow. I haven’t thought of doing that in a long time,” says my brain as I cash my first paycheck in this new position and start labeling envelopes for everything I need to catch up on, or save up for. I’m on top of my billing schedule all of a sudden (maybe because I know I can make the payments?). Household chores are being taken up again. The apathy, depression, and anxiety are being put to sleep again. Problem solving, budgeting, and careful planning are jockeying into position.

Who knew.

Having been in therapy for decades from a childhood of abuse and degradation, my mind automatically starts analyzing everything. I feel like the “stupid” was really a self-defense mechanism kicking in. I lost a full-time job due to an injury (i.e. not my fault as I was laid up for several months) and fell behind on mortgage payments. I have new(er) neighbors challenging zoning…and threatening my goats, chickens, and ducks’ right to be here. My home needs a tremendous amount of work done. I have student loans coming down the pike and an out-of-control electric bill from a flooded basement last fall (well-pump not shutting off due to enormous hole blown in hot water tank…). We’re buying in water to drink due to my water softener dying on me. I feel like that self-defense mechanism kicked in and shut down logic and reason and common sense because maybe it was too much to handle. My mind could only focus on one thing: finding work to sustain me. And that was becoming a near thing.

Now, not only is logic and good reason, common sense and the ability to solve problems, budget, and plan returning, so is hope for a future.

Hence, my post from earlier this week about podcasts and YouTube channels and websites. Yes, I want to run with the wind. But, the perpetual fog I’ve been living under these last few years (yes, years), has tempered some of that run. I’m learning to walk again. Slow and steady wins this race.

And, of course, His grace, which has led me through this. It’s all in his hands. Faith has returned, too. It just took letting go of the reins. Not “stupid” at all.

May God bless you & keep you!

Abuse, Addiction, Alcoholism, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Culture, Diversity, Family, Forgiveness, Friendship, God/Jesus, Healing, Human rights, Humanity First, Politics, Social Media, Understanding

I’ve Joined the Cult, Part II

Lisa Burbank

“Don’t just pretend that you love others: really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with brotherly affection and take delight in honoring each other.” (Romans 12:9-10)

After hitting the “Publish” button earlier this morning, I flew out of my home office, behind as always. Roosters were crowing incessantly and felines threatened to trip me up all along my “route” as I filled bowls with food and water. Yet my mind was still racing along with my feet.

Our present social climate deeply concerns me. Not just media, or government, but friends and family, too, strive to silence any opposing opinion these days…encouraged and emboldened by that same media and government. They do so with scorn, with derision, by labeling and belittling. They embrace the constant fight-or-flight dialogue in media, and social media, the insidious fear-mongering that would keep us as sheep, never questioning what we see around us.

This post, and the one before it, may have to be taken down at some point. They will likely get flagged on social media. God forbid someone openly considers an alternative to what has become the norm today.

I’ll risk it.

So much for Freedom of Speech, or Freedom of Press.

It is worrisome. Anyone who questions the efficacy, or the validity, of this *jab* is labeled: cultish; conspiracy theorist; domestic terrorist.

Why?

There has never been, to my knowledge, any drug, or medication, or medical procedure, that has not come with risks. We see the infomercials every day when we turn on the television. We hear them on the radio as we drive down the street. And we shake our heads at the often lengthy list of side effects associated with each one–many of them worse than the malady they’re designed to control (they never really cure you of anything; there’s no money in that). Somebody, somewhere, has questioned the efficacy and the validity of these medications in the infomercials. We don’t suppress those. Instead, we glorify them for the advertisers who hope to get you dependent upon them. Often with good outcomes, such as controlling one’s diabetes, or high blood pressure, etc., but the dependency is still made…if we CHOOSE the treatment encouraged by our medical practitioners. Always before we’ve been allowed to make these choices for ourselves.

But not this time.

This time, we are obviously too stupid to make any choices for ourselves…without having a blue ring stuck in our nose by which to be led around.

Why is it not okay to question this new medicine? Why are we being compelled to accept without question? What makes this *jab* any different from Prozac, or Metoprolol, for example, that it should be exempt from the usual scrutiny or initial distrust? And, more importantly, why does our government, and friends and family, seek to punish us by the loss of our jobs/income, by the loss of our homes and all that we have worked for through the loss of that income, by isolating us from each other for not complying? Why are we being labeled as social pariahs merely for making an informed choice as we have always been allowed to do with any other medicine or medical procedure…rather than nodding incessantly like a stuffed dog in the rearview window?

“It’s a pandemic” is the usual response to such questions; it’s catching.

So is the flu. We’ve never been threatened with job loss, or social isolation, for not getting a flu shot.

Perhaps that’s next on the agenda…

But, more importantly, we must ask ourselves, should we be normalizing the constraints and practices implemented under a special circumstance? For example, should we have grown up with each of us wearing one of those creepy, bird-masks used during the Spanish Flu a century ago…just in case it might still be “catching”? Yes, they were the stuff of nightmares, and it seems ludicrous in this context, but so is seeing the loss of personal autonomy over our own bodies.

I’ve talked a lot in my blog about growing up in an alcoholic home. I’ve talked about the abuse. And the suppression of following one’s natural instincts and inclinations. When my stepfather thought he was losing control of us, when we said something that he didn’t like, or disagreed with him, he got directly in our faces and, with each *point* he made, he slapped the counter beside us, pounded the end table, to punctuate it. Though he never laid a hand on us during his monologues, our bodies jumped with each slap, or pounding of a fist, on that hard surface. It was fear-mongering at its finest. Other times, he pulled the guilt card. How could I have called the cops on him? Look at that record album he bought for me last week…much like we all got $1200 in a stimulus check so we should be grateful and allow our bodies and minds to be controlled by those who gave it to us.

Perhaps we should all adopt a 12-Step program to cure our addictions to both the mainstream and social media’s biases…

Yes, there is a lot of misinformation out there. Sadly, it seems to occur more frequently within the same party that supposedly champions equality for everyone regardless of color, religion, gender/identification, or socioeconomic status.

Apparently, diverse political ideologies don’t deserve the same equal rights…even those of us who usually identify with a more progressive party, but are still questioning what we see in the media, and on the streets, today. How dare we!

This is wrong, and frightening, on so many levels.

Going back to one of my opening paragraphs, yes, family and friends do belittle and label those of us who are questioning and choosing differently than they have but, usually, only on social media. Rarely do I hear labels, or belittling tactics, in person. The armchair social media junkie is bold and brash only when they cannot see the hurt their careless remarks inflict on another human being. Like the alcoholic who hides behind their addiction, and tries to control the world around them because they, themselves, are out of control, these armchair *experts* who espouse their-way-or-the-highway ideologies, forget that there are fellow human beings on the receiving end of their tirades. Perhaps if we all remembered that, and responded accordingly, the strangle-hold of our dopamine addiction would finally heal. Isn’t that what Jesus would do? Instead, there doesn’t appear to be even a feigned attempt to listen to our brothers and sisters, or to try to understand where they’re coming from. Such humanity is discouraged…and labeled a threat.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve hit rock-bottom.

May God bless you & keep you!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-this-animal-sanctuary-grow-and-thrive

Abuse, Brothers & Sisters, Christianity, Compassion, Culture, Diversity, Emergency Preparedness, Exhaustion, Faith, Healing, Homesteading, Human rights, Humanity First, Politics, Poverty, Prayer, Prepping, Social Media

I’ve Joined a Cult…or, So They Tell Me

Lisa Burbank

“There is a saying, ‘Love your friends and hate your enemies’. But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you!” (Matthew 5:43-44)

I have a different opinion than my “leftist” brothers and sisters. It is an opinion based upon news articles, and both independent and foreign news outlets, because I don’t consider our own mainstream media trustworthy. Their advertisers, who support their programming, are all too often big pharma, big tech, big oil, agribusiness, monetized green energies, and/or corporate America. That creates a bias. Who, in their right mind, is going to bite the hand that feeds them? As I re-enter academia to receive my Masters, I am reminded again that biased information is to be avoided…and how to tell if it is biased or not. I look for peer-reviewed information, when I can find it, and really dig down deep for any reason that might create a bias when I can’t find a peer-reviewed article on a subject. I’m not perfect, but I do my best.

Sadly, it’s becoming dangerous to think for yourself. Were the men who orchestrated The Boston Tea Party to rise up against the tyranny of the British monarchy today, like the Canadian truckers, they’d be labeled fascists and white supremacists, even with no evidence to the contrary. How dare you fight for individual freedom? Considering the outcome of The Boston Tea Party, it’s not much of a stretch to think that maybe the Canadian government is afraid of a similar outcome. They’re certainly afraid of a loss of control.

And, by proxy, so are our U.S. leaders.

These are scary times. That almost cliched expression of our Founding Fathers rolling over in their graves is apt; they would be if they could see us today.

I’ve been homesteading and prepping for years, albeit with some major setbacks (shoulder injury with subsequent job loss, pending foreclosure, zoning challenge). I see the hardships coming as big pharma, big tech, big oil, agribusiness, monetized green energies and corporate America continue to crush the working poor, the small business owners and the family farms by ever stricter regulations…with these shutdowns being the final nail in the coffin for far too many. I see the challenges to our individual freedoms, the hypocrisy of “my body, my choice” when it comes to ending the life of an innocent child, but how dare you fight for that same bodily autonomy when it comes to getting jabbed with something whose long-term affects are still unknown and that has neither stopped the spread, nor protected any from contracting, this new *bug*. I see the attempts to keep us divided, distracted, and ignorant.

An acquaintance of mine posted a picture on social media of her well-stocked pantry last October after she’d finished canning everything from her garden. Her post was tagged. She is considered a “radical” and “a person of interest”. For canning her produce instead of wasting it?

Or for independent thought and action?

So, I guess I have joined “the cult”. Like Senator Bernie Sanders, who embraced the “socialist” label, rather than rebel against it, I, too, will accept the label. You may disagree with me. That’s okay. Sadly, though, by labeling each other, we shutdown the time-honored tradition of debate and discourse that has been the cornerstone of any grassroots’ movement, of any significant change or advancement of our society. Closing the door to one’s mind only leads to a dead end.

Open the door. Open your mind. And pray without ceasing.

May God bless you & keep you!

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-this-animal-sanctuary-grow-and-thrive