Sacrifice Makes You More Self-Reliant!

Our Water System

I keep telling everyone that I am sacrificing by living without running water or refrigeration for the past eleven years. According to Wikipedia the word sacrifice means:

"Sacrifice (from a Middle English verb meaning "to make sacred", from Old French, from Latin sacrificium: sacr, "sacred" + facere, "to make") is commonly known as the practice of offering food, objects (typically valuables), or the lives of animals or people to the gods as an act of propitiation or worship. The term is also used metaphorically to describe selfless good deeds for others or a short term loss in return for a greater gain, such as in a game of chess. Recently it has also come into use as meaning doing without something or giving something up."


Some days it is easier than others. And as I am eleven years older than when I started......it is harder than when I was younger! We are on the brink of getting our water piped in the house so that will be history soon. Refrigeration shouldn't run too far behind. That was definitely my own choice. We had two different gas refrigerators and I love the way they keep your food cold all the time. No turning on and off and so quiet! Loved that about them, but for some reason the propane bothers me. I get very sick from it and just could not tolerate it. So we are doing without the refrigeration for now. (Thank you to my sweet hubby...)

Green Beans Ready To Eat!

Back to the idea of sacrifice......what it means to me, is that I will have a completely self-reliant home in the near future. I like that. It also means that I am not helpless if I was without the electric for any period of time. I can make do and live primitive if needed. When our homestead is complete we will be pretty much independent. We do not know what is going to happen in the future, and from the looks of things it is time for everyone.........even the modern urban and suburban families to learn to be self-sufficient. Learn to grow a garden for starters. Store water for another. Can some of your food instead of relying on a freezer. If your power is out for days, do you really think you will have the time or energy, to prepare and can the food that is in your freezer? I don't think so. Besides it depends on what kind of circumstances we are talking about. If you had to go to a shelter and then return home..........your food would be totally ruined by that time. If it was canned, it'd be sitting there ready to eat. Even if your house was flooded, the food would be protected in the unopened jars.

I have learned that I am pretty self-sufficient, and that makes me feel good. I have learned to do many things since moving out here in the forest. I can take care of myself and my family just by having sacrificed. I have many herbs and wild plants growing around my homestead and in my forest that can be used for food or for medicine. As for me, that is usually all I use for medicine anyway.

A Medicine Chest In My Yard.....Red Clover is Awesome!!


Copyright © 2010  Kathleen G. Lupole