Jim,
My family and I greatly appreciate all the work you have put into Survival blog and the wealth of knowledge of your readers.
I would like to share a situation that happened to me recently.
My family has been preparing in some fashion since around Y2K and have really stepped up the pace in the last four years since we found SurvivalBlog.
We are hearing God’s calling for us to move to the American Redoubt from behind enemy lines, okay he is no longer calling to us in the quiet voice more like yelling to us: GET TO SAFETY!
Our sense of urgency is off the scale.
So with lots of vacation time accumulated my wife and I made appointments with some realtors in the American Redoubt and searched out properties.
We only intended to make it a quick trip, drive up one day see properties the next and drive home the following day.
In the area we were looking nothing fit our needs so the next day we started for home drove about 75 miles and my wife stated she was not ready to go home yet.
I immediately pulled to the side of the road because I was feeling the same way.
Another one of those confirmation times for us, God was saying don’t leave yet.
We turned around and drove until we had cell service, I emailed the owner of the company I work for and asked for more time.
Here is where this situation gets to the point!
The owner approved my additional time off with no problem, but for some reason he didn’t notify the HR department or my staff of ten who work for me.
They were expecting me to return to work on Monday only knowing that my wife and I had headed out for the weekend.
Three of my staff are of the preparedness mind set and discuss events and ideas for preparing on a regular basis. (Always follow OPSEC with coworkers)
When I didn’t return on Tuesday morning the joking started between them, wonder where the boss is?
By Thursday morning these three employees are almost in a state of panic, not for my safety but are now searching the internet and news stations for any indication of TEOTWAWKI.
What does he know that we don’t?
Their level of situational awareness was so low that they were scrambling to catch up on any and all available news.
Calls and Emails to our cell phones went unanswered as we were out of range; we were in contact with our immediate family by text messaging.
Text messaging worked many times during this trip when the phone part didn’t.
By the end of Thursday the mild panic had spread to the other staff.
So when I returned to work the next day everyone was greatly relieved and then I realized the gravity of this.
These people are expecting me to tell them when the SHTF.
I can not be responsible for them and their families; I am not their leader outside of the work place, we have not committed to each other and to our families to be part of a group.
I had to find away to explain this to them.
So in the conversation of what could have happened and discussing their thoughts on why I disappeared (OPSEC not compromised).
I stated to them: “If you are waiting for me to tell you when to bug out, then it is already too late.”
It is your duty as the head of your family physically and spiritually to pay attention to what is happening in the world.
Each one of us has different trigger points in our lives and for our families as to when you have reached the point of no return and action must be taken.
As the head of your household how can you put this level of trust in another person outside of your family? You cannot!
Only trust in God, Listen to him; he will lead you down the right path!
Who are you following in your preparations?
You must use situational awareness in ever increasing circles but always use God as your center.
If this had actually been a TEOTWAWKI event and they were going about their daily lives waiting for me to yell circle the wagons they would have missed it by up to seven days depending on when they each thought it was bad enough to act.
Yes we did find a place in the Redoubt, our current house is ready to be placed on the market and hope it sells quickly. We are still praying for guidance.
Only God and faith in God can get things done quickly.
Thank you again, – D.R., Behind Enemy Lines