Lifestyle of Wandering: Reflections of a Wanderer

I was trying to figure out how to fund my Amazon.com habit and I stumbled across a website that lets me earn points toward a free Amazon gift card. I’m going to see how many ways I can get my Amazon “fix” without having to spend cash to do so. My Amazon Wish List has gotten longer and longer, so something’s gotta give, LOL!

As I sit here, fingers poised to upload the final edits of my new book, The Amateur Prepper’s Pocket Guide to Creating an Emergency Plan, my mind is on the 295 passengers and crew who perished on Malaysian Airlines Flight 17. My condolences go out to all who have been affected by this horrific tragedy.

I believe that for many people, the thought of stepping into eternity is something that is continually pushed forward into some vague point in the distant future. Sure, we’re all going to die some day…but surely not today.

Some of us even face the idea with humor, like the Flight 17 passenger, Cor Pan, whose last Facebook post included a photo of what is considered to be the Malaysian Boeing 777 taken just before boarding. Mr. Pan’s post, an apparent reference to the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 in March, read, “If it disappears, this is what it looks like.” I would hazard a guess that neither Mr. Pan nor any of the other victims who stepped onto that plane had serious thoughts that their flight would be shot down from the sky only a short time after takeoff. Even if the thought had crossed one’s mind, short of not boarding, how would someone prepare for a disaster like this? You can’t in the natural.

Don’t misunderstand. I am huge preparedness advocate. My twelve years of disaster response has cemented the belief that everyone needs a disaser plan; however, no matter how much we plan and prepare for disasters and emergencies, there will be a point in time for each person when emergency preparedness fails. At that moment the only plan that will matter is the plan you have made as to where you will spend eternity.

There IS one Emergency Plan that a person can put in place that will never fail. That plan is to accept the free gift of eternal salvation that is offered by God’s son, Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us in Romans 3:10, “as it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one.” Romans 3:23 goes on to say, “for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

Okay, so we’re all in the same boat. No one is born more righteous than anyone else.

Not me.

Not you.

So what does that sin do to us? Romans 6:23 answers that question, but then goes on to give us the good news of the gospel, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

You might think, ‘That’s nice, but what does that mean?’ You might even be wonder who this Jesus person is. I am reminded how easy it is to take for granted that everyone has heard the message of how God, the creator of heaven and earth, had a plan to make sure that His creation (you and me) would be able to spend eternity with Him once we passed from this natural world.

Sin has a penalty. That penalty is death or separation from God. You may not have heard how, as John 3:16-17 so simply explains, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

One might then ask the question, “So how do I do that? Where do I go to get that gift?” Romans 10:13 tells us that anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. Romans 10: 8b-10 instructs us, “…The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

“That’s it?” you ask. Yep…at least, that’s the initial step of your “eternal emergency plan.” If you haven’t already done so, you should do that right now. It’s easy: 1. Confess Jesus as YOUR Lord. 2. Truly Believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead. 3. Receive the fact that you are now saved (also called born-again). Once you’ve done that, you’ll continue developing your eternal emergency plan by starting to read God’s awesome love letter that we call the Holy Bible. You’ll also want to talk to God as you go about your day…and give Him time to speak to your heart. The next step of your plan will be to find a good, Bible-believing and teaching church where you can fellowship with other believers and learn more of how God’s Word can impact your life.
It’s the beginning of a relationship with a loving God who doesn’t want to play church with you, but wants intimate fellowship with you. That comes over time as you talk to God, share with Him your hopes, dreams, fears and failures and as you listen to the prompting of His Holy Spirit as He guides you throughout life.

It is my hope that, even as you develop an emergency or disaster plan to address the daily emergencies you might find yourself facing, you will include an eternal emergency plan as well.

Grace and peace,
Sandi Bird Aldridge

I haven’t had much time to write lately as I’ve been dealing with all that comes in the aftermath of totaling my little Hyundai Accent (**sniffle**). However I came across an article on some of the latest travel scams, and wanted to share the link with you. Read on and stay safe!

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/themes/big-trips/the-latest-travel-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them/

A brief update on my RV repairs: I am very grateful to report that my RV roof has been repaired! Ye haw! Thanks to Eric, formerly of Snyder’s RV, I am one step closer to moving the RV from the location it has claimed as home for so long. I was also able to get a quote on some of the water damage repairs and am in hopes of getting some of that work done soon. Additionally, Mr. Snyder found a refrigerator for me and I should have it installed soon. I can’t even express how happy I’ll be to get all of that done.

I’d like to say that beads of perspiration slowly trickled down my face, but that would be a lie. By the end of my workout it was more like rivers of sweat cascading down my face, chest, arms and legs Niagara-style. Newly awakened muscles protested at the recent changes they’d been forced to endure.

Two weeks ago I made the decision to renew the gym membership I’d cancelled a couple years ago due to non-use. So 1 a.m. that Friday morning, on the way home from a 16° shift, I’d walked into Planet Fitness and asked what I’d need to do to sign back up. $12.68 and 10 minutes later I found myself on a treadmill for the first time in ages.

Thirty minutes sounded like a good starting point for an overweight body that had only recently recovered from the effects of a back injury. The passion from that back injury had kept me from not only work for a period of time, but from my normal, day-to-day activities. The weight I’d already struggled to keep down began to increase, pound by pound, until I was closing on almost 290 pounds. The decision to commit to a fitness routine was a good follow-up to my commitment to a long juice fast…and much less controversial, I’m sure.

So here I am, 2 weeks later. The music in the background calling cadence, keeping me motivated to push through the temptation to say, “It’s too hard!” With my personal trainer’s training goals in hand, I slow the treadmill to a stop at the end of my workout, muscles sore, body drenched with sweat, and a feeling of determination feeling me on. I’ve lost 27 pounds in the last 16 days on my juice fast-exercise routine. I’ve made a commitment to myself. I owe it to myself to restore my health…and open up a lifestyle of unlimited possibilities…

2013-06-30 – I’m on day 7 of a long juice fast and am reading a book entitled The 60 Day Juice Fast by Steve Fuentes. He, like myself, was powerfully motivated by Joe Cross’ documentary Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead. In talking about the mindset of the type of person Steve refers to as a Juice Head (someone willing to commit to a fast that many would call crazy) he talks about educating yourself and being prepared for a juice fast. I like this that he said, “There’s a reason boot camp comes before combat, it’s called preparation. A soldier who can’t clear a jammed machine gun in battle isn’t much use in a war zone. Be prepared for what lies ahead. Don’t be afraid, but be prepared.”

That right there’ll preach! I can see so many life applications for that advice. The are many times in life that we experience major difficulties, trials and setbacks. They may come in the form of illness, job loss, sexual abuse, divorce or even the far-reaching effects of a loved going to prison. It is how we choose to view and learn from those experiences that will better prepare us for our future. To quote from Steve’s book again, “When you get knocked down, grab something while you’re down there, so you don’t come up empty handed.”

There are many life events that are thrown at us that we would rather not face. My challenge to you is: Next time the going gets hard, stop and evaluate the situation. Though it may be hard, look for the positive. Ask what you can gain from the situation and choose to use your experience as an opportunity to build character. The trials you are experiencing now may very well be the means of preparing you for something greater you’ll experience in the future. I can say that from the vantage point of someone who has been there and done that.

When my oldest child was arrested and incarcerated it devastated our family. The two years immediately following his arrest were a time of incredible emotional pain, testing and trials that I had never experienced before. I would not wish the pain and suffering we’ve experienced on anyone. However, I have always lived by the rule that I would not live my life as a victim. So through that time I made a decision that I would not allow myself to focus only on the negative circumstances, but prayed that God would use the situation to change Me. In the process I came to a place of understanding God’s love for people in a way that I’d never known before; understanding how He separates the sin from the sinner. I broke through a critical and judgmental attitude (that I hadn’t even realized was there) to a place of being able to differentiate between the acts that one commits and the person committing them. It’s easy to judge when I haven’t walked in that person’s shoes; and placed under the right amount of pressure or influence, we are all capable of committing acts that we swear we’d never do.

I have been exposed to other inmates and their families due to my own son’s incarceration. Because of my decision to turn a test into a testimony I have had opportunity to minister help and encouragement  to families left picking up the pieces in the shock-filled aftermath of a loved one’s poor choices. I’ve taken the opportunity to do personal prison ministry through befriending, writing to and encouraging prisoners to make positive changes in their lives. Inmate advocacy has also become heavy on my heart, and I’ve recently become an advocate for a few inmates who’ve suffered injustice at the hands of a correctional system that needs some serious reform. Additionally, our family’s small publication company is developing a program we’re hoping to use  that will encourage talented inmates to focus on activities that will promote rehabilitation as well as potentially helping their struggling families financially.

All of that came out of tragedy. What if we all made the decision to look for the silver lining in the dark clouds that so often threaten our peace and contentment? I’m no one special. No different than anyone else. Anything that I’ve done can be done by others who make the same choice to do so. We are each faced with choices on a daily basis. We often have have no control over the circumstances in which we find ourselves…however, we are in control of how we react while we’re there. May you choose your reactions wisely…

Film makers wield a powerful weapon that, used properly, can positively impact people’s lives. One such film maker, Australian businessman Joe Cross, has produced a documentary film that touched me in a way few movies ever have. After exhausting conventional medical routes to help him lose weight and deal with a debilitating auto-immune disease that required heavy steroid treatment, the then 310-pound Cross made a radical decision to turn to juicing for help.  The film, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, documents Joe’s own journey back to health, through the use of a 60 day juice fast, that rewarded him with a 100-pound weight loss, restored health and the ability to come off of all prescription medication. And in the process Joe set out to help others change their lives as well.

It is this movie that had me in tears as I watched Joe journey across America, changing both his own and other people’s lives all along the way. One such life was that of a 40-something truck driver named Phil who’d topped the scales at 425. Joe’s challenge was simple: Here’s my phone number. If you get to the place where you’re ready to make some changes, call me. I’ll fly back from Australia to help you out. Phil broke down and called for help, and viewers were treated to an inside look at Phil’s transformation from 425-pounds to 205-pounds. The cycle continues with Phil, in turn, helping others to regain their health and their lives.

The movie impacted me strongly enough to start a juice fast the very next day…today. Join me as I make this journey. My last couple weights at the doctor’s office were 279- and 281-pounds. I feel miserable. My clothes are so tight I’m concerned I may need to go out and buy some new ones. I look at myself in the mirror and wonder how I’ve once again allowed myself to get so big. I’m committing to a 10-day fast at this point. I KNOW I can do 10 days. My goal is the 60 day fast. I will be both blogging and vlogging my progress, so keep visiting for updates. My hope is that my success will inspire others in their own journey back to health.

Well it’s been several weeks since I moved into my motorhome, and I love it! Even though it’s still parked at Snyder’s, I’ve had a chance to adjust to the size of it and I’m figuring out what will and won’t fit in it.

One of the things that excite me is the incentive to downsize the shear amount of STUFF I have accumulated. Okay, “incentive” may not be the right word. Unless I want to pay U-Haul for 2 storage units, I must get rid of stuff. The wonderful truth is, though, that the more I purge from my massive amount of stuff, the more I want to get rid of.

So far I believe the mechanical work had all been completed. In addition I have electric, water, hot water, septic, a working range and microwave/convection oven, and air conditioning. I’m still sleeping on the couch as I had to throw the mattress away before I moved in…didn’t want “the bedbugs to bite”! 🙂 I’m not looking at replacing it until I remodel the bedroom and tear out the rotten wood back there. I still haven’t decided upon how I’m going to design the new space. I’ve got several ideas…r

Just a quick post to give a shout of thanks that my RV is in the shop and they are making headway on repairs. Last I spoke with Eric and Terry of Snyder’s RV in Salem my water leaks were fixed, the oil leak was fixed, and they were working on the exhaust leak. My old refrigerator was shot, so they were planning on putting another one in for me. I think the brakes only needed some brake fluid added, and the non-functioning air bags on the shocks were aftermarket – so not a priority at this time.  It may be finished tomorrow. I’m holding my breath as to the cost, but I’ll be so glad that at least that much is done. Then I’ll just need 4 tires so that it will pass inspection…yay!

Three AT thru-hikers, Weasel, Zambian Squirrel and Skunkfoot, I shuttled from Walkabout Outfitter to Daleville.

Hi, my name is Sandi, and I’m a trail magic-aholic. Wait! Before you go thinking something weird, that doesn’t mean that I like to go off in the woods and chant incantations while standing on a forest trail. Trail magic is a term that is used to describe something good that someone does for an Appalachian Trail (or any other long trail, I guess) thru-hiker.  There are many types of addictions. Of course, many of them are bad, however some of them are good. Mine is one of the good ones. I love helping people and I love backpackers/hikers. Put the two together and you have a winning combination.

Since I had some free time today I took the opportunity to make a few passes through the parking lot by the outfitter in Daleville (Outdoor Trails) and the hotels frequented by AT thru-hikers in that area. I had the good fortune of being able to give a few rides to some grateful hikers, then headed home. Not long after arriving home my phone rang. It was Walkabout Outfitters‘ Valley View Mall location asking if I was available to shuttle some hikers from the store back to the trail. Always excited to meet new hikers, I agreed to do the shuttle and headed out. Weasel, Zambian Squirrel and Skunkfoot were waiting when I got there. It was only a short ride, but I had a chance to chat with them during the drive back to Daleville and enjoyed listening to their stories. I feel that my life is enriched by each hiker I meet, more so than  they are by whatever I do for them. There are no strangers, just really cool people I have yet to meet. My prayer is that I was able to be a blessing to them and that I was a physical representation of God’s love for them as individuals. Safe hiking to all who risk the journey… May you each find what you are in search of.