Living in a Tent with Abundance

Yesterday, as I was watching CNN... I listened to a reporter discuss how campsites around America are filling up.

Normally this wouldn't be such enormous news to report during the summer months; except she went on to say that an increasingly large percentage of the inhabitants are homeless families. Families who had a history of living in nice homes, "wise" investing habits, good credit and built up retirement funds.

The camera then panned to multiple various campsites around the U.S. and I could see families living in tents and cooking over campfires. What a wake up call!!!

My heart goes out to all who are experiencing times of uncertainty right now. My previous history of being homeless came about because of my bad decisions and wrong relationship choices. I had many lessons to learn in how to change my thinking and lifestyle. The lessons were painful, and necessary. BUT... that doesn't explain how some of the people who are now homeless were very careful and responsible. So how could this happen to them?

I have a theory, and would love to hear your thoughts on the following:

People have been living under the delusion of certainty. Yes, I said the word "delusion". The delusion of certainty is actually rather new this past half century.

If you were to speak to people 10 years ago, (who were careful planners of their futures)... you might hear them say things like, "I have the next 30 years of my life planned out". OR, "I have various types of insurance covering the possibility of loss". OR, "I have an excellent credit score, so I have a cushion if I become cash strapped". OR, If I become laid off work, I can live off of unemployment until I find something else".

We were lulled into a sense of complacency and complacency can be deadly. Complacency can also cause the death of faith.

Living in faith is a key ingredient for moving forward in our day to day lives for truly living in peace and abundance. Ask and you shall receive. (Although you can't dictate how... let God take care of the "how"). When you have faith that your needs will be met... and then they are.... this also places us in an attitude of gratitude.

When was the last time you gave thanks for the meal you were about to eat? (Or have you been living with the idea that your daily food was something that came about because of your own works)?

Our lives are and will always be uncertain and there is a multitude of teachings out there on what to do in this type of situation. And the thing is, you already know what the answer is. LOL! There's nothing like a crisis to force you to change your thinking.

There is a reason the "Golden Rule" has been called, "The Golden Rule". Doing unto others as you would have them do unto you... is actually a rule that could cause every person on this planet to have good food and a strong roof over their heads.

Instead of living in fear that you won't have enough or worried what will happen to you the next day, start living in faith that you will be provided for and start doing for others with what you have. Allow the true river of abundance to flow through you. As you open up that portal... more abundance will flow into your life.

Start also taking stock on what you do have, and be genuinely thankful for it. Maybe realizing how much worse off you would be without that "particular something or someone" could be another wakeup call. Be thankful now and you will have more and more things to be thankful for everyday. Start acknowledging the blessings.

We absolutely MUST get back to the basics of what our forefathers already knew in this area. It used to be that the community helped to raise a child. Neighbors knew their neighbors and were there to help in times of need. Family was there to help their own... in fact it was frowned upon if family didn't. Many brought their parents into the home to live with them and experienced a true since of community and love because of it. The children also benefited because of the wisdom of their grandparents.

It's interesting as I continued to watch the report on CNN that the camera settled on one family sitting around the campfire, laughing, telling stories and reading to each other. When the reporter came up to speak with the father about how he came to be into his situation... he said the following words;

"I lost my job and could no longer make payments on our home that was now worthless. I then lost my credit and became cash strapped so we sold everything we had before the bank foreclosed. One thing led to another. But, you know what? I now live in more peace than I have for many years. I have nothing else to struggle to hold onto and I've found my true blessings are my family. I have air in my lungs, simple, but healthy food and all my needs are met. We've made great friends here at the campground and we all help each other. I'm learning to live in faith and now my cup runneth over".

Sometimes change can be painful, but after the labor pains of transition is over... you may find that uncertainty is your friend... because it taught you to start living in faith.

It could also be the beginning seeds of the world coming together as family to help each other in peace.

written by
Linda Forsythe