Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Boots on the Ground Report From Western NC

By Tim Gamble

I occasionally post my personal "Boots on the Ground" report (hat tip to SouthernPrepper1) of what I am seeing and experiencing in my area (small town in western North Carolina). Compare this with what you are hearing from other parts of the country, and with what you are experiencing in your area. Look for and react to trends, not isolated incidences. 

What I Learned During My Hospital Stay and Since 

I recently spent 8 days in the hospital, and I am currently undergoing treatment for multiple cancers. I've spent a lot of time around medical people (doctors, nurses, technicians). Here are my observations: 

1) There is definitely a nursing shortage in my area. This was obvious by what I witnessed first-hand in the hospital, from talking to several nurses, and from "overhearing" several conversations between nurses. 

2) No one, expect for possible hospital administrators, wants to talk about the Covid vaccine. At no point in my emergency room stay, my hospital stay, or any of my appointments since, was I asked if I had the shot or if I would take the shot. I was never even offered it. I did ask one doctor about it because the discussion drifted in that direction. He noticeably didn't answer my question and quickly changed the subject. It seems that many medical folks have finally realized the dangers of the vaccine and are no longer pushing it, yet are afraid to speak out against it. 

Prices Rising Again 

From my shopping lists, I've noticed that prices are once again rising in my area. Eggs, milk, cottage cheese, cream cheese, several snack foods, sports drinks, and hamburger meat have all gone up in price in recent weeks. Not huge jumps like was happening during the height of the inflation crisis, but still enough to be noticed and it does add up. 

What's up with all the GMO in foods? 

Because of my health issues, I am once again carefully reading the labels at the grocery store (I previously did so in 2015 after being diagnosed with diabetes). I have found a lot of foods now show that they contain GMO or bio-engineered products. In others words, not real food but synthetic chemicals and other stuff created in labs. I've found many yogurts, dairy products, prepared foods, frozen entrees, even soups now are made at least partially in a lab. I find this to be a worrying situation.
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Monday, April 22, 2024

Tim's Favorites, List 2

By Tim Gamble

I've been active in the survival community for 20 years online, and even longer in real life. I get lots of questions about what I actually do and use. I recently did a list of my favorites (Tim's Favorites List 1), and here is a second list. Hope you find this interesting or even useful!

Favorite Multi-Tools (note: I EDC my Leatherman. The others live in my Bug-Out Bag)
  1. Leatherman (Amazon link) note: the particular model I EDC since 2008 is no longer manufactured, but Leatherman makes lots of other models at various price points.
  2. Klein Tools 11-in-1 Screwdriver (Amazon link
  3. MAXPOWER Adjustable Wrench, Hammer, Pry Bar (Amazon link)
Favorite Survival "Field Books"
  1. Fieldbook of the Boy Scouts of America (1984 edition on Amazon) - This is the Fieldbook, not the Handbook. Crammed full of useful and advanced outdoor and survival information. HIGHLY recommended. (Stick with this edition or older. The newer edition is missing lots of good info).
  2. SAS Survival Handbook (3rd edition on Amazon) - Tons of great information on Wilderness and Urban survival. 
Favorite "Survivalist" Fiction
  1. Mark Goodwin - The Economic Collapse Chronicles Trilogy (Amazon link) - Good reads, Christian perspective, story contains lots of solid survival ideas)
  2. Mark Goodwin - Cyber Armageddon Trilogy (Amazon link) - Hackers take out US banking system, collapse ensues...
  3. Maine Prepper - The Walls Came Tumbling Down (Audio only link) - Written and read by Maine Prepper. Available only in audio. Realistic and eye-opening account of what collapse could look like. 
Favorite "Non-Survivalist" Fiction
  1. J.R.R. Tolkien - Lord of the Rings Trilogy + The Hobbit (Amazon link) - The movies were good; the books even better.
  2. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle - Sherlock Holmes novels and stories (Amazon link) - I've read and re-read these stories many times.
  3. Robert Louis Stevenson - Treasure Island, Kidnapped (Amazon link to box set)) and Black Arrow (Amazon link) - 1st read in Junior High and several times since.
  4. Pearl S. Buck - The Good Earth (Amazon link) -Read in 10th grade, become one of my favorite books ever.
  5. Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter (Amazon link) - Another 10th grade read which I found surprising interesting. 
  6. Jack London - Call of the Wild + White Fang (Amazon link) -1st read in Junior High and several times since.
My Favorite EDC Gear
(All this gear gets used on a regular basis.)
  1. My Smart Phone - Communications is vital, and as long as the grid is up a smart phone is extremely useful. Not only do I have instant communication through phone and text, but various apps for weather alerts, breaking news, and maps & traffic information, among the many other things it can do. 
  2. Cash - It is surprising how useful cash is. 😀
  3. My Leatherman Multitool (see above)
  4. A Good Pocket Knife (I have several that I rotate depending on circumstances)
  5. My Reading Glasses - A necessity in my case. 
  6. A Good Pocket Flashlight (Amazon link) - I've used several. I prefer one with only two modes, high and low. Ones with many different modes to choose from become too complicated to use effectively, in my opinion. 
What do you think of these Favorites post? Would you like to see more like this? What favorites of mine would you like to know about? Leave your comments in the comments section below. 
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Friday, April 19, 2024

Scripture Reading: Commandments (Matthew 22:34-40 and Exodus 20:1-17)

By Tim Gamble

As you read the following passages, note how the two commandments given by Jesus reflect the commandments given to Moses in Exodus. Jesus' command to love God (which is a quote from Deuteronomy 6:4) summarizes commandments 1 through 4, which explain how we are to love God.. His command to love your neighbor (quoting part of Leviticus 19:18) is a summary of commandments 5 through 10, which explain how we are to love our neighbor. 

Matthew 22:34-40
(New King James Version)

34 But when the Pharisees heard that He had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.


Exodus 20:1-17 
(New King James Version)

1 And God spoke all these words, saying:

2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

3 “You shall have no other gods before Me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments.

7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.

8 “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.

12 “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

13 “You shall not murder.

14 “You shall not commit adultery.

15 “You shall not steal.

16 “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”

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Wednesday, April 17, 2024

Resisting the Elites

By Tim Gamble

Over on my Resistance website, www.TimGamble.com, I am posting a series of articles entitled Resisting the Elites. Since they cover many topics preppers and survivalists might be interested in, I am posting links to those articles here:


More articles are planned.

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Monday, April 15, 2024

Health Update

Hi Folks,

Just wanted to give a quick update on my health. As I recover from my colon cancer surgery, I am doing very well and feeling good. My energy levels are way up and I seem to be healing well. My blood sugar  levels are coming back down (I am a type 2 diabetic). 

I'm still getting tests and having having various doctors' appointments and follow-ups. This week especially is heavy with appointments (6 in 5 days!), so my posting may be inconsistent or even non-existent this week. Things should return to normal next week. Thank you for your patience! 

Prayers are always appreciated!

Tim Gamble
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Friday, April 12, 2024

Scripture Reading: Peter's Vision (Acts 10:9 - Acts 11:18)

By Tim Gamble

Tim's Note: Be sure to read the entire reading. The first part (Acts 10:9-16) gets preached on a lot in modern churches, but the last part is typically ignored. Why? Peter's vision, as Peter himself explains, is NOT about food. 

Peter’s Vision (Acts 10:9 - Acts 11:18)

Acts 10:9 The next day, as they went on their journey and drew near the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray, about the sixth hour. 10 Then he became very hungry and wanted to eat; but while they made ready, he fell into a trance 11 and saw heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth. 12 In it were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 13 And a voice came to him, “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.”

14 But Peter said, “Not so, Lord! For I have never eaten anything common or unclean.”

15 And a voice spoke to him again the second time, “What God has cleansed you must not call common.” 16 This was done three times. And the object was taken up into heaven again.

Summoned to Caesarea

17 Now while Peter wondered within himself what this vision which he had seen meant, behold, the men who had been sent from Cornelius had made inquiry for Simon’s house, and stood before the gate. 18 And they called and asked whether Simon, whose surname was Peter, was lodging there.

19 While Peter thought about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are seeking you. 20 Arise therefore, go down and go with them, doubting nothing; for I have sent them.”

21 Then Peter went down to the men who had been sent to him from Cornelius, and said, “Yes, I am he whom you seek. For what reason have you come?”

22 And they said, “Cornelius the centurion, a just man, one who fears God and has a good reputation among all the nation of the Jews, was divinely instructed by a holy angel to summon you to his house, and to hear words from you.” 23 Then he invited them in and lodged them.

On the next day Peter went away with them, and some brethren from Joppa accompanied him.

Peter Meets Cornelius

24 And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. 25 As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. 26 But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I myself am also a man.” 27 And as he talked with him, he went in and found many who had come together. 28 Then he said to them, “You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. 29 Therefore I came without objection as soon as I was sent for. I ask, then, for what reason have you sent for me?”

30 So Cornelius said, “Four days ago I was fasting until this hour; and at the ninth hour I prayed in my house, and behold, a man stood before me in bright clothing, 31 and said, ‘Cornelius, your prayer has been heard, and your alms are remembered in the sight of God. 32 Send therefore to Joppa and call Simon here, whose surname is Peter. He is lodging in the house of Simon, a tanner, by the sea. When he comes, he will speak to you.’ 33 So I sent to you immediately, and you have done well to come. Now therefore, we are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God.”

Preaching to Cornelius’ Household

34 Then Peter opened his mouth and said: “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. 35 But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him. 36 The word which God sent to the children of Israel, preaching peace through Jesus Christ—He is Lord of all— 37 that word you know, which was proclaimed throughout all Judea, and began from Galilee after the baptism which John preached: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. 39 And we are witnesses of all things which He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem, whom they killed by hanging on a tree. 40 Him God raised up on the third day, and showed Him openly, 41 not to all the people, but to witnesses chosen before by God, even to us who ate and drank with Him after He arose from the dead. 42 And He commanded us to preach to the people, and to testify that it is He who was ordained by God to be Judge of the living and the dead. 43 To Him all the prophets witness that, through His name, whoever believes in Him will receive remission of sins.”

The Holy Spirit Falls on the Gentiles

44 While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell upon all those who heard the word. 45 And those of the circumcision who believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on the Gentiles also. 46 For they heard them speak with tongues and magnify God.

Then Peter answered, 47 “Can anyone forbid water, that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” 48 And he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord. Then they asked him to stay a few days.

Peter's Vision Explained

Acts 11:1 Now the apostles and brethren who were in Judea heard that the Gentiles had also received the word of God. 2 And when Peter came up to Jerusalem, those of the circumcision contended with him, 3 saying, “You went in to uncircumcised men and ate with them!”

4 But Peter explained it to them in order from the beginning, saying: 5 “I was in the city of Joppa praying; and in a trance I saw a vision, an object descending like a great sheet, let down from heaven by four corners; and it came to me. 6 When I observed it intently and considered, I saw four-footed animals of the earth, wild beasts, creeping things, and birds of the air. 7 And I heard a voice saying to me, ‘Rise, Peter; kill and eat.’ 8 But I said, ‘Not so, Lord! For nothing common or unclean has at any time entered my mouth.’ 

9 But the voice answered me again from heaven, ‘What God has cleansed you must not call common.’ 10 Now this was done three times, and all were drawn up again into heaven. 11 At that very moment, three men stood before the house where I was, having been sent to me from Caesarea. 12 Then the Spirit told me to go with them, doubting nothing. Moreover these six brethren accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. 

13 And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, ‘Send men to Joppa, and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, 14 who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.’ 15 And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them, as upon us at the beginning. 16 Then I remembered the word of the Lord, how He said, ‘John indeed baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ 17 If therefore God gave them the same gift as He gave us when we believed on the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could withstand God?”

18 When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, “Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.”

(Note: Verses are from the NKJV.)

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Thursday, April 11, 2024

A brief essay on the proper relationship between the Citizen and Politics

I originally published the following essay in 2014. In light of our current circumstances, I feel the need to republish it. I believe the concepts within the essay are worth revisiting, because so many of our fellow Americans have forgotten them. Please read this essay thoughtfully, paying special attention to those ideas in bold. 


A brief essay on the proper relationship between the Citizen and Politics.

By Tim Gamble

This essay isn't about which candidate or party to support with your vote, money, or time. In that sense, this is a non-partisan essay. Rather, this essay concerns itself with how a prepper, survivalist, Christian, or any other American for that matter, should approach politics.

First, let's get one thing straight: politics affects everyone. You can ignore it, but you can't hide from it. Politics affects everything from the health of the economy, to whether or not government respects your rights (government doesn't give you rights - those come from God - but government often tries to deny you those rights). From zoning laws to EPA regulations, sales taxes to the education system, directly or indirectly we all are affected by politics. For better or for worse, and it seems too often to be for worse, politics affects your life everyday, and in many ways.

Therefore, you must deal with politics. But how? There are many ways: One response is to simply try to ignore politics as best you can. But you will still have to deal with consequences of politics, whether you want to or not.

Another response is to try to manipulate politics to your advantage (the elites in big business and the political class are masters of this manipulation). Most people today choose one of those responses, at least to some degree. I suggest a third - respond as a true Citizen of the Republic.

Before I define how a Citizen  of the Republic responds, let me say this: Politics will not save us. What is wrong with America goes well beyond politics and economics. It is a spiritual sickness which infects the USA. No politician, no election, no piece of legislation, will cure spiritual sickness. We must appeal to a Higher Authority for that kind of healing. 

The United States of America is a Republic, NOT a Democracy

The first thing a Citizen of the Republic should realize is that the United States is NOT a democracy. It is a Republic, and that is a very good thing. Democracy is Evil. It is two wolves and a lamb voting on what to eat for dinner. In a democracy, rights come from government, and therefore are subject to change with the passing whims of the times. The rights of individuals, even basic rights such as the rights to life, free speech, free exercise of religion, and even self-defense, can be ignored or even taken away by the government or a simple majority vote of the people.

In a Republic, Rights are external from government. Rights come from a Higher Authority (God, the Creator, Natural Law, Nature and Nature's God, or whatever one wishes to call that Higher Authority). Since Rights don't come from the government, government cannot take away or change those Rights. Not even by majority vote. 

Those Rights from God (or whatever you wish to call the Higher Authority) are therefore "unalienable," literally un-a-lien-able. A "lien" being a legal claim on something belonging to another (a lien on a house, for example, where someone other than the owner, typically the government or a bank, claims an interest over the house, typically over money owed). Something being unalienable means that no one can claim an interest over it other than the owner. In the case of unalienable Rights, no one - not even government, not even a majority of voters - can make any claim against those Rights. Well, they can and do try, but those efforts are immoral, unjust, and not valid under a Republic.

The United States was intentionally created by our Founders as a Republic, not a democracy. They knew and feared the dangers of democracy, and wanted to protect themselves and their fellow Citizens from it. Sadly, since the early days of our founding, the United States has slowly been slipping away from a Republic, and into a democracy. In recent decades, and even more so in recent years, this process has been greatly accelerated. Today, we stand on the brink of becoming a full-fledged democracy, with the last remnants of the old Republic slipping away. This is the source of most of our nation's political problems, and has made the people little more than slaves of a government which demands ever-increasing control over our lives, rights, money, and property.

Note: The word "democracy" does not appear anywhere in the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, or the Bill of Rights. Nor does it appear in any of the fifty state constitutions. We were never intended to be a democracy. 

Limited Government

The way our Founding Fathers protected the Citizens of the Republic from democracy was through the concept of Limited Government. They created a government limited in both size and power by the Constitution, with our unalienable Rights guaranteed (not granted)  in the Bill of Rights. 

The Constitution establishes and limits the scope of the federal government. It sets up a system of checks-and-balances intended to keep government and politicians from exceeding their limits of power as set forth in the Constitution. The Bill of Rights specifically guarantees that government will respect the unalienable Rights of the people. In other words, the Constitution and Bill of Rights intend that the Citizens of the Republic be more powerful than the government that represents them.

It has taken more than 100 years for the elites in the political class to successfully re-interpret our Founding documents to subvert the Republic into a democracy, and to successfully dumb-down the American people to accept, and even applaud, the evils of democracy. 

Amendment X of the Constitution: The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

Respond as a Citizen of the Republic

Democracy is mob-rule. It is divisive, and based in emotion, selfishness, and greed. It is easy to manipulate. Reason and logic, and an unwavering belief in the Higher Authority, are the cure to democracy. Think; don't react emotionally. Consider the consequences, both intentional and unintentional, of your words, actions, and votes. 

To enable you to think with reason, not emotion, you need to learn real history, real economics, and real civics, rather than the pro-democracy and pro-collectivist propaganda taught in public schools over the last several generations.

Be independent of government. Do not look to government for hand-outs, freebies, or special favors. Be self-reliant. The less dependent on government you are, the less power government will be able to exert over you.

Don't look to government to "make life fair" or to "get even" with people who may be richer or more successful than you. One of the most successful tactics of the collectivists is to convince people that they are "victims" and need government to protect them and make things right. Don't ever think of yourself as a victim.

Don't look to government to redistribute the wealth of others. Holding a gun to someones head and demanding they give you money is theft. Having the government hold a gun to someones head, demanding their money, and then giving their money to you, is also theft. Don't ever think you are entitled to anything without having to earn it first, other than your God-given Rights.

Realize the sole legitimate purpose to government is to protect the unalienable Rights of its Citizens; to protect Life, Liberty, and Property. The role of government is not to protect individuals from their own mistakes and bad choices. 

But what about helping the poor, widows, orphans, and others who cannot help themselves? Shouldn't we help them? Isn't that what Jesus' taught? Yes, He did. The role of government is to protect the Life, Liberty, and Property of all, especially those who cannot help themselves. But, help beyond that is the proper role of the Church, charities, and individuals. When Jesus, and later the Apostles, taught us to help others, it was always a command to us as individuals and as His followers (the Church). Never did Jesus or the Apostles teach that such help was the role of the government. On the contrary, we are expected to help each other. 

Work hard to elect candidates to public office who realize that we are a Republic, not a democracy, and who understand the difference. Look for candidates who are pro-Constitution, pro-Bill of Rights (all of them), pro-Free Market Capitalism, and pro-Liberty. This is important on the federal level, but also and especially on the state and local levels.

In considering politicians, character matters, especially integrity. If a politician or candidate is dishonest, you cannot trust them to keep their word to respect the Constitution and our unalienable Rights. Liars rarely keep their word.

Pay attention to what your elected officials actually do, and hold them accountable. Not just in DC, but in your state and hometown, too.

Beware of politicians using a crisis to enact laws taking away our liberty, even "temporarily." Realize that temporary laws, such as the income tax was supposed to be, are never temporary. Once government successful takes on an expanded power, it never willing lets it go. Government doesn't care about you as an individual, or about your rights. Government only cares about expanding and protecting its power.

Politicians and government officials often use crises, real or imagined, as the excuse to expand government power. By definition, government power can only be expanded at the loss of individual liberty.

"We must pass this law (or this tax) in order to stop terrorism, stop crime, stop climate change, win the war on drugs, and protect the children. If you are against this law or this tax, then you must be a potential terrorist, or a criminal, or hate children." -- any politician, anytime, wanting to pass a new law or tax
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