A Modern Woman's Perspective On The Kingdom of God on Earth


May 9, 2012

10 Skills That Increase Your Worth in The Community

     When we finally reach the SHTF scenario that I think we all believe is coming, how do you see yourself?  By that I mean, what will be your role?  What skills can you offer in return for material goods?  Because skills, whether trained or learned, will always be a valuable asset to any community.
     In today's post, I'm going to list 10 essential skills that give you not only the knowledge to survive any disaster or form of chaos, but make you a beneficial member of any group.
1)    Medical Training.   Due to the increase use of saws, axes and knives, there will be more medical emergencies involving deep lacerated cuts.  Knowing how to properly clean wounds, stitch wounds, as well as knowing how to treat infected wounds will be extremely important.  Additionally, there will be an increase in burns from being in closer contact to fires.  Burns can get infected very quickly, and knowing how to decipher the degree of the burn and how to treat it will be a concern among survivalists and preppers.  Knowing basic CPR and First Aid will be very important.  You can do that online.  And if you want to take it further, get trained as an EMT.
2)    Disaster Training.  While there are courses in how to handle disaster situations offered by the Red Cross and FEMA, I know many people who I think probably have more knowledge about how to survive a disaster by reading "How To" manuals from the Survival/Prepper community.  Read James Wesley Rawles, Cody Lundin and others.  You can learn practical skills and pass on your knowledge.
3)    Gardening Skills.  In a long term survival situation, seeds will mean the difference between life and death.  The only problem is, many have lost the necessary skill of gardening because there is a grocery store on every corner of the streets these days!  It’s time to get your hands dirty and get back in touch with nature.  Learning necessary gardening skills such as companion plants, crop rotations, beneficial insects, natural ways to replenish soil, and knowledge on proper gardening tools will be beneficial.  Community gardens will become an essential component of survival, and someone needs to know how to plant, nurture and harvest.  Another relevant knowledge source is understanding the medicinal value of plants and herbs.  It is amazing how many uses there are for plants!
4)    Firearms Training.   This is one survival skill that a person should be as proficient as possible.  Also, practicing gun safety, especially around children, as well as being able to educate others is essential when a firearm is around.  And let's face it, when you are in a situation where you have to defend ourselves, you're gonna want a gun!  And even though we still have our Second Amendment Rights, you would be amazed at how many people in this country fear guns, don't have a gun, don't know how to use a gun, or all of the above.  If you have these skills, you will be one of the most popular people in your community!
5)    Canning and Food Preparation.   Again, these are skills that have been lost over the last couple of generations.  As we turned from an agricultural society to an industrial one, somehow we determined that buying store-bought foods was better, easier, etc. than doing it ourselves.  I, for one, am planning on taking a refresher course in the next month on canning and freezing.  And when TEOTWAWKI happens, there will be no chain grocery store or Whole Foods to shop at.  We will be growing our own vegetables and fruits and we will need to know how to preserve them.
6)    Amateur Radio Skills.   Having a radio is encouraged by many disaster relief organizations, during natural disasters.  And in a SHTF scenario, having knowledge on how to work and maneuver a HAMM radio will provide you and your community with an emergency communication source during a time when most communication is down.  You'll be able to monitor activity in your area and stay in touch with other like-minded groups.
7)    Sewing Skills.   Everyone has heard of how their great-grandmothers would sew quilts out of material from tattered or worn clothing.  Not many of us have this skill anymore.  Sewing classes will not only teach a necessary skill, but it will also get the survival mindset in place: make something new out of what you have available.  So if you have a sewing machine, pull it out of the bottom of the closet, dust it off, and make sure it is oiled and properly maintained.  If you don't have one, consider investing in one.  You will be a valuable asset to your family and others.
8)    Outdoor/Survival Skills.   Again, survival skills are a learned talent.  My husband has been an outdoorsman his whole life, but he has greatly increased his knowledge simply by reading.  You can research books online and find ones that give detailed instruction on fire-making, building a shelter, sharpening knives, hunting small game, etc.  These will be absolutely necessary for your family to survive any kind of disaster.  It can mean the difference between life and death. Among his favorites are Mykel Hawke's Green Beret Survival Manual, and Bradford Angiers' How To Stay Alive In The Woods: A Complete Guide to Food, Shelter, and Self-Preservation Anywhere. 
9)    Candle/Soap-Making.   Soap and candle-making are a lost art form.  Having a background knowledge of these skills would also be a great bartering skill.  I recently took a class and posted about my experience.  There is something about the feel and smell of natural soap that is comforting.  And believe me, we are going to need these essential items for a simpler life-style, and if they bring comfort, too, then that's a plus.
10)  Hunting Skills.   It goes without saying, that we will need to hunt wild game for a food source.  This also becoming a lost art.  A century ago, every red-blooded American male knew how to gut and skin the carcass, and process the meat.  Even today, among Peace-Loving Warriors friends, many are good marksmen and can deliver the shot, but he's constantly amazed how many don't handle the processing of their animal properly.  If you can do it all, from A to Z, your skills will mean the difference between hunger and feast.
     These are just a few of the skills that will be important and essential in the near future.  I'm sure you all have ideas of your own, and I welcome your input.  Let's share our knowledge and skills, and make life a little easier for our fellow man, while ensuring a position of importance in our communities.  There will be no "entitlement" in our new existence, and we will all need to be productive members of the population.

Deuteronomy 33:11    "Bless all his skills, LORD, and be pleased with the work of his hands. Strike down those who rise against him, his foes till they rise no more."

1 comment:

  1. Thanks so much for your courage in speaking out as a Christian surviving woman! keep it up!

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