John Birch was a simple, but highly intelligent man, who worked hard to serve God, spread God’s word, and fought for the freedom to do so. During his service in the war, he longed for the day when he could once again work the land, raise a family and dutifully serve God, as seen in the prose he wrote four months before his death called “The War Weary Farmer.”

I should like to find the existence of what my father called “Plain living and high thinking.” I want some fields and hills, woodlands and streams I can call my own. I want to spend my strength in making fields green, and the cattle fat, so that I may give sustenance to my loved ones, and aid to those neighbors who suffer misfortune; I do not want a life of monotonous paper-shuffling or of trafficking with money-mad traders. I only want enough of science to enable fruitful husbandry of the land with simple tools, a time for leisure, and the guarding of my family’s health. I do not care to be absorbed in the endless examining of force and space and matter, which I believe can only slowly lead to God. I do not want a hectic hurrying from place to place on whizzing machines or busy streets. I do not want an elbowing through crowds of impatient strangers who have time neither to think their own thoughts nor to know real friendship. I want to live slowly, to relax with my family before a glowing fireplace, to welcome the visits of my neighbors, to worship God, to enjoy a book, to lie on a shaded grassy bank and watch the clouds sail across the blue. I want to love a wife who prefers rural peace to urban excitement, one who would rather climb a hilltop to watch a sunset with me than to take a taxi to any Broadway play. I want a woman who is not afraid of bearing children, and who is able to rear them with a love for home and the soil, and the fear of God. I want of government only protection against the violence and injustices of evil or selfish men. I want to reach the sunset of life sound in body and mind, flanked by strong sons and grandsons, enjoying the friendship and respect of neighbors, surrounded by fertile fields and sleek cattle, and retaining my boyhood faith in Him who promised a life to come. Where can I find this world? Would its anachronism doom it to ridicule or loneliness? Is there yet a place for such simple ways in my own America or must I seek a vale in [Chinese] Turkestan where peaceful flocks still graze the quiet hills?

Who is John Birch?

Evil people took his life. Enjoy the moment, the future is always in doubt. Be prepared for eventualities, however. With the USA in the throes of class warfare with the elite-class winning it will become increasingly difficult for the common folks of the USA to obtain housing. Be creative. Look at the tips, tricks and advice in this blog and look elsewhere for other ideas. Do your best to prepare for possible homelessness.

Always have a grubstake; money set aside for emergencies. Some folks have kinfolk and/or friends that will offer assistance but to what extent can they give sustenance? Some people have no support system for whatever reason(s). If you are one of those it is imperative that you have money set aside to sustain you during tough times of unemployment.

There is a galaxy-wide level of variables among people so the best I and others can do is offer general guidance and advice. Use your brainpower and though and planning to determine what route is best for you to follow. Personally, the best thing I did for future security was joining the military when young. Off to boot camp at 17 and overseas for my first of two overseas tours at 18.

Sometimes I believe those efforts were to mainly protect USA corporate business interests in foreign lands and prop up warlords and and foreign governments that were agreeable to USA corporate desires. To what extent that was fact is something I can neither prove nor disapprove. However, when I think of the enslaved people of North Korea, Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge terrorizing of Cambodia and other hell-holes our efforts to contain that evil from spreading was a righteous cause. Life is complicated in some ways folks.

As for that military service; the pay was crappy back then, it is a bit better nowadays and the job was risky at times but many years later as health faltered and I was unable to find a job with affordable health insurance I was forced to seek help from the Veteran’s Administration (VA) that is funded by USA taxpayers. For decades I avoided the VA believing it was best to save it for the veterans injured in combat or performing military duties in a non-combat role. Without the VA I would have been in a quandary, perhaps becoming one of the many who are forced to rely upon charity of some type or using the hospital emergency room for only the most basic of care that is often not of the type of care a person needs. There are hopefully other options for your medical needs but the USA lags behind other Western countries in regards to medical care for the masses.

Taxpayers of the USA. I know I speak (write, actually) for a multitude of military veterans when I shout out a huge

THANK YOU!!!!

for the taxes you pay that supports the VA medical system. Many veterans are akin to me who only use the VA when there is no other option to obtain needed care. However, it is there when needed and I have been treated with kindness and concern by all the VA doctors, nurses and various support personnel. Perhaps the USA should implement a civilian version of the VA for all USA citizens. Just a thought.

This is not the typical post for this blog but it does contain thoughts that relate in ways to homeless living. Good luck to all of you struggling through the inflation and rising rents and other ills confronting the common folks of the USA.