Hope During This Crisis! We live in the Greatest Country in the World. When we have a Crisis like Hurricanes we come together and Help our Neighbors. We are so Blessed in this country! We also Panic and sometimes Overreact! So I wanted to give my Ranch Family some Hope and Encouragment. For those who need some laughter I have something funny for you to think about. For those of you who need some religious encouragement I have a scripture for you. I think about how people are running to the grocery stories buying toilet paper. Some of the shelves are bare. Now if I'm not mistaken a year ago Venezuela was enduring a Financial Crisis. Puerto Rico is still recovering from a Hurricane. Their shelves were bare and they had rolling blackouts and no clean water. The difference is our stores Thank God get restocked the next day and we have electricty and running water. They are now saying a 15 day disruption in our everyday life. I know this is a inconvenience to a lot of us and a huge issue for those who have kids. My point is it could always be worse. We are Blessed even in this Crisis! We have lights and running water a surplus of goods and services. We got through the uncertainty of 911 and we will get through this. Now for something Funny. Do y'all remember Y2K. People were buying Spam, GOLD, filling up their bath tubs with water! January 1st 2000 nothing Happened! I'm sure some people still got Spam from Y2K.lol See we panicked then and we survived and yes it's ok to be prepared but don't panic take a breath and know if we got through Y2K and 911 and all the other Crisis this country has gone through we will get through this Crisis too! Now here is a Scripture for those looking for some Religious encouragement. Psalm 91 You who sit down in the High God’s presence, spend the night in Shaddai’s shadow, Say this: “ God , you’re my refuge. I trust in you and I’m safe!” That’s right—he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards. His huge outstretched arms protect you— under them you’re perfectly safe; his arms fend off all harm. Fear nothing—not wild wolves in the night, not flying arrows in the day, Not disease that prowls through the darkness, not disaster that erupts at high noon. Even though others succumb all around, drop like flies right and left, no harm will even graze you. You’ll stand untouched, watch it all from a distance, watch the wicked turn into corpses. Yes, because God ’s your refuge, the High God your very own home, Evil can’t get close to you, harm can’t get through the door. He ordered his angels to guard you wherever you go. If you stumble, they’ll catch you; their job is to keep you from falling. You’ll walk unharmed among lions and snakes, and kick young lions and serpents from the path. Psalm 91:1-13 MSG https://bible.com/bible/97/psa.91.1-13.MSG I hope this gives you something that we are lacking! HOPE! All of you are in my Thoughts and Prayers! We will get through this! From the Heart Tony Dark
My first job was fixing Y2K problems for a Unisys mainframe. At the end of this year, they'll decommission the mainframe. It's a little bit depressing.
Wishing everyone safety and good health to protect us from what is happening. There's a lot going on and we need to support and help those most vulnerable. Please offer assistance - whether it's picking up groceries and supplies to taking care of friends and fellow peers. A quick check in can make all the difference to many people. The future is wary but we can do our part to make it less scary for people. <3
Sometimes I turn off the news and watch a comedy or something to take my mind off of the negative stuff. Keeping everyone in my thoughts and Prayers we will get through this!
Hello @Tony Dark thanks for a wonderful post. If I can just share my own little inspiration My grand parents immigrated from Poland in 1899. The survived WW1, the Spanish Flu in 1918-1919, then they gave birth to mom and dad. 1922 and 1926. Then they lived thru the Great Depression and both sets of grand parents lived through WW2 Mom and Dad got married right after WW2 after being pen pals during the war. They never met prior to dad enlisting in the army but my maternal grandfather knew of my dad through high school football and baseball. After the Nifty Fifties, the Sexy Sixties I was conceived. My dad kept telling me I was the reason he lost all of his hair. In actually it was maleria from WW2 fighting in the South Pacific. Strangely enough the same meds used on my dad in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s might help prevent coronavirus. Then my parents experienced the crash of 1987, mom survived that crash and the Crash of 2000 and the crash of 2008 and the Great Recession. Given what my parents and grand parents have been through I’m blessed to be living in America with the best medical minds and medicines available. Damn it!!!!!! If my parents can put up with all the diversity and turmoil then so can I and my family as well. Stay smart America!!! And we will once again in a very short time see our lives return to normal sooner rather than later
Thanks Joe and feel free to post moments of inspiration on here. That was a Great Example of things we went through and came out better!
We are so Blessed in this country sometimes we forget about the HARD TIMES of the Past because of the current Problems! I know there are a lot of people that aren't financially secure and aren't working right now and trust me I know what it's like to not know when the next check is coming but you know them bills are always on time! For those who are religious GOD IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL! For those who aren't I am walking talking proof that just because your current situation looks bad, just because your doctor's report says No Hope, Give Up! I am here to tell you it can change in an instant if you don't give up! I know things look bad and things are uncomfortable but it could always be WORSE! The one thing we do better than any other country in the world is we come together during a Crisis and we have a HOPE for a Better Tomorrow! If you're hurting and are afraid. Start counting your Blessing! Think about where you were and where you are! Think about a challenge you faced where you had no hope but you made it! Be Thankful if you and the people you care about are ok, that is a Blessing, and have a lot to be Thankful for and if you know someone who isn't doing well know that I am praying for you and your loved ones! We all take things for granted everyday. Food, Clothing, and Shelter! There are some people that are fighting this virus and don't have that! If you have electricity, running water, and a Sunny Day know that we have a lot to be Thankful for! If you have the internet with Netflix, Disney plus video games and things to keep you entertained we have a lot to be Thankful for! I know there are a lot of people hurting and scared and don't know when the next check is coming and I'm so sorry and I'm not making light of their situation because I've been there but not one week or one month but almost a year. What I am saying is I know it could be worse and we have a lot going for us to bounce back like we always do! And we Will! Take Care of Yourselves and let's take care of Each Other!
Another well written post Tony and I can’t agree more with your sentiments. We will get through this sooner rather than later. Be safe my friend.
Tony, thank you for writing encouraging words for us to think about as we progress though challenging times. I'm in a department of a large medical center that deals with laboratory testing. Our microbiology lab developed an in-house test for coronavirus in under two weeks - that is incredible, because normally the process takes months. The organization is coming together, organizing itself, reassigning people, accepting volunteers, putting new plans in motion. They are treating patients with COVID-19 and controlling the environment to prevent new infections. It's awesome to see people answer the call, to know that there are health care workers out there putting themselves on the line because other people are sick. My dance cardio class formed a Slack group so we can keep each other encouraged and stay in touch while the studio is closed for an undetermined amount of time. We share our challenges from home - some juggle children and jobs both. Some share their near-panic attacks when someone coughs in the grocery store. We discover a new sense of camaraderie in our separateness. For my friends here, I hope that the illness leaves you and your loved ones untouched. Like all things, it, too, will pass. I am hopeful that what we find on the other end is a renewed sense of our togetherness in our shared human experience, and our shared vulnerability in the face of a disease that comes for rich and poor, young and old alike. We need each other. I hope everyone reading this gets to hear the words "I love you" regularly. We all need it, we all deserve it. And isn't it great when we can give it to someone we care about. Stay safe and healthy, everyone.
Terrific post Broadhildt and thank you for your perspective of the situation. Keep up the great work, stay safe and healthy and hopefully we can gather for a great celebration at the Ranches soon! Take care my friend.
Leggy, my friend - thank you and 100% agreed. Planning on coming out there in Sept with @aztecwarrior2881 and hopefully we get to see you and celebrate the birthdays of Colin & Brent! Safety, health, and serenity to you and yours during this time. BH
I do believe just about every creditor is deferring payments for three months. Everyone understands the circumstances. Just call your creditors and they will work something out with you. Let's not panic. Just call and make arrangements. This is not a time to bury your head in the sand. This is the time to CYA. All the employees will get unemployment. The ladies are independent contractors and get courtesy 1099's. Some independent contractors can get unemployment benefits. Here is a link on more unemployment benefit information and to determine your eligibility as an independent contractor. A very informative article with useful information on collecting unemployment when you are self employed. HERE I would assume the ladies further into their careers that have incorporated and do pay into Social Security and Disability thus would get unemployment benefits. The federal and state governments are expanding sick leave and unemployment benefits and working on legislation to help impacted workers. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act provides a refundable tax credit for eligible self-employed individuals who must self-quarantine, obtain a diagnosis, or comply with a self-isolation recommendation for coronavirus. Please do not try and send tips to ladies without going through the ranches that are not operating their credit card machines as you may put them in a very precarious position to accept monies outside the ranch which would be cause for termination. (that is coming from me, not management as I have not asked about that yet) I know you want to help. The best way to help is to provide encouragement and patience. Take care of your health so that you can come see us as soon as we open again.
Thanks for adding this important information Amy. I know what it's like to be a contractor and then find out you do not qualify for unemployment. Thankfully where work I am Blessed and don't have to worry about that. Another Way to Help is to keep Everyone in our PRAYERS! I know it turned my life around during my Darkest hour! Prayerfully we will bounce back Soon and We Will Be Better than Ever. Take Care Amy!
You as well, my friend. This much-loved verse is also applicable in these times, I think: "Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things." - Philippians 4:8
"Broadhildt, post: Tony, thank you for writing encouraging words for us to think about as we progress though challenging times. I'm in a department of a large medical center that deals with laboratory testing. Our microbiology lab developed an in-house test for coronavirus in under two weeks - that is incredible, because normally the process takes months. The organization is coming together, organizing itself, reassigning people, accepting volunteers, putting new plans in motion. They are treating patients with COVID-19 and controlling the environment to prevent new infections. It's awesome to see people answer the call, to know that there are health care workers out there putting themselves on the line because other people are sick. My dance cardio class formed a Slack group so we can keep each other encouraged and stay in touch while the studio is closed for an undetermined amount of time. We share our challenges from home - some juggle children and jobs both. Some share their near-panic attacks when someone coughs in the grocery store. We discover a new sense of camaraderie in our separateness. For my friends here, I hope that the illness leaves you and your loved ones untouched. Like all things, it, too, will pass. I am hopeful that what we find on the other end is a renewed sense of our togetherness in our shared human experience, and our shared vulnerability in the face of a disease that comes for rich and poor, young and old alike. We need each other. I hope everyone reading this gets to hear the words "I love you" regularly. We all need it, we all deserve it. And isn't it great when we can give it to someone we care about. Stay safe and healthy, everyone. @Tony Dark @joe carbols @Broadhildt Great Posts Boys. This is very difficult period we'll going thru right now. I hope guys doing ok and Staying Safe. @Broadhildt I appreciate you reaching out to me on twitter during my difficult time during this Virus. I hope this virus passes soon and we all could get back to our normal lives and admire our Favorite ladies too. Be Strong and Be Safe, Everyone
This pandemic and crisis will profoundly change us all, it will change some industries and we will all learn a new "normal". Much like after Y2K, or after 9/11. Regardless new precautions, new ways of thinking and problem solving and perhaps a new appreciation for solitude, social interaction and that maybe there are better goals out there for us all. I hope we all learn from this but don't become paranoid or panic stricken. Be smart, practice social distancing and remember symptoms can take days to show and develop. Stay smart and aware.
I'm too busy to worry. Work has been insanely busy. Record breaking in fact. Aside from that this virus has been nothing but great. I'm working from home (no commute yay!). Due to the volume, my numbers which I though were crap this year might break last March's record (which was really good). Plus I'm an introvert who likes to be left alone anyway and am quite happy when I can do my own thing. ETA: Although I should say it isn't all good, the dollar dropped, my investments dropped and my trip to the ranch got postponed, but this will all be corrected with the passage of time.
Things are tough, yes. Things are uncertain, abso-fu€&ing-lutely. I’m making the active choice to remain hopeful and keep an eye out for those silver linings. There are some folks who are getting opportunities during this crisis, I’m truly happy for them. If you’re reading this, you have an internet connection and are able to communicate with people everywhere, all the time. My inbox is always open, no future party required.
This will change this industry immensely. I'm seeing Twitter accounts deleted or inactive since March when most "lockdown" orders were announced. I don't count on seeing any of the ladies return since it will be at least 30 days, and I'm sure it will actually be longer and that means revenue and incomes and savings will be exhausted or strained. Welcome to a new kind of "normal". Be aware, be prepared and above all be safe if not for yourself, then for those care about. Good night and here's to some peace of mind
It is easy to think negative during this Crisis it's all on the news. So I would like to give you some encouraging words. I know there are a lot of people who have loved ones suffering from the virus and prayerfully they will recover. A year ago I was recovering from a stroke and I found out I had a heart defect! I was basically told there was no hope! I remember almost giving up. I was in bed and I got up and for you who are religious I prayed and told God I can't do this without him. A few days later I started feeling better, finances started coming in that I didn't expect, and my career took off! I use to be an Overthinker and Mr Negative, but I have had such a Spiritual Peace and HOPE for a Better Tomorrow since this whole thing started! I know a lot of people aren't where I am in my life and so many are being Devastated by this thing and from the bottom of my Heart I Pray for all of you and your loved ones! If you believe me or not if you are religious or not, I still pray for you! The scripture says Faith Without works! It means I not only have to pray for a job but I have to apply for a job. So i can pray for you but you would never know it but now I'm telling you I'm praying for you and everyone and if God turned my situation around he can do it for you to! I know that we are going to get through this! GOD IS in CONTROL and ALWAYS HAS the FINAL WORD! I know things look bad now but I am walking talking proof that Better Days Are Ahead! I also think about how much closer we are to our friends and families! A lot of us are spending quality time with kids, parents, and connecting and caring for each other. For us who are Blessed and healthy and our loved ones are ok we have been given an window of time to slow down and Appreciate our loved ones and the things that we take for granted everyday. So take a moment and be Thankful. I know that we might be going stir crazy and getting on each other's nerves, but enjoy the time you are having with your family because when things go back to normal we will slip into our old ways. For whatever reason we are given time with loved ones. God help us if some of them aren't with us next year but for now we are given time with them. Not just in our towns but the world has been given this moment to really Appreciate so much! You are in my Thoughts and Prayers!
Excellent post Mr. Miracle @Tony Dark!!!! Thanks for the enthusiastic post. You are so right God controls everything in my life as well. For the first time in over 3 years I am no longer anemic. While not the milestone that you have received from our Savior Jesus it’s a great big step for me. Keep up the good work stay healthy and I hope your recovery is over 100%!! I know mentally and spiritually you are already there!! I greatly appreciate your inspiration posts
Another wonderful inspirational post Tony and thank you for sharing. Your sentiments are spot on and you and Joe Carbols arc the proof. Stay safe my friend and keep the faith!
Thank you Joe and unless you have experienced a Miraculous blessing when you know that you it was God it's hard for some to believe. So hearing about your healing is really cool. I am glad that my posts are helping. Take Care
Thanks OG I know not everyone is a believer but I believe HOPE is for a Better Tomorrow is for Everyone!
As a lot of you know my Mom is a Minister. The words of encouragement and the religious thoughts behind them are the things she would tell me when I was going through stuff in my life. I'm not a hypocrite yes I come to the ranches but my mom was the first person I told. I also know God knows my heart and why I chose to come to the ranches. I'm not going to be the kind of person to be in your face with the bible, trust me I went through that but I also know what it's like to enjoy life and not agree with everything that you have been taught in church but still believe in God and that Jesus died for our Sins. Right now people are scared worried and hurting. Here is a fact ut is so easy for us to believe that Bad stuff can happen so why is it so hard for us to believe that Tomorrow God can cure everyone. You just got to start Believing that God is going to turn this thing around faster than what any of us expect! I so Believe this! I am at peace with this thing. A year ago I would be freaking out but now I am so calm that's why I know that I know Everything is Gonna Be Alright!
Today I went to Walmart and I saw a Mom with dark bags under eyes she looked like she was going to snap! She told her kid to knock it off Mommy is So not kidding right now! I was like DAMN I felt the seriousness of what she was saying! Have you ever been at a friend's house when you were a kid and your friend gets in trouble and you dont know what to say or do? That is how I felt. Then I thought about it and what I was feeling was this woman's pain. Her stress and tiredness and it's sad because she isn't the only one. In the moments when you feel stressed out turn off the news relax take a few deep breaths, go outside, watch a funny movie, think about a fun experience you have had or would like to have. Anything to take your mind off of the negative stuff we are dealing with. You are All in my thoughts and Prayers!
So today I went to the store and I found this! Something to give you guys some Hope. There hasn't been toilet paper in stores for about a month. I thought I would add the Hat Dennis gave me in the picture.
My humor is a little dark and morbid Was thinking of making a sign for my apartment "Abandon all hope, Ye who enter here"
