What do you do when you are 40 years old and have cancer?

Ya, that really sucks but I ran across someone in this situation and he is married with two children.  This reminded me of growing up in the Osage where we prepared for tomorrow way early!  I recall how we would put up vegetables in Ball jars and peaches and other fruit so that we would have food all winter and beyond.  We had a cellar (underground storage place to store food during the hot summer and cold winters) where we put potatoes (huge piles of them on the floor) and even a pumpkin or two plus all the hundreds and I do mean hundreds of jars of food.  

My favorite was the sweet pickles my mom would make.  We would pick cucumbers (those are pre-pickles and specifically I tell you this for my friend from NY City who 40 years ago thought pickles grew on trees).  I hope he still likes me after telling that on him.  Then those cucumbers were placed in 5 gallon crocks (clay pots) where mom added spices and vinegar and they fermented for days or weeks.  Our back porch was in a pickle.  I know, bad humor.  Anyway, we then put them in Ball jars and then into a pressure cooker to seal the jars for storage.  They would last for years in those jars in the cellar.  

My least favorite was pickled watermelon rind.  I never could figure that one out.  I am really glad we never put celery in those jars.  Celery is sinful.

Back to the young man with cancer:  We are working on figuring things out and pray for a good outcome.  Here are a few items you should check on or call me and I will tell you what to do.

• do you have adequate disability insurance
• do you have life insurance and how often do you check prices
• do you have too much or too little insurance
• have you prepared a will or trust, do you know what you should pay 

I don't sell insurance but I help folks answer these questions, so if you need help call 405-410-2918.

So what do you learn in the Osage?

• It is pretty obvious, get prepared for the unknown or unexpected
• You know something is coming that you may not like but a little faith and action can mitigate your anxiety and especially your family's mental well being
• As it says in the book, Think and Grow Rich, tithe and save 

Well, thanks for listening,

gary

gary@thepioneerman.com