Prayer Request for family...

[.45colt]

My Sister Sue and Her Husband have been Married olmost 40 years.they have had the usual highs and lows. they have had a small retail meat shop for years and everything they had was put into keeping it running.the economy here is really bad and has been for along time.I just got a call from another family member,and they were forced to close. with a chain grocery on one end of town and wallmart on the other selling meat they just couldn't stay afloat. Both of them are past 60. They are in a really bad way.They need a Miracle.Thanks Guys.

[Nath]

Hmm, bad deal, not nice.

Happens alot around here too.

Prayers up.

Nath.

[Blaine]

That's really going to be tough. High quality small shops have trouble keeping up with low quality bargin shops in this crappy economy.

[fordwannabe]

God Bless, to them all the others in the same boat, of which there are many. Tom

[don Tomás]

Prayers up...

[gamekeeper]

Prayers sent.

[Tycer]

Prayer sent.


If I were in that situation ( with the little knowledge I have of their situation ) I would learn to survive on less without sacrificing happiness. I would reduce my expenditures over the next year by buying smart now and starting a pantry that would keep me in food for a whole year if it all fell apart. Maybe you could buy them the book Preparedness Principles by Barbara Salsbury. http://www.amazon.com/Preparedness-Prin ... 0882908065

I would also try to look ahead to the future and try to position myself to be in a key place to reap the benefits of the changes coming. Learning about whatever I think will be key.

I do recommend they watch the Crash Course at http://www.chrismartenson.com/crashcourse as it gives a pretty clear picture of what this world of humans may have headed its way in the next few years and I believe it is full of direction as to what might be a way to position oneself to reap those benefits rather than being blindsided and losing what little I have.

[Borregos]

Done.

[mav]

Done.

[Hobie]

Prayers said.

[rjohns94]

prayers sent

[mod71alaska]

Prayers for your sister and brother-in-law. I wish I could win the PowerBall lottery and help good people like them. It must feel like their whole world just crashed in on them.

[JReed]

Done

[kimwcook]

Prayers said.

[AJMD429]

Yep. Happening in many business areas for the past few decades, actually.

The 'socialist' model favors big-business, national 'chains' that can lobby for favorable regulatory and tax status, and the 'capitalist' or free-market one favors the innovation and adaptability and customer-service of the smaller operation. The irony is the socialist model claims the opposite.

Anyway, not meaning to be 'political', but if possible, convey to them that the 'secret' to their future survival/success will likely be the individual customer service, the flexibility to provide products or services 'outside the mainstream', etc. They will NEVER compete with the big-box-stores for rot-gut ground-beef prices, but if they want to cater to customers who want it packaged specially, delivered, or 'organic', they may stay afloat. Maybe they can get a customer base who prefers ostrich and buffalo meat, like the local market did - the big-box-stores will NEVER sell that stuff.

Anyway, prayers up - but tell them to start using the ADVANTAGE they have in being small - they don't have to have a corporate board-meeting to make decisions, or change product lines, marketing styles, etc.

THEY ARE THE 'INFANTRY' and the WALL-MARTS ARE THE BATTLESHIPS - if they just keep trying to out-cannon, out-swim, and out-mortar the battleships, they will lose, but a battleship cannot sneak up on a sentry, or snipe a hostage-holding bad guy at 300 meters, so get them to think positively and WIN. They will develop a loyal customer base, vs. fickle ones who just look for Wally-world pricing.

[iceman]

Done.

[C. Cash]

Going out for sure.

[bdhold]

I know people who have done very well with small diners - serving only breakfast and lunch.
Obviously location has to be close to where people work.
Yes, it means going to work at 4am, but you can shut down at 2pm
People drop in for convenience, for the food, but also to chat - this is a business that will keep going on the personality of the proprietor.

My aunt and uncle run a diner in Selmer, TN and a dozen years ago, a McDonalds that opened on their block went out of business, and people were lining up on their sidewalk at lunchtime.

Proprietor of a tacqueria close to my office became one of my best friends and recently retired when the doctor finally made him.

[Hagler]

Done.

Shawn

[CEMENTHEAD]

Prayers to your Family...............

Tom

[rjohns94]

prayers up for sure.

[Ysabel Kid]

Certainly. Prayers out to both!

[Dave B]

Prayer said for your sister and husband. Best wishes to them both.

[Mac in Mo]

Prayers sent.