You Better Plan On It Podcast!

Fire Fire Fire!

The weight of death can be the most demoralizing situation an individual, a family, a community, a school, a workplace, etc., can go through. Imagine a family of four; a young mother with three children under 10 years of age encountering a fire inside their 2d story apartment building. Mom awakens to the smoke detectors repeatedly going off. She gets up immediately and gathers her children into one room. She realizes there is no way to get out of the front door of the apartment. 911 is called and are fast enroute. However, the fire is quickly spreading and Mom has to make critical, life-saving decisions.  Mom springs into action by opening the window of the bedroom. At this point, the only opportunity to save her children, regardless of her life is to drop them out of the window. Fear and panic set in because there is no plan in place to combat the fire and get herself and her children to safety. The fire is barrelling close and closer to the room. Suddenly, police arrive on scene but time is quickly running out and the fire department is still making their way to the scene. Mom tells the police the fire is coming into the room and that she must get her children to safety, so please, "Do me a favor and catch them as I lower them out of the window and then release them for you to catch." Of course, the children are in an absolute panic. Mom lowers Kid 1 out first and then lets him go and police safely catch him. She does the same for Kids 2 and 3 and gets them to safety as well.  The fire is now barrelling inside the room with only Mom left to save. The police tell her to tie sheets together, tie them to the bed post and then lower herself out of the window. Mom is freaking out but time has run out and she takes immediate action. While lowering herself out of the window, the sheets rip but luckily she is caught by a group of First Responders. So listen, take the time to look at your place of residence and ask yourself if you have items right now that can combat a house fire. If the answer is no, take the time to invest in fire extinguishers, fire protection blankets, etc. Go online and research the cost of these items and also get with your local fire department and ask them to assist you in setting up a Fire Safety Prevention Plan for your respective places of residence. At the end of the day, lives continue to be lost because we are without an effective plan that can save lives, so let's stop procrastinating and get it done! Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/support] Thanks for watching and listening to the following social media platforms every Tuesday at 12pm PST: YouTube Channel: @GregMact5v Apple Podcasts (including Overcast, Castro, Cast Box, Goodpods, True Fans) Spotify Podcast Index iHeartRadio Podcast Addict Podchaser Deezer Player FM Facebook LinkedIn X

The Power of Hate

One of the most tumultuous, dangerous and cancerous words today is "Hate." The word has a damaging kind of radius that can destroy the life of one, a few or many. Sure, many of us use it on a regular basis but it is not meant in harmful nature. For instance, you will often hear someone say, "Man, I hated that game winning shot on last night because it cost me money, or, I hate you man because you are a clown." These are the kinds of statements you say around your friends that don't really mean much.  However, when the word hate is used in a serious and more demeaning nature, it can truly become dangerous for others. For example, I recently overheard several young gentlemen having a conversation about a particular individual. One young man said, "If I see him right now I would bust him in has face and beat the hell out of him repeatedly!" I was like wow! That's very threatening language and it absolutely sounded like bad intentions. I mean, think about it, if you hear someone discuss another person or persons in a very violent nature, that should tell you that he or she means business and there may perhaps be a hit of hatred form that person toward the other person. Whether you know the individual or not, you may need to further assess the situation and safely take action to ensure that it is not a matter that will happen where you are located. At the end of the day, I believe we need to do everything in our power to remove the word from our daily language. I know we use the word hate in a more humorous nature almost all the time but there is a time when the word is meant to harm another. Maybe the person's race or the color of their skin creates the hate in someone unknowingly. Think about the days of Slavery for Blacks or The Holocaust for Jews. Those are serious examples of hate, so for me, I despise the word and I work daily to never use it and so should you! Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/support] Thanks for watching and listening to the following social media platforms every Tuesday at 12pm PST: YouTube Channel: @GregMact5v Apple Podcasts (including Overcast, Castro, Cast Box, Goodpods, True Fans) Spotify Podcast Index iHeartRadio Podcast Addict Podchaser Deezer Player FM Facebook LinkedIn X

A Truthful Lie

Having an effective plan in life-threatening situations can be critical to the lives of others. So, when it is said that, "what goes on in another man's home is not anyone else's business," well, I simply call this a truthful lie. In truth, your home is supposed to be your business and no one else's. However, it is also a lie because if there is ever a situation in which you know, hear about or suspect that your family member, neighbor or friend is being abused in their home then this is where your business is no longer just your business.  The bottom line is that I believe most people are more than ok with what you do inside your home being only your business. However, when you cross a line inside the home that puts others in danger then it becomes other people's business. Case in point, a couple of weeks ago the former Lt. Governor of Virginia murdered his wife and then himself inside their home. Their 2 teenaged children were in the home at the time and called 911 but were not harmed. Those kids no longer have their parents as a result of the double suicide/homicide. Now, I believe in my heart that someone in that community, whether a family member, neighbor or friend knew that there were significant issues in the family. However, I cannot confirm whether anyone personally checked in on them or called for a wellness check at any point and time. I also cannot confirm if there are those within the family or community who are now saying they wish they would have done something sooner. In any case, knowing of a truth such as this particular topic (A Truthful Lie) is quite interesting because it can quickly default into a lie when one turns the confines of his or her home into a level of chaos that becomes other peoples' business. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/support] Thanks for watching and listening to the following social media platforms every Tuesday at 12pm PST: YouTube Channel: @GregMact5v Apple Podcasts (including Overcast, Castro, Cast Box, Goodpods, True Fans) Spotify Podcast Index iHeartRadio Podcast Addict Podchaser Deezer Player FM Facebook LinkedIn X

?Your Race-Your Fault_My Race-My Fault?

Here in America, we continue to experience racism because of being a particular race and one's skin color. It is truly amazing that our country still has this issue to date and it doesn't appear that we will ever see it entirely go away, at least not in this lifetime.  I know how this works because I have lived and experienced racism many times as an African American male. From my early years as a young black kid, to my years as a United States Marine, and on to my later years now as an everyday American citizen living here in the United States, racism has followed me throughout my life. However, I have been blessed enough to recognize those situations time and time again and remove myself far away from many potential dangers.  From me to you, I absolutely do not ever look at my race as the only one that experiences racism. I do, however, understand that my race does experience racism at a far greater clip than most, if not all other races based on past and current history. Nonetheless, please do yourselves a big favor...Always sit down and make an effective daily travel plan before you go anywhere, especially when it involves distant locations. Plan an exact route, to include locations for rest, food and fuel stops. Also, Google the environment and the type of people within that local area. I do not expect anyone to be overly paranoid, but rather remain vigilant at all times because you never know when you may wind up in an area or location that you are not welcomed. Trust me, you will know whether you are welcomed when you arrive at a location just by the body language of the locals, so be alert and as attentive as possible at all times! Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/support] Thanks for watching and listening to the following social media platforms every Tuesday at 12pm PST: YouTube Channel: @GregMact5v Apple Podcasts (including Overcast, Castro, Cast Box, Goodpods, True Fans) Spotify Podcast Index iHeartRadio Podcast Addict Podchaser Deezer Player FM Facebook LinkedIn X

The Weight of Death

I believe the "Weight of Death" is for real. The reason I believe this statement is because the loss of someone that you love and miss dearly can outweigh the loss of others that you love and miss dearly. For instance, I lost my  amazing Uncle Freddie Foster and my dear cousin Terry Carpenter within the last week who are actually blood relatives that I've known since childhood. On the other end, I just lost one of my greatest friends and Marine Corps Brothers, MGySgt William "Billy" Cotton. What's interesting is that his death weighs much more heavily on me than my uncle and my cousin's deaths. In any case, I am not exactly sure why such is the case and would appreciate anyone out there who can explain why I am having this experience.  I mean, Billy and I go back 27 years of knowing each other and simply share an elite-level brotherhood that goes far beyond just a great friendship. For whatever the reason, I have yet to process his loss nor can I shake the weight of his loss. I know I will do so in due time, but it is so difficult at the moment and I need an answer. I know my prayers about why I feel this way will be answered from Above but I would also love anyone's feedback who may have been through this and understand how to explain it to me. Send us Fan Mail [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/fan_mail/new] Support the show [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2506530/support] Thanks for watching and listening to the following social media platforms every Tuesday at 12pm PST: YouTube Channel: @GregMact5v Apple Podcasts (including Overcast, Castro, Cast Box, Goodpods, True Fans) Spotify Podcast Index iHeartRadio Podcast Addict Podchaser Deezer Player FM Facebook LinkedIn X