Blog Posting # 817; Copyright 1 November 2024. EducateMHC
Know this! HUD-Code manufactured housing (‘MH’) is federally-regulated, performance-based, affordable-attainable, factory-built housing (a.k.a. another type of offsite construction). And land lease communities (a.k.a. manufactured home communities & ‘mobile home parks’), comprise the commercial real estate (‘CRS’) component of MH! EducateMHC is the online advocate, official historian, trade term & trend tracker, as well as information resource for both business models, and to a lesser extent, the recreational vehicle (‘RV’) industry. Access EducateMHC via (317) 881-3815; email: gfa7156@aol.com, and via www.educatmhc.com to purchase Community Management in the Manufactured Housing Industry and SWAN SONG – a history of land lease communities & official record of annual MH production totals since 1955. Also my autobiography, From SmittyAlpha6 to MHMaven, describes personal combat adventures in Vietnam as a USMC lieutenant, a 45 year entrepreneur business career in MH & community ownership, as well as freelance consulting, and authoring many nonfiction texts.
George Allen is the sole emeritus member of the Manufactured Housing Institute (‘MHI’), a founding member of MHI’s National Communities Council (‘NCC’) division, an RV/MH Hall of Fame enshrinee, MHInsider magazine’s ‘Allen Legacy’ columnist and editor at large. He’s a Vietnam combat veteran, retired lieutenant colonel of U.S. Marines, author/editor of 30 books and chapbooks on MH, communities, business management, prayer, and figures of speech.
BROKEN PIECES & LIVES RESTORED
Do you have a friend, relative, employee; maybe even yourself, caught up in one or another type addiction or affliction? Well, this week’s blog posting is taking a detour from our usual MH business foci to introduce you to a new book recently published by a veteran land lease community portfolio owner/operator, Katie Hauck. You’ll recognize Ken and Katie Hauck’s firm as Hauck Homes of IL & TN.
‘From These BROKEN PIECES’ is not your usual literary fare, as it’s neither a novel nor nonfiction ‘read’; but rather, a collection of nearly three dozen true personal stories of individual affliction and redemption.
So, if you have a family member, friend, or casual acquaintance who’s trapped in a lifestyle of crime, addiction, or is a victim of tragedy or eating disorder, you (they) need to read this book!
And herein, redemption describes actual experiences of individuals rescued from various forms of addiction, abuse, and other antisocial and unhealthy lifestyle and relationships.
The book begins with the author telling, in casual story-telling fashion, her own experience of early marriage, divorce, and raising two children alone. Then finding new life – and love, via Bible study, church, prayer, and ‘an amazing man who later became my husband.’ At that point she jumps right into sharing compelling short stories, some would say testimonies, of young men and women, some older, who find themselves trapped in self-destructive lifestyle – but wanting to break those cycles and find a way out. Here are the first paragraphs of a couple of these heartwarming tales.
THE WALK AWAY
“Charlie tugged on her aunt’s sleeve until she leaned closer. Charlie whispered into her ear, ‘Please help me get my mother away from him. Get her out of the situation she’s in.’ Her words turned into a prayer, ‘Lord, please save my mom.’
Her mom, Tara, had stayed away to hide the bruises on her face, trapped in the toxic relationship that put them there. Trapped from all the decisions in her past that had gotten her to this point. She’d grown up with a good family and a grandfather who always kept them in church, but she’d developed a lying problem. It only got worse in her teen years. She would be whoever and do whatever was necessary to fit in.” p.93
FREE FALLING
“Terror filled Jayme as she stared down at the earth thousands of feet below. Underneath the bubbling fear was a boiling excitement, It was time to leave the plane, and something told her that she would love this.
She took a deep breath and jumped, wind whipping at her face. Her arms were outstretched as the world zipped by. This is what freedom feels lie, she thought. This is what loving feels like.
Free falling 15,000 feet from an airplane felt like going a month without binging and purging herself. Bulimia had ruled her life. Her childhood perfectionism grew into a check-the-box relationship with God, food-restricting diet, and over-exercising, it ate away at her. Her relationship with her husband broke down. Finally, she left him and fled to Florida.” P.73
And this isn’t all ‘From These BROKEN PIECES’ has to offer. Following each short story there’s a one page open-outline featuring questions for the reader (i.e. the afflicted, the victimized) to answer, along with gentle recommendations on how to break that troublesome cycle.
Yes, as compelling and engaging a read as this book is, its’ true value lies in describing the practical paths available today for individuals who, as was sated earlier, are afflicted or victimized, and in need of redemption and recovery. So, consider ordering a copy of the book for your edification; consider ordering copies for friends, family members, employees or acquaintances who will likely benefit from reading these true, life-changing stories.
The book is available on amazon.com. Just be sure to designate: From These Broken Pieces, Katie Hauck Ministries.
George Allen