15 More Minutes

Take another 15 minutes, and visit the church website. Click on provident living (bottom left), and then the Home Storage link (under Family Living). This will take you to the text of the church's brochure. (Or click this link:  http://providentliving.org/channel/0,11677,1706-1,00.html ).   Read over it with a prayer in your heart. You will notice that the first thing they ask you to work on is your regular food, then water, then money (okay, a "financial reserve"), and lastly, the longer-term stuff that we all think of whenever "food storage" is mentioned. Let's rewrite our attitude: this isn't (just) about food -- it's about being prepared and living providently! Remember, the Lord will help us to obey.

That said, we started with water mainly because it's so easy. Now, let's think about food. I'm in favor of it! But we're starting small and easy, so if you're already too busy, just pick up double of your canned goods during your shopping this week. If you're strapped for cash, your first step could be to organize what you do have (and make note of what and how much). Another option, if you can't think of where to start, is to email or phone me and just have a conversation. (I am very nice.) The trick is to just get started by doing something. Today, you've read the church's brochure, read this blog entry, and thought about things. So far, so good.

15 Minute Challenge!

The Lord asks us to "prepare every needful thing," and we all know that is a daunting task. It occurred to me today that the Lord knows it, too! That's why He prefaces that commandment with another: "Organize yourselves." If you haven't taken the time yet to sit down and just get started, this afternoon will be ideal. Give yourself 15 minutes (budget it! set a timer, so you'll know you will only allow yourself that much time) with a pen and paper. Read my previous blog (on possible scenarios), and ask the Lord to guide your thoughts as you focus on the needs your family has. Start broadly. For example: do you get thirsty? do you eat? do you cook? do you wear clothing? do you ever wash (clothing, yourself, the dishes)? I'm guessing the answer to (hopefully) all of these is YES! So you have needs. Write them down on your paper. It's possible that your time is up now. If it is, put your paper somewhere that you can find it again, and come back to it next week. If you're a fast thinker/writer, go one more level and start to write your sources: how you currently meet those needs. Water from a well? Artesian? Food from your garden? Costco? etc. Clothing from Goodwill? from JCPenney? and so on. This might feel silly, but it starts to make you aware of all the pieces of our lives which you (and I) take for granted. You are drawing the big picture, and starting to fill in the edges. By now, I'm certain your time is up. Come back later, and feel happy with yourself! You have begun the process, which is the most difficult and important step. (Remember, we're not supposed to run (or prepare :>) faster than we have strength and means provided, but we are commanded to be diligent.)

Major Areas of Basic Preparedness

Now that we can survive for longer than three days, :) we can start to plan. There are countless scenarios which cannot be specifically foreseen. However, we can lump them together into the types of situations we might find ourselves in, and prepare accordingly. Here are some major categories, along with descriptions and comments:

Emergency Evacuation -- you and your loved ones need to leave your home quickly, and should be able to carry and provide what you'll need for at least three days. (This could be caused by severe weather, chemical exposure accidents and anything in between.)

There's a lot more to actual emergency preparation than just a 72-hour kit. I have some resources for you if you want to pursue this first; keep in mind that the leaders of the church have encouraged us to start with more basic preparations. If you feel strongly about starting here, consider working on both areas at the same time.

Emergency Disruptions -- you are able to stay in your home, but you have no resources besides what is in your home (no water, no utilities, no travel). Prepare to subsist for fourteen days on only what you already have. (This may be what happens when you can return to your home after an evacuation; or instead, it could be that you will help others who have left/lost their homes. Perhaps we will end up using all of our three-month supply (see below) within these two weeks because we will be sharing it with others.)

The second item on the church brochure is water storage, which fits in to this category. I started with that (on the blog) because it is inexpensive and simple to get started, plus it happens to be the most essential thing to store. Let me know if you'd like info & suggestions beyond that as you prepare against this situation.

General Adversities -- you have utilities, but your ability to shop/spend is limited. (This could be personal, such as a loss of employment or unexpected bills; or it could be regional in nature, as in a truck strike, crop failures, political & economic turmoil, etc.) Prepare with three months' storage of the food and supplies you use on a normal day-to-day basis, as well as some financial reserves (third item on church's brochure).

This is the first item on the church brochure. There are several steps to pull this together: inventory, menus, shopping/ gardening, using long term storage items (including recipes and skills). I will address these in upcoming blog posts.      

Longer-Term Difficulties -- your situation lasts beyond a reasonable time frame. (!) Prepare to extend your resources with grains and other foods that store well for long periods of time (fourth item on the church brochure). You can supplement your regular diet and help smooth the road as you work back toward stability.

I've listed these scenarios in order of URGENCY, but also clarified the church's recommendations for PRIORITY. Your first step (now that you have at least a few gallons of water) should be to prayerfully consider your situation. Ponder the needs you might have, the resources (in time, money, space and knowledge) that you have, and the impressions you receive. Decide what your next step will be -- more water storage? a few more cans of food on the next shopping trip? a visit to your basement? a menu-writing, recipe collecting session? Do SOMETHING this week, even if it is only to comment on the blog to share suggestions, ask questions, or just to vent. :> Also, feel free to call/email to me to chat. Personally, I'm off to rework some menus.