Are you ready?

[bookworm]

This website is a good resource if you are seeking information about emergency preparedness:
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

[5ft Diva]

The phrase, "Don't run faster than you have strength" comes to mind when thinking about this subject. Oh how badly I want to work on this area of my life. I'd love to hear how others are doing it so that when it's my season again I will have some good ideas to work with!!!

[Dia Minha]

I so wish I was. I have an urgency to do all I can as soon as possible. There are so many obstacles that are holding me back. Not things that have to be worked out in order to accomplish the ulitmate goal, but things that would make it easier and my time and money more productive.

I need to inform my DH that even if we don't refinance (our plan to finish the basement) we have to at least come up with enough money to put in our vegtable garden, fruit trees, finish the storage room in the basement and buy a freezer. This by no means will be easy without the refinance, but not impossible.

I'm doing ok with our 72 hour kits. We would have supplies to survive that 72 hours. Maybe not as comfortable as we could if we added more, but none the less we would have the water, food, and the bare necessities to make it through. I often think about the people held up during Hurricane Katrina and how much better off they all would have been if they all had their own food, water and blankets. And I at least have that.

I do need my DH to take me through what needs to be done, in respects to the house, after an earthquake. Turning of gas, protecting our in house water supply etc. I believe Heavenly Father would bring these things to my memory when needed, but I'm a worrier and right now at this moment I can't remember what to do or how. So I know it would bring me comfort to have a refresher course.

[bookworm]

I know it's hard to add one more worry to your schedule of worries, but this is one worth considering. DH never thinks about this stuff, so it's all up to me to make it happen. Well, that's not totally true, he keeps talking about having cash on hand in case of emergency. Smart thinking, but we also need other stuff.

I did put together 72-hour kits a couple of years ago and things just came together once I got going. I think sometimes we let money and other concerns hold us back, but if we start DOing, somehow the money is there. I started by collecting backpacks from DI and then taking a pair of sweats from each child, etc. and putting them in. It probably took me 2 months, but when I was done, I felt much better about THAT step. I also bought a roll of plastic sheeting and some duct tape and put them in my closet in case of sheltering in. I need to go make sure they're still there... For us the hard stuff is the years' supply of food and water, but again, I think if I start doing what I can, the Lord will make up the difference should the time come that it's needed.

What I've learned is that if you do a little, a lot can be accomplished. With God, nothing is impossible.

It is way past time to re-do our kits, though. The food is expired, the clothes have definitely been outgrown, and we had to borrow the TP out of the family pack a few months ago when we ran out on a Sunday .

Anyway, SOMETHING is better than nothing, in my opinion, so I just plan to do what I can and leave the rest to God.

DH and I read Glenn Beck's book recently and some of the things he talks about that could (and likely will) happen when the world's oil supply runs out (or runs low) scared me enough to get me thinking this is the year I should really work on that food supply... also when I read the "Great and Terrible" series by another LDS author, Chris Stewart (they are really, really, really good) the same thing happened, I kept thinking, if these things were to come to pass, would my family be able to wait it out? Hmmm...

I'm not a gloom-and-doom type of person, I do believe in the good in humanity and especially in America, and the blessings of the Lord in our lives for obedience, but if I haven't even tried, I haven't been obedient!

Anyway, that's how I feel about emergency preparedness. I'm not as ready as I would like to be, but I'm making an effort NOW, even though it's a small effort. We are going to try and expand our garden this year, but it is costly! Dirt and wood and mulch and peat moss and plants and water... it all adds up, but it's such good practice! What if we were in a situation that we HAD to grow food, or have no fresh produce!?

I loved what Sister Coppersmith taught us about food storage- even if it's just a handful of rice put aside each week, it's a start. "One for yourself and one for the shelf"- buying just one extra can of food when you're shopping is a start! I also feel like if I can do it, anyone can do it. I don't have any training in this stuff, I'm half asleep much of the time, I'm not remarkably smart or clever, but I'm able to do a little, so that's what I do.

Am I sounding preachy or soap-boxy here? Sorry if I am, I just feel very strongly that this is something too many of us aren't ready for... it woke me up when President Eyering spoke to our Stake and kept telling us (US- Tooele, in particular) to GET READY. Yikes...