39 Years of Warning...

For as long as I remember, the leaders of the church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) have counseled families to prepare for hard times and times of disaster by storing food, water and other life sustaining products.  For just as long, I and my family have not heeded these words of counsel.  I think after 39 years of being warned, it is time to act.  

About three weeks ago, I mentioned to Sarah that we need to take steps to organize our cold storage and begin supplying and storing for us and Leah in the unfortunate case of job loss, natural disaster or other event.  Of course, like almost everything else, it was added to a long list of things to do that were postponed due to illness, holidays and travel (our Christmas stuff is still up!).  

This Saturday night we attended the Orchard Hills Ward Adult activity  We had no clue what we would be doing at this event, but I was pretty certain it would have a meaningful purpose.  Our ward always has activities with purposes other than just eating and having fun (ie - Home Makeover, Health and Fitness, etc.), but we didn't know what was in store for this night.  We were told that there would be dinner.  We all gathered around tables until the event began.  The Bishop quickly announced the theme for our ward for 2009 was "Personal and Family Preparedness".  He then announced that each group/table (our table consisted of the Bishop and his wife, Christine, Glen and Tanya McBride and Aimee Tubbs) would need to each contribute food, water and supplies from their storage to prepare a dinner for that group.  I called it "Emergency Preparedness Iron Chef".

Here were the rules:

1. No electricity (this meant no lights via wired electricity...flashlights and lanterns only).
2. No running water (bottled water only).
3. No refrigerated or frozen foods.
4. Each family had to contribute.  
   
5. We had 1 hour and 15 minutes to gather, prepare, cook and return to the church.

Several thoughts raced through my mind.  Of course, my immediate thought was panic.  We had nothing in our emergency preparedness storage.  We are quite prepared when it comes to fuel and hardware, but not food or water.  My second thought was anger...I was starving and had counted on a good meal!  My third thought occurred when I learned we would be gathering at our home to prepare the meal and that thought was "OH CRAP, OUR HOUSE IS DIRTY".  Luckily with no lights, no one could tell!  My fourth thought was of Leah.  Christine pointed out that her biggest concern was her children going hungry and having nothing to eat in a time of emergency.  Lastly, my thought was that of comfort.  Between the four households we were able to pull together a meal that proved to be more than enough to feed us.  Granted, that was one meal and who knows how long an emergency may require us to sustain ourselves.  

Our meal was less than stellar, but served it's purpose.  We had pancakes with blueberries and a few with chocolate chips.  Bishop made some hashbrowns that lacked eye appeal but were seasoned quite well and everyone enjoyed them.  We topped the meal off with canned peaches and apple juice.  This was all prepared on our bbq grill in the backyard by the light of the moon and the small lantern Glenn was holding. 

When the bishop announced the activity for the night, the point was immediately made and received with very humble and teachable ears.  The activity itself helped the point sink deeper into my understanding.  There are so many things to get in order to prepare; generator, heaters, blankets, food, fuel and water.  I guess it was a blessing we did not have the winning offer on that cabin.  Now we can spend that money on getting better prepared.   Not quite as exciting, but necessary none the less. 

"Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life...As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year's supply of necessities.  I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel.  I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over.  With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness."  ~ N. Eldon Tanner

"Many more people could ride out the storm-tossed waves in their economic lives if they had their year's supply of food...and were debt free.  Today we find that many have followed this counsel in reverse:  They have at least a year's supploy of debt and are food free."  ~ Thomas S. Monson

Let this year be the year we each resolve to prepare and become more self reliant.  Let us pray that the need for our preparation is unnecessary and that we, by our preparation, can be the Good Samaritan that is expected of us.