Get Our Houses in Order

View of sunrise from my kitchen, thanks to my early bird S

Warning: This is a long written post.

Just hope I motivate some of y'all to "Get Our Houses in Order."

So, for a while now, I've been really feeling the urge (prompting, if you will), to ramp up our emergency supplies (72 hour kits, 2 weeks of water, food storage, money, etc.). While students, E and I figured 1-3 months of stuff was good and just bought extra stuff at the store from time to time.

We now have a house and room to store stuff as well as a tax return, so there's no better time.

So, I called The Cannery to schedule a time to get some essentials so I will have at least a 6 month supply. They are booked more than 6 weeks out! And they are out of some basics: milk, beans, etc. Can you believe it?!

I worked for our city health department for about 3 years. While there, we had a few seminars on "Sheltering in Place" and ways to prepare for emergencies--mostly rising out of the concern of Pandemic Flu (which, btw, we are bound for one soon).

While working there, I learned that the grocery stores have maybe a 1 week's supply of food. In addition, there is a mob panic mentality that exists when disasters strike that motivates people to horde.

Let's just think about some of the shortages and price increases that are now going on with Japan's crisis: iodine . . .

And actually, things like canned wheat, beans, etc. have a 30+ year shelf life. And even some simple things like cereal, granola bars, etc. have at least a 1 year shelf life if you check the label.

Not to mention the leaders of my church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who have repeated over the years to get out of debt, be self reliant, and prepare for emergencies. Let's review some of their quotes:

Elder Ezra Taft Benson: "Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church ... a famine in this land of one year's duration could wipe out a large percentage of sloughful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned." General Conference, April 1965.

President Spencer W. Kimball: "The little gardens and a few trees are very valuable. I remember when the sisters used to say, `well, but we could buy it at the store a lot cheaper than we could put it up.' But that isn't quite the answer, is it, Sister Spafford? Because there will become a time when there isn't a store." General Conference April 1974.

President Spencer W. Kimball: "We encourage families to have on hand this year's supply and we say it over and over and over, and repeat over and over the scripture of the Lord where He says, `Why call ye me, Lord, and do not as I say?'... We also hope that you are maintaining your year's supply of food, clothing, and where possible, some fuel and cash savings." General Conference April 1976.

Elder Bruce R. McConkie: "I stand before the Church this day and raise the warning voice. It is a prophetic voice, for I shall say only what the apostles and the prophets have spoken concerning our day. ...It is a voice calling upon the Lord's people to prepare for the troubles and desolations which are about to be poured upon the world without measure. For the moment, we live in a day of peace and prosperity but it shall not ever be thus. Great trials lie ahead. All of the sorrows and perils of the past are but a foretaste of what is yet to be. And we must prepare ourselves temporally and spiritually." General Conference April 1979.

President Ezra Taft Benson: "Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake ... cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?" General Conference October 1980.

Elder James E. Faust: "The counsel to have a year's supply of basic food, clothing, and commodities was given fifty years ago and has been repeated many times since. Every father and mother are the family's store keepers. They should store whatever their own family would like to have in the case of an emergency...store a year's supply...that might keep us form starving in case of emergency." General Conference April 1986.

President Ezra Taft Benson: "I ask you earnestly, have you provided for your family a year's supply of food, clothing, and where possible, fuel? The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah." General Conference October 1987.

President Gordon B. Hinckley, ". . . I am suggesting that the time has come to get our houses in order." October 1998

And, as "MOM" and manager of our home, if my kids are hungry and I could have prevented it--shouldn't I????

Thanks to Jamie for compiling these quotes.