Inch By Inch Preparedness

What can I do?

My heart goes out to those who are constantly being bombarded by devastation and natural disasters. All I keep thinking is what can be done? What can we learn? What does the Lord want us to learn? And what should we do for ourselves?

What is our responsibility? Well, my favorite subject to talk about is food storage, water storage, and just basic preparedness and self reliance in our homes.

We have been warned, we have been prodded, we have been pleaded with, for many years now within our church, and even through the governments, to be prepared. Our church, (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), has asked us for well over 100 years now to prepare for any disaster by storing food, clothing and fuel where possible. Many government websites have disaster plans, and tell people to have at least a 72 hour emergency kit, and up to a 3 month supply of food in your homes. Our church asks us to have a one year supply of food and supplies in our homes.

So what can we do? Get prepared in our homes, for whatever may come our way. Whether it is just high prices, or shortages, or disasters, or gas shortages, or whatever it might be … GET PREPARED! Don’t think for even one minute that we are safe and won’t be affected by what is going on out there in the world. We will, we can, and we will !!!

Store Some Sweets!

We are told that we should have some sweet treats in our food storage. These are called comfort foods because they offer us comfort and break the monotony in a crisis. Hard candy has a very long shelf life as does chewing gum. What ever you choose, make sure that you wrap the items in plastic, store in a bucket or sealed container, to prevent damage from humidity and to minimize flavor loss.

Hot chocolate and orange or other drink crystals are good things to store as sweets, and store for many years.

Character Goals:

Thomas Jefferson used to pick 13 character traits he wished to improve in himself each year. For example you could pick honesty, kindness, integrity, modesty, gratitude, service, patience, temperance, cleanliness, courage, generosity, loyalty, humility and tact. He would practice each for one week, totally focusing on one particular virtue. This can be done 4 times a year. Imagine how refined your character would be if you did this for the rest of your life? If you would like a comprehensive list of 52 virtues go to www.virtuesproject.com

Storing Powdered Milk

Powdered milk is a very important food storage basic. It can be used for both cooking and baking. It can be used for drinking for babies and all ages. It can be reconstituted with water to make milk and can be used to make yogurt, cheese, and other goodies like whipped topping.
It is an important source of nutrition in your food storage. Nonfat milk either regular or instant stores well in airtight, low oxygen packaging. Low oxygen means that the oxygen has been removed, as in dry pack canning. This will increase the length of time the milk can be stored by 2 – 3 times. It also has a better flavor than when stored in boxes or plastic bags. It is important to buy non fat milk as powdered milk with fat has a short shelf life and will go rancid after 6 – 9 months at room temperatures. Powdered milk can be packed and stored in the #10 cans and has a 20+ year shelf life stored this way. Each can will hold approximately 7.3 lbs of milk, when shaken down and dry packed.

Provident Living Goal:

Make a goal to read 30 minutes a day to your children or grandchildren. If you do not have children to read to, make a goal to read at least 30 minutes a day just for pleasure.

You may have tangible wealth untold: Caskets of Jewels and coffers of gold. Richer than I you can never be. I had a mother who read to me. Strickland Gillilan, “The Reading Mother”

It’s not just about reading aloud to them, it is the time spent together in that loving way. Slip into that world where only your imaginations are limited.

Happy and Healthy Prepping

Davilyn