Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Do Instead of Plan to Do - Month Four

We are seeing flowers and smelling that magical smell of spring. We are finishing up another school year and making the big plans for summer vacations ahead.

Don't let spring fool you. Let's not lose momentum on getting our ship in shape for the storms to come. The times ahead aren’t as sweet smelling as the spring season. You have done so much already, if you have been with us since January. And if you are just now joining us, that’s fine! We are taking it at such a relaxed pace that you can easily print off the last few months’ lists and catch right up. It is such a good feeling to be getting prepared the way we know we should.

A reminder here, always check the dollar stores for items first. They offer such a savings over the regular department store and the products are almost always just as good.

It’s time to show the family what you have been doing and get them on board with you in this very important and exciting adventure. Let them see just what items you have been collecting and maybe even choose something off of this month’s list and have them personally get that item. That will make them feel that they are truly a part of preparing and “saving” the family too.

Let them also get excited about planting a garden, no matter how small it might be for your particular home or apartment. Let them daily water, hoe, weed and see the magic unfold. There is such a great feeling that each family member gets as they feel they are growing food that is healthy for the whole family. Think about buying 2 times the amount of seed you need for your garden, divide and store in airtight jars and label. Next year, if you can buy seed, great. Rotate the stored seed out and store again for the following year. Storing seed isn’t something we often think about, but might truly be a great way to store food for the future needs of your family.

April Preparedness Family Home Evening



Opening Song: The Prophet Said To Plant a Garden

(Children’s Songbook page 237)

Thought: “As I listened to their addresses, I kept thinking over and over of something the Savior said, “Why call me Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?” It rolled over and over and over in my mind… There are many people in the Church today who have failed to do, and continue to argue against doing, the things that are requested and suggested by this great organization. The Lord also said, “Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in Heaven.”

Spencer W. Kimball, Ensign, May 1976

List Four

Vaseline or other petroleum jelly

Baking soda and salt…. Great for sores, soaks, healing in general, cleaning, tooth brushing in an emergency

Boric acid… great eye wash for tired or infected eyes…. Make a solution of warm sterile water, qt. to ½ tsp. of boric acid powder, dissolve and wash the eye (held open) over and over until solution is gone, pat dry

Lotion or cream

String

Rope (25 feet at least)

q-tips or other brand cotton tipped applicators

Cotton balls and tongue depressors

Crank lantern or propane lantern with several propane replacement cylinders

Candles/ matches

2 rolls of paper towels

Small container of liquid dish soap

Dish pan (dollar store)

10 pack of razors (dollar store)

I hope you are having fun seeing your awesome 72 hr. emergency kit come together. You will be blessed for having done it. Perhaps the biggest blessing of all is just the peace you feel inside that you can “sleep when the wind blows”.