Thursday, June 11, 2009

Do Instead of Plan to Do - Month Six

My grandmother Mary Jane and my grandfather Carl were, and still are, two of my very favorite people. Both of them had only an 8th grade formal education and yet, I think of them as two of the very smartest people I have ever known. Mostly, they were common sense smart. I respect their ideas so much that you may see me refer to them in more than one article. What I want to share with you today is one insightful little morsel of wisdom they taught me. I think it applies very much to 72 hour preparedness and food storage.


In the great depression, which so many of our ancestors and grandparents lived through, my grandparents grew onions and every other thing they could fit in-between the flowers in their garden beds. They also kept baby chicks warm in the kitchen. Grandmother would tell me these stories and about these times and chuckle a little. She would always tell me that you can find room and creative solutions when you need to do something bad enough. Grandpa would take the produce they grew and whatever else they could raise and sell it door-to-door. People loved the produce and my grandparents loved every dime it provided their little family.


Recently, I was talking to a young man who lives in a small apartment. I was telling him quite plainly that even he needed to store a bit in his small living space and have a 72 hour emergency supply backpack for the things that might come along. He assured me that I just didn't understand. He told me he had absolutely no room. We explored the idea for a few minutes and I suggested various places including under the bed, inside of covered barrels or end tables, etc. Then I remembered grandmother's words, "When you really want and need to do something there is room". This young man, like so many of us, needs to think of creative ways to "grow onions" in-between our flowers sort of speak.



It is my strong belief that when there is faith and effort, our Father in Heaven will inspire us with amazingly creative answers to our storage problem questions. He will not only help us find the peace, but also the means and the time.



June Preparedness Family Home Evening





Opening Song: Nephi's Courage, Primary Song Book, Page 120



Thought: Let's think beyond the immediate family and our extended families. We must realize that some of our friends, our neighbors and strangers may come to us during hard times and they will be hungry; they will need shelter and may need to be nurtured back to normal health. If we are to have the capability to be Christ-like and to help meet their needs, we must be prepared. Henry D. Moyle



List Six

Space blanket

Buddy burners or something else to cook on

Mess kits

Canned meats like tuna...2 per person

Tang or other powdered drink mix which provides Vitamin C


Can opener

Beef or chicken bouillon cubes


Big bag of beef jerky

Book 0r magazines

Small soft brush for scrubbing wounds

Bulb syringe

One white flat bed sheet to cut up for long bandages or slings

One white bath towel to cut up for bandages...very good to absorb like gauze compresses

Wash the sheet and the towel with laundry soap and bleach. Tear into strips and large triangles that can be used for slings. Then package these sterile bandages into zip-lock bags and place in your kit.

2 comments:

silvilocks said...

There IS always space for storage... A person in an old ward, furnished the space ABOVE each door in the house with a shelf, providing a great deal of 'invisible' storage space.

Colleen’s Canvas said...

That is a fantastic idea! Thank you for sharing, Sylvia. "...I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomlish the thing which he commandeth them."