Happy Father's Day to all the father's throughout the world!
May your day be filled with respect, peace, joy and love!
May your day be filled with respect, peace, joy and love!
One of the greatest blessings is to know that we have a Heavenly Father who loves us unconditionally and is always there for us, listening to our prayers and guiding us along the way in this life. He only wants the best for us. He has given us our agency to choose and will never take it away from us. He has given us eternal life and an opportunity to return and live with him again for eternity.
Each of us has an earthly father. I have a saying, "Any man can be a father, but it takes a special man to be a Dad!" I have been blessed with such three great Dad's in my life. My Dad is no longer with me but I feel his presence many times. He was there when I needed protection, when I needed understand, when I needed a friend, when I need his unconditional love, when I needed encouragement, and when I just needed one of his big bear hugs. My grandfather was an important part of my life. He was always there for me too. He was quiet but I learned so much from him. I loved sitting by him watching him build things, fish and telling me stories. He holds a special place in my heart. My husband is an amazing Dad and granddad. He is much like my Dad. His children are blessed to call him Dad.
Happy Father's Day
Pastas are another economical item to add to your food storage. There are so many varieties of pastas to store. Only store the varieties your family eats. Figure out how much pastas and the types you eat for the number of months you have set you goal, 1-Month, 3-Months, 6-Months, 1-Year. Watch for sales. I find sales and the store brands at regular grocery stores, big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, and if you have Trader Joe's (Western USA) in your area are great on prices. Emergency supply companies that sell dehydrated/freeze-dried pastas tend to be more expensive, but they are great for long term storage.
Storage: Pastas are easy to store. Pastas are like rice and bean, they attract moths.When you bring them home from the store, regular package types, put them in your freezer for 24 hours to kill any larva and moths. Let them warm up to room temperature before storing them away. Remember the rule: Store all pastas, no matter what type of container, in a cool, dry and dark place. Storage containers: You can store them in their original packages for up to the expiration date which is usual 1+ years. Or, you can purchase them in #10 dehydrated/freeze-dried cans for 20-25 years. You can also use the Mason jar canning oven method or the Mason jar canning FoodSaver method to store them for 3-5 years. (Go to YouTube for instructions. Whole Wheat pastas: You cannot store whole wheat pastas in #10 cans or using the Mason jar canning oven method or the FoodSaver method due to their high moisture content. Store them in their original packages up to the expiration date.
Emergency Preparedness: Water Storage
Water is the most important thing you should store. As I have said many times, "You can live without food for 40+ days, but you can only live without water for about 2-3 days".
The rule is 1 gallon per day per person for drinking and cooking. Some say you only need to store water for 2-3 weeks. But I think you should have enough water for 2-3+ months. If you store dehydrated or freeze-dried products you will need extra water to rehydrate them. If you store rice, beans and pastas you will need extra water to allow cooking time. If you want to include bathing, most likely just sponge bathing, you will need extra water.
There are several ways to store water. In 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50/55 gallon water storage containers or barrels, in16 ounce individual plastic bottles like Arrowhead water, 2 liter or gallon plastic bottles. Another idea I love is the Water Bricks. They stack like bricks and hold about 3-5 gallons of water. You can create tables with them and cover them with a table cloth. Water rain barrels are also another great source for collecting and storing water.
Water Filtration: Each household should have 1-2 ways to filter water in case you need to use other water resources like a lake, river or stream, or you are concerned about the safety of your stored water.
To see more ideas on Water Storage and Filtration click here to go to the posting on the right.
Fortified and A Place of Security
When reading in Alma this week I ran across Chapters 49 and 50. These chapters are about the invasion of the Lamanites against the Nephites. Captain Moroni was a great leader among the Nephites who taught the Nephites how to fortify their forts (homes) both temporally and spiritually. Due to their preparation they we able to protect, fortify and make their homes a place of security. And because the Nephites kept the commandments of God they were protected and blessed. Chapter 50:5 states, "And they were prepared ...."
Of course, none of us can build a fort a round our house or a moat with a draw bridge, but we can fortify, protect and make our family and home a place of security by having daily family prayer and scripture reading, by having weekly Family Home Evening, by attending our church
meetings and by being prepared both spiritually and temporally.
There is a Jewish saying, "Better to be one year early, than one minutes late." Think about that saying for awhile. What does it mean to you?
Even though my father was not Jewish he lived by this rule his entire life. He taught us from a very young age to always be where we needed to be or needed to accomplish at least 30 minutes before we were suppose to be there or what needed accomplished, you never know what might happen along the way. We can apply this to many things in our life and to emergency preparedness. I would rather be prepared now before the the emergency is upon me than find out I am not prepared and am begging others for food, water and emergency supplies. I'd rather be prepared and not need it, than not be prepared and need it!
June Monthly Assignments
Food Storage: Pastas
Pastas are another economical item to add to your food storage. There are so many varieties of pastas to store. Only store the varieties your family eats. Figure out how much pastas and the types you eat for the number of months you have set you goal, 1-Month, 3-Months, 6-Months, 1-Year. Watch for sales. I find sales and the store brands at regular grocery stores, big box stores like Costco and Sam's Club, and if you have Trader Joe's (Western USA) in your area are great on prices. Emergency supply companies that sell dehydrated/freeze-dried pastas tend to be more expensive, but they are great for long term storage.
Storage: Pastas are easy to store. Pastas are like rice and bean, they attract moths.When you bring them home from the store, regular package types, put them in your freezer for 24 hours to kill any larva and moths. Let them warm up to room temperature before storing them away. Remember the rule: Store all pastas, no matter what type of container, in a cool, dry and dark place. Storage containers: You can store them in their original packages for up to the expiration date which is usual 1+ years. Or, you can purchase them in #10 dehydrated/freeze-dried cans for 20-25 years. You can also use the Mason jar canning oven method or the Mason jar canning FoodSaver method to store them for 3-5 years. (Go to YouTube for instructions. Whole Wheat pastas: You cannot store whole wheat pastas in #10 cans or using the Mason jar canning oven method or the FoodSaver method due to their high moisture content. Store them in their original packages up to the expiration date.
Emergency Preparedness: Water Storage
Water is the most important thing you should store. As I have said many times, "You can live without food for 40+ days, but you can only live without water for about 2-3 days".
The rule is 1 gallon per day per person for drinking and cooking. Some say you only need to store water for 2-3 weeks. But I think you should have enough water for 2-3+ months. If you store dehydrated or freeze-dried products you will need extra water to rehydrate them. If you store rice, beans and pastas you will need extra water to allow cooking time. If you want to include bathing, most likely just sponge bathing, you will need extra water.
There are several ways to store water. In 5, 10, 15, 30, and 50/55 gallon water storage containers or barrels, in16 ounce individual plastic bottles like Arrowhead water, 2 liter or gallon plastic bottles. Another idea I love is the Water Bricks. They stack like bricks and hold about 3-5 gallons of water. You can create tables with them and cover them with a table cloth. Water rain barrels are also another great source for collecting and storing water.
Water Filtration: Each household should have 1-2 ways to filter water in case you need to use other water resources like a lake, river or stream, or you are concerned about the safety of your stored water.
To see more ideas on Water Storage and Filtration click here to go to the posting on the right.
Emergency Preparedness Ideas
Help Your Neighbors and Your Neighborhood . . .
Share with your neighbors about the importance of being prepared with extra food, water, medical supplies and emergency supplies. Never tell them what you have stored or how much, just that it is important to be prepared. Set up a neighborhood team of skills, like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, medical, etc. When a disaster hits you will have a team to rely on for help and you will be able to help too.
Comments and Questions: Please share your comments below. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. If you have any questions you can leave them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will research your questions and answer it on the blog next time. Thank you for your comments.
Help Your Neighbors and Your Neighborhood . . .
Share with your neighbors about the importance of being prepared with extra food, water, medical supplies and emergency supplies. Never tell them what you have stored or how much, just that it is important to be prepared. Set up a neighborhood team of skills, like carpentry, electrical, plumbing, medical, etc. When a disaster hits you will have a team to rely on for help and you will be able to help too.
Comments and Questions: Please share your comments below. We all learn from each others experiences and knowledge. If you have any questions you can leave them below or email me at theark.carsonward@gmail.com. I will research your questions and answer it on the blog next time. Thank you for your comments.
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