neighborhood squirrel . . .
The other day I was sitting at my computer looking out of the window watching our backyard neighborhood squirrel. What a character! Each day I put out birdseed and bread for the birds and peanuts and sunflower seeds for the squirrel. There is also a small fountain and birdbath. As I watched the squirrel he was eating some of the peanuts and sunflower seeds and then taking some and burying them in my vegetable garden area. It is the beginning of Spring. Why would he already be burying and storing peanuts, Winter is a long ways away?
But as I always say on this blog, do not wait until the storm is upon you to start preparing now! Just like the squirrel, we need to be preparing all the time, not just before the storm.
What type of person are you?
My husband once read,
"There are 3 types of people"
Those who make things happen!
Those who watch things happens!
Those who wonder what happened!
Which type are you? Are you the type that works toward your emergency preparedness, 72 Hour Emergency Backpacks, 3-Month Food Storage, etc? Are you the type that watches others prepare? Or, are you the type that wonders when disasters and emergency hit why others are not helping you?
Throughout the scriptures in the Bible, Book of Mormon and Doctrine and Covenants we read about those who prepared and those who did not. Their outcomes were very different! We also here the admonishments and warning from our community, state and federal leaders, church leaders and general authorities.
Spiritual Preparedness . . .
Those of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and others, just experienced and witnessed the most marvelous Annual General Conference this past weekend. Over and over we were admonished to listen to and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost, to pray, to have faith, to keep the commandments and our covenants, to be obedient and prepare for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Our new dear prophet and president of the church, Russell M. Nelson, stated, "But in the coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost". (Click here to listen to or read his talk.) And, Elder Larry Y. Wilson, Of the Seventy, stated, "What an incomparable gift comes to those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. That gift is the Holy Ghost". (Click here to listen to or read his talk)
I also know the Holy Ghost guides and directs us with temporally matters. It happens to me all the time. In the scriptures we are taught that all things are spiritually (Doctrine and Covenants 29:34).
To listen to or read all the talks given at the April 2018 Annual General Conference click here. Each one is amazing and filled with the spirit and will help guide our lives in these troubled times.
If we are constantly close to the Holy Ghost and listen to and follow the prompting immediately, we will be guided. directed, comforted and protected as promised in the scriptures and by our dear prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Russell M. Nelson.
April Monthly Assignments
3-Month Food Storage
3-Month Food Storage . . .
This year we are working towards a 3-Month Food Storage supply. Each families will be unique in that not one family eats the same things. You will tailor your food storage according to what your family will eat. Do not purchase items just because they are sale, your family will not eat foods they do not like, and you have just wasted valuable money that could be put towards foods they will eat.
A 3-Month Food Storage supply consists of commercially canned and packaged food and home canning foods. You can also include frozen foods.
In January we worked on keeping track of what your family eats in a month. Go back to January 2018 posting to see the details and a printable chart to keep track. Now that you have figured out what your family eats in a month you can set up an inventory notebook.
In February I showed you how to set up your Food Storage and Emergency Supply Inventory Notebook. Go back to the February 2018 positing to see how to do this.
In March we continued to add commercially canned and packaged foods, frozen foods, and home canned foods to your 3-Month Food Storage. Watch sales, allowing to purchase more. Keep track in your inventory notebook. Rotate as needed.
This month, April, continue to add to your 3-Month Food Storage.
Big box stores vs regular grocery stores: Recently I purchased a case of Kirkland brand, 12 cans of green beans (14.5 oz each) at Costco for $5.99. That works out to 50 cents a can, a great price. At the regular grocery store like Safeway, Ralph's or Albertsons in Southern California, USA they run, on sale, about $.70-$1.00. And of course, at the discounts stores they are $1 each, but watch the expiration dates. So clearly in this case the big box store is less expensive, but it depends on the item. Do the math and watch your local grocery stores for the best price. Watch for case lot sales too.
Emergency Preparedness Supplies
Emergency Sanitation
Emergency Cleaning Bucket
Each house hold should have an emergency cleaning bucket. Click here to see what should be in it.
Emergency Preparedness Ideas
Recently we have been dealing with the care of a cousin and we have been once again reminded of how important it is for all of us to have certain paper work (documents) in place. They should be kept in a safe place, like a fire proof safe, where others know where they are. Documents that give designated people a responsibility or listed as the "agent(s)" should also a copy. I know we do not want to think about these things but it is necessary, It is really hard on others to leave important decisions about our life. Several months ago we were given the decision to let my husband's brother pass on, or be on life support. How much better it would have been if he had the right documents in place. Know the laws in your state or country regarding how they need to be signed and witnessed.
Here are some examples:
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR): A do-not-resuscitate order, or DNR order, is a medical order written by a doctor. It instructs health care providers not to do cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if a patients breathing stops or if the patients heart stops beating. A DNR order is created, or set up, before an emergency occurs. A DNR order allows you to choose whether or not you want CPR in an emergency. It is specific about CPR. It does not have instructions for other treatments, such as pain medicine, other medicines, or nutrition. The doctor writes the order only after talking about it with the patient (if possible), the proxy, or the patients family. Your doctors and hospital should have a copy the DNR.
Advance Health Care Directive (or 5 Wishes): An advance health care directive, also known as living will, personal directive, advance directive, medical directive or advance decision, is a legal document in which a person specifies what actions should be taken for their health if they are no longer able to make decisions for themselves because of illness or incapacity. Your family, doctors and hospital should have a copy of this document.
Financial Durable Power of Attorney: The durable financial power of attorney is a simple way to arrange for someone to handle your finances. It allows someone else to manage your finances in the event that you become incapacitated and are unable to make those decisions yourself. The power is granted in a document, and is not only useful for you, but can really help your family in times of crisis. The one assigned as the "agent(s)", doctor and others you will needed should have a copy of this document.
Will and/or Trust: Click here to read the difference and why you might need both. The executor should have a copy of your will/trust. There have been times when family members cannot find them in the event of a death and it was not filed with the courthouse, nor know who the attorney was.
Other documents you should have: You should also have copies of their driver's license or state ID, their Social Security card, medical and insurance cards, and know where they keep important papers like deeds to property, etc.
All these documents should be kept in a safe secure place, like a fire proof safe.
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