Being Prepared!

Today was a beautiful sunny/cold fall day! It was beautiful, I was able to do some errands in it and counted my blessings that I live in such a beautiful place. Tonight I had another Thrive Fresh dried Food / Emergency Preparedness Party (you can see what they sell HERE: ). I am amazed that in just a year ( since my last party ) they have added so many new items. Also, since we were in Boston during the time of Hurricane Sandy, I realized that we truly need to put our Emergency Preparedness stuff back on the priority list.
We got a lot last year, but then we have been using a lot of it (which is what you are suppose to do...rotate it ) and even use it in your every day meals. I find by buying more of it, then we aren't wasting food as much. I can't even believe we are at the place in our lifes where we waste food! For the last 30 years, it seemed like we could never keep enough food in the house with all 6 of us. But when Lauren and Lee were both at college, things started going bad in the fridge because we didn't eat it fast enough. With this Thrive Freshdried food that has helped out alot.
Well, what a wonderful day, I am so grateful to still be here and healthy and strong. I looked on the calendar and it was 4 years ago on Monday, that I had my mastectomy. I remember thinking for quite some time, that life would never go back to normal. In some ways it hasn't but in a good way, my perspective has changed. I am more grateful for everything and everyone around me! Plus, I have a busy and full life, I wondered if that would ever happen ( right after my surgery).  Being able to plan or hope for the future was a very hard thing to do for a couple of years.
So tonight I feel very blessed but a strong sense to ....do all that I can with the time I have left (which no one knows how long that is ). I want to be PRESENT and ENJOY every minute of the life I have. I want to be prepared. Yes, life is good, and for that I am grateful.
Thanks dear friends, for riding the roller coaster of emotions and feelings with me throughout these last 4 years. I couldn't have done it without you!
Good night!

"Let us be in a position so we are able to not only feed ourselves through home production and storage, but others as well"
-- Ezra Taft Benson, former U.S. Secretary of Agriculture

"By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail."
-- Ben Franklin

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."
-- Howard Ruff

Are we prepared?

   Today my car broke down, right when I was at the Post Office mailing some letters and of course buying MORE stamps. When I came back to the car it was dead. Lucky for me the kids were home and had the other car so they picked me up. Tonight after Jeff got home and we had dinner, we went back to the car to see if we could jump it... no luck. We finally ended up calling our Roadside Assistance that we have through our insurance policy ( glad we decided to get that ). At one point the guy asked us if we had a hammer ( no of course we didn't ), he finally found one in his truck and they tapped the starter some to see if that would help.. but ...it didn't. Then when he was under the car, he asked Jeff and I if we had a flashlight ( this time the answer was YES but, the batteries were dead ). At this point I thought to myself, aren't you the Roadside Assistance person, shouldn't you have a flashlight? I probably thought that just so I wouldn't have to have the guilty feelings of being UNPREPARED! In the end, he couldn't do anything about it and neither could we. WE decided not to have it towed and Jeff will try and work some more on it tomorrow. Lucky for us, he is the Ultimate Handy Man...he usually can fix anything!
   For Christmas last year, I gave my kids some Emergency Preparedness items. They laughed at some of them but still I felt good that I was helping them get more prepared. That must be a Motherhood thing, to want to make sure your kids have as many things as they could possibly need during an EMERGENCY! Oh well, some day they will appreciate me...I just hope I am still alive when they get around to telling me that! :)
It is a good reminder though to me, that even when you have gotten things prepared  in life that you still need to periodically check and see if what you have... is still in working order or is useful. That would have been helpful tonight, if we would have checked that flashlight before it got dark! I am sure there is even a deeper lesson here for me to learn... but I am too tired to figure it out.
   Will try and go through my cars tomorrow and see what I need to add batteries to, or put in the car. For now we are at least home safe and sound and have one more working car... plus Jeff and I had a whole hour by ourselves to talk...yes, life is still good, maybe a little inconvenient but good!
   Night dear friends!

P. S. this isn't a photo of my car, it was just a neat one that Lauren took for her photo class. If this was my car, I beat I would have even more problems than  it not starting!  :)

"A great attitude does much more than turn on the lights in our world; it seems to magically connect us to all sorts of serendipitous opportunities that were somehow absent before we changed."  ~Earl Nightingale

Are we spiritually prepared?

Today in church, one of the lessons was about being prepared for the Savior’s Second Coming. I will include part of the talk because frankly it was written well, easy to understand and it touched my heart.

 

“When Shall These Things Be?”

I would like to discuss a subject that is on a lot of people’s minds. My intention is not to alarm or to frighten, but to discuss the significant and interesting times in which we are now living, to consider some of the events and circumstances we can anticipate in the future, and to suggest a few things we can all do to fortify ourselves and our families for the challenges and trials that will surely come into all of our lives at one time or another.

Toward the end of the Savior’s ministry, His disciples came to Him with several questions centered on one key prophetic event: “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” (Matt. 24:3).

Two thousand years ago Christ’s followers were concerned about that. Every generation of believers since then, I think, has been concerned about the last days to one degree or another. So the Lord’s response to His disciples is meaningful to all of us. To the first question—“When shall these things be?”—He said, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matt. 24:3–4). That is very significant.

“For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.

“For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places” (Matt. 24:5–7).

The lesson went on to talk about what we can do to have ourselves Spiritually prepared for these the latter days. Many people don’t argue the fact that we all need to be physically prepared, have our 72 hour kits and emergency preparedness stuff in order but what about Spiritually? That is just as important and even more so. To be able to handle all the things that are going to happen and keep our faith with be no small thing. As I have mentioned before, there are many things that can Shaken our Faith, if we are not careful. We live in a day and time where our morals and standards are being challenged on a daily basis. Yes, these are the latter days that were mentioned in the scriptures. 

There are some days that I can’t wait for the Savior to return! The world is a tough place to live and this is a very hard and challenging time to raise a morally strong family with high standards. I myself get teased every now and then about the standards I keep. But I know what I should and shouldn’t be doing. I know I need to stay strong and strengthen my faith daily. I know that if I stay close to my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ that it is through them that I will find peace, comfort and joy…and that is my goal. Ok here is another part of the lesson…

 

 

When we are not doing what we know we ought to be doing, and when we are not living the way we know we ought to live, we have a tendency to be unhappy. And make no mistake about it—we know when we are not doing what we ought to do, because every one of us has a conscience. We are born with the Spirit of Christ, and we know instinctively what is right and what is wrong when it comes to our personal behavior . It offends that Spirit when we allow ourselves and our values and standards to be manipulated by aesthetic propaganda in behalf of Satan’s lies.

Consider the following words from the Apostle Paul in connection with much of what we see and hear in contemporary media:

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

“For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

“Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

“Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

“Having a form of godliness; but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

“For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts.

“Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3:1–7).

Does that mean we will not have turmoil or personal problems or sickness or family challenges or employment difficulties? Not at all. But it does mean that if our faith is anchored securely in our testimonies of Christ, we will be able to cope with whatever adversity comes our way, and we will be able to do so in a positive, faith-promoting manner. If we keep the eye of faith focused on Christ, we gain a broader view and an eternal perspective, and with that we can understand adversity from within the context of Heavenly Father’s eternal plan for all of His children. And we can find comfort in this life in the eternal safety, peace, joy and security that He promises.  M. Russell Ballard   http://lds.org/ensign/1996/12/when-shall-these-things-be?lang=eng

This was not a lesson on doom and gloom, like some would think. It was a lesson of great hope, taught by someone who has great faith and hope. It was just the lesson I needed for today. Hope you had a wonderful Sabbath day too! Good night dear friends!

The new normal!

   As I watch the weather around the the US this past year, I am amazed at all the extremes which have been happening. As I looked at these photos today, I realized how blessed we have been here in Seattle. Many have complained that we didn't have much of a summer but, that would be considered an inconvenience, not a disaster... like many others have had.
    Like this article said, after conditions keep happening over and over again, we probably should consider it as the "new normal".  Normal or not, it makes me think and rethink about how prepared I am. I know you can't prepare for everything, but being prepared as much as you can... is just responsible and that is just what I want to be for me and my family. So tomorrow, I believe I will start rearranging my garage to get things in order, and then start a new check list of what we need to have on hand. I know this isn't the most positive thing to talk about, but after looking at these photos... I am definitely more MOTIVATED to do something. And this is... as you know a MOTIVATIONAL blog! :)
Good night dear friends!

 

Extreme weather: 'the new normal'

Federal climate scientists say 2011 has been one of the worst in U.S. history for extreme weather. With punishing blizzards, epic flooding, devastating drought and a heat wave that has broiled a huge swath of the country, the year's weather has been unrelenting and extraordinary.

By Julie Cart and Hailey Branson-Potts

Los Angeles Times

Mississippi River floods: A levee saves a home.

Tornadoes: May 26 twister kills 141 in Joplin, Mo.

Drought: A cracked lake bed in San Angelo, Texas

Groundhog Day blizzard: Chicago bears brunt.

The weather's apparent caprice puzzled many as it played out: Farmers in Texas and Oklahoma unable to plant during the worst drought on record watched as farmers along the Mississippi River lost their fields to floodwater. Much of the nation suffered through stifling heat while the West Coast enjoyed a mild summer.

Climate scientists note the predictable and cumulative impacts of climate change — hot and cold — to account for much of the extreme weather, although the connection between tornadoes and climate is not clear. In any event, scientists caution the future will hold greater temperature extremes, and for longer duration.

Officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say extreme weather has been more frequent since 1980.

"I think it would be a mistake to not think that this has become the new normal," McManus said. "Until it stops happening, we should expect it to continue

 

"Luck can often mean simple taking advantage of a situation at the right moment. It is possible to "make" your luck by being always prepared."  ~ Michael Korda

" Forwarned, forearmed; to be prepared is half the victory."  ~ Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." ~ Howard Ruff

Good things in Store!

Tonight Jeff and I hosted a party for a company that sells freeze dried food, called Shelf Reliance. Now a few years ago we bought their shelves from Costco and have loved them. The idea is first-in-first out and so you have your cans rotated, and  I don't have to search for expiration dates any more. I like how it is compact and easy to see what we are running low on.

 
At the time we bought the shelves, they didn't sell food, but now they do and it was delicious. I tried it at my sister in laws house and wanted to know more, so I called the company and asked if they had a rep in my area. She was really nice and informative and the best part is... we got to taste a lot more of the samples and that is the part that actually sold itself.

I was excited for this product for a couple of reasons. First it would save me money by coming to my house, so I wouldn't have as much impulse buying, and also I wouldn't have any wasted food. On more than one occasion we throw something out that we didn't eat, not to mention the food in the freezer that we threw out because it had freezer burn. So I was very interested. Jeff was interested in it because he is a back packer and is always looking for something healthy, tasted and LIGHT to carry with him.  Anyway, we had a full house and to be honest with you, I had lots more people I wanted to invite but knew I would probably not have any more room, so I will do another party in September. We had 29 tonight and that was great.

I know this is a weird thing to write about on a  Motivational Blog, but to be honest with you I am really concerned about how to be prepared in case of emergencies. I also want any information on how to take care of my family especially with the inconsistencies of today's economic climate. The bonus was learning all the health benefits from this product.  So in a way, this is motivational to me.  A product that tastes great, is healthy and preserved well and preserves well for a long time if needed. Check it out for yourself and let me know?   www.ShelfReliance.com

Some one asked me tonight if I was going to start selling it? The answer is no, I have been there...done that for that for quiet a few years. Not because I don't believe in the product, I do ...but my body can not do parties any more. But I did think it would be nice to share the news with you. 
Good night dear friends.

"Depend not on another, but lean instead on thyself. True happiness is born of self-reliance"

"It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."  ~ Howard Ruff

"I believe that education is all about being excited about something. Seeing passion and enthusiasm helps push an educational message."  ~ Steve Irwin

"When we TAKE ACTION on what we learn, GREAT things happen."  ~ Mike Litman

Being ready and prepared

Today in church I learned a great lesson about being ready and being prepared to do what the God needs you to do. In the book of Job we read in the 32nd chapter that "there is a spirit in man; and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding".  In the book of 1 Kings chapter 19 we read where the Lord speaks to Elijah, not in the wind, nor the earthquakes, nor the fire, but in a still small voice.

The speaker today started by asking the audience to close their eyes, then be very quiet and listen very carefully to 4 different sounds. She challenged us to identify them in our minds if we knew what they were. It was a simple demonstration, but a very valuable object lesson.  After she let us hear all the sounds then she asked us to open our eyes and she then showed us what all the objects were. Then she asked us..."why do you think it was so easy to hear what each thing was?"  Her point was, it was easy because the room was quiet and the sounds were magnified. Then she talked about the scripture with Elijah and how he learned first hand that the Lord does not speak with a loud voice but a very still small voice.

The point also was.... that we listen best when we are ready and prepared to hear what is being told to us. We need to remember to find time to be quiet  and truly listen to what God wants to tell us. Many times we are so busy and there are so many things around us to drowned out that still small voice. Like the phone, TVs, computer, music and on and on. Remember the Lord whispers not shouts! So reverence invites revelation!

I have said before that I think one of the most important things you can figure out in our lives, is to know what the Lord wants us to do each day! Truly understand what our individual mission is here on earth. Knowing that, can make all the difference in the quality of our lives. Are we just wandering around, killing time or do we have a real purpose and mission?

It was a great lesson for me to remember to stop and take time each day to be quiet, pray, study, meditate and listen to that still small voice of inspiration and understanding. I have heard it many times in my life and each time I have been blessed, if I follow it. But there have also been many times in my life that I have been too busy, too many things have been going on that I didn't take the time to be quite and listen and there is a definite difference on those days. Learning how to eliminate some of those distractions (even for a little while) gives me the opportunity to know for a fact what I should be doing. Knowing what your mission is and doing it is....a great feeling!

I hope this is as good of a reminder to you, as it was for me today!  Sundays...I love them!

 

"People only see what they are prepared to see."  ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"If you are prepared, you will be confident, and will do the job"  ~ Tom Landry

“I find that when I get casual in my relationships with divinity and when it seems that no divine ear is listening and no divine voice is speaking, that I am far, far away. If I immerse myself in the scriptures the distance narrows and the spirituality returns."   ~Spencer W. Kimball