Affluenza

Thanks (once again, seriously, this woman has so many great posts!!!) to Real Mom, I offer the following video. This is aimed at teenagers, but really, where do they get their life style from? Us.

It's Raining, It's Pouring

I stood at the door in conversation one day with a sweet duo of women who were out proselytizing the neighborhood in hopes of gaining new members to their church. Known for their devout service and tiny magazines, these women were quite insistent that we, the women's religion and my own, could never see eye to eye, because one of us was completely right while the other completely wrong. We both pretty much figured that both parties would go their own way without much changing of the others' mind.

Unlike most people I know personally, I enjoy when my door is filled with the missionaries of another religion for a couple of reasons. 1. It's kind of cool knowing that there are still people on this earth who actually believe in a Higher Power enough to risk sharing their view. 2. Usually the missionary types are pretty harmless; meaning they try extra well to be nice. 3. Almost every time, after a bit of conversation, we can agree that, although not on all points of doctrine, there are some points where we agree! Who knew? Fabulous!

The fact is that truth is true no matter who possesses it. It is also a fact that truth endures, and false doctrines have a way of dying out rather quickly (remember Jim Jones? Hitler? KC and the Sunshine Band? oy!)

I like to think of God as the perfect Father, well, because He is indeed that. A perfect Father who wants what is best for us, blessing us for correct choices, and also allowing consequences for our mistakes, toss in the gift of moral agency that we all receive and you get a pretty great Father. Some times blessing are hidden or hard to define in the moment...kind of like receiving and "A" at the end of a long semester... it took a while, but we did get it. Usually the consequences are perceived as a punishment, however "punishing" is really more of a teaching tool or a way for us to change our course before we get our self in way too deep. Remember back to Jr. High when you stayed too late at your friend's house, you figured "Big fat hairy deal." but your mom, who knew that kid better than you ever will, freaked a blue streak for you staying past your allotted time. She kicked your behind from here to Tuesday and probably made darn sure you never did something that stupid again. Maybe it was dating a certain someone, or when you got caught experimenting with a "substance" that wasn't normally offered at your home's lunch table. Either way, a good parent will take the opportunity to change your course. And in the long run that "punishment" was really a teaching moment or even a blessing in disguise. Then there is the wild card of moral agency in which the Father allows us to make our own choices and reap the rewards and/or consequences. He will not interfere, he will bless and teach. He is always both just and merciful.

Back in the day, the world was pretty messed up, kind of like today, but for Biblical times, it must have felt worse. God looked around, realized His kids were outta control, and thought "Now what?" He searched all of creation and managed to find one family, not perfect, but trying hard to do what was right, and figured, "Wow. Only one family? This has got to stop! I need to get these kids to a place where they can't harm themselves any more than they already have." He had a chat with the patriarch of the one family that He could trust to do what was right and said "I'm going to teach you how to build a boat. You're going to have to trust me on this, and follow every thing I tell you, or you too will be put in a divine time out." Noah decided to build a boat according to plans, was mocked, and I am sure even a few of the family members questioned his motives at least once, but they supported him nonetheless and in the long run, they all lived while the rest of civilization took a dirt nap in the deep blue sea.

Now my missionary friends saw this as God's ultimate punishment. They were bad, God killed them. Done.

I prefer to look at it a different way. Perhaps God, their Heavenly Father, had already set a plan in place that would provide them with an escape, even from death, and felt they just needed to STOP! digging their proverbial holes deeper. I mean, even with a Savior, we should try our best and we still need to repent. The less we mess up the less we need to repent for, so do the math. Granted, being drowned, probably not my first choice for halting ill behaviour, but it did the trick and in a way, they did have it coming. In the long run everybody dies and everybody gets to be resurrected so -really- where's the trouble? God doesn't have a problem with death because to Him it really isn't that big of a deal. He knows the trick for getting everyone back to life. I am sure one day (one far off day) we too, will understand how it all works and will still be amazed, but we'll understand why for God, death is (as Thor puts it) "No big hill for a high stepper."

So again here we are. Problems, agency, bugs in the system, kinks in the chain. That's life baby. That's truth. Just because we follow the rules and do what we are supposed to do, does that mean we get off easy? Do we have a trouble free life without trials, questions, doubts or fears? Do we get to laze about hoping and wishing for a harp playing afterlife? Um, no. God needs us to be as learned as possible and like the old saying goes, nothing teaches like experience. Another truth: even Christ Himself was tried and tested; and we know from modern day scripture that He had to endure every temptation we will face, He had to suffer in Gethsemane for every sin we have done...He had it pretty tough for Someone who always followed the rules and did everything He was asked to do.

Are we better than Christ? Should we have it easier than the God who suffered for our mistakes and sins?

One of my favourite scriptures is found in Doctrine and Covenants 121: 33

"How long can rolling waters remain impure? What power shall stay the heavens? As well might man stretch forth his puny arm to stop the Missouri river in its decreed course, or to turn it up stream, as to hinder the Almighty from pouring down knowledge from heaven upon the heads of the Latter-day Saints."

To me this means that we are most certainly going to be tried; and to try and stop that is foolish. Heavenly Father tries us to purify us, to fit us for the kingdom, to help us stand with confidence in His and Jesus Christ's presence. I love, love, love, that the scripture above reminds us that Heaven Father, The Almighty, wants to "pour down knowledge from heaven upon" our heads! Heavenly knowledge can only come from our overcoming doubts, fears, trials, temptations, and all our ills and "unfair" situations. Do we really want to "stay" that power? Or should we go with the flow?

I'm not promoting a messed up life, or saying things like "WAHOO! This week STINKS! AIN'T IT GREAT?" cause frankly, no sane person does that. All I suggest is that, as soon as possible, perhaps we can look back on our heartaches and such and find the purpose for the trial. Find the reason for our lesson, and soon reap the heavenly knowledge that can only come from overcoming what is placed in our path, or perhaps, make us review our path and change our course to get back on the right track.

A world filled with pure rain water to cleanse and prepare it anew for a small family that would repopulate it, sanctifying their lives through a 30 day storm that would go down in history.

A rolling river, clear, and beautifully filled with pure water because of the constant turbulence.

The Son of God, our Saviour, often referred to as Living Water, pierced on the cross, water gushing from His side just prior to His completing His earthly mission for us.

Knowledge pouring from Heaven down upon us.

Three examples of "all these things shall be for thy benefit", the good, the bad, the indifferent, can all be made into a blessing if we choose to allow it.

Truth is true. Knowledge is power. And to get it pouring from heaven, well that's amazing.

God Bless America

Today is an anniversary, and not a happy one. Because of events that happened in 2001 our nation has been twisted and torn away from what it used to be. Many of us stand in the challenge, some of us live in fear, and like the person who wrote on "Post Secret", some of us took opportunity when we saw it and ran away from our former lives forever.

A renewed patriotism rolled over our collective hearts and we sat a little taller, voted a little more, took a harder look, looked away a bit more often, found compassion in being lowered, and felt empathy, some for the first times in our lives.

I am a child of the fifties, granted the late fifties, but still the era of hula hoops, metal skates, staying out until the street lights came on playing Man From Uncle, and practicing "duck and cover" during school. I remember sitting on top of the hill where we lived. I was in first grade and I could see all the way (about 2 miles!) to the ocean. I also remember the fear I felt during the "air raid drills" and when the Marines from Camp Pendleton exploded their bombs off the coast. I saw the clouds from those bombs and their shapes and the boom. It is still there in my head, even now.

I remember sitting with the grown ups and hearing "gloom and doom" stories, prophecies that insured that I would never grow up, and if I did, more than likely I would never have kids of my own... the world would have been over by then and we would be living in a post apocalyptic scene reminiscent of The Road. I remember families, hippies, protesters, and the Marines all in the same place, all fighting for the same exact thing and the only one who seemed to see they were all on the same side were the grade school kids. Everyone loved their country and freedom, all were expressing it their own way, which as a kid I thought was o.k. to do, and yet everyone was opposed and angry and pointing fingers at each other as if the other one did not care. No one listened to the others. The point that day was no one liked war, no one.

I can remember hushed tones when mothers talked quietly consoling a friend who's daughter was "in trouble", or young boy who went to "juvi". It was sad when the family down the street suddenly had a "broken home" and their dad moved across town. It was shameful and unexpected when we found out that Mr. Simpson had cheated on his wife. It was shocking when we found out our President had broken laws and bent truth, and it hurt when he defiantly stood and told us he was not a crook. We took it personally. It didn't matter which party we belonged to, he betrayed all of us.

We went to churches and worshiped our Gods, and we had a lot of them to choose from -even back then. We wore play clothes and school clothes, work clothes and dress up clothes, and on our respective Sabbaths, we wore our "best" in respect for our God. We said please, and thank you, held the door open as we walked through it, and stood as the flag went by. Their were some kids in my class who had religious beliefs that did not allow them to pledge allegiance, so they quietly sat. Other kids silently prayed each morning as they came into the class. No one ever said a word either way. We knew and understood right and wrong.

Time went by, no bombs were dropped, Russia became our 'friend', a wall came down in Germany; and my memories of the black and white movie that showed people running and crying while a radio voice pleads, "This is Hungary calling! This is Hungary calling!" softly began to find a quiet spot in my brain. (although writing those words causes my eyes to tear again) Little children no longer say "Booooombs over Tokyo!" when they drop a water balloon on their friends from the upstairs window. They no longer decide who is first by using racial epitaphs in sing songy voices. I don't know a kid who can tell me who Bazooka Joe is; or who can identify the dimple on a coke bottle and why it had significance. We found out JFK had a girlfriend on the side, but by the time we found out, no one was shocked any more.

Progress. Good and bad, and we sort through it to try and find the best and to be politically correct. This has worked, in my opinion, very well for about 90% of life. I am bad with math, my percentages could be wrong. I like that we no longer use racial slurs without thought. I await the day when someone can be nominated or elected and gender, religion, or race will not even be in the headline, it will be a moot point. I am sad however that some things have gone the way of the dinosaur and will never come back.

I feel we, as the most blessed nation on earth, have become spoiled, complacent, apathetic, and willing to go with the flow. We have exchanged our moral agency to become followers in the Church of the Feelgood and Happening Now because we are afraid of being politically incorrect or hurting a friend or family member because of our/their choices. We have lost sight of right and wrong through amazing shades of gray. I do not and will not ever condone abusing anyone for their race, religion, creed, or lifestyle. I believe firmly and allow all people to worship who, what, and where they may. I expect others to allow me the same. I also believe we still need to act morally. We currently live in fear of those who "educate" us, instructing us that what was correct 5 years ago is now simply a moral issue and therefore cannot be put into the calculation for decision making. If a answer or solution has a moral aspect it is now discarded.

I am melancholy today for many reasons. The anniversary that causes too many questions still unanswered, a war that lingers on and a debate over that war that only history and time will clear up, a society that lives by safety colour codes and diminishing constitutional rights for security sake. I am sad for leadership with cloudy backgrounds and immoral precursors, and that it seems we can't swing a cat at any of our choices without some suspicion. I wonder if my vote really counts and if it does, I am damned if I do, damned if I don't in regard to which chad I punch through. Most of all, I am tired of living in fear. Fear of other nations, fear of our own leadership, fear of voicing my opinion, fear of offending the popular kids, fear of being afraid.

One thing remains. I still have moral agency. I still have obligation. I still have choice and responsibility. I still live in the best nation, albeit a messy one at the moment. I still can raise my voice in those things I think are immoral or unlawful. I can still have an opinion no matter how biased or unfair, no matter how religious right or liberal left I am. I can still write a letter, make a phone call, sign a petition, and ask others to do the same. I still feel the hand of the Lord in my life. I still feel an obligation to God and my fellow human beings. I still feel accountable to God for how I treat people and the earth and those things I have been given stewardship over. I still feel that prayer is real and that it works, and that all things are for our benefit.

I still feel the need to say God bless America, and mean it deeply.

adoption

A couple of weeks back I sat in on a combined Sunday School class. All the adults who weren't otherwise occupied were invited to listen to a presentation on the LDS Family Services. The presenter spoke reverently and respectfully about mental illness, marriages, families, adoption, addiction recovery in all its' forms, job placement, and many other quick points on the services they provide, who is eligible and how one goes about receiving assistance from them. After a ten minute or so presentation the remainder of the time was given to a young woman, "Sarah".

"Sarah" told us her very personal struggle with placing her newborn infant with an adoptive couple and how she came to make the decision. It was amazing to watch this young woman bear her deepest thoughts and heartbreak in front of so many strangers. She was poised and Spiritually mature beyond her years, and spoke with such conviction and purpose. Most everyone in the room had tears in their eyes as she spoke; and we could fully understand her decision process and determination for her new baby. Her words were filled with wisdom, and complete and unselfish love for this little baby, and hopes for this child's welfare above her own situation of ache and grief. It was a privilege to have witnessed her speak and feel the Spirit in the room that day.

She wanted to assure us that she made the decision fully on her own; and that no one had "guilted" or coerced her into it. She was given all the opportunities and options, a counselor, and availability to others who had been in her situation who had made various decisions.

I have to say that I have been in attendance (at these same kinds of presentations) a few other times, as recently as a few months ago, where other mothers have shared their stories, also beautiful and filled with love; however "Sarah" will being my heart and mind for a very long time, I hope, forever. She humbled me.

She shared an analogy that I had never heard before. She asked us to imagine a young mother and father who were outside, playing with their toddler. While the parents are inattentive, only for a moment, it is long enough for their toddler to wander out into the street where a swiftly approaching car is racing down the street. The parents have a choice to make:

A: They can stand frozen in fear and allow the child to be hit by the car, which would surely kill the toddler, but more than likely cause lifelong emotional harm to the parents who were not able to rescue their child.

B: They can, together, run to the child, wrap their arms around each other and take the hit. Chances are all three will be injured, and most likely have life long injuries, but they will all live.

C: Mother can run to the child, while dad goes for help. Mommy wraps her body around the toddler, and together they take the hit. Mommy and child will both receive injuries that will be life long and difficult, however they will live.

D: Mom can run to the toddler with such force she pushes the child out of the street and into the arms of another couple standing on the other side. Mommy will suffer injuries that will last a life time, baby may also have a few scrapes and bruises, however the baby will be safe.

Her analogies were this:
A: is like an abortion, the baby dies. "Sarah" explained to us that she could not even think of this option, although many in her situation have and do. For her, the emotional scars would have been too difficult to bear and she could not think of a life with that kind of hurt.

B: is like a marriage for marriage's sake and not one that was planned for or inevitable, a marriage of convenience that would most likely fail, harming all three parties. Another choice "Sarah" said was not even an option for her in her situation.

C: would be like rearing the child as a single mother, hoping for help that may or may not come, a father who is more absent than constant, and that would, again, harm all three parties for life. She said she felt that this was an option for her as she had great support from her family.

D: is like adoption. She would save her baby and harm herself knowingly.
She admitted that it was the single most difficult decision she has ever made; and that it has hurt her more than any other situation in her life... however the thought of her baby having both a mother and a father who could love her baby, support her baby, and give her baby 'saving ordinances' (scroll to "Sealing Authority" ) that she could not yet give her baby, those were the things that she felt her baby deserved. So she pushed the baby into loving arms and took the worst hit of her life.

She shared with us photos of her baby and her baby's adoptive family. She told us the happiest she has felt since finding out she was pregnant was the day she went to wait outside the temple as the adoptive family were sealed for all time and eternity. She said there would never be anything that would help her heart heal more than knowing her baby had a forever family. She was sure she had made the correct decision.

I have to tell you, it was hard to watch her tell her story, and I pray that if I were ever in her situation that I would have the faith to do what was best for the child. She truly amazed and humble everyone in that room.

For those of you reading who are LDS, this post probably makes a lot of sense. For my readers who are unfamiliar with LDS beliefs and would like to know more by reading information from the source --these links can help. No one will call on you unless you specifically request it. And of course you may always ask me, I would enjoy helping you understand what I am writing about!

Mormon.org

about the church

Do One Thing! 3 web sites and a new weekly program!

We have our 72 hour kit and our first aid kits so what do we do now?

Food storage is such a huge elephant we often feel over whelmed!

If your state or local government allows you to store food -you should! There are plenty of places to store it, even in an apartment, as long as you get creative.

We should begin storing at least one week of extra food, just in case. Imagine your job being suspended or gone completely. Wouldn't it be nice to not have to depend on running to the store for a week? Perhaps you have unexpected guest drop by for a few days, or your college kids need a quick CarePackage. There are many reasons why having an extra week of food readily available, natural disasters are just the ones most people think of first.

We need to begin eating our food storage elephant! The best way to get started is to just go slowly, one bite at a time. This post has a couple of ways to help you out with the task. The first is a food storage recipe website, another website for tracking what you store, and the third a weekly program to help us build a year's supply for two people for under $10.00 a week.

Next time you are making out your shopping list add one extra meal to the list. If that bursts the budget add as much of that meal as you can, even one extra can is more than nothing! If your budget can handle it, add more than one meal! Or you can shop by product, say, week one I'll buy fruit, week two- veggies, three -meat, and so on.

Most food storage sites will recommend that you store basics in bulk such as wheat, flour, sugar, salt, and oil. These are staples that will get you through most incidents. However, you also need to know how to cook with those items as well. So as you begin to store your staples, begin to use them so that you have recipes your family will eat. A resource for recipes is: Every Day Food Storage, she's amazing! Crystal uses her basics everyday to rotate her food storage and has become very popular with her recipes, which she shares!

If you want to begin with just the regular meal plans you normally use, that is great also. You'll be storing what you already eat.

Check the papers for sales or coupons that will give you two for one. Are there any bulk sales this week? This is the time to grab onto whatever bargains you can! Let's say they are having a case lots sale on vegetables and you have enough set aside to purchase two cases. Purchase a case of this, and a case of that, and bring it home. It may not feel like it, but you're on your way. Next time you'll purchase a different item that your family regularly eats and before you know it, you will have stored an extra weeks worth of food.

A few weeks back they had a huge sale on Raisin Bran, which Thor could easily eat for days on end. I picked up all my budget could handle and got it stored in my air tight sealed buckets. The cereal should last for about three months easy! When the container in my cupboard gets low, I'll just go to the bucket and fill it up, rotating out my stock.

There are many sources to help you out in finding what to purchase and what to store. The best advice is to store what you already eat. A great website for keeping track of what you have is : Track My Food Storage. This is a free service that allows you to add personal data into documents so that you can see what you are storing.

Track My Food Storage also has an alternative plan which does cost a subscription, but the free plan is a great start. They will ask you for some vague personal info, which is secure, but I am sure you could also put in false identity if you choose and no one would be the wiser. There is an option to link up to websites that offer food storage shopping on line, but again, you never need to shop, you can calculate your own purchases.

The charts allow you to calculate what you purchase, when, what the expiration dates are, costs, storage location and also a place for notes on each item. The fee based subscription will notify you when supplies are getting low or close to code dates, rotation help, etc.

One last site that I think is fabulous, and one that we used in our ward* was Project Noah. Unfortunately I can no longer access the link. The good news is however, that I have the list they provided and we can start with that!

So here were are again, a week by week project that will give us everything we need to build our food storage without breaking the bank.

Week 1: At least 7 gallons of water.
Hint: Water storage may be in plastic bottles, to which bleach may be added if the purity of the water is in question. (generally l/2 tsp per five gallons if water is clear or 1. tsp. per five gallons if water is cloudy.) In case of emergency, the water in water beds, water heaters, toilet tanks, and cisterns may be purified and used. It is generally accepted that water is best stored in thick plastic barrels which are placed on a surface other than concrete/cement. If you need to store any plastic on a concrete/cement surface place a barrier between the container and the concrete.
Milk jugs are not a good storage container as they are designed to break down quickly, two liter soda jugs are "o.k." but also not recommended.

*ward = congregation

Do One Thing: Week 12

Week 12:
PET SUPPLIES:
food,
water,
feeding bowls,
leash, etc
any meds they take.

We live where it gets blistering hot during the summer months, wet and sometimes snowy in the winter. With that in it would be a god idea to add a carrier large enough to accommodate your animal(s), a pop up shade or umbrella for weather protection, some of those doggie shoes if you think the pads of their feet will burn if exposed to long, some kind of a pad for sleeping.

And with that ladies and gentlemen, you should complete your 72 hour kit with little or no expense! Now how 'bout we tackle some other preparedness items? You can always add to your 72 hour kit to make it less emergency disaster and more "glamping" during an event, it just depends on how much you want to do!

Next week we'll start a new series that will also help you on a weekly basis to gather without breaking the bank.

stroke of genius

I saw this on TED (lower left side bar under "looking off the port bow")when it first came out and loved it. Last week Jill Bolte Taylor was interviewed on NPR as the book she has written is being released. This is a fascinating true story of a brain scientist who falls victim to a stroke. She speaks of how at first she doesn't realize what is happening, only that it is beautiful. Eventually she figures out something is wrong and eight years later she is able to express her struggles and what she learned as a scientist who observe the stroke from the inside out.

This talk is well worth the 18 minutes it takes to view. I guarantee you willbe glad you listened to her. Awesome.

picturing excess

Please take a 11:00 minute break and watch this fascinating video, either here or at TED.com. This artist has come up with his "examples of anesthesia", ways that we as a nation go about everyday without consciously being aware of things that we participate in, either by acquiescence or purpose because that's the way things are done. He does not judge or say we are "bad" he justs wants us to be more aware of certain things. He also points out his subjects are not a priority list of ills, just a few things that caught his personal attention in staggering ways.

Some of his subjects are the amount of paper cups we use in a day.
The U.S. prison population versus those from other countries.
Death by cigarettes.
Prescription drug use and abuse.
Elective Breast Augmentation.
Liposuction.

He, I feel, effectively "translates numbers and statistics into visual images" so to invite and motivate us to first recognize and then if we are a part of the problem to accept our responsibility in these things and asks us to think how we can personally change them.

Please watch and enjoy.

Do One Thing: Week 11

Week 11: COMMUNICATION:

battery operated radio,
ham radio if you have the license and know how.
walkie talkies with fresh batteries (I think we added these a few weeks ago)
whistle,
hand/small mirror (for reflecting the sun and getting attention)
maps (gps if you have one)
fresh charged cell phones
a flash drive with cell numbers, addresses, etc. placed on your key chain ( I think we already talked about this one)
a small address book with all the above info in it tucked into your kit in case you can't access you computer and need those numbers and info.
a permanent black marker. This is creepy, but writing your ssi# name and other info on your arm is a good idea for i.d.-ing in the event of disorientation, being lost, or even death. Write this info on the backs of small children, just below their neck.)
Any other items that come to mind when you think of communicating during an emergency event.

We're getting down to the wire! One more week and your kit should be complete!

And as long as we are preparing, I got this link in an e-mail. (Thanks Jill!) It's a test to see if you know what to do during an EarThQuAke! aaAAHHhhhh! Well screaming isn't one of them... the music and graphics are goofy, but the questions make you think. It's especially good for kids and teens who may not fully understand what to do or those who think they have it all covered. You may even learn something new yourself!

Do One Thing: Week 10

Week 10:

WARMTH & SHELTER:
waterproof matches (you can make your own by dipping regular wood matched into melted wax and allowing them to dry), ALSO, Adan suggests using clear nail polish as a flammable sealant to the waterproof match and to toss in a throw away mini lighter...just in case. Thanks Adan!
tent
tarp (a thick plastic shower curtain can even be used as a ground cover- I got mine at the $1 store.),
emergency reflective blanket (you can get these at camping stores),
wool blanket/sleeping bag,
poncho,
camp stove, (additional options in a few weeks, but for now, if you have a camp stove, that is your best bet)
fuel,
pan/spoon,
industrial strength garbage bags (check the mm thickness on the packaging; thicker is better! these can be used as ponchos, potties, trash, or insulation among other uses. )
and once again Adan comes up with a great addition to our kit: DUCT TAPE! (why didn't I think of that?) Like he says, " A little duct tape and plastic and your sun shade becomes a very effective all weather shelter." Think of all the other uses for duct tape! (No, you cannot use it to tie down the kids instead of getting a baby sitter!) Ten points to Adan for his great suggestions!

Again, if you don't have these things readily available, check out -either by shopping around or on line- where you can get them cheap! Try the Dollar Stores, discount warehouses or even Army Surplus. We found wool blankets, twin sized, for about $7. Think creatively, Back in the day, I couldn't afford ponchos for everyone, but I could afford plastic shower curtains at a buck a piece.

Last week I was at the Bass Pro Shop, where I picked up a beach shade. This shade is portable (it fits into a sling that you can just carry over your shoulder, very light weight), fits two adult sized chairs or two adults can lay down in it (albeit closely!), has the SPF rating of 50 (rated for 8 hours of protection and recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation), and cost under $25. Granted it is open on one side, however you could use this as a day shelter if you needed to, seriously, this shelter is very small when packed, light, and easy to set up.

We only have two more weeks before our kits will be complete! After that we can begin adding more conveniences to them and making our (emergency) life easier. As far as this category goes, in a few weeks from now, I will show you how to make a "buddy burner". A small container, filled with all the ingredients you will need to make (say it like a cave man) FIRE! All out of things you normally throw away, FREE! You can easily (and safely) store your buddy burners and when you need fire to cook with, tada! there you go, you'll have it!

Now go gather the things for week ten!

Do One Thing: Week 9

Week 9: PERSONAL ITEMS:

The majority of families displaced by Katrina are still waiting to go home because they were not prepared with personal papers and information, they depended on FEMA and the government, they waited too long, they didn't save for an emergency and other situations that we all tend to do. Now is the time to prepare. Do not depend on the government to rebuild your life after an event.

Copies of all important papers

Download info to a zip drive, including i.d. cards, deeds, trusts, wills, etc., all your personal credit card numbers and the numbers for who to call if lost or stolen, social security numbers, pension fund, safe deposit box info., bank account numbers, all types of insurance papers, birth certs. passports, photos of the family, phone numbers, cd/dvd. of genealogy, and passwords to accounts, etc. Do you know your families cell numbers without your cell? If your battery wanes will you be able to call numbers by memory? Copy everything that identifies you and your property, your future, your finances, your claims, etc. Get it all on a zip drive. Carry that with you or have it stored near you bed or in you kit so you can grab it at a moments notice.

You will also want cash in coin and bills (if the electricity is out- chances are so will the atm machines). Think of how your city will run without credit or atm, how will it run on a cash only basis for two weeks? You need a stash of cash.

a cd player with batteries or tape player. (a few years ago I video taped each room in the house, garage, and shed for insurance purposes. I opened closets, drawers and doors, to expose exactly what would need to be replaced in case of fire etc. I put that on a dvd and keep it with the kit. (understand that insurance companies will want receipts- do you keep yours? They cannot tell the difference between faux pearls and real without a receipt. Also they are prepared to fight your for the replacement costs, not new mind you, how much can your replace your t.v. for if it was four years old? E-bay cost against new. Also, remember that in a city-wide event there will be literally hundreds of families vying for those insurance funds, and they won't come easily.)

Keep your laptop/cell phone charged and ready to go every night if you have to run out without notice.

walkie talkies, battery operated radios, ham radio if you are licensed.

If you need them, FEMA and/or the Red Cross will need info from you as well. Remember if you want help from these agencies you need to apply for it the day of the incident. Do not wait three or four days, you need to request help that day! Make sure to contact the correct people, look for badges and their i.d., don't give personal info to just anyone. Check the FEMA site for more detailed info.

Again, make sure all your personal information is where you can easily grab it, not tucked in a far closet. Think the house is on fire and you are out side, where can you grab it quickly from? Can you store this info on your personal key chain?

Do One Thing: Week 8

Week 8: TOOLS:

gloves, crescent wrench, ax, shovel, 1/2in coil rope, hammer, pliers, screw drivers, duct tape, pocket knife, sewing kit, etc.

(Thor and I also have the instructions for shutting off the utilities..he may know, I may know, but whoever else is there may need the info., also a scout handbook comes in handy!)

Do One Thing - Week 7

Week 7: PERSONAL SANITATION: Soap, toothbrush, wash clothe, comb, hand towel, mirror, feminine products, toilet paper, hand wipes, shampoo, lotion, razors (um, I think if you have a baby you may want diapers and trash bags to keep the soiled ones in)

Do One Thing: Week 6

This one is not only easy, but hey, you gotta like it! SNACKS!

Week 6: SNACKS: Cookies, crackers, hot cocoa, gum, hard candy, granola bars, fruit snacks. (maybe cheerios or other baby snacks)

So there you go! Get your snack on!

Do One Thing: Week 5

Week 5: CLOTHES & COMFORTS:

2-3 socks, underwear, change of clothes, t-shirt, pants, windbreaker, hat , sturdy shoes, ( Thor and I packed all these plus sweat pants/shirt for layering) , Comfort items: Scriptures, books, games, favorite toys, paper, pens/pencils/ crayons, music, etc. (um, I packed M&Ms and tootsie pops!)

So there you go! Do something comforting this week.

Do One Thing: Week 4

Week 4: FIRST AID KIT: alcohol, wipes, band aids, neosporin, moleskin, tweezers, nail clippers, medications, Rx meds. if you can, flashlight with batteries, sunscreen, bug repellent, sunglasses, etc.

Below is one example of a fully stocked kit from the
American Red Cross website:

First Aid Kit
Assemble a first aid kit for your home and one for each car.

• (20) adhesive bandages, various sizes.
• (1) 5" x 9" sterile dressing.
• (1) conforming roller gauze bandage.
• (2) triangular bandages.
• (2) 3 x 3 sterile gauze pads.
• (2) 4 x 4 sterile gauze pads.
• (1) roll 3" cohesive bandage.
• (2) germicidal hand wipes or waterless alcohol-based hand sanitizer.
• (6) antiseptic wipes.
• (2) pair large medical grade non-latex gloves.
• Adhesive tape, 2" width.
• Anti-bacterial ointment.
• Cold pack.
• Scissors (small, personal).
• Tweezers.
• CPR breathing barrier, such as a face shield.

Non-Prescription Drugs

• Aspirin or nonaspirin pain reliever
• Anti-diarrhea medication
• Antacid (for stomach upset)
• Syrup of Ipecac (use to induce vomiting if advised by the Poison Control Center)
• Laxative
• Activated charcoal (use if advised by the Poison Control Center)

Do One Thing: Week 3

Week 3: FOOD & MESS KIT: Cereal, peanut butter, oatmeal, dry soup mixes, MREs, jam juices, fruit cups, energy bars, dried fruit, nut crackers, PLUS a mess kit or utensils to cook with, manual can opener, ziploc bags. (again, remember the baby and provide whatever the little ones may be used to eating) No need to go to the store, try to find things right from the cupboard!

You should store with meals in mind, however, BASIC meals for survival, not company sit down feasts. Store extra water if you are storing meals that need water in a recipe, such as soup. Store only those things you currently eat. If you don't eat MREs on a weekly basis don't store them. Also if you can find canned goods with the pop tops, that illuminates the need for can openers.

3 Meals and two snacks per person each day. Store this in your containers that you gathered last week. You can place all the meals in one pack or give each person their own meals in their own pack/container...it's up to you. Think about freshness, stability, and expiration dates. wrap or re-wrap to discourage spoilage and pests. Label the food and also the outside of your container so that you know what you have, the suggested meal menus, and when you need to rotate it out with a fresh batch.

Do One Thing: Week 2

Week 2: WATER: One gallon per person per day, plus water purification tablets (water for cooking and drinking; sanitation may require more). Think about the water in Louisiana after Katrina, plenty of water, just none you want to drink or bathe in- also make sure to calculate and provide enough formula and water for the baby.

We'll start filling that container soon, stay with me!

Now if you want to do more, why not take the following quiz, provided by the

California Volunteers....

Get Ready! Family Assessment

In California, it’s not a question of if a disaster will strike, but when. Whether it’s wildfires, earthquakes, winter storms or even man-made disasters, the Golden State faces its share of problems. Do you know what to do? Do you have a plan?

When disaster strikes, emergency workers may be delayed in responding, so you need to learn what to do, have a plan and be prepared to take care of yourself, your family and your community.

WE Prepare by being ready! Are you prepared? Answer the following questions to find out if you have taken steps to be prepared in an emergency.

Do you have a family disaster plan?
Yes No

Do you have a disaster supply kit?
Yes No

Have you identified local emergency contacts?
Yes No

Have you identified out-of-state emergency contacts?
Yes No

Have you identified a family meeting place?
Yes No

Have you talked to your children about what to do in an emergency?
Yes No N/A

Have you practiced what to do at home in the event of a disaster?
Yes No

Have you duplicated important documents (e.g. insurance documents, birth certificates, deed to your home)?
Yes No N/A

Do you know your child's school disaster plan?
Yes No N/A

If you answered “no” to any of these questions, please take a few minutes to fill out a customized family disaster plan.

Awesome Information at "We Prepare"

We Prepare. Here in California we are aware of the different natural disasters that can happen just within the state! California's First Lady, Maria Shriver, has worked with others in designing a great web page to help guide you to lists, self evaluations, special needs links, guides, government agencies, and other preparedness sites!

This web site was designed for California, but it is useful to anyone, anywhere!

I'm going to walk through a couple of these with you. The first page is a ten point questionnaire (a great way to get you thinking), followed by a fact sheet about the site volunteers, and at the bottom of the page is one more link to a PDF emergency checklist (which is really cool also, but later...later!).

One of the first links takes you to California Volunteers (I love this page! Sooo many goodies!) After the click, open the page that says Get Ready! Holy Cow! That page will open up to even more pages!

Two of my favourite things on that page is the Determine Your Family's Risk and Customize Your Family Plan and Children's Book.

It would be a great idea for mom and dad to go to both of these pages, take the assessment, and then make a customized plan and download and print a personalized book for your children (for FREE!). Seriously, this is a great idea! They have a basic outline for the book with blank spaces for you to add your own information and names. Wouldn't this be a fun FHE?

Mom and dad could design a lesson activity to go over the assessment with the kids and then afterwards reinforce the new plan by reading a book with all the kids' names and important info! I love this idea.

I will explore some more pages next week and we'll continue to tackle that Elephant!

In the meantime, I was directed to this site and invited to review it. The folks back at headquarters are going to be peeking in on the blog and checking the comments, so comment away. There are only 50 blogs that are being selected to do this -so lucky us! Let them -and us- know what is effective, what could be improved, and if they have left anything pertinent out.

Do one thing.

Hitting close to home, or disasters that occur miles away- they can and will make our own lives and comforts displaced. In order for our family to feel secure, safe, and self reliant we need to become prepared.

We began a 12 week program that can helped us begin to store and build a 72 hour emergency kit for each member of our family. Thor and I were able to gather all these supplies (and even more!) with little or no money, just squirreling away items we were able to find in the house already and setting them aside.

Twelve weeks to a full kit:

Week 1: BACKPACK - a duffel bag, rolling suitcase, bucket, whatever! Some form of storage for each member of the family. (It doesn't need to be new, just sturdy)

That's it! That's your assignment this week. I'll be back next week with another item to put in your kit.

Tomorrow, a great web site to explore!