Motivational Monday - "Sleep When the Wind Blows"

During the past week I have been in a "mock emergency" situation. While visiting Idaho Preppers last week, they issued a challenge to live on what you have (no shopping) for two weeks. The challenge came from Preparedness Pro who is also having a give away to those who join in and comment. Today we are into the challenge one full week (we started last Monday August 3rd). It's not to late to join in.

Personally I think I kind of live in preparedness/emergency mode. I always try to have two weeks of groceries in my fridge in case an emergency strikes. We won't know when the emergency strikes, there won't be time to prepare at that second and I don't want to go without or have stress during an emergency. I want to be able to have the necessities to handle the problem with low stress.

This past week was I worried at all that I could live normally? Nope! We still have a gallon of milk and I could make that stretch because I have powdered milk. I still have about 20 eggs in the fridge and I have powdered eggs too. I keep several months of butter in the freezer. For me those are the big items that I don't want to live without. Fresh vegetables and fruits are another item. It was nice that this challenge came during the summer when my garden is going strong. It would be nice to make an emergency come in the summer and having basic electricity too helps.

The mock emergency helps you see what holes you have in your preparation. So far, I'm good. I think I could go more then the 2 weeks - no problem. It's easy that there are only 2 of us, but I know in an emergency Jason and Sharon will be here too.

Also last week, Prepared LDS Family ran a poll to see what kinds of emergencies you have experienced in your life time.

Unemployment 2 months or longer
Illness/Injury 2 weeks or longer
A 24+ Hour Power Outage
A Home Fire
A 6.0+ Earthquake
A Category 3+ Hurricane
A Tornado
An Ice Storm
A Flash Flood
An Epidemic/Pandemic
A Drought

Do you feel prepared for a disaster?

I have NEVER been in an emergency. NEVER! And yet I feel the need to prepare. It's like a life insurance program. You just never know and we have been told to prepare from our prophets. If I never live through any type of emergency, I know I have the well being of preparation and the money it save when I can purchase items on sale and not at regular price because I am out. I have a "personal store" in my home that I plan to keep stocked at all time.

I found this great story at sugardoodle.net - I wonder...... Can you sleep when the wind blows? Can you join in the challenge of a mock emergency for 2 weeks and be fine?

Can you sleep while the wind blows?

Years ago, a farmer owned land along the Atlantic seacoast. He constantly advertised for hired hands. Most people were reluctant to work on farms along the Atlantic. They dreaded the awful storms that raged across the Atlantic, wreaking havoc on the buildings and crops. As the farmer interviewed applicants for the job, he received a steady stream of refusals.

Finally, a short, thin man, well past middle age, approached the farmer. "Are you a good farm hand?" the farmer asked him. "Well, I can sleep when the wind blows," answered the little man.

Although puzzled by this answer, the farmer, desperate for help, hired him. The little man worked well around the farm, busy from dawn to dusk, and the farmer felt satisfied with the man's work. Then one night the wind howled loudly in from offshore. Jumping out of bed, the farmer grabbed a lantern and rushed next door to the hired hand's sleeping quarters. He shook the little man and yelled, "Get up! A storm is coming! Tie things down before they blow away!" The little man rolled over in bed and said firmly, "No sir. I told you, I can sleep when the wind blows."

Enraged by the response, the farmer was tempted to fire him on the spot. Instead, he hurried outside to prepare for the storm.

To his amazement, he discovered that all of the haystacks had been covered with tarpaulins. The cows were in the barn, the chickens were in the coops, and the doors were barred. The shutters were tightly secured. Everything was tied down.

Nothing could blow away. The farmer then understood what his hired hand meant, so he returned to his bed to also sleep while the wind blew.

When you're prepared, spiritually, mentally, and physically, you have nothing to fear. Can you sleep when the wind blows through your life? The hired hand in the story was able to sleep because he had secured the farm against the storm. We secure ourselves against the storms of life by grounding ourselves in the Word of God. We don't need to understand, we just need to hold His hand to have peace in the middle of storms. I hope you enjoy your day and you sleep well.