Friday, July 6, 2012

PREPAREDNESS REVISITED

I am interrupting my previous thread to insert a "preparedness minute". Oh I know you probably thought I had forgotten all about the original mission of my blog, to be a prepared person in any situation. And looking back on some of my earlier posts, I feel that I am a lot better than before. Even though temporal preparedness is preached, we must also bolster our spiritual preparedness. 

Isaiah 50:4 [The Servant of God says] The Lord God has given Me the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him who is weary. He wakens Me morning by morning, He wakens My ear to hear as a disciple [as one who is taught].

 So, last Friday evening, there was a thunder storm, but this was not your average storm. This storm was large and in charge,and  it moved across the Mid Atlantic and Eastern Seaboard, traveling  with  80 to 95 mile per hour winds. Sound's like a hurricane doesn't it? The weatherman down played the ferociousness of it. What I have noticed is that in the winter, the weather man will advise you to stay home and hide under your bed on a day that is partly cloudy, with a chance of drizzle. The public radio forum's will have minute by minute up dates on how to prepare for the coming storm? Not so in the summer. Last year we had 2 major earthquakes, ( at least major for this area). 
IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT
My car radio burnt out so I didn't hear any reports. I remember taking a short nap on the sofa that night and my husband called from work and his exact words were:" There is a storm coming your way in 5-10 mins," and we were disconnected and almost immediately the lights flickered, the winds beat at the house,and the hail and rain started. Then the power went and that was the beginning of sorrows. My dog was extremely anxious at this turn of events. So I went to my trusty emergency drawer and closet to pull out my flash lights, camp lantern and 2-way radio. Oops, they had been absconded, but who would do this? So found a small flash light that I keep plugged in and I found my phone and called my husband." Honey!! I said, its dark,!!" Where are the flashlights, camp lantern and 2-way radio, and not to mention, the batteries for said items? He said," Oh, I took all the batteries to put in my flash lights at work and the 2-way radio is stored in my camping gear. I dunno where the lantern is." What!! I said. What am I going to do? "Well" he said "You can look for the lantern in the(now dark) basement." We were disconnected again at that statement, and I was promising myself that I would call Sprint to get to the bottom of their less than stellar service.

So, my dog and I found the camp lantern in the dark and spooky basement, and we hunkered down. Or rather, I tried to hunker and my 125 lb black lab wanted to sit in my lap. What a wuss he is. So I was thinking to myself, or maybe talking, because I know that in any situation in my life, I am not alone. So I started to berate myself for not being better prepared. I mentally went over a list of things that were either missing or had run out and I felt bad. So I did this a few times until finally, I felt a response, and the response was, "Don't worry, the lights will be back on at 4:00 am". So I went to sleep, and I was awakened by lights, the sound of my ceiling fan and my air conditioner (thank God), coming back to life. And like clockwork, my husband called to see how I was doing. I said fine, the lights are on. It was 4:15am 

I thought about my level of preparedness in this situation, and I realize that I was prepared. I found a couple of flash lights and I had some dog biscuits for Max. I felt assured that we would be OK, and even though the next day was a challenge, we were able to offer our home and even our freezer to friends who may have needed it. So does being prepared mean having a 100 years worth of food storage, or does it mean having a place to offer to someone in need. In Isaiah 50:4 the servant of the Lord is given the tongue of a disciple and of one who is taught. I believe that lessons come our way daily, and all the things we have been taught beforehand, come back to play when needed. I am thankful for the lessons of preparedness.      
   

1 comment:

Fortune Cookie Mom said...

We try to build our 72 hour kits, even though ours is not prefect, but it makes us feel better, and know what to bring when things like that coming. It's scary, but you are right, when we are prepared, no fear. We love you!!