Thoughts on Japan and the Winner of the Mylar Bag Give-Away!

Before I announce the winner of the USA Emergency Supply Give-Away, I'd like to encourage you just one more time (forgive me for sounding like a broken record!), to please take some time this week to read my Prepping Basics posts.


By urging you to become a "prepper", I do not intend to stir up a spirit of fear. However, I feel strongly that for the most part we've become a nation of fools, spending wildly beyond our means and living on the edge for years on end. Harsh words, I know. And I haven't always made wise choices myself. In fact, I'd be a rich woman today if I still had every dollar I foolish spent over 26 years of marriage. 


But let me ask you this... If you lived in northern Japan today, and you were blessed not to have your house completely knocked down by the tremors or wiped out by the tsunami, how long would your family be able to eat without utilities or emergency aid from an outside source? Would you be able to treat some minor wounds? Or how about heat your home? Let's take it one step further. Would you have the means to help anyone else besides your immediate family?

 Photo Credit

There are really only two options...


Either you will be the one needing help or you will be the one helping others.


Sometimes we can not help but be the one in need. And today in Japan, many are in need for no direct fault of their own. However, more often than not, it's because of our own foolishness that we find ourselves in such a situation. I'm confessing right here and now, that I don't have as much food and supplies stored as I would like to have on hand. And for obvious reasons, I feel that I need to step it up a notch. The 3.4 earthquake that hit my house Thursday night at 8:51 p.m. certainly got my attention; especially after I turned on the news just before bed and saw that an 8.9 earthquake hit Japan just under an hour later!


Folks, it's not just physical earthquakes, but financial and other kinds that are looming in our future. Yes, we might just squeeze by an economic collapse, but even if we do, is it wise to live so brashly? Do not allow someone to guilt trip you into thinking that those of great faith don't need to store up food because God will provide. I'm posting this scripture as much for myself as anyone, but take a minute to meditate on this...

       6 Go to the ant, O sluggard,

         Observe her ways and be wise, 

    ⁷ Which, having no chief,

         Officer or ruler, 

    ⁸ Prepares her food in the summer

         And gathers her provision in the harvest. 

    ⁹ How long will you lie down, O sluggard?

         When will you arise from your sleep? 

    ¹⁰ "A little sleep, a little slumber,

         A little folding of the hands to rest"-- 

    ¹¹ Your poverty will come in like a vagabond

         And your need like an armed man. 

~Proverbs 6:6-11

  25 The ants are not a strong people,

        But they prepare their food in the summer;

~ Proverbs 30:25

I could go on and on, but I've really already addressed most of this in my earlier posts, so I'll refrain from repeating myself and exasperating every reader I have. I figure I'm preaching to the choir right now anyway because so many of you have encouraged ME to be better at food storage and preparedness!


Yes, there is certainly a point where we can start to store so much that we quit trusting God, become wise in our own eyes, and forget to acknowledge that He has provided it all. Just read Luke 12:1-48. It's also very clear in that passage that we must be prepared spiritually first. But if you take scripture as a whole and then look at this passage in Luke again, I do not believe Jesus was telling all the people that they should not store any food at all. The message was clear that they had stopped trusting in God and if they were scrambling after food trying to store it without acknowledging Him then they were missing the mark. And He was also clear that should they find themselves without food, He certainly knew their need and could provide. I'm sure we will hear amazing stories in the days ahead of just how God has done this for many of the Japanese. 


Do not allow the pendulum to swing from one extreme to the other! Acknowledge God. Trust in Him. Store some food. Love and obey Him on a daily basis. Continue to trust HIm. Then love your neighbor as yourself and store some food for some neighbors. Do not hoard, but freely open your storehouse of food for those in need, whether it's your own family or a stranger. Work hard and store some more. Have faith that in the day of trouble He will provide, whether from your food storage or through divine intervention. And continue to do this until He returns or calls you home.


Okay, I've been on my soap box long enough. Back to the give-away... even though there is only one winner for the 20 mylar bags, we can all be blessed by having access to a great supplier while there is still time. Thank you, USA Emergency Supply for hosting a great give-away and for all the wonderful information we gleaned this week from your site.


Congratulations...

Maureen of Suburban Sharecroppers

Get your stuff ready to store because you're going to get 20 five gallon mylar bags to try from USA Emergency Supply!