Prepared for the Commute?

After managing to go one mile in thirty minutes this morning on the freeway due to several accidents in a short distance, I was rather tired of my normal 45 mile commute which became an hour and a half. Emergencies can really make a mess of one's plans on the roads. If you can't get anywhere via car or truck, how will you get home?

Try adding a good pair of walking shoes to your trunk. I have a couple of portable 72-hour kits in my trunk as well. If things go bad while I'm at work, I will be able to hoof it home. (An earthquake is the most likely major disaster to completely cut off the roads where I live.) I have plenty of water and food to last me several of days, and with 45 miles of city and mountain to traverse, it could take that long. Assuming that I didn't need to stop too much along the way, I can probably use my long legs to get home in less than a day, but it is nice to know that I have sufficient to get me home or to family gathering point if not.

- Mark

Value is based on perception.

72-hour Kit Bells and Whistles

A friend mentioned bells and whistles to me today which got me thinking about what you need in a 72-hour kit for your kids. I don't recommend bells. They would probably get to be very annoying and could be dangerous if you don't want to be easily detected. However, whistles are a good item to have available for your kids so that they can make their whereabouts know to you if you get separated.

We pack one for each family member and have ones that also contain a compass and a small compartment for matches and paper. I don't recommend including those items in the whistles of less mature children for obvious reasons.

- Mark

Value is based on perception.

Faith as Preparation

I was teaching Sunday School today and covering the topic of faith. Faith is to me an essential part of preparation. The Lord has told us to prepare ourselves. I feel that this includes living one's life in accordance with the teachings of the prophets. This would thus include spiritual , physical and intellectual preparation.

Why do we need to do all that preparing? What makes it worth the effort?

Faith answers that question. If we prepare for what might happen, when things go wrong in our lives, that preparation may bring the peace and comfort which we will need. If we don't prepare, we will not be blessed with that comfort and will not have peace. Some may say that just by preparing, those benefits are there, but faith was not involved. But if we have no faith that such preparation is needed, will we prepare?

Some people will prepare physically. Others will prepare intellectually. Yet others will prepare spiritually with no thought to any other preparation. Faith tells me that I must combine all three if I am to reap the promised benefits. Any lack of preparation will diminish the blessings sought. It will not prevent blessings, but they will be diminished. Where there is ignorance of how to prepare, we may have that lack met by the Lord, but where we know to prepare and choose not to, we will not be worthy of those attendant blessings.

So if nothing bad ever happens to me or to my family, I will still live a blessed life of peace simply because I took the time and made the effort to prepare. I will have lost nothing as so many will argue. I may not have gained as much as some, but I will not have lost anything.

- Mark

Value is based on perception.

Preparing for Inflation, Hyper-inflation, Deflation or Evaporation?

I've been busy with life the last little while. Last weekend I was at an executive summit learning about how to be a moral entrepreneur and still survive in this topsy-turvy world. Part of the preparation for the summit was to read The Millionaire Next Door. What I took away from the summit was that I had a lot of work to do to realize my own potential and mission in life, and that I need to be conservative in my personal expenditures.

I have been working at this for years, but as I have accomplished some of my goals, I have increased my discretionary spending on some things that really don't matter. By continuing to show restraint, anyone can build wealth. It was interesting to me that the highest income earners are not wealthy. In fact, those who earn the most tend to pay the most in taxes because they are not protecting their wealth.

Food storage is one of my favorite ways to spend conservatively. Using food storage for meals is more cost effective, but more time intensive. With the trouble in the economy, you have two options to build wealth; earn more or save more. Though earning more is not a bad thing, saving more is much easier to do if you are willing to sacrifice what you think you deserve for what you can realistically live on.

Buying unprepared food is less expensive and lasts longer. It is also healthier. You can also teach your kids to fend for themselves in the years to come.

So what does this have to do with Inflation, Hyper-inflation, Deflation or Evaporation? Doomsayers are arguing for their favorite form of doom. No matter what form it might take, having supplies to weather the storm can only help. If the whole economy were to go up in smoke and just evaporate, where would you stand? Is it time for you to prepare?

- Mark

Value is based on perception.