Thursday, January 21, 2010
Paratus Familia
Is your family prepared? That is a question my husband and I often ask each other. Are we prepared? What are we preparing for? We are constantly refining and redefining.We are avid preparedness nuts. Prior to the whole Y2K non-event, we were closet preparedness nuts. Y2K gave us an excuse to act. It started small. Ordering bulk food from Azure Standard. Stocking up on Costco trips. Then came the haunting of seafood restaurants for their 1 gallon glass jars. Collecting 4 gallon food-grade buckets. Next came the milk cow, chickens, 55 gallon food grade drums and heirloom seeds. We discovered Lehmans! We bought the Pioneer Maid wood cookstove, the Diamant grain grinder, Aladin lamps, a cheese press and an entire pallet load of Weck canning jars. We planned for every eventuality. While we were making all of these purchases, we got to work learning everything we could think of. Animal husbandry, bread baking, using whole grains, cheesemaking, candlemaking, soapmaking, beekeeping and gardening. My husband refined his reloading skills, amped up his defense capabilities, gained gunsmithing skills. We learned to can everything from butter to bacon, venison to carrots, lemon curd to quick breads. We researched solar power, wind power and hydro-electric power. Then, the big day - December 31, 1999. We waited up until midnight. NOTHING!
Funny thing, most people we knew that had stocked up for Y2K turned and walked the other way. They said they weren't going to be fooled again. No more stocking up for "just in case". We never looked back. We knew this was the life for us. It made so much sense! It didn't have to be TEOTWAWKI, it could be an earthquake, an "economic downturn", the loss of a job, the refocusing of priorities.
I am so thankfull for my husband's forsight in the area of survival/preparedness. Because he had prepared us as a family, we made it through the first few very tough years on bare land, with no power and very little money. We ate lentil burgers and beans and rice, but we ate. We went through our supply of powdered eggs and wheat, but we had bread. Because we made soap, candles, cheese and crackers, we were able to give Christmas gifts. We had all that we needed to survive, and thrive in a pioneer world.
Since those years, we have flourished. We have re-stocked our supplies. We have taught what we know to others. We have never been shaken in our belief that we need to be prepared. We have taught our children. In fact, our oldest daughter has become an EMT, studied midwifery and has her Ham radio license. We have learned also. We have learned that having "stores", knowledge and skills is just the beginning. The truly essential part of preparedness is knowing Him from who all knowledge and goodness flows. It has become increasingly evident to our family that the biggest challenge we are facing today is that of spiritual warfare. We are not fighting flesh and blood, but powers and principalities. We absolutely believe in being prepared, but the biggest component of being prepared is being grounded in scripture. It is having a personal, vibrant, ongoing relationship with Jesus Christ. Without Him, the battle is lost. There is no reason to prepare, if we are not going to rely on Him to guide and direct us. There is a Kingdom to be won here. We are His warriors and as such, we need first to be able to hear our commander's voice. That is our greatest preparedness asset. We need to prepare as we see the day approaching. And it is fast approaching. We are a paratus familia. (latin. prepared family). Are you?
I used your recipe for cheese and it was great. Your must be a really smart woman and I give you a lot of credit for helping us prepare.
ReplyDeleteHello Enola, I used to follow you a year or so back. Then I got divorce after 19 years of marriage. In one day God gave me the ability to see better. I decided to give our marriage another chance. All that is to say Its hard to think preparedness as a single person. Although I know that especially a single person should be preparing. I am reading your blog again from the begining. You are truly insiring and I consider you a worthy mentor. So Thank you so very much for sharing your life with me.
ReplyDeleteWe just received our copy of The Prepared Family Cookbook and I have been consuming it avidly. We agree with every scripture you refer to in regard to being prepared, God does indeed expect us to follow his teachings and prepare as we best know how. The info that you pass along is great, we have been learning along the way and this is another great teaching method. Thank you for sharing your successes, as well as the failures. Continue on with your family and life as you are doing, they are so much better off for each day in the simpler ways. Blessings ...
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