Something to think about........ Edited...part 2

I have been pondering and praying about posting this...but the more I have thought about it the more I am convinced that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Some of you may already know about David Wilkerson...he pastors a church in NYC and is the author of "The Cross and the Switchblade." I read that book years ago and saw the movie years ago and recommend them both. He is a solid Bible teacher and to my knowledge there has never been any thing questionable in his ministry or his personal life. To my knowledge. Anyway on his blog he has issued an urgent warning. It is long and complicated and would be far more easy for you to go and read for yourself what he has to say......devotions@davidwilkersonglobal.org. I don't know how to link it. A google search should turn up something as well. And worldnetdaily.com has the articles on their site, it has been several days so you may have to poke around a bit, but they are there.

In essence he is saying that the Lord has given him a vision of things to come, no date, just soon. Fires in NY, and total unrest throughout the United States. He is first advising to cling to the Lord, Pray and wait. But he is also advising to have 30 days worth of groceries, meds, toiletries etc set aside. Anyway I am praying about this. With all the turmoil in the country right now I don't think that he is being unreasonable. I haven't decided what I think yet. I do know that God is the same yesterday and today...and I do know that He still speaks to His people, I am sure not going to say that this isn't from the Lord, and yet I feel that we are to test everything against and by the word of God. The word declares that if a Prophet is a true one then what he says will come true. And if not it won't...pretty good advice.

Having said that...I have been setting things aside for several months already. The way I look at it is better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it. Besides like I said in a previous post, living way out in the country it has been just a way of life to have extra. And being raised by a grandmother that lived through the depression made an impact on the way I run my house and stock my kitchen.

Now to the main reason for this post....this may be all old news to many of you. But Ranchgirl mentioned not too long ago that she really didn't know how to buy groceries...I mean like stocking up kind of buying. I was totally baffled by this and feel like I failed as a mother...but on the other hand she never was inclined to be domestic and didn't listen very well to these important lessons. Having said that here are my helpful hints for stocking up.
# 1. Pray before you buy.
#2. Have a plan of action. Know what is on sell and where. One reason Ranchgirl doesn't know how to do this is she may have blocked these shopping trips from her mind. I have been know to shop all three major grocery stores in our town. Kids really hate that. As do husbands. I try to do mega shopping alone.
#3. Coupons are good....if it is something you normally buy. I have found that sometimes I spend more money because I have this coupon and I want to use it, and the price is still a tad more then a lesser brand...that's totally up to personal opinion.
#4. Don't hate me for this....the frozen food section and the mix section...Hamburger helper etc., are money pits. Anything pre-packaged pre-prepared is a huge drain on a budget. That stuff is expensive! It is full of weird things, and honestly it isn't all that great. I know I know sometimes it is just handy, and I am all about handy. And at times it is OK..I have been know to plop a few things in my cart from time to time...but I don't make it a habit. And if you do...I still love you anyway and will not think badly of you. Peace Love and goodwill to all.
#5. Cook from scratch..yes I said scratch. Is vanilla pudding better made from scratch..or do you honestly love the instant stuff that is liquid one minute and jiggly pudding the next, how do they do that anyway? Take a deep look into your heart here.
#6. Since we are cooking from scratch I am all about the baking goods aisle. And since I am talking about stocking up just for the sake of having things handy, or in cause of emergency I am talking flour. I don't think 50 pound of flour is an unreasonable amount to have set aside. Thats 2 25# sacks. If you have a big freezer and have the room I would have 100...now saying that, I am still in the buying for a big family mode. I haven't adjusted to only 2 kids at home. But....one of my goals in having things set aside is to be able to share with those that don't or can't. And when you are making all those wonderful biscuits you will be amazed at how much flour you go through.
#7. We are still in the baking section. You need...baking soda, this is great stuff you can clean with it, brush your teeth with it, soften water with it, and use if for indigestion. Baking powder. Salt, Pepper, various spices. Oil. Olive oil is the best it is expensive but it is one thing that I spend money on. I keep canola as well. Crisco, or some kind of shortening. I have a love hate relationship with lard. It makes the best biscuits and pie crusts....but yuck! On the other hand I really don't feel it is any worse for you then Crisco...at least it is natural. Jury is still out on that one for me.
#8. In my stocking up I think it is important to have a few fun things. Like chocolate chips and things like that. Especially if you have children. Everybody needs a treat. So I try to add a few things here and there. You know what your family likes so add some extra to the pantry.
# 9. Beans.....dried beans can sustain life. We may not like it but they are pretty cheap and go a long way. Rice....most everybody can eat rice. Young children and the elderly.
# 10. Canned goods. Now we had some friends that just knew they would be living in a cave after Y2K and they spent much of their tax return on canned goods. They literally had them stacked to the ceiling..years, yes I said years later they had barley made a dent in them. How may cans of carrots can you eat anyway? Have some common sense here. My Mamaw bless her heart...was a canned good hoarder. Living through the depression she just knew that she needed to have 100 cans of something at all times. Thats Ok if you use it up. But she would just buy more and then forget what she had. And take my word for it they do not last forever. When we cleaned out her house after she died there were many many bulging cans of whatever. Learn to rotate, when you put new in move the older to the front.
# 11. Dried fruit. Dried fruit is good for you. Has a fairly long shelf life, if stored correctly and you can to a lot with it. From pies to cakes to cookies to granola. Plus a pot of stewed dried apples with a touch of sugar and cinnamon over a hot biscuit is to die for. Raisins are high in iron and good for purifying the blood.
# 12. powdered and canned milk. I keep this even thought we milk a cow. You never know she might get hit by lightening or get sick and die. I always have dry milk in my freezer.
# 13. Eggs. Eggs are wonderful and I can eat them everyday. I have never tried to powdered eggs as I have always had fresh...but if I didn't have chickens I would have them in the pantry just because.
# 14. Cheese....I put extra in the freezer as well.
#15. Coffee, tea, etc. In a true economic disaster I know that these can be done without. But I sure would hate too. I keep extra around, I mean for goodness sake how can we face uncertain times with out a cup of coffee?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Part 2......

#16. Sugar. My Mamaw told me that sugar was hard to come by and rationed during the second world war. White sugar was a special treat. I would have have some on hand. Even though it is horrible for you. It is really. I try no to use a lot of it, but I use way more than I should. Years ago I banned it from the house...we felt better and were much more healthy, but alas I have backslidden and it has returned to my pantry. Honey is much more healthy. It is actually good for you with things like amino acids and such as that. It can also be used as a natural antibotic. I have never done this but it can be spread on wounds to promote healing and keep away infection. It has a long long shelf life. If it turns to sugar all you have to do it heat it and it will liquefy. My DH kept bees for a few years, but we lost them in the drought. And since the bee population is dwindling....not a good thing...honey is sky high. A gallon now is around 40 dollars. Raw cane sugar is better for you then white...more expensive but I recommend it. Molasses...some love it some hate it. I happen to love it.
# 17. We have well water so I am not up on water storage. If anyone lives where they depend on city water I think It would be a good thing to read up on water storage. I will tell you this, and I know it from having hauled our drinking water for years and years. You have really no idea how much water you use until you haul it. And that is just drinking water. I am not counting the water we use in daily life. It will boggle the mind. Water is essential.
# 18. Matches, candles, oil lamps and such as that. Several long years ago we had a snow storm that was horrible. Living in the desert we don't get much snow. So nobody really thought a lot about it at the time. It was right at Christmas and I think a couple of days before we lost power. We live at the end of the power line. Our phone needs electricity to work. They don't plow our road because it isn't a major through-fare. So here we were for 5 days. But we were prepared, because we have always lived this way more of less. We heat with wood. I had plenty of groceries. We have a well...although we have an electric pump...DH finally fanagled a way to get some gravity flow going. So we didn't suffer all that much. But I decided that we didn't have enough light. I mean when it is dark at 5 in the afternoon, going to bed isn't an option. Especially with small kids. We managed I had several oil lamps. But I have bought some more over the years. And since we do lose electricity from time to time they are handy. Also I have a few board games and such as that. Kids need to be entertained, as do husbands. HA. I have a gas cookstove...but I also recommend a camp stove of some kind...but don't use them in the house! They need to be used outside.
# 19. Medications. I hope to have at least 2 months supply on prescription meds. On hand at all times. I have not accomplished this goal yet. Our insurance is hateful and won't let us buy but once monthly. We will probably buy out of pocket, and since it is insulin we can...it is just very expensive. But you do what you have to. OTC meds. Have a good supply according you your family's needs. Sams is the place to get some vitamins and things like pain relievers and the like.
#20. Paper goods. Can we say T. Paper....you can never have enough! I like keeping paper plates cups and forks, spoons and such on hand. They are handy to have, especially if the water goes off. If you have babies, DIAPERS. I always kept cloth ones around, and still have about a dozen somewhere just thought about that.

I am stopping on 20. I think you can all figure it out on your own, from here on out.

This are suggestions, and what I have done over the years, you may be different. I have no idea what the future will bring for this country. Even if something cataclysmic does not happen our economy is in a mess. And if we sit around and wait for the government to fix it we could very well be in trouble. I think about how independent the people were in the depression, they cared for themselves and others. They didn't sit around waiting for a handout. They planted gardens, even if they lived in the city, I read about neighborhoods having community gardens. They made do with what they had. It was very hard no doubt, but many made it through.

I saw a quote that I like the other day it said...."First pray..and then pick up a shovel." I can't add a thing to that so I will say adios.

God Bless and Happy Trails
RanchWife