OBSERVE THE ANT
Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise, Proverbs 6.6
What do you think of when you hear the word “prepping?” Maybe you think of preparatory exercises at a sporting event or starting preparatory school. However, there is another kind of prepping that is becoming harder to ignore or be ignorant of. That is emergency prepping. It is hard to ignore because in recent years prepping has gone from being a hobby to a world-wide movement. Prepping is simply common men and women organizing their resources in such a way that they have extra staple food, water and living supplies that can carry them through tough times, natural disasters and even end-time tribulation. It is concerned individuals and families striving for independence, self-sustainability and mobility.
Why should someone prep? We live in a world that is falling apart. Economic crisis, natural disasters, threats of terrorism, cyber attacks, etc, are all realities of our fragile twenty-first century world. Prepping is facing this reality proactively and doing what you can to prepare yourself and your family.
Is it more comfortable to sit back and not prepare?
Yes, it is for the time being but not for the long term. While you are sitting back, the world is moving on its course and the world is changing at a ferocious pace.
For advice on whether or not to prep, observe the ant. “Go to the ant, O sluggard, Observe her ways and be wise,” (Proverbs 6.6). Ants are workers. They are constantly digging holes in the ground and making tunnels. Then there is a highway of them gathering and carrying food and stashing it away in their underground chambers. There is seemingly no end to their activity. They are busy. They are collecting and they are storing. When trouble comes, they are ready. Observe the ant.
- Have a supply of non-perishable food (maybe even freeze-dried foods)
- Have a supply of clean water
- Have a plan in place for re-supplying yourself with water if the city water supplies are shut down (perhaps even having a water filtration system).
- Store items like batteries, matches or candles which may be useful if there is no power
- Store medical supplies
- Store fuel in a safe place
- Store a tent and/or shelter items
Have a plan to “bug in.” Bugging in is when, because of an emergency, you convert your home into an emergency shelter for yourself, for family and, perhaps, for friends. Your bug-in shelter should be self-sufficient and not dependent on the city electrical or water supply. The idea behind bugging in is being able to hold out in your own home, in an emergency, for as long as possible.
Have a plan to “bug out.” Bugging out is when, because of a prolonged emergency, you leave your home for another emergency location. This is needed when it is no longer safe to remain in your home. Bugging out is expensive and should be carefully planned out over time. Bugging out may involve having a trailer or even a small piece of land in a remote location.
Preparing is always the wise thing to do. Take some time to observe the ant. Take some time to start building a plan for you and your family.
God bless you.
Shawn Stevens
REFERENCES :
"Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission." (www.Lockman.org)
Skousen, Joel M. and Andrew Skousen. Strategic Relocation : North American Guide to Safe Places, 3rd Edition. Lindon: Printing Resource, 2010.
Photo by Matheus Queiroz on Unsplash.