Monday Message

Making do and loving it! Check out a recipe for making your own laundry soap HERE. 

"The Lord has warned us of famines, but the righteous will have listened to prophets and stored at least a year’s supply of survival food" (Ezra Taft Benson, in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, 90; or Ensign; Jan. 1974, 80).

There are so many reasons to have storage. We have talked about complacency and how easy it is to think things will always be good or better but I think there is hardship involved with this way of thinking.

I can tell you we would be in a much tougher situation now if we had not heeded warnings to get our storage in. Did we forgo things we would have wanted or better clothes or better house new car…?We did. Now that we live off our storage I can tell you I would have despised any of those things now in time of need.

As I have been gathering info for all of you I came across this lady's blog - http://theprudenthomemaker.com/ she is a member of the church. In a lot of ways I can relate to her story... my husband's work was so tied to the economy that we felt down turn effects before others, then when it would get better we were first to feel that as well. But by the time her husband's work was affected lots of were us included then add age and health, it was our turn to ride in the bumpy cart. 

I am thankful now for all the good times so I could build a storage. I am thankful for all the hard times as that is really when I learned the most to prepare me for this time. We don’t have kids at home but as you read her story put yourself in her spot or maybe like me you are in this spot already having to deal with small income then you can learn a lot from her. 

What I like is that she adapts in positive ways and works with what she has. She doesn’t strike me as blaming, sulky, unhappy, hateful, whiny… but instead she is an inspiration to all of us. You might feel like you are all alone and the weight of the world on your shoulders but really you are never alone. 

One job we took was out East we sold our house, took our girls to NH. It was hard. Six months later we lost our job, the company was having troubles and we did not know it… last hired, first fired. That is how we started out doing our own business. It was slow and sparse but by the end of the next six months everyone but the boss and secretary were gone. Several called us to hire them so we weren’t alone that time but I tell you this so you can prepare. Life goes up and down, when you are up, you had better prepare for the down turns.

So read this gal's story. I am not all the way through as there is so much wonderful things you will learn a lot: http://theprudenthomemaker.com/blog?view=entry&id=88

If you don’t read anything else in this message read this next one… I always tell Heavenly Father if He sends me the food I will put it up even though there are two of us. I still put up all I can get my hands on cause I do not know when the next will be and we have been blessed by good friends who will let us know if they hear of something. So yes, let others know because times are hard on many us and many times we don’t say anything but we truly work hard for what is given us. 

While reading this we have lived off our storage for three years and it is hard to see the shelves start to deplete in areas though I am grateful many things I was well stocked in, but read the last paragraph of this article - http://theprudenthomemaker.com/blog?view=entry&id=88, it brings tears to my eyes as I take courage.

If you are serious on getting your storage in, put in prayers and you will find opportunities.

Keep plugging away and if you are tired and it is something to put away just keep on pushing, yes, you will still be tired but will have a sense of peace.

http://theprudenthomemaker.com/live/when-you-need-food

With prices continuing to go up…

http://theprudenthomemaker.com/blog/entry/food-inflation-and-what-i-plan-to-do-about-it

http://theprudenthomemaker.com/cooking/learn/pantry - this will inspire you for sure, doesn’t that pantry look wonderful?

http://theprudenthomemaker.com/living-on-food-storage good info

Now I know that I mostly stuck with this gal's site but she has said all the things I have said before but she does it better.

http://growyourowngroceries.org/free-soup-for-fall-and-winter/ - this is a great thing if you have leftovers, meat, potatoes, veggies or leftover pizza sauce or tomato sauce... I think you see that this is very useful.

http://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2015/05/single-serve-slow-cooker-oatmeal/ I thought this was a good idea if not everyone likes it the same way.

Keep having a good summer, hit yard sales for school supplies and school clothes. Remember you can mend things so get at the cheaper prices.

Keep building your skills and keep working at storage :)