Sunday Inspirations May 16, 2010

I hardly know where to begin. It's been one of "those" weeks. You know. The type that try a person's soul, that tests us to see what we're really made of. For today's Sunday Inspiration I decided to take just one experience and to talk about.

Home and food storage. That's right. Believe it or not I had my eyes opened just a little as to the benefits of home and food storage.

Okay so really, yes, I've always known it's important. After all, the prophets have been telling us to store extra food and toilet paper for decades!!! For most of us, however, we are not made to see exactly why it's so important. We try to obey, but it may never go beyond this.

For others the importance of building up a storage is brought home because either we, or someone we know, ends up in need.

I have two examples of how being prepared for emergencies can make a difference. Both, interestingly enough, have to do with water.

In a nearby town a water supply became contaminated with a vicious bug. It could wreak havoc on the stomach and digestive system if someone were to drink it. So every bit of water had to be boiled. Items in the house that were washed with the contaminated water had to be rewashed in the boiled water as well. Even toothbrushes had to be sterilized due to possible contamination. It was a horrible situation for quite a number of people, including a sweet friend of mine.

Closer to home, a church member and his family had a water pipe burst right outside their house. He went to go check on something in this place they had moved into only the day before to discover the entire bottom floor had been flooded by water. Because of the situation the water to their home had to be turned off. This meant there was not even a drop to make up a bottle for their baby. Needless to say this was also a situation no one could get through without a few more gray hairs on their heads.

A part of having a complete home storage system is to have water on hand as well. Whether it's little bottles you get at the store, 2 liter soda-pop bottles refilled and put away, or the (what I hope to have one day) 50 gallon drums one keeps in the backyard or basement, it's just as important to have safe water on hand as well as food.

So what's today's inspiration? Think of Joseph of Egypt, who was inspired to store grains during a time of excess so the people would have food during the years of drought. Look for ways to keep some water on hand. Seriously. If you never need it, great. More power to you. But maybe, just maybe, it could come in very handy one day.