ThinMint

The Four B’s of Prepping The four B’s for those who seriously prep are beans, band-aids, bullets, and bullion. It’s a great simple overview on where to focus and is adaptable for different situations. Beans is food (and water) stuffs. Band-aids is medical (and hygiene) supplies. Bullets is about protection. Bullion is about owning junk or precious metals to cover financial needs. It’s a good idea to keep some cash on hand –ideally a variety of smaller bills because not all of us can afford or want to stack precious metals. Having some cash (and extra food) will help if stores are unable to process electronic payments. I would add a 5th “B”: Bible. We cannot do this without God. Preparing our hearts and minds for interruptions and the unexpected must be done with the knowledge and strength the LORD gives us.

Get Water Water is absolutely crucial and I would put that ahead of having extra food stuffs. Research how best to prepare water for storage. Consider what the water will be used for (cooking, hygiene, and cleaning) as that will also determine how you store water. While you do not need to go crazy purchasing drinking water to last for one year, ask God for direction on what and how much to get. Can you use disposable plates, cups, and utensils so you do not have to clean dishes? This saves precious water. Can you fill a bathtub on the bottom floor? Or have a water bladder to place in the tub? This water storage can be used for flushing toilets or cleaning items that will not be used for internal human contact. An example: We have a variety of water sources: water bottles, emergency water packets, 5 gallon water containers, and 2 gallon water containers with a spigot. All of these can be used for cooking, consumption, and hygiene needs. We also filled 5 gallon food grade buckets with filtered water that we can use for cleaning or cooking (once boiled) or drinking (after running it through our Berkey filter). We have a small pool and our neighborhood has creeks and lakes, and we have special filters for that. We also have a water bladder that we can place in a bathtub. With God’s direction, do what you can to secure potable water.

Food Stuffs Using the premise that we have a limited budget and time to prep, what can we do? When grocery shopping, add a few (2-4) extra canned and/or shelf-stable goods every time you go to the store. Every time. Pick out a variety of goods: vegetables, fruits, proteins, juices. Are these depleted nutrients? Yes, but we’re not looking to maintain a 30 year-old Schwarzenegger body type; we’re looking to plug holes in our preps to help us get through the unexpected. You can do your best to get as natural as possible, but you do not need to spend money on items that are either cost or taste prohibitive. The idea is to supplement as best you can now to help ease stressful moments later. Do not pick up 100 cans of artichoke hearts, for example, if you loathe artichoke hearts simply because the grocery chain was giving it away. A deal is not a deal if you will not consume (or barter) those canned goods. Food real estate is important. Stick with what you know, what is reliable, what is reasonable, and perhaps what is recognizable if you plan to help others by donating/bartering some of your stock. Factor in the ability to prepare canned goods. Does it need to be heated or refrigerated afterwards? Assume you will not be able to do either. Stick with foods that you are willing to eat straight out of the can and/or be consumed in one sitting. Spices help! Be sure to inventory your spice supplies and replenish with fresh bottles. Costco has a decent selection that gives you more bang for your buck. An item I highly recommend you have –and plenty of it– is raw, unfiltered honey (locally produced most ideal). It doesn’t spoil, it’s nutritious, it can be used with all sorts of foods and drinks, and it’s medicinal (antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral). It’s often applied to cuts, bug bites, and burns in our household. Another item worth having on hand is clarified butter. This shelf-stable butter is great for cooking and adding flavor. “Survival kits” are not necessary to add to your supplies so do not feel pressure to spend big money on it. If you have one or more, that’s great as you are rounding out your preps. If you do not have one, you’ll be just fine. We want to be judicious with God’s money! He can do much for restricted diets, lifestyles, and budgets. Pray!

Some Generalities Let’s try to make this preparation process as stress-free as possible :) The following are some generalities to consider based on your own capabilities. · Go through your pantry, kitchen cabinets, furniture storage, and other places that house your food supplies. Remove rancid/half-used products that you will no longer consume. Check dates, making sure that you arrange according to expiration (first in, first out). · Go through your hygienic and medical supplies. Do you have multiple boxes or bottles opened with the same product? Combine then toss the empty containers. Check dates and replenish with fresher products. · You don’t necessary have to buy in bulk, but be sure to have some extras on hand. · A good rule of thumb is to plan for sustaining yourself/immediate family for 3 months. If you have limited means (or time) plan for 2-4 weeks. Any preparation puts you ahead of the general public! · If you are determined to prep enough for your situation and storage is an issue, pray about decluttering. You might be pleasantly surprised about what you can get rid of in order to make room for what is necessary. Removing the clutter is a whole other topic and an area that can be prickly. Talk to your Creator about it so you move obediently, not impetuously.

Prepping Your Heart Second, if you don’t do so consistently, get in the habit of praying Psalm 91 over yourself, those you love, your property (this includes all your modes of transportation), your neighborhood, and your town. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that part of prepping is getting right with the LORD. Remove the impediments between the two of you. If we’re harboring guilt, shame, bitterness, resentment, unforgiveness… Well, as the Holy Spirit reminds me, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” Go to Him, now, as you are, seeking His mercy and grace. He freely gives to those whose hearts are humble and grateful! He also knows your situation and every tiny detail of your life so He is the only One Who can customize your game plan. Go to Him first!

Prepping Refresher It’s been awhile since I’ve covered prepping. Prepping can be overwhelming. So this time, I want to approach it differently, addressing it to those of us that are feeling limited physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially to some degree. Here is what the LORD has been laying upon my heart. First, don’t get panicky! I know whenever I make hasty decisions because I’m frightened (or angry or envious) I inevitably regret it. Knee-jerk negative emotions can drive us away from God. We cannot prep without praying first. God’s plans for you will look different from your neighbor’s, your co-workers, and your friends. Keep in mind that what you come across on the internet is packaged. It’s not necessarily inauthentic, but it’s certainly presented to an audience after careful thought, specific verbiage, fancy photographs, and most likely, sponsors who sent the host free products. There are takeaways from prepping articles and videos, but overall you have to do what works for your family, your situation, and within your budget (or other constraints). Praying for God to guide your steps avoids unnecessary spending and energy, and prepares you for the potential impact of an event only He knows about.

Happy birthday to my Little Man, who officially enters teen-hood today. He’s one-of-kind with his observations, curiosities, talents, and humor. My heart overflows.

Vince Guerra posted an article written by Magin Mills. It's worth the read and consideration: https://returningtobeauty.substack.com/p/what-nobody-tells-you-before-you

Yes, there's so much to do. Soooo much. And if we didn't insist on walking away from the grind and demands we wouldn't get any breaks, right? Instead of begrudgingly or guiltily taking a super mini faux vacation, how about mentally disengaging from the areas (many which are unnecessary to be honest) that distract our brains from noticing the good and beautiful? Mr ThinMint and myself aren't consistent with filling out those 'to do' lists because we know how unbearably long it would actually be. Make the mental breaks happen, friends. Disengage from the "news," the social media nonsense, the latest podcast. Insert pockets of freedom into your life. We (somewhat) spontaneously decided to visit McKay's Books in Nashville yesterday. We unloaded a lot of books, browsed, and brought home some new treasures. I purchased a one year chronological Bible (in large print thankyouverymuch) as well as 3 Dave Barry books and 7 Far Side books. I'm set! Life is good. God is gooder. So make those unhindered breaks a frequent occurrence. Your mind, body, and spirit will thrive under His calm and peace.

Does that hauntingly beautiful voice not invoke thoughts of sitting on a porch on a balmy evening, sipping a rapidly cooling drink, making you feel miles from where you really are?! *sigh* (Billie Holiday, The Very Thought of You)

I hope y’all do something to make your heart smile this weekend. Try something new, go down memory lane or visit a bygone era:

A prayer for peace 🌻

Hello friends! I’ve missed y’all 🥰 The diminished presence on social media was required as my focus on a situation that flared up needed my full attention. We are healing and I have no doubt this quick turnaround is attributed to the friends here who prayed for us. From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your prayerful support and kind words. The step back has also been influential. After posting for over 5 years straight, this little break has refreshed my creativity output. I plan to share about what our family has been through the last year and half, but the LORD instructed me not to do so publicly. Well, at least not on social media. Over the last week I have taken some tiny steps towards publishing some of my writings. And the possibilities are simply exciting! A little daunting, but definitely exhilarative and engrossing! Will it finally happen in six months or a year? I don’t know. I am fully trusting the One Who loves me best. Though I want to wholly concentrate this summer on producing a book, I will return to posting in some capacity. I hope you’re willing to keep hanging out in this Little Corner of Internet World. And if you think of it and don’t mind, please pray me through this great task of getting my mere thoughts out there from this Little Corner of Internet World. Let’s see what the LORD will do, shall we?! 😃 Love, prayers, and blessings to each of you.