It will never happen to you… or will it?
Tropical Storm Isaac continued to pound Louisiana and Mississippi Thursday as an official said a dam near the Louisiana-Mississippi border threatened to break, prompting officials to order a mandatory evacuation for as many as 60,000 people.
A tsunami warning has been issued for the western Pacific after a magnitude 7.9 earthquake struck off eastern Philippines coast, the US Geological Survey reports.
HALF OF LOUISIANA LOSES POWER: In Louisiana alone, the storm cut power to 901,000 homes and businesses, or about 47 percent of the state…, the Public Service Commission said. (AP)
I have a big family and many friends throughout the nation. From the WTC bombing to Denver fires to tornadoes, I seem to know someone who lives near every disaster that takes place. In Texas, there was the Bastrop fire near Austin and a tornado that destroyed the apartment complex where my son lived with his wife and baby (their unit and car went unharmed, but what a shock to come home to!). I know better than to dare say, "it could never happen to me."
So, over two years ago, my wife and I began "prepping." We didn't go overboard. A li'l here. A li'l there. Five extra cans of whatever each time you shop starts adding up. You can get lots of things at the Dollar Store and Walmart's camping section, too. CHEAP!
In all honesty, the main in thing I ever hear from people who reject the concept of "Prepping" is "I can't afford it!" Really? One lady who said that to me stopped herself cold and said, "I just spent over $100 on my toes and nails!" Others will spend over $400 a month on cigarettes. What if they cut that by 1/2 for the sake of their family's survival and comfort? You'd be surprised the response I get to that suggestion.
If you truly believe FEMA, the local churches, or your neighbors, will bail you out in a disaster, you haven't read nor heard the accounts I've been privy to. While FEMA recommends at least 3 days worth of food and water for everyone, Homeland Security advises 1 month. I say, in this day and age, make it a lifestyle rather than a thing that you do.
It isn't just the weather we should be prepared for. Not hardly! According to MoneyMorning.com, and article by By Terry Weiss, "In a riveting interview on CNBC, legendary investor Jim Rogers warned Americans to prepare for "Financial Armageddon," saying he fully expects the economy to implode after the U.S. election." Weiss went on to write, "In a newly released documentary that went viral last month, a team of influential economic experts say they have discovered a "frightening pattern" they believe points to a massive economic catastrophe unlike anything ever seen in the history of the world. And according to these experts - who have presented their findings to the United Nations, the UK Parliament and a long list of world governments - the catastrophe may happen well before Americans hit the polls in November."
I came up with an acronym I've been using quite a lot lately; "FEPS." It stands for Financial, Emotional, Practical and Spiritual Preparedness. FEPS is a good way to gauge the total preparedness level for you, your family and your business. Keep this in mind: We are NOT referring to the end of the world when we discuss disaster preparedness, but we ARE talking about the end of the world we've grown accustomed to. My wife's last surviving uncle passed away early Sunday morning. The loss of him leaves a void for our family, thus changing the world as we knew it. Imagine losing a home to a tornado? How much worse for several children and their mother to drown in a flood? Personally, I know what it's like to nearly freeze to death one Thanksgiving eve when my heater stopped working in sub-zero temperatures. My death would have ended the world as my family had known it and were comfortable with knowing.
Stuff happens. From ice storms to water main breaks, a tornado, an earthquake, a wildfire or an exploding furnace. Many fear an Coronal Mass Ejection or a rogue nation's suitcase bomb could cause an EMP, thrusting our nation back into the 1800's way of life. Who's ready for THAT?
It does my heart good to know others who read my articles or view my BLOG are actually getting prepared. I just learned about a family gathered in West Texas where the patriarch assigned various aspects of preparation to different family members. That blessed me! Others are exchanging their vanishing US Dollars for Gold and Silver. Wonderful news! Some are buying freeze-dried foods and military MRE's. Now you're thinkin'! Last night, I received a phone call invitation to address a monthly Ministerial Alliance on the subject of Disaster Readiness and can expect 20 to 30 church leaders to attend. Good on ya!
Today, let's pray for all the people who lost everything because of Isaac and, on top of all the other stresses of life, are having to start over. Let's pray for those for whom tsunamis and hurricanes have, literally, rocked their world. Let's pray for peace and providence, opposing fear and chaos. Let's ask God for Wisdom to start preparing, applying FEPS to our own lives as we do.
Every blessing,
Michael Tummillo
Workplace Chaplain and Founder of
The Church @ Work (TCAW)
No comments:
Post a Comment