I Dare You To Eat It

Tonight I visited the website: www.providentliving.org to see what the price was for a basic starter kit of food storage. I was curious to know what it would cost an individual if they just wanted to buy the pre-packaged kits offered by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the quickest and most economical way I know to buy wheat, rice, beans, and oats that have been sealed in the handy #10 size cans, six to a case, with a shelf-life of 30 years or longer.

I learned that the starter kits are priced at $34.75 and a person would only need to buy 12 to complete the recommended long-term storage for one year. That means with an investment of only $417.00 anyone could place an order online and have a basic year supply of food delivered to their home. Stacked in four neat piles, this type of storage would be about 50″ wide by 19″ deep and 30″ high, and it offers so many more options than solely relying on the grocery store or government in the event of an emergency.

I want to be an optimist and I want to be smart. With so much uncertainty in our world today, it just makes sense to have some insurance coverage that provides food.

My daughter, Sarah, sent me this shot of a lovely bridal bouquet she made at work and it reminded me of yet another great way to use food storage. That’s right, WEDDING GIFTS! Can you stand it? Is there anything that could possibly be more practical?

If only 14 guests would each give 2 cases of food storage, the happy couple would have a year supply completed in one night. But we need www.lds.org to create a wedding registry so that no one ends up with 28 cases of macaroni. That would be bad.

Better yet, we could have bridal showers, or bachelor parties, at the cannery. I haven’t tried this yet but I can totally see myself going there. Tons of theme potential. Besides that, this gift can’t be returned so it becomes sort of a food storage hostage situation. Sounds harsh but may be a good thing. The newlyweds would have to learn how to boil water and use the cases of dry goods for night stands, his and her computer desks, or a custom made dining table.

Wow.

….and I quote:

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to “prepare every needful thing” (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others. (All Is Safely Gathered In pamphlet, www.providentliving.org)

Maybe food storage reflects our stewardship and charity. Investing in provident living, many members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are choosing to be part of a worldwide team, prepared with extra food, “so that, should adversity come, we may care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.”

The goal has always been sharing, not hoarding. Let’s choose now to make the necessary preparations, both spiritual and temporal, which will enable us to say yes if the Bishop needs to call for our food storage. That’s the team I want to be on.