Lou McLeod: Family Preparedness: What Are Your Survival Principles?

The following article Family Preparedness: What Are Your Survival Principles? was first published to http://www.totalsurvival.net/

Love 'em or hate 'em, without family, we break down, so consider family preparedness now and learn how-to, here!

A Survivalists Insight Into Family Preparedness

Introduction to Family Preparedness

Last week, James “Dr. Prepper” Stevens shared with us his thoughts on creating a spiritual foundation for family preparedness. (Check out that article here.)

This week, he's back to give us some tips on forming the founding principles of your family preparedness plan. Read on to learn more.

You may also wish to consider creating a family paradigm – a written belief statement that unites your family in your effort.

Let me share my family’s model as an example. This helps our family to share a common perspective and thus know our objectives in terms of our preparedness efforts:

We hope for the best;
We fear for the worst; and
We prepare to deal with what happens!

Building a Family Preparedness Lifestyle

There are three important reasons to start working toward an immersive family preparedness lifestyle:

We have been advised to be prepared… (Remember the story of Noah, Joseph in Egypt, and the parable of the Ten Virgins?)
You would be prudent and wise to be prepared – providential things happen as a result of being prepared.
As the head of your family (patriarchal or matriarchal) responsibility, all reason demands you protect your family.

It’s unfortunate that food storage gets such a bad rap in this Nation. When I lived out of the U.S., I was able to see that whoever controlled the food supply controlled the people

We’ve been advised to save for the future––so many times for so long…

What if you shift your thinking to another level, away from the mentally and physically tiring activity of food storage?

What you achieve bit-by-bit is to comprehend the concept of accumulating a supply of food, clothing, and shelter as a way of everyday life––a preparedness lifestyle––and suddenly it’s neither so daunting nor so burdensome.

You’ll actually get the attitude it doesn’t matter what others say or do!

What is a preparedness lifestyle? To become self-reliant––to be able to live providently regardless of external conditions!

May I suggest serious consideration that you make some Paradigm Shifts about your family preparedness responsibilities?

My Three Family Preparedness Principles

We spent many years in the activity of trying to stay prepared as we raised our six children. Here are the guiding principles that ultimately govern our family preparedness activities:

1. We’ll Bloom Where We’re Planted

We made a conscious decision to live on a rocky hilltop. When those below us may need to evacuate due to flooding, we plan to stay in our home.

We have reduced and continue to reduce our belongings so as not to be owned by allegiance to our material things. If moving in the future seems important, fewer possessions will make it easier for us to move on.

Planning Action Item: We chose to build our house on the rock!

2. Our Home Will Be Our Personal Convenience Store

We’ve created and continue to maintain a very selective mini-grocery store––an in-home convenience store––stocked with the things we like to eat and know we can enjoy during a crisis situation––no matter how long it lasts!

We set it up where we have unique access to it and can utilize it as our family needs it!

Faith Action Item: As others may do without, we can continue to eat––and be able to give help to others in their afflictions!

3. Our Family Will Be Able to Camp Out Within the Walls of Our Home

In case of a disaster or emergency situation, our family will be able to maintain an acceptable level of comfort within our house and on our property. We’re prepared now to be able to live within our comfort zone in the future when others can’t live in theirs. We have equipment that will allow us to continue to function regardless of the status of the normal utilities that we depend on normally.

Works Action Item: We got the gear and lost the fear!

4. Get Out of Debt

Woman holding a torn label with the word debt toward the camera | Family Preparedness: What Are Your Survival Principles?

The only allowable debts are for purposes of education, our home, or a sound business venture to produce income for the family. My father was very wise about most things––he often told me: “Jimmy, there are only two kinds of people, those who earn interest, and those who pay it!” Grow your savings, not your stuff!

Paradigm Action Item: We can sustain our lifestyle without too much further reduction of “creature comforts.”

There’s a popular national talk radio show host, Dave Ramsey, who proclaims with vigor:

“Live now like no one else, and in the future, you can live like no one else!”

Spot on, Dave!

If you fail to prepare adequately now for the unknown future, you will eventually pay the price for your disobedience! Benjamin Franklin (and a lot of others, also) said, “If you fail to prepare, you prepare to fail.”

5. Go on a Survival Shopping Now

Remember: you can’t buy insurance on a wrecked car, a burning barn, or a sinking ship.

We are so fortunate to have the capability to buy any products we want in this great country! There is no excuse for not being or becoming a self-reliant family.

There is no shortage of products and services to aid us in becoming self-reliant. Truly, in this country, “…there is plenty, and to spare…”

There are no emergencies for those who are truly self-reliant!
If you are truly self-reliant, you have no need to fear!

This video from City Prepping will show you how to build Bug out Bags for the family:

Disaster preparedness kit for the family? Check! Emergency communication plan for families? Check! Disaster recovery plan? Check!

These are your checklist to family preparedness. From the material, physical, emotional, and spiritual preparedness, all these factors will all play into yours and your family's survival.

How are you going about with your family preparedness plans? Tell us about it as well as your thoughts on this article in the comments section below!

Up Next: