The Bucket May 2007

One of my favorite activities is to explore the fridge, freezer and cupboards after Kristy has been to the store. Without fail, she brings home something that makes the mouth water—usually Cookies-n-Cream Ice Cream or Marie Callendar pies. It is exciting for me to think about having a treat in the evenings—it's “comfort food” in more ways than one. Lately, I have also found that my food storage is another source of comfort food. After April's trip to the Food Storage Center, I was really excited to put my newly obtained wheat on the shelves in the storage room. My cans are all lined up just screaming to be used! I still have a long way to go to complete my year supply, but it is exciting to see the food start to pile up.

That leads me to this month's topic—goal setting. In Proverbs 29:18 it says that “where there is no vision, the people perish.” I think the first step is to have a “vision” of what you want to accomplish. In our storage room, I have a plan as to where everything is going to be stored and how much I need. I obviously have a long way to go, but I can “see” it coming together. In preparation for June's trip to the storage center, I am considering what items I can obtain to help get me closer to “fulfilling the vision.” By doing so, I keep motivated and driven to fulfill this important commandment.

Over the next couple of months, we will be hosting a couple of food storage workshops. One will be for “rookies” and the other for “seasoned vets.” The rookie workshop will cover how to calculate the amount of food needed, what type of food to store and general strategies on how to store it. Those who attend will set goals on what to accomplish first and develop a plan to meet the goal. Many times we complicate the task so much we fail to even get started. The direction from the church is simply to have a year's supply of food. There are some like me who mistakenly think they need to learn how to harness the energy of the sun to produce their own water, dig a fallout shelter, and grow corn to produce their own ethanol without first fulfilling the initial counsel from the First Presidency. The vet's workshop will cover advanced storage techniques, food preparation, and “life management” during a long-term crisis. You are all invited to one or both workshops—stay tuned for time and location.

Finally, on Saturday, June 23rd, we will be having another food storage activity in Ogden. The party will start at 11:00am ending at 1:00pm. We will need 4 volunteers with one person willing to make use of their pickup truck for deliveries. Please contact Andrew. The main items will be wheat, rolled oats, sugar, and macaroni. Other items will also be available if you would like to order!

As always,