Yesterday Franklin and I found ourselves in a long line at Wal-Mart with hundreds of our closest friends.  We had a list of supplies, anticipating a particularly unusual eastern New Mexico blizzard.  We needed a few basics:  dog food, a creosote log to clean our chimney, candles, a small space heater, a snow shovel, and lots and lots of silicone.  With left-overs to spare from our Christmas celebrations, we opted not to join our friends in the grocery aisles.

We spent the remainder of the morning and early afternoon crossing off things we’d put on our blizzard to-do list Christmas evening.  We filled the gas tanks of both our cars, moved the power tools around in the garage to make room for one of our vehicles, wrapped our faucets, moved firewood up to the backdoor patio, and applied 9 tubes (yes 9 tubes) of clear silicone to our drafty windows.

We’ve made it through the first half of Goliath (the name of this winter storm) and I feel particularly blessed.  We (and our home) seem to be weathering it well.  Our windows are noticeably less drafty and our heater, while certainly taxed, is keeping us warm.  I’m grateful for a gas hot-water heater and stovetop should our electricity be interrupted and firewood for the week.

I’m certainly not a “prepper” (one who is prepared for a 6 month interruption of life as we know it) but Franklin thinks I over-analyze a bit.  Granted, I might have done a thing or two yesterday that could be considered “over-kill” but in my mind a modicum of Preparedness Really Does Matter.

As my thoughts have certainly still been on the storm this morning (how could they not as the wind continues to howl) an older praise song I really love has planted itself deep in my Spirit and I’m left thinking about preparing in a very different way.

These are the days of Elijah, declaring The Word of The Lord.  And these are the days of your servant, Moses, righteousness being restored.  These are the days of great trials, of famine and darkness and sword.  Still we are the voice in the desert crying, prepare ye the way of The Lord.

The words of verses 1 and 2 are pretty convicting this morning.  Do I prepare for the 2^nd coming of The Lord in my home and with my family in the same way I was focused and single-minded in preparing for this storm?

And these are the days of Ezekiel, the dry bones becoming as flesh.  And these are the days of Your servant, David, rebuilding the temple of praise.  And these are the days of the harvest, the fields are all white in the world.  And we are the laborers, in your vineyard, declaring The Word of The Lord.

The 3^rd and 4^th verses give me even more to think about… Do I think about others in my life, praying for them, considering how to meet their needs, checking in on them with regard to discipleship in the same way I have thought about others and reached out to meet needs with regards to this storm?

Enjoy some pasole today as you consider preparedness in your life J (Always the teacher… doling out homework even during the Christmas break!)