Georgia's Soapbox

Georgia’s soapbox.

Ahhh the humble soapbox, in the days before portable microphones it was the best way to get peoples attention, simply step up on it and begin yelling your message. I am a regular soapbox user, just ask my family. So now that I am up here on my soapbox I am going to try not to rant and rave too much.

Ever had to rummage through your deep freeze and felt like you were on some form of artic exploration mission? Fancied yourself a little like Indiana Jones hunting for lost treasures in the frozen depths rather than the steamy jungles? My tip for preventing that is to take a white board marker and write on the freezer door what you put in and when. If your hubby grumbles about you drawing on the furniture like the kids, ask him to search the depths of the freezer a few times and see if he still complains. The white board marker comes off easily but if it proves determined to remain, wipe it off with a little Methylated spirits I set ours out like the shelves, I write what is on each shelf and in roughly the same spot on the door as it is in the freezer, if you make meals in advance then write them up on the door too, that way you’ll always know what is in your freezer and when you put it there. No more hidden surprises when you defrost your freezer.

I find the side of the freezer the perfect spot for writing up my frozen shopping list. As you take things out the marker is write there ready to record it straight away.

Sisters if you have a great idea you would like to share, please let me know I am happy to share my soapbox.

Can someone help me down please!

Georgia

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Hello, can you hear me? I’m a little wobbly up here on my soapbox.

My dear Sisters the New Year is here, time to reflect on the year gone by. Did you meet any goals you set yourself? If so, a great big WOOOHOOO from me, if not, my commiserations and know you are not alone. I didn’t meet all of mine either.

But hey the New Year is just begun so what goals can you recommit too?

In the welfare corner why not try this handy little hint I learnt from a plan Kellie George sent me. It was 30 days and 30 ways to preparedness. It was an excellent plan where each day for the month of November you did things that were related to being prepared. If any of you are interested I saved it as a word file. But I digress, my handy hint from this great plan is to mark all the jars and tins and things you have in the cupboard with an X, then as you buy more date the top of the tins with the day you bought them, that way you will use the ones with the X first and then know which cans and things to use next by the date on them. Also if you date things when you open them then figure out how long it lasted when you finish it, you can calculate how many of that item you will use in a year. I have marked our shampoo and conditioner bottles and other things like bottles of tomato sauce and jars of vegemite. Makes figuring out what to store and how much so much easier.

Well my throat is becoming a pony (a little hoarse) so farewell for now, know that I treasure each one of you… and can someone help me down please.

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Sisters time is marching on, the Lord is straightening his robes and buckling his sandals in preparation for his triumphant return. We in turn must shake off our cloak of lethargy and prepare ourselves, our families and our homes. We have been instructed and counselled that if we are prepared we need not fear. So how can we get prepared? It doesn’t come in a neat little box we just open and put on, it is something we must actively do for ourselves and those around us.

As women we must be the driving force in our families, motivating them, encouraging them, teaching them and leading them by example.

Actively involve your family by:

· Asking them to write your shopping list while you rummage through the pantry.

· Involve them in the preparation of emergency plans and packs

· Teach them how to be wise stewards with what they have, even toys and books, it allows them to appreciate the value of what they have and from where it came (not just the toy store but from the Lord through blessing you with employment and blessing them with loving parents)

· Hold family council meetings to discuss the families plans and priorities and how they can help.

Anything that helps them to feel the spirit and understand that Welfare in all it’s many forms is vital to our weathering of the calamities foretold before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.

Oh the soapbox is groaning, hmm best get off, so until next month be welfare wise and be happy.

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The stake conference in February covered a topic we are all hearing a lot of…probably because I bash you over the head with it each week on the newsletter and the Church Leaders too are taking a swing at you every chance they get to talk on the subject. So why is that?? Maybe because it is true we do live in perilous times, we are in the last days and we DO need to be prepared. Many of us balk at storing one year’s supply of food and provisions. But our last counsel was to store a few months worth of food and provisions. Why the diminishing amount? Maybe because we do find it too much to try and store a years worth of food, and so by encouraging us to store half or even a quarter of that amount makes us feel better about it. Makes it seem less insurmountable and more achievable. Sometimes we want the miracle to precede the faith. It doesn’t and won’t happen that way. So I thought I would start the ball rolling…or should I say… the inventory rolling, by bearing you my testimony on food storage and I encourage each of you to ponder on the ways food storage has benefited you or someone you know. See it for what it is… a miracle and let your faith grow from there. When I was a very new member I used to have the missionaries over quite a bit and as a newly single Mum money was extremely tight. One day I forgot the Missionaries were coming for tea until they knocked on the door. I went to the cupboard wondering what I was going to feed them as I knew had enough to last Darcy and I until pay day a few days away. But I had been praying about and trying to understand the principal of food storage and had begun to store a little extra of this and that. Not enough 8 missionaries and Darcy and I but I was prepared to use it. I opened the pantry and began to pull out things to make a sort of pasta dish. Not very nutritious but filling. As I pulled out food I found there was more food in there than what I had bought. I knew I had not bought them. And as I was also the only one with access to my house I knew no one else had bought them either. I could only conclude the Lord had done it. I couldn’t understand how but I just knew it was the Lord. I made us a pasta bake to beat all pasta bake; I had vegies I didn’t buy and all sorts of good grains and legumes. Not only that, it made enough to feed all 10 of us for tea and Darcy and I enjoyed it as leftovers the next night too. I testify that the Lord fed us, not just on his word but also with his love and his blessing of those who seek to be faithful. I now gladly give even if it will leave me short when the Lord asks it of me, because the truth of it is that I will not be short of provisions, the giving of what I have gains me far more in return, in tangible provisions, in blessings and in faith in the Lord. Try it for yourself, place your faith in the Lord, He will not fail you.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

I’m a little dizzy from all this talking; you’d better help me down of my soapbox.

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Preparing for floods and other emergencies.

Despite the fact our water storage dams are still low. In the past few weeks we have seen the news reports go from how bad the drought is to how bad the flooding is.

Do we all know what to do in the event of flooding in and around our homes?

First thing we should know is flood water is toxic. We should avoid being in contact with it as much as possible. Do not drink it; do not rinse things off in it. It contains sewerage, dead animals, spilt chemicals, and other poisons that have leaked into it.

If we do not have time to get our belongings to the highest point in the house, we need to get ourselves to the highest point away from the flood waters. If we have time to evacuate well and good, but if not we need to ensure our 72 hour packs are ready to go.

I have most of my water storage under the house. It is out of the way and I know where it is. But in the event of a flood that water may also become contaminated so I am now filling smaller containers and storing them in the top of the wardrobes, this way I know we have safe water to drink and to use. Do not store water or food storage in the roof as the changes in temperature will spoil them.

The next thing we need to know is in the event of serious flooding we need to turn off the gas and the electrical mains. Gas pipes can rupture making the flood waters flammable as well as toxic. Electrical appliances can short out making the chances of receiving an electrical shock higher.

So my welfare spot for this month is to ask you to have a look around your houses and at your food storage and water supplies and ensure that if you cannot get it all up into cupboards than it least get a broad range of supplies into the wardrobes so that you still have some should flooding wipe out the rest.