every needful thing

The beginning of this new year started with a huge sense of urgency to prepare.  I’m not exactly sure why, or what for, but I’m acting on it.  If anything, the following promptings will help me get my life and house in order, period.  And I think that is a worthwhile goal, in and of itself ;)   

• Withdraw $20 every time we visit Costco, and put in our money jar
• Follow the 52 week money input challenge
• Plan 13 weeks’ worth of food storage friendlymeals (including a shopping list/inventory and recipes, all printed out and placed in a binder)
• Build Your Food Storage weekly (modified for our tastes/needs)
• Buy a case of water bottles every time we shop at Costco
• How to Prioritize an Evacuation List
• Gather/organize Emergency Supplies weekly
• Emergency Kit by Week (the non-food half of our 72 hour kits)
• Get our finances in order

Besides being bitten by the preparedness bug, I’ve had a sudden urge to go camping.  Brad and I realized last year that we’ll never be one of those families that travel much, or visit very many theme parks.  But we can create family memories through camping!  Much more affordable, and a good way to learn some life-skills that we seem to be losing as a society.

I’ve also felt an increased desire to up our temple attendance.  I heard someone say something to the effect that going to the temple once a month is an inconvenience, but going to the temple once a week is a sacrifice.  I know that I’ve enjoyed the peace that comes with regular temple attendance, and I can’t help but think of all those on the other side that are also benefitting.  In addition to temple work, I’ve recently learned to love fasting.  Which sounds totally crazy!  Fasting has always been difficult for me, but I’ve found a calm focus when fasting, and my devotion to God’s will and my ability to discern truth has grown exponentially.

I’m grateful for the gentle, yet firm, reminder that there is always room for growth.  I’m afraid that while I’ve remained true and faithful, I’ve also become complacent.  I struggled for a while with the idea of shaming myself into crossing off items on an arbitrary (albeit divine) check-list.  But I’ve realized that as my heart softens, my desire to better myself and follow even the simplest commandment God personally gives me, I am becoming who He  wants me to be.  I’m not necessarily changing; I’m still the same Beth.  But, He is perfecting me.  And there’s no one else I’d rather be.