Be Prepared
Be prepared.
Come what may, be prepared.
Prepare for the future by war-gaming everything. Practice real-life/real-time scenarios, and throw as many variables as you can at your plans.
Prepare for your death and God's coming judgement. Surrender to Jesus now; invite Him to be a part of every aspect of your life; and seek to walk before Him in holiness, humility, and purity of heart all the days of your life.
Practice paying attention to the weather.
Practice paying attention to who and what is around you.
Practice giving (liberally) of your time, gifts, and financial resources to worthy endeavors.
Practice never taking no for an answer.
Practice living simply.
Practice holding your breath. Set a goal to be able to hold your breath for at least one minute.
Practice first aid skills, and acquaint yourself with the most recent CPR protocols.
Practice being kind to those who act harshly toward you.
Practice being prepared for minor emergencies (a flat tire, a soar throat, locked keys in your car, a weekend without power, etc.). Being prepared can deescalate the severity of almost any emergency.
Practice how you'll respond to blind-siding emergencies. None of us escape these completely.
Practice standing-up for what's right.
Practice praying for the sick and downtrodden.
Practice forgiving everyone you know and love. I guarantee, there will come a day when you'll no longer be able to say what you need or want to say to them.
Practice living without electricity, running water, and government run sanitation (sewage treatment, garbage pick-up, etc.). Start with a few days, and then work-up to a couple of weeks.
Practice living outside. Again, start with a day or so, and then work-up to a couple of weeks.
Practice how you'll prepare and eat your meals if grocery stores close and your refrigerator, stove, oven, and microwave no longer work. What would you do if the electric grid went down for a week? A month? A year? Sadly, it's been estimated that the average American has three-days worth of food. It's been estimated, too, that if the grid were to go down for an entire year, nearly 90% of the U.S. population would die in less than twelve months.
Practice self-defense and life-preservation drills.
Practice acquiring food and water in the wild.
None of us are promised an easy life. Difficulties will come. In fact, I believe extremely difficult days are ahead. In fact, they will one day become so difficult that Jesus felt the need to say (prophetically) that had such days not been cut short, no one would survive(1).
"Private preparation determines public performance."—Ed Cole
"You are prepared if you know what to do in an emergency."—Scout Handbook
"Practice. Practice everything. Practice all the time. Even when you're distracted, discouraged, tired, or just don't feel like it."—Yours truly
Notes:
1. See Mt 24:22 and Mk 13:20.
IKIGAI Weekly Blog Schedule (per The Training Trinity):
Mondays: Meditative Prayer
Wednesdays: Holistic Discipline
Fridays: Martial Arts Practice
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