We have been asking local bakeries and buying 5 and 6 gallon food-grade buckets with self-sealing lids to store food staples. On Saturday, we went up to Costco and bought 50 pound bags of sugar and rice and a 25 pound bag of salt. We will be buying 50 pound bags of whole wheat and white flour from Wheat Montana (probably the most premium flour in the U.S. for its high protein content and the grower's "better than organic" farming methods). We might even buy 50 pounds of whole grain and a grain mill. We're going to get some sort of dried bean mixture, and continue to freeze fresh meats, etc. as we go.
I really struggled with this for a while. I felt that we weren't trusting in the Lord's provision, and that somehow we were not living faithfully:
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth
corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal... Matthew 6:19
Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and {yet} your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? And who of you by being worried can add a {single} hour to his life? And why are you worried about clothing? Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is {alive} today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, {will He} not much more {clothe} you? You of little faith! Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?' For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. Matthew 6:26 - 34
But then I started to think about the way that the Lord provides: through a paycheck, knowledge of world events, the wisdom of friends, etc. I don't believe that Jesus was telling us to just stop cooking meals because the Lord would drop manna from Heaven. He provides in ways through work. Think about Adam: he was given the job of caring for the Garden of Eden. Before the Fall. Work is good, and planning is important. The Lord gave Joseph special knowledge through dreams warning him of famine in the years ahead. He stored up plenty of food to provide for Egypt and his family.
I'd love to hear your thoughts: criticism? suggestions? ideas?
