Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Is there a crisis?

''...And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand. And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.'' -Revelation 6:5b-6


For the past 18 months this has been on my heart and mind and although I have only shared it with a few trusted people I am going to go out on a limb now that it is in the headlines...
Here are just a few of the recent headlines:

Haiti - Food Shortage from Fox News

Hundreds of Thousands Face Famine as Rats Devour Rice Crops in India

Philippines Imports Rice Amid Shortage

New York Times Article

Price Shock in Global Food - CSMonitor

UN food body calls for summit on global food 'emergency'

Global food shortage; America's light still shines; Moving too fast

The silent tsunami

UN chief: global food crisis is an emergency

Behold a black horse


That may be a little overkill on the information and some may think that I am just paranoid but for those of you who haven't tuned me out yet here is what is on my heart... (notice how I like the ellipsis??)

Worry is not an option. The Bible makes that real clear to us in Matthew 6:25 "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?" and in Luke 12:22 "Then He said to His disciples, "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; nor about the body, what you will put on."

Ignorance is NOT bliss! Proverbs 24:5 tells us "A wise man is strong,
Yes, a man of knowledge increases strength;" and Proverbs 6:6-11 gives us a good indicator of how we should be preparing:
Go to the ant, you sluggard! Consider her ways and be wise, Which, having no captain, Overseer or ruler, Provides her supplies in the summer, And gathers her food in the harvest. How long will you slumber, O sluggard? When will you rise from your sleep?
A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to sleep--
So shall your poverty come on you like a prowler, And your need like an armed man.


Last summer the kids and I decided we should plant a garden so we would have some fresh vegetables, herbs, and fruits. (well, strawberries & watermelon) However, breaking both arms really put a damper on our plans. We did manage to start our compost project though and this year we are determined to get a garden put in. Whether we have any success growing anything will be up to the Lord since I can't grow a thing so far indoors or out but I am praying vegetables will be easier than flowers and foliage. We are also going to be installing a couple of rain barrels to provide water for our garden and in dire emergencies even for drinking. While all this may sound overboard I really think it is simply prudent. If the city would let me I would add a couple of laying hens also but I haven't figured out how to get around that particular ordinance that states "no fowl" of any kind. What else can we do? Act like Joseph when abundance was everywhere but he knew what was coming. In other words, plan for a famine while you can. It is hard to save up when you are depleted of resources. I have been setting aside powdered milk (long shelf life) and staples like rice, sugar, flour (not so long shelf life unless canned), beans, and canned goods. Those who know me well already know that I am often mistaken for a Morman due to my 'hoarding' tendencies. I have been buying in bulk since before having kids!

I can also pray! Pray for my family, my country, our farmers, our jobs, and most importantly the repentance of God's people. 2 Chronicles 7:14 tells us what we must do:
"if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Widsome is a gift of the Lord. And you are a wise woman.


:)

~Leah

Anonymous said...

I agree with you. We have felt a strong desire/conviction to be self-sufficient in regards to our food dependence. The reason we want to move to property is to begin to garden/grow as much of our own food as possible!!!
We want the whole farm, and are so eager to get moving towards that. And there will always be room for a few more :-)
Good job, I say. Love you,
Kendra

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I love Jesus and want my life to be a reflection of His life in me!

A Good Read...

  • Rooms by James L. Rubart
  • C.S. Lewis
  • Any book written by Terri Blackstock
  • O'Malley Series by Dee Henderson
  • Black, White, Red (trilogy) by Ted Dekker
  • Driven by Eternity & Rescued by John Bevere
  • Under Cover by John Bevere