Prayer Breakfast
0700 at BJ’s Restaurant
Hamilton, Montana
O Father, send your transforming power into my life as I
seek to serve you this day. Grant unto me wisdom, courage, grace, and strength
to faithfully fulfill the ministry to which you have called me. In Jesus
Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
1. Opening - Round the Table
Individual Prayers
2. Breakfast is served
3. Morning Psalm: 19
4. Breakfast Reading: Ephesians 5:1-20
5. Breakfast Discussion Topics:
News around the valley
Community Aid
through Christian Churches; we must to teach our community to fish and to
provide mutual aid to local governments.
Action
Plan
1)
Work on Mission Statement:
Who:
Christian Veterans of the Bitterroot
What:
Showing the public how to construct a 72 hour kit in corrdination with the
churches of Ravalli County
When:
Starting in 2015
Where:
Ravalli County
Why: Matthew
24:7 7 For nation shall rise against nation, and realm
against realm, and there shall be famine, and pestilence, and earthquakes in [a]divers
places.
Footnotes: [a] Matthew 24:7 Everywhere.
1 Thessalonians 5:3
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety, then shall come upon them sudden destruction, as the travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.
1599 Geneva Bible (GNV)
2)
Newspaper Announcement
Christian
Veterans of the Bitterroot (Headline)
Every
Monday morning at 7 am, veterans in the Bitterroot Valley “push back” with a
prayer breakfast at Hamilton’s BJ’s Family Restaurant, to pray, talk about
religion, and current events. All are welcome to attend.
“Live today in Jesus Christ’s presence,
remembering he is near and will sustain you as you serve in his name. Amen”
3)
Contact “March for Jesus Christ” churches
4)
Pick first venues:
a)
Darby Foursquare Church
b)
Corvallis United Methodist Church
c)
Bitterroot Valley Church of the Nazarene
5)
Pick topics and speakers
a)
Communications
b)
Medical
c)
Psychological
d)
Buying in bulk
e)
Local Law Enforcement
f)
Food Preservation
g)
Security
h)
Important Papers
i)
Emergency Planning
j)
Pandemic Planning
k)
Kits and Sets
6)
Always finish with “Breaking Bread”
52 Weeks to Preparedness by Tess Pennington
1)
Week 41 of 52: Self-Reliant Skills
6. Closing - Round the Table
Individual Prayers
Upcoming Events:
3 Nov 2014 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
10 Nov 2014 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
11 Nov 2014 –
1100 – Veterans Day Parade in Corvallis
11 Nov 2014 –
1700 – Bitterroot Valley Dining Out
17 Nov 2014 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
24 Nov 2014 –
0700 – Push Back with Prayer Breakfast
27 Nov 2014 –
Thanksgiving
4 Apr 2015 –
0645 – March for Jesus Christ
Follow
the Fellowship of Christian Veterans:
On
the Web: http://cvbitterroot.blogspot.com/
On Twitter: @Walk_April_4_15
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/military.bitterroot
Week 41 of 52: Self-Reliant Skills
I have often emphasized how important it is to understand that
preparedness isn’t about how many items you have stored away – it’s really
about learning the skills necessary to survive. Ultimately, we want to be
self-reliant and able to maintain a healthy lifestyle. In order to adapt and
transition more fluidly into self-reliant living, our efforts must lie in our
learned skills, abilities and knowledge.
I realize the time constraints of our daily schedules can put a
dent in our availability; but it is vital that you find the time to learn. When
making the decision on what skills you should learn, think sustainability.
This is a basic list of skills you should learn in order to
survive in a longer-term disaster.
1. Medical Training
Medical training should be a priority for those preparing for
extended emergencies. Due to the increased use of sharp tools (and
weapons for that matter), there will be more medical emergencies involving deep
lacerated cuts and infections from open wounds. Additionally, there will be an
increase in burns from being in closer contact to fires. These injuries
can become infected very quickly, and knowing how to treat them will keep your
family healthy.
There are online courses offered for basic CPR/First Aid, however,
learning some advanced medical skills will give you more of the fundamental
training needed to thrive during a long-term emergency. Find an Emergency
Medical Technician (EMT) class that is offered for paramedics to better equip
you to handle emergency medical situations.
Further, invest in medical handbooks such as The Doom and Bloom Survival Medical Handbook by Joseph
Alton, M.D. and Amy Alton, A.R.N.P. or When There Is No Doctor by Gerard S. Boyle, M.D. Both
resources are will help you learn what needs to be done in an emergency medical
situation. Practice these techniques now in order to perform better under
pressure.
2. Disaster Training
Learning how to plan and prepare for a disaster, as well as
understanding how your community plans to respond to emergencies (and the after
effects of a disaster), will help us adapt to the situation more quickly in
such an event. Disaster training is typically offered by FEMA, the
American Red Cross and other disaster organizations. The American Red
Cross offers extensive courses in disaster safety and training, as well as
basic First Aid/CPR courses. Thanks to the Information Age, information
is at the click of a mouse. Online disaster courses are now offered through a variety
of websites.
3. Gardening Skills
It’s time to get your hands dirty and get back in touch with
nature. In a long term survival situation, seeds will mean the difference between life and death.
When a disaster occurs, start some sprouting seeds to ensure that you have a natural source
of vitamins and nutrients until your seeds bear their fruits.
Learn necessary gardening skills such as companion plants, crop
rotations, beneficial insects, natural ways to replenish soil with compost and earthworms, and which gardening tools will be beneficial in an
extended emergency.
4. Medicinal Plants
Another relevant knowledge source is understanding the medicinal value of plants and herbs. It is amazing how
many uses there are for plants besides spicing up our entrees.
Researching natural medicines is another major need in a survival situation,
especially if a person in your group has a pre-existing condition.
Click here to read about the Top 10 Medicinal Herbs.
5. Firearm Certification and Training
There are dozens of firearm courses offered through the National Rifle
Association as well as at self defense businesses and at some
local colleges. This skill is easily lost if you do not practice
regularly. Also, practicing gun safety, especially around children will help them learn how important it is to be
mindful around weapons.
6. Canning and Food Preparation
As Carla Emery, a homesteading author once said of our pioneer
ancestors, “If people’s labors were fruitful, they put away a long-term food
supply as a matter of common sense; their food was wholesome, hearty, and
healthy.” Knowing how to can and preserve foods to eat during the long
winter months is essential.
Canning and food preservation measures will be extremely
useful in a longer-term disaster. Having food preservation tools such as jars,
lids, pressure cookers, and supplies to preserve foods can help you keep your
harvest edible for a year or more! Check www.craigslist.com,
garage sales and even at second hand stores for these essential items. Canning
jars would also make an excellent bartering item.
Further, having knowledge on how long foods last will help you
preserve foods when they are at their best. This convenient food storage
chart is a great tool to have in your kitchen to ensure your
pantry foods are within expiration.
7. Amateur Radio Classes
Each of us have read enough survival books to know that the “comm
down” scenario is a very real threat, and happens more often than not. Experts
from the private and public sector warn that we are just one major catastrophic event away from an incident
that could take down the grid. The best way to prepare for this serious
situation is to equip yourself with the knowledge and with the tools for
emergency communication. Having a radio is encouraged by
many disaster relief organizations. And having knowledge on how
to work and maneuver a HAMM radio will provide a person with an emergency
communication source during a time when most communication is down.
The National
Association of Amateur Radio provides information based on a
person’s location and course information on their website.
8. Sewing Classes
Everyone has heard stories of how their great grandmothers would
sew quilts out of material harvested from worn-out clothing. Not many of
us have this skill anymore. Typically fabric stores offer sewing classes
and sewing events for their customers. Sewing classes will not only teach
a necessary skill, but it will also help you get the survival mindset in place.
Instead of buying something, make something new out of what you have available.
For instance, rather than throwing away torn jeans, salvage the non-worn areas
and turn them into patches for clothing. Use other sections for pieces
for a quilt, and make rags from what is left over.
9. Outdoor Survival Skills Courses
Learning necessary outdoor skills will provide a person with
fundamental knowledge on how to better survive. The Boy Scouts offer
adult classes, and you can also find relevant courses at some community
colleges. Get creative and search around the internet. There are
some survival courses offered online (some are even free survival courses) that
a person can take from the comfort of his or her home. Look for courses
on how to forage for food in the wild, essential survival skills, and
wilderness medical courses. Some of these courses are offered at local
colleges, the YMCA, community park and recreation facilities, etc.
Additionally, finding books, and e-books on survival skills is another way to gather
information on this topic and practice what you learn later.
10. Homesteading Skills
There is a range of preparations and skills that are absolutely
necessary for running a successful farm or homestead. That is why our forefathers
often screwed up and starved to death. If all the pieces are not there then the
potential exists for failure. Now is the time to get these skills in order.
Learning about livestock care, how to fix essential machines, how to use
non-electric or turn of the century tools, how to render lard, and how to
make soap and candles. These are all lost art forms, in my opinion and need to
be learned in order to sustain your family or group for long-term scenarios.
YouTube and online websites can do wonders for helping you learn the basics of
these skills.
11. Hunting Skills
If you plan to hunt wild game for a food source, you will need to
learn how to gut the carcass, skin the fur or remove feathers and properly cut
the meat. The “hunter-in-training” will also have to have a proficient
knowledge on the different types of hunting tools used to prepare animal
carcasses (and these tools come in different sizes based on the animal). TheNational Hunting
Association is a portal that can take a person to their local
area hunting association in order to get more information for their specific
area. Also, this website offers
the hunting guides for all of the states within the USA.
I’d like to conclude by offering a few pieces of advice on
learning new skills – practice any chance you get and give yourself time to
learn it. Like any new thing you try to do, there is a learning curve involved.
Give yourself time to make the necessary mistakes and learn from them. Process
of elimination is usually the way we learn best. Finding others in your area
who can help guide you through these new skills can be such a blessing, and can
open the door to some new mentors.
Preps to Buy:
- Written books
on skills you want to learn
- Tools or
accessories needed to learn these skills
- Extra printer
paper to print out any information you find online
- Binders for
organizing your information (To help you organize this binder, click here for tips)
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