Week 26 – Question of the Week: How long do we have to prepare?

Week 26: 2012-01-12 (non-consecutive weeks) 

Lately I’ve been thinking about the story of Joseph in Egypt.  Remember the dream he interpreted predicting seven bountiful years followed by seven lean years? 

Though we are in a recession, America is still a country of great abundance.  Why, there’s so much food and other “stuff” around that it’s hard to know where to put it all.

So was Joseph telling us something? 

I’m hoping the lesson is that we still have several years to prepare.  I look at my own community and think, “Oh my, there’s so much work to be done!  Is it too late already?”

Unless you have unlimited time and/or money, it’s difficult to prepare for even one year ahead.  Again, thinking of the Joseph story, during each year of bounty they stockpiled extra food for one additional year.  If you were convinced  – and determined – what could you accomplish in one year?

Should we be taking advantage of God’s bounteous blessings on this country to stock up for the future? And how long do think we have to prepare?

Please respond in the block below.  (All answers remain anonymous.)

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About Cynthia J. Koelker, MD

CYNTHIA J KOELKER , MD is a board-certified family physician with over twenty years of clinical experience. A member of American Mensa, Dr. Koelker holds degrees in biology, humanities, medicine, and music from M.I.T., Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, and the University of Akron. She served in the National Health Service Corps to finance her medical education.
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7 Responses to Week 26 – Question of the Week: How long do we have to prepare?

  1. KarlaNP says:

    I believe time has actually run out already. A one time catastrophic event is less likely unless it is a bank run or revalue financial event. For that I think we probably have between two to five years as that seems to be the lag time we have behind Greece, historically speaking. However, inflation has already set in as anyone can tell who has been to the grocery store lately. Is it too late to get prepared? Absolutely not. It just might be more expensive. We are frogs in the pot. If you put frogs in boiling water, they immediately jump out. If you put them in a pot of cold water and heat it slowly, they will sit there and eventually die in boiling water. Small events have been in motion for some time. I am so thankful that God has opened my eyes to see.

  2. Beth B says:

    Given the multitude of possible “disasters” that could create a TEOTWAKI scenario (pandemic, economic collapse, EMP, nuclear attack, et al) my husband and I feel a great sense of urgency to prepare for the worst, and pray for God’s mercy. We have a minimum of 8 souls to provide for, not counting charity. Even if we’re not here, we want them to be able to survive or even thrive. We will never be “ready” unless God grants another 10 years, but we press on in our efforts to store food, clothing, medications and medical supplies, gardening equipment, firearms and ammo, and household items, as well as bartering items.

  3. I am following the Biblical model of seven years which may sound impossible to some, but there are two things to consider:

    1. He spent seven years preparing for seven so we cannot expect to get there overnight. Start by preparing for one year within the next and work from there. If you can move some funds to precious metals in the interim, perhaps you can do what other nations did during the Biblical famine and trade that for food.

    2. He focused entirely on food. If we think about everything we could possibly need in the next seven years, it would overwhelm us. Focus on food and move out from there to cover the five G’s in this order: God, Grub, Guns, Ground, and Gold.

  4. Kevin says:

    When the watchman sees the enemy coming, he sounds the alarm to warn the people.
    Then if those who hear the alarm refuse to take action, it is their own fault if they die.
    They heard the alarm but ignored it, so the responsibility is theirs.
    If they had listened to the warning, they could have saved their lives.
    But if the watchman sees the enemy coming and doesn’t sound the alarm to warn the people,
    he is responsible for their captivity. They will die in their sins,
    but I will hold the watchman responsible for their deaths.
    Ezekiel 33:3-6

    http://TheBasicLife.com

  5. JAG says:

    Odd that your question coincides directly with today’s wonderful post over at Enola Gay’s, http://www.paratusfamiliablog.com/ .

    My question to you is: when did our seven years of bounty start?

    I think it started in 2002-03.

    • Doc Cindy says:

      The Paratus post is a good read, especially for those who tend to give without asking. I agree – please do take a look at it.

      As for when our years of bounty started, my family wasn’t wealthy growing up in the 60’s. In the 70s people were still frugal, though by then some families had color TVs and second cars. In the 80s I started my own family, with few of the “luxuries” today’s newlyweds take for granted. In the late 80s the Superstores spread, and with them the abundance of material goods. By the 90s computers began infiltrating our homes, along with media of every sort.

      Then came the explosion of cell phones, SUVs, big screen TVs, 1000s of channels, a pharmacy on every corner, Mega Marts in every town, more food than our country could eat if we tried, and the belief this would go on forever.

      So I’d agree the bounty, the overabundance, started around the turn of the millennium or perhaps a little earlier. But it’s been closer to 70 years of blessing and steady gain. I’m hoping time is not running out.

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