On one of our recent shows with Dr. William Forstchen, the author of “One Second After,” we talked at length about preparing for emergencies and how some find it a matter of life or death while others devalue it in the most mocking ways they can. We can’t reach everyone with the message of emergency preparation, but we try our best to warn them and then if it’s received or not is up to them.

But you’d like to think that your own family would receive the wisdom of preparing, and some do while others continually brush it off.  In fact, some family members (usually the younger ones) are way too busy with living life to pay attention to the real threats we face in our world. But it’s sooo gratifying when one of them “gets it.”

On this same show, I recalled the time that my middle daughter, Claire, actually said “thanks” for teaching her preparation.

There’s no better feeling in the world than to hear your own child say “thanks” for doing something that’s good for them – but they didn’t necessarily appreciate it in the beginning!  There are things you do for them, and things you make them do that they will resist with every ounce of immaturity in them!

Think about it; brush your teeth, eat your vegetables, do your homework, clean your room, etc.  Kids don’t really ‘get’ the benefits of such things until they’re older.  And until they do ‘get it,’ life can be a little, well, challenging.

It’s been that way with emergency preparation, too.  Jim and I live what we preach, so we have taught our children the importance of being prepared for emergencies – and we know they get tired of hearing it sometimes!  Emergency preparation is one of those ‘bummer’ topics kids would rather not think about. But, second only to teaching them how to love and serve Jesus, this is something we consider a loving parental responsibility.

Sometimes you wonder if you will ever have the satisfaction of hearing a “thank you”….in this life, anyway!

But then comes a moment like Claire hugging me tightly and in a moment of exceptional maturity and contemplation saying “thanks, Mom…. because you and Dad have prepared for emergencies and taught us how to prepare, I am not afraid of the future.”

Moments like that makes it all worth it.

Love,

Lori