No matter where we are in the world, this question pertains to all of us. Most of us are ready for some football but let’s get serious. Most of us are not ready for the important things. Who was ready for the fires and mudslides out West? Who was ready for the flooding in the Midwest? Who was ready for the last tornado? Who was ready for the earthquake? How about the smoke in the air? Who is ready for drought, sandstorms and famine? Then there are the manmade disasters. Who was ready for the oil spill, wars and revolts in Iraq, Egypt, and Libya just to name a few? Who is truly ready for the hurricane that might turn out to be catastrophic? Who is ready to die? Ouch, let’s get serious, now is the time for multi-tasking preparation of epic proportion.
The numerous questions above make us think about things that have already happened around the world and those to come. None of us can forget the tragic stories overseas about the 2004 Asian tsunami, Japan’s 2011 triple whammy tsunami, earthquake and nuclear power plant meltdown. Let’s not forget Haiti, because they are still suffering. When we put all of these images together our hearts should pump a little faster. This should cause us to think about our next move and to act. Here’s to a fresh perspective of readiness.
There are two things we must prepare for and that is life on earth and life after earth. For the life on earth during an emergency, follow one of the many published checklists. These checklists describe what to have on hand in the event of an emergency. Here are the things that are left off the list because they are commonsense:
ü Remain calm (stress tends to impair judgment)
ü Evacuate when told (it might save a life)
ü Don’t touch downed power lines (electrocution is possible)
ü Stay inside home/don’t operate a vehicle during a storm (flying and falling debris may cause injury)
ü Stay out of the water (there is life after death)
ü Don’t drive through flooded areas (swimming might not be an option)
ü Be considerate (everyone is having an emergency)
ü Check on an elderly neighbor (before and after the storm)
ü Cash is king (power outage will affect electronic credit and debit machines)
ü Fuel all cars (electronic pumps…power outage)
Death and taxes are two things in life that are imminent. We can address taxes another time however death can be untimely. Keep in mind that life after death should be much easier if we plan the right destination. There is no packing required. There is the preparation of mind, body and soul. There is only one checklist to follow and that is the Bible. We can all pray for each other but after all is said and done everyone has to answer their own bell. Who is ready?
We are ready to watch the football game. We have our snacks and drinks together. The big 52” screen has been dusted-off game day. We are ready for kickoff. But let’s put things into perspective. What is more important football or family? Do we want to spend eternity in heaven or hell? Not only should we be thinking about a preparation plan but an after-action plan for life and death. Time is running out. Who will be ready?
