Prepare with a good foundation

"In Mine Own Way" is a great title for the Sunday School lesson. It is about being prepared spiritually and physically and then sharing what you've prepared, both spiritually and physically. I thought about just writing about being prepared spriritally, but both go hand in hand and I just can't see discussing one without the other.

Last May, my husband was layed off from the job that brought us to Utah. This was a complete surprise to us and was quite a blow, as these things tend to be. In the few days after we learned the news, a huge rush of gratitude came as we realized that we had been prompted to prepare physically throughout the previous year. We had felt and acted upon promptings to eradicate credit card debt, increase food storage, decrease unneccessary spending and put what we could into savings. When the news of the layoff came, we were shocked, but there was also some peace of mind that our financial and physical responsibilities were those of basic needs and not extravagance. We also had peace of mind spiritually, which maintained our sanity and hope through emotional and personal highs and lows and self-doubt. There are of course things that we could've have done to have even more peace of mind and we went through (and still do) every course of self-doubt regarding every choice we've made in the last ten years trying to figure out how we couldn've prevented this misfortune. But, the overall feeling was, we would be taken care of. That though we may have made some poor financial choices and even poor spiritual choices at times, on the whole we have experienced faith in the "Lord's Way" and know that it works and have confidence that it will work again.

Now, I know that there are people who are much more faithful that I am who are in the same situation of job loss or other misfortune and I do not know why things worked out so quickly for us. I hardly feel it's just or fair for me to even relate this, except that I feel to give all credit to Heavenly Father for knowing what I do not know and giving what I do not understand that I need. I pray that I will allow that what He has given and does give, will always be stronger than what men can give:

30 I tell you these things because of your prayers; wherefore, treasure up wisdom in your bosoms, lest the wickedness of men reveal these things unto you by their wickedness, in a manner which shall speak in your ears with a voice louder than that which shall shake the earth; but if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.

124 Cease to be idle; cease to be unclean; cease to find fault one with another; cease to sleep longer than is needful; retire to thy bed early, that ye may not be weary; arise early, that your bodies and your minds may be invigorated.

125 And above all things, clothe yourselves with the bond of charity, as with a mantle, which is the bond of perfectness and peace.