TEOTWAWKI – and a fun activity

I always get a little nervous when my husband smiles a certain smile and says he has a fun family activity.

On Sunday night we were talking with friends about all the amazing things going on in our nation, in the government, the political climate and in the financial institutions in our nation and around the world — read: end times; and Wes said he thought he might like for our family to try this fun activity.  I knew where this was going — not bcz I had seen the covers of different books Wes has recently been reading and not bcz I saw a couple of websites he was reading.  No… no, I knew we were in for some real family fun when I heard him speak and saw the sparkle in his eye.  He shared with the friends what we might do.  Hmmmm… I thought; and then I wondered if that would be a weekend where our home would be the ‘host home’ for our house-church?  Would that be a weekend where I had a retreat planned?  O, I’m kidding. ;o)   My mind raced about what we might do and how we might carry out this fun activity.  But it wouldn’t be a game if it was for real – if it was for real, all this joking aside, we’d be pretty astonished.

So, a teotwawki survival weekend is survival or disaster practice.  Now, doesn’t that sound like fun?  Now, not being a conspiracy theorist or a survial anything afficianado, the idea of gathering all the family together some friday afternoon and telling them we’re going to intentionally turn off all electricity (and/or other power sources) *and* water and see how much fun we can have for the weekend doesn’t seem all that great to me and I don’t even want to do it — but as these last couple of days have passed, I’m rethinking that… and am wondering if it might not be that bad of an idea after all — and that we actually should do it.   O, and TEOTWAWKI, translated is: the end of the world as we know it.

So, curious, I deceded to take a look at a few sites when we got home Sunday night.  This is my year for adventure, so I’m thinking we might try this — now, mind you, we did nothing for “Y2K” preparedness – well, save the fact that we didn’t have a large savings in the bank. O, but that wasn’t intentional.  So, I guess we didn’t do anything to prepare for the “unknown” except stay up and live through the passing of minutes before and after 12:00 midnight 12/31 – 1/1/00… I guess we clapped and then yawned and went to bed.   I’m not a hiker (well, not seriously – though, as you know, I *did* climb Mt. Pilchuck) and we’re not “campers” — though we have been camping; and I’m not one for “roughing it” — though we have roughed it.  a lot. sometimes.  We’ve only done so out of necessity – not intentionally.  So, this “weekend experiment…” I wonder if Wes will want to try this fun activity before or after the list of lists is printed and (some?) items gathered?  Sort of “cold turkey” or after a trip to Starbucks the grocery store.

The only preparation I have for surviving teotwawki is – uh, one thing — and it’s not tangible, but it’s for real — it’s none other than oil in my lamp.  Oil in my lamp is my only hope…

“My Hope is Built on Nothing Less”
by Edward Mote, 1797-1874

1. My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
But wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

2. When darkness veils His lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
In every high and stormy gale
My anchor holds within the veil.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

3. His oath, His covenant, and blood
Support me in the whelming flood;
When every earthly prop gives way,
He then is all my Hope and Stay.
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.

4. When He shall come with trumpet sound,
Oh, may I then in Him be found,
Clothed in His righteousness alone,
Faultless to stand before the throne!
On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand;
All other ground is sinking sand.