"The measure of who we are is what we do with what we have." V. Lombardi

During my Cold War era days of service with the United States Marine Corps, I kept a 'ready bag' packed to grab and go on a moments notice. Inside was the absolute minimal gear I would need to get by if dropped into an Area of Responsibility (AOR) until resupply was available.

It takes a lot of training and mental fortitude to leave one's family behind unsure what their foreseeable future might hold while you rush to do your job and save the free world from godless commies...

Sorry. I guess that brainwashing sticks with a person long after their time in service is done.

Yes, I have an emergency bag packed and plan in place in the event of disaster or revolution. As a loving husband and father of three, I wouldn't feel comfortable not being prepared. I've gone as far as preparing a Survival Package that contains crucial information that my family will need to know in the event..well...you know...I don't make it. Shelter, water and food plus a driving desire to survive can bring a person through circumstances that might be unimaginable to them today.

So, what would be my five 'extra' things I would grab before leaving? Actually, I've already thought this one through:

1.  My personal Bible. I wrote about this Stone of Remembrance last November. We've been through tough times together already, and I know the reassuring message contained in its pages would resonate strongly in the most dire times.

2. A family picture album. I have one in mind already. Hope is a very powerful thing especially in a survival situation. A picture is worth a thousand words is cliche for a reason.

3. My grandfather's pocketknife. Granted, it wouldn't be much of a tool and far more effective tools are already in the emergency bag, but these single inheritance from my ancestry has not only a ton of stories packed inside...but also a lifetime of wisdom and life lessons.

4.  Several classic novels from the bookcase. Without the blitz of media-laced electronic entertainment, boredom will take hold quick. A nice change of pace from daily biblical stories would be an interjection of modern culture. What better way to keep that culture alive than nightly reading aloud from Steinbeck, Faulkner or Hemingway to pass the time.

5.  My journal. While my story is by no means special, it is uniquely mine. For the several years I've documented my thoughts, prayers, hopes and dreams, those pages are a glance into who I truly am. I would not only want my girls to have those pages, but to pass them on to their children to show them that loving God with all your heart is not just a memorable passage from the Good Book, but a true way of life. A forever changing way of life. I'm pretty sure that comes across loud and clear to this point of the journal.

I don't consider myself a survivalist by any stretch of the imagination. I'm also not an alarmist, but I do realize we live in an unstable world where politics or nature itself can explode at any given moment. Here's one last cliche to chew on:

Better safe than sorry

One thing I know with absolute certainty, regardless of my circumstances, God is with me always.