Being prepared is a lifestyle. God taught me more than being prepared. He taught me to appreciate a hot shower especially on January 1. He is responsible. Sometimes we have to be like Abraham and risk it all, to have God spare Isaac at the end and provide a sacrificial lamb.
Obedience is important.
On several occasions, we have been able to bless friends and acquaintances by packing a bag of groceries and sending them to them just to help them through a tight time. A stocked pantry makes this possible, especially when I stock with sale items - I don't even feel a pinch. It is so incredibly fun to never run out of an item. I live in Florida, yet it took y2k to get me to a point that I wouldn't worry about a hurricane because I could purify my own water which I pump out of my own well, eat out of my own stocks, burn my own lamps, and basically make it okay. You could tell we were real rookies.