Economic stimulus

So today we wait for the first real chance at snow. Ah snow. Yes, 1 to 2 inches possible. Really jacks up the toilet paper, bread, and milk sales.

My son who graduated last year and now has 3 jobs and college is really excited about the prospect. Unfortunately he hasn't thoroughly digested what snow does for working people.

Nothing.

Poke

Ah - it has started. You know how it goes, those wretched Christmas cards that come written in artificial ink from people who really don't care about you, demonstrated either actively in words and deeds or passively in silence and absence but have some strange need to one-up by sending a card with nothing but a signature under the preprinted greeting or something like "best wishes". The only words spoken for the year "best wishes". Whew. Some of them are asking for money, and, oh by the way, "happy holiday". Others are from an individual, checking off the list.

I got one from Rosalynn and Jimmy Carter. It's nice they thought of me.

So far I've gotten both kinds.

Don't get me wrong, this is different from those that are the careful reflection after a busy year or a "where did the time go" year where the friend writes "I wish we got to talk to each other" or something like that. Those are the real ones, they are ones looking for the promised peace on earth. The others are a way of giving reason for asking for money or satisfying inner looking, both stimulate the Walmart and Post Office economies.

I suppose all of that needs to be done. Tis the season.

The warm earth

We installed a geothermal heatpump this year to replace 2 16 year old and 1 5 year old traditional heatpumps. I took on the task of doing the installation mostly because I'm cheap and a little because I wanted to see if I could make it work. It turned out to be a vastly more complex task than I anticipated.

The problem solving I had to go through to make the system work was, in fact, just the education I needed to know what I am dealing with. It's a monstrous beast, extending 4200 feet of pipe into the yard 6 feet underground, piping refrigerant from the attic to the basement and into the garage, followed by wiring for thermostats, power, backup heat, and the unit itself. I still have to hook up the hot water, whereby my water supply for the hot water heater will be pre-heated to around 100 degrees by my new system.

I still marvel at the technology. During these past few days of 20-30 degree weather, my new system is faithfully sucking 55 degree water from the ground, stealing its heat, and returning it to the ground to be rewarmed by the earth. I fell a little better about mowing this patch of ground now, knowing that the soft green grass is actually a cover for an engine that warms the bedrooms of my home.

Dad said I could.

We sat in church this morning listening to the pastor preach on words. He has talked about the subject for a couple of weeks. Today's were words of confession. I must confess, it was moving. OK, not so funny.

It is true, though... I must confess.

Confession is first realized by submitting myself to Him, the Lord, so there is a standard by which I cannot justify myself. regardless of my story, my position, my reason, in the light of the omniscient Father I am not worthy of Him. I fail Him constantly...and the gift of grace He gives is because of His quality, not of my deserving it.

It is good to move into that light.

That would be too easy.

I heard a good suggestion for the bailout of the big 3 auto makers - the oil companies ought to loan them the money. It makes a certain amount of sense. What do you think?

Will that be new or retread?

Good to see the change in Washington, eh? Changing back to the good ole days of the Clinton administration. It's like old cars - I saw a '73 Ford Maverick the other day - one of the kids said "cool car"...wait a minute - a Maverick? Not cool, no matter how old it is.

If we do the same old things the same old way we'll get the same old things. Looks like we're going to get it again. Too bad.