Thursday Thoughts – March 16, 2023 Edition

We turned on the heat pump today. It is hard to determine the most economical way to heat the “house” (5th wheel) because comparing propane and electricity is difficult, using different units ‘n’ all… BUT a delivery of propane @ just under $300 lasts about 24 days and powers the furnace and the stove. Our electric bill for an entire month which powers everything else – including additional heat for the living room so that we can keep the furnace set to a lower temp – runs about half that. I have no idea what the heat pump costs to run since we haven’t been able to use it all winter, and can only use it when the temps outside are warmer anyway (above 40Ā°F or thereabouts I think?). But it is back on today and we’re going to try using that with the additional electric heater on the days it is warm enough to do so, and see how it works out I guess. I really have no idea and no way to figure it out.

Golly. I used to use Pinterest a lot. A LOT. I just went there looking for something and…is it me? Or are fully half of the pins on the screen “promoted by” ads???? I have to decide if it’s simply too much trouble anymore I guess.

I’ve got WAY too many rolled oats in the cupboard…BUT I just happened upon a recipe for Oatmeal Pumpkin Dog Treats and it looks easy enough to do…we have a few cans of pumpkin for the dogs anyway, and buy tons of eggs from Bill (BEST EGGS EVER!!!!!!!!!!), so…I think I’ll give it a shot sometime!

Listened to some good preaching online today, and I always seem to come back to my current favorite. He is passionate and makes things easy to understand but shares things that I would consider “deep”, while making everything relevant. When he’s talking and I think, “Yes, that’s great, but HOW can I do [whatever]?” he always addresses that. And, unlike so many preachers out there, I’ve never heard him say anything questionable or unbiblical. (And yes, I am one of those who checks!) I struggle to understand a lot of them – it’s not them, it’s me, I’m sure! But Pastor Jackson is as relateable, honest, on-target, and truthful as they come.

Speaking of checking the Bible…I was reading a post today and saw John 5:31 quoted. And there it stood, all alone. While it is absolutely true, I knew there had to be more to the story than that. And sure enough, reading the entirety of the chapter told the rest of the story. As I understood it, it wasn’t a simple statement, as it had sounded when it stood alone. But a man of great faith was talking to “learned” men who lived by law, without faith. So, while true, the rest of the story adds to its meaning and import. We cannot be too careful about passages taken out of context…as the worldly do in an attempt to justify their false claims and excuse their lack of belief and faith…which wasn’t, BTW, the case with the person quoting that verse earlier today.

Overall, I can’t get enough. I can’t get enough of God…of His Word…of godly music and teaching and fellowship…of worship. Many people speculate what heaven will be like; I only know that I was never given the gift of singing, though I prayed for it my whole life. But when I’m there, I will be able to sing praises to Jesus.

Final Thursday Thought: I love to laugh, and do it often. Attitude doesn’t always convey itself correctly through text, but I am a jolly person. I make jokes and love others’ jokes (when they’re not at someone else’s expense or profane of course). Pete and I laugh together often every day – I always say that laughter is our glue. I have laugh lines from a lifetime of laughing. Most of what I write on social media is light-hearted, and while I never ridicule or make fun of others for a cheap laugh, I do make silly comments on people’s posts intended to make them smile. That doesn’t always come across as intended, however, so I try to limit myself in text, unlike in person – except with those who know me in person… ANYWAY hearing children laugh brings me such an enormous amount of joy. I have often wondered, as God’s children, does He also delight in our laughter?

9 thoughts on “Thursday Thoughts – March 16, 2023 Edition

  1. Yesssssssssss sister! We need God and laughter! My mother started listening to Pastor Jackson last year and told me I need to listen to him.

    1. I love hearing that – even though it’s been a lot of years since I was a child, I grew up with “God is a stern taskmaster in the sky just waiting for an excuse to strike you down” teachings from the nuns and it still clouds my mind more frequently than I like to admit!

      Good mom!

    1. When Pete’s not home I like to listen to messages turned up so that I can hear them everywhere in the house, no matter what I’m doing, and I usually listen to Pastor Jackson’s first (and probably most, lately)!

  2. I cannot BELIEVE the high charges of your utility bills! WOW! For my entire 1702 sq.ft. home, my utility bills, all totaled, (including water/sewer) run less than HALF of yours. I use natural gas for the furnace and electricity for everything else…and I’m only one state over from you. I’m guessing the difference must be in the insulation. My walls & ceiling were heavily insulated when the house was built.

  3. Here’s a bit of laughter.

    A man was driving his car down a country road at about 40 mph. He looked beside him and there was a chicken running along side of his car. The man speed up to 60 mph and lo and behold the chicken was running right beside him. Then the chicken took off even faster, ran down the road and into a farmers yard.
    The man pulled into the driveway noticed the chicken had 3 legs. He asked the farmer is that was his chicken. The farmer replied it was indeed his. The man then asked if the chick was a freak of nature. The farmer replied no – they breed 3 legged chickens.
    The man then asked why they breed 3 legged chickens. The farmers reply was that he liked chicken legs, his wife like chicken legs and the youngin’ liked chicken legs too.
    The man said that makes sense. How do they taste he asked the farmer.
    The farmer replied We don’t know since we have yet to be able to catch one

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