Archive for » February 3rd, 2008«

Free Toilets

03 Feb 2008 by

My procrastination has paid off! The city of Austin has resurrected the Free Toilet Program. If you live in the Austin area and have a commode installed earlier than 1996, look into replacing it with a high-performance HET (high-efficiency toilet) that uses only 1.28 gallons with each flush.

We recently replaced the 5 gpf toilet in the guest bathroom with an efficient 1.6 gpf model under the normal Toilet Rebate program which only cost us $25 after the rebate. Beforehand I wasn’t entirely sure of the performance of these more efficient models – which is a common concern. I can now say with much assurance that I’m not disappointed.

That being said, the 1.6 gpf models have pretty much the same mechanics as the old models. The Niagara EcoLogic however uses a “flapperless” design. I’m not sure what’s in store should it start to fail, which I hope doesn’t happen in the near future. There aren’t too many reviews on this particular brand but HETs are becoming widely used in new homes. Regardless, it’s a free toilet. So, in our small efforts to “go green” (and save money) we’re going to take a leap of faith, put our trust in the city of Austin, and replace the remaining two “water-wasters” in our home with HETs.

Category: Budgeting  12 Comments

St. Thérèse on Prayer

03 Feb 2008 by

From Story of a Soul:

How great is the power of Prayer! One could call it a Queen who has at each instant free access to the King and who is able to obtain whatever she asks. To be heard it is not necessary to read from a book some beautiful formula composed for the occasion. If this were the case, alas, I would have to be pitied! Outside the Divine Office which I am very unworthy to recite, I do not have the courage to force myself to search out beautiful prayers in books. There are so many of them it really gives me a headache! and each prayer is more beautiful than the others. I cannot recite them all and not knowing which to choose, I do like children who do not know how to read, I say very simply to God what I wish to say, without composing beautiful sentences, and He always understands me. For me, prayer is an aspiration of the heart, it is a simple glance directed to heaven, it is a cry of gratitude and love in the midst of trial as well as joy; finally, it is something great, supernatural, which expands my soul and unites me to Jesus.

And it’s comforting to know that even the greatest of saints had this very same struggle…

…(I am ashamed to admit it) the recitation of the rosary is more difficult for me than the wearing of an instrument of penance. … I force myself in vain to meditate on the mysteries of the rosary; I don’t succeed fixing my mind on them. For a long time I was desolate about this lack of devotion that astonished me, for I love the Blessed Virgin so much that it should be easy for me to recite in her honor prayers which are so pleasing to her. Now I am less desolate; I think that the Queen of heaven, since she is my MOTHER, must see good will and she is satisfied with it.

I can only hope that my Queen is satisfied with me in my efforts to practice this devotion.

Category: Faith  One Comment