Repurposing

If you read my journal last week, you probably felt my disappointment of not being able to do what I wanted with my glass because of needing a glory hole to keep the glass hot as I worked. I was hoping to get by using a simple hand torch but it didn't work out that way.

Well, we've said that we are here to enjoy the journey and not just  the destination. And the journey is good! 

Ken, a friend of my brother, had heard about our endeavor. He had something he wanted to tell us. Now Ken is into blacksmithing. He had just showed up at an auction and heard the word forge. They were having trouble getting a bid on it so he raised his hand and got what he assumed to be a metal forge for almost nothing.

Ken wrestled the thing home and found a spot for it in his garage. It wasn't exactly the blacksmithing forge that he was hoping for, but more of crucible type forge for melting soft metal.

To make a long story short, Ken generously offered it to me. Awesome! I wasn't too sure about it at first, but after looking it over, it looked like turning it into a glory hole was a very good possibility. Ken loaded it onto my truck with his tractor.

The boys and I wrestled it to the ground at my house and of course I couldn't wait to dig into it. We plugged it in but the blower motor was froze up. I took the motor off and put some WD-40 into the oil tubes and what  would you know, the next morning it ran like a charm.

I loved the way the burner and blower system was set up with all of the safety features. Perfect!

I then started measuring and thinking and figuring out how to build a glory hole around that and started taking things apart. 

Next week I will get some steel and start welding this thing up. I really want it on rollers as it is well over 300 lbs.

Part of our desire for our business has been that we would be able to take time to do the more important things in life.

When I gave my notice that I was quitting as production manager, I expected that I would be going straight from that to being self employed and the pressure would be to get the business going and some cash flow ASAP.

Instead, the company offered me part-time work blowing glass. Since it seemed like a more reasonable transition, and since I love making bigger items that I won't be able to make at home, that's what I have been doing. It's not our end goal but it's given us a more flexible schedule and we have enough to get by for now.

This past week I had the opportunity to be an archery instructor for two days at our church youth camp. It definitely cut into what I wanted to accomplish at home, but looking back, it was the right thing to do.

I'm saying these things to say that it feels like God is with us on this journey, watching out for us along the way. Sometimes it's easy to forget about all the good things we receive from our family, our friends, our community. 

As we paddle along on this journey, we'll take any time we can to check out the shoreline, to paddle up those side streams, to catch a fish here or there.

And as we paddle, we'll take the time to thank God for it all!