It is 8:50 PM, Sunday. I didn't draw today, and didn't get much, if any, time to ponder. I did have an insight relative to my upcoming component arbor project, however. I have decided to do my own ornamental ironwork - welding and all. I even discovered that my son-in-law, Matt (Olsen) has both a welding rig, and steel saw. Bart Seever, Adam's father also has a welding rig, and knows how to weld. So, I won't have any trouble getting set up to do this. I also sat next to Brian Reed in Priesthood Meeting this morning. Brian is a "blacksmith," or ornamental iron worker. I'm sure I can get some pointers from him. I'll probably do that tomorrow at some point. I'll also go to Home Depot to get prices on the lumber I will need.
We also decided that it is time for us to get our own place. We have been living with our daughter Jodee, and three of our grandchildren for some 9+ months now, since the first week of July, last year. I have a vision in my mind of where I want to live, and the kind of place I want to find. It is in the country, not far East of here, and will have a barn or shop, and enough land to build what I need to build. It would be nice to find a lease-purchase opportunity, but just something to rent to begin with. I plan to start looking tomorrow, although I may go on-line in a minute or two.
So, great day, and life is good. It is wonderful to see the difference that deciding on a path can make. I will be doing something I love, rather than just working to survive. I am truly grateful for that principle, and look forward to continuing to learn new principles every day - powerful, life-changing principles that I can share and teach through both writing and speaking. I am grateful for all of the challenges I have faced, that have given me a firsthand knowledge of the spiritual/mental suffering that one can face when not thinking correctly.
I reread today the passage in Matthew where the Savior taught that man could not gather "grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles" - that after pointing out that "by their fruits ye shall know them." In other words, if the fruits of our thoughts are bitter, then the thoughts themselves must be so. Thus, when we experience bitter fruit - suffering and anguish of any kind - it is because the thought seeds are likewise bitter or wrong. It is therefore meet that we should be constantly aware of our feelings, and that when they are less than peaceful and joyful, we seek to identify the initial thoughts that triggered the negative response. There must always be a cause, and it is always good to be able to link cause and effect. That way we can ultimately reap the fruit that we want to reap by seeing which of our thoughts bear which fruit.
That's about all I have to say about that! Tomorrow I will resume the final corrections to the model. Hopefully I'll be done by Thursday. Can't wait!
Good night!
Mr. Ballantyne
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