Year 4-Day 6: The Intersect

Year 4-Day 6: Today...I am grateful for "the intersect" where passion meets compassion...because there lies our real purpose. 

Thank you Brittany Dupont for recommending the book 1000 gifts by Ann Voskamp.  I must confess that I cried in the first chapters...as she struck a chord that resonated deeply...our life stories seem almost mirror-like at times. Okay...maybe more of a fun house mirror, slightly skewed...but still, strangely familiar paths.

Ann and I are both farmer's daughters. (She married a farmer, I did not.)
We've buried sisters (at different seasons in life).
We have lost  a niece or nephew (our husband's brother and sister-in-law's child).
Lived with our parents grieving the loss of a child.
Genetic disease in the family leading to grief and loss.
Farm accidents impacting those closest to us.
Finding hope, healing and joy through gratitude and faith. 

It feels as if I have discovered a kindred spirit in the practice of living gratefully and she can word wrangle with the best of them.  How have I missed this book?  Timing.  God's timing.

Writing, recording gratitude and living intentionally every day allows us to live fully in this present day.  Here is a quote from the book that made me stop and look for a highlighter:

"How do you open the eyes to see how take the daily, domestic, workday vortex and invert it into the dome of an everyday cathedral?"-Ann Voskamp

I think the answer comes in intentionally creating a vision of gratitude. When our passions intersect with our compassion, we come to a place of real purpose. We can look for the littlest things to celebrate. From the sparkle of sprinkles... to the miracle of every sock coming out of the dryer having a matching mate... today is a good day to give thanks at the alter of the everyday cathedral in the midst of this ordinary life. 

We are told that God inhabits the praise of his people. He dwells in it. He shines through it. In him we find our passion and he fuels our compassion until we begin to see with clearer vision the good in this day, this hour and this moment.  

Psalm 22:3 "Yet you are holy,enthroned on the praises of Israel.

The foot note by enthroned says "or dwelling in the praises".  I like the dwelling. I went to the Blue Letter Bible and looked up the Hebrew word. Yashab...it means: to dwell, remain, sit, abide. The word in Hebrew was used in the context of a judge sitting down with calm authority.The Hebrew and Greek words never disappoint. Abide has been another word in my studies lately. 

Acts 17:28-“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;

And He dwells in us.  His soul breath fills our lungs...yet...unlike any other of created life...we get to choose him or refuse him. We all come to a place of decision at the intersect...at the cross. 

Intersect defined: 

• : to divide (something) by passing through or across it
• : to meet and cross at one or more points
• : to share some common area

Yes...the intersect is at the cross.  It is the cross where his grace is poured out with passion and compassion. 

My "earworm" is whispering in his best Yoda voice: "Choose wisely you must, young Padawan."  (Sorry, I just saw the new Star Wars with my family...and they watched some of the originals. The earworm will not be silent.)

Today...I am grateful for "the intersect" where passion meets compassion...because there we discover a full life and real purpose.