Today's Activity was to read Chapter 3 and answer a couple questions.

As I said yesterday I'm trying to memorize the quote and am now going to try to write it from memory.

"Work is love made visible. If you cannot work with love but only distaste it is better that you should leave your work and sit at the gate of the temple and take alms from those who work with joy.  For if you bake bread with indifference, you bake a bitter bread that satisfies but half a man's hunger.  And if you grudge the crushing of the grapes, your grudge distills a poison in the wine.  And if you sing as though angels and love not the singing, you muffle man's ears to the voices of the day and the voices of the night.  All work is empty save where there is love, and when you work with love, you bind yourself to yourself, to one another and to God." K.G.

I have to work on his name, I'm going to look and see what it is (Kahlil Gibran). I have some words here and there so I'll keep working on it and keep you posted.

I super loved this chapter!  I have worried about direction and open doors myself and must confess I usually live my life not knowing where I am going and looking back to see where I went.  I need to be listening for my vocation.  As I said last time, I have been fortunate enough to have accomplished many of my childhood dreams.  I really cringe up when  I think about my calling though.  I think its because I bought into the idea that God could call anyone anywhere regardless of how He gifted them.  As if all of the gifts He gave me didn't count and I should go in a completely different direction.  I really have been afraid of being disobedient and not fully surrendered to God for wrestling with areas of this kind.  Specifically I have always wanted to be married and have children but sometimes a thought will come into my mind that I should be single.  I wrestle with this thought because I don't want to be single and give up family dreams and I don't want to be not surrendering to God and selfish for not saying yes.  Miller says that he met many people in this same dilemma.  I need to see where there is an alignment of the things Miller mentions and recognize God's call.

It's so great that you don't have to be limited to one career but as you understand your calling you can do it in many different areas.  I've heard the word avodah but I didn't know it was essence of work and worship which is pretty cool.  I really just pray for a work that would be an authentic fit with my personality, gifts, skills, and dreams.  God's call should definitely be a first choice and not a last resort.

Answers to Daily Activity questions
Yes, I am totally comfortable seeing work as just a tool for a successful life.  In fact I have tried the model of mostly work and nothing else and it does not work.  I'm starting to make deposits in other life areas and hope to continue growing in this.

Taking the weekend off!  See you Monday!
P.S. I'm super loving the song "I'm not who I was" by Brandon Heath.  Maybe this should be my life song.