517 - Joy, just because!

Dear Lord! What a gorgeously cold day. I am trying to be very positive, but it IS sun shining, but it is about 25 degrees. I think it is about up to 40 now, but that is only in the sun!! Thank you for the sun. We are suppose to get a few sprinkles of snow on Thursday - Lord, give us a blizzard. I love nothing more than being snowed in with the kids and drinking hot chocolate all day!! Oh - I love it!!! They say we are suppose to be down to single digits next week! Yikes!

Lord, I see you doing things in my life almost everyday that are only happening because of you. As much as i see you making me more and more like You, I know obviously first hand how much further I have to go. Not that it will ever be obtained here on this earth, but still I know I am not where I used to be. Praise you!!

Living a 'die to self' life is very, very challenging to say the least. I so desire to think about something and just have thoughts of how it can make you famous and not uplift Leigh. I have dreams of being excited to worship you and not need anything or anyone to do it with. I hope for the day of getting excited to meet with you and not ask anything of You! I long for a pure heart, pure motives, pure intentions, etc. No matter how sweet comments are from people all over the world I still know me and know how far I have to go. And please let be honest for one second and say that having that thought in and of itself is a God-thing! Like I mentioned before about my days in college and thinking because I had read the New Testament there was just a few more things to know about the Bible. Pride can certainly have a spot in my thought processes! You know that person or comic of the person saying no - please stop all the accolades with one hand and then with the other hand they are saying, yes, keep them coming - kind of like go, go, go and stop, stop, stop all at the same time. I want to be a stop stop stop girl all the time!

I want to fall face down and worship the Lord just because. Not because He did this or that for me, but because He is God! I want to be filled with joy on the worst days because of who He is and not because I ought to. I want to be overwhelmed with thoughts of my Savior because of the sacrifice He did for me, not because of the sacrifice He might have called me to. I want my thoughts to be all about Him and nothing else!! Less of me, Lord, please!!! Much less!! Regardless of any circumstances, I choose Joy!!!

I was brought to Leviticus 9:24 today. From what I understand Aaron has just been ordained and the priests are beginning their ministry. They had made all the right preparations, all the right sacrifices, and all the right droppings here and there - blood, fat, oil, etc. This were very normal things that they did often to see the presence of the Lord. Then verse 24 says, "Fire came out from the presence of the Lord and consumed the burnt offering and the fat portions on the alter. And when all the people saw it, they shouted for joy and fell facedown." In I Kings 18:39 we see the same thing happening - "When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The Lord - He is God! The Lord - He is God." Regardless of the circumstances, trouble, pending wars, whatever it may have been, God showed up and they were moved to get on their face!! That is what I want - that is what I want my heart to be like.

Lord Jesus - I want to see your power, your presence, your breath - anything about You and fall facedown. I don't want a cool engagement or a book deal or a financial break to have reason to praise you - I want to do it just because You are there - always in my life - and when I see you I just praise!! I fall facedown and am filed with Joy like in verse 24 of Leviticus. I love you, Lord!

I have a new conviction that could affect some of you - friends, family, blog lurkers, etc. I have made a commitment to stay off email and the blog world on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I mean as far as reading all the other blogs, etc. I will still be posting my own quiet time thoughts and prayers, but just not going to blog after blog to see everyone else. Tuesdays are laundry day (I only do laundry on 1 day a week.) and Thursdays are catch up before the weekend! So if you need me on those days, please call. If you have ever gotten an email from me then you have my cell number or just wait till the next day to hear from me. Thank you - Just because He said so!