All Things New

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And I'm so thankful for this life that I know That I am no longer what I was Because of Your love And the beauty of the cross I can see Your work in me

Man, I need a quiet time.

Seriously. I was thinking about it today, and its been a while since I've had a seat with my Jesus, dug into his Word and just... well, just been.

My problem isn't a want-to, its a do. I do want to. I just never find the time to do it. Then, I feel bad because sometimes when I do it...

...for those of you who perhaps are a little confused by the term "quiet time", its simply a time alone with God. It can be praying. It can be reading. It can be worshipping somehow. It can be studying--though some people say that "studying" isn't a quiet time, its Word Study, because a quiet time is supposed to be a time of peace and... quiet....

...anyway, sometimes when I do it, its kind of a guilty feeling, because I'm not doing it out of a desire to be closer to Him, I'm doing it out of... well, obligation. And it shouldn't be that way, should it? So, I say, "forget it. I'll do it later", and then turn to read the book, watch the movie, write the blog, update the DFC, visit the Chipotle Grill, listen to the song, live the life, walk the walk, but not with Him.

And I've just got to simply change that. See, I want to be that guy that people say, "Wow, he's all about some Jesus, ain't he?" Not that I want to be a "look at me! I'm kind of a big deal around God's Kingdom here" kind of guy, but if people say things like, "Ya know, that guy has some Jesus in him," then it means I'm doing something right.

I was thinking about it at work today, and at Starbucks tonight. So what if I just dove right in? What if I just said, "Ya know what, for the next week, I'm just doing it. Ten minutes per day. Fifteen. Whatever. I'll make it work." Then I thought, "Well, lets make it a month. Thirty one days, I'll start when I get home."

Of course, I only got to chat with The Lovely Steph Leann for a few minutes tonight, so to ensure that I can get up early enough to do this, plus spend some quality time with my life partner and best friend, it might be best to start tomorrow. That being Tuesday. The obvious question, is of course, "Why December? Dude, its going to be really busy, you'll never keep that kind of committment", and the answer simply is, "Why not December? Its the busiest time, which makes it the time I need the Word most."

I'm going to call on some of you to hold me accountable, and I'm going to write a daily blurb about it on another blog site I have semi-set up. I'll update that tomorrow night, though.

Anyway, wanted to post this song... its the song I was listening to on the way home. (stick around at the bottom for the random story)


From the album "All Things New", its first ballot Dave Hall of Famers WaterMark. You may want to cut the playlist music off for this.

Blue skies that take me back to being a child, trees with leaves that turn the colors I love.
A heart that's beating to Your melodies ringing, and I am a miracle 'cause heaven is a part of me
and You are the song that I'm singing

I was created to love You, I was created to need You
I was created to know You and I am a miracle 'cause heaven is a part of me and You are the air that I'm breathin'

Because of who You are and who I am in you
You make all things pure
Because of who You are and who I am in You
You make all things true
You make all things new

I was created to love You
I was created to need You
I was created to know You and
I am a miracle 'cause heaven is a part of me and
You are the air that I'm breathin'

And I'm so thankful for this life that I know
That I am no longer what I was
Because of Your love and the beauty of the cross
I can see Your work in me
All things new
All things new in me
All things new
All things new in me

Random Story That Somehow Fits:
So, my iPod is dying. The battery is dying, and its very painful, because I can only listen to it when its hooked up to a power source, ie, I'm close to a wall or in the car. No walking around. It really stinks. I know, I can get it changed for about, I dunno, $80 or something, and since I just have that right around here somwhere, I'll do that.

Anyway, its been bothersome because I've been re-reading/listening to "'Salem's Lot" by Stephen King, and after getting all excited and tense in the car, I would absent-mindedly take it out of the car cradle and just listen to it in the house... and after about, maybe six seconds, it would die.

Tonight, I'm driving home, listening to my favorite WaterMark songs, with this whole Quiet Time every day concept application in my head, and I was listening to All Things New, which is just a powerful song... I am a miracle, cause heaven is a part of me... and when it says "I'm so thankful for this life that I know, that I am no longer what I was, because of Your love and the beauty of the cross..." wow, it just gets me.

I listen to the whole song, and flip back to hear it one more time, really just praying the lyrics, concentrating hard, when I get to The Cabana. Still a 1:44 left in the song. Its cold, so with sigh, I gather my junk up, pull it out of the car iPod cradle, and head inside. And it doesn't die. In fact, it played the rest of the song... the iPod died with :02 left in the song. Just in time for me to turn around and see The Lovely Steph Leann at the sink.

Maybe it was nothing. Maybe it was God wanting me to hear the lyrics again. I dunno. But I'm always struck something I heard Marla Ingram say, back in 1994 at Troy... we're sitting around the table eating lunch, and Marla walks up. Thin, pretty red head, bouncy, she drew all of our attention--the guys, anyway--as we all conversed with her. Finally, she said, "Well, I gotta go!" with an excited voice.
"Class?" I asked.
"No! I always spend time with God around this time of the morning, in between classes, and I'm excited!" And with that, she walked off.

One day soon. All things new.