Me, Me, and more Me

Hi girlfriends!! I just sat down to write this blog... it's 10 p.m., which is way past my usual blogging window. My brain just doesn't work after 9. But here I am-- I did dig out a small ice cream drumstick from the back of our freezer. I definitely need sweets!! It tastes okay... who knows how long it's been in there.
Anyway, I came really close to rationalizing why I couldn't write my post this week. We just got back from vacation. Most of you can relate to the state of your household when you return from being gone......no food, so you have to go grocery shopping, laundry to unpack, sort, wash, dry, fold and put away, a car to clean out, kids fighting like cats and dogs because they are tired from the trip..... plus your regular schedule for the day. Mine included piano lessons, karate, and an actual cat (not a kid) that needs knee surgery.... yes, I said my cat needs knee surgery... AGAIN!! (on the other knee... he had knee surgery a year ago on the right hind leg. Can you believe that? Yeah, Jason couldn't either!)
So by the end of the day, my mind was working something like this......

My day has been horrible.
These kids are driving me crazy!
Why did my husband leave the lunch I packed for him at home?
Why can't I get anything done?
I have done nothing for me all day!!

You all can see the common denominator in those statements, right??? ME!

And you all can see now why I feel convicted to write this post??? I needed to get rid of the ME today. I needed to crucify the "self" and let the Holy Spirit fill me with his love, peace, joy, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The idea of living a crucified life was a hard concept to wrap my head around when I first began studying the Bible. Actually, it still is difficult to execute. I don't think I actually understood what it meant to be crucified with Christ until my pal Beth Moore explained it to me in her Bible Study "Living Beyond Yourself." She gave a great example of a practical way to start your day empty of "Me" and full of Christ. Every morning she begins with prayer that does these things:

*Acknowledges His lordship and confesses to Him sins (This empties you.)
*Asks Him to give you a spirit that desires to be full of Him. (inviting in the Holy Spirit)
*Asks to see His glory and power throughout your day.

Now that is a prayer that I need to do every day!!! (No doubt that I didn't start my day with it this morning.)

I know that if I prayed this prayer in earnest, that I would undoubtedly go about my tasks of the day differently. I would do them out of love, instead of out of obligation. And those of you who know me well know that I am a list maker. I pray that my list includes this prayer at the top every day.
How do you all live a crucified life? I would love to hear how you all take the "ME" out and put the "Jesus" in.

"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20)