I'm not sure if it was knowing I had a teacher's meeting today and because of that I didn't have to be at school quite as early or if it was my lovely "pink eye" and feeling "not so great" that kept me from waking up in time to share with you this morning.

Whichever it was, I slept in an extra hour leaving me only time to get ready and get out the door for work. 

Now that I'm home and I've had a little time to straighten the house, start some laundry, and decompress from hours of analyzing test data, I'm ready to sit back and take a little nap.

Before I closed my eyes, though, I wanted to take a minute to say "hi" and look at the next few verses of James 1.

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.  Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.  But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it-not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it-they will be blessed in what they do.

Usually if I take the time to look in a mirror, I try to fix any major problems I see in my physical appearance.

Why can't I be this diligent with my spiritual imperfections?

I can read about being "slow to anger" and then find myself overly frustrated with my kids or husband on the very same day.

I can read about "not worrying about anything" and then discover that I am consumed with anxiety about one of my kids or something at school.

I can read about "casting every care upon Him" and then realize I am carrying not only all of my problems around with me everywhere I go but also lugging with me the issues and problems in my children's lives.

Even now as I type, I'm carrying things that I need to hand to God.

Things I can't fix or change.

Things that only God and time can handle.

When I close my eyes are remember that God promises to bear all my burdens, comfort me in my weakness, renew my strength, and keep my lamp burning, I feel FREE!!!

Free to let go and simply trust Him.

I want to practice looking "intently into the perfect law" just as I look intently into a mirror.

Then I want to practice everything I read not just read it and walk away.

When I learn to do this, the Bible says I will be blessed!