The Mirror of Truth

James 1:23-24

Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like?

Standing, gazing ahead
An image of Truth has been placed before me
There, a reflection of myself.

So vivid, and so clear
Every detail has been meticulously captured
It sickens me to think it must be me.

Blisters reeking of disease run down my cheeks
Moist sores have taken control of the mouth I can no longer see
My lips, cracked and bleeding.
Infectious wounds, like carvings from the hand of a child.
Darkness devours the frame of my eyes, now interrupted by tears

A wave of disgust runs through my body
As I gaze at the man I have become?
Unrecognizable.

I can no longer tolerate this hideous being
I turn my head in disbelief?

The repugnant picture begins to fade from my memory?
It must have been a dream
Yet, I dare not look again.

I mask my doubt with a simple grin
And step into the day?
I will not believe
For in my mind, I am unblemished, once again.

This poem was inspired as I was reading through the book of James one day. I am amazed at how I have grown to live with my flaws. As a Christian, the tendency to accept the gift of grace without realizing the cost of our transgressions is hard to avoid. We forget that we are filled with flaws, sins, eeking of disease in the eyes of the Lord...and all this has been covered!! We forget the state which we were in, full of illness and death. Thank God that He will not leave us miserable...He loves us enough to pull us out of our blood and wash us clean. But let us not forget the scent, look, and feel of our sin, as we strive to put it aside...continually surrendering our lives to the Lord.

Debra Rashid is employed as a counselor at a local hospital, working with at risk youth. She has a passion for the urban community and volunteers much of her time working with inner city youth and families. She hopes her writings will be a source of encouragement and motivation to those who read them.

no-contract cleaning service Mundelein ..
In The News:

Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.
Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.
New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.
DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.
Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.
Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.
Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.
A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

Gracious Forgetfulness

For as many of you as were baptized into Christ... Read More

Choosing Peace, One Shift at a Time

It doesn't matter what magazine or newspaper you pick up... Read More

Americans Need a Savior Not Another Guru

Mrs. Dixon the famous prognosticator and psychic to the stars... Read More

Understanding the Gospel of Matthew and Why it Matters - Part 6

Matthew 2:16-18Herod Kills the Children16 Then Herod, when he saw... Read More

Anam Cara - The Blessing

In Corrogue it is frosty.The ramp into our "acre of... Read More

White Sun - Who Are We?

Human beings originally have three forms of existence. The first... Read More

Satan... Im Not Impressed!

One important factor in how we go through life is... Read More

Practical Stress Management -- 7 Spiritual Solutions

Stress is amazingly persistent, even seductive. We get used to... Read More

Am I W.Y.S.I.W.Y.G.? Are you?

If you spend a hundred bucks and buy the right... Read More

Energy Fields and Group Healing

I have held numerous teleconference workshops where I help individuals... Read More

Humility, Not Pride: Keeping Ice Off Your Bow

Tony was a professinoal salt-water fisherman. He explained how he... Read More

What Makes You A Saint

Don't be confused that a saint is a religious leader... Read More

Kachina Doll

To a shaman a kachina isn't really a doll or... Read More

The Power of Myth to Transform Your Life

Irish myth has the power to transform your life into... Read More

I?m Too Busy for Me

Everyone is busy nowadays. It's hard to find time for... Read More

40 Days and 40 Nights

I am beginning a journey starting tomorrow. I have decided... Read More

What Does Unconditional Love Really Mean?

Unconditional love means unconditional freedom. Love and freedom are two... Read More

Email From God - Or, How Such Big Ideas Get Into Such Little Hands

It happens to us all from time to time, especially... Read More

Did You Use Your Sword Today?

It's real easy to look at the physical world around... Read More

The Meaning of Life

Recently I was watching a re-run of "Everybody Loves Raymond".... Read More

Do Feng Shui Remedies Really Work?

THE PREMISEFeng Shui is an ancient Chinese art that has... Read More

How To Make Your Dreams Come True

You will become as great as your dominant aspiration...If you... Read More

Getting Beyond Imperfect Examples & Resistance, to Receiving Loving Guidance & Help from the Father

As soon as he saw me I saw him. It... Read More

Existence of God: Facts and Figures Does God Exist?

Existence of God: facts and figures Does God exist?If you... Read More

The Importance and Necessity of Special Revelation - Part Two

Part Two ContinuedIn addition to numerous philosophical problems relating to... Read More

maid service near Glenview ..