The One In The Glass

I have an Audible account and absolutely love it.
I am a voracious reader.
I used to love to read aloud to my children and now to my grandchildren.
Being read to, as I listen to a book on Audible, is just so wonderful.

I have listened to Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit as well.
I have listened to all the James Herriot books.
I have listened to classics like Jane Eyre and most of the Jane Austen books.
However, my favorites were book by Lucy Maud Montgomery, who wrote Anne of Green Gables.

LM Montgomery has quite an extensive collection of books.
A trilogy I loved was about a girl named Emily, an orphan, who must go to live with relatives.
Emily was a contemplative child, wildly creative, and a great storyteller.
Emily, up in a garret room, liked to talk to Emily in the glass, which was her own reflection.

I have thought about Emily in the glass.
I wondered how many of us talk to ourselves in the mirror?
Not storytelling per se, but a pep talk on a difficult day, or a rebuke if need be.
If there was a camera on the other side of our mirrors, we would probably blush or giggle.

Last week, my son, daughter-in-love, and two granddaughters were here for a few days
My son, working remotely, was occupied.
My husband cleared his morning to play with our granddaughters.
My daughter-in-love and I were at church for Bible study.

I knew that when we got home, the littlest one, who is eighteen months, would be tired.
My son and daughter-in-love went out together and Grandma was going to handle her nap.
The littlest one climbed upstairs, admitting with an adorable nod, that she was tired.
I held her in my arms, as we said hello to Grandma’s quilt on the wall, which she loves to do.

I came downstairs to have my tea time while my other granddaughter had an hour of quiet time.
I could hear the older one playing and enjoying herself immensely.
I heard the little one on the monitor talking excitedly, making animated sounds, and laughing.
I looked at the camera on my phone and watched in amazement.

This little one was just like Emily in the glass.
There is a full length mirror behind each bedroom door.
She discovered it as she stood at the very edge of the crib.
She was holding an eighteen-month-old conversation with herself.

She was dancing.
She was making faces and laughing.
She was waving to herself.
She was telling her friend in the glass all about so many things.

I laughed so hard.
I wonder if LM Montgomery had watched a small child doing what my granddaughter did?
Perhaps, LM Montgomery talked to herself in the glass.
Emily in the glass and my granddaughter in the crib were kindred spirits.

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. (James 1:23-25)

My granddaughter and the character of Emily conversed with themselves in the mirror.
James talks about listening to the Word, but not doing what it says.
He says it is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and then walks away.
When they walk away, they forget what they look like.

Listening to the Word and doing what it says brings blessing.
Funny how a character in a book and my sweet little granddaughter brought all this to mind.
Are we listening to the Word and doing what it says?
Or are we not listening and forgetting what we look like in the mirror when we walk away?