...memorization.
When the last bits of oatmeal are scraped from the bowls, we recite. The order is arbitrary. This morning, Willem goes first. He stands, back to the bookshelf, and belts it out:
“I Samuel 17: 45! Then said David! to the Philistine! Thou comest to me with a sword! And with a spear! And with a shield! But I come to you! In the name of the Lord of hosts! The God of the armies of Israel! Whom thou hast defied!” My David, preparing to meet his own Goliaths. His hair, too, tinged red.
“Very good, Will. Think about the Bible story from which you would like your next memory verse to be. You’ll start a new one tomorrow morning.”
Now Leah. Her text, Genesis 1:26-27, God’s creation of man. She has two years on Will, speaks more softly, is not as easily distracted, beams when I praise her.
Marie. Two and a half. She slides from her booster seat and bops back and forth like the pendulum of a clock. She learns more slowly, of course. We add only a word or two at time. I choose her texts. First, Psalm 23. Now Psalm 100, with a little lisp.
“Make joyful noithe unto the Lord, all ye landth…” I prompt her, and she continues, ending on a whisper:
“He ith God.” Giggle.
My turn. I push my chair back from the table and stand, Little Man on my hip. The words come hard. I pinch the bridge of nose, resist the urge to peek at my Bible, open in front me.
“I John 1.” Pause. Oh yes, John, he starts at the beginning…
Last October, I think it was, I decided that I, too, should be whetting my sword along with my children. All the verses that they learned I already knew. So I joined in and began to memorize anew. Psalm 143:8. Isaiah 61:10. Psalm 96. I Corinthians 4:1-2…
Now I John. The whole book. By the end of the summer.
I recite all of chapter one this morning. Without peeking. I prop open chapter two in the window sill above the sink while Marie and wash the breakfast dishes.
My Bible is there while I knead bread for supper. Food to feed the living part of me while I prepare food to feed the dying part of me.[i]
“And hereby…” Thump. “We do know…” Thump. “That we know Him…Marie, quit snitchin’ dough.” Thump. “If we keep His commandments...”
I listen to the audio Bible as we drive to the lake. Track 15. Over, and over. “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked…”
Sunday morning. I John 2 open on the pew next to me. Little Man watches the fans whirling above. I watch folks file in. “He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now…”
In the end, you see, it’s more than a matter of memorization. It’s a matter of meditation. And motivation…to walk, even as He walked.
Thy Word, Father, have I hid in my heart…that I might not sin against Thee...
Psalm 119:11
I keep coming back to this post to read it over again. Keep writing and taking pictures and being the wonderful Mom that you are. : ) Love you!
ReplyDelete