15th Scripture Memory

I'm a bit late again...we're smack dab in the middle of a weekend full of graduation parties, a family reunion, a homeschool curriculum sale, celebrating Isaiah's birthday and having family visit (and stay at our house!!). We are having so much fun!

My passage for this time is out of Lamentations. I cannot remember exactly where I heard it from (the Message version) first, but it is so true.

Lamentations 3:19-24

^19-21I'll never forget the trouble, the utter lostness,
the taste of ashes, the poison I've swallowed.
I remember it all—oh, how well I remember—
the feeling of hitting the bottom.
But there's one other thing I remember,
and remembering, I keep a grip on hope:

^22-24God's loyal love couldn't have run out,
his merciful love couldn't have dried up.
They're created new every morning.
How great your faithfulness!
I'm sticking with God (I say it over and over).
He's all I've got left.

I may finish memorizing this portion for June 1, but we'll see. The LORD makes our minds to comprehend and hold onto His Word in wonderful ways! I'm usually surprised at how much my brain is able to remember and hold onto over just 2 weeks, because though I read over each new scripture many times, then try to say it from memory (I do my part and I try), God always steps in and enables my mind to finish capturing His Word. It is His will for us to hide His Word in our hearts, so we know this is something He will bless immeasurably. After the first two weeks of my passage being new and learning it, I then place it with the rest of my scriptures and I continue to recite/remember/ponder them. One thing I've found helpful for my memory is to review several months of my scriptures each day, for example, Monday I might review the verses from January 1-April 15, 2009; Tuesday I would review May 1-August 15; Wednesday, Sept 1-Dec 15; then review 2010's verses on Thursday. On Friday I would start at the beginning again. It's just one way to continually keep my scriptures before me and on my mind. I feel like my sword becomes a little rusty when I'm not keeping it sharp, so this is what I've found works for me. I pray you are seeing some signs of fruitfulness in your life from your scripture memory. If you don't yet memorize any scripture, I'd love for you to join me!

1st (2nd!) Scripture Memory

I just felt the need to include a few pictures. These are old--both boys are just shy of 3 years old and Isaiah has two pictures since I remembered how darn cute he was sucking on his thumb. That all seems like so long ago!

This little guy will be 6 in just a few weeks!

Ezekiel sure is a cutie!

So, this morning I realized that yesterday was the first and today is the second and I completely forgot to post my new memory verse. We got caught up cheering on many of our friends (and a whole lot more strangers) as they ran a 5K and marathon yesterday. It was so exciting to have the opportunity to encourage them like that! But back to this morning, I flipped through my index cards of verses I love and want to memorize and had one all picked out, then I went to church. As I'm sitting listening to the sermon, I feel God pointing out a verse I've read and heard many times, but never committed to memory. With National Day of Prayer just four days away I knew it was very appropriate. So I looked 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 up at www.biblegateway.com to see how it is translated in other translations. This is what I found:

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (Amplified Bible)

¹³If I shut up heaven so no rain falls, or if I command locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people,

¹⁴If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (NIV)

¹³ "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,¹⁴ if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Now this is wonderful and odd for me, but I've decided to memorize one verse in each version. I love how God answers with "When I..." He promises that difficult times are coming, there's not really a way around them, but He does give us a way to get through them. We are to turn to Him, "crave" Him, "require" to see His face. He promises that He will NEVER leave or forsake us. I think sometimes we need to reach the end of ourselves before we reach out for Him, though.

National Day of Prayer is this Thursday, May 6, and I encourage you to be in prayer for our country and our families--not only on this day, but every day.

So, here's what I will be memorizing for this time:

2 Chronicles 7:13 (NIV)

¹³ "When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people,

2 Chronicles 7:14 (Amplified Bible)

¹⁴If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.

When it rains, it pours...

I finally uploaded videos and pictures, so updates are finally rolling in (plus, the boys have done several creative/fun things lately!)

The boys each love building with their leg0s and in their creativity yesterday this is what they built:

Isaiah built a special gun that shoots honey into people's mouths

You may have guessed, but Ezekiel built a set of headphones

Flying Superheroes

This post is for everyone, but especially for Nana & Papa :)

The boys had a lot of fun flying their superhero parachute kites (on a really windy day) about a week ago!

Ezekiel's Batman Flight

Isaiah's Superman Flight

The Cubs have some new recruits!

Our boys come to the conclusion that we have a lot of Cubs stuff!

(which they like...a lot)

It's baseball season, and our boys are into it full swing, but I'm not sure the Cubs' owner knew he had these recruits!

(you may have to turn the volume up, but by the video quality you can tell this video was completely made by Ezekiel--from basic concept to finished product--he loves to be creative!)

15th Scripture Memory

So, some people have the ability to update their blog daily, or at least a few times a week. Apparently I don't fit in that category! Blogs seem to be addictive to me, so when I hop on to update my blog, I also see the updates from other blogs I follow and they beckon me to come and read. I've kind of been on a computer hiatus except for the necessary check my e-mail once a day and pay the bills. I have to admit, it's been kind of nice. I gently ease back in, but with more control and less abandon :)

On to bigger things...I just realized this morning that today's memory verse marks one third of our challenge! So if you've been memorizing with me, we've been rewiring our minds to be the same as that of Christ Jesus, and this is our 8th verse. I'm so excited!

I chose to wrap two together this time since the first one is so short:

If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all.

Isaiah 7:9b TNIV

Yet (she) did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in (her) faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised.

Romans 4:20-21 TNIV

One last thing...if you'd like to look up your verse to see the original Greek/Aramaic/Hebrew words, check out some commentary on your verse, and more, check out

http://www.blueletterbible.org/

It's an excellent free tool!

April 1st Scripture Memory

So after I posted and began working on my last memory verse, I started reading it as though I were saying/praying it to God and here's what it sounded like:

You will sprinkle me with clean water and I will be clean and acceptable to You. You will wash away everything that makes me unclean, and You will remove my disgusting idols. You will take away my stubborn heart and give me a new heart and a desire to be faithful. I will have only pure thoughts, because You will put Your Spirit in me and make me eager to obey Your laws and teachings.
from Isaiah 36:25-27

It seems like such a small change, but it rang over and over in my head as I read this verse not as God speaking to me, but as me speaking to God. The truth about how much of our change is God's doing as we hand ourselves over to Him is unmistakable. See how many times "I will" is mentioned? Only twice, and those two times are a result of something God has already done (sprinkled us with water and put His Spirit in us). This is from the Old Testament, however God wants us all to be clean, to be rid of our idols, to not be stubborn, to be faithful and pure, to obey Him--if we submit ourselves to Him fully, He wants to do this overhaul in each of our lives. And how much of this change truly is His strength performing it in us. I just thought that was pretty cool!


On to the scripture God pointed me to for this time:

"Our God, Your Name will be praised forever and ever. You are all-powerful, and you know everything. You control human events--You give rulers their power and take it away, and You are the source of wisdom and knowledge. You explain deep mysteries, because even the dark is light to You."
Daniel 2:20-22

You may or may not know this, but we are in a time of transition. And we don't yet know where we are going. But God does and the best things for our minds to be thinking of in times of uncertainty are the unwavering attributes of God. We believe with all our hearts and minds that He is working and moving and preparing us and the place we will be next, but it's like me walking around without my contacts in--it's all really blurry.

I'm praying God's Word is encouraging you and helping you stay focused, too!