Scripture Memory #6

Posted by madge

It is the ‘Ides’ of March and the year is going by way too fast! On this sunny day when the temperatures would normally be cool and breezy we are enjoying an 80° temperatures!

Tahoe is relentlessly asking for additional playtime and affection on this warm day. He understands that rain means less outside time, cold is great but no one hangs out with him for long evening ‘kong’ play time. Sunny and warm is his happy weather! And mine too. Thank you God for shady oak trees that allow us to be productive on our iPads and laptops outside – even in reflecting sunlight!

Let’s reflect some ‘Son’ light by hiding His word in our hearts – it’s memory verse time! Come on friends, let’s do this thing together! Admittedly, the last couple of weeks have not been the most productive as far my scripture memorization goes, but I’m ready to proceed.

Big thanks to my friends June and Margot who are sounding boards and accountability partners. We look for tips and ideas to share with each other in efforts to strengthen our arsenal of memory techniques as we tackle passages.

I use alliteration, word pictures, silly songs, etc. but was stuck on a verse last week when June shared about a technique she uses. She emphasizes the first word and repeats the entire segment, then emphasizes the second and repeats and so on. Wow. Just trying something new in my methods helped me over a hump!

Here are a couple of great, albeit convicting, verses that can surely stop me in my wheelchair tire tracks in the coming weeks.

My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. James 1:19

Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. James 1:26

What methods work best for you? Please share your successful techniques!

– Madge

It’s March! Time for Scripture Memory Verse #5

Posted by madge

What? It’s already March? It’s hard to believe how quickly the time has flown by but easy to believe when you walk (or roll) outside and have 74° weather! I’m so cold natured that appreciation flows easily even when my body is asking me to remove a layer or two!

The advent of spring means the promise of fresh, new growth and so does our scripture memorization! Come on and join me with a verse – you can do it and I promise you won’t be sorry. Pick your own verse or join me with mine:

For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives… Col. 1:9 (NIV)

Last year my first March verse was short, sweet, and powerful:
March on my soul, be strong. Judges 5:21 (NIV)
I distinctly remember driving quite a distance to a meeting muttering that little verse over and over on a cool March evening. I was sleep deprived and weak, but this verse brought strength to my body and soul.

How ’bout a few memorization tips?

Set aside regular time – like exercise, brushing teeth, or bedtime with your kids (and their sponge minds!)
Use bits of potentially unproductive time like stopping at red lights, waiting for appointments or the carpool…or heaven forbid, ten minutes of television!
Be encouraged. You can do it! I’m cheering you on and praying for you!
Get a pawtner – Life’s more fun with friends, and a partner is great for accountability and comradery.

–Madge

Deciding to Simplify

Posted by madge

My friend Robin’s theme for the year is ‘simplicity‘. I’ve adopted it during lent, along with my 2012 theme of ‘decide’ (which I have decided not to write much about – yet). One way simplicity is breathing a calm focus in to our home and my heart is through clearing out excess and clutter by way of donations and unadulterated trash. Purging some of the neatly and not so neatly stored American amenities from our closets and drawers ‘simplifies‘ and will hopefully help our home and bless someone else’s.

The belongings that remain after such a clearing are more visible and valued. I’m not a ‘hoarder’ but to my dismay the clutter and disorder seem to want to…uh..take over like the entropy I learned about in high school physics (matter has a propensity to move toward disorder)! The disorder creeps in ever so slowly, seeming to be completely acceptable in the hidden places. For the most part our home ‘looks’ neat and uncluttered on the outside, but it doesn’t take long, if left unchecked, for the ‘untended’ and ‘unseen’ places to become a sanctuary of disorganized and unused ‘comforts’.

Oh, how many times do I collect and store treasures in the hidden places of my heart that beckon to be cleaned up, evaluated and either given away or set firmly at His feet? My gifts of encouragement, wisdom, loyalty, intercession and mercy need to be embraced and shared along with their victories – yeah, I can’t say it’s always easy – but my heart can ‘get‘ that side of the coin. It’s harder for me to share my struggles, hurts, worries, judgments, and lessons learned the hard way – it takes more effort and trust to untangle and release such things. But…yep, I believe sharing the disorderly rough spots in our journeys, at the right time and place, can shed great light on His successes and help others in unmatched and powerful ways. After all, what home can be full of growth and life without the disorder!

Lord, help me, help us, to take time to clean and clear the clutter of our hearts and help us share the gifts you’ve entrusted to us – that they may be the visible and valued even in the midst of impending disorder.

Make this your common practice: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you can live together whole and healed. The prayer of a person living right with God is something powerful to be reckoned with. James 5:16-17 MSG

A Closer Look at Lent

Posted by madge

For the past several years I’ve enjoyed attending nearby churches for events, dinners and studies in addition to my inter-denominational home church. To usher in the Lenten season, I went to my first Ash Wednesday service. In the past, my observance of lent has been informal and solo. I’ve done devotions and such, but this year It is with a solemn heart of gratitude that I join the community of faith in observance of lent.

Last Tuesday a group of dearly loved friends discussed lent. We intend to read a couple of short daily devotions as we turn our focus to the cost of our sin and prepare ourselves for Good Friday and the Resurrection. We are from different church backgrounds and one, who was raised Catholic, suggested we not give up something that tends to only be a sacrifice for us – or ultimately benefit us, but do something that also helps others. Now I’m not knocking anyone who chooses to sacrifice sweets…that might even benefit others since we’d be healthier and perhaps not have added problems that cause debilitating illness – along with dental and medical bills! Anyway, she caught my attention with her ‘outward focused’ encouragement.

Trading TV time for other family and outreach activities, cleaning out ‘stuff’ for charities, making and writing daily cards, memorizing scripture, or giving up chocolate or Facebook impacts our hearts only if we allow God to change us in the process. The idea of lent appeals to me and hopefully my small sacrifices will deepen my awareness of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for us.

‘….perhaps our lives have fallen out of alignment with God. It is from this place that we invite the Holy Spirit to speak of things both good and bad that we’ve allowed to interfere. It’s those things we lay down for Lent. Some of these things are actually good things that belong in our lives that we’ve allowed to become more important to us than Jesus. Things we go to for comfort and life and in doing so deny Him. During Lent we lay those things down and give God permission to re-integrate them into our lives where they belong’. –Brian Hardin, Daily Audio Bible

Today I pray that you and I will adjust and become more aware of God’s sacrifice and his gifts of love, compassion and mercy.