#5) Techniques to maintain Bible Memorization

Two words: Memory Cross

As a little girl, I had a weird obsession with paper. I collected paper, crumpled it up, flattened it out, crumpled it up, and flattened it out until it was almost as soft as a tissue. This slightly compulsive act would lay stacked up in a fairly tall pile in my closet. Later, I became obsessed with recycling paper. Paper became my major in college--kind of. Every English major has to have lots of paper when creating novellas. Today, effective devotional journaling must involve a journal that has soft enough paper to soak up the perfect ink pen. I love to rub my hand over paper, assessing its invitation to be used for profound thoughts and meaningful inscriptions. Perhaps that is why I am pretty jazzed about my most recent find of creative contortions of paper. Let me write it again: Memory Cross

Having been a kindergarten teacher, I found that it was always important to provide a hands-on learning experience. If you want a child (or anyone, for that matter) to remember an important idea, then have an object lesson! The more senses (taste, touch, smell, site and sound) that you can stimulate, the greater your chances of making a lasting impression. Additionally, I really like small, cute things. Let me type it again: Memory Cross

In an attempt to provide a neat present for Mr. Smackdown and Mr. Easy on Valentine's Day that would show them God's love and our love, I found myself at a loss. Yes, I succumbed to candy (organic chocolate, if you must know) but I wanted something creative, purposeful, lasting, loving and eternal. I wanted to make this holiday not about romance but about a lasting love that God gives us through Jesus.

I want Mr. Smackdown, Mr. Easy, and Mr. Smiley to feel treasured and loved through our purposeful Valentine gift to them. Two words: Memory Cross

What is Memory Cross you ask? Well, for someone who has always struggled with memorizing scripture (me), this is a cool way to make memorizing scripture fun. (Rather than being redundant and ill-equip, at this late hour, to explain this intricate paper folding, I encourage you to go to their website.)

It is a hands-on, kinesthetic (though you can be sitting in a chair) Bible memory experience. In a nutshell, a Bible verse is on a piece of paper that is folded in a gazillion different ways and you keep opening it up like a never-ending gift, which is what God's word is to us.

Does it help you memorize scripture? I don't know yet!!! We just got our family pack of Bible memory verses in the mail. Plus, it isn't Valentine's Day! And as an added treat, Memory Cross threw in some samples, which were way cool. One of the freebies happened to be a Valentine Card made large enough for tiny hands to continually open AND was black and white for the kiddos to color. The kids' Valentine Card was a hit! The boys really enjoyed coloring it, and showing lots of love for each other as they took turns beautifying their symbol of God's loving Valentine message. We just have to decide who to give it to!

So guess what? Two words: Memory Cross