My Absolute Favorite Way to Memorize Scripture (and- Do you want to build a snowman?)

The week before Easter and we’ve got this glistening of sugar snow swirling and blanketing the earth with white.

And my kids look out the window and it only takes about two point four seconds before someone starts singing, “Do you want to build a snowman?”

And groans of the cold that seek to overwhelm are suddenly replaced with smiles and melodies.

And it isn’t even snowman snow, but put words to music and there is such a deep power and beauty.

Get those words stuck in your head and they’ll be on repeat for days.

Get His Word glued right to the inside of your mind and those Words will echo throughout your life.

Get His Word adhered to the depths of your heart and soon there’ll come this bubbling up inside of you all bursting out in praise.

And you don’t need to keep silent, for if you do, the stones will cry out praise to their Maker.

So, grab the leftover palm branches –

Or ribbons to swirl.

Beat on that pots and pans drum –

Or throw snow in the air.

And put His Words of praise right into the song that’s already being played.

Maybe it’s to the tune of “Do You Want to Build a Snowman?” or “Let it Go” (Are you sensing a Frozen theme here in our home!?), but now it’s with His life-breathing Words that bring peace and joy to your days.

Praise the Lord!

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts, you his servants who do his will. Praise the Lord, all his works everywhere in his dominion. Praise the Lord, my soul.” Psalm 103:21-22

We’re already on the very last week of our memorizing journey, and what perfect verses for this Holy Week!

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6, Week 4: Psalm 103:7-8, Week 5: Psalm 103:9-10, Weeks 6&7: Psalm 103:11-12 & 13-14, Week 8: Psalm 103:15-16, Week 9: Psalm 103:17-18, Week 10: Psalm 103:19-20

We’re on Day 4 of our Holy Week activities. And my kids cannot get enough of the Kidz Audio Bible. Praying for each of you that are joining us this week in loving and learning and growing in more of JESUS this Easter!

Painting His Story – Beautiful Cross Silhouettes

God paints His glory across the heavens, and writes the story of His great love on each page of His Book.

How He is mighty and glorious.

How He has been King from the beginning.

How He’s already won.

How thousands of years before Jesus rode on a donkey as the crowds proclaimed Him king, His throne had already been established.

How this mighty King loved us enough – more than enough – to bleed grace and forgiveness and redemption and love to the point of death. And to new life.

Through colors swirled,

And the deep darkness of the cross –

This beautiful story is etched on our minds and in our hearts.

With white paint shirts and watercolors dripping we join with all heaven singing, “Bless the Lord!”

And we’re already ready to start shouting, “Hosanna!” in the morning. 🙂

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “The Lord has established his throne in heaven, and his kingdom rules over all. Praise the Lord, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.” Psalm 103:19-20

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6, Week 4: Psalm 103:7-8, Week 5: Psalm 103:9-10, Weeks 6&7: Psalm 103:11-12 & 13-14, Week 8: Psalm 103:15-16, Week 9: Psalm 103:17-18

Find the stained glass crosses on the windows here.

I Don’t Want to Forget

Oh, this Love that reaches through time and stretches out nail scarred hands from everlasting to everlasting – giving us always and infinitely more than enough.

This Love bleeding grace – the only thing that is ever enough.

I don’t want to forget.

I don’t want my kids to forget.

When their all kinds of awesome isn’t enough – He is enough!

When failures or brokenness or any form of ugly pierces their lives – His love is enough!

Tie it like truth around your finger.

So every minute you see it, feel it, knot it again – you’ll remember to speak it right out loud or whisper it softly in your soul.

And truth will soon be wrapped around your heart.

And kept in your days.

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children— with those who keep his covenant and remember to obey his precepts.”
Psalm 103:17-18

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6, Week 4: Psalm 103:7-8, Week 5: Psalm 103:9-10, Weeks 6&7: Psalm 103:11-12 & 13-14, Week 8: Psalm 103:15-16

Before the Wind Blows Over It (Kids Memorizing Psalm 103)

We’ve been talking about how short our lives here on earth really are in light of eternity.

And although one might think this reality would lead me to hurry and get as much as I possibly can done in these years that will soon be gone with a blow of the wind – it’s had the adverse effect.

I find myself going slow.

Being God-struck.

Stopping to notice the one little (or not so little) person right in front of me, and doing my best to love them right here, right now.

And trusting God with the rest.

And this morning – loving on half a dozen little ones looked a lot like painting flowers and blowing a hair dryer at kids as two more verses were hidden in hearts. (And wiping up spilt paint, and hugging a little boy who got the brunt of a clunked head, and soaking the brushes…)

Flowers were cut out and painted.

Verses were written out with a matching clue drawn on in crayon.

A timer was set for one minute.

And the game began.

They needed to run to the other side of the room… get the circles with parts of the verses written on them… race back to place each part on top of the flower with the matching clue… put the flowers in the correct order… and say the verses all together… all before the timer rang –

Or the wind would blow (i.e. the blow dryer) and it would “all be gone.”

And soon the next two verses of Psalm 103 were hidden in little hearts.

And we talked of the brevity of our lives. How they are just like grass and the flowers of the field that bloom, and then with the wind – are gone.

Will we be remembered?

Only if we learn to see the one right in front of us – tugging on our leg, or knocking on our door, or sleeping right next to us in bed – through His eyes of eternity.

And today that just might mean cleaning up paint and pulling out the blow dryer.

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more.” Psalm 103:15-16

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6, Week 4: Psalm 103:7-8, Week 5: Psalm 103:9-10, Weeks 6&7: Psalm 103:11-12 & 13-14

Verse Videos – Another Favorite Way to Memorize Scripture for Kids

Maybe I’m the only one that noticed – but with the birthday of a six-year-old, a precious visit from Grammy and Papa, and every other week spent caring for our little one-year-old neighbor boy just like he’s our own – I’ve fallen a bit behind in sharing about our kids hiding Psalm 103 in their hearts.

I’d had these grand plans (which really weren’t grand at all, just different and more focused on the verses), but then I came across some of our videos from memorizing last year.

It didn’t take long before everyone was gathered around all squished together watching. (Evidently any type of video is a big deal around here!) We only watched for a few minutes. But for the rest of the evening I’d randomly hear verses memorized over a year ago flowing easily from little lips. – It sure warmed this mama’s heart.

So, we stuck last week’s verses with this week’s, and put them to video… each doing a different verse, and then all together.

And they weren’t perfect. And words got mixed up or forgotten. But they had fun trying until they got it (mostly) right.

And then, of course, they had to watch each one over and over and over and over. 🙂

A sweet, simple way to get God’s Word into the hearts of our children.

Here are two of our “Verse Videos” (I’d hoped to put all of them into one video for you, but can’t get our movie maker to work, so two will do.)… Oh, how they make me smile. 🙂

(And, yes, Ariya is still an I-like-to-wear-my-swimming-suit-all-day-every-day-even-though-it’s-way-too-cold-to-go-swimming kind of girl.)

(Ariya’s verse)

(Everyone together. Can you tell the “ham” versus the shy one?)  

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:11-12
and
”As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.”
Psalm 103:13-14

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6, Week 4: Psalm 103:7-8, Week 5: Psalm 103:9-10

The Best Way to Learn Scripture (for my kids and me)

By living it.

What greater way for my kids and for me (oh, yes, me! – how I need this!) to not only read and speak and hear His Words, but to have them so wrapped around our lives that we live them!?

For these verses this week spoke pure grace into my life.

When I felt battered and bruised from the weight of my own sin, and the ache from sin coming out in others – the sweet reminder that God does not treat us as our sins deserve was like this beautiful gift of mercy flowing over and over and over. A gift I want to pass on to others.

(And I can’t help but smile – because isn’t that so like God to make this week’s verses exactly what I needed… again!?)

So we whispered them to one another like a game of telephone.

And giggled when the words got all twisted inside out to unrecognizable.

And kept playing until even the littlest had the words coming out in her sweet little two-year-old whisper.

But more than that, this mama remembered them in the thick of the day. When one girl slammed the door loudly, and when a defiant “No!” came spewing out. When colors of marker were drawn all over the furniture, and when kids were already in an argument before 7am. When words were written that pierced my heart, and when I saw the stain of my own sin.

Two little verses putting mercy and grace, forgiveness and love first.

And we can live them too, with the power of Christ’s Spirit in us.

(Oh, how this is getting me so excited for next week!)

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “He will not always accuse, nor will he harbor his anger forever; he does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.” Psalm 103:9-10

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6, Week 4: Psalm 103:7-8

When Things Get Silly (Kids Memorizing Psalm 103)

So, it turns out we can get a bit silly around here –

These five girls and their brother.

Just bring out the crayons and the paper with a head-sized hole cut out, and it doesn’t take long before kids are spouting out memory verses all girlish and giggly and low-down manly as they do their very best interpretations of their favorite Bible characters.

And we’ve all got smiles on our faces as this little masquerade brings Truth to our hearts.

Because just as God made known His ways to Moses (Did you see our “Moses” in the picture above!?) – He reminds us still today of who He is… compassionate, gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.

Oh, how I love these moments.

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “He made known his ways to Moses, his deeds to the people of Israel: The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love.” Psalm 103:7-8

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4, Week 3: Psalm 103:5-6

One of the Quickest Ways to get God’s Word in Little Hearts

So, the last few days, we’ve been passing around this pestering fever, this aching sickness that’s crept its way into just about all of us.

And I wasn’t sure amidst all of the pillows and blankets and beds made everywhere if we’d do much more than whisper about the verses while frail bodies lay sprawled out in every direction.

Turns out that feathers are a cheap remedy (at least for a few minutes), and I got to see each one of our little sickly people smile at least once as they climbed up on a bench and threw feathers into the air while saying life-breathing Words of God.

(Apparently we have quite the number of sick animals too.)

This might just be the quickest way to get God’s Words spilling out of little lips and prayerfully floating right into little hearts.

It’s a simple game with a bit of competition that I got from our homeschool curriculum (except they used a tissue or a napkin if I remember correctly – so no worries if you don’t have feathers).

Simply throw the feather(s) into the air, and try to say the whole verse before the feather touches the ground. If you don’t get through the whole verse, that’s okay, just pick the feather back up and throw it again starting right where you left off.

(And it’s totally fine to get creative and throw more than one feather, or work together and make it some sort of relay, or to have a sibling blow the feather back up before it reaches the floor… any way to get His Words preciously dropped into the minds and hearts of our kids!)

And I stop to etch out more good one by one… #172 smiles from feathers floating, #173 kids all sweaty and hair tangled getting up to say God’s Word, #174 two more verses memorized

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed.” Psalm 103:5-6

Into My Little Heart… Week 1: Psalm 103:1-2, Week 2: Psalm 103:3-4

For When I’m Not Sure How He Loves Me

There are those of us with wombs that have never cradled tiny humans.

And those of us with arms aching from carrying toddlers all day long.

There are those of us with homes now all silent and empty.

And those of us with houses that strain to hear the faintest whispers of quiet amidst laughter and tantrums and squeals and tears.

And there’s not one of us working, stay-at-home, homeschooling, ragamuffin, motherly, talented, young, old, timid, bold… women that doesn’t need the filthy to be made precious in an act of redemption.

And though we may never be *super* – it’s okay when we realize our desperate need for a Super-God; the One who forgives, heals and redeems!

So, we speak it right out loud – so little hearts will listen, and this weak and sinful heart of a mama finally hears.

Words penned out hundreds of years before our Savior walked this earth.

How God forgives all our sins,

And heals all our diseases.

How He redeems our lives from the deepest darkest pit,

And calls us His children as He crowns us with love and compassion.

And it may look differently than we think it should, and we may not see what we want to this side of heaven – but we can trust in the One who cradles us in His never-ending love.

And so we bring out paper hearts and band-aids and play money and candy to try to get a glimpse of these life-giving truths.

A white heart representing how God completely forgives all our sins.

A band-aid to show how He heals us.

Money (candy for the little ones, as chocolate is much more motivating than dollar bills for them) to show how Christ paid the ransom price – redeeming us from utter destruction.

And a crown of hearts to show how God crowns us, surrounds us, encircles us with His steadfast love and compassion.

And little hearts open easily to this love that is God.

And I can see us all following their lead – from filthy to beautifully loved.

Kids {Families} Memorizing Psalm 103 – “who forgives all your sins, and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.” Psalm 103:3-4

Getting God’s Word Into My {Kid’s} Heart

How do we encourage our children to hide God’s Word in their little (and not so little) hearts?

(Love how this one says “prais the LORD my soup!”)

It’s finding the simple. The fun. The beautiful ways of imprinting Scripture on the hearts of our kids, as we’re engraving it in our own.

It’s breathing the words in and out. In and out. In and out.

It’s including our kids as we tie them to our life – as we’re tying shoes, speak the verses – after breakfast- speak the verses – each time we help a child brush their teeth- speak the verses. As God’s Word becomes a part of our routine, it becomes a part of theirs.

It’s discovering what the words mean together, and then using one of their favorite languages to help them remember… play!

It’s making music. The music of His Words in our hearts and on our lips.

Always music. (Like much of this week’s verses tucked in this song.)

And singing it loud when we need to fight.

It’s not just one more thing on top of our already full days that we feel pressured into doing.

It’s not stagnant and tedious, nor is it overly elaborate and gaudy.

It’s putting Deuteronomy 6:4-9 to action…

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.
Deuteronomy 6:4-9

It’s making His Words a part of our lives, so that those most precious life-breathing Words will be found in their little hearts as well!

As we find some simple, fun ways to help get His Words into the hearts of our children, I hope to share them with you!

This week as we made Psalm 103:1-2 a part of our lives, we made these verses into heart puzzles glued back together and decorated. (We used foam hearts I found stashed away, but paper hearts would work just as well!)

I wrote the verses for the little ones, but the older girls enjoyed writing their own.

While writing the verses we talked about what it means to “praise” or “bless” the LORD. How it is an act of adoring Him, often on our knees. Then we started cutting the hearts into pieces, and I read Psalm 103:1-2 from a different version to help us understand the words even more:

¹Let all that I am praise the Lord;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
²Let all that I am praise the Lord;
may I never forget the good things he does for me.
Psalm 103:1-2 NLT

We talked about how often we praise God with only a part of our hearts… like part of the puzzle, but God wants our whole hearts. And as we pieced each part back together, we said (and sang) these words over and over.

By the time we were done they had these two little verses tucked in their hearts, and the broken hearts pieced back together proudly displayed around the house. Every time we see these hearts we’re reminded to say these verses of blessing and to remember the good things God has done for us (which we get to talk more about in the next couple weeks).

Nothing too fancy – honestly just made out of scraps around the house – but my kids LOVED it, and now we’ve got the first two verses engraved in little hearts and minds.

We’d love for you to memorize Psalm 103 along with us!