I mentioned before that I’m memorizing the book of James in the Bible. It’s nothing too crazy – only 5 chapters. In most Bibles it’s only a front and back of 1 page.
I guess that probably still sounds crazy to most people. I’m a good memorizer though – that’s all Pharmacy School was for me, memorizing drugs and how they work. And from the first moment I heard the challenge posed by Beth Moore in her Bible Study on James, I couldn’t stop thinking about how awesome it would be to have an entire book memorized.
When I first starting the memorizing process, I was fixing X’s hair. She interrupted my quiet time with her request to have her hair fixed so I decided to involve her in my quiet time by having her help me start memorizing.
She’d read me a few lines and I’d repeat them back to her several times, listening to her corrections each time I misspoke. By the time I had her hair done I was able to recite the first 8 verses.
That was 4 weeks ago. In the time since I have committed the first 2 chapters to memory and am currently working on Chapter 3.
I have found that I absolutely love this. I love the book of James, even though it’s completely all up in my business. I love the memorizing part and I especially love the recitation part.
I began reciting what I knew thus far to the kids before they went to bed. Part of me just needed warm bodies to speak it to and the other part of me liked the idea that they would be hearing the word of God out of their Mama’s mouth. By the end of the first week of doing this, X herself, could recite the first 8 verses on her own. Ironic that it was the same verses I memorized while fixing her hair??? I think not.
At some point one night, after reciting the first chapter of James, I used E’s “Teddy” to make up a story that would reinforce the concepts I had just spoken of (quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry). I must have told this particular bedtime story lesson amazingly funny because now, every night, there are 2 things I get asked for:
- James
- Teddy Story
This is Teddy, who E got the day he was adopted (enjoy that trip down memory lane here).
So night by night, I’m challenged not only to recite James to my children but to come up with a new and exciting Teddy story.
The great part is that the kids have begun to ask for “fill in the blanks” when I recite James. And then they fight over who filled in the blank first…..because everything leads to fight these days.
So I’ll say, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourself. Do what it says! Anyone who…..” and they’ll quickly say, “who doesn’t do what it says is like a man who looks in the mirror but goes away forget what he looks like!”
E’s favorite part to say is the last verse of Chapter of 1. He’s anxious to say it as soon as he knows I’m getting close. I’ll say, “Religion that God considers pure and faultless is this:” and he’ll say “take care of orphans and weirdos in their distress.” I corrected him on the “weirdos” versus “widows” part but he thinks it’s too funny to stop.
The Teddy stories are definitely the highlight of the bedtime routine for them but I’m filled with joy beyond expectation with how much they are learning of James.
On this particular night when my camera found it’s way into the room, we were thick into Harry Potter as we watched X getting close to the movie break in her book.
Inspired by E playing with the Rhino and Teddy as I recited James I decided to tell a story about “Teddy Potter” and “Lord Rhinomort”.
I know, I know I’m a total dork. BTW, that’s Teddy Potter’s owl, “Curlywig” (ignore the fact that he looks like a monkey).
Luckily Teddy has an invisibility cloak so he could hide from Lord Rhinomort.
This particular night I believe was a cliffhanger. Leaving the kids on the edge of their seat wondering whether or not Teddy Potter would escape from Lord Rhinomort. Our stories vary night by night. We’ve done Teddy as a cheerleader, a girl with a swimsuit ready to go swimming, a ninja, as a boy on the potty who needs to learn to wipe his own butt, a combat fighter, – YOU NAME IT!
But every night they ask for James and every night they want a Teddy story afterwards.
And every night I practice what I’ve memorized, they hear God’s word, and we laugh and be silly together.
This is a good routine. This little bit of my day is bringing so much JOY to me right now.































