Psalm 27:4
One thing I ask of the Lord, this only do I seek,
That I may dwell in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life.
To gaze on the beauty of the Lord, and to seek Him in His temple.
( see here ) This was something that we started when Sterling was in a 3 day private school and we have kept it going ever since. This usually includes a memory verse and I put these to a melody to help the girls remember them easier. I remember as a child I had learned many scripture verses from a recording my parents had played a lot in our house (back then it was a cassette tape...crazy, I know!). Anyway, I still remember those songs/scriptures to this day and I'm now in my 30's. So, I want to give the girls a similar foundation that I had as a kid. And now even our 3 yr old will randomly walk around the house singing them as well.
In my single years I had tons of time to read the Bible. It was actually something I enjoyed a lot, even though I have never been a huge reader. (I've always enjoyed more hands on activities, such as sewing, painting, etc.) Now my spare time (especially quiet time) is less and less...and that means my times of reading the Bible are also less and less. So, I decided to do Bible time together with the girls during school time, and this way we are all involved. Even though it's not alone quiet time, we are all meditating on specific scripture that I have picked for that week. Singing it with them a few times a week actually helps me to really focus on the words. It's kind of like when you get a certain song stuck in your head. (Music has a funny way of doing that to you.) Well, what better thoughts to be stuck in our heads than these?!
During this season of life with my kids being so young I am often drawn to these things Jesus said:
Matthew 18:1-5 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”
2 He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. 3 And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.
or
Matthew 11:25-26 25 At that time Jesus said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.26 Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do.
I can find rest in knowing that He is just as near when I'm talking and singing about Him with my kids as He was when I was a single person with lots of quiet space. In a lot of ways I see things more clearly through their simple childlike perspectives.
I know the school year is almost up but I wanted to document these, not only for our family but to share with others in case you might want to teach them to your kids. You could use it for school purposes or just as a family devotion to engage your kids in a time of meditation and worship. Before we start school work I get them all to sit down for maybe 10 minutes (the littlest ones don't last as long but 5-10 minutes is doable for them) and we sometimes sing our memory verse or another song, then everyone says a sentence prayer. On Wednesdays we do about 30 minutes of Bible (this is for the older two but the little ones are in there with us so that's how they learn the songs). I get them to write the verse and then draw a picture of what they think about it after I discuss it with them. There are some that we have learned that are a little more extensive because I felt like the content was too good to just use one line. When I taught those I would break it up into a few weeks, and just review the past week then adding the new part. In the next few weeks I will add the other scriptures here and there. It can even be something to try out over the summer when there is more family time. If your kids enjoy them and you would like to share, we would love for you to send us a video of them singing their memory verses too!
(you can see some of the outtakes here and here)
(you can see some of the outtakes here and here)
2 comments:
Stephanie! I know there's already a second Walden Family album thought up, but I was just telling Josh the other day that it would be so neat if you did an album of all memory verses only.
We still sing one that you helped us with a couple years ago with kids church.
Also, loved the videos here, especially Sophie's solo! "...in the house of my Lord..." Sweetie!
Ha Ha...Sophie! She's a funny one. And thanks Amanda! We do have a few and that is something I had thought about too. It would be a good tool for kids. :)
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