Just tell me the first word...

Those Awana verses keep getting longer.  Finn has four biggies this week and apparently they are easier to learn when you are upside down in your chair flopping your feet all over my living room furniture.  Because that is what he does when he is studying them.  I am just two verses in to the Sermon on the Mount, inspired by A Holy Experience.  She has memory verse cards all formatted and typed with a cute font and all I had to do is print them out and cut apart.

DIY Tips:

1.  Use a version that you can understand.  I am old school and when I am being serious, I yank out my KJV and look over my rims at you and forget to smile.  We memorized Psalm One for bible class and I learned it from King James... I can quote it but I have no idea what I am really saying.  In this case, I used what Ann V. had printed out...ESV.

2.  Use an accountability partner.  The cards have a place to sign when I quote the verse.  I make a big deal out of having the boys sign my card.  Finn, my office manager in training, practically pulls out a notary.

3.  Record yourself saying the verse.  Then you can scrutinize it over and over.  I sound exactly like my twin cousins when I talk... it's so weird.  What accent am I speaking in?  I hear twang!  After you've watched it thirteen times and picked yourself apart, you KNOW the verses.  Have you seen the Talking Tom app?  Finn records his verse and then dies laughing.  Funny and entertaining while learning scripture.  Win/Win.

4.  Ease up.  It's not for a grade.  It's not for a big reward in heaven.  It's not to be the smartest in bible study knowing book, verse, version, and page number.  For me, it is about filling my head with Jesus instead of  I'm Sexy and I Know It lyrics.  I say it washing dishes.  I say it when I begin to get irritated.  I say it when the house is quiet.  Or noisy.  I say it when I am tempted to call a friend and share the latest gossip.