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Thursday, September 11, 2008

Truth and Grace Memory Books


We've started a new scripture memory book this past summer that I absolutely love and wanted to share! My friend Ashley showed it to me, and I purchased it online at www.founders.org for around $5 I think.
Truth and Grace starts with 2 and 3 year olds and goes all the way through high schoolers. It is a basic scripture memory program, but also includes memorizing some hymns rich in theology (like Jesus loves me, and Holy, holy, holy, my kids' favorite). It also includes a catechism for children to learn. If you're like me, and the average Baptist, you've never, ever done a catechism. I wasn't sure what that was about. But it's a basic question and answer format for learning theology. I have been amazed at how easy and fun it is to do with my kids, and they're learning doctrine that is so vital to their foundational understanding of God! (and mine.) Every answer to a question has a list of scripture references from where it came, and you could spend time on every question, looking at it in scripture if you wanted to. I can see my kids gaining a clearer understanding of who God is through this method. It may sound boring, but we rather enjoy it.
This book is not meant to replace your Bible study time or family worship time. But like AWANAS, or whatever scripture memory program you have used, it lends the organization and structure to our mornings that I love. For us, we do scripture memory and prayer over breakfast each morning these days (our routine changes during the summer versus school year) and sometimes spend a little time teaching through some of their verses. We never start our day without prayer. We need it! Rusty does the teaching, expositorily, or straight through books of the Bible, in the evening family worship time.
Hiding God's Word in their hearts is priceless! But for us to rush through their verses and not let them seep into their hearts would be tragic. They could memorize the whole Bible and several catechisms during their time in this house, but if they are not captivated by the cross and living in love with their Savior from the heart, it will mean nothing. I want to be mindful of that...no book or program can replace us shepherding their hearts in the everyday moments of life toward the Father. I desperately want our kids to LOVE God's Word, because they love Him. We don't follow the "rules" of family worship, Bible study, and scripture memory for the sake of legalistic, holy, going-through-the-motions. NO! Our hearts are for our kids to LOVE Him, and to follow Him, and desire the Word like David talks about in Psalm 119. We want them to grow up, waking up, and getting into His Word, eager for a word from Him, like it's the most natural thing in the world. We are indeed training our children, but we know this must all come from the heart, and only He can draw their hearts.
This book has been a great tool for us so far, and I thought some of you might want to know about it. I always like to hear what other Moms are doing as well!

2 comments:

texasinafrica said...

Cool.

My childhood church children's choirs had a program called the "Hymn'n'M" club where we were encouraged to memorize old hymns, even ones that we didn't really sing on Sunday mornings. If you memorized a hymn, you got one of those tiny m&m packs. Looking back I am SO grateful that someone found a creative way to convince us to learn those hymns. The theology is so good, and there's not a day that goes by that I don't think, "Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be 'til I die."

Jon and Sally said...

LOVE THIS.
Some days I just wish I could be a fly on your wall.
I wish I'd been one of those college girls who lived with you. ...too bad I didn't know you before I got married!! I'm seriously sad about that.
Can I come watch you parent?? I think I need some lessons...cause it feels like my two year old is winning. Ugh!
Thanks for letting us in. Love it! Love you!
Sally
P.s. When we get back, we totally want to be guest stars in your remake of some Bible stories in your family worship. Jude will want to be a lion (who knows), Jon can be a kung fu ninja (oh wait, are those in the Bible?), and I can do a stellar job at being a tree. Sign us up!