Day 52 Words of Wisdom

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

Never stop memorizing scripture!

Well, it's the last day of the quest that I began on my 52nd birthday. I'm not sure if you learned anything new, were encouraged by something you already knew, or were in some way entertained by the ramblings of this old lady, but I must admit that I enjoyed writing them! I also found it helpful to review some of the things I've learned during my years of growing up and growing older. Thanks for sticking with me these last 7+ weeks!

This last word is a reminder that memorizing Bible verses is not just for children. God's Word is what guides our lives. The Psalmist even describes it as a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). Think of the Bible as your spiritual flashlight!

As important as the Bible is for moment-by-moment guidance it would seem reasonable that we should be committing it to memory to light those dark paths. And make no mistake! When Psalm 23 says that we walk through the valley of the shadow of death it isn't talking about the time immediately before we die. Each of us is walking through that valley right. this. very. moment. Need a light to help you see your way through it? That would be the Bible.

Aging and other um, life changes can make it harder to memorize scripture. I've found that putting verses to music can help. Or sometimes I'll pull out a recorded Bible version (we used to have a fantastic Alexander Scourby version on cassette tapes that is now available in mp3 format) and listen to someone else read it repeatedly. Or I'll take out pen and paper and dictate it to myself just to see if I can do it correctly. I'm one of those teachers who believes that we all have a learning style and you probably already know what yours is. I require a little bit of everything: auditory, visual, and kinetic.

There are so many silly songs and thoughts rattling around in my head that prove that repetition of the kind above works for me. If product advertising utilizing commercial brand logos and accompanying jingles can get me to memorize something whether I want to or not I know that the process will work with scripture memorization as well.

So maybe your Sunday School class no longer has a sticker chart for you that shows that you've said your memory verse this week but I'd like to encourage you to secretly make one for yourself, find a verse each week (or month, if that's more do-able), and get busy memorizing. It is my intention to do the same so maybe we can encourage each other along the way.

Day 51 Words of Wisdom

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12

God is more interested in our devotion than our devotions.

I heard one of my friends say this about 20 years ago as part of a woman's seminar and it stayed with me. I did not trust Christ as my Savior until I was in my mid-teen years so I was probably spiritually in my adolescence when I heard it.

I began regularly reading the Bible soon after I trusted Christ but many times I could recall very little of what I'd read. Like a physical teenager, as a spiritual teenager I heard what my Parent said but I wasn't always listening. Later, as the parent of teenagers of my own I became acutely aware of how disrespectful my behavior toward my own parents and my Heavenly Father had been. My children were not (and the teenager at home now is not) bad (nor was I) but I saw evidence that the act of not listening is arrogant and disrespectful.

Once I realized that God wanted my love and respect and not just the legalistic act of reading the Bible my spiritual life changed! I repented of my disrespect.  I began paying attention to what God was saying and started showing devotion when I had my devotions. This made all of the difference. When God spoke through His Word He found a willing listener.

To the Descendants of John and Hannah Bridges: A Petition

(Important Edit! Anyone may sign the petition!  You do not need to be a descendant.  Your help is greatly appreciated.)

It has recently come to my attention that there is an active petition that the descendants of John Bridges and Hannah Garland Bridges may sign requesting that the township provide an access drive to their graves. The cemetery containing their remains and those of several other family members is now landlocked and it is impossible to visit there without disturbing the residents who live in the closest house.

John Bridges was born in York Co., Massachusetts, now Maine, and migrated west following the Revolutionary War. It is well documented that he is the first resident of Anderson Township, Hamilton County, Ohio having arrived in 1790. The township itself is proud of its history and the name of Bridges is a prominent one in the community.

If you are a descendant or the spouse of a descendant please visit HERE and sign the petition. I did not write the petition but I did sign it. The township has agreed to accept an Internet petition but they require valid mailing addresses for each signer. There is no space provided for this information so my suggestion is to put it in the "Comment" field.

Thank you very much for your help. The last time I visited this cemetery was in 2004 on behalf of an out-of-state descendant who wanted pictures of his ancestors and it was not an easy endeavor.

Day 49 Postscript

Yesterday I posted this:

You don't need to know how God will work everything out. You just need to know that He will work them out.

And today I was finally catching up on some of my reading of friends' blogs and saw the perfect post here written by one of my missionary acquaintances that provides the explanatory material for yesterday's tidbit.  It was said so much better than I could ever say it.

(By the way, the blog title "More Than Survival" comes from the author's  battle with depression.  Yes, missionary wives are women just like we are.)