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Help PLEASE..Bible Study & Memorization
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Hi,
I do not post often but I love coming to this forum, above all else. I do not usually post things like this ever. I have 7 children from ages 2 to 16. I find the daily grind of things difficult right now and what seems to happen is our Bible/Devotion time gets nixed when it should NOT be the thing left out. We get up, do chores, eat breakfast, when it is nice I lose some children to the outdoors, which is ok for a bit. But..as the morning wears on Bible seems to be the thing we don’t get done, everyone going in different directions etc..
I feel a bit awkward posting this but I am REALLY needing help here. I just feel like crying. I want us to read the Bible and memorize scripture. I, however, complicate this horribly and end up doing nothing. I focus on “character traits” or what ever a child is struggling w/, try to think of Scripture for that..well…I NEED Scripture memorization also so imagine trying to find the perfect verses for each one of us.
I also listened to Ken Ham on tape and he was talking about how important it is to do History from the beginning, Creation etc….so they understand everything that happened and why. Well..I had already decided to do American History. (I do have the 1st Module from SCM though…) I just…well…wanted to do Paths of Exploration with my two middle children because it is everything except math, hoping to make things easier. Now…I am going to get the Bible Supplement for them because they memorize Scripture.
But..what about my 4 & 6 year olds? What about my older girls, 15 and 16? Oh…really, I have spent the days just flustered.
I have not been good about memorizing Scripture for the past several years, added more children and feel like my days are spent trying to get through the basics….I NEED SCRIPTURE!! I need Scripture in my mind all the time, I have things going on that are difficult and we all need the Word of God!!
I just really can complicate anything and I would LOVE, LOVE, LOVE some advice, help…all of the above. I feel like things are spiralling out of control and I need to get back to SCRIPTURE!!
Thank you very much, in advance!
Kim (homeschooling mom of 7)
Ok, I’m not the most disciplined person, so here’s what works for me with my 5 and 2 yr olds… We keep it totally simple and during or right after breakfast we use a good children’s Bible and read one story. We started at the beginning. Sometimes there are questions and sometimes they need time to meditate on it. I think you can do this all together with older and younger because at first they just need to get familiar with the “stories”. Let the questions come naturally and if you can’t answer some, then the olders can seek out other resources – webisites, commentaries, etc. that you direct them too. I wouldn’t push to make it a “Lesson” instead just think of it as Living Water to refresh their spririts.
The little ones will love memorizing scripture and I would recommend the system they use here. Its super simple and does not take long, and personally, I don’t see why the olders can’t memorize the same stuff as the youngers. I have been amazed at the longer scripture passages my older son can recite. Hope this helps! 🙂
Becky
P.S. I also hardly ever post but come here nearly every day! This is such a great place! 🙂
Kim, welcome and know you are not alone. If I am not on this one it will also be the first to go. For us we have to meet right after everyone is done brushing their teeth. That is the time they recite there verses, we do bible, etc. Other wise I loose mine to wanting to “finish” everything and then they are gone. So maybe for you it’s not morning maybe it’s after lunch or dinner but find a time to use and stick to it. Thatn’s my only suggestion. Misty
Hi Kim,
I have felt inadequate regarding scripture memory over the years. Our dc range in age from 2-14. I’ll share something that has worked wonderfully for our family. I love the SCM scripture memory system but found that it kept falling by the way side. I would fail to pull the cards out and make time for memory ( I know, lack of discipline on my part ). Awhile back I came across an article by Steve and Teri Maxwell that has helped our family utilize the SCM scripture memory system in a consistant and successful manner.
Part of the article is here….
“The simplest way our family memorizes Scripture is what I might term the whiteboard-mealtime-grace method. After we say grace before lunch and dinner, we recite a portion of Scripture together before we begin to eat. We have a whiteboard hanging in the dining room where the current Scripture is written down for us to read until it is memorized. The verses on our board now are Matthew 5:3-12. A couple of the previous passages were 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 and Galatians 5:22-24.
Just by reading the verses two times a day as our family sits down to meals, we memorize them usually in a few days to weeks. The children learn them before Steve and I do. There is no pressure on anyone, and everyone—even the youngest—will eventually know all the verses on the whiteboard. We leave the set of verses up even after everyone knows them well so they become very ingrained. At that point, the Lord will put a new section of Scripture on Steve’s heart to put on the whiteboard on which we will begin to work.
I believe the key to Scripture memory is having it scheduled every day. That is one reason why our whiteboard-mealtime-grace Scripture method is effective. We work on it twice a day, day after day, and in this case it doesn’t even feel like we are memorizing.”
(you can read more of the article here http://www.titus2.com/corners/8-08-m.htm )
After memorizing the scriptures in this way, we then write down the current one being memorized on an index card, and then file it accordingly- as SCM scripture memory system states. I’ve also found that as we recite our scripture at meals, it will sometimes lead to an excellent conversation/ reflection and interest in more of surrounding verses/chapters.
Another thing that has helped to keep scripture first and foremost in our mind while we go about our day is to listen to CD’s that have verses set to music. There are several wonderful ones out there (which if you’re interested I can give you links to) Also I try to keep a dramatized audio Bible on hand in the kitchen or in the vehicle to listen to while we sit idle or eat meals at the table, etc.
I do think that Ken Ham has an excellent point in teaching history – the 7 C’s of History are a great foundation to build all our history studies around. This is the approach we’ve taken as well. But let it not overwhelm you – you can teach this in the context of any approach to history whether it be SCM, Paths of Exploration, etc.
As Misty stated, you are not alone. I can assure you that we’ve all felt the way you decribe at one tiime or another. You’re doing a wonderful job! Rest, knowing that God is very near…. ~ Heather
Kim, I wish I could drive to your house with some Starbucks. Take a deep breath darling! Try not to get caught up in “Christian Guilt”. Yes daily Bible and scripture memory is the ideal and certainly something to strive for, but the awesome thing about grace is that when you get off track, you can get back on and God is loving you no more or less through the whole thing. I too feel that our Bible and scripture memory period should be the most important subject of the day so we do it first. I will cut math and science first if it comes to that. If there is a time when you have all the kids together for lessons I would do it first at that time and then move on. If not, could you read the Bible to them during lunch? You may have to eat after they are done, but they would hear God’s words from your mouth so it would be worth the wait. I agree with everyone memorizing the same verses regardless of age.
As for your history concerns. I am not familiar with what Ken Ham has to say about how history should be done, but if he is a godly man I am guessing he would be more concerned with your family’s well being than the specific order you do history. People who homeschool are passionate people who are passionate about the methods they choose, that is one reason we do this-so we can choose right? I doubt his message is meant to make you doubt your methods or desires but more to help people think through their decisions so they can make the right choice for their families. If you choose to follow his methods b/c they work the best for your family then great. If you feel the right choice for your family is Paths of History then great- you know your family better than Ken Ham or any of us. My kids who jump into the SCM History modules will not start from the beginning but will rotate through history as we make our way through them. I feel this is best for our family so that is what we are doing and if in the future I find something else that works then I will change. I also don’t know about Paths of History (good grief am I really qualified to answer your question?!) but is it something you can add to for your older children and let you little ones listen in on and do a lighter version of the work? Or could your older ones do SCM Mod 1 together and maybe lead the little ones through it with the “family” suggestions while you are working with the middle two?
Maybe this didn’t help at all, but seriously, do you live near a Starbucks? or a Dairy Queen? Take a bath tonight, get a good nights rest, and start fresh tomorrow. God is going to be in the same place He was today, right beside you every moment. You can do this. Deep breath! I am glad you posted this b/c my best friend and fellow homeschooling mom call each other on the brink of what we call “the downward spiral” so we can keep each other from going there! Don’t appologize for posting this, we all have been there and need to have help from our friends to preven that downward spiral-funny that you used the same term we do!
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