Memory Work

I have been wanting to share this for awhile and today is the day! Many women have asked me about this since I have shared it in a Bible class and with a few others. It works for me so it may work for someone else too.

I love to study the Bible. I also really love to memorize scripture but I find the older I get the more difficult this becomes. I piece of advice I would give younger folks is making reading scripture part of your daily routine when you are young and don't forget to add memorizing a passage here and there to that!

To help me in my goal to add scripture to my life I use my scrapbooking - of course. I'll wait now while you put on your surpised look. I use a little photo book that can be purchased at Walgreens between $1 & $2. It holds about 36 photos or I should say 36 memory cards. (See photo above - this is one of the unaltered photo books) As I am reading the Bible I have my blank index cards close by. When I see a passage I really like I flag it and when I am done with my reading I put it on a card. I usually use my colorful markers. Sometimes I just use the computer and use color. The color seems to help me memorize. Once in a while I even doodle on the cards to help me memorize. I also get a lot of my passages from books I read like the ones by Elizabeth George - whatever speaks to me at the time.

When I go for a walk the little book goes with me. I keep two books. One for passages I want to memorize and one for passages I have already memorized and keep reviewing. I usually take the one of passages I have already memorized with me and just stick a passage I haven't memorized in there too for the 20 min walk. That way I can review and look at the new passage. The book goes with me while I fold laundry or when I am making dinner. I can usually get a passage down in a few days (with verse) if I stick with it. The review really helps. I just can't seem to keep this all in my head for long but this really works for me. Now I fall off the wagon for days sometimes but then I see my little book (sometimes it is in my purse) and I am reminded to get back on that horse.

What do you do to memorize scripture?

Blessings!

Why do I scrapbook?

It's been a while! But with a free weekend ahead I had to update my blog. Scrapbooking is definitely taking off. I love to surf the net and look at everyone's scrapbook pages. Everyone seems to have their own reasons to scrapbook!

Why do I scrapbook?

It started as a little hobby. But after 10 years of collecting stuff for this hobby and never producing anything I had to think about why it was I wanted to do this. After the addition of our little surprise package (see page below) my reasons started to change. I basically decided to scrapbook after David was born to be able to leave him some of the things I have given to my older children and may not get a chance to with or for him.

Most of my scrapbooks deal with David and then Richard. Why? Because Katie and Mike have already had me for 25 years and David and Richard haven't. I have set my priorities for scrapbooking accordingly. I obviously don't keep track, lol but most of my stories etc., are geared to help teach the younger two things I hope Katie and Mike have already learned from me. You never know.

How do I scrapbook?

In 15 minute chunks of time. I have tried setting aside an hour or a day or a weekend and have always just set myself up for disappointment. I was just never productive during those times. When inspiration strikes for a story I want to write I take a few minutes and write out the story. Next time I have a few minutes I go pick out some pictures to go with the story. Next time, the papers, then figure out how I want to throw it together etc. Sometimes I will leave the gluing until I have several pages and then if I do get that golden hour or more to myself I let my creativity (ahem, scraplift) go wild and add embellishments and glue everything down. It feels so good to finish a page - even if it does take me a few weeks. ;)

Here is one that took me a week to complete. Happy David will have this to look at some day!

Taking a writing class

It is the best class. It helped me journal on this layout that is very important to me.



If you press on the picture you should be able to blow it up big enough to read the journaling. People have asked me how the family does with all these hospitalizations and I think it answers what it is like. It is what it is. It pulls at our heart strings and we move on. But the biggest thing I think this layout will do is help David and maybe even Richard to someday understand how tough these decisions and situations can be. It is not easy to leave Mike alone in the hospital for days and it is not easy to leave small children at home without their mom. I hope this just lets them see into each others world a little better. Teenagers can spend a fair amount of time feeling sorry for themselves. Siblings of chronically ill children are no different. When those times come I hope this and other layouts will help them remember the feelings of love that we all share.

Peace out!
Gina