Memorization is something that we don’t do often. As a youngster we memorized our ABC’s, later we memorized sayings such as i before e except after C. Addition and subtraction, multiplication and division. After about 4th grade we no longer had charts on our desk to help us remember AND I remember a teacher telling us to learn this information because we would not always have charts or adding machines in our pockets. In 1st grade our teacher had us memorize the 23rd Psalm. Yes, King James Version. Not such a daunting task for many of us and there were 45 in our class. Day in and day out, one by one we should stand and recite what we knew. Upon accomplishing our memorization work we would get a gold star on the chart. Each of our goals was to have ALL gold stars by the end of the year. Today, many of the methods used would be considered out dated in that students were singled out and felt like they weren’t good enough to do the work. I would argue what we did learn was team work from these exercises. Many of us were aware of the classmates that struggled and we encouraged them, spent recess time making this memorization “stuff” a game. Our class had a goal of our own. At the end of the year we wanted the entire class to have ALL GOLD STARS. No colored stars on our charts. Recently there have been meeting held to plan our 40th class reunion. We can’t return to our elementary building(s). Both are torn down and the newest one is now condos. (We attended one of the 9 elementary schools in our community). Our Jr. High is gone, we reflect back with memories of each building and events that happened there. One question that came up was, “What was your favorite year in school and why?” Much to our surprise, many of us that attended Miss Boley’s 1st grade answered her class was the most memorable in all the years. Why? Most all responded, that was the year we learned to memorize all that information. Many people commented that when they have encountered hard times in their life, times in which they felt disconnected they remembered the 23rd Psalm and that gave them comfort and encouragement to get through the rough places. Asking ourselves memorize these days almost is a thing of the past and yet, as the author of Proverbs reminds us, ” Do not let loyalty and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 3:3. May you find words of encouragement in the Word and may YOU find comfort in the words you write on the tablet of your heart!