July 2009 Mega Memory Month is moving right along. Already we find ourselves at Progress Report #2.
How’s it going?
- Use Mr. Linky to connect your progress report to this master list. If I have time, I’ll swing back by and edit the post to make the links more prominent.
- Non-bloggers and those who don’t want to dedicate an entire post to memory work, feel free to offer your progress report in the comments.
MMM Participants’ Progress Reports
Ann’s Progress Report #2Familiarity is my friend.This month, I chose passages and a poem that were familiar, but not yet memorized.I believe that familiarity has been key to helping me progress smoothly (that and a daily does of God’s grace).I have incorporated the memory work into my jogs. My routes are repetitive, so I don’t need to use much brainpower to decide which way to turn. This frees up valuable brain cells to focus on memorizing.As I mentioned last week, I clutch little scraps of paper on which the passages are printed and refer to them as needed. Something about the steady pounding of feet against asphalt provides a sense of rhythm to the rhyme and phrasing as I repeat them over and over and over.I’m happy to report, therefore, that I think I can type out the Frost poem, the Philippians passage, and part of Psalm 121 this week. I have not yet attempted Psalm 145 and fear I may not get it down before the month is through. We shall see.So.Here we go…(I’d like to disclose that while reviewing my tested typed-out text against the originals, I chose repair incorrect punctuation without showing the changes; all other word deletions are shown crossed off and additions are in red.)“The Road Not Taken” by Robert FrostTwo roads diverged in a yellow wood,And sorry I could not travel bothAnd be one traveler, long I stoodAnd looked down one as far as I couldTo where it bent in the undergrowth;Then took the other, as just as fair,And having perhaps the better claim,Because it was grassy and wanted wear;Though as for that the passing thereHad worn them really about the same.And both that morning equally layIn leaves no step had trodden black.Oh, I saved kept the first for another day!Yet knowing how way leads on to way,I doubted if I should ever come back.I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.Philippians 1:1-11 If you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others.Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:Who, being in very nature God,did not consider equality with God a thing to be grasped,but made himself nothing,taking the very nature of a servantand being made in human likeness.And being found in appearance as a man,he humbled himselfand became obedient to death–even death on a cross!Therefore God exalted him to the highest placeand gave him the name that is above every name,that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,in heaven and on earth and under the earth,and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,to the glory of God the Father.Psalm 121A song of ascentsI lift up my eyes to the hills–where does my help come from?My help comes from the LORD,the Maker of heaven and earth.He will not let your foot slip–he who watches over you will not slumber;indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber not sleep.The LORD watches over you—He The LORD is your shade at your right hand;the sun will not harm you by day,nor the moon by night.The LORD will not let you be harmed. will keep you from all harm—he will watch over your life;He The LORD will watch over your coming and goingboth now and forevermore.Psalm 145 (Status: Not begun)For me, this has been the smoothest Mega Memory Month yet!I don’t know if I’ll get very far in Psalm 145, but I’m starting it this week as I try to solidify Psalm 121 and review the others.How about you?Is your mind holding more than you thought it could?
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I can recite pretty much all of Isaiah 55 with the first letter of every word in front of me. When I don’t have it, I have the first half down ok, but not the second half. (Do you ever notice that to be true – that you’re better at memorizing the first parts of things? I wonder if it’s because I start over too much, so I read and recite the first part a lot more.) I have the general idea of each verse, but tend to get a lot of the words switched around. But the good news is I am already seeing a lot of improvement since I couldn’t recite it even with the first letter of each word in front of me. And July is still young. 🙂
Kate: Sounds like you are on a good schedule to get it done by July 31st! Keep it up, and you’ll totally do it!
Jennifer: Thanks for the encouragements–I put your link in the post, too. I’ve been hearing rumbles that Mr. Linky isn’t working for several people tonight.
I’m behind on blog posting so far this week, so I probably won’t get a progress report up, but it’s going well so far. I can totally relate to your experience with familiarity making a big difference. I finished my first project last Thursday and didn’t get Romans 5 started until Monday, but I’ve got the first 8 verses down already because I knew them pretty well before. It sounds like you’re doing great!
Can’t get Mr. Linky to work, but here is my link…
http://jenbh.blogspot.com/2009/07/mega-memory-month-update.html
You are doing great!! I’m impressed. 🙂
Thanks for the motivation!