repetition

Repetition is the key to memorization.
My fifth grade teacher used to say that. A LOT.
Typed out that way, it sounds bland.
It needs her voice inflection and the cadence to which she repeated it.
I feel like I need to type it in font that has swirly letters, even though she wasn't a prissy person.

Rep-e-TI-tion is the KEY to MEM-ori-ZA-tion.

And I've come to the conlusion the last few weeks that while reading/hearing/studying something over and over and over might help me remember it, putting that principle into practice is the only thing that will actually make it a part of my life.

I can think and read about a healthy lifestyle, but if I don't actually do it, it doesn't help me any.
I can think and read about loving others, but when the time comes if I put myself and my needs first, then I'm still not demonstrating the love of Christ.
I can think and read about many good and wonderful things. I can repeat and memorize, but that rote memory stuff is only good for paper tests, not life ones.

But I like to think if I slowly and gradually keep doing the right thing over and over and over, conquering my thoughts and feelings each time and offering them up for renewal, then it'll become easier each time to respond correctly out of habit instead of a full-fledged battle to do the right thing just because its the right thing.

And with that, my Tuesday but it feels like Monday morning, is off.