Repeating And Remembering

We have two marble rollers in our house.
One is large and sits on the window seat in the kitchen.
An Amish man made it for me out of tobacco lathe.
The other marble roller is small and sits on the window seat in the dining room.

Children play with the marble rollers when they come to our house.
Younger children tend to like the small marble roller.
Older children tend to like the large marble roller.
Each can be quite loud when many marbles are rolling down the track.

My oldest daughter played a game with her niece.
My little granddaughter loved the game.
My granddaughter rolled the marbles down the track, squealing with delight.
My oldest daughter expanded the game.

She took a marble and held it in her hand.
Ready? She asked with excitement.
My little granddaughter was giggling in anticipation.
My daughter gently rolled the marble into the foyer.

My little granddaughter ran after the marble.
Go! Go! Go! My daughter said to her niece.
Her little legs ran as fast as she could.
She would reach the marble, pick it up, and roll it down the marble roller.

That game was played over and over.
All I heard from the kitchen was, Go! Go! Go!
I also heard my little granddaughter giggling and loving every minute of this game.
I had forgotten how repetition is a big part of toddler play.

A few days after that game, I had my granddaughter here for a few hours.
She went immediately into the dining room and right over to the marble roller.
She rolled one marble at a time.
She got a little more adventurous and rolled a few marbles at a time.

I watched as she took one marble in her hand.
Go! Go! Go! She said as she rolled the marble.
Unlike her aunt, she did not roll the marble into the foyer.
She rolled it wherever she pleased, under the table and under the hutch.

She wanted to be able to get it like she did when she played with her aunt.
She was rolling it in the wrong direction.
She learned a game simply by repetition.
She was trying to play the game just like her aunt taught her.

We walked outside.
My little granddaughter likes to count all of the lights that are along the walkway.
She stops at the smaller lights that shine on the magnolia tree.
She wants me to count them as she touches each one.

She no sooner goes one way, she turns around and goes the other way.
As she walks back, she touches all the lights again.
When my daughter came home, I told her all the things we did while she was gone.
I had forgotten how many things are learned through repetition.

It is really very sweet.
However, I remember when I was a young mom, repetition could be wearisome.
The favorite book gets read again and again.
The funny thing that makes our child belly laugh has to be done over and over.

And they were calling to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.” (Isaiah 6:3)

Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.” (Revelation 4:8)

Repetition.
Holy, holy, holy.
A threefold declaration of God’s majesty.
God knew that we would need repetition if we were to learn Truth.

Go! Go! Go! Caused my little granddaughter to squeal in delight.
She learned how to roll the marble and run after it.
Holy, holy, holy is a declaration of who God is.
We will fall on our face before Him.

In his book, The Silver Chair, C.S. Lewis talk about the importance of repetition.
Aslan speaks to Jill and tells her to remember the signs He has taught her.
Jill is told to say them to herself over and over.
Without repetition, the signs she knew will begin to look different to her.

But, first, remember, remember, remember the signs. Say them to yourself when you wake in the morning and when you lie down at night, and when you wake in the middle of the night. And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your mind from following the signs. And secondly, I give you a warning. Here on the mountain I have spoken to you clearly: I will not often do so down in Narnia. Here on the mountain, the air is clear and your mind is clear; as you drop down into Narnia, the air will thicken. Take great care that it does not confuse your mind. And the signs which you have learned here will not look at all as you expect them to look, when you meet them there. That is why it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters.

Hiding God’s Word in our hearts is so important.
Repeating God’s Truth is necessary in order for us to remember.
Remember and believe.
Nothing else matters.