I remember flash cards.  You see, I am old.

I went to school when there was something call “Cloak Rooms”  That was the place where you hung your coats on hooks and placed your lunchbox up on an old wooden shelf above your hook.

Yes, I had a lunchbox, not a tin bucket.  I may be old, but I’m not “Little House on the Prairie” old!

 

Back before smart boards and calculators, we had flash cards.  I learned to add by responding to my teacher.  “Two plus two,” the teacher said as she held up the cardboard card.  Eager hands shot into the air.  “Me me me me me me!”

“Four!” a pixie would shout with smug satisfaction.  And then… as if there was a great surprise to reveal, the teacher would flip the card over and… there was the answer!  

I needed flash cards to get me through math.  They taught me.  More than fifty years later, I still need flash cards.

Flash cards just fell out of my day planner.  There’s a whole pile of them  

 One Flash Card says:

“What does Jesus say?”  

I flip it over – the answer is always there: 

“Jesus says,   — I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS! (No matter what!).”  

My next flash card flutters to the floor: a Bible Verse:

“We take captive EVERY thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  

Good one, God!  I’m gonna try to remember this – I want to keep that flash card in view in order to keep my thoughts from going into dark places!

The next flash card says: 

“What does SOLAR stand for?”

I flip it over:

  Answer – SOLAR is a way to deal with Anxiety!  

S – Stop – your worry and fretting!

O – Observe what is happening around you.  Are you safe? Are you near someone who can help?  Are you OK right now?  Then…calm down and be present in the moment.

L – Let it go.  – If you are anxious about something, lift your hands above your head and LET IT GO up to God – You we’re NOT put on this earth to solve every earthly problem!

A – AND

R – Return to enjoying the moment!  

OK, God – I’ve been worrying a lot! Thanks for this flash card to remind me to stop letting worry rob me of my joy.  

I’m gonna post that flash card on the wall!

Other flash cards in my pile include:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has gone, the new has come!” – 2 Corin 5:16, 17 

I’m NEW !

The last card is a good communication reminder: 

M A T C H —

M- Mirror – lean in to the person you are talking to  and repeat back what you think you heard

A – Affirm – Tell the other person: “I believe you.”

T – Thank the other person for sharing with you.

C – Clarify again what you THINK they said

H – Help – Ask the other person, “Is there a way I can help?”

I’m gonna try to memorize MATCH.  This might even help me in my Covid quarantine relationships!

Flash cards come in handy.  When I was little, (putting my lunch box in the cloak room) flash cards got me through math.

If I pay attention today, my new flash cards might get me through life!