Joyful Reminders Found While Cleaning

​I have hidden your word
in my heart
that I might not sin
against you."
Psalm 119:11

Yesterday I organized and puttered around the house, things that have been on a perpetual lists since last school year. As some know, it is only a dream until it is written down. So the things I accomplished aren't goals achieved because I never wrote them down. Instead, they are the little things you notice when you sit on the couch and stare with no purpose across the room (but get up to do anything about it). Am I the only one who has these moments?

While, regardless, the furniture in our living room and kitchen are rearranged. This might not shock those close to us because moving around the furniture while I clean is one of my favorite things to do. It's been quite awhile though since the mood struck and it struck on Christmas Eve and I finished yesterday. I took Christmas Day off. In the midst of the shuffling of furniture and "organizing" items, I came across years worth of index cards with Bible verses on them.

The ones in this picture are the memory verses our pastor at the time put in the bulletin as a tactile reminder of that week's Bible verse. I would hang them next to the bathroom mirror, over my kitchen sink, and even on the front door so I would "see and read" them throughout the day. There was also years worth of index cards with Bible verse handwritten by me too, some dated 2006. I smiled and read the dates and the particular verse. Some were hole punched and held together with a ring from different Bible studies and some were clipped together based on something I must have needed God's help to get through. 

I share this memory for those who cherish God's Word and write it on index cards to help you memorize it, or in my case, to read during the day as a tool to help keep the mind focused on God and not the struggle or trouble. This is a strategy and life lesson I've gotten away from but cleaning out the file and bins of index cares rekindled this practice. I contemplated tossing the "old" cards and starting fresh and then decided against it.

First and foremost, God's Word never grows old or goes void. Secondly, the dates and notes written along with the Bible verses are part of my life history and remind me of lessons learned, lessons I still need to learn, and obstacles I've overcome. To throw the cards away would be like throwing away the progress made, the forward motion I'm still in, and the chance to reflect later in life and say..."I might be a slow study but at least I kept studying."

I remember my cousin sharing her ring binder of index cards when my Aunt Kit was in the hospital. She talked about how God encouraged her during the day and it fit in her pocket book or even jacket pocket if need be. I had a few verses on index cards at that point but became "hooked" after our conversation. Sometimes it is the little things that end up making a big difference.

Index cards are inexpensive and come in a variety of colors and sizes. My size and color variations are running low but never enough to stop writing the verse I might need to get me through the day. I gift you this virtual index card, what Bible verse does God want you to write on it? Write it down and carry it with you today. Let me know how this helped, sometimes...the verse and card isn't for you. You might meet someone that "just happens" to need that particular card. Share the gift, you never know when this 3 x 5 might change a heart.

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What are some ways you use index cards
​to help you through life?