Iron Rod Press Newsletter Vol. 2, No. 14

Chalk It Up

April 7, 2026 - The memory of chalkboards in early classrooms can evoke a variety of emotion: from cleaning erasers by clapping them together (hoping you didn't inhale too much dust!) to memories of fingernails scrapping across the surface - something that still causes the hair on the back of my neck to stand up! Some memories just don't fade!

So let's leave behind that cringe-worthy phrase and turn to another one: "Chalk it up to experience."

The phrase "chalk it up" refers to an early practice of writing down debts on a chalkboard and is now used to "explain something by stating its cause or giving credit to something for a result." An associated phrase, "Chalk it up to experience," expands on this idea to being able to learn from an unexpected or painful event or interaction.

Easier said than done, thank you very much!

So, how can we do that? How can we move past a painful or less-than-desirable experience with increased knowledge and understanding? Here are a few thoughts that come to mind:

Just like chalk can be erased, remember that most so-called "negative experiences" are temporary.
Returning to the classroom analogy, try to look at life as an opportunity to be learn new concepts, be tested, and add to that knowledge moving forward.
While some things we are called to go through feel as cringey as those fingernails on a chalkboard, we can put our trust in God that the pain will lessen over time.
Chalk can be messy - and sometimes we do inhale the dust. But messy doesn't mean disastrous.
And lastly, don't be afraid to brush off that dust, clean those erasers, and share your gifts with others.

While most chalkboards have been replaced with white boards and dry erase markers, they haven't been totally eliminated. My own Church meetinghouse still has them.

So while I hope no fingernails get dragged across its surface, I hope that I can remember to take what ever comes to me in my life and chalk it all up to experience.