Math has never really been my thing. I’m serious. I think that God skipped the line I was standing in when He passed out the “math” wires in the brain. I’m a firm believer that He’s not one prone to oversight so he must have intentionally chose to leave my brain wires on the factory belt instead of fusing them in.
I’ll have to ask Him about that later.
The fact remains, I have math issues. Always have. I have memories of school years filled with math arithmetic assignments I couldn’t complete apart from a tutor breathing down my neck and algebra equations taunting me on tests. They would look up at me all sinister and wry – “We’re smarter than you…and we know it. Don’t even try it sista.”
So, I obeyed. Stop trying. Completed the bare minimum requirement needed to get a diploma in college and then closed my textbook, never to return to it again.
Until now.
Turns out, I’d grow up to be a home school mom. Shoot. That darn math is all up in my face again.
I’ll admit that I’m so grateful to the sweet, young math-wiz from my local church that loves to hang out with my boys and teach them a thing or two a few times a week. So grateful for her I can barely stand it.
Like. For real. Every time she shows up at my door it’s all I can do not to drop to my knees, kiss her feet and thank her profusely for saving me. . .from making my children hate math in the most horrible way.
Still, I help the boys with lessons here and there. Every time I can explain something to them successfully, I give myself a little, invisible pat on the back – We did it girl! And the other day, while discussing fractions and whole numbers, I realized something interesting – something that I’m sure I learned before but. . Well, you know. . .I just studied math to pass tests back then not to actually retain.
So anyway, here’s what I learned – when a fraction is multiplied by a whole number it decreases the value of the whole number. The whole number doesn’t grow in value, it lessens exponentially. Ok. . I know this is not rocket science but just keep reading anyway.
Multiplication is a mathematical operation that we normally think of in terms of growth. Multiply and watch the number get bigger – 3 apples x 5 children = 15 apples all together. But when a whole number is multiplied by a fraction the result is smaller – 3 x 2/3 = 2.
See? Smaller. Less.
Got me thinking. In relationships if you don’t bring a whole person – a healthy, full, complete individual to the equation – you are actually doing the other party a disservice. Somehow instead of finding that your lives are growing and expanding, becoming richer and more full, you’ll find them depleted and weakened, withered and dry.
So.. . I’ve got some question for you. Are you bringing wholeness or just a fraction to your current relationship? What is the person you are with bringing to it? How are they affecting you and how are you affecting them?
Here’s to being a “whole number” kind of girl!
Priscilla
