Destress the Damsel

Multiplication is vexation,
Division is as bad;
The Rule of Three doth puzzle me,
And Practice drives me mad.
– John Napier

Ah yes, Mr. Napier. My son and I feel your pain on a quite personal level. We could have easily authored this rhyme a week ago as we practiced mathematical graphing in our classroom…

Maybe he was feeling a little stubborn. Perhaps my explanations were not clear enough. Or did the stars fail to align just right over us on that fateful day? (I kid, of course) Whatever the case may have been, the lesson concepts at hand that day were not breaking through to my boy.

Before us lay a straight line grid akin to the board of the classic game, Battleship. We had studied out the concepts together, practiced lining up the numbers, pored over real life examples. We were getting on quite swimmingly…until IT hit. Mental block. A teacher’s worst enemy.

I asked him to tell me the two corresponding numbers that met at a certain point. He replied:

“One and three”

“You are very close, but one of your two numbers is incorrect. Let’s try again”

He is silent for a moment, then repeats: “One and three”

“No Silly, you just said that. Now look closer. There is a line all the way to the three, yes. But is there a line all the way to the one?”

“Well, no…but I’m sure the answer is one and three, Mom”

“Buddy, remember that game, Battleship, that you’re so good at? This is just like that game! I know you can do this. Take your finger and follow the lines away from the point. What two numbers are at the end of those lines?”

“One and three”

Now at this point I was feeling slightly like banging my head into a brick wall, but trying to keep my composure. The same sort of maddening dialogue carried on for a little while as I tried every prompt imaginable to bring him to the right conclusion. (Short of flat out giving him the answer – which would remove our momentary stress, but keep me from my long-term goal of training him to think with high logic and deductive reasoning skills).

Finally, after what seemed ten light years later…

“Ohhhhhhhh…I GET IT, MOM!! That point’s not on the one and three, that’s on the zero and three!”

“Yes, that is correct!” I cry in relief, (then raise my eyebrows knowingly)…”I tried to tell you that one of your numbers was incorrect, Little Man”

“I know you did, Momma. I’m sorry…” he admits sheepishly. “I just had the number ‘one’ stuck in my mind and I couldn’t get it out!”

One of the greatest blessings of being a home educator is the right to share spiritual truth in the classroom; this was a teaching moment I could not pass up. I explained to my son that God’s word is a lot like math…full of definitive answers. Although we may at times think we’re smarter than the book, the book will win every time. The rules of arithmetic are unshakable, and not up for personal interpretation…and how much more is this true of the Bible. The trick is not to get stuck on what we think is the right answer, but to always double check that we are indeed believing truth.

Now at the end of the day, math alone isn’t the most important thing on earth. The primary purpose of Christian education is gaining the spiritual knowledge that earthly knowledge points to. The truth is, I don’t really care if my sons grow up to be the world’s greatest mathematicians. Rather, my goal is to raise up Sum Solving Sleuths…detectives of the Word…truth seekers. Every equation solved can lend spiritual application for their future…even on those days when “practice drives us mad”.

Today I want to share with you three steps to becoming a Sum Solving Sleuth. In fact, these simple tricks might even help you solve some math problems as well…

I love watching detective shows with my husband. Give us a good “whodunit” episode and a bowl of popcorn and we’ll get so involved we come out feeling like a regular Sherlock Holmes and his trusty sidekick, Watson. If you’ve seen such programs, you’re undoubtedly familiar with this classic phrase: “return to the scene of the crime”. It’s something criminals do in many cases, but think about it…it’s actually something detectives do in all cases! Detectives are called to the scene of the crime to assess the situation; to see what the common eye missed the first time around. Return. Reconsider. Rewind.

The ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master’s crib: but Israel doth not know, my people doth not consider. – Isaiah 1:3

Do you have a desire to know the Lord in sincerity? Approach scripture as if you’ve never read it before, no matter how familiar. Clear your mind of what you think you know and let the Living Word speak for itself afresh each time you read. Humans make mistakes. We get confused. We misunderstand. As the old Blockbuster movies used to say, “please be kind, rewind“. This is the greatest kindness one might give themselves. Our relationship with the Lord is too all-important to stake our future with Him on “I thought I knew”.

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. – Job 42:5

If you want to be a detective, learn how to return to the scene of the crime. If you want to be a mathematician, learn how to re-read the directions. If you want to be a Sum Solving Sleuth, learn how to re-check Scripture. Please be kind, rewind.

As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby. – 1 Peter 2:2

In murder mysteries, everyone is a suspect. A detective can not have bias or make assumptions when meeting with suspects, but treat all equally. Everyone is either innocent until proven guilty, or guilty until proven innocent. Colonel Mustard may seem more menacing, but could the culprit in fact be the sweet, unassuming, Mrs. White? A detective won’t make that call until he’s uncovered all the details. Things are not always as they seem.

Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. – John 5:39

The Pharisees were so closed minded that they could not see the forest for the trees. Here was the Messiah that they had read about all their lives, standing before them in the flesh, and still they did not recognize Him. They had our rewinding down pat…they had read the scriptures again and again. How could they miss the truth? They failed to open their minds. They had read, but they had not truly studied. That is to say, they had not considered any possibilities outside of their own narrow scope. They saw what they wanted to see. Do we not often make the same grave mistake? We need to stop putting our own spin on scripture, and start letting scripture put its own spin on us. Always be open to the possibility of being proved wrong.

For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways. – Isaiah 55:8-9

If you want to be a detective, learn how to consider every suspect. If you want to be a mathematician, learn how to incorporate a variety of methods. If you want to be a Sum Solving Sleuth, learn how to see passages in a new light. Open your mind.

Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of thy law. – Psalm 119:18

Sleuthing gets really exciting when the case nears its close. Sure, it’s fun to watch detectives gather evidence (rewind), and curiosity builds even more as they talk to suspects and mull over all the possibilities (open your mind), but when the culprit is caught and justice wins (seek and find) the thrill reaches new heights. “Who’s it going to be?”…”What’s going to happen?”

The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts. – Psalm 10:4

Pride and personal cost can blind people from seeing facts. The detective who finds out his friend was involved in a murder may not be quick to believe even the most glaring evidence. The young mathematician who doesn’t want to admit defeat to his mother may not be quick to reveal his error. The Sum Solving Sleuth who realizes that submitting to God’s authority means crucifying the flesh may not be quick to pick up a bible again. Yet facts are facts, and the truth will always catch up with us. The good news is, we are promised that being on God’s side will always reap the most benefits (in the end). If we seek and find, a happy ending is what we have in store.

The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the Lord shall not want any good thing. – Psalm 34:10

If you want to be a detective, learn how to add up all the evidence for a grand finale. If you want to be a mathematician, learn how to see your equation through to completion. If you want to be a Sum Solving Sleuth, learn how to take the knowledge you’ve acquired, and put it into action. Seek and find.

And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart. – Jeremiah 29:13

In conclusion…

You have within yourself the potential to be a great detective and mathematician. Get into God’s word and start sum solving like Einstein; sleuthing like Holmes. I’m telling you now what I told my son a week ago: you’re way too smart to let a wrong answer get “stuck in your mind”.

It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter. – Proverbs 25:2

Rewind, Open Your Mind, and Seek and Find. You’ll be a Sum Solving Sleuth in no time, for these steps are simply…

Elementary, my Dear Watson.

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.

Figure it out for yourself, my lad,
You’ve all that the greatest of men have had,
Two arms, two hands, two legs, two eyes,
And a brain to use if you would be wise.
With this equipment they all began,
So start for the top and say “I can.”

Look them over, the wise and great,
They take their food from a common plate
And similar knives and forks they use,
With similar laces they tie their shoes,
The world considers them brave and smart.
But you’ve all they had when they made their start.

You can triumph and come to skill,
You can be great if only you will,
You’re well equipped for what fight you choose,
You have legs and arms and a brain to use,
And the man who has risen, great deeds to do
Began his life with no more than you.

You are the handicap you must face,
You are the one who must choose your place,
You must say where you want to go.
How much you will study the truth to know,
God has equipped you for life, But He
Lets you decide what you want to be.

Courage must come from the soul within,
The man must furnish the will to win,
So figure it out for yourself my lad,
You were born with all that the great have had,
With your equipment they all began.
Get hold of yourself, and say: “I can.”

– “Equipment” by Edgar Guest

Are you tired? Tired of making goals, only to fail time and time again at meeting them? Are you ready to finally say, “I can” to the goals in your life?

As the poet Edgar Guest has suggested, one won’t get very far in his plans unless he has a positive outlook and the will to persevere. It is indeed true that holding proper perspectives towards the goals we make will set us on the right track for success. Yet our mindset alone can not keep us on the right track. Many a man or woman has made a goal with the best of intentions, only to crash and burn after a time. How might one set a goal for themselves and ensure they will see it through to completion?

There are three vital steps that we too often forget to implement in the goal making process. If you wish to go from “I can” to “I will”, then let us look into three Guidelines For Goals…

When setting out to make a goal, the first thing you must do is face yourself.

“Do I have what it takes to see this particular goal through from start to finish?”

Many a goal was doomed from the start because the goal setter never bothered to ask themselves this question. Making goals is easy, but follow-through is tough! We may have lofty ambitions, but we can’t let desire outweigh reason. Jesus admonishes us to think before we act:

For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish. – Luke 14:28-30

Now here’s the key: face yourself, don’t debase yourself.

When we face ourselves, the idea is not to beat ourselves up and feel like a failure if we realize we’re not cut out for the goal we have in mind. Some goals we have to give up before we even begin, and that’s okay! Knowing our own limitations and wisely putting our time and efforts in the right places is, in and of itself, a profitable thing.

A goal properly set is halfway reached. – Zig Ziglar

Know yourself so you set goals which are appropriate for your unique personality and complement your skill sets. Seek God’s will in prayer as you lay your tentative goals before Him and ask for clarity and direction. Ask trusted Christians for their advice and input. When you find that your goal is suitable for you, go for it! You are off to a promising start…

Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established. – Proverbs 15:22

#1 Guideline For Goals:
Always: Face Yourself.
Never: Debase Yourself.

Now that you’ve made your goal, the second step is to pace yourself.

There are two great enemies of goals: hurry and hesitation. Though opposites, both of these extremes are equally harmful. If we rush into our goals and push ourselves too hard, we will likely become discouraged at the burden and give up. On the other hand, if we procrastinate and only put in minimal effort from time to time, we will likely find our goal falling by the wayside…never to be picked up again. We all know the old adage, “slow and steady wins the race”, and this could not be more true in regards to goals. It’s important to find the balance between over-exertion and laziness. Keep moving at a steady pace, but don’t bite off more than you can chew.

The heights by great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight, but they, while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Pacing oneself is a matter of a simple math problem. You choose a reasonable deadline, you add up the time from now to then, and you divide the required work into attainable segments. You can do it with a bit of simple planning and a hearty resolve!

Now here’s the key: pace yourself, don’t race yourself.

When you break your main goal up into bite-sized mini goals such as these, you will find it much easier to succeed overall.

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? He shall stand before kings… – Proverbs 22:29a

A word of advice: Avoid making goals that are too vague. A goal must be specific and measurable if it is to be reached. For example…

Instead of saying “my goal is to read more of the Bible this month”, you might say, “I am going to read the book of Isaiah from start to finish in February”. More is hard to measure. Isaiah is not. A goal that can not be measured is only a desire. Make your desire a reality by exchanging it for a genuine goal!

A plan in the heart of a man is like deep water, But a man of understanding draws it out. – Proverbs 20:5 (NASB)

#2 Guideline For Goals:
Always: Pace Yourself
Never: Race Yourself

Now that you have made your goal and a workable plan to follow, the final step is to embrace yourself.

There may come a time where the path to meeting your goal hits an obstacle. That obstacle may be from a circumstance outside your control, but many times that obstacle will in fact be YOU.

You intended to go sugar-free, but you caved when someone offered you a doughnut…you fell asleep before you finished that last chapter in your book…you forgot to drink the cup of water you had put off until evening. Whatever the case, you really botched up your goal; and now you’re wondering if a person like you is even capable of meeting a goal. After all, everything you try you fail at…maybe you should just give up. Stop, stop, stop! These lies you tell yourself are a foothold for the devil. I know, for I’ve told them to myself many a time. Satan adores preying on the pitiful and the self-deprecating. Don’t let that be you. Face your error like a man, and pick up right where you left off.

For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again… – Proverbs 24:16a

So you messed up. What’s done is done, and you are now down to two choices. Admit total failure and denounce your goal (Satan’s delight) or get back on the proverbial bicycle and keep on pedaling (God’s delight). See, every goal, from the most seemingly insignificant (i.e. losing 5 pounds) to the most seemingly significant (becoming a missionary) has spiritual implications. The more loyal and determined you are at meeting your own goals, the more loyal and determined you will be for God’s.

Still, there are times where we must embrace ourselves in our own humanity. This does not mean loving failure. Rather, it means loving ourselves in spite of our failure – loving ourselves enough to say “I have failed, but I am not a failure. I don’t believe a word of Satan’s lies. I will persevere, for even the smallest goal ought to be performed wholeheartedly for the glory of my God”

Now here’s the key: embrace yourself, don’t disgrace yourself.

The Lord is in the corner of those who continue to turn to Him with a sincere heart. Notice that this is a twofold deal. He knows our plight, but still we must keep on keeping on.

Look thou upon me, and be merciful unto me, as thou usest to do unto those that love thy name. Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity have dominion over me. – Psalm 119:132-133

#3 Guideline For Goals:
Always: Embrace Yourself
Never: Disgrace Yourself

In conclusion…

Do you have a goal in mind that you would like to achieve? Be sure to follow our three guidelines for goals for the best possible result.

Face Yourself. Pace Yourself. Embrace Yourself.
Remember not to Debase Yourself, Race Yourself, or Disgrace Yourself.

Above all, seek to honor God in the making and meeting of goals, for…

A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. – Proverbs 16:9

For God’s Glory,
Mrs. Dustin Bolks

Mrs. Dustin Bolks is a church of Christ preacher’s wife, and the home educating mother of two children. She and her family currently reside in Northwest Iowa.