It's All About the Remainder

My son J said yesterday, "Mom, Dad, I figured out long division! It's all about the remainder."

First, I sent a quick "Thanks!" heavenward -- I HATE long division, and did not want to try to explain it to our 9-year old. I'm glad he's "figured it out."

Then I thought that there must be something theological about the statement, "It's all about the remainder."

The remainder in long division (and don't ask any questions, because I'm not explaining long division to you, either) is what is left over after the division is complete. Once everything else is divided evenly, the remainder is that pesky little number at the end.

I wonder sometimes if I don't try to fit God into the "remainder," -- that time I have left over in the day after everything else has been given its share of my time. I pretty sure that my prayer time is squeezed into the "remainder." If I have any prayer time at all.

If I look at it another way, then I ask the question, "What do I have left?" Standing right here (actually, sitting right here), what is my remainder? My remainder starts now, today, this moment. Everything that has yet to happen...everything that I can do yet, is going to be in my "remainder" -- the time that is left to me. So, "it's all about the remainder." Whatever changes I want to make...whatever goals I have or that God has for me...begin today, because that's all I've got.

• We can either continue to hold a grudge, or give it up for the remainder.
• We can be generous, or be selfish for the remainder.
• We can accept forgiveness, or feel guilty for the remainder.
• We can forgive ourselves for what we've done or haven't done and know that God loves us, or be miserable for the remainder.

We can either love each other more; trust God more, starting now, or loose part of what we have in our remainder.

It's all about the remainder.