Monthly Archives: August 2020

This post is dedicated to Harmon Cox who married my grandmother after my biological grandfather, and Harmon’s wife,  passed away. “PaPaw Harmon” always made visiting fun, and I always felt wanted there. He would watch the Braves and cook the most delicous steaks and corn bread you’ve ever tasted. He let me play in his office with his office supplies and big old-timey calculator. He, nor my grandmother, ever wanted to lose their first spouse, their childrens’ parent, at such a young age.

But they allowed God to use his heavenly mathematics

to bless them for many many years. 

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When my step-grandfather died, I wanted to send his children and my cousins something special. I wanted to make it myself and include my favorite picture of him engaged in his famous, full belly-laugh.

The problem was, with a newborn and recent long-distance move, I was running on fumes. I didn’t have it in me to find my paints and brushes. Honestly, I don’t think I even knew where they were!

Instead, I threw together what I had: my kids’ markers and scrapbook paper, some cheesy office labels I found in a drawer and Dollar Tree frames. This was not going to be my typical “A Little Happy” gift, but it was honestly all I had to give during that season.

I was a little embarrassed to send these hodgepodge gifts. I mean, I knew I had more potential than markers and stickers. I had seen my work–although amateur–and it was well above these juvenile looking gifts. But what choice did I have? It was what I could give at the time.

This experience reminds me of our daily lives. How often are we just doing the best we can with what we have at the time? How often are we using what resources we have, but still feel like we fall short because it doesn’t measure-up to the standard we and society have set? How often are we embarrassed even though we really were giving it our all?

How loud do I need say this so the people in the back will hear? YOU ARE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU HAVE AT THE TIME! You won’t always be able to give it your all. There will be days and seasons your “all” will be fabulous mediocrity. Do not carry embarrassment or shame for this. Do not worry about what you could have done better. Smother yourself with grace and move it along. If you are truly doing the best you can with what you have…this is enough.

I always hated math. Like hated. Ask Mr. Davis, my High School math teacher, how good I was at it. (Spoiler alert, I sucked.) But here’s some math I absolutely adore. Our God is a God of multiplication. He can take your pure-hearted efforts and multipy them into what He wants them to be: a big fat blessing to others.

The Bible doesn’t give us an exact measure of how good our deeds should be in human terms. He simply asks us to do them. He doesn’t command Pinterest-worthy projects and lives. He only asks that we do all things with great love ( 1 Corinthians 16:14), to His glory (Colossians 3:17) and as if doing them for the Lord. (Colossians 3:23)

I hope you find as much freedom in this truth as I do! We can move forward in good deeds and service knowing God can take them straight from our limited human hands to heaven and miraculously multiply them. So cook that meal you’ve been wanting to take to a sick friend. Send that “happy” to a buddy you miss. Host that playdate your kids have been begging for. None of these things need be done perfectly. As long as we are doing the best we can with what we have with great love to His glory and as if doing them for The Lord, He will be faithful to use His heavenly mathematics and multiply it to be enough.

When I was a little girl, I knew where my Maw Maw kept her Sunday School funds. She was the “treasurer” for her Sunday School class, and a small white faux leather pouch sat in the second drawer down in her dresser. Sometimes she’d let me help her count the funds, and ever so often she’d “borrow” from it when she needed cash and immediately replace it.

We ate with my grandparents almost every Sunday after church, and one particular Sunday she wanted to give me and my brother a dollar before we left. She said, “Macie, you know were the Sunday School money is. Get a dollar and I’ll replace it later.” I opened the drawer and got the pouch. I placed my hand on a dollar bill and right behind it was a ten. I took the dollar and the ten and thanked my grandmother.

On the ride home my daddy said, “Where did you get that ten dollar bill?” I told him Maw Maw had given it to me. He was pretty shocked, ten dollars was a large sum to be given for no reason. When we got home he called Maw Maw and found out she did NOT authorize the removal of a ten, but a one. I was caught red handed.

My daddy put me back into the car and we rode back to Maw Maw’s to return the stolen money. I was mortified that I’d been caught and extremely embarrassed. I was ashamed I had lied, especially to my beloved Maw Maw.

I wish I could say it was the last time I’d lie to my parents, or other people, but it wasn’t. I would in fact proceed to lie about a lot of things in my life. This moment did, however, make an impression on my heart that would take root and last a long time: when faced with telling the truth or a lie, choose truth. No matter the embarrassment or consequence. Choose. Truth.

This story makes me ponder why people lie. We can list many immoral and selfish reasons, but I want to talk about a reason that’s often missed. Sometimes people lie because they are frightened by the wrath that will ensue when their lie is discovered. They have never seen grace displayed, and because of this they are willing to do anything to avoid “punishment.” If a child is shown nothing but wrath and legalistic parenting they will indeed sin more to avoid the pain and shame of disappointing their parents.

In our home we have a saying: “Tell the truth the first time.” We have explained to our children time and time again that the truth is always the best choice even if it means hard consequences. We have also promised them that immediate forgiveness and grace will be given, and quite possibly consequences will be less for “telling the truth the first time.”

Even though most of us have outgrown childish lying, we are still daily faced with the choice between the truth and a lie. Whether it’s to avoid something or gain something, the temptation and choice remains. What will you choose?

I made up a song when I was working as a preschool assistant. The lesson was lying versus the truth, and the little ditty stuck and we sang it all year. It went like this, “The truth is better than a lie. Oh the truth is better than a lie. A lie gets in your heart and makes you saaaaaaaad. But a truth gets in your heart and sets you FREE!!!”

It is for FREEDOM Christ has set you and me free.

Be blessed. Be free.