--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: As for my father, I never knew whether he…" description: "\"As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only by picking up God's ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/norman-maclean-10625_able_as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he_485379.jpg" --- # As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was… ![“As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only by picking up God's rhythms were we able to regain power and beauty. Unlike many Presbyterians, he often used the word "beautiful.” quote by Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/norman-maclean-10625_able_as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he_485379.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/norman-maclean-10625_able_as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he_485379.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eb6/norman-maclean-10625_able_as-for-my-father-i-never-knew-whether-he_485379.jpg) > “As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only by picking up God's rhythms were we able to regain power and beauty. Unlike many Presbyterians, he often used the word "beautiful.” [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote reflects a belief that divine order is mathematical, and aligning with that rhythm restores strength and aesthetic harmony. **In simple terms:** Believing God follows patterns helps regain power and beauty. Key Takeaway Align with natural order for renewal. Themes faith order beauty power rhythm Mood contemplative hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal crisis - creative work - spiritual practice - leadership - problem solving Key Concepts mathematics spirituality aesthetics Questions to Reflect On - How do you recognize God's rhythms in daily life? - Can order exist without beauty? A Different Perspective The metaphor may oversimplify complex realities and ignore non‑mathematical aspects of faith. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Able](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Believed God](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believed-god-260275/) [Father](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father/) [God Count](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-count-268249/) [God Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-mathematician-1449725/) [God Rhythms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/god-rhythms-4166035/) [Mathematician](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mathematician/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Rhythm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rhythm/) [Unlike Presbyterians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unlike-presbyterians-2157354/) [Used](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/used/) ## Related quotes > [“As a Scot and a Presbyterian, my father believed that man by nature was a mess and had fallen from an original state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/as-a-scot-and-a-presbyterian-my-father-believed-that-man-by-nature/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [One could perhaps describe the situation by saying that God is a mathematician of a very high order, and He used very advanced mathematics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/one-could-perhaps-describe-the-situation-by-saying-that-god-is-a/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [Ever since the Enlightenment, people thought that we were living in a rational universe. They thought that God was a mathematician and that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-kandel/ever-since-the-enlightenment-people-thought-that-we-were-living-in-a/) [Eric Kandel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-kandel/) > [If you want to make God count something, make a woman weep and He will count her tears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/if-you-want-to-make-god-count-something-make-a-woman-weep-and-he-will/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“God is a mathematician of a very high order and He used advanced mathematics in constructing the universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-dirac/god-is-a-mathematician-of-a-very-high-order-and-he-used-advanced/) [Paul Dirac](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-dirac/) > [Don't tell God how big your problems are, tell your problems how big your God is; count you're blessings, not your problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-tell-god-how-big-your-problems-are-tell-your-problems-how-big/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/anyone-can-count-the-seeds-in-an-apple-but-only-god-can-count-the-2/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [Grace is the overflowing favor of God, and you can always count on it being available to draw upon as needed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/grace-is-the-overflowing-favor-of-god-and-you-can-always-count-on-it/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [“To Plato, God was a mathematician. To Kepler, too, and to Biehl and Fredhoj. I do not believe it was a coincidence that their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-h-eg/to-plato-god-was-a-mathematician-to-kepler-too-and-to-biehl-and/) [Peter Høeg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-h-eg/) > [Anyone can count the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the number of apples in a seed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-h-schuller/anyone-can-count-the-seeds-in-an-apple-but-only-god-can-count-the/) [Robert H. Schuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-h-schuller/) > [“even if the people could no longer hear God, he believed that God could still hear them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-batterson/even-if-the-people-could-no-longer-hear-god-he-believed-that-god/) [Mark Batterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-batterson/) > [When I was younger I thought the only thing people believed in was god. Now I see hippies bowing for Hippies. O.o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corey-bird/when-i-was-younger-i-thought-the-only-thing-people-believed-in-was/) [Corey Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corey-bird/) > [I used to think like Moses. That knocked me down for a couple years and put me in prison. Then I start thinking like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-brown/i-used-to-think-like-moses-that-knocked-me-down-for-a-couple-years/) [James Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-brown/) > [Koresh believed that God had a plan that would go contrary to any human planning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-thibodeau/koresh-believed-that-god-had-a-plan-that-would-go-contrary-to-any/) [David Thibodeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-thibodeau/) > [“What if I believed that God Himself was the One who decreed I would be a quiet person? What if I believed that God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-rajnus/what-if-i-believed-that-god-himself-was-the-one-who-decreed-i-would/) [Julie Rajnus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-rajnus/) ## More by Norman Maclean > [At the time I did not know that stories of life are often more like rivers than books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-the-time-i-did-not-know-that-stories-of-life-are-often-more-like/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“In this story of the outside world and the inside world with a fire between, the outside world of little screwups recedes now for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/in-this-story-of-the-outside-world-and-the-inside-world-with-a-fire/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I hope there are others also who don't mind trees.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-hope-there-are-others-also-who-don-t-mind-trees/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Probably most catastrophes end this way without an ending, the dead not even knowing how they died...,those who loved them forever questioning "this unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/probably-most-catastrophes-end-this-way-without-an-ending-the-dead/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [If our father had had his way, nobody who did not know how to fish would be allowed to disgrace a fish by catching…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/if-our-father-had-had-his-way-nobody-who-did-not-know-how-to-fish/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [I knew that, when needed, mountains would move for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-knew-that-when-needed-mountains-would-move-for-me/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“I sat there and forgot and forgot, until what remained was the river that went by and I who watched... Eventually the watcher joined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/i-sat-there-and-forgot-and-forgot-until-what-remained-was-the-river/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [It is those we live with and love and should know who elude us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-those-we-live-with-and-love-and-should-know-who-elude-us/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Unless we are willing to escape into sentimentality or fantasy, often the best we can do with catastrophes, even our own, is to find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/unless-we-are-willing-to-escape-into-sentimentality-or-fantasy-often/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [At sunrise everything is luminous but not clear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/at-sunrise-everything-is-luminous-but-not-clear/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“On the Big Blackfoot River above the mouth of Belmont Creek the banks are fringed by large Ponderosa pines. In the slanting sun of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/on-the-big-blackfoot-river-above-the-mouth-of-belmont-creek-the-banks/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [Of course, now I am too old to be much of a fisherman, and now of course I usually fish the big waters alone,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/of-course-now-i-am-too-old-to-be-much-of-a-fisherman-and-now-of/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“...it is not fly fishing if you are not looking for answers to questions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/it-is-not-fly-fishing-if-you-are-not-looking-for-answers-to-questions/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [“Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it. The river was cut by the world's great flood and runs over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/eventually-all-things-merge-into-one-and-a-river-runs-through-it-the/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) > [He told us about Christ's disciples being fisherman, and we were left to assume...that all great fishermen on the Sea of Galilee were fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-maclean/he-told-us-about-christ-s-disciples-being-fisherman-and-we-were-left/) [Norman Maclean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) [Explore all 64 Norman Maclean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-maclean/) ## More Able quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/i-have-observed-this-in-my-experience-of-slavery-that-whenever-my/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [In the '80s, the way radio was programmed, if you didn't have a hit record you weren't going to be able to make any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/huey-lewis/in-the-80s-the-way-radio-was-programmed-if-you-didn-t-have-a-hit/) [Huey Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/huey-lewis/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. I'm still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nas/i-think-i-ve-had-the-longest-career-of-strength-focus-and-still-being/) [Nas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nas/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [Thinking about the things that happened, I don't know any other ball player would could have done what he (Jackie Robinson) did. To be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pee-wee-reese/thinking-about-the-things-that-happened-i-don-t-know-any-other-ball/) [Pee Wee Reese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pee-wee-reese/) > [I wanted to remember in order to be able to return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anais-nin/i-wanted-to-remember-in-order-to-be-able-to-return/) [Anais Nin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anais-nin/) > [Government schools, with your tax money, now discourage the teaching of multiplication tables by rote memorization but teach reading by the 'look-and-say' method which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-perry/government-schools-with-your-tax-money-now-discourage-the-teaching-of/) [Greg Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-perry/) > [I don't know if I would qualify as mainstream. I think I have managed to function pretty successfully on the fringes of the music…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-metheny/i-don-t-know-if-i-would-qualify-as-mainstream-i-think-i-have-managed/) [Pat Metheny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-metheny/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [The reason that Apple is able to create products like iPad is because we always try to be at the intersection of technology and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jobs/the-reason-that-apple-is-able-to-create-products-like-ipad-is-because/) [Steve Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jobs/) > [It was an important period for us, because even though we weren't a "punk band", and what became a model for a punk band,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mallinder/it-was-an-important-period-for-us-because-even-though-we-weren-t-a/) [Stephen Mallinder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mallinder/) > [- You look fine. - Right. I look fine. Except I don't, said Zora, tugging sadly at her man's nightshirt. This was why Kiki…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zadie-smith/you-look-fine-right-i-look-fine-except-i-don-t-said-zora-tugging/) [Zadie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zadie-smith/) > [There is a way to be a woman, ask for what we deserve and be able to negotiate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracee-ellis-ross/there-is-a-way-to-be-a-woman-ask-for-what-we-deserve-and-be-able-to/) [Tracee Ellis Ross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracee-ellis-ross/) [Browse all 17,257 Able quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/able/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "As for my father, I never knew whether he believed God was a mathematician but he certainly believed God could count and that only by picking up God's rhythms were we able to regain power and beauty. 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