Geeking Beeke

Am I the only one who gets annoyed at advertisements on email accounts?

My Gmail account picks up random phrases or words from the contents of messages and slaps what its cybermind views as related advertisements on the side of my work space. So while I'm discussing "belief systems" in the context of writing a Christian catechism, Google is trying to entice me to link with sites about Shamanism or Buddhism.

My Yahoo account flashes "I geek..." ads across the top of my workspace. I really don't care that the burly fellow geeks superheros and especially that the pretty young woman geeks vampires (although the little boy who geeks worms is very cute and reminds me of my pastor's youngest son). When these ads first began flashing on my screen, I was surprised to see an older woman who was--apparently--geeking Beeke. I thought, "Can it possibly be that this advertisement is promoting Dr. Joel Beeke and his Reformed theology?"

It wasn't long before I learned that my first glimpes of that particular advertisement had been cut short. I discovered that the kind-looking older woman was actually geeking "beekeeping" instead of "Beeke."

It made more sense, but I confess to a small measure of disappointment as well as a large measure of laughter at my own expense.

Halfway! Yea!

Today is a happy day!

Today I was able to send away Lesson 13 in the Grade 5 catechism curriculum I am writing. Since the volume will have 25 lessons, this means I am just over halfway—an attained goal that makes me ecstatic!

I was asked in July if I would be willing and able to write the lessons with a December 1 deadline. I figured out a schedule that appeared viable and agreed to the work. I submitted an outline in the form of a table of contents, indicating which questions and answers of the Heidelberg Catechism will be covered in each lesson.

I also submitted the first two lessons before the end of July. I struggled with several lessons, but was able to submit seven more in August. The most recent four lessons, submitted this month, have gone a bit better.

During the last few weeks, I've gotten into a better schedule that helps me handle my many writing commitments. I try to work on each of my primary commitments in two-hour blocks every day. Since I have more commitments than available blocks of productive writing time each day, this doesn't always work out. And sometimes a catechism lesson takes far more hours than I'd expected. But aiming for this schedule helps avoid my excruciating frustration at reaching the week's end without working on something crucial.

My intense schedule has been very difficult for me to handle, but God has been gracious above and beyond my wildest imaginings. It would have been great to have had one or two years to think about and work on the catechism project, but he is providing what I need to write these lessons to an intense deadline. He graciously brings to mind scripture I know, things I've read over the years, sermons I've heard preached, knowledge I've witnessed at classical examinations, and memories of growing up as a child and raising children of my own to help me identify with my young readers.

This morning my heart overflows with thankfulness in being able to reach this halfway milestone on my catechism project journey. My prayer is that these lessons will be extremely helpful to instructor and that through them many young hearts will be touched with the truth of the gospel.