I was not catechized as a kid. I don’t know if it is because catechism was a foreign concept to my parents, or if it was because I grew up in a Roman Catholic country, where catholicism is engrained in the culture, and there is a lot of repetition with very little belief. For whatever reason, this is something I wasn’t exposed to as a kid. Now that my own kids are teenagers, I have only recently discovered catechisms.
According to Meriam-Webster, a catechism is “a summary of religious doctrine often in the form of questions and answers.” Different religions have their own catechisms. Two catechisms I’ve encountered are the Heidelberg catechism and the Westminster catechism. They are a series of questions about the different aspects of theology, along with the answers supported by Scripture.
The idea is the teacher asks a question, and the students respond in unison with a memorized answer. For example, question 1 of the Westminster Shorter Catechism is “What is the chief end of man?” And the answer is “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.” The Scriptures that supports this answer include 1 Corinthians 10:31 and Psalm 73:25-26.
For those who grew up in a strict or legalistic environment that required catechism, it can be difficult to separate catechism from negative memories, but most adults I’ve asked who were catechized as children are grateful. They have had the memorized answers bouncing around in their memories as the world seems to have spun out of control.
But let me encourage you. God’s timing is perfect. So you are not too old to be catechized. And, truth be told, you may understand and appreciate it more as an adult. It is never too late to learn the catechism questions and answers and to dive into the Scripture that teaches the principles.
Are you ready to learn about things like justification, the commandments, and prayer? If so, join me in learning the Westminster Shorter Catechism. I have linked a couple of resources, and I will be creating posts of the different questions each week on my Instagram account.
There is a huge difference between breaking a rule because you don’t like the rule and breaking a rule because the rule is wrong, based on lies or fear, or harmful physically, mentally, or emotionally. And teaching your kids to discern the difference is the epitome of good parenting.
Teaching your kids to stand for truth is not encouraging a rebellious spirit. It means you’ve taught them what truth is, and you’ve taught them HOW to think instead of WHAT to think.
“Then the king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, one of whom was named Shiphrah and the other Puah, ‘When you serve as midwife to the Hebrew women and see them on the birthstool, if it is a son, you shall kill him, but if it is a daughter, she shall live.’ But the midwives feared God and did not do as the king of Egypt commanded them, but let the male children live. So the king of Egypt called the midwives and said to them, ‘Why have you done this, and let the male children live?’ The midwives said to Pharaoh, ‘Because the Hebrew women are not like the Egyptian women, for they are vigorous and give birth before the midwife comes to them.’ So God dealt well with the midwives. And the people multiplied and grew very strong. And because the midwives feared God, he gave them families.” Exodus 1:15-21 (ESV)
The month of September 2020 was interesting, to say the least. I started the month lying on the beach, but I ended the month lying in a hospital bed. As difficult as the month was thanks to my COVID diagnosis, I feel stronger and more empowered on the other side.
COVID Timeline
On September 17th, I came down with a fever, body aches, chills, and a shallow cough. As far as I know, I had not been around anyone who was infected. Over the next few days, I took ibuprofen and generic day and NyQuil. These medications took care of my symptoms. I had some great days and thought I was on the mend, but the fever persisted. Little by little, some more symptoms crept in. I lost my sense of smell and taste, and my appetite as a result. My cough sunk deeper into my chest. I started to notice that I couldn’t speak without coughing.
Eventually, I realized the over-the-counter medications were no longer reducing my symptoms and my cough got deeper and more productive. Finally, on Saturday, September 26th, 10 days after my symptoms began and after I coughed until I threw up, we decided it was time to seek medical attention.
I had decided from the beginning of the “pandemic” that I would not get tested for COVID-19 unless I needed medical attention. There were several reasons for this:
I didn’t see a point in getting tested only to be told I was positive and to go home and rest because there is no treatment.
I didn’t want my name on a government registry stating I had been tested (I’m not typically a conspiracy theorist, but this “pandemic” has brought it out in me a bit).
I didn’t want to do contact tracing that might force someone else to stay home and not be able to provide for their family (I had stayed home since my first symptoms to protect my friends and loved ones).
That Saturday morning, I had a video conference with a physician who essentially told me to go get tested. Mark took me to a walk-in clinic where they had me wait in my car for more than an hour. Once they saw me, they immediately put me on oxygen, and my symptoms almost completely dissipated. They tested me, took an x-ray of my lungs, and put me on an antibiotic.
By that afternoon, we knew I needed oxygen on a permanent basis, so Mark took me to the Emergency Room at one of our local hospitals. They immediately put me on oxygen and admitted me to the hospital. They also tested Mark, checked his oxygen, and took an x-ray of his lungs. He tested positive and was sent home to rest.
I was taken to a private room in the ER. After they got me into a hospital gown, I was taken for another x-ray and a CT scan. The CT scan showed no clots, but the x-ray showed pneumonia in my lungs. They returned me to my ER room, which would be my permanent home for the next 48 hours, and hooked me up to all the things. My oxygen cannula, my pulse-ox monitor, and my heart monitors were all attached to the wall and very much limited my mobility. I was also attached to an IV with fluids, and my blood pressure cuff was set to turn on every 15 minutes, making it very difficult to rest.
One element that made the experience a bit traumatic was that the nurses avoided me like the plague (pun totally intended). They did not come into my room very often, and I struggled to get anyone to come when I needed help. At one point, I had to pull off monitors and improvise because, after pleading for over an hour for someone to come help me use the restroom, I finally had to take matters into my own hands. Although that was a troubling moment, it gave me the push I needed to take responsibility for what needed to be done. It was at that point I decided I would ask questions and make my expectations known. And my situation seemed to improve with each new nurse that came on shift.
Another aspect that was intimidating was the donning and doffing of COVID attire. Before a nurse entered my room, he or she had to “suit up:” Double masks, face shield, eye protection, gloves, hair nets, booties, and a yellow, plastic gown. It was literally one step down from a hazmat suit. Once they entered the room, they couldn’t leave without tearing it all off and throwing it in the trash.
My first nurse ended her shift as soon as I was hooked up to everything. I then spent the night staring out my open curtains, watching the next nurse flirt with one of the male nurses for her entire shift. The third nurse was a young man who was able to find me a pillow and a bedside commode. The next nurse brought me a real bed so I no longer had to lay in the ER cot, and he changed the settings on my blood pressure cuff so it went off every 30 minutes. And the final nurse in the ER took great care of me and eventually got me moved up to the COVID unit.
While I was in the ER, they brought me my three meals each day, and I ate what I got. I started getting my sense of taste back, and the meals tasted delicious to me!
Medications
They also started me on several medications:
Remdesivir was the first medication. It is experimental and not approved by the FDA. It is intended to shorten the length and minimize the severity of the illness, but it is impossible to know if it actually helps. I was supposed to get five doses of Remdesivir, but my liver enzymes took a turn, so they stopped the medication after two doses.
They also started me on Decadron (Dexamethasone). It is a corticosteroid that strengthened my lungs.
The most unpleasant of the medications was a blood thinner that was administered as a shot in my stomach. Not only did I feel the needle, but the medication burned as it entered my system, and I could feel it for a full 15 minutes. This medication was to be administered every 12 hours. Once I moved up to the COVID unit, I refused any more doses because I was told that as long as I was up and moving around, I wouldn’t be at risk for clots. In the ER, I didn’t have the option to move around.
There was never any mention of Hydroxychloroquine.
COVID Unit
The difference between the ER and the COVID unit was night and day! As soon as I reached the COVID unit, all of the monitors came off. My heart monitors were attached to a portable, battery-powered device that went in the pocket of my gown. The oxygen cannula was really long, giving me the freedom to get up and walk around my room. The pulse-ox and blood pressure cuff didn’t stay attached, and the nurse assistant came into my room every four hours to check my vitals. And the kitchen called me to get my meal orders so I could choose what I ate.
On Tuesday morning, my first morning in the COVID unit, I saw the sun for the first time since Saturday. I was also able to take a shower and feel human again. The doctor told me I needed two more doses of Decadron through my IV, and then she would send me home. They were able to take me from the 3.5 liters of oxygen down to 2 liters the first night, and by Wednesday morning, I was completely off of oxygen.
The nurses in the COVID unit didn’t avoid me, but they did leave me alone for long periods of time, making it easy for me to relax and have phone conversations with friends and family. When they did come into my room, they took a vested interest in my progress, answered my questions, and discussed the presidential debate.
Wednesday morning, the doctor surprised me by telling me she was going to discharge me with a prescription for the steroid and a prescription for a blood thinner. By 5 p.m. on Wednesday night, I was back at home with my family.
Health Advocate
One of the scariest elements of this experience was that I had no point of reference. I had not known anyone who had gone to the hospital with symptoms. I only knew what the media was feeding me about the illness, the medications, the recovery, and the mortality rates. Knowledge is power in this case, so the more we talk about our experiences, the more we empower others to be their own advocates.
What I have learned is that no two medical professionals are going to give me the same answer. Everyone is making the best decisions they can with the information they have, but that information has gaps. When I asked why I needed to take a blood thinner that had so many contraindications it was scary (including suicidal thoughts), the only answer I was given was that it is recommended by the CDC. It felt very much like they were throwing everything at it in hopes that something sticks.
Hopefully, you will never experience what I have. But if you do, my prayer is that my experience will give you the confidence to take care of yourself and advocate for your health. As I continue my recovery, I will post updates. I am happy to answer any questions you may have, so feel free to reach out!
I was convicted when a friend reminded me that every time I say “yes” to one thing, I’m saying “no” to something else.
If I say “yes” to spending quality time with my family, spending time in the Word, or catching up with my friends in real life, I am saying “no” to other things that drain my time, energy, and focus. That is great news! But when I say “yes” to scrolling Facebook for an hour, binge-watching Netflix, or playing Candy Crush until my lives run out, I’m saying “no” to things that enrich my life and make me more productive. Yikes!
I was challenged to write down how I spend my time every day to see where my time is going. It was humbling. It makes it hard to complain about not having enough time in the day to do the things I know I should do when I have tracked my time and can see where I wasted it. It is also good accountability. I think twice about grabbing that remote if I know I’ll have to record “I watched an episode of Castle that I’ve seen at least 5 times before instead of writing my quota for the day.”
Working from home is very difficult. The distractions in our homes are endless. If there are no dishes to do, there is laundry to wash. If there is no laundry to wash (and when isn’t there), there is vacuuming to do. I will do chores I hate just to give me an excuse to procrastinate a little longer.
God has given each of us 24 hours in the day. James 4:14 reminds me that my life is a vapor. I need to use my time wisely to honor God, my family, and my ministry. This means spending time in God’s Word, nurturing my marriage, teaching my kids, serving my family, cultivating ministry, growing my reach, etc.
I doubt I will get to the end of my life and wish I had reached the next level of Candy Crush!
You may or may not have noticed that earlier this week, I published a post to my feed about the Enneagram, and later that same day, I deleted it. I want to talk about why I felt convicted enough to do that.
Let me start by giving you a little bit of my background with the Enneagram so you can understand my point of view. The first time I heard of the Enneagram was in a business context. It was coming up repeatedly in conversations with my team in the network marketing business with which I am partnered. And it seemed that every business podcast I listened to or blog I read, whether Christian or secular, was talking about the Enneagram.
I was not introduced to the Enneagram as a spiritual tool until I got curious enough to Google “Is the Enneagram biblical?” At that point, I came across many well-respected Christians who were using it personally and in their ministries. Then a friend introduced me to my Enneagram mentor who approached it completely from a spiritual and biblical standpoint. When she explained it, it made sense to me, I understood it, and I could see the spiritual implications. I was hooked!
I have been studying the Enneagram for about a year. I have had so much fun with it! I have enjoyed what it says about me and why I do the things I do. I have paid closer attention to my marriage based on what it says about my husband’s personality. I have had serious conversations and fun conversations with my kids about topics the Enneagram has introduced. I can honestly say that I have learned a lot over the last year.
But let’s be clear about something: the Enneagram is made up! You can search your Bible from cover to cover, and you will not find a single mention of the Enneagram. There is some debate about the origins of the Enneagram, but whether it is an ancient tool or was devised in the 20th century, it is still a human invention. As such, it is fallible. The Enneagram is yet another way mankind has sought to understand the things that are revealed to us by the Holy Spirit through Scripture.
Some things you should know about the Enneagram:
The Enneagram is a tool for self-discovery, self-knowledge, and self-examination. Left to itself, the Enneagram will never point you to Jesus. Instead, it will point you to yourself.
In and of itself, the Enneagram will never spotlight your sin. Instead, it will reveal your “hidden” self and ask you to be gracious with yourself.
While the Enneagram encourages change, it is not change for the purpose of sanctification, but it’s change for the purpose of becoming the best version of yourself.
Can the Enneagram be used for spiritual renewal and sanctification? To do so will require deliberately adding a biblical filter, intentionally searching for sin in your life and repenting of said sin, and applying A LOT of discernment, which only comes from the Word and requires you to spend more time in your Bible than you spend in the Enneagram.
Here’s the bottom line: I never want to point you to anything but the Word of God. I want to be known as someone who always points you to the inerrant, infallible, absolute truth of Scripture–no matter the topic, struggle, or insight we discuss. So while I believe the Enneagram might help some in their spiritual walk, I also believe to others it will be a stumbling block. And I don’t want to cause you to stumble.
That is why I was convicted as people commented on my post, and I felt I should delete it. Rather than pointing you to a manmade tool, I should be pointing you to the Word.
I would love to answer any questions you have or go deeper in this conversation with you if you’re interested. My goal has not been to judge but to extend grace and provide some direction.
If there is someone in your life who you feel needs this information, feel free to share this post with him or her.
I remember about 3 years ago when I chose my first word of the year. Until then, I hadn’t really understood why people chose a word of the year. How did a word of the year even help?
What I have found is it is much like setting a goal. If you’re not a goal setter, this may not help you understand, but I am a goal setter, or at least, I’ve become one.
I have found that having a word of the year helps me filter the things I add to my to-do list, the goals I set, and the people I allow to influence me.
My first word of the year was “Thrive.” Because we decided to homeschool our kids that year, it turned out to be the perfect word. For year 2, my word was “Savor” since we were in the midst of adjusting to homeschool, and I wanted it to be a positive experience. Last year, I chose the word “Undeserving” after hearing a sermon from my pastor which was incredibly convicting.
My word of 2020 is “Cultivate.” I read a book by this title at the end of 2019, and I discovered something about myself. I realized that I am too hard on myself. I expect too much too fast. I set an intention, and as soon as I meet it, I set a new one, not bothering to celebrate the accomplishment. So this year, I want to start cultivating things in my life, realizing they will take time and celebrating the victories along the way.
I want to cultivate my prayer life, my friendships, and my business. I want to cultivate characteristics in our family like peace, laughter, and patience. I want to learn from the hard things and spend time in the dirt because I know they have a purpose. And then I want to enjoy the fruit of the labor.
