Questions

While living here in Thailand I have had the opportunity to be involved in a weekly study group.   The first part of this year we studied the parables of Jesus Christ as found in the New Testament.  I had previously taken a class covering this topic when I was in college and was interested in the depth of each parable.  In this study group we discussed the parables, the history behind them, the possible meanings and interpretations and most importantly how the parables apply to our lives today.  It was an amazing 4 months of study.

However, the last 4 months with this study group have been life changing.  We decided to read and study "Change Your QUESTIONS Change Your LIFE" by Dr. Wendy Watson Nelson.  This book has had a very profound effect on how I view life, the questions I ask myself, the questions I ask others and most importantly the questions that I ask the Lord.

She teaches us that there is great power in QUESTIONS.

"Great questions can motivate us to change because they invite us to reflect".  Early in the book the author invites us to think and ponder a few simple questions..."Are your questions encouraging you, enlarging your life, expanding your vision and enriching your relationships?" 
                                                                               --Wendy Nelson
Just by asking myself those simple question I begun pondering the conversations that I have with others as well as the ones that I have with myself.  When I ask questions to my families members do are the questions more like a judgment statement?  When I ask myself questions about the future do I limit my vision by using my current situation?  I really began to realize that if I wanted better relationships I needed to ask better questions.  If I want to have a great life then I need to ask great questions.

In the book, Wendy Nelson, lists seven questions that she believes, if you ask them with an open heart can change your life.  She illustrates, gives examples and helps to understand why these seven questions can actually make our lives more meaningful.

1. What is it that I am to accomplish while on this earth or why am I here at this time and what should I be doing?
2. What is the one question that I most need to have answered today?
3. What are three words to follow for great life?
4. Whose agenda is this supporting?
5. If I were to pray with real intent how would i manage difficult situations?
6. How can I be more true to myself?
7. What do I know to be true?

"Great questions can build relationships! They can connect people heart to heart... great questions can reveal another's heart...great questions can introduce new information."  Wendy Nelson

I have taught the New Testament to youth groups many times and I am always amazed and how Jesus, the master teacher, taught - he asked great questions.  One of the things that I like to do when I read the scriptures is to invision the Lord asking me the question...Here are a few from the book of John.

• John 1:38   "Heidi, what seek ye?"
• John 5:6     "Heidi, wilt thou be made whole?"
• John 20:13  "Heidi, why weepest thou?"
• John 21:16  "Heidi, lovest thou me?"

Christ asked such great questions!  I find that my relationship with the Savior becomes stronger when I am answering His questions.  Prayer is POWER.  If I want to have a better relationship with my Savior - I need to be asking better questions of myself, I need to be listening for the answers He provides. I need to be doing the same things with those in my life that I want to build relationships with.  If I can change my questions so that they encourage, enlarge and enlighten my life as well as those I love my life will change.

CHANGE YOUR QUESTIONS CHANGE YOUR LIFE

Kudos for Krabi

Spring break came late for some of us that live in Thailand, April 16-20. In the past we have always planned interesting Asian adventures but our son David was returning to Thailand for an internship so we couldn't plan anything far away this year. But that didn't stop us from enjoying a few days away from home...

We decided at the last minute to take a short flight south to Krabi, Thailand for a little scuba diving off Ao Nang Beach.

I would definitely give KUDOS for KRABI.  We had a great few days!

Sunset on Ao Nang Beach, Krabi

 A little bit of this and a little bit of that in Krabi

Scootering around the town, scuba diving three beautiful sites, a visit to the "Shell Cemetery" (LOL), some great food, relaxing by the pool and to do all that with two of my favorite men, Ron and John.  I am one lucky lady.

Impossible Being Possible.

The most unusual thing happened today, Ron and I found ourselves at the mall with a little extra time, so we check out the movies.  Here in Thailand we might have to wait a little while for first run movies but we can both see a show, buy a large popcorn and two large sodas for less then $15.00 - so it is worth the wait.  Today we happened to stumble on a movie called " Salmon Fishing in the Yemen".  My first thought was this was a British version of a "River Runs Though It", and to my surprise it was a movie, not so much about fishing as it was about the impossible being possible.

The main story is that of a British fisheries expert is approached by a consultant to help realize a sheik's vision of bring the sport of fly fishing to the desert and embarks on an upstream journey of faith and fish to prove the impossible possible. In the movie there is a sheikh that wants to introduce Salmon into the Yemen River. 

 The sheikh will spare no expense to see this happen.  He says, " It would be a miracle of God if it happened.  I  know it. If God wills it, the summer rains will fill the wadis and the salmon will run the river.  And then my countrymen, all classes and manner of men will stand side by side and fish for the salmon. Their natures, too, will be changed, they will feel the enchantment of this silver fish and then when talk turns to what this tribe said or that tribe did...then someone will say, " Let us arise, and go fishing." 

That sounded a bit religious to me and made me thing of that line in the great fishing story, "A River Runs Though It"..."In our family there was no clear line between religion and fly fishing."  I was then remember reading some where someone once wrote, "Casting a fly becomes a ritual of grace".  During the fishing scenes in the movie – I could help notice the ribbon like line wave back and forth over the river and realized that fly fishing is a really graceful ritual; a religious act of patience, if you will.

My favorite line of the movie was, "I believe in it because it is impossible” just that one line opens ones mind to possibilities.  We live in a world that to me seems so closed minded - so structured we can't believe in anything. I think the world would be a different place if all of us could look for possibilities even in the impossible.

• v Like realizing that it is possible to have a lasting marriage in this day and age two-day marriages and of drive by divorce.
• v Like realizing that it is possible to raise intelligent, productive, independent children that are happy and healthy.
• v Like realizing that it is possible to be happy during temporal trials, such as loss of job, in ability to have children or as in my case cancer.
• v Like realizing it is possible to dream of things for the future when the future might look dim.
• v Like realizing that it is possible to live with the Savior if I just work to be a little better each day.

“Salmon Fishing in the Yemen” is called a lighthearted movie, yet to me it had me thinking about the possibilities of the impossible.  I have hopes and dreams for the future and I now see that the impossible can be possible with a little “FLY FISHING”  - so I am going to CAST my LINE in to the WATERS of doubt and CATCH me some possibilities.  And to quote from the movie...

"I believe in it because it is impossible” 

Oh and BTW ladies in the movie Ewan McGregor is pretty easy on the eyes and really adds to the beautiful scenery!  ENJOY

A Full Quiver

I woke up this morning thinking about how to blog about some of the feeling that I have been having lately.  My life is so full and blessed because of my children.  I cannot think of anything more important to be then a wife, mother and a nana.  In American news lately there has been some harshly spoken words on the validity of women working outside the home and those that stay at home.

I have been in both places: for the first 10 years of parent hood I was working outside the home and for the last 20 years I have been able to stay at home.  Both are hard and both have made me realized that any kind of WORK is just plain hard.  I have also received blessing from working.  While in the work force I was able to go out for power lunches, had a nice wardrobe, and received pay raises and vacation and sick time.

When I chose to stay at home those blessing ceased to exist – but I received blessing nonetheless, the ability to hug each of my children when they came home from school, smiles on their dirty faces, providing a listening ear whenever THEY wanted to talk and to hold their hands and to wipe their eyes when things got tough. 

I worked hard outside the home, it was hard to leave my first daughter with the babysitter at 6 weeks old – but economics required it.  When our son was born my husband when back for his MBA we had to down size and economize because we both worked part time jobs.  WORK is hard and being a good mother is a lot of  hard work ;whether I am working out of the home or in the home …and yet I find that I have been extremely happy through it all.

I was reminded of a few verses in Psalms 127…

“Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward…happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.”

I am not sure if having four children constitutes a “quiver full” but then I have had so many children pass through my front door I can no longer count them all.  Some stay for a few days, others stay for months or even years and yet there are some that know that my door is always open and keep returning time and time again. 

Just a few of the extra children in my quiver

I can truly say that being a good mother has been hard work, being a good nana is no work at all, it is blessing for having worked hard to be a good mother!  My quiver is full and runneth over.