The art of hearing God.

If you haven't picked it up by now, we are big movie watchers, and readers. We like Sci-Fi and action. I prefer movies that aren't ponderous or "thinkers". What has been striking me in everything I read or watch lately is the skill level that people have attained, and then I realize that the skill level they have attained came at the expense of a lot of practice, and a lot of failure. Slowly I am beginning to mirror, for myself, the Robbinson's (Meet the Robbinsons) philosophy of celebrate your failures. I've always been able to celebrate with others and help them to move on to try again, but moving beyond my own fears and failures have become more difficult as I move into places that I never expected to see myself. Scary places. And yet, I've resolved to meet these fears head on and have accepted the challenge of excellence.

Several years ago Chris and I took several classes offered by Streams ministry, the first was called The art of hearing God. The classes were so life changing that Chris took me to North Sutton NH to attend the teacher training. North Sutton is in the middle of nowhere and there was 3' of snow on the ground. We were told that pine trees outnumbered humans 3 to 1. Believe it.

After the week long intensive, there was a follow up test of 100 questions and then an essay test of 10 questions. The 100 questions took me about 6 months to complete and the essay 6 months to complete 8 or the 10 questions. I was finishing the last 2 questions when my computer died, with no backup. So, this week I began the essay questions again. I've been putting it off, not just because the questions are multipart and difficult, not just because they pertain to how I've integrated the material into my life and how I will use my life experiences to teach the course, but because I have to overcome some basic obstacles, and answer some questions for myself. Questions like overcoming being scared to be so transparent.... answering the question of am I good enough to be a teacher. I know the answers to these questions, and am addressing the others that haunt me, now its just going for it.

I'll keep you updated as to my progress.