Questions that bug me

This Christmas my daughter gave me a beautiful watch and bracelet set. Both were bejeweled with my birthstone, zircon. I love the set, and wear them every day.The other day when I was putting them them on, I wondered, "What is the meaning of the birthstone? Who chose which one went where?" Personally, I think December should be emerald, but that's just me.
I shared my question with my friends and they brushed it off as a frivolous undertaking. I was undeterred. Straight to Google I went, then Wikipedia, bing, etc. In short order, I knew the history and background of the gemstones known at birthstones.
I tend to have a curious mind. I think of things that no one else would. Like when I get to heaven, I want to ask God why he created mosquitoes and why lettuce can't taste like chocolate,and vice versa. When I was in college and grad school, I always asked questions in class. My friend said he admired me because I could ask questions like that. I said, "Why?" He replied that most people are too embarrassed to ask questions in class. They don't want anyone to know they don't have all the answers.
I've found that many church members are afflicted by this question shyness. That's why I like to go to the youth group and play "Stump the pastor." I encourage them to ask me anything - no holds barred. I also encourage my members from the pulpit to raise questions, and look for answers in matters of faith. Still, some people act as if doubts and questions are sinful. They are not. Without doubt, our faith remains untested. Without questions, we may come to wrong conclusions about the scriptures.
I hope you, my friendly readers, will never take anyone else's word about God, Christ, and the Holy Spirit OR the Bible. Ask questions. Read the Word for yourself. Read scholarly works and commentaries on the Bible. Ask your pastor, priest, or a Christian friend or mentor what they think. Weigh all the evidence. Pray. Listen. Then you begin to lay a firm foundation for your faith that gets stronger each time it's tested.