Countdown: Day 3: Running Community

I'm exactly 3 days until the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. I'm pumped about it! I'm going to try as much as time allows me to do a countdown blog posting of what's on my mind.


Today we are talking about running community. 


The running culture is amazing. When I first decided to start prepping myself for the marathon this summer I found out that I was joining a club where their was going to be supporters. I wasn't going to have to do this on my own.


I'm suprised when i'm on my own during a run and guy will come by me and encourage me to keep going.

I fell the other day when it was really dark and got back up and the guys 100 yards back that were pacing faster than me came up and asked me if I was okay.


I know that although I don't know but about 2-3 people that are racing the Aramco Half-Marathon. I'm still going to have someone to talk to for the 2 1/2 hours I'm running this race. I'm pumped about that big time! 


Meeting other "Clydesdales" like myself. There are guys out there running that tip near 300 lbs. The running community doesn't discriminate. WHo cares that I can run a twice as slow! The community doesn't!

Countdown: Day 4: Eating Habits, Weight Loss

I'm exactly 4 days until the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. I'm pumped about it! I'm going to try as much as time allows me to do a countdown blog posting of what's on my mind.


Today we talking about my eating habits and weight loss in preparations for this marathon. I won't lie to you. I'm currently 240 lbs. This is not the slimmest I have been in a while, but it's pretty low. I remember when we were in Corpus during my undergraduate work far before I ever considered becoming a runner I was tipping the scales near 300. Here is one of those pictures that make me cringe!

Now I'm not entirely different right now, but I am ranging around 285 in this picture here. I don't ever want to let myself go that much again!

In training I realized that when I run that I am losing a lot of calories and initially I thought that meant that I could just eat more food. It was after an evening where I had scarfed myself with some unhealthy food because I had justified that I had just had a "long run" of 4 miles that I felt like I was in a food comatose. 

I opted there that I had to include better eating habits into my running or it was going to be counter productive. I had recently gotten an iPod touch and downloaded the LoseIt app.

This app was calorie based and forced me to count my calories which wasn't hard. I had a lot of initial success even before I was dedicated to running. However I didn't really do any good consistent counting until this last month using the Weight Watchers app on my iPhone.

Can't lie, It's worked. I've lost 5 pounds and feel great using this app. And counting and entering in points in my iPhone is the same as calorie counting, but many things are point appraised with the Weight Watchers system already so there is some science behind it!

Countdown: Day 5: Technology

I'm exactly 5 days until the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. I'm pumped about it! I'm going to try as much as time allows me to do a countdown blog posting of what's on my mind.


If anyone really knows me, you know that I'm a technology dweeb. I'm an iPhone carrying fool whose totes around his technology and knowledge of it like he's a little pompous. However, in becoming a "runner" I have found a new set of gadgets that I own or get to experience in the whole running process.

My Watch:

Garmin Forerunner 305

I love this watch, it's seriously amazing. I would be a bumbling idiot moving around if I didn't have this watch. I know my precise time and can see my pace while I'm running. Also my post race analytics let me know how to run better next time I'm out. Bar none, if you become a runner, buy one of these!

My iPod:

iPod nano 3G

I know a lot of you are like "You have an iPhone!" I'm scared to death that I will violate the AppleCare Protection Plan if I get water inside the phone from my profuse sweating. However, I do use the iPhone only on special runs,such as this Sunday. More on how to support me using that later on! 

The Chip

Bib Chip

This is one of those things that I still kind of find interesting is the bib chip. I'm not entirely sure what this weekends race will use. I'll find out on Saturday when I go downtown to the EXPO to pick up my packet. However the timing, which is important to runners, works like a charm.

Countdown: Day 6: Running Music

I'm
exactly 6 days until the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. I'm pumped about it! I'm going to try as much as time allows me to do a countdown
blog posting of what's on my mind.




I'm not one of those runners that likes the sounds of where he is running. I like my music, and I like it loud. I want to completely shut out everything that is around me when I run except for what I see. If I talk to you when I run, it's only because I'm lost, or your lost. My whole playlist is 2 hours and 20 minutes long. I hope by this Sunday I only have to go through this playlist once!


That being said. This is my current play list that is on my iPod that I listen to each week when I run. I'll embed a youtube for you to watch if there is one for each song.




Bed Intruder Song (feat. Kelly Dodson) - Antoine Dodson






We used to Wait - Arcade Fire




It's Going Down - (Featuring Bonecruiser & Dru) - Baby D



Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) - Beyonce'



Just A Friend - Biz Markie



Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now) - C+C Music Factory



I'll Be Around - Cee-Lo



Dad Life - Church on the Move



Viva La Vida - Coldplay



What Would You Say - Dave Matthews



Ants Marching - Dave Matthews



Schizophreniac - Earthsuit



One Time - Earthsuit



Welcome to the Jungle - Guns N' Roses



Count Bass D (A Reading From) - Grits



She's Fine (feat. Superstarr) - Hurricane Chris



Curbside Prophet - Jason Mraz



Mudhouse/Gypsy MC (Live from Amsterdam) - Jason Mraz



No Turning Back (Incorporated Elementas/Fistpic Records) - Out of Eden


Here it Goes Again - Ok Go



The Fox (live from The Freight and Salvage, Nov. 16, 2000) - Nickel Creek



N Luv Wit My Money - Paul Wall & Chamillionare



Hey, Soul Sister - Train



Yeah! - Usher feat. Lil'Jon & Ludacris



Ice Ice Baby - Vanilla Ice



It's a New Day - will.i.am



Live Your Life - T.I.



Billionare (Glee Cast Version)-Glee Cast



Billionare (feat. Bruno Mars) - Travie McCoy



Empire State of Mind (Glee Cast Version) - Glee Cast

Prophecy: Isaiah 7-11

Link to Text(Here)

Highlights:

My Take:

Poetry: Job 3-4

Link to Text(Here)


My Highlights:

Job 3:
²³ Why is life given to a man
   whose way is hidden,
   whom God has hedged in?
²⁴ For sighing has become my daily food;
   my groans pour out like water.


My Take: Job has remarkably survived some of the worst news that a human being can take in. He has found out that not only his children, but his flock, houses, and everything that he has an emotional tie to is dead besides his wife. He spends the better part of Job 3 asking God why he is living, and cursing the day that he was born. I think that we as Christians tend to do this same thing. We tend to go down this self destructive trail when we know that we have sinned and are doing things that aren't exactly "WWJD?" approved. I know I can relate to Job in that when I have struggled and not done that which is pleasing to God over a period of time I feel huge remorse for it, but I'm not ready to feel like I'm in God's grace yet. I would rather tell myself that I'm just not worthy of being one of his children, I wasn't worthy of Jesus dying on the cross. How selfish of me to think that God desires for me to feel like I am need to be worthy of worshipping him, doesn't he call the sinners and the lame all over the entire bible.


Job 4 does a great job using a guy named Eliphaz to tell Job that he simply needs to remember that he is a flawed christian. THere is going to be times of grief in your life, and like the modern day christian, we can't just abandon our faith in a time like that.

Countdown: Day 7: My Gear!

I'm exactly 7 days until the Aramco Houston Half Marathon. I'm pumped  about it! I'm going to try as much as time allows me to do a countdown blog posting of somethings on my mind.


I've spent the last 3 months since we first had cold weather trying to get my gear in order to be prepared for the 40-45 degree average temperature at the start of the race.

Hat: Columbia

This isn't a racing hat, but it's been one of my latest editions and it does the job of keeping my head warm as can be, and not letting my sweat get cold.

Shoes: Brooks Adrenaline

 I apparently pronate when I run. These shoes are specifically designed to help fight that and make me a better runner. They say that shoes are the most superstitious thing a runner sticks too. I'm a Brooks guy now, and I love the Adrenalines.

Socks: Asics

These are pretty new to my line-up. I was wearing "Feetures" but they ripped and tore too quickly for me so it was time to make a change. I really like how warm they keep me and how they don't absorb my sweat.

Belt: Nathan Shadow Running / Multisport Waist Pack

This little sucker has been with me since the beginning. I have put everything from keys to gels to whatever else I need to make sure I keep on my run.

Shorts: Under Armour Escape II Short

I really like these shorts. I have another pair that is just as light, but this pair not only has pockets, but has  a key holder pocket right at your butt crack, which ironically is a great holding place come to find out.

Shirt: Starter Dri-Fit Running Shirt

This is one of my favorite running shirts. It's pretty cheap, from Wal-Mart in fact, but it does the job and i've never had a problem with it.

Gloves: Under Armour ColdGear Gloves

Best part about these gloves besides the fact that they fit me is the fact that they have a snot thumb and finger. When I run and it gets cold, I don't have to just let it run, I wipe it off. However, if you want to shake my hand I suggest you let me take my glove off first!

Compression Sleeves: Asics Arm Warmers

I'm not a fan wearing the complete Under Armour dry fit stuff on my body for fear of nipple chaffage. So, I keep my arms warm with these buddies. They work.

Watch: Garmin Forerunner 305

This watch is the bomb, I know at all times in the run what my pace is currently. It's a GPS enabled device so it allows it constantly to map what my run is. I like this watch, it's consistent!

Sunglasses: Tifosi Scatto FC

These glasses are brand new to my arsenal, they are light weight and cover my huge massive head!

Psalm Wednesday: Psalm 3-5

Link to Text (Here)

My Highlights:

• Psalm 5:

  ⁴ For you are not a God who is pleased with wickedness;
     with you, evil people are not welcome.
  ⁵ The arrogant cannot stand
     in your presence.
  You hate all who do wrong;
   ⁶ you destroy those who tell lies.
  The bloodthirsty and deceitful
     you, LORD, detest.
  ⁷ But I, by your great love,
     can come into your house;
  in reverence I bow down
     toward your holy temple.
  
   

My Take: Well, it's hard to say that David didn't love the Lord and pleaded throughout the Psalms to be more in love with him. He also realized the power of God. He realized that despite his iniquities, he still was a redeemed. I love Psalm 5:4-7 for that sole reason.  I believe this Psalm is a song that can be sung that clearly give David's take on the Lord's flock of believers. David says "The Arrogant cannot stand in your presence, you hate all who do wrong, you destroy those who tell lies." Have you ever had a situation where you know that you are talking to a church member or a person who is a great believer how ever they come across as so more righteous in their faith than you are. They always seem to be going the way of condemning you for not being as holy as they are. Often times these people don't even realize that they are doing it, but it's my desire to see God's creatures choosing to approach God in quite, peaceful reverence rather than on a stage where tensions might flare.

History: Joshua 6-10

Link to Text (Here)

My Highlights:Chapter 7 in it's entirety

My Take: I won't lie, the whole 7 times quite marching around the city to make the walls fall didn't really apppeal to much to me. I know that their is spiritual truths in their that God would bless my soul with but I was starting to lose faith in Joshua, IT JUST DIDN'T SEEM THAT INTERESTING of a book outside of Joshua 5. However chapter 7 was thrusted upon me tonight when reading. It talked about how the Israelites tried to fight the people of Ai and lost miserably because they simply couldn't stop being devoted to other things in their life. Quite simply they were just not focused on their Lord. God made Jacob present the tribes of Isreal person by person and if they had sinned he promised them death. I had never ready this before but I often think of God as a forgiving God of everything who doesn't have a mean streak or firm side. I often think of him as the fluffy furry creature who doesn't do harm. This was not so and God took note of who had sinned, and he had them stoned, killed, and their children and all their possessions killed. It's a lesson we should learn that God is not a God of easy goings, he has the capacity to forgive and has been doing it for milleniums, but he also is a God that has wrath and uses it on people who don't take heed of his commandments. God simply told Joshua in this chapter that he was not going to be with him unless whoever is devoted to other things than the Lord are destroyed.

Law: Genesis 4-7

Link to Text (Here)

My Highlights:

• Genesis 4:¹⁵ But the LORD said to him, “Not so^[e]; anyone who kills Cain will suffer vengeance seven times over.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain so that no one who found him would kill him. 
• Genesis 6:²² Noah did everything just as God commanded him.
• Genesis 7:⁶ Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters came on the earth.

My Take: Reading this section was not revealing to me as far as God planting in my mind some special correlation. I simply felt by reading these passages tonight that I got a better understanding of some of the most well known bible stories. I also found out some things very interesting:

-Cain's and Able's gift: I didn't realize that there was a reason for Cain killing Abel. I just thought it happened. It was interesting to read in my commentary notes that type of gifts an the thoughts into the gifts given were what drew the motivation for the killing.

-Age, Age, Age: Really, these guys having kids in their 100's and dying in their 900's was not new news to me, but it shows how perfect and blameless for such a long time that mankind was with God.

-Noah's Attention to Detail- It amazes me to read when Noah was gathering all of the animals, 2 by 2, into the ark that the bible simply puts the retelling of his process as "Noah did everything just as God commanded him." I don't know, maybe Bill Cosby taught me wrong.

What I am working for!

This is the medal for the finishers of the 2011 Aramco Houston Half-Marathon. I hope I get one!

Gospels: Matthew 3-4

Link to Text (Here)

Highlights:

• Matthew 4

  Jesus Is Tested in the Wilderness

   ¹ Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted^[d] by the devil. ² After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. ³ The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” ⁴ Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’^[e]”
   ⁵ Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. ⁶ “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written:
     “‘He will command his angels concerning you,
     and they will lift you up in their hands,
     so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’^[f]”
   ⁷ Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’^[g]”
   ⁸ Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. ⁹ “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.”
   ¹⁰ Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’^[h]”
   ¹¹ Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.

My Take:
There are several small sections in today's reading that are used for pastors for a good bit of their sermons. I want to focus today on chapter 4, verses 1-11 as we look at the temptations that Jesus experienced. I love that I have a red letter bible because Christ's words just jump out. The first temptation is food. I am trying to lose weight this year through WeightWatchers and it's teaching me how to proportion my food. I definitely have spent many years indulging in whatever foods I wanted with whatever portions I desired. Jesus tells Satan that he refuses to give in to have the temporary satisfaction and will endure through the hunger because his love for God will supplant his need for food. How deep is our commitment to God? I know that It would seem impossible to fast for forty days then be tempted by the greatest force of evil this Earth has ever known and not give into the temptation.

Jesus faces the second temptation when he is placed on the top of Herod's temple and asked him to throw himself off the side of the temple and trust that the Lord would protect him. Jesus simple response was a rebuttal of scripture. I'm reminded of different situations where I have asked God to reveal himself in a situation based on my own selfish pride to prove to others his existence or to save my own hide. God doesn't his son to be used as an intercessor yet, he has better plans for his son.

The last temptation took place on the top of a near mountain. The devil promised him all that he saw he would give to him. I always thought this was ironic since it didn't belong to the devil in the first place, wasn't it ultimately God's land whom he allowed the devil to be on? Jesus was unwilling to lose his soul. His reply isn't common in our culture anymore, we don't flee from sin as much any more and furthermore tend to accept it more than we should. Also again, Christ rebuttals with scripture. We need to be the sharp sword that knows our bible back and forth and can use it too helps us combat times where we are facing temptations.

Epistles: Romans 1-2

Link to Text (Here)

Highlights:

• Romans 1:25 (New International Version, ©2010)

       ²⁵ They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served  
    created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

• Romans 1:28 (New International Version, ©2010)

    ²⁸ Furthermore, just as they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge 

    of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what 

    ought not to be done.

• Romans 2:6-8 (New International Version, ©2010)

  ⁶ God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”^[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. ⁸ But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

My Take:Honestly, I could highlight the entire book of Romans. It is so rich. I don't consider myself a bible scholar at all. However, if I know one part of the Bible, it's the book of Romans. It is quite simply some of the most relatable words that the Bible has in my opinion. Paul spends the first paret of this letter telling us how much he longed to be with the people in Rome. He spends the better part of the first chapter encouraging them for how they have persevered in their faith through some pretty rough times.

However, Paul is led by God in this book to quite simply state his displeasure with the current state of Mankind. I think that what Paul spoke through God is still and purposefully still relatable, even today. Romans 1:28 mentioned above slips into my mind and is convicting. It's hard to get on this blog, which I use as my quite time for journaling thoughts about what I've read. I can much easily tend to my farm on Facebook, or click some Twitter links. I can surf the web and find some pretty cool deals. I can also do work that will keep me from getting behind at my job. However, I am purposefully choosing to spend the hour it takes me to get over my ADD tendencies and pound out a meaningful expository take on what I read and how it relates. I say all that (as you can see the ADD has kicked in) to say that it takes some amount of desire and focus to "retain the knowledge of God." Too often I just want to get home and do mindless things, things that either do no benefit for the kingdom or no benefit for my family. I want to vedge(sp?), and as this verse says "God will give them over to a depraved mind." Have you ever heard of those people that you knew in high school in youth group or that you had class with that were avid Christians. They did all the right stuff, were in all the right groups, they just looked the part...then you saw them years or even months later and they were completely different. I believe that it is because God wasn't going to force them to come back to him. WHile he would want and ultimately knows whether or not they will come back to him, he doesn't force upon them to come back, he knows it needs to be their choice.

The last verse (of many I highlighted) comes from Romans 2: 6-8. This verse when I read it stuck out to me because if you wanted to ever have a chance to explain to somebody in simple english what the Christian faith is about, you can quite point them to this verse.

Prophecy: Isaiah 1-6

Link to Text (Here)

Highlighted Verses:

• Isaiah 6:2-4 (New International Version, ©2010)

  ² Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. ³ And they were calling to one another:

     “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD Almighty;

     the whole earth is full of his glory.”

   ⁴ At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.

My Take: I tried to read the first 5 chapters, but the first 4 were Isaiah's condemnation of Judah and Jerusalem. Straight doom and Gloom. Chapter 5 picked up with the song of the vineyard where we hear Isaiah sing of his love of for God, which were so pretty awesome correlations between a vineyard and God's love and desire for us to be next to and near to him. However, I won't lie, I was here for Chapter 6. Chapter 6 dealt with Isaiah's commission, and I can only tell you I know of this chapter from several of my friends, including Justin Johnston, who told me this story one summer while he was leading worship in Anahuac, Texas. The highlighted verse that I mention in today's reading was one of the biggest verses that has stayed with me over the years in my sparse bible verse memorization. I think it is because shows the awesome and amazing power of God in a way that I can't even imagine. We first have these Seraphim's who had six wings, they were heavenly beings that are not mentioned anywhere else in the bible. They covered their face because could not gaze directly at the glory of God. They covered their feet with two more wings, presumptively because they were unclean. The last two of their wings they used to fly.


So let's put 2+2+2 together. This creature that had six wings didn't want look at God because it felt it was so inferior, it didn't want to show it's feet because it felt that it was unclean, and it was flying! To make the cherry topping on the cake, when they called to one another their voices shook the temple that they were and filled it with smoke. THESE WERE POWERFUL CREATURES!!! 


Yet they feared God, they were infinitesimally more powerful than us but understood that their power was nothing to the awesome and often uncomprehendable power of God. 


I pray that we fully understand the radical power of God, that we fully realize how much he put everything that we have in it's place. How he caused even these heavenly beings to tremble!

Poetry: Job 1-2

Link to Text (Here)

My highlights:

• Job 1:1 "¹ In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil"
•  ²⁰ At this, Job got up and tore his robe and shaved his head. Then he fell to the ground in worship ²¹ and said:
     “Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
     and naked I will depart.^[c]
  The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away;
     may the name of the LORD be praised
• ¹⁰ He replied, “You are talking like a foolish^[e] woman. Shall we accept good from God, and not trouble?”

My Take: Job was an amazing man, like yesterdays post about being a Psalm man, the fortitude of Job not to abandon his faith despite having everything (work, children, animals) taken away from, he still praised the Lord for his ability to be able to praise him. In the midst of one of the deepest darkest times in his life, he still found a way to call out to the Lord. Job knew that the Lord was still in control. I only wish that I had that much control when 1/100th of what happens to Job happens to me. I lose my temper and am ready to curse God. If anything, Job 1-2 and stretched me and let me know if the lengths and distances I can go where things that are bad and happen in my life yet I can still be reassured that Christ is in control. It's allways interesting that we pray that bad things don't happen to us in our prayers, but never pray as much that when a bad things happens that we can still praise God for amazing grace and mercy. I would never want what happened to Job to happen to me, but I would hope that in the midst of some of the most wretched news that you can ever receive in your life that I would still hold true to my creator and rely on him for comfort.

Psalm Wednesday: Psalm 1-2

Link to Text (Here)

My Highlights: I literally have Psalm 1 highlighted entirely. The entire first chapter of Psalm is the blessings of a man who lives life in accordance to the way that God designed us to live. Psalm 2 was new scripture to me. The verse that I highlighted in it that stuck out to me was verse 11. The entire chapter does it's ins and out about how leaders of that time can conspire against the Lord, but ultimately he is still in control and lets those people lead because he chooses for it to happen. After commanding them to "be wise" he says in verse 11 "Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling."

My Takes: Psalm 1 and 2 are analogous with each other but for different reasons. Primarly Psalm 1 shows what it takes to create a GREAT man, where as Psalm 2 shows what it takes to become a GREAT leader. Psalm 1 should be any mans daily reading to place themselves in line with God and to be focusing on the doing that which he calls me to do and to be. I remember this verse from my time at T Bar M Camps. They were located near the Comal river in New Braunfels. Once a summer, the camp director would take all the men during our men's morning bible study to what he called the Psalm 1 tree. He would read over all of Psalm 1 and recount for us specifically verse 3 and 4 where it says :He is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers. Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away." It was neat each summer to see that despite river floods and whatever life (or nature) threw its way, it still survived, it still lived and provided shade those around it. I want to be like that tree. I want to be righteous and delight in the law of the Lord. I have seen several men that have placed their faith immediately in Christ's cross hairs and not only are they blessed because of it. They simply are better men who have lives that are purposefully and exist beyond their selfish desires. Oh, that America would purge us of men who are so despicably sought after their own lustful nature. I pray the Lord protects me and guides in my desire to be a Psalm 1 man.

History: Joshua 1-5

Link to scripture (LINK)

Highlights:

• In chapter one of Joshua we are witness to God's appointment of Joshua to lead Israel back to it's promised land after Moses' death. While I remember God telling him not to be afraid over and over the key verse that stuck out for me during this first chapter was verse 8 where he said "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; Mediate on it day and night, so that you may be carful to do everything written on it."
• In chapter two of Joshua we learn of the story of Rahab and the spies. It's interesting to read that Joshua sent these spies to Rahab's house knowing they would be seen because of where she lived, yet the woman had the where with all to lie to the government officials in order to protect the spies. 

Take Away:

All thought chapters 1-5 dealt with alot of the history of the Joshua and his conquest to lead the Israelies to their promised land, I really had the biggest take away early on when Joshua was imparted with the task that Moses had. Apart from God and Jesus, Moses is probably one of the most well known and admired characters of the bible. When Joshua was commanded in verse 8 to not let the bible depart from his mouth, I felt like that was a direct call to what I struggle with daily. I need to make sure that my words are not two edged swords and that I'm not easily given to such things as name calling.

Law: Genesis 1-3

January 3, 2010

Link to Text (Here)

Chapter Highlights:

• In the first chapter we have the formation of the earth. I highlighted as I was ready just what exactly were the words that the Lord said. I encourage you to do so as well. I always knew it took seven six days to create the Earth and those that inhabited it, but I never really actually read through what God demanded during each day.
• In the second chapter God is rejoicing of the creation of Adam and placement on Earth then go into the creation of a mate for him. I highlighted the second to last verse in chapter two where God goes into why a man leaves his parents and cleaves to a woman.
• In the third chapter God is covering the fall of man. I particularly noted that in chapter 3:14 God says "Cursed are you above all livestock." Pretty harsh words for a snake, but interesting none the less. I also highlighted verse 22 where God says "He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." It seems small, but those few words set up why we need Christ to die on the cross, why we feel so separated from his love sometimes.

My Take:

God said in Chapter 2:18 that "I will make a helper suitable for him." It's amazing to know that starting with the first creation that God ever made all the way through history up to me that he is creating partners for us that are suitable for us. Corrie rocks my world daily. She encourages me, picks up on my moody signals, can tell when I have had a craptastic day, and will call me out when I am in the wrong. I'm sure that God had all this in mind when he paired up Adam with his creation of Eve. I love the accumulation in Chapter 2:24 where God states "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh." I can truly now understand why this is spoken at weddings all the time. It's a perfect example of the framework of marriage.