E100 2-The Fall

Genesis 3

After God completed His creation, He called it "good"--not just good, but "very good". So why when we look around is it so very clear that things are not good, things are broken?

In the Garden of Eden (yes, I believe this is a literal place), God had commanded man to live holy and happy in the presence of God. There was just one thing--only one thing that's recorded for us. God told them, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." [JSB-Jesus Storybook Bible--"Don't eat the fruit on that tree, because if you do,you'll think you know everything. You'll stop trusting me. And then death and sadness and tears will come."]

God had made PLENTY of trees in the garden that were pleasant to the sight and good for food. Not eating from ONE of them should have been something that Adam and Eve could handle.

So why'd they disobey? Genesis 3 describes the scene for us. Satan disguised as a serpent comes to Eve. (Yes, I really think a snake started talking to Eve). He makes her doubt the command, "Did God ACTUALLY say..." Eve responded with, "We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the gard, but God said, 'You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT, lest you die."

But the serpent said to the woman, "You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." In essence, he's saying, "God's just holding out on you."

I think that's a lie that many people today fall into... the Bible is just a book of rules and God wants me to follow all of them and make my life miserable--God is holding out on me.

WRONG! God, the creator of man, loves us and gives us rules and commands for our good. His design for our lives is the best way. This is played out in obeying our parents as children, remaining pure during our teenage years, within a marriage, parenting our own kids, and finishing strong until our death.

It's not burdensome to follow God's ways. It's burdensome to carry the guilt and consequences that follow sin.

The consequences of the Fall:
We doubt God.
Separation from God.
Enmity between man and woman.
Pain in childbearing.
Woman desiring to rule over man.
The ground is cursed, thorns and thistles, will require hard work.
Physical death.

Adam and Eve were kicked out of the Garden of Eden. Even this was for their good. He didn't want them to reach out and take also of the tree of life and eat and have to live forever in a broken world.. Living forever in a world surrounded by death and decay would be miserable.

JSB (p34-36):
You see, sin had come into God's perfect world. And it would never leave. God's children would be always running away from him and hiding in the dark. Their hearts would break now, and never work properly again. God couldn't let his children live forever, not in such pain, not without him. There was only one way to protect them.
"You will have to leave the garden now," God told his children, his eyes filling with tears. "This is no longer your true home, it's not the place for you anymore."
...Before they left the garden, God whispered a promise to Adam and Eve: "It will not always be so! I will come to rescue you! ...And he would. One day, God himself would come.

E100 1-Creation

Bible study is not to simply learn about the Bible, but rather to know the God of the Bible. One of our favorite books with the kids is called The Jesus Storybook Bible. It takes major events recorded in Scripture and makes it easy to see how each event relates back to Jesus, reminding us that "every story whispers His name." Love it.

Obviously, the first major event recorded in Scripture is that of creation. This can be found in Genesis chapters 1 and 2. I believe that God really created the world and all that is in it. I believe that God really did this in six days and rested on the seventh.

Other reflections: There are different aspects of creation that simply amaze me. The complexities seen in various areas of life are unreal. From the life cycle and inner workings of a microscopic cell to the functions within the human body to ecosystems seen on our planet to the vastness of the universe (which we are unable to fully grasp). God didn't HAVE to go to the extent that He did when creating us or the universe in which we live. But He did. What an amazing way to prove His power and might and excellence and artistic ability! What a reminder of how minuscule we are in the grand scheme of things!

We have begun using catechisms to teach our kids a foundation of theology. Even our two-year-old can recite the answers to the first three questions.
1. Who made you? God made me.
2. What else did God make? All things.
3. Why did God make you and all things? For His own glory.

That's it. The beginning and the end and everything inbetween--it is for the glory of God.

A couple more from Emma

Emma: Oh. You took all the blankets off my bed.
Mama: Yep. I washed your sheets.
Emma: Hmm... That's weird. Well, not weird. Just random.

I started hanging up her clothes and heard this in the background.

Emma: And this book has a girl. Tied up. In the library. It was very dangerous. Don't try it at home.

Playtime in heaven

Emma: Hey Jackson when we get to heaven we can REALLY play Dora because I can be Alicia, Malachi can be Diego, Jordan can be Dora, and you can still be Boots!

Story time with Emma

Here, Jackson. Sit right there. I'm going to tell you a story of King John and Queen Marissa. See they had four babies. But two of them died. Because sometimes sad things will happen. But when Jesus comes back there won't be anymore sad things. Isn't that amazing?

...and on and on.

Insomnia

It's 1:47 am My thoughts are racing and my heart is pounding and I can't fall asleep. I'm frustrated. I'm weak. I'm weary. Most of the week Ive not been thinking straight.

For example, I went to the store to print a file that I didn't save correctly to my USB drive. I went through a drive thru to order something they no longer offer. I went to the post office to mail something we've been meaning to send for over a week. Not thinking, we packaged it in a leftover flat rate box, so we had to pay that price even though by weight it was two bucks less. I had gone out of my way to that post office and because of my frustration said ill take my business elsewhere--package still not shipped. Unfortunately ups wanted to charge me five bucks more so I ate my pride and went back to a post office--of course I had forgotten to repackage it so I ended up shipping for the increased flat rate in the end anyway. I put conditioner in my hair before rinsing out the shampoo. I filled the water reservoir of my coffee pot twice one morning to where it overflowed. I burnt my ear by clamping down on it with my straightener.
...and those are just the things that quickly come to mind.

To top it off I spent the majority of my day typing and apparently in my last Two and a half HOURS of typing tonight I never saved. I know better. I'm not thinking. 20 handwritten pages I get to retype.

My mind is on a much harder issue which I've only shared with a few. It's mostly battling lies, but its hard to do when thinking straight doesn't come easily. And it's hard to fight when minor frustration after minor frustration creeps in.

I need to stop this self-rule charade I think I can pull off. I need to submit to the One who knows best for me. I need to be dependent on my creator who loves me and takes care of me. I can't do this alone. Anyone who thinks the can is kidding themselves.

Father, forgive me for my worthless attempts to put myself on your throne. Do what it takes to show me where I've been fooled to believing I can walk this weary land alone. Remind me that You're beside me, never to leave me or forsake me.

Naaman

Before i forget. On the way home from church tonight a couple amazing things happened...

After I asked Emma what she learned about in cubbies and she answered, I decided to give Jackson a try. His response was, "owies." I was kind of confused asking if he had hurt himself in class. He replied, "no. Naaman, owies". Two year olds are smarter than we give them credit for!

Then I kept prodding him with leading questions about Naaman being healed from his leprosy by obeying God and cleaning himself in the muddy river.

Then Emma went on to say, "Yep, Buddy. Just like God healed Malachi and he's all better now! No more owies!"

A pirate's life for me...

So my husband is definitely a hero of sorts when it comes to lego-building and imagining with the kiddos!  This was last night's creation he and Emma worked on together...

Emma added the dock/pier so the pirates could get on the ship with their stuff.

Aerial shot. 

Another view...

There was even a plank on the back side of the ship, complete with a man walking the plank and sharks circling in the water below...

a quick video from when they were playing pirates with daddy on Saturday morning...

Just a minute!

Emma from the other room just called for Jackson (who is showing me his computer). He yelled back, "I'm working!!"

Pudding?

Can we have pudding? ((Smacking lips)) yes or no? Just answer the question!

A couple Jackson quotes

It was time for a new diaper so I put Jackson on the toilet to try before putting the new one on.

Mama: K, you stay here and try while I go get a new dipe.

Jackson: Diapey and wife.

(I think he meant wipes!)

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After laughing to himself...
"Ha ha, that's funny there. "

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Spotting some superhero action figures across the room...
"Iron man, fly; cap 'merica, fight; hulk, SMASH!"