Day 2: Elohim -- "Lord God"

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God. Deuteronomy 10:17

God is God seems a bit redundant, however, the word “Elohim” sets God apart from any other god as the one, true God. The word “El” is used 200 times in the Old Testament. It means “towards.” Anything to look towards or turn towards in our lives could be considered gods of sorts. These things should in no way be compared to Elohim, Lord God. “Eloah” is used 57 times in the Old Testament. It means “to fear, respect, or honor.” There are lots of people who I have a great amount of respect for and many people who deserve honor for the jobs they do or the lives they lead. However, these people do still pale in comparison to Elohim, Lord God. “Elohim” is used more than 2,500 times in the Old Testament. It is the phrase that sets the Lord God apart from all other gods.

Nothing in our lives deserves the love, respect, or devotion that Elohim does. He comes before all else. No one and nothing can ever compare to His greatness and love. He is unmatched. Steven Curtis Chapman has a song called “God is God.” The lyrics are a reminder of the greatness of God, Elohim, Lord God. He is God above all else and will always be.

And the pain falls like a curtain On the things I once called certain And I have to say the words I fear the most I just don’t know
And the questions without answers Come and paralyze the dancer So I stand here on the stage afraid to move Afraid to fall, oh, but fall I must On this truth that my life has been formed from the dust
God is God and I am not I can only see a part of the picture He’s painting God is God and I am man So I’ll never understand it all For only God is God
And the sky begins to thunder And I’m filled with awe and wonder ‘Til the only burning question that remains Is who am I
Can I form a single mountain Take the stars in hand and count them Can I even take a breath without God giving it to me He is first and last before all that has been Beyond all that will pass
Oh, how great are the riches of His wisdom and knowledge How unsearchable for to Him and throughHim and from Him are all things
So let us worship before the throne Of the One who is worthy of worship alone

He is one, and there is no other besides him. Mark 22:32

There is none life you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. Psalm 86:8

There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior Isaiah 45:21

Day 1: Yahweh -- "Lord"

I recently began a new Bible study during my quiet time on the names of God. It’s a study that I’ve wanted to do for sometime but didn’t actually know that this book existed until last week while having a mini breakdown in Lifeway over being overwhelmed by choosing a new Bible study book. I am going through Knowing God by Name by Mary Kassian.

God identified Himself to Moses in the burning bush as “I Am” (Genesis 3:14). Later Isaiah calls Him “the Lord” (Isaiah 42:8). Both phrases actually mean the same thing, Yahweh. The name Yahweh sets God apart from any other deity that Moses knew anything about. “I Am” indicates that Yahweh has all power and authority over all that is, all that was and all that is yet to be. It reveals the nature and character of God:
1. Self Existent: He was not created – For the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. John 5:26
2. Self Sufficient: He does not depend on anyone or anything else – And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. Acts 5:25
3. Self Directed: He is free to do as he pleases – God is exalted in his power. Who is a teacher like him? Job 36:22
4. Eternal: He has lived and will live forever – Day and night they never stop saying: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come. Revelation 4:8
5. Consistent: He is who He is. He is true and unchanging. – But you remain the same, and your years will never end. Psalms 102:27

My Thoughts:
God is all things to all people. His goodness encompasses all. He was there in the beginning, He’s here with me now, and He’ll be there in the end. By living in the moment, I am focused on the “I AM.” I know that I can trust Him with my future because He knows my past and is here with me in the present.

Going to Carolina...

During the fall of 2001 I began babysitting for the Nix family. At that time the Nix family was Patrick, Krista, Emma Grace and Bo. Today the Nix family also includes Caleb and Sara. The Nixes were living in Birmingham at that time while Patrick coached at Samford. A coaching family doesn't stay in one place for too long, and I have learned through trips to Atlanta and Miami that friendships can definitely span a few hundred miles. The Nixes have spent this last year in Birmingham. I have LOVED having them here. I loved being able to go to flag football games, dance recitals, basketball championships, baseball games, write notes for dance team try outs and babysit at a moment's notice. I knew when the Nixes came back to Birmingham last summer that they would not be here long, and today they officially moved to Charleston. Patrick will be coaching at Charleston Southern this upcoming season. While it is so difficult to see them go, I am excited for this new opportunity! I have said for the last 9 years that Auburn is my favorite team and my 2nd favorite is whoever Patrick is coaching for, so I'm looking forward to a great season in Charleston Coach Nix!

Emma Grace, I am so proud of the beautiful young lady you are becoming. God has such amazing plans for your life and cannot wait to see them unfold day by day. You love your family and friends and are such a blessing to everyone you know!

Bo, my first memory of you is the cute toddler who I used to "rescue" from time out for pushing in the church nursery...I don't really think you meant to push, you were just learning how to tackle! I have loved getting watch you on the mound and behind the plate this Spring. You were great! I can't wait to hear about how well you are doing on the teams in Charleston!

Caleb, Congratulations to the Vestavia Hills' Lakers Championship Basketball Team! You are the most tender hearted and caring 7 year old I know. I love seeing how much you care about other people. Your new friends in Charleston are very lucky to get to know you!

Sara, one of my favorite things in the world is pulling up at your house, the ballpark, church or anywhere else that I get to see you and you running to me saying, "Katie Kent!" I love you Sara Nix. You bring so much joy and happiness. Thank you for making me smile!

Why Didn't I Think of That?!?!

Last week I spent 3 days staying with a former student of mine. We had a great time watching videos, talking about middle school, going to the pool, and playing at iJump. In case you've never heard of iJump, I'll fill you in. Basically, iJump is a large warehouse type building filled with large inflatable slides, moon bounces, and obstacle courses. As I watched parents and children file in and pay $8.99 per person to play all I could think was, "Why didn't I thin of this!" That also led me to consider other very seemingly simple ideas that I wish I had thought of:

Why didn't I think of....
1. Yogurt Mountain....Yogurt Lab....32 Degrees...Pinkberry: A frozen yogurt bar, what a concept! All you need is space, frozen yogurt machines, and any variety of topics including: Pop Tarts, Gummi Bears, assorted candy bars and fruit
2. Parking Cones....Yes, I realize this may sound a little odd, but think about it; every school, church, business, you name it has parking cones! We even have a little cart to haul ours in and out of the carpool line at school.
3. Color By Number Books....being the nonartistic member of the family, coloring books were my only source of creative outlet as a child. Color by number makes that even easier! Print some pictures on the computer, give it a color key, put it together for in a book, and sell it for $1.99 to nonartistic children everywhere.
4. The Bumbo...if you or someone you know hasn't had a baby in the last 2 years or so, you may not be familiar with the Bumbo, but it is at the top of every new mom's registry.
5. Tomato Plant Cages....ok, seriously, somebody thought, "let's take some wire, wrap it in the shape of a cone and sell it in the garden departments of major stores for $10." I wish I had thought of it!
6. Animal Bracelets....again if you don't have children or know any children you may not be familiar with animal bracelets. Animal bracelets are small rubber bands that, when not on your wrist, take the shape of various animals. They are so popular that some elementary schools have even had to ban them from campus because students spent too much time trading them.
7. Pretty, Pretty Princess....every little girl's favorite board game. The only premise is to move around the board, roll the dice and add the plastic piece of jewelry you roll. Be the first to wear all your jewelry and you're the Princess!
8. Snuggie....a blanket with sleeves that just looks like a backwards robe....need I say more? Why didn't I think of that???
9. Pill Pockets....Cody's personal favorite. Basically a pill pocket is a soft dog treat with a small hole in the middle that you can place medicine for your dog in. I was so thankful once Cody started taking his medicine (twice daily) with turkey so I could stop paying $8 for a bag of 20 pill pockets!

Now my goal for the remainder of 2010 is to think of something...stay tuned! This could be big!