We're doing something new in our youth group this year. We're having something called  "gt squared" once a month. (we write it with the cool little 2 after the t, but I don't know how to do that in Xanga.) This stands for *guy talk/girl talk*. We meet in two different homes, Brent with the guys and Sarah & I with the ladies. Brent's going to be taking them through "Wild at Heart". I'm going to be taking the girls through "Lies Young Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free". I think it's going to be interesting, and a lot of fun.

So, this morning I spent an hour and a half studying for gt squared this next Wednesday. It's a very fascinating book, and I can tell I'm going to be coming face to face with lies that Satan wants me to believe. But as I was studying I noticed some things in a new way completely unrelated to what I was studying.

I was in Genesis 2 & 3. I can't believe I've known this story all my life and never saw some of the details. (maybe I did, but my mommy memory, which means lack-thereof, displaced it with diapers and child rearing!

So I have some questions... and I need some of you Bible theologians to clarify some things for me.

1) In chapter one it says that God created the animals and then man and woman. In chapter 2 it says after he created man, he wanted a helper for him. Then it says God made the animals (including the birds) out of the ground. (2:19) and brought them before Adam to see if one would be right. As God made the animals and brought them to Adam, he named them.

Alright - this is where my mind went.  God made the birds & fish one day (clearly) and the land animals another. He made the animals first and then man and then (am I reading this right) created those animals again, out of the ground (this time to see if one could be helper for him)???? And then he created woman.

Or did he create Adam before he created animals?

 In verse 18-19 it says: And the Lord God said it is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him. Out of the ground the Lord God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them.  

Wait a minute? I thought the birds were created on Day 5? That's why I'm wondering if he made animals twice?  The second time, looking for a helper. Or am I making this waaaaaay more complicated than it actually is?

The other thing I was thinking... did the animals talk at the beginning of creation? Adam obviously talked... if God wanted a helper for him... wouldn't he have created that helper with talking ability? And --- bear with me here. Maybe that's why Eve wasn't all shocked that the snake was talking to her? Because it was common? And the snake... must have *walked* upright somehow. Because... if you're already made to slither on the ground, how would it be a curse to slither on the ground? Which God very clearly did (cursed the snake to crawl on it's belly).

And - - - one more question? I always thought it was Satan in the form of the snake. Um... well... it says the serpent was more cunning than the other animals. (3:1) It doesn't say anything about Satan deceiving the snake... So were these animals able to think like we think??? Obviously God is Truth and the snake was deceptive... which is not from God... so definitely it was Satan deceiving Eve. But did he come in the form of a snake... or did he just use the snakes' natural cunning and ability to talk to bring deception to her?

Oh my goodness - I hope you all are not freaking out at my questions!    I would like some feedback, though.