Load external Javascript before skin Javascript in Magento

I'm trying to add the Google Maps Javascript API to my Magento module.

The problem I'm having is that the core/text block that I am including, that contains the external Javascript inclusion tag, only ever appears after all of the addJs actions.

This means the script I have in pvtl_stores.js that targets the google object doesn't work as the google object hasn't been initialized yet.

Here is my local.xml file:

<layout>
<default>
    <reference name="head">

        <block type="core/text" name="google.maps" before="root">
            <action method="setText">
                <text><![CDATA[<script src="//maps.googleapis.com/maps/api/js"></script>]]></text>
            </action>
        </block>

        <action method="addItem">
            <type>skin_js</type>
            <name>js/pvtl_stores.js</name>
        </action>

    </reference>
 </default>
</layout>

Is there a way to have the core/text block load before the addJs actions?

By the way, if it isn't obvious by the question, I'm new to Magento programming!

upload you Js in root\js folder. And call this code in your app\design\frontend\base\default\template\page\html\head.phtml file at top.

<?php echo Mage::getBaseUrl(Mage_Core_Model_Store::URL_TYPE_JS)."/yourjs.js"; ?>

or just direct call that

<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jqueryui/1.11.2/jquery-ui.js"></script>

UPDATE

You have to download the js first then go to app\design\frontend\rwd\default\layout page.xml (if you are using default theme otherwise go to yourtheme\default\layout) and you js here

    <block type="page/html_head" name="head" as="head">
            <action method="addJs">
               <script>yourjs/yourjs.js</script>
           </action>

            <action method="addJs">
               <script>prototype/prototype.js</script>
           </action>