Jaci is here! We’re sitting on couches with our computers and a glass of wine and watching The Office. Pretty much like old times. Today I’m going to take Jaci to seminary so she can sit in the library while I go to class, because I’m a good hostess and like to show my guests an exciting time.

Yesterday I wore purple tights, a yellow shirt, a black skirt and some weird bootie wedge shoe things. It was kind of odd. I felt like an overdressed Vikings fan on stilts.

You guys, I have an Aramaic quiz today and I will fail it because 1) I don’t know any Aramaic and 2) I have refused to study for it.

The last two days, Dr. Christopher Wright has been speaking at our Denver Seminary chapels. I really like him because he speaks about mission from an Old Testament perspective. Most people automatically go to the book of Acts whenever they hear the word “missions,” but not old Wright. He knows how the OT rolls. He talked about Psalm 96 yesterday and talked about how showing people the one true God has always been Israel’s calling. In Psalm 96, people are invited to sing a new song — an old song to Israel about the goodness of Yahweh, but a new song to the peoples of other nations. Israel’s goal was to invite people into that story, to teach them the old songs of all God had done for his people. The middle of the psalm shows people of all nations ascribing glory to God, creator of all things. The end of it shows all of nature rejoicing because the Lord is coming in justice and righteousness and faithfulness.

He said one last thing, which is a quote from someone whose name I can’t remember. Sorry, SomeoneWithAForgettableName. You have a beautiful quote. “Hope is hearing the music of the future, and faith is dancing to it today.”

Lovely.

Here is another Gungor video, and it’s pretty awesome. It’s based on the dry bones in Ezekiel.

OK, I’m leaving now so that I can not study for Aramaic and watch Lost instead. Have a fantabulous Wednesday!

You guys, Jaci is coming to visit tonight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (It deserves lots of exclamation points.)

She’s just coming to hang out so that we can both avoid all the school and work we should be doing. We’re going to eat and go to trivia and spend some time up in Vail pretending that we are rich. You never know what kind of crazy will go down, you guys. We may even watch Lost. And by “may” I mean “definitely will.”

This is Jaci and me visiting Tim Riggins' house. He wasn't home. We were sad.

Speaking of Jaci, she got me a book called The Wilder Life last time I went to Austin and I’m still reading it because school is so rude and prevents me from reading important books about modern-day people who travel around the country visiting the sites where Laura Ingalls Wilder lived in the 1800s. Anyway, the book is really making me want to visit Walnut Grove again to see the Laura pageant that happens every summer. Also, I kind of want to spend a night in a dugout. Also, yes I realize that I am insane. Oh well. Where’s my bonnet?

Anyhoo, it is just a good friends week. Yesterday I got to have lunch with my friends Steve, Ginna and Matthew. Steve and Ginna used to live here in Colorado, but then they were mean and moved to Wisconsin. They were in town this weekend, though, so we got to hang out and I got to be friends with their sweet baby Gwyn.

I’m so behind on season 2 of Downton Abbey, you guys! I’ve only watched the season premiere. Who even knows what’s happening with the Crowleys and old Bates and horrible Thomas?!

So in this semester of Hebrew, we’re translating big chunks of the book of Joshua. We’re going to see how the Israelites entered the land and how God provided for them. We’ll probably see them succeed and fail and be rebellious and repent. Kind of like us. In the first chapter of Joshua, Moses has died and Joshua has taken over leadership of the Israelites. Throughout the chapter, Moses is referred to as the “servant of the Lord” and Joshua is referred to as Moses’ servant. My professor pointed out that it is not until the very end of his life (in chapter 24), that Joshua gets the title, “servant of the Lord.” What a great honor — to be someone who has lived their life in service of the one, true God in whatever role he has called us to.

OK, gots to go. I have about ninety million things to do today, and I am very lazy, so it’s going to be a tough one. Luckily the kindred will be here this evening to cheer me up!

I have so many things to tell you! I got my hair cut and the Brazilian Blowout treatment on it last week. I LOVE it, you guys. First of all, the stylist was so great, and I highly recommend him. If you live in the Denver area, let me know if you want to try him out (if I refer people, I get a free service!). Secondly, the blowout was amazing. It made my hair so smooth and shiny and manageable, which are things I have never said about my hair once in my entire 29 years. The treatment lasts for three months, so you should so get one. You’ll love it. This picture is a bad representation because I took it myself with my iPhone, but still. The shiny!

So, spring semester started! I am apparently trying to become all kinds of lingual because I’m taking Hebrew and Aramaic this semester. Hebrew = awesome. Aramaic = less awesome. Aramaic tricks you because it has the same alphabet and many of the same words as Hebrew but then it sneaks in some weird endings and some odd letter switches and some trickster vowels. So when I read it I feel like I should understand it, but I don’t. It is mean.

I went to my friend Sean’s wedding last night. He married a sweet girl named Abigail and they will live happily ever after. It was a beautiful ceremony in a cool old building with a gorgeous stained glass window. The reception was in another cool little building with hardwood floors and old bookcases. We had Thai food for dinner, which I thought was a supremely awesome idea. Here are the very few pictures I took (notice that I failed to get any of the bride and groom).

It was a really, really fun wedding.

You guys, lately I’ve been realizing how truly evil I am. I am rebellious and so sinful and so heard-hearted. I am stiff-necked and always straying. Every inclination of my heart leads me to be selfish or thoughtless, cruel and idolatrous. I have been convicted of so many things in so many different areas lately. Sometimes I feel like I’ve been a Christian for so long that I forget or overlook all the sin in my life that Jesus has rescued me from. I know that I am a sinner saved by grace, but I don’t feel it. Lately, I feel it. And I am grateful. I am so overwhelmed with my inability. I can’t become good on my own. Half the time I don’t even want to. I walk — eyes wide open — into sin. Who can rescue me from this death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me though Jesus Christ our Lord!

He is compassionate. He is gracious. He is merciful. He has saved me from myself. So good.

Finally, I would like you to watch this Gungor video for two reasons. 1) The lyrics are awesome. “When death dies, all things live.” I look forward to the end of death, no more sting. 2) There is a beatboxing cellist. Bam. Enough said.

Happy Monday, friends! So glad we’re hanging out again. See you tomorrow!

I’m sorry I didn’t blog yesterday, but I was so tired. It’s exhausting having to be nice to people all the time, you guys. I don’t do it very often, you know.

So this seems to be what Ohio looks like pretty much all the time. Apparently it was 70 in Colorado yesterday.

We’ve spoken on the problem of evil to the Cedarville University student body the last two days. It’s been great. We’ve gotten to speak in chapel, and hang out with lots of people. The problem of evil is a difficult topic, but Axis does such a good job with breaking it down and making it understandable. There have been three of us speaking, and we switch it up a lot. No one speaks for more than 3-5 minutes at a time, and we use lots of media clips to keep it fast-paced and interesting. It’s been such an honor to speak here and get to know the faculty, staff and students here.

This is part of the Cedarville chapel. I should’ve taken a picture with some students in it, but I’m not good with the thinking ahead.

I’m realizing how much I love college, you guys. I love being on campus, I love teaching, I love chatting with students. It makes me really want to be a professor. But I’m hoping someone will just give me a doctorate or something, because I really don’t feel like doing more school. Can I just buy a diploma somewhere?

One thing I don’t love quite as much is the cafeteria food. Chuck’s Cafeteria (or Upchucks if you want to go with the clever), is fine, but fairly typical. I’m also reminded why freshmen gain weight because you have about 90,000 options for every single meal. Do I want pizza or pasta or salad or ice cream or a burger. Or all of them? I’ve been sticking with salads, but I’ve also fallen prey to the grilled cheese. (Aren’t you so glad I’m blogging again so that you can stay updated on what I’m eating? You are welcome.)

I’m so behind with this week’s media! No Bachelor, Parenthood, Parks and Rec! Sharing the gospel is really getting in the way of my TV watching. Which is a very convicting realization.

Yesterday I was speaking on evil and talking about how God could have made us robots, but he didn’t. He gave us the choice of choosing to love him, and robots can be programmed, but they can’t love. While I was speaking, I asked Siri on my iPhone if she loved me. She responded to me and the entire Cedarville audience that she wasn’t capable of love. But, you guys, even if my technology doesn’t love me, I do love it. Always and forever.

Umm, I just realized as I finished this post that today is Friday. I am so mixed up this week. So, apparently no Friday Listday. I’ll make it a super good one next week.

Have the bestest weekend, friends!

I would love it if you would pray for us today and tomorrow. We’re speaking to more than 3,000 people at Cedarville’s chapel, and we’ll be talking about the problem of evil. So, lots of people and a super difficult topic. Pray that we’d speak clearly, that the students would be interested, and that God would be glorified. OK, thanks!

Cedarville is the tiniest town, you guys. It’s pretty much just made up of the school. And a small hotel. The fancy new addition in town is a Subway. The campus is pretty amazing, though, and I’m excited to be here.

Finally, I would like you to know that I toured a poultry processing plant yesterday. For reals.

So many chickens, you guys. It’s crazy how fast they move through that place — from being trucked in to being packaged is just a matter of a few hours. Also, cutting breast meat from the bone takes some skillz. The plant was not as smelly as I thought it would be — it was actually surprisingly clean in there. I saw a lot of chicken feet. Which reminded me of Dim Sum and how one time I was out to eat with my family and my brother kept eating them in front of me while I tried not to barf. The tour was fascinating — there’s such a process to it and so many fancy machines. I felt a little sad for the chickens, but not that sad because I do like chicken. And they kill them so quickly and they calm them before they do it so that it’s a painless process. Also, chickens that are plucked look very naked and cold. Those are my fascinating observations. You’re welcome.

OK, I’m sorry for this wuss post. If you forgive me, I promise I’ll write you a nice note sometime soon. Shalom, y’all!

Get it?! I’m in Ohio, you guys. Get it? The cleverness knows no bounds.

We’re in a little town called Dalton where two of our Axis employees are from. We had a donor meeting at their church and got to present to parents about Axis and what their teenagers are hearing from the culture. We showed them this video. A lot of us are drinking sewer water.

So the other day I went to my friend Elijah’s fourth birthday party. There was a race car piñata.

The partygoers. You never know when it might rain in Colorado, so Nehemiah wore his galoshes.

Elijah may have gotten a tiny bit of frosting in his hair. Or he might just be growing green patches of hair.

I got him a tepee for his birthday. Kim texted me about what a blessing it was to get it all set up in his room. I think she really appreciated me. At least Elijah seems to be enjoying it.

So my post over at Boundless this week is about God’s grand narrative. He’s telling such a good story.

So, we were talking last night about how many students fall away from their faith when they go to college. I think we’ve spent a lot of time telling students to not drink and not have sex and not party because life will be better and happier if they don’t. Or there will be super negative consequences if they do. But some people have sex and drink and party and are perfectly happy. They don’t experience negative consequences. That’s why I don’t think this is the right way to talk about the reasons for being faithful. If we do it that way, we’re preaching a prosperity gospel.

I think we need to teach kids about God’s character and the relationship with Jesus that he’s invited us into. We need him — we need his sacrifice. There’s no way we can do it on our own. Once we’ve repented and accepted his salvation, we follow him because his way is true and right. We follow Jesus and his law and his commands because he is good and we can trust him. When we look at God’s character throughout the Scripture, we can conclude that he is compassionate, loving, merciful, good, patient and true. When we read his grand narrative, we see that he loved us so much that he sent his son for our sins. If he’s willing to do that for us, then we can trust that his way of living is best and right — whether we always get to do what sounds fun to us or not.

I think we need to rightly see and understand God. Our behavior will flow from that. It’s something I need to practice.

OK, I gotta go find a tepee to fall asleep in. Have a happy Tuesday!

First, an update. Mike, the guy I asked you to pray for on Friday, passed away this weekend. Please continue your prayers for his family. I’m so thankful he had recognized his need for Jesus’ sacrifice in his life.

In other news, I just wanted to let you know that I am in the great state of Ohio right now. It is a tad chilly here. I’m gone all this week on a speaking trip with Axis. Axis is a non-profit that was started by my friends David and Jeremiah. The Axis teams go around the country speaking to people about worldview and media. They open people’s eyes to the gospel of Jesus and the importance of consistent thinking so that we are consistent doers. I am so proud of Axis and all they do, and I’m honored to be on their board and be able to speak with them sometimes. If you guys have any connections with your churches or Christian high schools or colleges in your area, you should definitely check out the Axis website and consider having a team out. (International readers, this goes for you as well! Just make sure you demand that I get to come along on the trip so I can visit you.)

We’re speaking at a couple of Cedarville University’s chapels this week and we’ll also be speaking at a youth leadership conference later in the week. I suppose I should learn some parts so that I know what I’m supposed to say. Or maybe I’ll just wing it in front of the entire student body of Cedarville. We’ll see.

Cedarville, is this your chapel? It looks large. I'm scerd.

So in case you hadn’t heard, the Broncos lost by a teeny, tiny little margin the other night. So, the season is over. We’ll recover. Did you all see the awesome commercial Focus on the Family broadcast during the second quarter? So many people got to hear about the gift of salvation that Jesus offers to us.

Finally, I’m reading The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. I’m on a Sherlock Holmes rampage, you guys. I’m soaking it up. He’s just so clever and good at noticing things. You know why I like it? Because I love Psych. And Shawn and Gus are just a modern-day Holmes and Watson. Of course I’d love old Sherlock.

OK, I best be going. Because of my weird schedule this week, the bloggy may be off a bit. I’ll try my best, but just cut me some slack, OK? The state of Ohio has need of my skillz. Also, they couldn’t get anyone else to come.

Happy MLK day, folks!

Love you lots!

Also, I accidentally published this post last night and then took it offline. Dear subscribers, I’m sorry if you got an email about a post I hadn’t really published yet. I’m a tease.

1. Ok, before we get into all the silliness, I have a prayer request. I used to work at David C Cook publishing, and I still work with them as a freelancer. The other day, a guy named Mike who works in the Cook building had a massive heart attack while at work. His heart stopped for 45 minutes before the medics finally were able to get it started again (pretty miraculous). The last update I heard indicated the doctors weren’t sure he had any brain activity. There are small signs — he has breathed on his own at times and had slight seizures which could indicate some activity, but no one is sure. Please be praying for him and his family. Ask God to intervene in his situation and miraculously restore him to health. Pray for peace and comfort for his family. Pray that God would be glorified. Thanks.

2. OK, back to Friday Listday. I got my cavities filled and was out of the dentist chair within an hour. So much better than last time. Except for all the painful shots and teeth drilling. They had to give me extra Novocaine, so I spent much of the day looking and drooling like I was some kind of deformed Batman villain. See?

3. I found so many good videos this week, one of which was this one from the new season of Portlandia. (Hulu won’t let me post the video directly to my blog because Hulu is mean and not as ghetto as YouTube. Rude.) If you haven’t seen Portlandia yet, make sure to check out season 1 on Netflix. (If you have any Netflix questions, please come to me. I am apparently an expert since I have become a complete and utter bum without a school schedule to keep me on track.)

4. So remember how I had found that recipe for cauliflower fried rice last week? Well, now I’ve seen one for cauliflower pizza crust! You guys, can we say “low carb”?! I haven’t tried either recipe yet because every time I go to Target I seem to forget about all of my cauliflower needs. However, I am going to be on it soon. I did make Pioneer Woman’s corn chowder with chilies for the zillionth time this week and I still love it ever so much.

5. You guys did you know, we have a big Broncos game coming up on Saturday?! I apparently did not know, because I assumed it was on Sunday. I’m going out of town this coming week, and I was all super annoyed because I thought I’d be flying over western Michigan while Tom Brady got sacked. But it’s on Saturday! Now, I do not have my hopes up for a win because it seems unlikely. Also, my philosophy in life is to expect the worst (I’m a treat to be around). Because if something good happens, like a Broncos win, I will be so pleasantly surprised! But, if I expect them to win, my heart will be broken with a loss. See how that works? Anyway, according to this undercover footage I found, Hitler was not pleased with the Broncos victory over the Steelers.

6. I get to have breakfast with my friends Kristy and Ashley today. We’re going to the Original Pancake House, which is so delish (thank you, Kelsey!). And tonight I’m going to see Mission Impossible, which I’ve heard is super great. We’ll get to see tiny little Tom Cruise jump through fire and scale glass buildings. Aren’t Fridays lovely?

7. This was my favorite video this week. Stuff (this is a kid-friendly blog) nobody says. “These CSI shows are all so different!”

And that’s our list. Please pray for Mike. Have a good weekend, friends! Love, love, love.

You guys, I have to go to the dentist today and get cavities filled. Plural. Because apparently I have lots of cavities.

Did I ever tell you the story of my last dentist visit? It was horrible. I had to find a new dentist up here in Denver, and I found a good deal at a new office over by my place. I went in thinking it would be a normal dentist visit — they would polish my teeth, I would hope they didn’t mention how I floss about once every six months (right before I go to the dentist), and I would be in and out in about 45 minutes. I was wrong.

I got there about noon and they brought me in to do some x-rays. I had never been there before, so I figured they needed to check on the state of my teeth. No worries. However, they did not just put me in the chair and take a quick four x-rays. NO, they took like 16 x-rays. I am not kidding. And, the girl who was doing them was not very good at it, because she kept putting things in my mouth, attempting to take the picture, failing to get the right angle, and retaking the picture. All-in-all we probably did 30 x-rays.

Then we went to another room where, just for fun, Miss Radiation-Fanatic decided to do more x-rays. Then she took some literal pictures of my teeth and mouth — like with a camera. After about six hours, she finally stopped snapping away. I wondered if this was just a staged dentist office for mobsters who were going to kill me and use my dental records to somehow claim my fortunes after my death. But then I remembered that I don’t have any fortunes.

Finally, I thought. Time for the cleaning. Right? Wrong.

Next the dentist came in to tell me what all my x-rays meant. By this time, most people had left for dinner, but Dr. Dentist had apparently stuck around. He came in and looked at a couple of the 400,000 pictures they had taken of my teeth, gums, baby teeth residue, nose cavity, spleen, toenails and brain cells. “You have three cavities,” he said. “Sucks to be you.”

This lady is happier than I was at the dentist. Much. Happier.

Umm, I had just been to the dentist six months previously and hadn’t had cavities in a long time. I thought it was suspicious that I suddenly had three cavities. But then I remembered that they’d taken pictures of every proton, neutron and electron of my teeth. I’m sure they had found something that would possibly turn into a cavity sometime within the next forty years. They had photographed the depths of my soul, for goodness sake.

“Fine,” I said. “Let’s get to the teeth cleaning.”

“Calm down, Speedy Gonzales!” screeched Dr. CavityHead. “Our payment specialist will come talk through your cavity finances now.”

I tried to get up to leave, but all of the x-ray radiation had weakened me. So I stayed in the chair while a woman literally came in to tell me that cavities cost money to fill and I would have to pay for them. By then I could see the stars twinkling outside of the window — the moon was full and bright that evening.

Miss X-RayElectromagneticus came back and poked around at a table behind my head. Then she drank some tea. Then she went and took a bath. Then she drove over to The Gap. Finally she came back with new skinny jeans and decided to polish my teeth.

“Umm, excuse me,” I yawned. It was past my bedtime. “Don’t you scrape at all the plaque before you do the cleaning?”

“Back it up, crazy lady!” she screamed. “I am not qualified for plaque scraping. What do I look like? A professional plaque scraper?” (She did, with the scrubs and all.) “I polish teeth. Dr. CavitiesAreMyFavorite will be the one to deal with your plaque, ma’am. He is a licensed professional, a dealer in all things plaque, a connoisseur of teeth slime.” Then she showed me his diploma on the wall. Dr. Dentist Bucktooth CavityFace, Ph.D. of Scraping Gunk Off of Your Teeth.

So, she proceeded to polish my teeth and floss them before the plaque removal. Is it just me or is that completely and totally backwards?

“OK, then,” I sighed. “Time for Dr. PlaqueExpert to come get this plaque out of here, right?”

Miss TeethPolishingIsMyMiddleName looked horrified. “It is late!” she cried. “What do you think we are, an all night dentistry of 24-hour dentists who like to stay up all night?” She handed me a Snuggie. “You can sleep in your chair. The dentist will be here in the morning.”

I snuggled down for the night.

I awoke to the birds chirping, and the sun rising golden in the east. Dr. PlaqueMandu sauntered in, apparently waiting for me to bow and clap before His Plaqueness. He sat down and checked my throat for cancer. I was clear. Then he got to scraping.

I finally left, with a sharp reminder from Mrs. PointlessFinancialWoman that cavities cost money and they would not be doing them for free.

So, I’m going back today to get two cavities filled. I’m bringing three changes of clothes, books to read, and food rations.

I may have dramatized the story a bit, but not much, you guys. I was in there for two entire hours for my teeth cleaning. And the financial lady did come talk to me. And they did polish my teeth before the plaque removal. It was so odd. Clair, is this the new trend in dentistry? I was so confused — I have never had a visit like that. So pray for me today. I’m scared. For so many reasons.

Well, I’m sorry this post happened to you. I’ve literally written 1,000 words about nothing. Have a good day not going to the dentist! I shall see you tomorrow if they haven’t overdosed me on novocaine and hatred. Bye!

Yesterday I tried to go to the Target by my house but when I got there, police cars were everywhere and the whole building was taped off with that yellow police tape that informs you that someone has been murdered! Is it bad that I just mostly felt annoyed that my Target was inaccessible and less worried about the possibly murdered person inside? After writing that out, I realize that yes that is bad.

There were even news vans outside the store, so I knew this was a big deal. Luckily I have an iPhone so I immediately looked up the news and discovered that no one was murdered but people had been shoplifting  video game systems from Target. Apparently these thieves had been casing Targets in the Denver area. They ran out of the store with their loot, sprayed a bunch of pepper spray, and they got away! The store had to be evacuated because of all the pepper spray residue. So, be on the lookout for three thieves playing video games. They’re driving a Kia with Florida plates. Dummies.

Can you think of a worse tragedy than your very own Target being shut down? Me neither. So, I drove over to Highlands Ranch to their Target. Now, Highlands Ranch is where all the rich people live, and their Target shows it. It was fancier than mine. The aisles were wider, the lighting was warmer, the vegetables were fresher. I’m not sure if any of that’s true, but it felt like it. Also, guess what I found?!?!?!

Target has teacup piglets, you guys! My friend Lindsay had informed me of this magical miracle, but now I saw it for myself. Here’s what’s puzzling: they’re on clearance. How are they not the most popular toy in the store? How did those Target thieves miss these babies on their shoplifting spree?

I almost got one, but then I realized that it talked. You could push its nose and it would say things like “hi, best friend!” Now, I  wouldn’t mind having a talking teacup piglet, but I felt that if I bought it I might be teased even more mercilessly than I already am. However, even if I don’t have a teacup piglet toy, I do have a 2012 teacup piglet calendar from Micah!

January is rodeo month, y’all!

So after all the Target adventures, I went to the gym. Then my friend Courtney and I had dinner and watched Parenthood. For the first time in forty years, it didn’t make me cry, you guys! I did get close when Adam and Crosby made up, though. Brothers.

I was reading Exodus yesterday and God was giving instructions for the building of the tabernacle and for all the priestly garments that were to be made. There was gold plating and fine linens and weaving and carving to be done. In Exodus 31, God says that he has chosen Bezalel to make artistic designs, to cut stone and work with wood. Bezalel was filled with the Holy Spirit and given wisdom and understanding specifically for these tasks. All of the workers who would assist him were given skills by God as well. This was fascinating to me because  in the Old Testament, not everyone was filled with the Holy Spirit like all believers are today. The Spirit came upon certain people — usually “big name” people like Saul or David or Elijah for certain times and tasks. God thought the artistic work of the tabernacle and priestly garments was so important that he sent his Spirit to fill Bezalel. Bezalel was one of the chosen few who was filled with the Holy Spirit for the his artistic tasks.

Not only does this confirm that God can use our skills and gifts and artistic abilities for his glory, but that he sometimes fills us for just that purpose. Kind of awesome.

Well, I best be off. I bet you’re really glad you stuck around for this post — Target and teacup piglets and tabernacle. These are the things that keep me going. Thanks for visiting!