Just wanted to update you all on some things I mentioned on the Christmas update:

1)Wisdom Tooth – well, miraculously I was able to get in yesterday for a consultation, and someone had canceled for an appointment today if I needed it to get the tooth out. Well, as it turns out I needed to get all four teeth taken out. So I went into surgery today to get them out. I kept slipping in and out of being awake, so I remember all the cool things like saws and blood. God is good. The tooth that was bothering me is gone, and two others that were close to being the same are also gone, and the fourth which would need come out eventually is gone. If you remember I was afraid of not being able to find an apointment, nor being able to pay for one. Well they split it into 3 payments and my mom is helping out with the bill. God is good.

I would write a blog post on the problem of evil, and God allowing pain for a great good, but that’s a bit trite. I’ll spare you

2) Some of you who visit the physical site (not via RSS) have probably already noticed that I keep a running list of what I’ve updated on this site by date on the right (your right) side of the screen. It looks something like this:

No longer applicable

Anytime I update a part of the site that’s unavailable through RSS feeds or emails, I will update it here so people have a better idea of what’s going on.

3) Birthday is still coming up. Tomorrow for my American readers. I know I gave the wishlist in my last update, but I’m going to give it again to see if I can milk surgery sympathy for all its worth.

This article was pointed out to me by a friend on twitter. I think it popped up in my google reader previously, but somehow got lost as I was trying to get my count back down to 0.

As an atheist, I truly believe Africa needs God
“Missionaries, not aid money, are the solution to Africa’s biggest problem – the crushing passivity of the people’s mindset”

Check it out.

[ht: @isaiahc]

Merry Christmas everyone!

I wanted to update you all on some things with the site and personally.
First the site specific updates:
I have added one more paper and two more translations. The paper is an exegesis paper on 2 Corinthians 3:1-18, and can be found here (.pdf). The translations are both for 2 Corinthians: 7:2-10 and 8:16-24.

As I’ve mentioned on the 2 Corinthians page- this will be a longer project as I only had to do selected parts of every chapter for class. I am still taking what I did for that class, and making the wooden translations more readable. There are quite a few holes, obviously, but they will be filled in with time. I’m taking my time with this however, and next semester I will be taking a class on 1 Peter, so expect incomplete translations for awhile.

On the personal front, things are going well with wedding plans. Soon we’ll be looking for an apartment, and if we find one we like before the semester starts, I’ll go ahead and move into it. That way I can go ahead and move my stuff in, and take my days off to paint or whatever we need to do. Samantha will not be moving in until after the wedding, of course

Also, if you could be praying for me I would greatly appreciate it. I have a wisdom tooth that badly needs to come out, but there are two problems: 1) I don’t have dental insurance, and 2) I don’t have anywhere to go as of yet, since I’m at home for Christmas. The pain is honestly some of the worst pain I’ve ever felt, and I’m rather accident prone, so I’ve had a lot of pain. Medicines don’t seem to phase it. I’ve been in agony since yesterday and couldn’t sleep last night. But enough of the complaining- I know you guys don’t want to hear it. Just if you think about it, please pray for me.

Books: For Christmas, I scored the UBS Greek Reader, which is so much better than the Zondervan one, though the Zondervan Reader is still good. I also got Rich Bauckham’s “Jesus and the Eyewtinessess: The Gospels as Eyewitness Testimony” and G. K. Beales’ “We Become What We Worship: A Biblical Theology of Idolatry.” I’m super-excited to read both of these, and since my birthday is right around the corner (January 1st) I’m thinking there’s a few more books to come my way.

I didn’t link to my wishlist for Christmas, because I knew I had a birthday coming soon after. I will link to it for my birthday though- I didn’t want people who might want to get me something feel like they should get me something for both Christmas and my birthday. So here is a modest list:

Note: All the books marked “highest” priority have already been bought. If you feel like getting me something, you can choose from any other priority.

Well, I think that’s about it. God bless you all, and I hope the rest of your Christmas is a great time of worship and being with family!

Revelation 12:1-12a (NLTse)

Then I witnessed in heaven an event of great significance. I saw a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon beneath her feet, and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant, and she cried out because of her labor pains and the agony of giving birth.

Then I witnessed in heaven another significant event. I saw a large red dragon with seven heads and ten horns, with seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept away one-third of the stars in the sky, and he threw them to the earth. He stood in front of the woman as she was about to give birth, ready to devour her baby as soon as it was born.

She gave birth to a son who was to rule all nations with an iron rod. And her child was snatched away from the dragon and was caught up to God and to his throne. And the woman fled into the wilderness, where God had prepared a place to care for her for 1,260 days.

Then there was war in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon and his angels. And the dragon lost the battle, and he and his angels were forced out of heaven. This great dragon—the ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, the one deceiving the whole world—was thrown down to the earth with all his angels.

Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens,
“It has come at last—
salvation and power
and the Kingdom of our God,
and the authority of his Christ.
For the accuser of our brothers and sisters
has been thrown down to earth—
the one who accuses them
before our God day and night.
And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb
and by their testimony.
And they did not love their lives so much
that they were afraid to die.
Therefore, rejoice, O heavens!
And you who live in the heavens, rejoice!

With permission from Everyday Liturgy.

We come before the Lord and wait
—he will come again
We come before the Lord and sing
—he has risen from the dead
We come after the Lord and praise
—him who was born of the Virgin Mary
We come after the Lord and cry
—he has saved all the world
We come before the Lord
—he will come before us
We come before the Lord
—he will come after us
We come unto the Lord
—he is with us already
We come unto the Lord
—he will come again

The following verse is part of the evening prayers (“vespers”) on the seven days before Christmas eve. This is the antiphon for December 23rd.

The following verse is part of the evening prayers (“vespers”) on the seven days before Christmas eve. This is the antiphon for December 22nd.

The following verse is part of the evening prayers (“vespers”) on the seven days before Christmas eve. This is the antiphon for December 21st.

The following verse is part of the evening prayers (“vespers”) on the seven days before Christmas eve. This is the antiphon for December 20th.

The following verse is part of the evening prayers (“vespers”) on the seven days before Christmas eve. This is the antiphon for December 19th.