Maria Antoinette

 As an American I don't know a lot about Marie Antoinette or the French Revolution.  I knew "let them eat cake" and that her head was cut off.  I knew that there was a French Revolution.  What little else I knew came from the Kirsten Dunst movie that came out in 2006.  It stopped when the revolution started.  "Confessions of Marie Antoinette: A Novel" by Juliet Grey picks up where Dunst leaves off.  It follows the four years between the Versailles ransack and the execution.  I had know idea how unhinged the revolution was.  Those people completely lost it.  It is quite an informative and interesting read.  I highly recommend it.  I received this book from www.abovethetreeline.com in exchange for an honest review.  

House of Secrets review

 "House of Secrets" by Brad Meltzer and Tod Goldberg is a pretty amazing book.  It mixes up the history of Benedict Arnold and some modern day conspiracy along with a little amnesia mystery and wham! you've got yourself a pretty addictive read.  Hazel is the daughter of an American icon who traveled the world in search of mystery for his tv show. As a side gig he also dabbled in a little treason.  Hazel has a form of amnesia that keeps her from remembering anything that has an emotional attachment.  In a sort of "Dude, Where's my Car?" format, she does the digging to get to the bottom of the mayhem that is going on around her.  It's a great novel and you should probably read it.

Night School Review

 Lee Child's 2016 novel "Night School" is the 21st book in the Jack Reacher series, and it is very different from the other Reacher novels.  In this novel is focuses on not only through the eyes of Reacher, but also through the villain.  In this one, Reacher is in the army (it goes back in the timeline) has been given a very hush hush mission.  Someone may or may not be committing a crime that is worth a hundred million dollars and the only clue they have is 'Germany'.  That's pretty vague.  

This book not only takes a different view of the characters, but it is also a lot more racy.  Streamy actually.  Reacher is still a young'un and the testosterone is through the roof!  You'll love it.  I received this book in exchange for an honest review.  

August: not enough month

 August was the month of music and Ireland.  There wasn't enough month to cover either one of these.  I learned that both are just too big and fascinating.  

For books I read: George Washington and the Irish; Amy Grant's Mosaic; and Janis.  Janis as in Janis Joplin of course.

In podcast I listened to: Dumbarton's Drums; Cooperstuff; Nationalism and Ireland; Daigel Bites with Chrissy Metz; Nebraska and Irish Emmigrants; and Irish Radicals.  The Nebraska podcast was the view of the Nebraska life through the eyes of an Irishman.  Hilarious! 

For videos: Walls of Wonder; JS Bach; Amy Winehouse; Celtic Music and Drums; Northern Ireland; and Musical Gumbo and New Orleans.  

Activities were Celtic drums meditations and listening to all kinds of music.  I found Ulali (an American Indian group) and Janis both amazing and could listen to them forever.  

What I learned is that commercialism both exposes people to new things but also tends to ruin music eventually.  It ruins the musicians too.  I was going to learn an instrument, but the amount of data and actions to go about were too much.  I will got to a festival or concert soon.  I hope.  Ireland is just amazing.  I am so glad to be Irish.  I haven't found the other cultures I have learned about as fascinating to explore.  I was disappointed to find that when I was trying new Irish foods, I looked into Irish restaurants only to discover that anything labeled "Irish" tended to just be a bar.  I know that with any stereotype the rumor tends to be based in reality.  I hope there's more to this story than stereotype.

Anyway, I will continue this research next year, it will go on the "to be continued" list.  

Day 20 of 40

 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Romans 6:11

I've been coming across a lot of alive, death, and love stuff lately.  God is trying to tell me something.  Maybe living in this moment?  This one.  This moment. 

Day 19 of 40

 So look upon your old sin nature as dead and unresponsive to sin, and instead be alive to God, alert him, through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Do not let sin control your puny body any longer; do not give in to its sinful desires.  Do not let any part of your bodies become tools of wickedness, to be used for sinning; but give yourselves completely to God-every part of you-for you are back from death and you want to be tools in the hand of God, to be used for good purposes.

Romans 6:11-13

Like he said.

Day 17 of 40

 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.

1 John 4:10

Love is when you give all to someone who did not deserve it.

Day 16 of 40

 Yet, even though Christ lives within you, your body will die because of sin; but your spirit will live, for Christ has pardoned it.  And if the Spirit of God, who raised up Jesus from the dead, lives in you, he will make your dying bodies live again after you die, by means of this same Holy Spirit living within you.

Romans 8:10-11

Yea, I am not sure I'm getting this one.  It's deep.

dAY 15 OF 40

 For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

1 Peter 1:18-19

It's interesting that he uses the word perishable when talking about silver and gold, but not with a man.  The man goes on forever, he counts, he lives on.  The gold and silver, though never die, never live either.

Day 14 of 40

 He saved us because of his mercy, and not because of any good things we have done.  God washed us by the power of the Holy Spirit.  He gave us new birth and a fresh beginning.

Titus 3:5

It's all brand new.  It's a wash.  All new!

Day 13 of 40

 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself.  Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.  Therefore, as the scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord."

1 Corinthians 1:30-31

You have done nothing.  Your sins are the same as everyone else's.  The only reason you are free is because Jesus made you that way.  Stop bragging.

Day 12 of 40

 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death-that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Hebrews 2: 14-15

If it's good enough for God, it's good enough for you.

day 11 of 40

 Remember that in those days you were living utterly apart from Christ; you were enemies of God's children, and he had promised you no help.  You were lost, without God, without hope.  But now you belong to Christ Jesus, and though you once were far away from God, now you have been brought very  near to him because of what Jesus Christ has done for you with his blood.

Ephesians 2:12-13

Sacrifice brings people closer.  For the sacrificer and the sacrificee.  The giving and the taking changes everything.  Jesus gave all to bring us closer to also give all we have as well.

Politics & Poland

 July was the month of poles.  Politics and Poland.  Politics was kind of boring.  Poland was pretty fascinating. I though it would be the other way around.  Poland is the land of my people and I gotta admit, I was impressed.  The music, the food, the literature....nice.  Politics seems all heated on the news/propaganda, but when learning about it, it got dry quick.  

I only read 2 books: "Build the World Better" and "The Last Wish" which is a Witcher novel written by a Polish author.  Highly recommend it.  I watched Sons of Liberty on TV during a 4th of July marathon and the Hamilton musical.  On Curiosity Streaming:  Meteorite Men (in Poland, got to see current landscapes) and America's Declaration.  On Great Courses: Rosa Luxemburg; Gorecki; Investigating the Presidency; America's Changing Democracy.  On commune I watched a couple of days of political videos.  

On podcasts I listened to Poland's Lost Generation; Biden in Poland (a twofer); and Pantsuit Politics.  

I also made or ordered some Polish food.  I must say if you've never had Polish pancakes you should try them.  They have apples in them and are so delicious.  

Last month I learned that the food and music in Poland is amazing.  Between Chopin and Gorecki I spent several days just listening and meditating.  Beautiful.  I also learned that what is displayed to us through the media about politics isn't all together true.  It is more cut and dry, yet passionate.  The people (not all) are more into the country that into themselves.  But they are just people.  The are both good and bad and make a ton of mistakes.  Only theirs has more effect.

August:  the Irish and music (not just Irish).   

Day 10 of 40

 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.

Romans 8:1

You are forgiven.  If you believe, you are forgiven.  No matter what.

Day 9 of 40

 He gave himself for us to set us free from every wrong and to make us a pure people who belong to him alone and are eager to do good.

Titus 2:14

He bought us with his life to save us a from a life of slavery to wrong to ownership to do right.  To be eager to for it.  Are we eager?

Day 8 of 40

 For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteaousness of God.  

2 Corinthians 5:21

He took the punishment for us.  He volunteered. 

Day 7 of 40

 Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.  Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.  

Romans 4:7-8

Without Jesus there is no hope.  

Day 6 of 40

 When you were stuck in your old sin-dead life, you were incapable of responding to God.  God brought you alive-right along with Christ! Think of it!  All sins forgiven, the slate wiped clean, that old arrest warrant canceled and nailed to Christ's cross.  He stripped all the spiritual tyrants in the universe of their sham authority at the cross and marched them naked through the streets.  

Colossians 2:13-15

The past me is gone, done.  Move on.  Look forward.

Day 5 of 40

 So, friends, we can now- without hesitation- walk right up to God, into "the Holy Place".  So let's do it- full of belief, confident that we're presentable inside and out.

Hebrews 10: 19, 22

Just do it, full of confidence, no draw back, no " I think I do?"  Just go to him.