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!