Daily Experiment: Jotting Down Lessons and Thoughts
This blog post is my latest experiment to see if I can create more content and jot down what I learn each day (hopefully daily). I’ve been reading—not quite every day, but trying to—four books, as I mentioned in a previous blog post: My Daily Readers.
This week, I added a fifth book, Luke, to the mix, so now it’s five books.
Here’s the new process I’m testing:
1. Read the daily pages from these 4–5 books.
2. Use advanced voice mode to ask ChatGPT if I need to explore something further.
3. Underline words or phrases I want to remember.
4. After finishing the readings, take a picture of the pages I read.
5. Use my phone’s text recognition to copy all the text into Notes.
6. Copy the chat log into Notes as well.
7. In Notes, delete everything except the parts I underlined during reading and anything from the chat log I want to remember.
8. Add my own thoughts if I feel inspired—or if some random ideas pop into my head while I’m reading. An example of this is shown below in the “just for fun” section and a question about Shopify.
9. Copy and paste the cleaned-up notes into NotebookLM to generate a Deep Dive.
10. Post the final version on my blog.
What follows are today’s notes.
Listen to the audio recording:
Listen to the Deep Dive:
“brave facades”
Dostoyevsky felt reborn . . .
now every day is one you didn’t think you’d get . . .
Daily Law: Imagine that you have been spared from a death sentence, now every day is one you didn't think you'd get. Live accordingly.
Ethical principles are not flexible.
Nineteenth-century clergyman Phillips Brooks maintained, “Character is made in the small moments of our lives.”
it only comes to light . . .
You’re just one Person among many, doing your best among many.
. . . we should “call back” our encouragement to others . . .
LUKE 12:3 Therefore whatever you have spoken in the dark will be heard in the light, and what you have spoken in the ear in inner rooms will be proclaimed on the housetops.
LUKE 12:15 . . . for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.
LUKE 12:21 So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
LUKE 12:23 Life is more than food, and the body is more than clothing.
LUKE 12:25-26 And which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? If you then are not able to do the least, why are you anxious for the rest?
LUKE 12:27 Consider the lilies . . .
Luke 12:34 says, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” It means that whatever you value most in life is where your thoughts, emotions, and focus will be. It’s a reminder to prioritize what truly matters. It’s a call to focus on what brings lasting fulfillment.
Luke 12:35 says, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning.” It’s a metaphorical exhortation to be always ready and vigilant, living in a state of preparedness for the Lord’s return. It encourages believers to live faithfully and be ready to serve at any moment.
Approaching someone with empathy and understanding is key. You could start by building a genuine connection and showing appreciation for their strengths. When discussing areas for growth, focus on encouragement rather than criticism. Share your own experiences and be a supportive presence, offering help if they need it. The goal is to inspire rather than impose.
Luke 21:13 says, “This will result in your being witnesses to them.” In this context, Jesus is telling His followers that the challenges and persecution they face will serve as opportunities for them to testify about their faith. It’s a reminder that even difficult circumstances can be used for a greater purpose.
Just for fun: And it came to pass, as Steven sat at his office desk, his iPhone, though set in airplane mode and having no connection, did light up for no reason. And, lo, the battery was not consumed, though the light shone bright. And Steven said, “What is this wonder, that my phone doth light up of its own accord, yet the battery remaineth whole?” And he leaned forward to behold this great sight.
And the phone spake unto Steven, saying, “Arise, and go unto the mayor, and say unto him, ‘Thus saith the laborer, Let my wage go up, that I may prosper in the work of mine hands.’”
And Steven marveled, saying, "How is it that this device speaketh unto me, and commandeth me thus?" Yet he purposed in his heart to heed the word thereof.
Shopify offers email marketing through its Shopify Email app, which includes a free tier for store owners.
Shopify does not natively provide an automation feature to email your subscribers every time you update your blog.
All-knowing (less formal but still accurate).
Almighty (though this typically refers to all-powerful, it can imply vast knowledge in certain contexts).