more than green beer

Piper chose a book at the library about Saint Patrick.  I learned so much from that little book!  I never really knew much about St. Patrick's Day or why people celebrated it, I just knew it was something Irish and a lot of people enjoy wearing green and drinking {LOTS} of green beer.

I shared some of my new knowledge with Jason and he was also intrigued.  So he looked online and found a great article on The History Channel's website all about Saint Patrick.  I'll let you go read the article for yourself, but these are some of the facts we found to be really cool:

• He wasn't Irish, he was British
• He was kidnapped at the age of 16 by the Irish (Irish raiders)
• He spent six years in captivity
• During his captivity he worked as a shepherd
• Lonely and afraid as a shepherd he turned to the Lord for solace
• While in captivity it is also believed that Patrick first began to dream of converting the Irish people to Christianity.
• After more than six years as a prisoner, Patrick escaped. According to his writing, a voice—which he believed to be God's—spoke to him in a dream, telling him it was time to leave Ireland.
• After escaping to Britain, Patrick reported that he experienced a second revelation—an angel in a dream tells him to return to Ireland as a missionary.
• He is believed to have died on March 17, around 460 A.D.

not mine

I wanted to post about Saint Patrick because I think a lot of us remember him for false legends, like the one that says he banished all the snakes from Ireland, or we celebrate his life by wearing a green shirt and getting drunk on green beer. When really Saint Patrick's life was dedicated to bringing the lost to Jesus, and his story is truly amazing.

God gave this man LOVE and COMPASSION for the very people who ripped him from his (wealthy!) home, took him to a distant land and forced him to be a shepherd, which in-turn meant he'd come back and shepherd the people (so many similarities to Jesus Himself!).  Saint Patrick should be remembered for his sacrifices and obedience and I for one can learn a thing or two from his true legacy.