Grok interviews Chris!

 

Q1:Your origin story as a human: were you bitten by a radioactive something, raised by birds that taught you to fly by yeeting yourself off cliffs, or did you just drink the wrong soda one day and wake up like this?

A:  A story best told by my dad:  "I zigged when I should have zagged!  When I tried to get the day off for your being born, the boss didn't believe me (the next of my siblings was born 10 years before), so I told him I was taking it off to go fishing."

Q2: Be honest—how many times a week do you open a blank document, stare at it like it owes you money, and then close it while muttering “tomorrow”?

A2: Hah!  Not often, but yesterday's post I got about halfway through, ran out of ideas, and stopped to take a nap...

Q3: What’s the most embarrassing hill you’ve died on in an argument, only to later realize you were spectacularly wrong… and still refuse to admit it in public?

A3:  I have gotten a lot better at admitting, but the one I still won't say I was wrong: Very drunk one night, being driven home by a friend, seconds from my house.  A kangaroo (mind you, this is Indiana) crosses our path.  I said, "I know I'm drunk, but that was a kangaroo that just went by." My friend, his eyes HUGE, says, "I didn't want to say anything..." Later, he accepts that it could not possibly have been a 'roo.  I say, there wasn't anything else it COULD have been.

Q4: If your browser history suddenly became public tomorrow, which search would require the longest, most elaborate explanation?

A4: I would think the many "delete browsing history"s would merit more examination, TBH...

Q5: Rank these in order of how much they currently run your life: caffeine, unfinished projects, the algorithm, spite, or the vague hope that “one day it’ll all make sense.”

A5: I rather like this one!  The algorithm probably ghosts over the top as I am not sure how it effects me; Hope in it all making sense is assured me in heaven, nothing vague about it.  Don't have a lot of spite, and my problem might be more "poorly finished" than unfinished, so I guess that me and my Pepsi Zero will go for caffeine at the top.

Q6: What’s a popular opinion in your circles that you secretly think is complete nonsense, but you’re too polite (or too tired) to fight about anymore?

A6: That the current dumpster fire that is society is right now proves the Rapture is coming soon.  I keep thinking, "Go back to about 500AD and see if it was really better."

Q7: Describe your ideal day in a way that makes it sound productive… then tell us what it actually looks like when no one’s watching.

A7:  A nice slow waking up, followed by Bible, Bathroom, and a nice long walk with doggie... checking the social media and news, praying for friends who ask for it... checking the hockey scores, seeing how far behind the Reds and A's are... Watch the latest thing we recorded with Laurie, go grab lunch somewhere, take a nice 2-hour nap.  What it looks like: "Are you really gonna lay around and do nothing all day?"

Q8: If you had to give your past self one piece of advice that past-you would immediately ignore, what would it be?

A8: Talk Dad into selling the house and get us a really nice apartment.  Near a good Non-Denom church.

Q9: What’s the dumbest piece of media (comic, movie, show, whatever) that you unironically love and will defend to the death, even though you know it’s objectively ridiculous?

"GILLIGAN!!!"

Q10: In the unlikely event this interview goes viral and strangers start forming strong opinions about you, what’s the one misconception you’d most want to correct… and the one you’d just lean into for the chaos?

A10: Toughie... The one I'd correct is from all the Atheists, bitter Catholics, and tea-tottlers that I am going to hell:  I have been saved by grace through faith, and I thank Jesus for paying it all!  The other one? All the rest, I don't care.

chit chat Sunday

 Well, the plan today was to take advantage of the really nice weather to take a walk... but every time I think about it, my guts... well they disagree, politely.  So I guess we'll just chat.

Last night was the last of my son having to stay here.  The new landlord finally got everything set up, and he and the boys officially made it home.  Of course, in his somewhat drunken packing, he took my body spray...

Here's some fun shots of Grayson and Misty the night before.  Next morning-

Grayson: "You were supposed to play with me last night, and you didn't!"

KC: Well you were passed out...

Me: Yep, I have pictures...

Grayson: That's because I fell asleep WAITING for you!

Lately, it's felt like having 3 toddlers around here!  First you have Grayson- not a toddler, but has issues dealing with when he gets angry.  Then you have Misty, who gets mad at being told, "You don't need nothing!", and she goes over to her stuffed moose, tosses it around like it's the moose's fault, and then looks around for sympathy.  #3 is Squirrel Girl.  In an attempt to do 'enrichment', it was suggested to re-arrange her tank.  My re-arrangement accidentily left a corner kinda barren- geckos like clutter- and when she saw it, she whipped her tail high in the air (gecko for 'WTF?') and proceeded to not eat for 3 days. It's getting so I can act like a baby around here and no one notices!

Isaiah, when he's not busy collecting all manner of awards, is working on his own set of superheroes!  Last night we dubbed it the Isaiahverse.  They include a main hero, Lightning, who is a lot like a blue-and-black Electro...

"Copright infringement! Copyright infringement!  I'm telling Stan!"

"An' believe me, I don' need no steenking lawyers!"

AHEM... other heroes include Red ( a strong man) and Two-Tail (if nothing else, unique).  But his villains are top notch, including Icer and The Glitch.  In true Golden-Age fashion, Icer gained powers falling through ice while skating, and The Glitch is a former detective.  (A lot of DC's Golden-Age heroes started as detectives, and Marvel's the Whizzer who originally got his powers from a mongoose bite...)

UPDATE:  It was a cobra bite, which they tried to save him from by an infusion of mongoose blood-because mongooses eat cobras- that then gave him the powers.  My bad.

"...and I've been running from that stupid origin story ever since..."

I think Stan might be in trouble!  Jack's probably safe though...

"Yeah, likely..."

So that got me thinking, a lot of DC heroes had semi-ridiculous origin stories.  So let's close with the "Origin Mamba"...

Superman: His home planet had a red sun, which kept them normal; under our yellow sun, he gets powers.

Batman: No powers, it's ALL training (nod nod wink wink).

Martian Manhunter:

"Well, he's from Mars, so..."

Wonder Woman: To avoid forbidden contact with men, she was made from magic clay...

Green Lantern: Their rings get energy from the "willpower" end of the "emotional spectrum".

Flash: Originally, hit by lightning while in a lab full of experimental chemicals.

Aquaman: Basically, his dad had sex with a two-legged mermaid...

Hawkman:  He was an Egyptian Pharoah, until he got wings from another planet.  And then he died.  Rinse, wring, do it again...

Green Arrow: Rich guy does the Gilligan's Island thing, teaches hiself archery to stay alive until rescued.  Think I might have tried developing boat-building...

Wisdom Truck 34

 

Before I begin, I should explain why it is I've done nothing but Wisdom Truck posts lately.  My son had a set back recently and is staying with us temporarily, so 'the muse' has been distracted somewhat,  I'll try to get something else in this weekend sometime.  On top of that, a spot of OT right after a week off (thanks to Misty) pretty much trashed me for last weekend.  Not complaining, just explaining.

Anyway...

We are in chapter three of Proverbs, and there are 3 sections that have to do with Wisdom.  I want to take them in reverse order, mainly because the first one I'm going to kind of cruise over.  That is because it will be more fully fleshed out (and has been earlier) when we get to chapter 8.  But a brief look will help prepare that:

Pro 3:19  Jehovah founded the earth by wisdom; He founded the heavens by understanding; 

Pro 3:20  the depths were broken up by His knowledge, and the clouds dropped down the dew. 

In other versions, it begins, "Wisdom laid the foundations of the Earth", and if you see Wisdom as I do as the Holy Spirit, etc, then this makes sense: The Spirit set the plan's design ( in chapter 8, 'as a master craftsman'); Jesus, as Understanding, did the actual building (John 1:3  All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being. ), but how it was to be set up- featuring here the creation of the water cycle- was the Father (Knowledge).  Like I said, we'll in-depth that in chapter 8 and the beginning of 9.

There is a Wisdom mention after this- but it bookends the whole section, and brings us to our main point.

Pro 3:13  Happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gets understanding. Pro 3:14  For its profit is better than the gain from silver, and its increase more than fine gold; 

Pro 3:21  My son, do not let them depart from your eyes; keep sound wisdom and judgment, 

Pro 3:22  and they shall be life to your soul, and grace to your neck; 

And the fun thing is, while I called them bookends, they are more like twin curtain rods.  The second curtain contains what Wisdom can do for you spiritually- and it is a prayer I love well:

- The Spirit will guide your steps, that you not stumble (when you LISTEN, Chris!) v23

- You will be able to sleep without anxiety, v24

-Surprises, as well as "the destruction of the wicked", won't scare you, v25

-Because God is with you, to free you when your foot gets caught, v26.

The first curtain rod deals with the somewhat more physical portions of life- though it is truly a foreshadowing of the promise of Heaven:

-The Spirit brings 'length of days' which I take to mean the ability to reach God's full potential.  This is the primary- it is in Wisdom's 'right hand', v16

- Secondarily, left 'left hand' offers 'riches and honor', and enough poor unknown Christians have died to realize this is a heavenly promise, when we receive our crowns (Revelation 2, 3, and 4 in various places). Also v 16.

- The Spirit's leading brings you inner pleasantness and peace,v17

- Pro 3:18  She is a tree of life to the ones who lay hold on her, and happy are the ones holding her fast. 

Now, this section makes me return to the first part of v 13- how you 'find' the Spirit, and 'get' Understanding.  I had grok help me out, and he gave me a couple of really cool explanations:

(Find) In the perfect tense here, it points to a completed attainment—permanent possession of wisdom that has been successfully reached or discovered. 

Which makes sense, as the Spirit comes to you as if you stumbled on it- though first you had to do the 'work' of accepting Christ:

(Get) This is a rarer, more vivid verb in the imperfect (or Hiphil) form. Its basic sense is “to draw out,” “bring forth,” or “extract” (as one might dig metals from the earth or draw water from a well).

"He who drinks my water will never thirst again." John 4:14.  See how neat it all ties together?

Which leaves us one last marker for Wisdom- the OTHER kind of wisdom:

Pro 3:5  Trust in Jehovah with all your heart, and lean not to your own understanding. 

Pro 3:6  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths. 

Pro 3:7  Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear Jehovah and depart from evil. 

Pro 3:8  Healing shall be to your navel and marrow to your bones. 

Too many of us suffer from this aspect of pride- I know I do.  "Father knows best".  I threw in that last verse, because I had to ask gork for some help in nuance here.  The navel, in many near eastern cultures, signified the source of first nourishment- the source of vitality and power. (The Greeks even had a stone called "the Navel of the World" at the Delphic oracle).  The marrow signified what lies at the heart of one's basic structure.  In other words, obtaining the Spirit- through faith in Christ- heals the essential 'whole' person.