#so much is happening and i fear what wrathful consequences might be in store if/when they do a senior year

[sea-buns]

I went to go take screenshots of K2's divine intervention but then Zac became the DM and K2 might be pregnant and Brennan has to navigate this and he sounds so much like a parent who was done with this shit YESTERDAY and idek where to start

[starleska]

when Logic twists: an analysis of Logan, cognitive distortions, and a future Side

spoilers ahead! this is a little deep-dive into some foreshadowing in the latest Sanders Sides episode, and what i believe the team are going for in terms of Logan’s arc. just some thoughts i had after the episode - i hope you enjoy, and would love to hear your thoughts too :) tw for discussion around mental illness, trauma, abuse, intrusive thoughts, therapy, etc. 

so, we all know that Thomas does a marvellous job portraying difficulties with mental health. he uses interactions between his Sides to carve out fun stories that dramatise the the internal struggles which come with facing complex situations, including those which arise from your specific history and mental illnesses. the writing behind Sanders Sides often uses consideration of real symptoms and therapeutic techniques in order to impart useful advice to the audience who may be struggling with similar issues. with all of this in mind, i thoroughly believe that a good chunk of you are correct about this new Side (foreshadowed in Logan’s eyes) being Wrath, or some variant of Stress or Anger, and here’s why: 

Logan is the side of Thomas which is constantly needing to pick up the slack. not only does he spend a good deal of his time de-escalating conflict between the other Sides, he is constantly letting his own dreams (and consequently, needs) fall by the wayside to comfort, validate and assist Thomas' overall desires. we even literally see him benched during the court case with Janus - his input is considered unimportant unless he is deemed as the voice of reason. with this understanding, Logan is viewed by the other Sides as a Side who doesn’t need help. He’s Logic, so they believe he always knows what is appropriate, and how to control himself - or even that he doesn’t need to control himself at all.  yet i don’t believe this to be the case, and i think ‘Working THROUGH Intrusive Thoughts’ foreshadows this in an intriguing way: by utilising the dynamic between Logan and Remus. for context, i am speaking as an individual who suffers from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD), a form of PTSD. whilst the Thomas we know in the Sanders Sides universe is of course somewhat sanitised and simplified for the easier imparting of moral lessons, we know that this Thomas suffers from issues with intrusive thoughts, low self-esteem, and high anxiety. whether or not these can all be attributed to an underlying condition is irrelevant, but what is intriguing is whether these symptoms are being exacerbated by traumatic, triggering or otherwise stressful events affecting Thomas’ life - which, based on the direction ‘Working THROUGH Intrusive Thoughts’ went (using the relationship with Nico as a conduit), i think is true. when you experience a number of traumatic events or an acute amount of stress, your Logic can become faulty. let’s think about Logan not as a super-genius who just knows what is the correct thing to do all of the time: his knowledge comes from a bank of information and experiences, which he constantly uses to provide a ‘rational’ stance next to the more ‘emotional’ traits of each Side. yet Logic relies on evidence in order to build up this ‘rationality’. let’s think about a scenario wherein you are told every day by someone that you are ugly. now, if this occurred later in life, your Logic might have already rationalised that this is not the case - that you are beautiful just as you are, that this person is seeking to hurt you, that they are projecting, etc. your Logic would make those reasonable counterpoints based on past experience. however, if you were told by multiple people throughout your life, every day, that you are ugly - say, from caregivers, or close friends - you would internalise ‘i am ugly’ as part of that internal Logic. in the first scenario, you would be able to accurately evaluate the thought, ‘i am ugly’ as a cognitive distortion. however, in the latter scenario, you may be unable to, because you have this bank of ‘evidence’ that other people perceive this as reality. even if those people are abusers, or have an ulterior motive, the notion will be internalised and become your reality - so your Logic will say, ‘i am ugly, based on all of the evidence.’  i find this interesting because in this latest episode, they specifically had Logan call attention to cognitive distortions. we must remember that Logan is a part of Thomas. this is Thomas attempting to rationalise with himself, to implement mindfulness and CBT techniques which he knows to be successful, because they have worked in the past and he has it on scientific authority that they help with intrusive thoughts. but this leads us to a question: what happens when you experience so many traumatic events, or so much stress, that your Logic turns against you and begins to validate your intrusive thoughts?  imagine for a moment Logan’s awesome rational power - but levied in support of all of Thomas’ deepest fears. in my own experience with CPTSD, a horribly thorny mental trap is the one you fall into when you start down the path of ‘i must be a horrible person, just like they said. i must have deserved everything done to me. look at all of the evidence.’ these thoughts often appear rational due to the intense nature of the sufferer’s pain, particularly if that pain is repeated or prolonged. i believe that Logan’s outburst, paired with Thomas’ fretting over not receiving a call back from Nico, are supposed to represent the building stages of this mental trap. such thoughts are difficult to emerge from, but they become even more difficult to deal with when met with a powerful emotion: Rage. if you have cause to think thoughts of the ‘i am a disgusting human being’ variety thanks to trauma, stress or similar negative events, often there is a good deal of pent-up Rage stored alongside. justifiable Rage, one might say - it certainly feels so in the mind of someone who has suffered so terribly. if one is prone to hating themselves, feeling inadequate or other fertile breeding ground for intrusive thoughts, they may also sometimes snap into the opposite extreme - becoming infuriated by everything that has happened to them, and that they are still needing to deal with yet more pain in the present. this is something i have suffered from personally: when mixed with trauma, it is equal parts emotional dysregulation, and being triggered by something. you might be enRaged by the idea that you were ever ‘passive’ as a victim of something terrible, and want to ‘fight back’. in other words, the emotional state of your Rage will feel justified - and this can cause you to engage in some deeply destructive behaviours. this is why i believe this new Dark Side will be Rage (or an equivalent). Logan’s ‘STOP IGNORING ME!’ speaks of a breaking point brought on by years of fixing other people’s problems, only to receive very little in return. there’s a misconception that people who are ‘good’ at handling stress or fixing other people’s problems (i.e., not showing much of the strain) are simply less stressed as a whole, and therefore should be saddled with yet more stress. Logan’s screaming at Remus, and Remus’ delight at Logan’s response, shows us that Logan is exhausted from all of the hard work that he’s had to do in order to fight Thomas’ intrusive thoughts and cognitive distortions, alongside the massive amount of stress in his life. likewise, by giving into his impulsivity and opening up more opportunities for further stress, Thomas has allowed Logan - and his Logic - to become vulnerable to Remus and intrusive thoughts. Logan may have successfully been able to dispel the intrusive thoughts which had no basis in reality (for instance, a murderer hiding in Thomas’ closet) - but what happens if Thomas is given validation for an intrusive thought? in other words - what if Logan feels he has reason to listen to Remus? i believe this Rage has been simmering within Thomas for a long time, and his debut is going to be explosive. there are lots of ways this debut could be written; some have theorised that Logic and Rage will be a kind of antithesis to the Creativitwins, wherein the two are fused as Thomas has internalised his Rage as having a Logical root. this would have Rage not as a separate side, but a kind of version or alternate mindset for Logan, a bit like how he was when in Virgil’s room. i would not be surprised at all for this episode to include both Remus and Janus - Remus, revelling in the intrusive thoughts which Logan/Rage is now allowing to fly free, and Janus, delighting in Logan/Rage’s validation of destructive behaviours, which may well include Deceit. i could also see Virgil being drawn in by this irresistible combination of Anxiety-fuelling thoughts - intrusive thoughts inspiring inadequacy, Deceit inspiring fear of being found out, and the terror of Logic being twisted to validate every fear Virgil has ever had for Thomas. you know when someone has hurt you really badly, and so in your head you come up with countless (awful, unrealistic, hurtful) ways to ‘get back at them’? that’s what i think the next Sanders Sides episode is going to be like.  of course, like Anxiety, Intrusive Thoughts and Deceit, Rage will have his uses too. i believe, if any of this theorising is correct, that the next Sanders Sides episode will follow a narrative discussing if Rage is justified when one is hurt to a massive extreme, and what Logic can one follow when it backs up every destructive impulse. are you being Logical if you are full of Rage? basically, i think Logan (influenced by a breaking point and giving over to Rage) is going to do everything in his power to be destructive, under the idea that it is the only Logical thing to do. i believe he will fall to the horrific power of cognitive distortions and mental illness, and that the other Sides will need to use their strengths to bring him back. anyway, that’s all my thoughts! my apologies for any inaccuracies, or if anything in here was upsetting. i’d love to hear what you think about this, and your own theories! :D take care 💏

[heroofpenamstan]

—OC PROFILES: JOANNE & MICHAEL

tagged by the lovelies: @shallow-gravy​, @shellibisshe​, @belorage​, @honeysides​, @strafethesesinners​, @faithchel​, @blissfulalchemist​! thank you, dears! x since i’m tragically late to the party as per usual, not going to be tagging anyone since i assume most of my mutuals have done it, but if you want to go right ahead and tag me too so i can see! :”)) also, fair warning: 80% of the questions i answered at ungodly hours overmedicated on paracetamol and it shows because re-reading this in the morning was a Yikes

GENERAL

name: joanne burton alias(es): jo, annie ( mike exclusive ), burton, dep, jr. deputy, rook, traitor, sinner, wrath/pain in the ass ( john exclusive ), rabbit ( jacob exclusive ), heinous fucking bitch—( also john exclusive ), black widow ( new dawn au ) gender: cis. female age: 29 birth: 30th october, 1988 place of birth: meridian, idaho spoken languages: english; may or may not recite some hebrew lines over the holidays sexual preference: bisexual occupation(s): junior deputy of hope county, montana/menace to all cultists everywhere ( in a certain radius of said hope county, montana, anyway )

APPEARANCE

eye colour: brown hair colour: black height: 157cm ( 5′2 ), or approximately 7′11 when balancing on michael’s shoulders to peer inside john’s windows scars: split right eyebrow ( thanks, jake ), minor cuts and incorrectly healed bruises and gashes, scarred bullet wound on left hip ( you’re welcome, jake )

FAVOURITE

colour: orange or yellow or cyan, or whatever is more stupidly eye-catching and not at all fit for her current environment song: i’ve been thinking by handsome boy modeling school food: various stir-fries, fruits and protein ( or anything that she claims to be “healthy” when, truly, bitch is one step away from living off of instant noodles and canned pineapple and cigarette buds from dutch’s stash ) drink: beerherbal teas and infusions

HAVE THEY

passed university: no, but passing the police academy was already a pleasant enough surprise for her had sex: today? no. two weeks ago? probably had sex in public: probably said two weeks ago gotten pregnant/ someone else pregnant: yes, but we don’t talk about it kissed a boy: yes ( derogatory ) kissed a girl: yes ( affectionate ) gotten tattoos: yes, loads: most were practice scribbles for her ex-girlfriend, and the only true meaningful one she possesses is lydia, scrawled into her pinky in remembrance. otherwise, john seed do not even engage with that rusty ass tattoo gun— gotten piercings: yes, loads multiplied; if there’s a place for a piercing in her ears, she has them. also, an old septum piercing she hasn’t worn in a hot second been in love: yes, loads squared ( girl rents out her heart on the weekdays and cries about the scratches she notices on saturday, but still repeats it all over again come monday; falling in love for her is easy, but actually loving someone and getting over her self-loathing to do so is a whole different ball game ) stayed up for more than 24 hours: she’s probably on hour 31 as we speak ( someone knock her out pls )

ARE THEY

a virgin: whitehorse has heard enough horror stories in the break room between her and joey to last him a lifetime a cuddler: closeted cuddler, yes a kisser: most definitely; woman has to play up her natural assets scared easily: her response time is too lagged for that jealous easily: depends; she’s more jealous of what she should have/could have/would have had in a general sense than being jealous of a particular person or a thing trustworthy: in her own way, yes dominant: disgustingly so submissive: not in this lifetime in love: very much so single: very much so part 2

RANDOM QUESTIONS (tw for self harm/suicide mention)

have they harmed themselves: yes, but it’s more by means of unintentional yet severe substance abuse thought of suicide: not as often as one would assume; joanne has a very strong sense of self-preservation, but tends to run from her bleak reality by means of one harmful way or the other attempted suicide: once or twice during her lowest points in life wanted to kill someone: on the daily have/had a job: girl had juggled three part-time jobs; there is nothing she fears anymore have any fears: ( see above ) to fall back into old bad habits, loss of control, death, failure, a bad future, poverty, being abandoned and forgotten, long stays at a hospital, the judges, the bliss, the power of john’s hair gel

FAMILY

sibling(s): micah burton ( older brother ) parent(s): abigail burton née belman ( mother ); jim burton ( father ) children: asher seed ( daughter in new dawn au ) significant other: jacob seed ( circumstantial lover/”could do without” mentor/#prisonwife #prisonhusband #imkidding #kinda ) pets: boomer for the cuddles, cheesecake for the throttles ( bitch naturally attracts the judges but will forget her dog 101 and run away like what does she think will happen then?? )

GENERAL

name: michael scott-hughes alias(es): mike, mikey, mickey ( mary may exlusive ), mike the bike/fall’s end’s bicycle, resistance’s poster boy, manwhore, cassanova, the archangel ( joseph exclusive ), the antichrist ( also joseph exclusive ), war dog, hughes boy ( fairgrave exclusive ) gender: cis. male age: 30 birth: 6th july, 1988 place of birth: fall’s end, montana spoken languages: english, russian, basic chinese mandarin and turkish sexual preference: pansexual occupation(s): residential shady, shady man ( international arm’s dealer, most recently demoted to local resistance leader and occasional general goods store co-owner )

APPEARANCE

eye colour: green hair colour: brown height: 181cm ( 5′11 ), and 6ft on tinder jkjk man’s confident enough to not grasp for that extra inch, unlike someone ( john ) scars: heavily burnt left hand ( from trying to fish out his ex girlfriend’s boiling corpse r.i.p. to that steaming puss— ), gash on his right temple, nicely healed gun wound on left shoulder, not so nicely healed amputated right hand ( man’s not having the best time in my canon, is he ), various incorrectly healed cuts and bruises

FAVOURITE

colour: green and rustics song: wild world by yusuf/cat stevens food: unlike the faker above, michael actually likes to cook and eat healthy meals, so anything from salads to veggies to oatmeal to soups will do ( and meat; man’s been a vegetarian for a grand total of 4 days in his entire life ( or 14, if you count the time he got abducted to john’s bunker womp )) drink: sugary drinkswhiskey, fresh juices, “water can be so, so sexy, annie—”

HAVE THEY

passed university: no, though michael really busted his ass to self-educate on subjects that will be beneficial to his line of work had sex: we stopped keeping tabs and numbers nearly ten years ago had sex in public: we stopped blinking at these types of shenanigans nearly ten years ago too gotten pregnant/ someone else pregnant: yes? no? maybe? ( mike’s too afraid to even think about it, but hopes he hasn’t fathered any babies any time soon ) kissed a boy: yes ( affectionate ) kissed a girl: yes ( affectionate² ) gotten tattoos: yes: the sword of damocles on his left inner forearm, intertwined snakes running across his right ribs, a tiny smiley face on his ass lord save him gotten piercings: yes, and everyone hated his attempt to revive the 90s with his lil earring like c’mon you already have a reputation of being a sleaze— been in love: yes, but surprisingly not as many times as one may think ( truthfully, three times: mary may, lana, joanne mary may again ) stayed up for more than 24 hours: sometimes it just cannot be helped

ARE THEY

a virgin: maybe in a past life as an amoeba a cuddler: yes ( try to escape his hold during a summer night i’ll give you 5 bucks if you can break the deadlock ) a kisser: he just exists to smooch at this point scared easily: truthfully, he’s quite desensitized as is, so it’s really hard to truly rock him jealous easily: no; though he might get a bit petty and bitter if someone mentions merle and mary may becuase, like, c’mon, mary—merle briggs? trustworthy: one of his better traits, but past events have shown that boy tends to lose some of his morals for love dominant: yes submissive: yes part 2 man will accommodate and switch it up in love: often single: loosely, often

RANDOM QUESTIONS (tw for self harm/suicide mention)

have they harmed themselves: michael has bad mental health trips stemming from having a lot of insecurities as a child; these may evolve into bad habits and pure recklessness on his part to prove his worth thought of suicide: these thoughts don’t come often, but when they do, it’s harder for him than most to shake them off and recover attempted suicide: once, during the boiling pit incident wanted to kill someone: yes, but it comes more from need than want usually have/had a job: yes, though no retail until he was 30 and stuck providing hope county with slugs and bullets have any fears: loneliness, rejection, abandonment, repercussions and consequences, not being good enough, powerlessness, loss, the angel pit, the process of dying

FAMILY

sibling(s): none, but: jackson hughes ( uncle ) parent(s): jessica hughes née scott ( mother ), david hughes ( father ) girl i have his whole family tree drawn up like you wouldn’t believe children: andrew hughes ( son in new dawn au and maybe canon ) significant other: mary may fairgrave ( childhood sweetheart/awkward ex/once in a rare cosmic event fuck buddy/volatile lovers ) pets: peaches loves him she doesn’t; she just wants to chew on his hair

[fashionfiestashop]

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It is prone Q1 on our anti Q and a Til Death Do Us Part Dog Lovers Vintage Retro T-Shirt to ensure there is no promotion of violence you see that they’re trying to insinuate that you went on is it is promoting violence which is another mainstream media bullshit talking points when you see them engaging in censorship and using mainstream media talking points as their excuse then you know side there on this is why I’m moving my march from tea spring to a different platform as soon as I find but for now you can get your emergency spring now twitter Facebook histogram mainstream media they’re all engaging. The consequent golf or was it going to happen some other way if he had that attention will happen no matter what with whenever there is no answer whether we will Santos is discovered now that he has essentially caused the end of everything there will be nothing so he will be alone forever is no point having your ultimate power is like stuck their right the only way he can actually effectively matter again is my stock was himself to use the power to repair the universeand and bring it back into existence so but he won’t exist with the new rule that you kids come back come back from death but respect universe eventually he’ll just come back somehow was then owes you will be a godly more but he’ll just be back right except he was the only guy in believes that like if he does bad because he’s part of the creation itselfand because he’s a person with a personality was like a beginningand an end that like that will be the one exception to this reignite universes of fans were right as he had to be outside of it created yet so he can also be in the why it has to be our current continuity because if that were the case that means that Dan is never existedand so that any store within usand it doesn’t happen right but that isn’t the case because a course for starlet is in continuity in the stores that happen in the course merely following the steps back so you don’t but the front of the level of about whether or not like you should sacrifice yourself if you know can never existed no one or not alluded to say I have the I am I am God of the entire universe I will destroy everything in order to re create everything I do give up the power why your God well will because that is what it takes to reignite it because I look to the powerand I aghast of how work in the hotel will it take to destroy everything won’t it to pick up our but it didn’t beat him at that point he saw that all he sucked everything into him yet you actually kill everything you wantedand so he immediately resurrected I guess right or is knowing it from him all the will be over there he’s over here he’d like to it’ll take everything that is him to do it so actually not a good way no so anyway at a more lifelike will all go back in my room so I remember alland is that enoughand doesn’t know you suck you care about that as well here are some panels you know I’m not the only one was spared by your wrathand then death appears a little depth is here to get death escaped wrath maybe was in the room without warlock or maybe deficit outside of all this death was within vessels is meant to so death was watching little girl call warlock moreover Gabe is I technically desk that has to exist anywhere but yeah probably feels like I’m warlockand more will die even outside of the universe so you definitely happen so you anyway so death is thereand Adam warlock’s like you know if you make this trip it basically says come in mind that areand then death shows upand she forms into a beautiful womanand she says thank you to vandals this to talk to me directly she never does that you never done but then she leans inand kisses himand then we like this was the gesture the deaf one from the mall right not killing universe allows primary impressive it was the sacrifice right that he owned willing to die he askedand so he’s like okey doke he like how ironic that my power Avenue really ironic that like my destiny turned out to be a universal healerand so that he expels the powerand then everything is as it was only then owes his dadand that plant that he went to to chill with time convinces the planet that he went to when he was thought that infinity gauntlet Emma Gardner is his cowl is left there the global Santos mask now more picks up is like good on you Santosand then he leaves that’s normal BMV it’s like the end of the status quo that you know marble to be which is the death of the revolving door right but it’s also not trueand he is violating Mr marble still back more woman or whatever else Normal delivered while the more was a different Design of housing in which he broke it knows wonderment Unser wonderment what do you want to come back one more time but now it’s only the original wonder man before he died right you get here. He said that it makes me smart so it’s smart to pay for our military smart not to pay for veterans it’s smart not to pay for teachers all of us who do pay for those things I guess were stupid and the last thing I’ll say ready entitled to last one has never been signed has had to give Donald Trump his tax returns to show he was qualified to be vice president Donald Trump must give the American public’s tax returns to show that he’s qualified to be president and breaking his promise Elaine I have to respond to the leaders Donald Trump his file over hundred pages of financial disclosure which is what the law requires that he can review that and he’s going senator you are going to release the audit first overreaches your tax returns on a huge act since Carol Kennedy for responsible for your current dollars per year your administration do first where it protects us a security which is one of the greatest programs that the American government is ever done it happened at a time when you would work your whole life

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Line is none of that stuff medical matters is what happens on stage the campaign does believe there are some voters are still unconvinced by Joe Biden they hope that Donald Trump does allow mind to do a Til Death Do Us Part Dog Lovers Vintage Retro T-Shirt little more talking tonight is getting in the interrupted minutes of the present plays by the rules and health of those minutes may I guess in some way offers and shortcomings invited is not that sharp are carefully put together a clear and cogent thought about why he is best on the economy on October the top now the most important I need to send their fear is the president might by the rules that is the caveat in the in the footnote whatever you what is that we have to put to all of this debate analysis Peter Alexander Kuester and Sally the Biden campaign number one in a do they have a plan to deal with this Hunter Biden business and number two what is their goal for tonight do they think they can go on answer they just cannot do no harm in orderly way he playing the moment opportunity to care more for you. Closing of the borders and as you know why Europe was just designated as the hotspot right now I’m Dan because that border while ago that I was luckier through talent or through luck whatever you want but through a very collective action and shared sacrifice national determination we will overcome the threat of the virus I also announced Wednesday night following the advice of our medical professionals who are doing a tremendous job we appreciated very much and we’re suspending the entry of foreign nationals of been to Europe in the last 14 days from entering the United States citizens permanent residence in our families any of the families and returning from Europe will be subject to extra screening as well as self isolation for a period of 14 days as the World Health Organization confirmed today yeah many of the things that what we said were 100 correct including our designation before them of Europe like our earlier very aggressive actions with China this measure will save countless lives I appreciate the. The taxpayers to pay for Louisiana White House I had paper that on the state of New York is a good means that money you Tennessee you have the words the people were in California washer we had to pay for their service sucks but that’s what she wants so she’s refused to sign any bill or bring a go to the table to the floor that the Republicans come with so that we don’t need to give all this morning we arty got money this has been sent span from the last stimulus package we can just release that money to the public she will go for that she wants money food for people like the Smithsonian Museum Melanie motivated for your this is ridiculous that some of the Democrats and on they want to train as much money as we can the taxpayer to help her liberal friends who were spite in the fight for just one thing I’ll say about the Democrats they stick together is the of Nancy Pelosi recounts of the House floor tomorrow say I want every demographic come here and vote yes on this stems back to the Donald Trump brought here today See Other Shirt: Some Do Drugs Others Pop Bottle We Solve Our Problems With Wide Open Throttles T-Shirt

[loudlydeliciouschill]

Those funny feelings I had... (Part 3)

I remind you that I have bad English and I'm sorry but I'm trying. So sorry.

Each dragon had its treasures. Someone collected everything: from ordinary cobblestones of various shapes and sizes to original works of art and various rare things. But for the most part they collected jewels: diamonds, rubies, sapphires and other shiny trinkets. This “passion” had begun with the advent of the first magical creatures caused by necessity. Because there had never been any magic before these creatures appears, therefore it had to be accumulated and stored for centuries, and for this purpose brilliant stones and ores perfectly suited. This continued as a centuries-old tradition. Each dragon of acquiring a treasure chest, which holds a reserve of magic and can help with a strong depletion or injury. The bigger, the better.

Spyro initially didn't understand this attachment to trinkets, but as he grew older he became involved in the process and collected not only stones and metals. He also collected "memorable things." In one of the hiding places in Firefly Grove, he kept his heroic trophies. Among them were the helmet of Gnasty, the crown of the Sorceress, the guide of Avalar, the battered Monnybags bag, and a bunch of similar things. From each enemy he met, he had something to remember. And only crumpled burned purple cape from some reason was more precious to him than everyone else in his collection.

Strange as it may seem, from Ripto he got nothing at all except the chaos of the causal wizard, moral satisfaction after the victory and many days of work on the consequences of the disorder. He disappeared and appeared when he pleases, creating destruction and irritate dragon to gnash of teeth. He was Spyro's most frequent enemy, but the “hero” got the trophy out of the mercy his enemy many years ago.

The sorcerer was clever and sophisticated in his atrocities. Often, acting alone against several opponents, among whom was Spyro, he stood up longer than anyone else, been the winner of the most stalemate situations. Even if he lost, he always survived, no matter what, but he never forgave his enemies. Except Spyro. Although their last encounter didn't even resemble a battle, it was more likely the exchange of mockery, after that Ripto grabbed a magical book and disappeared before the eyes of the dragon.

Ripto was a mystery. Over the years, he has become much stronger and surprisingly more restrained in his outbursts of anger, but in contrast to this detachment and coldness are seen in the sorcerer’s eyes. Their meetings happened less and less, in the end Ripto simply disappeared from the life of the hero of the Dragon Worlds. Many told him that it was for the best, but the new enemy's were not like the angry big-headed dino-wizard. And after so many years, Spyro missed him.

More than a few decades have passed, the dragon has grown up, ready to cross the threshold of maturity, but he still missed the grumbling sorcerer.

Spyro always wanted to get from Ripto not a trophy, but his eyes, which were not covered with anger and alienation. He wanted Ripto's face to smooth out and a smile adorn his features. In secret, the dragon really wanted them to be friends, so that they could speak without threats and swearing.

He had plenty of time to think about the adventures that had happened to him before. Spyro came to the conclusion that in essence Ripto had conceded to him, leading himself as befits an adult and wise creature. It seemed to the dragon more and more often that the sorcerer was infinitely lonely and sad, hiding it behind wrathful bravado. Indeed, besides two big dummys of Gulp and Crash, he doesn't have any of other relatives. Spyro realized this after finding himself in Ripto's world - Chetaute Ripto, where dino people were scared to death and worshiped their king in fear.

Ripto was someone... Who embittered on the whole world for an incomprehensible to dragon reason; who hates his own people, which he rule; Who don't trust anyone and not a single kind word, but the sametime he's intelligent, resourceful, charismatic and purposeful. It seemed to the dragon that nothing could break that determination burning in wizard's chest. Spyro saw that if Ripto wanted something, he would do it any by price. Or Spyro just wanted to believe it.

The dragon was tormented by questions and doubts about the sorcerer, but he believed in what he saw himself. He saw that Ripto is twitching from the outstretched paw, bristling and frightened of it, still drives Spyro into confusion and sadness. He saw that Ripto hides rare bright smiles behind the palm or collar of the cape, so that no one can see it. He saw that Ripto knows how to contemplate and appreciate the beauty of nature and art. He knows that Ripto is not entirely clean and noble blood as it might seem at first glance. And he knows that Ripto smells like orange and smoke what dragon finds very tastful.

This was not enough for Spyro, he wanted to understand why Ripto act this way, but how to do it if you saw each other last time almost 50 years ago and at the same time you are mortal enemys?

So the facts that Spyro finally grew, and Ripto apparently did not change one bit, was put under great doubt.

And once again returning to Avalar, the dragon recalled the first meeting in his life with the dino sorcerer and smiled at his thoughts.

- Remembered something pleasant, my friend? - Hunter asked, joining Spyro at the portal to the Summer Forest.

The dragon turned his pensive look to the cheetah and smiled broadly.

- Yes, Avalar brings me some memories.

- That's for sure. Well, I think we still have to walk through the Forest, Professor said there was a strange magical activity. It is worth checking it out, - after saing that Hunter jumped into the portal and Spyro followed him.

- And once you guys called me, something dangerous is clearly brewing there, - the dragon continued the thought of his friend as soon as they teleported. The archer just nodded.

Summer Forest affably met his heroes with a bright warm sun and noisy foliage. The guys immediately went to the thicket not far from the entrance to Glimmer, which was easy to enter, for the walls separating the thicket from the forest edge were removed for a long time because they were not needed. Carefully and slowly moving deep in forest, they heard the melody of the flute, melodiously carried between the green branches. Going to the sound, they came to the lake, which was not yet touched by the inhabitants of Avalar and had a truly magical beauty: a fascinating water surface, beautiful fragrant flowers and shrubs, cool shadows of tall trees.

On the lush shore of the lake, someone was sitting, pulling out from the flute smoose melodies intertwining with the natural sounds of this magical place. Noticing the stranger, Hunter and Spyro hurried to shelter in the nearest bushes in order to observe his further actions.

Only as soon as they relocated as a group of gnorks rushed out of the opposite bushes to the lake. They clearly had something against the musicant. And imagine Spyro's surprise when he finally saw who these self-made toads sneak up to. Near the lake sat none other than Ripto, slowly and naturally playing some simple, but no less beautiful melody. If it were not for Hunter who was sitting next to him, Spyro would have rushed to the rescue, but now he could only watch in surprise.

Watch as the sorcerer saw the movement behind his back and scatters these toads with one elegant wave of the flute, from which a huge air flow has escaped, throwing out gnorks as if they weigh nothing. Fearfully, they rose to their feet and with some indecision stopped dead, but the new squad of still not frightened soldiers rushed into battle. Flute deftly turned into an unchanged companion Ripto - in his scepter - and the gnorks didn't get off easy this time with a simple flight into the air. The water raised by magic poured into the heads of the toads with powerful jets, throwing some away somewhere in the forest, and some striking at the felling, from which they lost their appearance and disappeared in a flash of grey stinky smoke. Having finished the massacre, the sorcerer, as if nothing had happened, sat down again on the shore of the lake, resuming the game.

Minutes later, none other than Gnasty Gnork came out to the lake accompanied by his more beaten lackeys, which clearly also came from him.

- I apologize for this imbeciles, Lord Ripto, - said Gnasty respectfully. - I ordered them to find and bring you to me, but they took the order too directly.

- Your soldiers are not smart and quick-witted, - Ripto replied gruffly, looking up from the tool. - I advise you to solve this issue. It is unreasonable to rely on idiots who are not able to even understand your order.

- I'm afraid too smart can ask unnecessary questions or betray for the sake of profit.

- So give them the best benefit, Sir Gnasty, - even without seeing the sorcerer’s face, Spayro could clearly “see” how he smiles slyly. - What do you need? I was busy and your request for a meeting tore me off from important documents.

- I know, but I have information that will obviously interest you and I want to share it with you.

- Oh, I doubt that greatly. But go ahead, - Ripto snorted, returning to the game.

Unhurried melody again sounded like a lake, fascinating stupid gnorks and slightly distracting Gnasty himself. He awkwardly wobbled on the spot, but still stepped closer to the former ally.

- You and I have a good tandem in the past, I think if the Sorceress survived, then the three of us would be completely invincible, - the green giant began to ingratiate, obviously not intending to express his idea as quickly as possible, to Ripto’s obvious irritation. - I here thought that with this new information I found we should repeat this experience and even improve it. If we unite again, we will be able to defeat the dragons and take revenge on that purple misunderstanding. Your troops and skills, and my knowledge and strength - together, nothing will stop us! We will conquer the Dragon Worlds and all its treasures!

Gnasti’s fiery speech was supported by several gnorks, but their boss angrily snapped at them, peering intensely at Ripto’s back, who with an imperturbable face continued to play the flute as if ignoring brut in golden armor.

- Did you listen to me at all?

- You didn’t tell me anything that would make me agree or at least ponder your statement about creating a union, - interrupting his execution a second time, the sorcerer replied.

- And if I say that I have learned the main weakness of all dragons, which will be their doom?”

Ripto flinched, the flute stopped near his mouth, and Spyro, who squeezed the grass under his fingers, twitched together with him. A deafening silence reigned near the lake for a few minutes. Gnasty watched as the sorcerer frowned thoughtfully, thinking and wondering options.

- And you won’t tell me what kind of weakness it is until I agree to a union, right? - Ripto said, carefully touching the surface of the tool in his hands. The answer was a fierce nod from the big man in armor, to which the ripton grinned wryly. - I must give you my due, Gnasty. This is very clever.

- Learning from the best, - said Gnork. - I'm not going to leave you all the work, as happened last time. - Only together we are indestructible, so we both have to give everything. Everything will be serious and grown-up.

- Oooh, so that time we played games, - the sorcerer say mockingly, his eyes narrowing in anger. - You set me up then, Gnasty. Cowardly escaped as soon as the figures were on the chessboard, leaving me alone with the plan that YOU came up with and invent a new one on the go. The things are not done like that, let alone revenge.

- But ...!

- Do you have any idea how much I lost during THAT event because of YOUR plan? Did you even think for a minute about what happened there? Do you even know the result?

- I know, - whispered the green giant. - I paid you the losses. We're quits, remember?

Ripto squeezed the flute firmly in his hands, from which she squealed plaintively, but quickly loses his grip, breathing heavily.

- I remember, but my answer is no, - the sorcerer replied restrainedly, his eyes buried in the clear water. - I don’t have time for dragons, Gnasty. I have other priorities now.

- But ... But now is the time! - Gnasty stared at the dino shocked, walking up to him in tight. - Such a chance falls just once and you are ready to miss it? You were more oppressed by dragons than me! You have always been their main hater! Damn yes I was sure that you will erase these brazen snouts from the face of the universe! And now you are ready to retreat from your convictions !? Forget all injustices and injuries?!

- YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DEMAND ANYTHING FROM ME! I WON'T ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS IF I WANT TO! - the wizard boiled jumping to his feet from which Gnork took a step back, remembering the danger of falling under the sorcerer’s hot hand. - I haven't forgotten anything, - he hissed lowly. - No offense, no defeat. However, some events forced me to reconsider the attitude towards certain things. Including to ... dragons.

- And what did you decide? - asked Gnasti hesitantly.

- I absolutely don't care about them. I don’t want to have anything to do with pompous idiots who don’t see further than their own nose and always run away from the consequences, as soon as something goes wrong.

- What about Spyro?! You have your personal scores with him!

- It's certainly NOT your concerned. If you so want to get revenge then do it yourself, do not drag me. Do I make myself clear?

Suddenly, Ripto inhaled the air, sniffing quickly, and abruptly turned his head toward the bushes where Hunter and Spyro were hiding, meeting his gaze with the dragon for a moment.

- We are overheard! SCATTER! - commanded Ripto. Gnasty and his minions rushed in one direction, and the sorcerer in a strictly opposite.

- Spyro, I'm go after gnorks, and you're after shorty, - shouted Hunter rushing off the spot he was, reaching for the bow.

Spyro was already racing at full speed behind the rapidly disappearing Ripto. As a child, he could quickly catch up with a short dino and as he grew up and stretched out, it shouldn’t take him much time. But to his surprise, he didn’t take into account how deftly the sorcerer looped between the trees, entangling the trail and not allowing the dragon to grab him.

- Stop! I just want to talk!

- Fuck off, fire-breath! Get lost!

Ripto somehow climbed a tree and deftly moved along the woven branches, making it even harder to catch his movement because of the foliage. Climbing up after wizard wasn't an option for Spyro because the branches are unlikely to withstand the current weight of the dragon and the maneuver for him is much less.

The dragon moved his paws as quickly as possible, following an elusive way after enemy, but could not catch up or even see Ripto. And after a moment, dino simply disappeared among the green foliage, leaving behind only a light trail of the familiar smell and the echo of an impish chuckle.

So frozen in the middle of the thicket, Spyro tried to catch his breath. Despite the failure, the heart was warming the thought that the sorcerer did not agree to the proposal of Gnasty. Apparently all the same, he “grew up” from his "prejudices". Crazy smile crept into the dragon's face. Just at the same time, in Spyro's head flashed the thought that Ripto still smells very tasty.

(sorry not sorry)

[johnhardinsawyer]

What Are You Doing Here?

John Sawyer

Bedford Presbyterian Church

12 / 16 / 18

Luke 3:7-18

Isaiah 12:2-6

“What Are You Doing Here?”

(On Fear and Faith, Fire and Fruit)

“You snakey-snakes. . .”

Well, that’s one way to start a sermon.  It is not, perhaps, the best way, but it does get one’s attention.  In all of the literature on preaching that I have ever read, I have never seen any recommendation that sermons should begin with name-calling or insulting the people who have come to listen to you.  But here is John, in today’s reading from Luke’s gospel, shouting at us from the wilderness:  “You brood of vipers!  God’s judgment is coming soon!  Repent!” To which we might say, “Ummm. . . and also with you?!” or “Merry Christmas to you, too, John!” To which John would say, “Y’all, it’s not Christmas yet.  It’s still Advent.

Ah, Advent. . .   that time in the church year that is filled with music in a minor key and scripture passages with prophets telling us to turn or burn.  Why does Advent have to be such a drag?  Many of us have already hung the stockings by our chimneys with care, and are dutifully watering our fresh Christmas trees every couple of days.  And, this afternoon, I’m sure that some of you have some pre-Christmas errands to run. Christmas is in the air.  The Lifetime channel has been playing Christmas movies for weeks now.  And there are Christmas carols playing in all the stores, telling us that “it’s the most wonderful time of the year,”[1]or so the song goes.  

And yet, here is John the Baptizer – and, I guess, guilty by association, John the Presbyterian – telling us that we are the offspring of poisonous snakes, throwing a big wet blanket over the whole thing, and reminding everyone that it isn’t Christmas yet.  “It’s still Advent?” you say.  “Well. . . Bah, humbug!”

Why is this happening?  Why must we hear John’s persistent voice from the wilderness every year in the season of Advent?  One possible explanation is that just as you can’t get to Easter without first going through Good Friday, the same can be said about the birth of the Christ Child. As one commentator writes,

There is no getting to Bethlehem and the sweet baby in the manger without first hearing the rough prophet in the wilderness call us to repentance. . .  Trying to avoid or sugarcoat John’s words is not possible.  Faithful and fruitful arrival at the manger will be possible only after the careful self-examination and recommitment called for by John.[2]

So, if we are trying to be faithful and fruitful as followers of Jesus, then perhaps we should – yet again – stop long enough on our journey to the manger to hear the words of a man named John who was out in the wilderness along the Jordan River.  According to the scriptures, he was “proclaiming [announcing, preaching[3]] a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”  (Luke 3:3) He was, basically, inviting people to turn their lives around – to turn away from whatever they were doing and to turn toward God – and then to take a dip in the river as a sign that their lives were changed.

A lot of people came out to hear what John had to say and to be baptized by him in the river.  But John wanted to make sure that these people were serious about what was taking place.  This is where today’s passage begins.  Eugene Peterson translates it this way:  

“Brood of snakes!  What do you think you’re doing slithering down here to the river? Do you think a little water on your snakeskins is going to deflect God’s judgment?  It’s your life that must change, not your skin.”[4]

In other words, “What are you people doing here?  Search your hearts and try to answer the question of what brought you all the way out here into the wilderness.  Are you here to pay lip service to God or are you going to honor God with more than that?  Your faithfulness to God can’t just be skin deep.  It has to come from your heart – from the inside, out.”

This is not a new thing that John is saying.  In the Book of Isaiah, the Lord says:  “. . . these people draw near with their mouths and honor me with their lips, while their hearts are far from me.”  (Isaiah 29:13)  Later, Jesus quotes this passage when he is calling out the hypocrisy of the scribes and Pharisees.[5]  John the Baptizer, in today’s reading, wants to make sure that the people who came to be baptized were taking their repentance and baptism seriously.  Because, if they weren’t taking those things seriously, there could be some real consequences.  John is telling them – and us – to be genuinely concerned about God’s judgment.

Now, this is where things can get uncomfortable, especially in churches – like ours – that don’t talk a lot about God’s judgment.  It can be uncomfortable for preachers, too – preachers like me – who don’t talk a lot about God’s judgement, either.  “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” John asks.  (Luke 3:7)  When we hear this, a lot of us think, “‘Wrath?’  God’s wrath? Yikes!”

I know plenty of people who don’t like hearing about God’s wrath, because most of us prefer a God of love instead of a God of angry judgment.  Wrath and judgment are frightening things.  And fear can be a very strong motivator, whether we like it or not.

The people who came to be baptized by John lived in fearful times, amongst people of different political and religious persuasions, tax collectors and soldiers stole and extorted money from the people living under Roman occupation, and no one knew who or what they could or should trust.  There were rumors of a Messiah – God’s anointed one, who would come to free God’s people and make things right.       Some folks thought that it was fake news, but there was this wild looking man[6]named John, out in the wilderness, shouting what he said was good news:

“Prepare the way of the Lord. . . Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low. . . and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”  (Luke 3:4-6)

“In order to prepare for the coming of the Lord – or the Lord’s Messiah – you would be wise to make yourself ready,” John tells the people.  “But you can’t skate by on your heritage or your connections, or where you go to church a couple times a year, or where your momma went to church.”  John tells the people that they would be wrong to assume that just being a part of the right family tree, or the right faith tradition will keep them safe from God.  God is going to do what God is going to do, regardless of what we think we know or who our family might be.  What is important, John says, is all about our own lives and the good fruit that those lives bear.  If you’re ready for a turning toward God – for a conversion of your mind[7]and heart and spirit – then the only suitable[8]thing for you to do is to live like it matters – to bear good fruit.[9]  When he is asked by the crowds what this means, he doesn’t say that their faith in God will save them or their belief in one thing or another, or what creed they might say with their lips.  Instead, he tells them to do a curious thing:

“Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise. . . Treat other people fairly. . . Do not threaten people or use your power in ways that cause harm. . .”[10]

In other words, be kind, be generous, and do the right thing:  the loving thing.  It is important to note that John isn’t just telling us to be nice, here.  It goes deeper than that.  Much deeper.

As good Presbyterians, we know that there is nothing we can do – no good act – that will earn God’s favor.  There is nothing we can do, on our own, that will ensure our salvation, even though there are some who – because they fear the fiery judgment of God will try to do good on their own.  Instead, any good that we do is really a sign of the Holy Spirit doing good through us.  Any good that we do is a sign of the fruit of the Spirit.  So, when John tells us to share what we have out of our abundance, to be fair in our dealings, and to use what power we might have for good, he is saying that these actions on our part are the fruit that God is bearing in our lives from the heart of who we are.  Being turned – from within – by God, toward God, and toward the ones who are most in need of God’s compassion, hospitality, and love is the way that leads to the bearing of this fruit.  When John Calvin wrote about this passage, he said that good works are the fruit of that turning – the fruit of “repentance” – which “has its seat in the heart and soul, but afterwards yields its fruits in a change of life.”[11]  In other words, God is at work, changing our lives, making our repentance real – doing good through us.

“What are you doing here?”  John asked the people.  He asks us the same thing.  Are we here to pay lip service to God or are we here to do more than that – something deeper?  Are we here because the sanctuary looks great for the season or are we here to be led by God into a new way of life where God’s good work on us and in us has a direct impact on the world through us?

This is what it means to repent and turn toward God – not that we might somehow earn salvation and eternal life and all that other stuff, though that would be nice – but that we might be instruments of God’s healing and wholeness right here and right now in the world.  

This is what the season of Advent is for – a yearly reminder that if we want to “come to Bethlehem and see him whose birth the angels sing,”[12]it would be good to “let every heart prepare him room.”[13]  Advent is the season of that preparation, of minor key hymns, and prophets in the wilderness calling us to turn toward God, to examine our hearts and see the holy at work through us in what we do, in how we treat one another, and in how we seek to be an example of what true repentance looks like.

What are you doing here?  What are any of us really doing here?  

God has gathered us together to prepare ourselves. Because there is someone coming – someone more powerful than we are – who has baptized us with the fire of the Holy Spirit and is at work in the world through us, by the power of that same Spirit.  Sometimes, we need a voice, getting our attention, calling us to turn toward God – reminding us of God’s power to change lives. . .  your life, and my life, and the life of the world.  This change of life and heart and mind is not always easy. We fall short and we fail.  But by God’s grace, the judgment that we might fear is wrapped in the love and mercy of Jesus Christ, who changes us from the inside out.

This is good news – for you and for me.  Thanks be to God.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

----------- 

[1]Edward Pola and George Wyle, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year,” Columbia Records, 1963.  

[2]David Bartlett and Barbara Brown Taylor, ed.  Feasting on the Word – Year C, Volume 1 (Louisville:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2009) 69.  Kathy Beach-Verhey – “Homiletical Perspective.”

[3]Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament(Chicago:  University of Chicago Press, 1979) 431.

[4]Eugene Peterson, The Message – Numbered Edition(Colorado Springs:  NAV Press, 2002) 1411.  Luke 3:7-8.

[5]See Matthew 15:7-8.

[6]See Mark 1:6.

[7]Walter Bauer, 511-512.

[8]Walter Bauer, 78.

[9]Luke 3:7-8, paraphrased, JHS.

[10]Luke 3:11-14, paraphrased, JHS.

[11]John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries – Vol. XVI (Grand Rapids:  Baker Books, 2009) 189-190.

[12]Glory to God – The Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville:  Westminster John Knox Press, 2013) 113, “Angels We Have Heard on High.”  Text:  French carol; trans, James Chadwick, 1860.

[13]Glory to God – The Presbyterian Hymnal, 134.  “Joy to the World.”  Text: Isaac Wats, 1719.