When the everyday chaos of fatherhood meets the ironclad bonds of brotherhood, you know you're in for a treat. Join the brothers, minus our beloved Danny, for a heartwarming and occasionally side-splitting romp through the potholes and triumphs of parenting, the costs of daycare that leave us with lighter wallets and heavier hearts, and the quest to maintain our essence within the whirlwind of family life. We're serving up slices of life, and while Danny's absence is felt, his spirit is with us as we share get-well wishes alongside our storied escapades and parenting paradoxes.
Have you ever tried to pick a favorite movie from the golden days of your youth? It's like trying to choose your favorite child - impossible, but we give it a shot anyway. We invite you to stroll through the corridors of memory as Keith, Steve, and I debate the merits of cinematic classics and recount the misadventures that can only happen in a movie theater. From Keith's infamous spit-take during "Top Gun" to Steve's unplanned snooze fest, we probe the depths of nostalgia and uncover the magic that keeps us returning to films like "Ghostbusters 2."
As our conversation deepens, we venture into the realms of philosophy and theology, grappling with weighty topics like legacy and redemption, and the intricate tapestry of free will versus predestination. We navigate these profound waters with humor and honesty, pondering the questions we'd ask historical figures and the possibility of altering our paths with the foreknowledge of our fates. Wrapping up, we touch on the importance of strengthening marital bonds through spirituality and highlight the value of truth and accountability. So pull up a chair, and let's sharpen each other at the Iron Table, where every exchange is a chance to grow and connect.
When the everyday chaos of fatherhood meets the ironclad bonds of brotherhood, you know you're in for a treat. Join the brothers, minus our beloved Danny, for a heartwarming and occasionally side-splitting romp through the potholes and triumphs of parenting, the costs of daycare that leave us with lighter wallets and heavier hearts, and the quest to maintain our essence within the whirlwind of family life. We're serving up slices of life, and while Danny's absence is felt, his spirit is with us as we share get-well wishes alongside our storied escapades and parenting paradoxes.
Have you ever tried to pick a favorite movie from the golden days of your youth? It's like trying to choose your favorite child - impossible, but we give it a shot anyway. We invite you to stroll through the corridors of memory as Keith, Steve, and I debate the merits of cinematic classics and recount the misadventures that can only happen in a movie theater. From Keith's infamous spit-take during "Top Gun" to Steve's unplanned snooze fest, we probe the depths of nostalgia and uncover the magic that keeps us returning to films like "Ghostbusters 2."
As our conversation deepens, we venture into the realms of philosophy and theology, grappling with weighty topics like legacy and redemption, and the intricate tapestry of free will versus predestination. We navigate these profound waters with humor and honesty, pondering the questions we'd ask historical figures and the possibility of altering our paths with the foreknowledge of our fates. Wrapping up, we touch on the importance of strengthening marital bonds through spirituality and highlight the value of truth and accountability. So pull up a chair, and let's sharpen each other at the Iron Table, where every exchange is a chance to grow and connect.
Welcome to the iron table. Where iron sharpens iron, those should then sharpen men. I am your host, bryant Gadi, and I'm joined by my brothers Keith, danny and Steve. We're your waiters, serving you accountability and truth. We now bring you to our program already in progress. Welcome to the iron table, where iron sharpens iron. So should men sharpen men, sharp shot. Again, I am your host, bryant Gadi, and I'm brought to. I didn't bring them to the table, they showed up on their own, my brothers, keith and Steve.
Speaker 1:Our fourth brother is not here today. He's feeling a little under the weather, so we send out get well feelings to Danny. Don't know when he'll hear this, but hopefully by the time he hears it he'll be feeling a lot better. We got a couple of housekeeping things to do so, as always, in order to keep things going for those who are audibly impaired, the iron table does not own the rights to any music used during its segments. We appreciate the talents and the crafts of musicians and only use their gifts and their music to honor them. Of course, it says something different at the bottom, and you can find us on Apple Podcast. What used to be Google Podcast, now it's YouTube music, amazon music and YouTube and, of course, for those who are watching, we can also be found audibly on Bud Sprouts look up iron table.
Speaker 1:All right, got just a couple of questions. Each question will lead into what our thought is for this evening. But before we get into that, just checking in brothers, it's been a while. How are you doing? Are you maintaining? Are you growing, increasing? Something interesting that might have happened. What's going on? Have you bought something new or have you sold something?
Speaker 2:Hmm, I'm good man, I'm having a good, I'm Tired, but good, it's been a long week. I bought something new for other people like kids.
Speaker 1:Was that food?
Speaker 2:Yeah, no, I wish it was just food. Is somebody always needs something. It's never ending.
Speaker 1:What's an investment? Think about it when you get to the point where you're old. They're going to turn around and say, hey dad man, thanks for caring for me for 18 years. And here have a tie.
Speaker 2:Right in that part. I don't need those thinking time.
Speaker 1:Mamas, of course, get better things, but dad's always get a tie or a sweater, or socks, or socks, and we could do a podcast and all the stuff we've received as fathers. Hmm, one day Steve will have that feeling.
Speaker 2:Ask for a lecture, steve, don't, don't, don't, don't, let him play, don't let him play. You know. You know, I find myself now playing mental chess with everything, as far as I know the things that I want, but I also didn't know the things that my better half wants to. So you know, I know how much money mine costs, but I know how much money hers is going to cost. So, you know, I try to sprinkle in what I want, to just say, ok, this is what I want. And see what she says, because I know what she bought to buy. This is like OK, but it's these things that, you know, we always have to. It's weird.
Speaker 2:As a as a man, I remember back in the day too, I hid like certain things from my ex-wife too. It was funny, like it was like not major things, but like small things, like buying a box of pizza from in the house, you know, because I found my. And it was weird because one day I was, I bought, you know, a hot and ready. I had it in the house and I'm like almost done with it. I hear her about to come in the house and I hide the pizza box under the couch.
Speaker 1:Oh, you weren't trying to share.
Speaker 2:Because I, because I hate mine, but it's like, ok, this might be an argument, let me, let me hide it. I don't want to find myself like man. You grown in your own house. How do you own food? What's wrong with you? So yeah, life lessons when you're 18, 19, right?
Speaker 2:I'm sorry, wait, wait till you have some kids, you're going to go back to hiding food. You'll be sitting in the car eating and don't want to go in the house, and no, no, yeah, having kids is nowadays is the most, most scariest thing to me, because of not just all the the world and whatnot. But man, daycare ain't no joke. I'm in the wrong business. I should have been. I should have opened up a daycare.
Speaker 1:You get three thousand dollars, a five thousand dollars a day, but you still got to watch those kids, do you though?
Speaker 2:I don't have to watch them.
Speaker 1:I just think you can't lose in you losing profit.
Speaker 2:You won't lose profit. Listen, you got to keep them safe. Nobody said you got to watch them, they just got to be safe. They like free range outside, like chickens, like dogs, go outside and play and and.
Speaker 1:But now parents want. What do they want? They want to be able to see their kids 24 seven. So you got to put up cameras, which means you got to have high speed internet, which got to have a high speed computer or price for a price. Got to feed them, got to have a healthy option. It's no longer just giving them lunchables or or Gerber.
Speaker 2:No, that's why it comes at a price too. There's a premium attached.
Speaker 1:I'm glad I have to go through that.
Speaker 2:We can have trader jobs, which one you want.
Speaker 1:Put me on the least expensive plan. What? What already comes with the house? What do you? What do you already have in your refrigerator?
Speaker 2:They go and learn military, military MREs, that's what.
Speaker 1:I could be some space candy with space ice cream and chalky stuff. That's fine. I ain't eating it and develop bread and butter.
Speaker 2:All right Water Water.
Speaker 1:No, I'll say it's we it is ridiculously expensive.
Speaker 2:Yeah, imagine I can imagine going to Cedar Point, or, or, or, or, or Disney World, you know, with the family of I want to talk about six or seven.
Speaker 1:We took these to Disney World Paris where we were overseas and visiting Belgium and the the tickets, I want to say, were like one 50 a piece you expect that. But the access once we got inside and we saw that the line, the first line we got in was like 45, 50 minutes and people that pulled out retractable chairs and I was like nah, so I went online. I was like I'm just going to have to eat the cost. I bought us passes to get to the front of the line and I want to say the passes alone to get to the front of the line was about it was a party of four was close to eight hundred dollars.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it costs more than the ticket, right yeah?
Speaker 1:And I know you're looking at me back in the day.
Speaker 2:No, I mean I know, because I know watch, but I was like nah, we can't. No, it was worth it, but it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's the only reason why it was worth it, because I mean, we got there maybe around one thirty in the park closed at eleven, so there wasn't enough time to sit there and go on two rides for the entire day. It was like, nah, we just going to have to and only in a, and this is how they get you. You get to the front of the line, but you only get to do it one time.
Speaker 2:I pay eight hundred dollars.
Speaker 1:I get one time.
Speaker 2:Everything. Oh, you can do it again. I think that there's another tier to get it more than one time. Well, I think, see, the point is like that. But then they have certain rides that you can only do it one time, and that's it, and that's it.
Speaker 1:No, it was it, it was every, because there was even like they're tracking it because you're using a barcode, and so when I look, it was like there was an X over. It's like, oh, I can't get back on Spider-Man, what, I can't get back to the front. Now, then we not going back.
Speaker 2:I hope you enjoyed that ride, you can get on, you just don't go to that line, the other line.
Speaker 1:Now we'll say this I don't know Misi got us on. Is the terror tower some hotel like thing?
Speaker 1:Oh man, I got in there and the first drop I was like and I I held on to somebody because I was like I started asking for forgiveness whatever I did wrong. And then the worst thing is that, and I know, it's like you're not really going anywhere until you get to the top and they open up the and you can see out there. And then all of a sudden I was like I said some curse words, if I could do I do I have one of those, one of those old buttons?
Speaker 1:Where's the? And she just laughed and was like never again.
Speaker 2:Ain't that crazy I think it did the same thing to be on like all this rides and see the point you got to put your hands up. I'm like I'm holding on for dear life and you is like there's a picture, she's like pure excitement and I'm in pure terror, but she's gonna get on the motorcycle. Wait, she don't want to get on the motorcycle. She don't want to swim in, you know, in the ocean in Miami. But you do this and have in its, in its fun.
Speaker 1:He has a black man. We already live in terror. We don't need manufactured terror. Walking outside is dangerous for us, we don't need to make it. So yeah, I'd sit at a bank, going to grocery store, drive on to the curb to the mailbox and then walking back to the house you just walked out of and someone's like you live here. Yes, yes, I do Show me some paperwork. It's inside the house.
Speaker 2:Don't, don't, don't say hello to a woman. That's not your skin color.
Speaker 1:Oh, remember that picture I sent you out this week where two of them showed up to my door was like oh, your windows look new, like they are your roof less than five years old. What about the door? That's probably original. No, we just replaced it. Oh well, you don't need us for anything. I was like mm-mm.
Speaker 2:No you know what, and I got a joke. I got a joke. I want to say so bad.
Speaker 1:I got a joke. I want to say so bad, do I do? I need to do the censor button, get it out.
Speaker 2:You said the scenario was or you don't need us for anything. You just said no, I don't. You're good, I know me and my humor. Oh, my Jesus.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, let's, let's just get right into it, for somehow we get canceled. So Danny was on campus, but no, now it's right.
Speaker 2:All right so this is only two questions.
Speaker 1:Yeah, in the movies. I'm not going to talk about it, but it's the question I have. You know, if you can only watch one movie For the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Speaker 2:That's a good.
Speaker 1:Now I have a tie, but I got to pick one out of the two, so I'll I'll start off, since I knew what these questions were from like two weeks ago. One A is coming to America. For me it's like the first one, not the second one. The first one. It is the origin of just hijinks. Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall were comedic geniuses. I mean you had just everything and you just saw people like now, I mean Cooble Good and Junior was in a chair. You know what was his name?
Speaker 1:Kirk Franklin used that scene with the revering in his music video and so it was just to me it was just like the epitome, you know, black culture. You see, kind of a. It was before there was a moonda, I mean before there was a. Yeah, I guess it was a Wakanda, wakanda, thank you. It was always going to be some moonda. For me that's always the first place, so I'm the moonda all the way. But it was.
Speaker 1:It was just a good movie and a lot of iconic black sitcom comedy individuals were in it and I think it's one of his best movies. Now one B will be in game and I think it's just the amount of action and even how it ended, you know, with everybody who was. You know somebody's favorite snap away came back and you know it was an epic battle. But I think, you know, with Black Panther coming back, sorry for spoilers. But then when Bill Nier, when Captain caught that, I felt I felt goose bumps. I was like, oh, it's about to go down. I said, yes, mankind, you know, is going to survive. I thought those are my one A, one B, but if I had to pick one out of and I could only watch it over and over again, it would be coming to America.
Speaker 2:Hmm, hmm. Man, this is an extremely hard question. Most of my favorite movies are from my top five question Is it key? No, but I don't. Could get you to five over. Just one. Go ahead, steve. You said no, I can't, I can't. Most of my favorite movies are from my childhood, but it's like I can't pinpoint one man. I love Ghostbuster one and two. I love Ninja Turtles one and two. Wow, I love the whiz. You know it's, but I couldn't. I don't think I would be able to pick Jesus Christ. Just one, okay.
Speaker 1:So this is a true test. If you are watching TV, watching TBS or TNT, and it comes on and you don't change the channel, what movie would that have been?
Speaker 2:This is a hard question, bro, Because I was going to say I got a little meaning in life, jesus Christ, I don't often watch. I don't often watch movies more than once. That's the crazy thing. But when it has come on and I have watched more than once, it has been I think I mentioned before, like Mob Max, shawshank, redemption, forest Gump.
Speaker 2:And like you said, coming to America's on there, like I'm trying to think of some of these movies that you know over the years that I've seen. Oh, we just talking about this the other day with a movie I could watch over and over again. Lean on me, don't just go crap the enemy is here the enemy is cold red, cold red. I have what I will. I'll go look up clips of that movie, just when I need to laugh, so Morgan.
Speaker 1:Freeman.
Speaker 2:Mr Clark, she don't want to lose it, she's beating up Johnny Ray, she, she don't want me, you know. Yeah, I know a lot of lives with that movie, so yeah, I think Okay, so lean on me, that would be your.
Speaker 2:I'm gonna throw that on there because, like, but I'm trying to think those are the movies that I know I've watched more than once, like, even, like you said, in game. I've actually went back and watched in game again, but but I didn't do that with any of the other Marvel movies, not even, um, not even watch Black Panther more than once, but you feel like you had to watch Black Panther more than one.
Speaker 2:No, no, I went back. It came up like you said. It came on one day and I just didn't change the channel and that for me that says a lot, because normally I don't often watch movies more than once. But I did watch in game again. But lean on, me has come on like 17,000 times and I've probably watched it 15 or 17 or all 17,000. I have. I have watched it whenever it came on, just to see my parts.
Speaker 1:My favorite.
Speaker 2:We stepped into a fairy side. We did.
Speaker 1:We went to a school, we did we sure did.
Speaker 2:Wow, we said we felt just like that, that one scene where he's welcome to the job. We, that's what we was doing. We just looking around like, yeah, this is where is Mr Clot, mr Clot, oh, I never forget that. But you know what? That's a good thing that you said about what would you watch? I think anytime that I do see Ghostbusters 2, come on, I have to watch it. So for me it had to be Ghostbusters 2. I'll say Ghostbusters 2.
Speaker 1:Then that's the one with Vigo right.
Speaker 2:I know that, like I know that movie verbatim.
Speaker 1:So are you going to watch the latest one? I think it came out today.
Speaker 2:No sure have. I haven't seen any since I haven't seen any past Ghostbusters 2. I think they're like on the third one. Now, right, a third one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, there was an all female cast.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and then a new one, and then this newer one. I haven't seen it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I've seen a new one. I haven't seen the one that came out today, but Keith and I were talking about magical Nebros Trying to go see that.
Speaker 2:Did that come out yet? Yeah, the 15th, I think. Yeah, that's out.
Speaker 1:I just want to go to the theaters. I just wait, wait until the comfort of my home. Well, I'm not worried about who's coming through.
Speaker 2:But you know, what's been going on with me with theaters is that, you know, with so much of the hustle and bustle of life and getting our information the way we do, when you sit down in the theater now and you just everything's dark, everything's cool, everything's not, I fall asleep. I'm just so relaxed. You know what I mean, because I'm not used to just focusing on one thing. It's just like okay, I did that. I think the last movie I tried to see was Super Mario Brothers, the new one that just came out, and me and Nick was knocked out like half of it. We couldn't help ourselves. It was a good movie, but it was just like you're so busy.
Speaker 2:And when you presented with this and these nice imagined chairs, it's like did you have a nap today Last? Time I was in the theaters was.
Speaker 1:I was with you. Know, it's with you, keith, in Jamar. What was that? Top Gun or Missing?
Speaker 2:Did he spit on you? Top Gun, did he spit on you? Talking about anything Talking about anything.
Speaker 1:I missed the least 20 minutes of the movie.
Speaker 2:I said sorry.
Speaker 1:I just go for reason. For the record this man, this, this, Hold on here, I'll press the sensor button.
Speaker 2:I thought you were gonna say it. Oh my gosh.
Speaker 1:I said sorry, all right, so I know to sit, either sit behind him if we go to the movies.
Speaker 2:No, no, just don't let it just don't let it be a very good movie, don't let it be a long movie and don't let it be the first, which you know they do the premieres at, like what, 12 o'clock at night, at night, and then you got to go to work in the morning Because once this man, once the lights came on, he saw my face. It was his face. So it's been dark for four hours, so everybody's eyes adjusted to the screen and everything. So when they turned the lights on, I was drinking a soda, but we talked about this movie, was, you know, I'm drinking in the lights turn on and his face does this. It just all came up.
Speaker 1:In your direction, flash, but according to a question we had before we hit record, that happened. You should be behind bars.
Speaker 2:I think it's shot of it all Because I thought he was going to. I pause like oh crap.
Speaker 1:You know I was expecting it.
Speaker 2:I was expecting it.
Speaker 1:Salt Salt.
Speaker 2:Salt.
Speaker 1:We got him on record.
Speaker 2:I was expecting assault and battery because it was, and I was, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:Do you remember what you were?
Speaker 2:drinking. So I don't know man, it was soda, it was sticky and that don't even sound right. I woke up in, I was walking, man, I'm telling you. I was trying not to, I didn't expect to do it, and I saw his face do whatever it did. And I'm drinking, I had, and because it was like, I had my reflexes. It was like four o'clock in the morning and you had to drive all the way back. I'll back and then get up and go to work Like an hour.
Speaker 1:What are you all watching In game?
Speaker 2:We went to the premiere of in game and it started like a year ago Exactly and you know, if in game you didn't go to sleep on that, you was wide awake the whole thing so imagine just all this goodness going on and then all of a sudden they just turn on the light and it was ruined.
Speaker 1:It was ruined. Experience.
Speaker 2:I'm going to get him back. I'm going to get him back Now he can say it, it was not done. I still feel bad, because I feel bad.
Speaker 1:I do.
Speaker 2:I do Because it was not expected, I could my read one thing. Like you said, being late, my reading was in the smoke.
Speaker 1:So what is an acceptable comeback to that? I don't know. I mean, you said you were sorry, but now what are you going to allow Steve to do to you in order to we going to be on a road?
Speaker 2:trip and it's just going to have to be a casualties award at this point. Y'all going to be collateral damage. I'm going to eat a whole bunch of broccoli. We going to be on a road trip.
Speaker 2:I'm going to get talked about and I'm going to hit the child. Lock windows. I'm a little bit. You thought that's up in the. Danny already got me. Danny already done. You don't want to play that game with him in the car. He must be a. We got a whole bus. We were on a trip. I let him tell you when we come back, he, he got the whole bus. Jesus, that's great, that's just me. Lock the windows, broccoli. Lock the windows. Lock the windows. It's pretty much I got to get you. I'm driving.
Speaker 1:The rest of us got to die Right, put me on the side, come back Driving.
Speaker 2:I'm driving to a tree All right.
Speaker 1:So this is the second one. You know, we trying to, trying to get it somewhere. So so if you could go, back in time and ask one famous person a question who would it be and what would you ask? One famous person a question who would it be and what would you have got to be?
Speaker 2:Are they living or dead?
Speaker 1:They can be dead. I mean back in time, I mean from beginning of time until now.
Speaker 2:I got a lot of questions for Adam.
Speaker 1:Oh, what would it be? Oh yeah, what are we eating right now? Why, why.
Speaker 2:Why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why, why? I'm good, I'm good. If you could go back in time.
Speaker 1:I was wondering why you couldn't just build another you know, create another union. Why didn't Adam believe that?
Speaker 2:Well, yeah, I don't know. Well, that's the question. That's the question what you doing, why, why this one? Why risk it all? Why are we risking it all? So no, I'm. You know there's a myth about that too, that Eve wasn't the first woman there was another one for her called Lilith.
Speaker 2:Lilith wasn't taking that. He wasn't taking no orders from Adam. It is weird, I'm afraid it's. Yeah, oh, I think it wouldn't happen. That's why the name Lilith gets a bad rep of that. But yeah, it's taking thing with the grain salt. Lilith and Delilah those two names don't get too much love, I hope she would ask Adam that question yeah. I would ask Adam you know why? Why, why, why, okay, why'd she do me that way? That's a good one.
Speaker 1:I didn't go that far back.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wasn't thinking about that either. That's a new way to get a right before he eat them.
Speaker 1:Let me talk to you. Let me have that. Slap it out of the same. Yeah, let me talk to you. You messed it up for all of us.
Speaker 2:No, no, I'm gonna stop the mess up. I'm gonna stop it because we're gonna talk about it. I got a question for you, brother. Let me talk to you. What would life be like if you don't eat that? I got a good one. I forgot who it was in revelations and it was talking about the trumpets that were firing off, and it was one of the trumpets. They said seal this one away and don't tell anybody about it. I forgot which one it was. I want to know what it was, because he saw it. He just said you can't tell me, john.
Speaker 1:John on the album happens.
Speaker 2:Seal this, seal what you've seen away. Don't tell anybody about it. I want to know what you saw.
Speaker 1:He saw the end.
Speaker 2:The end. He was telling us the end.
Speaker 1:I mean, if you knew what the end was would you still go the path that you're on right now or would you do something different? Because I remember I used to ask this question and the first time I asked it I was at Oakwood. I was standing behind someone. I said if God told you at this moment that, no matter what you do from this point going forward, it doesn't matter, you're already saved, would you then still continue to do good or would you do the things that you've always wanted to do? That may not fall under the good category.
Speaker 2:Well, some people follow that ideology One save, always save. And so I can do that, because God knows my heart and I can go out. So tomorrow if I go out and go willy-nilly, I'm good. I guess that's why the? Church is the way it is, then huh With our pastors and everybody acting full huh. I hope not, but maybe that's it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm glad I don't know when, because if so, honestly I probably would think or the reverse was it doesn't matter what you do from this point forward, judgment has already been passed and you haven't made it. Then do you still do good, or do you just try to go to hell in a handbasket?
Speaker 2:That talks about that. I guess that's free will. Then, Is it the illusion of free will? Because I mean you do whatever you want, but God already knows what we're going to do. He's already ordained it. So is there really free will? That's a deep question.
Speaker 1:I still believe in free will. It doesn't matter what decision we've all. It's like one of those books I used to get in the book book fair If you want to go left, turn to page 57. If you want to go right, go to page 35. And you? I mean, there's two different, multiple different paths, yeah, it was called like a venture book, yeah like yeah.
Speaker 1:So, I feel like life is life is a choose your adventure, because we know I mean we know right or wrong. We know, you know morality, which can change over time, but right and wrong is, I think, black and white. Oh, if I knew that I was, that I was saved, there'd be a chance that I might do something that I wanted to do, that I was like I might be on those lines. Not that I'm a bad person, but no, I didn't do it in order to try to be good, because we thought that heaven was our goal.
Speaker 1:There was not. We were just thought, heaven was our goal, that's it.
Speaker 2:There was a book that I read a while ago. Sorry, there's a book I read a while ago, that's. The premise was that there's this. I think it was called death box or the death box, but it was. It was a box that I guess has been invented that if you stick your finger in your picture finger, it gets the blood out of there and then it spits out a ticket to let you know the day. I believe it was the day, the time and the, the matter of the matter of when you will die and whatnot. So it was, you know people were. It was just like this whole. It was like a premise of the whole world revolving around this particular device that can tell you when the last day on this earth will be, how you'll die. Was this a black black man or something? It sounds like something that you would see in black, I don't know, but it was a book that I read a lot and I think it was audio book.
Speaker 2:I got to get the name of it, but again, it was weird how people were. You know how the author had people responding to this Like if you knew the time and the day and the manner of your death, would you try to prevent it or would you? How would you go about living life?
Speaker 1:You couldn't prevent it. You can't, because if it already gave you that time, there's nothing you, everything that you're doing is put bringing you closer to that date.
Speaker 2:Exactly. So at that point, how would, how would you feel about could you be in time and everything, like that you were going to die? Like that, like what would matter, what would not matter? Like would you be depressed? Would you like, like, how would you? How would you navigate life? Because a lot of times us navigating life is not knowing when our last day may be, and that kind of like that cloak, that cloak of death, lingering some some way somehow depending on what you're doing.
Speaker 2:We have the ability to change the outcome because, again, if something spit out the numbers that said I'll be dead in 20 years, I doubt it. I know we'll die tomorrow. I don't have to wait 20 years to get dead. So I'm saying that to say I still have some level of control over what happens. So to me. That's why I still think that there's a the element of free, free will, because I I can choose to just live and let live, or I can do things that will amplify or enhance, rather, my chances of leaving this earth or dying. We later rest, and the premise of it was the machine was never wrong, not one time in the human yeah, so if it was never wrong, it's not even do say.
Speaker 1:I'm not going to if it says a car accident, I'm not going to get in the car. You got to get in the car at some point. No, you don't. Okay, how are you going to get to the hospital? If you need to go, I die?
Speaker 2:I didn't die in the car accident. I still will. That's what I'm saying. It could put. I think there's certain things, unless I mean, I guess I get what you say if it knows for sure, but there was. I think there was a. There was a chapter in it where one person did receive something about a car accident, right, and like, the date was like like a week from now. So he figured, well, shit, let me, let me, let me, let me prove it wrong by killing myself. Now. So that's what I did. He puts the gun to his head, pulls the trigger, of course, right. So he doesn't know this because you know he was unconscious at the time, but he was still alive. The ambulance takes him. Guess what? A city bus hits the ambulance and kills, proving that everything that is proven to machine right. You died in the car accident, not by killing yourself.
Speaker 1:See, so I was just, it was nutty.
Speaker 2:Yeah, mortality is interesting.
Speaker 1:I don't, I don't think about death. You know, if it comes, it comes. I mean, I guess we're told it's you going live, you going to die Unless Christ comes in our time, that it's inevitable. There are more. There are more years behind us than there probably are in front of us.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking about just.
Speaker 1:I mean a lot of people that huh.
Speaker 2:You think that a lot, you hear that a lot, like people are saying we lived in the last times, we lived in the last times, this is the end days. You really think that is true because you know they've been saying that for a while. It's always all things are getting bad, things are getting worse, and you know people are saying that now, which it seems like that. But do you think that it's that we are living in the last times? As they said and they've been saying this forever? Since the dawn of time, we've been saying things can always get worse, right.
Speaker 2:It's not the beginning times, but it's always get worse.
Speaker 2:No and will not. Can I mean think about it. The level of the level of foolishness and debauchery that we have right now is, I mean, it's the world work. The world runs in cycles, so it's not the world's been crazy before, but the level of like the stuff that we have going on now, it is at an all time high. I mean just the technology. We've talked about this before. Technology has created a lane where there's so much that's just out there and it's poisoning the pool, the mind. When I mean the pool, I'm talking about the minds of people, hearts, people just doing whatever.
Speaker 2:So, yes, I believe, based on like you brought up with John wrote in revelations, based on what he described, based on things down you talk, prophesied about it. Don't look good, I will. I mean, I mean, if you are hoping that time will last forever, it's now. When will time in? Don't know. Can't tell you that yes, and another 20 years Time will be.
Speaker 2:You know things will have come to an end, but but do I think that there is time left to be out there doing stupid stuff? And you know you got time to get it together? No, because we don't know when our life, we don't know when we're going to die. We don't know when life will be cut short. So you know, god leveled southern more for you know, and them people was one to have sex with angels. So when I start hearing people talking about they want to go to, they want to do X, y and Z to some angels if they come down on earth and we know, we, we about to be leveled, leveled Well, I don't think it says in the end times the world will be as Sodom, and I think we're not too. We're not too far off as far as how we treat people and how we behave and how everything is so sexualized, how, how violent, because again, it wasn't just about the act of sex, was also about how violent and vile, like they formed a whole mob. He was caught up with some angel booty.
Speaker 1:I've been a story. It's not just about the sexual stuff, but how they were treating the poor and how they were treating like widows and stuff and children.
Speaker 2:It was just terrible place, terrible people, and you can't tell me that right now, some of these places, some of those places, just in our world alone, right now we even step outside our world. I mean, look at all the stuff going on in Haiti right now. These are terrible places where genocide is happening on a regular. These are terrible places. So this isn't new. Like Steve said, this none of this is new. Genocide is not new.
Speaker 1:This is happening, but we now can see it.
Speaker 2:We now can see it. So but it I think it's now worldwide and it's so rapid that I I can't help but to believe that, yeah, I don't. I don't know what the world isn't going to remain. If it's going to remain, I hope it. You know something needs to happen where it doesn't continue to turn like it's turning. But you know what? I just what I was reading. I'm thinking about something tomorrow.
Speaker 2:I was reading something this week about the true representation of what, or true meaning of what really lots wife really meant in that story and about her turning back, not really just disobeying God, but not willing to leave the old ways behind to save your life Right now. So you, because you're continuing to look back on certain things that are not pleasing to God and not willing to give those things up, it consumes you and cost you your life. So it wasn't really about that you were just disobedient to God, but that you just couldn't give certain things up for the sake of your own life. You know. So if I found that kind of profound that there's a lot of things in the Bible that you know people really don't touch on or look, even read kind of deep into and see things for what they are.
Speaker 2:It's not to say that she was a bad person, but you know, sometimes sometimes people like you know we see this all the time sometimes people are maybe sometimes may be created for a a lesson to other people. A lot of times we we see people out, you know, doing certain things is like, oh no, I'm doing that, can't do that. You know, I, it's no way. I see certain things and certain things that people are doing to themselves and to other people and it's like you know what? That's a lesson, the lesson that they're, they had to endure, that's that's, you know, that speaks to me, is like I can't do that because there's a potential for me to do that, to be in that same predicament. So no, I can't, you know that makes sense.
Speaker 1:Alright. So these questions have led to this last one. I'm going to post it here says legacy as a black man doesn't mean much. If so, what type of legacy is worth leaving and what type of legacy isn't? Now I had this question in my mind a couple of weeks ago because I attended a funeral.
Speaker 1:My realtor, my Anna, I mean, she was interesting story when I met her you know me, see, we're looking for a house she was our first and only realtor. She would pray, she would sit there, we sit at the table and pray, and she was like, right, you know, I feel like you will be a pastor and I was like I ain't me. I mean with federal government all the way. But was interesting is last weekend deuce gave a sermon for Children's Church and he's my name's sake so, and she met him before she passed away. But her husband's funeral she passed away I think like six months after he was born, so that was over seven years ago and her husband passed. I want to say the end of like.
Speaker 1:Near the end of February got a very quiet Mr Hicks a member meeting him at their house and became really good friends with their family I've never had. My grandparents were. Most of them had deceased before I was born and I kind of felt like they adopted me as grandparents. So it was this funeral and I sat there. I got there early, met with his daughters, and what I've learned was that this man, while quiet, left a legacy. And I was, like, you know, one of the things that happens that, you know, in funerals we won't hear what other people are saying about us, but before we go, there's an idea of a legacy that we're leaving. So, as black men, you know, as we are supposed to be, the leaders of the home, the foundation for which a house is built, and family, you know. But going through all of the things that we've been through, you know, been beaten, we've been bruised, slavery, you know all this negativity, you know.
Speaker 1:Does legacy really even mean anything when you know we're we're born kind of behind the eight ball? We've got to have that? You know the talk about law enforcement, about what we can and can't do. You know our inner cultural relationships, certain things we can't get into. You know, there's just so much we can't, can't, can't, you know. Does that even allow us to build?
Speaker 1:Does legacy even matter? Or is it just? You know, hey, I'm just here and then like what? If it is, then what type of? What is? What is the legacy that's worth leaving? You know, what do we want to? You know, is it, you know, just focusing on generational wealth? Is it, you know, making sure the name is spotless? You know, and if and what type of legacy isn't worth leaving, that you know brothers are out there, you know, just saying, oh, I need to make this money, this paper, but that does nothing. Like what from your viewpoint, or your standpoint, your lens? You've talked to a lot of different men, both inside and outside of some institutions. It's your different circle, you know. Does legacy really mean something? Black men? And if so, like what do we do with?
Speaker 2:it. That's funny that you said something about the. When we die, we don't really get a chance to hear the great things that people are saying about us, or the bad things matter, in fact but there's a trend now of people doing eulogies people that still are here. You know it's weird, nobody goes and sit at a ticastee, but you know people are there and they're just kind of like going through what they would go through if, hey, you did pass on and I'm letting you know, I'm giving you your flowers before you pass on and let you know how important that you are.
Speaker 2:But the word legacy has been starting to take on a different meaning for me over the years, especially, you know, when you get some family members that, hey, when you're going to have kids and this and the third, leave a legacy, these things and the third. And I'm starting to look at legacy a little bit different. You know, not only just as a black man, just as a human being, and me not only just thinking about leaving a legacy, for you know my DNA to live on and you know the names say to live on, but kind of almost a I want to live, leave, leave a spiritual legacy to people that I'm helping. You know, especially even my profession, being able to help people in their lives in certain aspects, to where they just say, hey, you know what? Maybe there was a certain time in my life when I was, you know, going through a depression, going through a divorce. You know, working out my marriage, making things work, you know, going through hard times or whatnot. You know there were people that helped me along the way. I had diamond members, I had friends, but oh, you know what, I remember Mr Stuck. You know he definitely went above and beyond.
Speaker 2:So that's where, at a certain point in time, that's why I cut.
Speaker 2:You know I definitely like the perfect, the, the the level of of my career that I'm at now, because now it's a point to where I can leave a legacy, not only for those who share my DNA but those who are in this world. So my spread of leaving a legacy of who I am as a person reaches not only just by my namesake but my actions, and then my actions can hopefully, you know, reflect in that person's actions, because if my level of of concern, my level of sympathy and empathy for you gets through to you and you understand how it helps you, then that means that you're going to probably more likely do the same for somebody else that maybe you don't know, or family member, or whatever. So the behavior I want to be a legacy more than my namesake, because at the end of the day I I don't answer the God for my name, I answer the God for my, my behavior. So, like I said, my, my legacy has been taken on a different meaning at this point in time.
Speaker 1:All right, all right, apostle, apostle Steve Paying for the spiritual. Oh, just took us to the upper room. All right, deacon, what?
Speaker 2:you got.
Speaker 1:All right, come on, Deacon. All right, let me know it's got something that just take me right there. It has me just married.
Speaker 2:I mean, okay, I'll say this was an assignment I used to give to my young people on the pile when I was working in the juvenile detention facility. I used to make the feature of them right there on eulogy, as if they're not here anymore. What would they say? Sometimes I would make them switch and write each other's. But what if they weren't here anymore? What would you say about this person? But there's more so about what can people say if people only know you for Robin still and killing, etc. So I had a whole purpose of writing the eulogy because I wanted them to understand that they do one way or another.
Speaker 2:You leave behind a legacy, whether good or bad. Now I don't focus on it so much for myself because I have learned people are going to say what they want to say. I have no control of that, no-transcript. And then again, for me it's more important that they see. I would love for people to see God's role in my life more than they see me. So, yeah, there have been some highs, there have been some lows, but at the end of the day we saw how God brought them through. That's what I want people to see. So in that it doesn't mean that I won't be seen in there, like I said, because, like Stucky said or like Steve said, there will be some times. They were like you know.
Speaker 2:I'm hoping that there's some people that along the way I was able to connect with and able to reach, but I don't feel like there's a pressure on me to create such a legacy that it has to reach the world Now. If it did, praise God. But if my kids are the only ones that learn how to not be knuckleheads in this world and it's because I've been able to instill that in them, I'll take it, because then hopefully, my grandchildren and great-grandchildren will have the same set of ethics, same set of focus. You know that I strive to have. So I believe legacy is good, legacy is great. I think we should work, we should be more focused on what we leave behind.
Speaker 2:Warwick or another. It is important. I used to. That might be. I used to wonder. Because growing up they painted Martin Luther King as basically Saint, like he gave his life for the struggle, he did everything right, he did everything wonderful. Because they did not want to tell the other side, because they were afraid that it would mess with the legacy, it would change the legacy, and for some it has, but for me I rather know. I mean I'm OK knowing that it doesn't. I mean for me again it was human, it was human.
Speaker 2:It was human. But did he take a bullet for the struggle? He said that doesn't change that.
Speaker 1:That reminds me of this scene in the barbershop, where someone was talking about you don't talk about Malcolm.
Speaker 1:Was it Malcolm? No, was it Martin? He's like you don't talk about Martin, you talk about it in there, but you can't talk about Martin. And then Sedger's character said eh, martin, but that's it.
Speaker 1:You know, for me, you know, it became real a couple of weeks ago my wife and I finally did our revocable living trust and that's where we're putting everything that we have our properties, bank accounts, the retirements, all that stuff into a trust where it'll be for our son. But there'll be certain metrics. He won't get it all. At one time he was like we don't know who you might be. We hope this is who you will be. But just in case, you know, you get a little bit here, a little bit there. You get more if you're going to college or if you decide to do a trade or start a business here. But we can't give it to you all the time.
Speaker 1:And that's when I started thinking about a legacy. But I realized that you know, man, I'm just Martin and that's OK. You know, I've got my own circle of influence. I hope that they will say something nice, but I would hope that if someone didn't say something nice, that they would catch him in a parking lot. You know something like that.
Speaker 1:But you know, we, as as y'all said, we leave a legacy, whether we know it or not. We just hope that your legacy is good and if not, you know, I mean honestly just pray that you have an opportunity to change the last thought that people will have of you, because it ain't a day. I mean, we're all human, we're all going to make mistakes, we're all going to have our highs and our lows, but you know what will live long is. You know what we stood for, our morals. You know, even when no one's uttering our name anymore, you know, I lost a grandfather, may not say his name much, but he stood for hard work. I'd like to believe that I stood for the same thing. They don't have to do it the same way, but you know, legacy is something.
Speaker 1:So I hope that, as you know this, this platform continues to go, that it's a legacy moment that we're able to, you know, influence our circles and, where they overlap, that we're able to, you know, I mean, as iron sharpens iron, socially, men sharpen men. I think that's one of the things, one of the reasons why I created this, because I I wanted to affect change in a way that, you know, reminded people who they were, who they once were as a culture. We used to be kings and queens and we were leaders, we were influencers positive and just because of our circumstances shouldn't change that. So yeah, I just wanted to bring that up. But I got one more question before we go, and I didn't, and I got a quick, I got a question.
Speaker 2:Before that, though, go ahead, bring it up. Oh, the about legacy to you guys. Do you think that there's I want to say anti-legacy? Do you think there's something as a negative legacy? Is there a negative legacy that exists? A legacy? What you leave behind is what you leave behind. It's not always good. That's like I said. That's why I had the young men write about it, because if, if you're known in, if you're known in the hood for being the one that breaks in the cars and houses and still stuff, and that's the legacy you leave. Because I talked about you know, I also joke about how hard it is to go to a funeral, because I'm going to ask to eulogize somebody who didn't, who did not get a lot of that.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 1:You got to get a lot of that.
Speaker 2:When people are like, oh, they were such a good person, they just let me. Johnny was killing and stealing. Everybody Right Killed everybody Killed them to pit, killed pets, stole cars, stole tires.
Speaker 1:Everything he broke into people's houses.
Speaker 2:He beat people up with selling drugs Like he was doing everything wrong. But now it was time to eulogize him and we got to talk about what you want me to do with his legacy. I can't tell you. I can't make up something. That's not true. Well, I could, but I don't. I don't want to lie, I want to go up there. What is that? Is that negative legacy the same thing as generational curse?
Speaker 1:Generational curse.
Speaker 2:They can be connected.
Speaker 1:Okay, and that scenario. You're saying that you that picking out. Okay, what if I spent I lived to be 45,? You know 40. And so for 40 years I was a jerk. The last five I was good. You're saying that you can't just astound upon the last five.
Speaker 2:You can but your legacy to some people everybody's not going to see the last five years. Some people might only know that first 40.
Speaker 1:And to them your legacy was he's a jerk and so you know the light down to make sure that only those who knew me the last five years of my life.
Speaker 2:There's people in high school you haven't seen since high school. They know you as a high school student, they remember you back then. They don't know what you've done in the last 25 years. They know what they knew about you then or how they felt about you then. They don't know the changes in the growth you've made. So everybody's not going to know, they're not supposed to know and it really doesn't matter. You supposed to do you so if that last five years you get it right. So that goes.
Speaker 2:That speaks into a deeper question about God's forgiveness for somebody right, let's just say you've led a crime of just I mean a life.
Speaker 1:Crime and life.
Speaker 2:Crime and sin. And on your deathbed, on your deathbed, you gave yourself to Jesus. Well, think about the things on the cross Exactly. So my thing is, at that point in time, are we mad that? Hey, you know what I did, what I was supposed to do my entire life, how he getting to heaven? Because I've sometimes painted this scenario for people. I said what happens if you get into heaven?
Speaker 1:And you see that person.
Speaker 2:I'm not going to say who, but I'm going to say a historical world figure that has caused mayhem in the world. In the world Maybe started a world war. We don't know what happens if you get to heaven and he is sitting right there and Jesus says in his final hour he came to Jesus. Now there's certain things that the Bible says about human beings. Is that there's things that we can't even possibly fathom as human beings or know certain things and know all the true ways of God this that the third. But you would kind of be sitting there kind of thinking like how is this fair? All the death and destruction that maybe this person has caused and they made it into heaven.
Speaker 1:How? But I made it, I'm good. Do you understand if I make it, I'm good? I'm like all right, let me pass.
Speaker 2:But here on earth, right now, you would have, you, don't? It would be so many people that follow that book that knows about the salvation of God, and even in that final hour. But if you were to say certain things like that, they would be like oh no, that's wrong.
Speaker 1:And we all join.
Speaker 2:I've asked this question to countless certain people and I've almost been beheaded.
Speaker 1:No, of course you want to believe that someone has gotten so egregious with evil that there is no hope of redemption. The only entity that I know of that there is no hope for redemption is Satan and the angels, that, the one third that left with him, everyone else. There is an opportunity, even at the last minute, last breath, to say that they can make it. So, yeah, I'm going to be, I will be surprised, but again, if I make it, I'm not going to say anything. Think anything that all of a sudden you might as well get up, take your folding chair it's not even a real chair, we would test in you and you can stand on the outskirts.
Speaker 2:There's a book called I hated heaven that you should read, man. Y'all should read it. It's good. It's a good concept about just being in it. You take everything with a grain of salt. But it gives you thought provoking questions about what is heaven like? What would it be like? Would you like it? Would you enjoy it? It's not for everybody, it's not, and I think that right there.
Speaker 1:I think that's one of God's last acts of mercy, that if he knows that I would hate it there, that he would not allow me to go there and allow me to cease to exist. I believe that's his last labor of love. That's what's up, but I hope that I'll be there. I want to know what it's like. Well, if the man took care of having a good legacy.
Speaker 2:while he was here, we wouldn't be having this conversation. He shouldn't have started no wars. He shouldn't have done stuff.
Speaker 1:He shouldn't have done stuff I thought you were talking about Adam, like he was going to go over and slap Adam.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I mean well. Yeah, I can go back to that too. God, like I said, give me a time machine. I know where I'm going tomorrow to right now Turn down. I know where.
Speaker 1:I'm going.
Speaker 2:He slapped that apple out of Adam's hand and then he just ceased to exist.
Speaker 1:Like I'll come back to the future, you do one thing and then you can start fading. Looper, yeah, looper had a scene like that, where then it was like the only way to stop it is if he shot himself, and then it just yeah, you have to see it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, so okay, all right. Well, this was, this was a good discussion, but to the kind of ended I got to go back to a question that we had before I had recorded. All right, if I do something that where my option is going to jail, please tell me how I can protect myself in jail. What is the quickest way to get to solitary? Don't go, I don't want to go, I don't. But if something, happened.
Speaker 2:Okay, choose an option that will take you there.
Speaker 1:Assault one of your kids, then you got to do something about that.
Speaker 2:Don't go to prison and if you go, just don't go. I would go federal anyway. Federal would be because jail People don't understand there's levels to this thing. Everybody just think jail, no prison, they're not the same.
Speaker 1:State versus federal? Not the same. So it's best to go federal.
Speaker 2:You're going to do all your time, but this is a little. It depends on the state and where you live and what you're going for. The best thing to do, don't go, Okay, can I just identify as something else and maybe circumstances change.
Speaker 1:Wait a minute, I'm putting my finger near the censor button.
Speaker 2:I just say nothing naughty, I'm just saying I can't Identify as a rich white man with good credit, with a good attorney, so I shouldn't be in here long. Have a. I have a, what do you have?
Speaker 1:to stay, see. What do you have to say?
Speaker 2:You want to get cancer. You want the census to come for us. Go for it. No, I'm joking, Okay, but on this topic, or you just saying to close up, you can close this house, do you?
Speaker 1:Is that safe?
Speaker 2:Is that safe to do? Oh yeah, I'm just asking a question. This is called survival. You, you try to protect something, right? We're getting jail.
Speaker 1:You're trying to protect something You're everything.
Speaker 2:So, by any means necessary, it is off. Okay, I'll say this. And I found myself saying this to you know, outside of what we're just talking about right now. I say this to say I found myself talking to a man earlier today at a pool and spa show. He told me that he had 30 years in the game for his marriage. You know, you know just definitely congratulating him. You know he's very proud of it. He's a high school sweetheart very proud of it. But I found myself compelled to tell him if you're a praying man, keep your guard up with your relationship with your marriage, because the devil is coming to and fro and just splitting.
Speaker 2:You know, and the reason why I'm saying this is because you know, in my business, you know I definitely I'm giving a lot of couples in and from what I'm seeing right now is just the devil is just splitting so many relationships and splitting so many marriages right now at an unprecedented rate. You know that it's, you know, you gotta be very a marriage can have a good foundation of financials, be blessed with children, be blessed with things such as a house, car, food on the table, x, y and Z, but if we don't have a foundation in, you know, speaking to the most high or whoever it is that you feel like is your creator, you know we stand to fall as a unit, as a husband and a wife, and it's so much demonic things going on where, you know, emotions are run high, people are able to not not manage their emotions, act on anger, and I'm telling especially I'm speaking to men that you know I always ask men would you ever hurt your wife, would you ever put your hands on her, would you ever seriously injure her? And the answer is always no, no, I definitely wouldn't. But I'm here to say to let you know if you do not manage your anger, you will then do things that you never thought that you would do and you will become a person that you never thought that you would become.
Speaker 2:So you talking about that you wouldn't hurt your wife yeah, you would if you let your anger and you let your emotions get the best of you. So I say all that to say you know, just stay pray, though, you know and that doesn't always mean, you know, you gotta go to church every Sunday or you gotta do this, gotta be involved. No, just have a relationship, especially in your marriage with God, with whoever it is that you call a higher power, because you know, we just talked about things are getting, you know, worse or anything like that. But I'm just seeing there's so much division that's in our country is spilling out into our marriages and we're just so divided to that we're just. We enter in a union with good intentions and we split up and wind up hating a person. Sometimes we wind up hating ourselves and it's not worth that energy, you know.
Speaker 2:So just stay prayed up for those who are in relationships and marriages.
Speaker 1:All right, man, I see, see, I knew you could wrap it up, boy, what you gonna say something dirty, no, no you good, you good.
Speaker 1:Well, fellas, it has been real. It is late, I am hungry, Need to eat. So, as always, you know, iron table or iron sharpeners iron. So should men sharpen men, Mm-hmm. Well, it's closing time. We are glad you stayed with us this long. The bill oh, we tore that up for truth and accountability are free. You wanna leave a tip? Sure, we take your money. But what's even better is if you share this with someone you know. But there's always room for more at the iron table.