Gratitude Monday -- As Promised, God, Edition

I promised God I would thank him publicly so here it is.
This happened:
Our computer crashed or claimed to do so Saturday night. We were terrified. Mike had been looking up information on hellebore when a popup came up saying a virus had crashed the hard drive.
We couldn't get rid of it and couldn't see the pop up behind it.
What we could see was a mostly blue screen behind it.

I presumed this was a scam so unplugged the internet as I could not make the popups go away. Mike suggested shutting it off, and as we were both panicking because neither of us have a clue, I pushed the button rather than shut down in an orderly fashion.

When I put the computer back on I got the usual screen about not shutting down properly and the choice of safe mode or starting normally. I chose safe mode.  Instead of starting it went to a screen offering start normally or the highlighted choice of using startup repair.
Tried that. It went to the Lenovo screen. Nothing else appeared to be happening. We left it a few minutes. Nothing happened. Shut it down from the button again as there was no other way.
After trying a normal start and getting this choice again, I shut it down deciding to let the pros look at it on Monday.
But I thought to try again and be patient. I did. I chose start up repair again and left it. Soon I saw some life as the second green button flickered. This gave me hope.
I live in fear of my computer dying even as I have most things backed up. What I hadn't backed up yet was the novella rewrite I had completed the day before.  I had an uncorrected version as well as the scrawled notes on the hard copy. I lost a hard drive in 2012 and this novella was on it. I found half of it back then and rewrote the rest from the hard copy.  I thought I might have to do something similar this time.

About 15 minutes had gone by. I was desperate. I prayed. I actually folded my hands at my desk and asked God to fix the computer. Then I said thanks and mentioned if it got fixed I would say so on my blog.
I opened my eyes and there in front of me was a small screen saying computer start up repair was searching for the problem.
Over the course of the evening it got fixed.
God got the program rolling, and I am grateful. Thank you, God.
Science did the actual repair work, and I am grateful for that as well.

An Alien Concept

I've made mention of my thinkythoughts from time to time here. At times they take over and I have to sit and let them have their way with me.
This has been happening with more frequency lately. Mostly they are about space, infinity, and are other worlds inhabited?
I'll tackle the last one first: of course they are.

This isn't about little green men or greys who abduct and experiment on humans, or reptiods who harvest us for their meals, or any other popular belief or convention on the subject.
It is about simple fact as I see it.

It's not like I have proof, but what I do have is my own version of logic and it is based on infinity.
If you've ever stopped a moment to consider what is beyond the known solar system, you'll know where I am going with this.
Space is infinite. It cannot end and neither can it begin as both require definite points. To help my puny human mind grasp this I've had to designate a definite point. I chose Earth.
No matter which direction we leave from we can travel forever simply because it cannot end.
Even if we got to the end of our galaxy we go into another one, and so on.
Let's say the end of the galaxies is a great big wall we can't get past.
What's the other side of it?
Nothing.
That's fine, but what is nothing and for how long does it go on?

It's overwhelming, dizzying even, to consider, so we give ourselves a galaxy or so to contend with and don't think much beyond it.
It makes sleeping at night easier.

This brings us to time. Where did it begin, how does it end? Can it?
So we have infinity: there has always been and there always will be.
Now we have Earth and all its creatures including us.
In vast unending reaches of time and space how can we be alone?
How can only one world out of endless possible worlds be the only one inhabited by intelligent life, or any life for that matter?
It may be easier to believe this, and if you do then good for you. Do as you need to live your life as you see fit.

This brings up God, for those who swing that way. It is often said that God is all powerful, is in charge of everything, and creates everything. God is purportedly unlimited.
If so, then how can we say the Earth is all there is? That limits God.
Further, we see ourselves as His best creation.
That is both arrogant and frankly, I would think from God's perspective, a little insulting.

The inhabitants of Planet Whatever may not be visiting us. It doesn't mean they don't exist, it means they don't visit.
Good for them.
If they do stop by, that's great.
If they choose to keep themselves hidden, who are we to say they are wrong?

Whatever is the case I say they exist.