FUNNY FUNDIES

A pastor friend told me the purpose statement of his church is to "make Jesus famous." I told him that the Bible is the bestselling book in history and Jesus is a superstar, so his goal is to make the most famous person famous. It's like saying, "I have a goal to make Elvis famous."

I smiled and said, "Maybe after you make Jesus famous, you could work on making Elvis, Madonna, & Michael Jackson famous."

He laughed and said, "Richard, you help me hear how what I say sounds silly sometimes to a person outside my church. Can you help me tweak my purpose statement a bit?"

Hopefully, I can get him to get his purpose statement in line with what Jesus said His purpose was in Luke 4:18: Healing brokenhearted people, caring about the poor and oppressed that don't have a voice, setting captives free, etc..

A NEW EARTH by Richard Rossi

A New Earth came about after covid. 

For the truly spiritual who know God. 

Some stayed at home, reading Bibles and books that nurtured their souls. 

And as they were renewed, they made the earth new. 

They exercised and rested, 

And nested. 

They no longer wrestle, 

They nestle In God's peaceful, everlasting arms. 

Being still and knowing 

That He is God working all things together for their good.

They spent more time with family and friends, 

So a New Earth begins. 

 

They had time with the ones they love. 

Not working furiously in the push and the shove. 

They laughed and loved 

Made art from above 

Meals, Movies, Books and stories 

Of Great glories 

They learned new ways of seeing 

And new ways of being 

 

God taught them NEW things as they were sequestered 

And the earth was made NEW. 

Old things passed away and all things were made new 

As they meditated 

Contemplated 

 

Some were fooled by dark demonic shadows 

Of religious fear. 

False conspiracy theories 

That made people weary. 

 

But those who knew the Shepherd's voice 

Rejected this dark choice 

Of fear that tried to make them Distrust 

Distrust Doctors 

Distrust God 

And even distrust themselves 

 

Those who heard the Good Shepherd's voice 

Realized churches aren't really closed. 

They can't be, you see

For the church is you and me 

Wherever there are two or three 

 

As they thought differently 

They were healed 

Revealed 

Ready to help birth 

A New Earth 

The earth began to Heal 

And Reveal 

The Revelation Of Jesus 

And His salvation 

 

They grieved those who passed 

And healed the earth at last 

By turning from fear 

To Perfect Love 

Who is always there 

Casts out all fear 

And made the NEW EARTH 

Finally appear 

 

LOVE STORY

GO AHEAD, LAUGH AT ME for yes, I have become a pathetic old romantic sap, LOL. I am going by myself to see "Love Story" 50th Anniversary Valentine's Day week screening on the big screen this week BY MYSELF. Can you believe it? Go ahead and laugh.

My wife said the movie is TOO DEPRESSING, she refuses to torture herself with sadness, especially after our friend passed last week. And I will be crying in the darkened theater. GO AHEAD AND LAUGH. The tough guys and bullies I grew up with back east would have my hide for this.

I never cried for years. Then my late acting teacher, Milton Katselas, put me through a series of things to "make me cry at the drop of a hat." This including telling him painful things from my childhood, writing letters to people who have hurt me in life and telling them how bad they hurt me. And asking forgiveness for my sins. And healing issues with my father. Now I will be that sad guy in his fifties crying alone in "Love Story." The boys who taunted me for liking romantic songs as a kid would have a field day. Thanks, Milton.

UNQUESTIONED ANSWERS ARE WORSE THAN UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Our daughter Karis went to VBS when she was about 10. The subject was the Book of Genesis. She asked two questions that resulted in the teacher telling her to "go home." The teacher said proof of God's existence is the world existing, because everything has to have a cause, (something that made it exist.) My daughter asked "Who caused God to exist?" Later, the teacher talked about the devil tempting Adam and Eve bringing sin and evil to the world. My daughter said, "If God knows everything why would he let the devil come in to the garden who could hurt them? My Daddy keeps me away from bad people who could hurt me." I told her when she came home I was proud of her and never stop asking questions. Her ability to ask great theological questions got her into the top school in the country where she is now finishing a Master's in Theology at Princeton.

I JUST SAW CHRIST ON THE LA METRO RED LINE

My son Josh and I were riding home from the Clippers game at 10:13 p.m. Tuesday on the Red Line subway. A white, homeless man five rows in front of us was rambling to himself, disturbing the other riders. He appeared to be in his sixties, and had an unkempt salt-and-pepper beard. The train made a stop at Hollywood and Highland, and a young black man boarded with his girlfriend. They sat in the empty seat in front of the homeless vagabond, who started yelling the N word at them. "F*%king n@%ger, F*%king n@%ger, F*%king n@%ger," he yelled, chanting the racial slur over and over. The black man stood up quickly, looking down at him. My first thought was. "There is going to be a confrontation." The black man reached into his pocket and gave the man a box of raisins, then opened his wallet, removing a wad of cash. He lovingly spoke to the homeless man, giving him the money. His generosity and deep Lou Rawls voice calmed the man who was spewing hate at him seconds before. The angry man sat in silence, blanketed by a Spirit of Peace. The black man sat back down beside his date and they had a thoughtful conversation about the play they had attended that evening. My son and I discussed how we had just witnessed one of the most tangible demonstrations of the Spirit of Christlike compassion and grace we'd ever seen.

HEROES

I've had some experiences meeting heroes, some good, and some bad. I live in North Hollywood, and have been shocked to meet famous people who on TV play very kind characters but in public are really rude. Then, I've also met very powerful and famous people in the film business and became their friends and they are extra humble and nice to everyone. And, I've also known famous preachers who their whole shtick is speaking about following Jesus but they treat people like crap.  I wonder if who we are one-on-one in private moments with people is just as important if not more than the public persona? Maybe a hero is a true hero when no one is watching.    

POST-SHOOTINGS PRAYER FROM MY HEART

(I wrote this after the back-to-back shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio)

Almighty God, raise up prayers that don't stop with prayer alone, for faith without actions is dead. Touch and bring forth up prophets of justice and love that will confront the racist rhetoric that demonizes other cultures and countries. Let leaders emerge who can call out and condemn white nationalists, haters, and supremacists as domestic terrorists. Anoint those who have clean hands, not corrupted by money from lobbies, as voices to reverse this increasing violence. Unite people of peace and goodwill to keep guns out of the hands of the mentally disturbed. Let Thy LOVE overcome this HATE epidemic, for Your perfect love casts out fear. God, root out every demonic gristle of racist supremacy, white nationalist terrorism, and
the demonization of the desperate and the poor. Amen.