Cockroach Cleanup

Raoul’s Two Cents: December 13, 2024

Plan B for Bobby

I had it all planned. I was going to work on this TGIF issue early. I even recorded a song for it. The whole concept started to unravel when disaster hit. My movie-making program messed up. It was like decorating a Christmas tree with all the ornaments but failing the final step of putting up the star. Oh well, I guess my song is not to be shared today. Time for Plan B — let’s talk about Christmas a year ago.

If you’ve been subscribed to my TGIF email last year, you know that my friend Bobby passed away. He was the intellectual atheist who I met over 10 years ago. Only God knows why Lilibeth insisted I visit her brother Bobby who was in the hospital. She wanted me to share the Gospel before it was too late. She knew I was not a professional preacher so her request was very unusual. Partly curious and partly flattered, I did go. As soon as I popped my head inside the critical care, Bobby’s face turned white in horror. He said his best friend who looked exactly like me passed away years ago. When he saw me he thought his friend had come back from the dead to take him to the after-life. After a good laugh I shared what I knew about Jesus Christ. Of course he already knew most of that. Lilibeth must have lectured him for years. We parted ways and I thought that was that. Little did I know my visit made a huge impact. I think I got his email and he started receiving my TGIF jokes.

A decade passed. I got a call from Lilibeth insisting I visit Bobby who was again in the hospital. I told her I didn’t live nearby anymore. She did not give up: “Bobby reads your TGIF. He will listen to you.”

Eventually, we arranged to have a video call. Bobby was in good spirits. He looked healthy. We laughed at the dramatic entrance the first and last time we met. I guess we have this thing about hospitals. (What a great pickup line: “Hi it’s me again … do you come here often?”)

I forget what we talked about but I remember feeling he would not be receptive to the Gospel. I chickened out. Fortunately, he was open to meet every week. In between Facetimes, Lilibeth would fill me in on Bobby’s declining health. Concerned that Bobby would be too sick to understand the Gospel if I delayed any further I asked him point blank: “Do you want to receiver Christ?” Bobby was shocked at my forwardness, but he said “yes.” I didn’t expect that. I had a long prepared speech. “You what?” I asked. “Yes, I want to accept Christ in my heart,” he clarified. In the background I could hear Lilibeth in disbelief and shouting for joy. I proceeded to pray and he prayed with me. I couldn’t believe it: this true-blue certified atheist was praying to our Heavenly Father. After we prayed I could see his face smiling to the brim like he had won the lottery. And then he panicked: “What about my sins? Shouldn’t we pray to ask forgiveness for my sins?” What an omission! We laughed and then we prayed again. “Heaven is cheering right now,” I said, “welcome to the Family of God.”

Lilibeth thanked me profusely but I told her it wasn’t me to thank. I was a mere participant in God’s wonderful plan for Bobby — just as she had been a participant all these years.

Lilibeth wanted Bobby to make it to Christmas but his frail body sputtered and went silent on the 15th of December. Bobby had gone home to the Lord. The atheist was experiencing a world he refused to believe in for most of his life.

Lilibeth was devastated and she made another request: “Can you come to Bobby’s funeral? Can you give the eulogy?” I think she missed the memo again — I repeat: “Raoul is not a preacher … and Raoul lives a zillion miles away from you … and Raoul is allergic to traffic … Raoul hates long distance driving …”

“I’ll pay for your Uber driver,” she said.

The Uber driver was taking me to this faraway cemetery/chapel near Hollywood where celebrities like Judy Garland were buried. I struck a conversation with the driver. It turns out he was a single Dad from Indonesia (or Thailand). He and his wife got married here in the US, had a kid but then they split up. I think the wife fooled around. They had a small business but it went bankrupt due to Covid. Now he lives with his daughter and supports her college by Uber driving. He looked like he’d been driving all night — typical for him. I felt his pain. I asked him if he knew Christ. He said he did and that he was a Christian. But he confessed he had not gone to church in ages because of work. We were ten minutes away and I asked him if I could pray for him. He said yes to the unusual request. I put my hand on his shoulder as he maneuvered through the rain. We prayed. I swear I saw a raindrop running down his cheek. We arrived at the cemetery. We looked at each other as if we understood that we both DID NOT understand what happened.

A handful of people were in the chapel … less than twenty. Atheists don’t make a lot of friends I guess. (I imagined Bobby’s huge party in heaven. Maybe they do have beer in heaven.) The crowd loved my eulogy. Bobby’s favorite was Bob Dylan and I ended with my own version of Dylan’s song — “the answer my friend is knowing Jesus Christ … the answer is knowing Jesus Christ.”

Christmas doesn’t just mean childhood to me anymore. Because of Bobby, it also reminds me that disillusioned adults need to hear the Gospel. The child that was delivered in a manger grew up to deliver us from the pain of our grownup circumstances.

Of course, this is just me. TGIF people!

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“I once wanted to become an atheist, but I gave up – they have no holidays.” — Henny Youngman

” I am a born-again atheist, so there isn’t going to be a funeral. I will be buried in a linen wrap in a cardboard coffin in my forest with an oak tree planted on my head.” — Felix Dennis

“He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” — Revelations 21:4

JOKE OF THE WEEK

Thanks to Sandra of Michigan

Original art by Raoul Pascual.

Parting Shots

Thanks to Tom of Pasadena, CA

Thanks to Anna of Virginia

Thanks to Sue of Washington State

Thanks to Art of Sierra Madre, CA

Thanks to Drew of Anaheim, CA

Thanks to Norm of Sherman Oaks, CA

NOT A JOKE

Thanks to Fred of Long Beach, CA

I found these:

My good friend (and jokester) Terry and I came up with these.

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