Raoul’s 2 Cents
This week we have a rare contribution from one of my subscribers/friends:
“I dreamed it and couldn’t get it out of my mind, and I swear I was inspired (which is how many of my poems come to me) so I put my dream into verse.” — Lois McKinney
I Had a Dream
(With appreciation for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.)
I don’t think I will soon forget
A dream I had the other night.
I dreamed I was caring for six little boys.
Three were black and three were white.
The smallest boy kept running off,
With the biggest, happiest grin.
He thought he and I were having a race,
And he was determined to win!
I picked him up by the back of his shirt
And as he squirmed and wiggled,
He became a suitcase as I carried him,
And plopped him on the grass as he giggled!
Then a little black boy fell to the ground.
His white playmate said “You’ll be okay.
Come with me; I have some games
That I think you and I should play.”
The white boy helped his new friend
To sit under a nearby tree,
And then got a pail of water
To wash the injured knee.
The two of them talked and laughed
At riddles, and silly things that rhyme.
It seemed as though these two little boys
Had been good friends for a very long time.
The other four kids found a ball
And tossed it all around.
They’d cheer each boy who caught the ball
Before it hit the ground!
Such sportsmanship warmed my heart.
It made me feel so good
To see that love for everyone
Was something these kids understood.
Six little boys hadn’t known each others’ names –
Timmy, Ralph, Satchel, Sam, Stu, and Wade –
But later that day they knew all the names
Of the new friends they had made.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful
If assumptions didn’t get in our way,
And we’d think the way the kids did
On that really special day?
We’d judge people by the things they do
And not by the way they look.
If that could happen, all lives would matter,
And prejudice would be a closed book!
Lois McKinney
June, 2020
Thank you Lois for sharing that beautiful poem. TGIF people!
Raoul
Joke of the Week
Thanks to Chuck of Whittier, CA for sharing this joke.
Video: Chinese Social Distancing
Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C and Art of Sierra Madre, CA.
Video: Therapeutic Horse
Thanks to Mike of New York City.
Don’s Puns
Thanks to Don of Kelowna, B.C.who loves puns.
Parting Shots
Thanks to Naomi of North Hollywood, CA.
Thanks to Ernie of Manila, Philippines.
People from all over the world send him jokes and Raoul sends those jokes back with his original sketches. 
Lois
July 20, 2020 at 8:38 am
Thanks for sharing my poem. I’m proud of it and hope it may get people thinking, L
Art
July 20, 2020 at 8:38 am
Nice poem Raoul!
Tom
July 20, 2020 at 8:41 am
Thanks Raoul the story oh Horse Therapy along with the assist Of
volunteers is a real Soul warmer.
Keeping a smile on us all is mote important than ever.
stay Strong and Happy.
Tom
Rick
July 20, 2020 at 8:51 am
Thanks Bro for the TGIF! Take care during all this craziness. My best to the family.
Chuck
July 20, 2020 at 8:52 am
Thanks – Good thoughts. I heard a Pastor speak about Floyd and how he helped his ministry in Dallas, Texas where he was born, but was living in MN. So many unneeded deaths in just a few short weeks. Heart rending.
Love,
Brother Chuck
Cheryl
July 20, 2020 at 8:52 am
Thanks again for your words of wisdom! 🙂
Cheryl
Lois
July 20, 2020 at 8:54 am
I loved today’s newsletter. I’d like to add my two cents. The other night I had a dream that I couldn’t get out of my mind, and it ended up as a poem, which I’ll attach. I loved the video of the puppies. I had no idea that puppies could be trained. L
Chuck
July 20, 2020 at 8:55 am
Hi Brother Raoul,
I have a cousin that refers to all the protesters as Ghetto Rats, then she adds as an after though – both black and white. I prefer to call them fellow U.S. Citizens and loved by God. My Mom and Dad taught me not be a ‘name caller’. They looked down on people that did so and taught that it is not nice to call people names. It is demeaning to people to call them Ghetto Rats or Cockroach’s is not something that is helpful to win people to Christ. Of course my cousin is not a believer, but she would argue that point. She was raised Catholic and married in a Catholic Church, but I don’t think she has stepped into a church other than for a funeral service. Proverbs has lots to teach on this subject, and I told my cousin so. I pray for all of the protestors that are angry because of George Floyd’s murder by police officers.
Did you know that Floyd was a fellow believer and that he was active helping youth in his neighborhood and beyond? Did you hear the retired General Allen, who had been our commander over all the forces in Afghanistan say that it was wrong of the President to use military troops to clear peaceful demonstrators out of the way so he could have a photo opp in front of the Episcopal Church. Protesting is a right given to us by the Constitution. These are difficult times. A neighbor opened his home to some 60 protestors to shield them from being arrested that evening and kept them till morning and fed them. This is an American Citizen providing shelter to fellow American Citizens. Do you think that people in prisons are any worse or better than the ones Rev. John Wesley visited in jails across England? When he was banned from preaching in the pulpit, he went to jails and preached close to the windows so the people in the street could hear his message of the Gospel, and he always drew a crowd. Pray for Peace – Jesus told us in the Sermon on the Mount, ”Blessed are the Peace Makers.” I just don’t see our President as a Peace Maker. I also pray that I would be one that would open my door.
God bless you brother,
Brother Chuck
Art
July 20, 2020 at 8:55 am
Hi Raoul,
So true… we all need to pray harder than ever!
Stay safe out there!
Tom
July 20, 2020 at 8:56 am
Thanks Raoul, I enjoy the heavy stuff, God Bless you and your#. Tom
Lee
July 20, 2020 at 8:58 am
Hi Raoul,
Sounds like you are having a “pastoral” week after which you are spent. Time for a break, but often there is not enough time to do so. In those moments I always said to our staff, “welcome to the Ministry!”
A “pastoral week”is when you go home so tired you can’t move and are guilty because you didn’t get everything done that was important and you found out that you didn’t something right and are trying to find a way to apologize. Those weeks are common in pastors.
With all of the covid 19 stuff along with the riots and looters, it is sure a mess out there.
We pray God will bring wisdom and guidance to those in leadership.
Rick
July 20, 2020 at 8:58 am
Thank you brother for the TGIF. I truly hope you get get some rest this weekend. Take care!
Heather
July 20, 2020 at 8:59 am
Happy END OF MAY!
Tom
July 20, 2020 at 8:59 am
Thanks Raoul. You do the best submissions when you are totally tuckered out. During this Quarantine you lift spirits and create Joy amidst us . Thanks for all you do and Belirve. Tom Joyce