DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
FAITH SELLS ON BROADWAY & BEYOND

photo source, Raven-Symoné in Sister Act on Broadway, © photo by Joan Marcus

Faith sells.
At least that’s what Broadway is banking on.

BROADWAY

It’s extraordinary that 5 musicals centered around faith were running on Broadway the last couple of months, with 1 more mounting in the wings:

Sister Act – produced by Whoopi Goldberg, now starring TV star Raven-Symoné, 5 Tony noms
Leap of Faith – nominated for Tony Award for Best Musical
Godspell – revamped and modernized revival of 1971 musical about Jesus’ parables
Jesus Christ Superstar – famous 70’s Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice musical thru Judas’ eyes
Book of Mormon – Won 9 Tony Awards including 2011 Best Musical, from creators of South Park
Saving Aimee – Now casting; Created by talk-show host Kathie Lee Gifford about the life of Aimee Semple McPherson, “the 1920s evangelist who fell from grace due to a scandal”.

Move over Tyler Perry and the Kendrick Brothers (Courageous, Fireproof), the industry has figured out you’re making millions creating projects for faith-based audiences and wants “in” on the action.

A recent article featured on Playbill entitled Religion, Faith and Musicals Are a Smashing Mix by Jared Eberlein “talks about how musicals use faith and religion, preachers and followers, God and the Bible to make us understand ourselves.”

When you have time, read it. It discusses faith-based Broadway shows dating back to the 60s. Who knew?

The current resurgence means Broadway producers believe:
1) Audiences want to see faith-based musicals, and
2) There’s $$ to be made.

THE DISCONNECT

Here’s the tricky part.
There’s a grave disconnect somewhere.

Tim Rice, co-creator of Jesus Christ Superstar, is quoted in the above-mentioned article as saying, “Religion seeks to answer the question, “Why are we all here?… ‘Superstar’, for all its faults and naiveté, is really trying to tell a story of how somebody such as Judas Iscariot, or even Pontius Pilate would’ve reacted to somebody saying he was God — or at least having other people claim he was God.” He continues, “I certainly would identify more with Judas than with Jesus. It’s easier and more natural to identify with a character that is flawed than a character that is perfect. I enjoy writing about these imperfect people because it seems to me that I’m quite like them.”

Do you see the disconnect, Fam?

While it’s true, from an artist’s viewpoint, that people are more likely to identify with flawed characters rather than perfect characters (which is why all of our lead characters on TV and film have major flaws), I don’t know one Christian who wants to identify with Judas Iscariot.

What some of our Broadway creators may be missing is that followers of Christ very much want to identify with Christ, not His betrayer. We understand that we will never be perfect on this side of heaven, but guess what, we know we will be made perfect when we are united with Christ on the other side. We don’t look at Jesus as simply a perfect man. He is God the Son. We’re willing to die for Him. People all over the world have. It’s major.

That’s what the Kendrick Brothers and Tyler Perry have figured out. Many in the industry consider Kendricks’ and Perry’s projects as artistically sub-par, but these filmmakers don’t care because they’re making projects that encourage people of faith to celebrate, not scrutinize, their faith. Their audiences, in return, respond by buying out box offices tickets, play tickets, DVDs, books, etc.

RIDICULING FAITH

Who wants to pay money to go to a play or movie that ridicules one’s faith for 2 hours?
Not. Going. To. Happen.

Unless you’re the new religious kid on the block i.e. Book of Mormon from the creators of the controversial cartoon South Park. The blatantly sacrilegious musical about two Mormon missionaries from Salt Lake City trying to solve problems like AIDS in Uganda is a gamble that paid off for its investors.

So, not only does FAITH sells, but RIDICULING FAITH sells too.

With many Christians oblivious to Mormonism, the creators of the Book of Mormon could sell the musical to the masses without offending Christians who don’t even know the musical exists.

That’s what’s happening in music today as well.

Not many Christians even took the time to listen to Lady Gaga’s Judas song released the week of Easter with its techno refrain “I’m in love with Judas”, even though it pulled strong comparisons to Madonna’s Like a Prayer controversy from 30 years earlier. The ladies on The View concluded both Gaga and Madonna were Catholic girls trying to “work out” their issues with their Church.

I don’t know what the Catholic Church did to Gaga, but with lyrics like the following, I’m not sure how much is actually being “worked out”.

Excerpt from Judas, as performed by Lady Gaga:
In the most Biblical sense,
I am beyond repentance
Fame hooker, prostitute wench, vomits her mind
But in the cultural sense
I just speak in future tense
Judas kiss me if offenced,
Or wear an ear condom next time
I wanna love you, but something’s pulling me away from you
Jesus is my virtue and Judas is the demon I cling to I cling to
Just a holy fool, oh baby he’s so cruel
But I’m still in love with Judas, baby
Written by Nadir Khayat, Stefani Germanotta, Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC

Clutch the pearls, if you will, but Gaga is making millions and her Judas video has over 143 million hits on YouTube. 143,000,000. If you haven’t seen it, for sure your children have. I don’t expect anything different from Gaga. I do pray for her. Obviously, there’s a lot going on.

FATHER FORGIVE

I find myself repeating Jesus’ prayer a lot:
LUKE 23:33-34
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”

Jesus utters this prayer in the midst of His crucifixion. He looks out at those harming Him and intercedes for them.

That’s my heart for a many artists. They are lashing out at God and faith and religion and I’m thinking, “Lord, forgive them. They don’t know what they’re doing.”

I haven’t met Gaga yet, but why would anyone want to sing (and have several kids singing) that you’re beyond repentance and clinging to the demonic?

I think she does not know what she’s doing.
Or maybe she does. And if that’s the case, pray all the more.

EMBRACING FAITH

Gaga might want to take a page from Whoopi’s songbook. Sister Act embraces and creates funny situations in a faith setting and has endeared audiences for 20 years.

Whoopi starred in the 1992 film, Sister Act, which cost $24 million, and made over $231 million. Needless to say, there was a Sister Act II. Then, a musical play version broke records at the Pasadena Playhouse here in the LaLa in 2006 making millions. Whoopi produced the play version in London in 2009 and brought it to Broadway in 2011, garnering 5 Tony Award nominations, where it has been running for over a year.

Television star Raven-Symoné, from NBC’s The Cosby Show and Disney’s That’s So Raven, just joined the cast a few months ago. The director is 4-time Tony Award winner, Jerry Zaks, that I had to pleasure of filming with a couple of years ago.

If it’s anything like what I saw with The Color Purple on Broadway a couple of years ago, church buses would be going in droves. Why? Because it’s a feel good musical with good music that uplifts the faith, not tears it down.

Honestly, I’m not sure that producers care one way or another as long as they make their investors money back.

But I care.
I believe that we can make quality art on stage and camera and in music that uplifts people in their faith and satisfies investors.

If I get a chance to see Sister Act soon, I’ll let you know if that belief holds up :=),
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
HAPPY FRIDAY FROM THE BEACH

© photo source

Happy Friday, Fam!
Having a wonderful time at the beach as the va-cay winds down.

Started to post pics for you, then thought twice… considering bathing suit photos on the internet might not go over so well next time your churches thought about inviting me to preach. I admit it’s a little silly, and quite the double standard, but it is what it is. No stumbling blocks from me. :=) Anyway, loving every minute.

Each beach is different.
I’ve been so fortunate to experience a wide array.

I’ve seen water as clear as crystal, sand like sugar, waves for days.
West coast, East coast, Caribbean, Pacific – I’ve always felt like, “If I can just get to the water…”
It’s impossible for me to encounter the massiveness of our oceans and not think Psalm 8:1 “Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!”

Have you ever read this song interpreted in The Message?

PSALM 8
(The Message)
1 God, brilliant Lord, yours is a household name.
2 Nursing infants gurgle choruses about you;
toddlers shout the songs
That drown out enemy talk,
and silence atheist babble.
3-4 I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?
5-8 Yet we’ve so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden’s dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps.
9 God, brilliant Lord,
your name echoes around the world.
​

Isn’t that beautiful?
Our God is brilliant and His handiwork, including the ocean, is magnificent.

When I gaze out and see the sky kiss the water, whatever I’m going through falls into perspective. The Creator of the ends of the earth, who keeps these tides rolling in and out perfectly synchronized with the moon, can handle anything I face and more.

When all goes topsy-turvy, I get to the water, because it reminds me of how big our God is.
When all goes great, I get to the water, because it reminds me of how gracious our God is.

My mother loved the beach too. Our family vacations were spent at many a beach. Wonderful memories growing up.

We are now creating similar memories for our next generation.
I hope they’ll too love the ocean.
And more than the ocean, I hope they’ll love One Who created it and the whales that sing in it.

If you can, take some time this weekend and see something majestic:
the ocean, a river, a stream, a lake,
a sunrise, a sunset, a canyon, a trail,
some handmade sky jewelry, the moon, the stars,
your loved ones, you get the picture!

Bowing to the One with the most famous household Name above every name,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Bieber, Baldwin & the Paparazzi



photo source

30 Rocky!
That was the headline of New York’s Daily News yesterday:

OK. Anyone surprised re: the report that Alec Baldwin is in another altercation with the paparazzi? Apparently, this time, the photographer tried to snap Alec and his fiancee outside New York City Hall on Tuesday after getting their marriage license, which should be a happy moment, right?

Alec and the paparazzo have history.
But Justin Bieber?

On Tuesday, as well, the paparazzi battery case against Justin Bieber (filed almost a month ago) was sent from the Malibu Sheriff’s Department to the LA D.A. to decide if there is enough evidence to file charges. The photographer claims Justin roughed him up when he tried to get pictures of Justin and his girlfriend Selena after they left a movie in Calabassas. Witnesses say the paparazzi blocked Justin’s car with a van and wouldn’t move it, ensuring a photo op.

If we had a dollar for every celebrity – paparazzi clash we’ve heard in the news in LA, we’d have a boat load of cash. E! News recently ran an article, “Celebrities vs. Paparazzi Smackdowns – the Five Greatest Hits”, which included the infamous Britney Spears angry umbrella attack, Kanye West’s camera smash, and Sean Penn allegedly dangling a photographer he found hiding in his hotel off the 9th floor balcony.

With stories like this, folks might wonder, “What’s wrong with our celebrities?”

Though some thespians might need anger management courses, more likely, I’m wondering, “What’s wrong with our paparazzi?”

On Tuesday morning, before the Alec and Justin reports were released, I shared with you in my blog, Real Prosperity, a recent incident where we witnessed a celeb on her morning jog. As she rounded the corner to enter her driveway, a photographer jumped out the bushes and started snapping. The actress was soaked in sweat, hair matted from running and obviously not photo ready for a magazine cover. But that did not stop the shutter hound.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

The actress is thrown a little off-balance, realizes what’s happening and runs for her door.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

She can’t get in her house quickly enough. She’s annoyed and exasperated.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

Look, if she had originally reacted impulsively and started swinging… I’m not saying it’s right, but I would’ve understood.

First of all, she was startled. If somebody jumps out the bushes as you enter your yard, which is usually a safe place, isn’t your instinct to protect yourself? Secondly, how can you not get angry at someone who is treating you badly? That’s one of the reasons we even have the emotion of anger – to stop people from hurting us.

Good Anger

In counseling, when we encounter people who say, “I never get angry”, red flags start going up. Sirens start ringing. There is something gravely wrong if nothing angers a person. Child molestation should anger us. Rape, murder, abuse, humans harming other humans should trigger something on the inside that says, “Stop!”

That’s how I felt about the paparazzi harassing the celebrity running. I got angry and wanted to yell out my car window, “Hey, STOP!” I really couldn’t believe my eyes.

Jesus got angry.
JOHN 2: 13-17
When locals turned His Father’s house, i.e. temple in Jerusalem, into a marketplace selling oxen and sheep, He made a whip of cords, turned over tables, and drove out all the moneychangers and the animals. He straight did a HULK smash and started flipping stuff. And He’s God.

When Paul wrote to followers of Christ on how to live together in unity, he shared how to handle our anger. The scripture assumes that we will get angry.

EPHESIANS 4:26-27
26 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.

In other words, don’t let anger turn into bitterness and rage. We are to handle what has made us angry as quickly as possible, preferably before the end of the day.

I do not advocate violence.
I’m not saying celebrities have a right to be angry and start swinging on photographers.
But I also don’t believe photographers should get away with the intrusive behavior that has become the norm here in the LaLa and around the world.

Princess Diana lost her life fleeing from paparazzi. Halle Berry reported that she was run off the road by a photographer trying to snap her picture when she was pregnant. What if she had lost her baby in that accident?

When did we stop caring for each other’s lives?
Or are we trying to just get the next “money shot” to sell to TMZ, the National Inquirer or whatever tabloid franchise that’s feeding our insatiable appetites for scandal and gossip?

Why do we even care what so-and-so’s baby is wearing or who such-and-such is dating, sleeping with, marrying or divorcing? My life is pretty full as it is. How about yours?

As candid and open-book as I am with my life as a minister and artist, I am extremely private with my personal life, and doggedly protective of my family.

I understand the desire to get a marriage license without being harassed i.e. Baldwin.
I get trying to see a film with your love before jetting off for more performances i.e. Bieber.
I understand wanting to go on vacation and not have a camera shoved in your face every few minutes. I get it. This is the time when we’re supposed to be able to rest and just be.

But we hear the stories: paparazzi in scuba gear, renting cabanas, climbing trees to snap celebs on vacation.

I’ll say this and I’m done:
We should not love and/or need money so badly that we encroach upon another’s safe space and/or put another’s life in danger.

Celebs are just people. How bout we let folks have some time with their loved ones and some sense of normalcy? Or at least be able to go for a healthy jog in the new neighborhood without worrying about having to be camera-ready?

When I heard of a gated-guarded neighborhood a few minutes from where I live with mandated, ridiculously massive square footage, house values no less than $15-20 million per property and $100,000 HOA dues, I thought, ‘Why would people pay that?’

Why?
Privacy. Peace. Freedom.
And no paparazzi are allowed.

The community was built with only 2 ways in and out, through a 24 hour guarded gate. When you pull up to the gate, a call is made to the owner you’re visiting. If that owner does not tell the guard you’re allowed, even if you’re another celebrity, you’re not getting in.

Children play outside in peace.
Dogs are walked or pushed in strollers at leisure.
Artists jog, bike, blade, whatever they want to do.

There are no reality show cameras.
No news crews.
No photographers.

What if everyone had to pay $20 million for peace?
Would that stop the madness?
Lord help us,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
SNAKES, TAKES & TEAMS



photo source – venomous coral snakes: “Red on yellow, kill a fellow. Red on black, venom lack.”

SNAKES…
I don’t like ’em. Never have.
The slither, slide, coil:
Don’t trust them.

Yet, yesterday, I found myself with snakes at the snake zoo, or the fancy name: serpentarium. Ever heard of such a thing? Not even on my radar, Fam. Not ever in my plans.

Snakes were hanging from trees and along rocks. The venomous ones were enclosed in museum-like glass showcases.

“Don’t get close to the glass”, the announcer told us before the exhibit. “It’s for the protection of the snake.”

Protection of the snake? Are you kidding?

“If they try to come at you, I lose a snake,” she continued. “They hit their heads on the glass, and that’s it.”

“Humph,” I grunted, still pondering ‘protection of the snake’.

TAKES

The last time I was this close to snakes, on purpose, was when we filmed Wire in the Blood a few years ago. By accident, Kevin and I rolled up on Cobra Commander when shopping to buy our first home, but that’s a whole other story. Ask me sometime. Straight comedy of errors!

But back to Wire, not to spoil the episode, but there were a bunch of rattlesnakes. Thank goodness, they weren’t highlighted in my scene. But I did have to shoot one of the days we had snakes on location. The handler carefully placed one of the rattlers in the car and tried to get him to act right on camera so the director could get what he needed for the scene.

Take after take, how do you think that worked out?

“I’ll be in the trailer!”

Your girl was out. But truth is, if Sir Rattle had been in my scene, I would’ve had to face him, trust his handler, and do whatever it took to get the footage. That’s what we do as actors – whatever is best for the whole team.

THE TEAM

So, that’s how I ended up at the serpentarium.
I went for the team.

My dad doesn’t ask a whole lot. Really. He’s one of the most content people I know. When one of my brothers found the serpentarium, Dad asked all 20 of us (sons & wives, daughter & husband, and the clan of grands) to go together as a family.

I’m not the type of person that struggles with saying no to stuff outside my zone. Never really had that problem. I cheer folks on in their zones as I become an expert in mine. But when we’re on a team, it’s about what’s best for everyone, not just the individual.

In his letter to the Philippians, Paul asks followers of Christ to imitate Jesus’ humility with one another. Essentially, he asks us to do what’s best for each other, not just ourselves.

PHILIPPIANS 2:3-4
3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,4 not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

I could’ve chosen not to go see ,Anaconda yesterday, but that would’ve been valuing myself above others. Besides, what did it hurt?

And there was even a snake show in which the presenter tried to flex her acting skills with a North American coral snake decoy (the South American cousin is pictured above.) She wasn’t exactly Meryl Streep, but she had her moment. If you can find a way to use drama on a snake farm, kudos!

My time is most precious, and it was well spent hanging with my family.

Now, I’m not signing up to have red or yellow rat snakes curling all through the belt loops of my khakis, but yesterday, we looked out for the interest of one another.

Yesterday, Auntie Ima took one for the team.

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
REAL PROSPERITY



photo source

One of the wonderful things about vacation is the down time to rest, relax and reflect.

This morning I woke up thinking about how blessed I am:
Surrounded by family, love, peace – it’s beautiful…
and not based on my bank account.

I am surrounded by people who genuinely care for me and who could care less about how many numbers fill out my paychecks. I am valued just because I’m me. I wish this for everybody, and especially for the artists I do life with in Hollywood.

If we could value and love one another just because of who we are – family made in the image of God – not because of how much we earn – I think we could revolutionize our world.

When I meet an actor/actress new to LA, her first question of me wouldn’t be, “Who is your agent? How can I meet him?” which actually translates into: “I care nothing about you. I just want to use you to further my own career.” Instead, she might ask “Hey, how’s it going? Your production company? The ministry? How are you?” See the difference?

Paparazzi wouldn’t jump out of bushes to snag the “money” picture of a celeb just trying to get her morning jog on. I saw this happen recently and wanted to say, “HEY! STOP THE MADNESS! That’s a fellow human being you’re harassing.” Instead, the photographer could call the actor’s manager and see what he could work out for a mutual setting. Celebs set up photo ops all the time. There are certain restaurants and stores that celebs frequent just to be photographed. There is no need to jump out of bushes or run people off the road.

And I’m not even sure when our family of God jumped on the prosperity train and started dishing out value based on wardrobes, jets and the size of people’s cribs. When someone decides what church to go to or not go to based on the kind of cars the congregants drive, we are headed down the wrong path. Fam, we’ve got to find another way.

I’ve been soaking up the proverbs recently.
One that struck me this morning had to do with the very idea of prosperity.

PROVERBS 11:25
A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.

Solomon, King David’s son, and arguably the wisest man that ever lived, recorded this proverb which basically says the one who blesses will be blessed and the one who helps will be helped.

How do we prosper?
Give.
Generously.
With no expectation of return.

This is NOT “Give God $100 and He’ll give you back $1000.” That’s playing the lottery. Let’s not do that.

This IS “Give. Give. Give.” Refresh others. Help others.
We don’t have to worry. We won’t miss out. We’ll be refreshed back. But that’s not the goal. It’ll happen because that’s what happens.

Regardless of what people believe Oprah believes, they respect her because she is so generous. And the more she gives, the more is given back.

What if we recognized the most prosperous people as those who gave the most away?
Bill Gates.
Mother Theresa.
Jesus.
He gave His life.

As we meet folks, let’s ask ourselves, “How can I help?” instead of “How can they help me?
Let’s attempt to add value instead of judging based on how much ‘value’ we think people have.
Let’s see people as family, not ladders.

I’m in a beautiful place today, surrounded by family, love and peace.

Nobody cares what brand sneakers I have on or what rental car I drive.
Nobody cares what shorts I wear and what length is appropriate for a minister.
Nobody cares if my hair is curly or straight, if I have on makeup or not.
My heart is fully known and accepted.
I truly wish this for each and every one of you.

‘Cause real prosperity boils down to what I give.
Not what I have.

Something to ponder.
Lots of love from the va-cay,
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
SUMMER, SUMMERTIME

Summer, summer, summer time!

Summer officially starts on Wednesday, but my summer starts today.
Finished final doctoral residency. Currently in the airport. Headed to va-cay! Yay!

So what are your summer plans?
Got any vacations coming?
Taking up any new projects?

Shout out to our friend Bobby training for his mini marathon. Go forth!
Congratulations to our friends getting married and celebrating anniversaries. Woo-hoo!
Kudos to all the high school graduates headed for college, college graduates headed for jobs, and Masters & Doctorate friends headed for… what are you doing next?
And shout out to all the little people headed to summer camps, swimming lessons and vacation bible schools all over the nation. What a blast!

I love summer.
Folks are out in the sun.
Walking, biking, playing.

It’s the “play” part that’s awesome.
As artists, “playing” is necessary for our creativity.
Actors have been called “players” for a long time. Why? Because we know how to enter the great world of ‘What if?’ and possiblities.

As much as summer is fun though, I’m still reminded by Solomon’s proverb that summer is also a time of reaping.

PROVERBS 10:5
He who gathers crops in summer is wise,
But he who sleeps during harvest is disgraceful.

In other words, we’ve got to know what to do and when to do it.
When it’s time to gather, let’s gather.
When it’s time to harvest, let’s harvest.

I look forward to jumping back in to work when we return, but for now, it’s time for fam, food and fun. Summer, summer, summer time!

PHOTO above: © Summertime, Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
CELEBRATING COSBY & DADS

© NBC, The Cosby Show, Carsey-Werner Productions

Is there any way to watch the opening of The Cosby Show and not feel good?

Try it!
Take 60 seconds, view the VIDEO, and see if you don’t find yourself shimmying with Bill by the end.

And if you really want a good time, watch the progression of all 7 openers from Seasons 1 – 8: Cosby Show Season Openers. They used the same song “Kiss Me”, but it evolved
from everything from big band to jazz to musical to hip hop. Fun!

Sunday is Father’s Day.

While we take time to celebrate our dads, we also take the time to celebrate America’s favorite TV dad, Cosby’s Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable. Even after more than 25 years, Huxtable still tops the polls.

When Cosby created the show, he based it on his stand-up act, which was largely about his own family life. I’ve always wondered did his daughter really try to make a shirt for his son like the episode where Denise makes a shirt for Theo with arms of different lengths. Hilarious!

The Cosby Show was a huge success. It’s reported that the show was #1 for 5 consecutive years in the Nielsen Ratings, only 1 of 3 shows to achieve that along with American Idol and All in the Family. The Cosby Show started with over 20 million viewers and averaged up to 30 million viewers per week by Season 4. For 6 seasons, it consistently posted 20+ million, and in season 7, it was still posting numbers of 15 million. It was a bonafide hit. And it continues to roll on in syndication year after year. People love The Cosby Show.

Why?

One, because it truly is a funny show.
Two, because we all can relate.

Cosby wanted to showcase the nucleus of the family, and he did so without dumbing it down. He gave moral lessons each week through laughter. He reflected what his own family looked like: husband, wife, 1 son, 4 daughters. We celebrated with them week after week.

And we mourned with them too.

Our hearts broke when Cosby’s only son, Ennis, a 27-year old graduate of Morehouse College and Masters student at Columbia University’s Teachers College, was murdered by Ukrainian immigrant Mikhail Markhasev during a mugging when his Benz got a flat tire on I-405 near Bel Air. We just could not understand how anyone could brag of “shooting a black man and it’s on the news” when he arrived for work at a nearby restaurant. According to testimony, Markhasev demanded money and then shot Ennis for moving too slow to get it. We were all devastated.

To honor Ennis’ memory, Bill & Camille Cosby founded the The Hello, Friend/Ennis William Cosby Foundation to help children with learning disabilities. Like his fictional counterpart Theo Huxtable, Ennis had also overcome dyslexia. He was working on his Masters degree to become a special education teacher. He often used the phrase, “Hello, Friend”, which became the saying of Little Bill in Cosby’s series on Nickelodeon.

Cosby’s public image took several hits in recent years, but everyone marveled at the grace he extended to the murderer of his son when he spoke against giving Markhasev the death penalty. So, when convicted and sentenced, Markhasev received life in prison.

Cosby had every right to demand a life for a life, an eye for an eye. But he didn’t. He demonstrated what Jesus commanded of his disciples in Matthew 5:38-48. Honestly, I don’t know how he turned the other cheek and extended love to his enemy. Parents who have lost children testify that it’s the most unnatural, painful event ever. I’m sure it took time, lots of time.

The Matthew passage says that when we love our enemies, we prove to be the children of our Father in heaven because God provides sun and rain for those who are good and evil. Somehow, we emulate Him.

I hadn’t really thought about it, but I just wondered, “What does that look like when God provides good things for people who hate Him, essentially His enemies?” He could easily choose to vindicate Himself this very day, and one day He will; but for now, He’s doesn’t. He extends grace.

So, today, we celebrate our heavenly Father, and thank Him for His patience.

We celebrate and lift up Cosby, who will always be America’s #1 Dad, as he continues to donate millions to charities and educational scholarships.

And we celebrate our own dads, whom we love and cherish.

Happy Father’s Day!
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
WHAT DAUGHTERS NEED



2 wks old. ©naimalett.com. all rights reserved.

To Dads, Dads-to-be, Dads-MIA & men trying to understand women, this one’s for you.

I woke up thinking about Father’s Day, which is this weekend.
I’ve made no secret about it: I’ve got an incredible dad. I also have a great father-in-law. My husband’s very close to his dad and is going to be an amazing father himself. My brothers are doing a slam up job with my 11 nieces and nephews. Nobody’s perfect. We’re all quite flawed, but when it comes to family, they’re doing something right.

Which got me to thinking: What is it? What makes them outstanding dads… especially in the eyes of their Girl Child? What did they figure out, whether consciously or subconsciously, about their children’s needs, and specifically a daughter’s needs?

There is one thing that they have all done extremely well that I think I can share with you. Here are my thoughts. I’d love to hear yours.

WHAT DAUGHTERS NEED

Dads,

More than anything, we need you.

We need your presence. You are the first man we ever know, and whether you are present or absent shapes the rest of our world.

We deeply desire to be loved, and the only way we know whether you love us or not is how present you are in our lives. We believe that you love us when you show up again and again and again. Day in, day out, you are steady. You are constant. You are real. You talk to us. You want to know what we think and why we think that way. You protect us. You get involved.

We learn from you that either men are trustworthy and dependable or flaky and unreliable. You keep your promises or… you don’t. You show up to our dance recitals and T-ball games or not. When you travel for work, you call/Skype/FaceTime us, or find other things to do.

If you’re a military dad, we need you. We understand when you have to go and protect our entire country, but when your face pops up on the video cam, we light up, ’cause you’re dad!

If you happen to lose your job in the bum economy or you’re an artist scraping rent together, we need you. When we see you sacrificing and taking odd jobs to make sure that we eat, we see how much you care. We intuitively feel that you don’t put your dreams ahead of our survival, and we get it. We learn responsibility as we see you working daily and looking for work daily. We are so grateful for your provision, a home, food to eat. We crave security and when you provide a safe place, the rest of our lives fall into place.

If you’re in vocational ministry, especially at a church, we need you. It’s difficult to follow you in serving the Lord if your time with us is non-existent. If we share you with all the other people at church, at some point, we get some time too, right? And when we see you get down on your knees and pray, then get up and live like the One you’re praying to, including loving us like He loves us, and walking in integrity, we take note. We don’t forget. We remember your God.

If for some reason, things didn’t work out with you and our mom, we still need you. Because right or wrong, we begin determining who we are and how important we are based on your involvement in our lives. We learn how other men should treat us based on how you treat us. We pick up all these cues from you.

If you’ve hurt us deeply through substance abuses and dependencies and physical abuse and other dangers, we need you to make things right. We need you to get help. Then we need you to genuinely apologize and give us time to forgive and put the pieces back together.

And if you’ve been MIA – missing in action – or not as involved as you could’ve been in years past, it’s not too late. We still need you. We might be a little angry, and rightfully so, and it could take a sincere apology and time for us to get to complete forgiveness, but don’t give up. Keep showing up. Prove yourself faithful. Because, deep down, we yearn for a relationship with you.

We want to work through our issues before you or us pass on from this place. And if we don’t work them out, we wrestle with regret. If we do work them out, we’re at peace. Things fit into place. Some of us have already lost our dads, and it’s not the easiest thing to rebound from. So, if you’re still here on this earth, you shouldn’t be lost to us. We’ve still got time.

Nothing takes the place of your presence.

Whether birthdays or everyday, graduations or our wedding day, we’re looking for you, Dad, and for the love communicated through your eyes and your actions.

And our relationship with you really does impact our other relationships, including our spiritual one. It’s easier or harder to believe that there is a God who is our heavenly Father based on our experiences with you. Our relationship to God as a heavenly Father is so crucial that Jesus tells His disciples to start with that very relationship when they pray, and He assures them that God wants to give His children good gifts in the same way that you would give us food instead of snakes and scorpions when we ask for your provision (LUKE 11).

The only way that we know you’d give us good and not bad is if that’s what actually happens when you are with us.

Girls are just different. We’re different. We just are.
We need you. We need you around, or at least connected.

We may require a little more attention, a lot more communication. We just do.
We may ask 100 questions in 10 minutes. We have a lot on our minds.
And the more creative, yet honest, your answers are, the better.

Yes, we need your love. And the best way to demonstrate your love is to show up.
That’s what daughters need.

A great big thank you to all you dads who are raising us, loving us and showing up, well after our tiny patent leather Mary Jane’s have grown into not-so-tiny patent leather Jimmy Choo’s.

Please know that you still make a huge difference in our lives.
Love you & Happy Father’s Day,
Naima

PS And thank you to my dad for being so consistent and drama-free. You worked hard, you provided for our family, and you loved our mother fiercely and faithfully, every day, especially through cancer, until she went to be with the Lord. You loved us, disciplined us and helped us avoid so many pitfalls. You showed up with integrity. You came home every day, you taught us everything from how to read to how to drive. You modeled faith in action and you still do. You support our dreams in word and deed and your 4 children and 11 grandchildren honor you. We honor the amazing father and outstanding man that you are. Thank you.

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
FILMS, PLAYS, BOTH WAYS



©Getty Images, Steve Kazee and the cast of ‘Once’ at Tony Awards, photo source

Plays that prove to be über-successful on Broadway used to get a one-way ticket to Hollywood.

Look at Rock of Ages, the rock musical starring Tom Cruise, which opens in movie theaters this weekend. I haven’t seen it, but the musical play version premiered in LaLa Land in 2005, made the bi-coastal journey to the Big Apple and opened on Broadway by 2009. Now, the film billboards seem as numerous as our palm trees.

It isn’t the first Broadway play-to-film.

The trend goes all the way back to plays like Sound of Music, Westside Story, A Raisin in the Sun, Death of a Salesman, A Chorus Line, Mamma Mia, DreamGirls, list goes on and on.

But there’s a new trend where it seems like the stories are going both ways i.e. Broadway plays are going to film, but now, films are being made into plays????

This year’s Best Musical Tony Award was given to the indie love story Once, which won 8 of its 11 Tony nominations on Sunday. Once is based on a 2006 independent film which won the 2007 Independent Spirit Award for best foreign film and the 2007 Academy Award for Best Original Song.

Seems a little backwards, but Once wasn’t the only film-to-play on Tony’s stage on Sunday. The musical Newsies, based on the 1992 film starring Christian Bale, won 2 Tony Awards including best original score.

Other Broadway plays from films that are currently running are Ghost, Sister Act and Spider Man. Don’t even ask about Spider Man! Blame The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast. They set the film-to-play bar way high back in the 90s. And to top it off, I hear that a Broadway version of The Bodyguard is coming by the end of the year. Get ready!

What’s the point?!
The industry is in ‘flux’. Nothing is really set any more.
There isn’t just one way. Things are going both ways.

But it’s not just Hollywood and Broadway.
Our entire economy is in flux.
Which means, I highly recommend that we all should shift to what my dad calls, “max flex mode”. Maximum flexibility.

For folks of faith, I think the only way to not get rattled by all the shifts and changes, (everything is always shifting and changing) is to really trust in God, not just in word, but to really trust Him.

We’re wrapping up our doctoral cohort this week. Last night and today we’ve been in Proverbs and the Psalms. My apologies for getting this blog off so late today. I didn’t finish writing this morning, as I usually do. I’ve literally been writing on my breaks between class. :=)

Either way, I am reminded of Psalm 25:1 which begins, “In you, Lord my God, I put my trust.”
He continues, “Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. 5 Guide me in your truth and teach me…”

When writing this song, the psalmist knew that trusting God required letting go of his own need to have everything figured out. Sometimes, we just have to say, we’ll trust.

Be encouraged, Fam.
Stuff will shift.
Jobs will change.
The industry will flux.
We can flex.

We can trust that God is ultimately in control.
No telling what film we’ll see on Broadway next.
Or what play we’ll see translated into a movie.
Let’s stay on top of what’s happening, for sure, but let’s also be willing to completely let go, trust God, and keep it moving!

“The sun’ll come out tomorrow,
Bet your bottom dollar that tomorrow…”
Was Annie on Broadway first or on film?
Naima

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
HERE WE GO AGAIN



©ABC News, WATCH VIDEO, photo source

“Here we go again…”

Thus begins yesterday’s note from Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts about her new diagnosis.

Robin blogs, “Here we go again. As many of you know, 5 years ago I beat breast cancer. I’ve always been a fighter, and with all of your prayers and support, a winner. Sometimes the treatment for cancer can cause other serious medical problems. Today, I want to let you know that I’ve been diagnosed with MDS or myelodysplastic syndrome. It’s a disease of the blood and bone marrow and was once known as preleukemia. My doctors tell me I’m going to beat this — and I know it’s true.”

Robin made the announcement yesterday at the end of Good Morning America (GMA) that she found out the MDS diagnosis on the very day that GMA beat The Today Show in ratings for the first time in 16 years. She also mentioned landing the biggest interview of her career with President Obama on the same day that she had a bone marrow extraction test.

“Talk about highs and lows,” she said.

Here’s the thing.
Oddly enough, Kevin and I are included in the small percentage of people who can actually say we know what Robin is going through.

The first year of our marriage, Kevin was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. We went through 6 months of chemotherapy to eradicate the cancer, and it worked, praise God! But, then we had a scare, quite like Robin’s. Kevin’s final scans showed what looked like a new mass, and we begin preparing for him to undergo a complete bone marrow transplant.

When Robin talks about having a bone marrow extraction and a drill in her back, we remember that. When she talks of the highs and lows, we are right there, Sister!

And Robin’s right – going through cancer treatment can result in a lot of other ailments. Kevin got shingles, which stems from chicken pox virus, because the chemo knocked out his immune system and it could no longer keep the virus in check. The doctors give medication for nausea, but that might cause constipation. Then, you get medication for constipation, and that may cause cramping. And on and on. Medical roller coaster.

Now in our case, Kevin was spared. After months of preparation and more tests than we care to count, our surgeons ruled the new “mass” to be benign scar tissue. Crisis averted (sigh). For a little while, anyway. :=) We were relieved and are still eternally grateful that Kevin has been cancer-free for almost ten years now.

We will be praying for Robin, and we ask that you pray too. We have the unique experience of being able to pray specifically, having walked through some of her journey; but all of us can lift up our sister and fellow follower of Christ.

Here’s truth:

The only point that caused me pause in Robin’s note that I wanted to bring out this morning is the statement that “God only gives us what we can handle…”

This is a wonderful Americanism that has been passed off as God’s word for a long time. Many Christians quote this as a way to encourage each other through our hard times. Some even said it to Kevin and me as we journeyed through cancer.

While it may sound good, I just need to take a second today to bring truth to light, no disrespect to Ms. Robin, of course. The statement that “God only gives us what we can handle” is simply not true. It’s also stated as “God will not give us more than we can bear.”

The scripture that this statement is referring to is:
1 Corinthians 10:13
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

The truth is this passage is about God not allowing us to be tempted to sin beyond what we can handle. When we are tempted to sin, meaning do things that break our relationship with God, there is always another option where we can, in the words of Spike Lee, “Do the right thing!”

That scripture has nothing to do with enduring the sometimes crappy circumstances that are a result of living in a fallen world. It’s true that God allows hardships in our lives, but He’s not up in heaven like, “Watch! I’m going to let her have cancer. I’m going to let him lose a child. They can handle it!”

I don’t have sufficient time this morning to unpack suffering and ‘why bad things happen to good people?’ or ‘how can a good God allow bad things?’ or ‘why did Job lose everything?’. Perhaps we can do that in a future blog. My point is that God is utterly benevolent, and is not throwing stuff on us to see if we can bear them.

Our lives are full of situations that we cannot handle.
The Bible is full of people with circumstances they cannot handle.
The Psalms are full of songs about events that people cannot handle.

As a matter of fact, Psalms 55:22 says: “Cast your burden on the Lord and he will sustain you…” God knows we can’t handle these hardships. So He says, “Throw them on me. I’ll carry you.”

Robin says all throughout her interview that her faith will sustain her. She is depending on God. She has not walked away from her faith. She’s leaning on God. What an incredible testimony!

I really am not trying to be hurtful in any way. I just want us all to frame our worldview in truth. And maybe, just maybe, we’ll think twice before we tell another brother or sister that they’re going to be fine in whatever circumstance they might be facing because God knows “they can handle it.”

Let’s all cast our burdens upon the Lord because He knows (and we know) that we can’t handle it, whatever ‘it’ is.

Our Prayer

We lift Robin up and stand with her for the Lord to heal her body. We pray that the bone marrow transplant will be successful. We pray that her body will not reject the marrow from her sister. We pray for her and her sister to recover quickly. We pray for Robin’s immune system to be strengthened, even during the chemo. We pray that she will not have adverse side effects. We pray for every doctor, surgeon, oncologist, medical professional, that God gives them wisdom, supernatural insight and truth at every turn. We pray that nothing will be hidden, but all things made plain. We pray that through the entire journey, the Lord will be so close to Robin and draw her close to Him. We pray that He will sustain and provide everything that she needs.

Lots of love to Robin.
Lots of love to you, Fam,
Naima

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