Sunday, February 19, 2012

Whitney Houston

Yesterday I listened to the gospel choir of Whitney Houston's home church practicing for her funeral.  They were singing a song that our gospel choir sings, "Grateful, grateful, grateful, grateful........."

So we have this woman who rose to stardom from a little church in New Jersey.  I can imagine the great excitement and pride that the church folks felt when she made it big time.  How painful it must be for them today to have to say goodbye.  The troubled marriage, the admitted drug use, the very short life.

I wonder sometimes what stardom does to people.  The pressure that it puts upon them.  Be careful what you wish for.

Anyway, we are left with what we are always left with, the chance to say thank you to our Father for her life.  For her kind nature and for the beautiful songs that made us feel alive.  Someone said that all music is God's music.  I don't know about that, but Whitney's voice made everyone feel happy and alive.  That is a gift from God.

We are also left with the opportunity to be grateful.  Grateful, grateful, grateful.  For her life, and for ours.  Today is God's gift to you.  What you do with it is your gift back to him.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Jeff, I appreciate your perspective on Whitney's life and death. My thoughts turned to how hard it must have been for some of her church family, where she grew up (not to mention her biological family) to watch all that she went through as an adult. It must have caused them great pain, and a sense of wanting to be able to bring her child and teen years back into the safety net, for protection from the world.