Wednesday, February 22, 2012

The Whitney List

When Michael Jackson Died, I posted a list of my favorite songs by him. Like Michael, Whitney Houston defined the music of the 80s. She had a voice like no other. Hands down, she could SANG! Before Houston allowed her voice to be diminished by drugs, she reached heights that few artists will ever achieve. God blessed her with an angelic voice. My absolute favorite song is a classic that we hear over and over, The National Anthem. Houston rendered the most stunning rendition of it ever, during the 1991 Super Bowl. It sent chills through me. It made me proud to be an American. I reviewed Whitney's music catalog and was blown away at the number of songs that I had forgotten. Once I saw the song name, I instantly remembered all the words to as soon as I saw it listed. So here they are, in no particular order. 

1.  The Star Spangled Banner
2.  Saving All My Love For You
3.  The Greatest Love of All-originally recorded by George Benson
4.  One Moment in Time
5.  Who Would Imagine a King
6.  Where Do Broken Hearts Go
7.  You Give Good Love
8.  Run to You
9.  On My Own
10. Miracle
11. I Love the Lord
12. I Believe in You and Me
13. Do You Hear What I Hear
14. Jesus Loves Me
15. I Didn't Know My Own Strength

Rest in Peace, Nippy! There will never be a voice like yours. I hope you really are singing in the heavenly choir!

A Saddened Diva,

Pam

The Dash Devotion

As a member of the Leadership team at Community Bible Study, each leader is required to give an opening devotional. This morning was my turn. After debating the topic and procrastinating by watching Whitney Houston's home going service, this is what God laid on my heart. I hope you are encouraged, motivated, and challenged by what I said. Here it is in its entirety.

I was extremely challenged by what to say for this devotion. Most of you don’t know me well nor do you know much about me. I am a Christian saved in October 1985, a wife, a mom, an aunt, a godparent, a friend, a blogger, a travel agent, a former IRS employee, a connoisseur of good food and a person who loves to travel. I am also a repressed bartender and a repressed English teacher. I am a host of other things, a list too long to mention. One thing I am is a pop culture junkie. As you know, Whitney Houston died a little over a week ago. I was saddened but not totally shocked. As the week leading to her funeral played out over every news broadcast, I got to thinking about her life and what it represented. I got to thinking about my own life and what it represents. I think we all tend to take a personal inventory at the beginning of each year. Our life really is the dash between our birth date and death date. Some call it our sunrise and sunset. We don’t know the date nor do we know the hour that God is going to bring us home. The dash is relatively small but it represents the total of our life experiences good, bad, and yes even ugly.

What does that dash really tell others? Nothing. My experience is as varied as yours. Maybe you were a rebellious child but got yourself together by the time you became a young adult. Perhaps your college years were filled with booze, boys, and parties. Maybe as an adult you’ve suffered from depression and anxiety. Perhaps you had dreams and aspirations but an illness or a husband and children came along and have made you table your goals. Proverbs 19:21 says, “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails.” Maybe now even as you sit here in leadership, you are wondering what God’s purpose for your life really is. Perhaps God has told you to do something and you have ignored the call because you don’t think you are good enough, articulate enough, or smart enough. 

Whatever your reality is, it is not a surprise to God. Aren’t you glad He sees the best in us when others see our failures and shortcomings? So what does that have to do with the dash? Well the dash really represents God’s ordered plan for your life. Jeremiah 29:11-13 says: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and go and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. And you will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.” He knew when you’d stray, and when you’d fall. He also knew that He’d always give you an opportunity to run into His loving arms and weep and pray, and poor out your heart to him. He never shuts down so we can go to Him 24/7. 

At some point, we’ve all been like the prodigal daughter or prodigal wife. Maybe we’ve been the prodigal friend or the Prodigal Christian. We didn’t trust God enough to do what He said He would do which is to work everything for good for those who love Him. We had to be independent, do it our way, on our own. We strayed away from the confines of a safe place where we received unconditional love and understanding into a sea of sinfulness and wayward living and thinking. We satisfied our fleshly desires and perhaps hurt some dear loved ones along the way. We all know that only what we do for Christ will last. We also know that life gets in the way and sometimes our motives for doing things are simply wrong. Sometimes our agenda is self-centered, not Christ focused. Matthew 12:30(NLT) says, “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.” None of wakes up thinking, “Hmm, let me see if I can oppose God today.” We don’t willingly want to harm God but that is what happens our actions aren’t pleasing and reflective of His character.   

When the fog lifts and we find our way back to what we left, don’t we want to be welcomed? Don’t we hope that we don’t have to be reminded of our guilt? Don’t we pray we don’t have to deal with an older brother or spouse or friend who is too angry to welcome us with open arms and forgive us of our transgression and moment of insanity? Every day we must purpose in our hearts to look to Christ, not the people He puts in our path. Those people will cause us to stumble because we can’t control their actions or reactions. We can only control our own thoughts, words, and actions. No matter how off track we may get, we can always find our way back to God. Psalm 46:1 says that “God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.” 

So, what if you have been doubting your ability to do something God has been nudging you to do? That task that you are ignoring may be the most important aspect that your dash is supposed to represent. If God has called you, you are equipped to do the job with His guidance. No need to be afraid or worry. I Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power and of love, and of a sound mind.”

Maybe you are at a loss as to where to begin. You might need to put your vision down on paper. In chapter 2 verse 2-3, God told Habakkuk, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it. For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; It will certainly come and will not delay.” Research has proven that putting our goals down on paper means they are more likely to come to fruition. So write it down, even if it doesn’t make sense or doesn’t look like it has a chance of occurring. With God all things are possible and not be cliche, yes we can do everything through Him who gives us strength. 

Then you might need to get an accountability partner to keep you on track. Choose that person wisely. 1 Corinthians 15:33 tells us, “Do not be misled, bad company corrupts good character.” Make sure the person shares your vision and puts their confidence in God and prays often. Your person needs to be honest, respectful, encouraging, gentle and intimate. Those are strong shoes to fill. Ask the Lord to lead you to the right person, your partner may not be your best friend. Jus saying…..something to think about. As much as we need God, we still need other people. It is through relationship, the God builds our character and teaches us to love others as much as we love ourselves. 

All that being said, one day all of us are going to die. We don’t get to be privy to what will be said at our funeral/memorial service. Whatever words are spoken will be representative of what we did with our dash. It is the only place where every single one of our worlds actually collide. It is almost funny that we don’t get to witness it. Let’s face it, we have all been to a service where things were said that revealed a whole other side of a person that we didn’t know. People let you see what they want you to see. You can know a person but not KNOW the person. Whatever the case, make sure your dash reflects who you really are. Your character is supposed to be consistent. The work Pam should be consistent with the church Pam. The neighborhood Pam should be consistent with the friend Pam and on and on. Your lasting impression on this earth is really up to you. 

What will your legacy be? Will you have done great things for Christ? Will people even know that you loved the Lord? Or will they sit at your service thinking who the heck is this person that they are talking about? Will you be known for the fruit of your labor, will God be in the details? Think about the legacy you want to leave behind. If you died today would you like what people have to say or do you want to change the perception? Your dash is totally driven by you. Your life is calling, get busy living, changing, moving, and shaking. God has laid the foundation, we just need to order our steps and carry it out. Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” I close with The Dash Poem which was written by Linda Ellis: 

I read of a man who stood to speak
At the funeral of a friend.
He referred to the date of her tombstone
From the beginning to the end.
He noted that first came the date of her birth
And spoke of the following date with tears
But he said what matters most of all
Was the dash between those years.
For that dash represents all the time
That she spent alive on earth
And now only those who loved her
Know what the little line is worth.
For it matters not how much we own,
The cars, the house, the cash
What matters most is how we live and love
And how we spend our dash.
So think about it long and hard;
Are things you’d like to change?
For you never know how much time is left
That can still be arranged.
If we can just slow down enough
To consider what’s true and real
And always try and understand
The way other people feel.
And be less quick to anger
And show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives
Like we’ve never loved before.
If we treat each other with respect
And more often wear a smile,
Remembering that this special dash
Might only last a little while.
So when your eulogy is being read,
With your life’s actions to rehash
Would you be proud of the things they say
About how you spent your dash?

Monday, February 13, 2012

Didn't We Almost Have It All??

Whitney Houston did almost have it all. Money, fame, fortune, and the voice millions coveted. It simply wasn't enough to keep her from seeking the next best thing. I think it is safe to say that we all rooted for Whitney to regain her throne. A comeback story always gives us a sense  of hope and pride. We all wanted to hear that bone chilling voice that touched our souls and could bring tears to the eyes of grown men. Unfortunately, that moment will never come. On Saturday, it was reported that Houston had died in the Beverley Hilton Hotel at the age of 48.

There true legends and there are true divas. Whitney Houston was definitely both. It is with a heavy heart that I write this blog. Few other artist define the music scene of the 80s and 90s in the way that Houston did. Whitney Houston was a gifted songstress who could touch you deep down in your soul when she was at her height. I felt immediately sad. I thought that perhaps she is finally at peace. I knew there would be no one else like her. Her voice was one of kind. Her megawatt smile could light up a room. Her feisty personality and life choices had intrigued fans and haters alike. I realized a child would be left motherless. Again, my heart ached for yet another void in the music industry. My son said, "Wow! This reminds me of when Michael Jackson died. A lot of coverage." He is ten. I had to let him know that while Whitney barely registered as a blip on his radar, she was a force to be reckoned with during my adolescent years.

Because, I grew up with Whitney Houston, I have had the opportunity to witness her highs and her lows. When Houston was up, she was up, when she was down, well, you never knew what might happen. While I really want to focus on the positive, I would be remiss not to go on and say what I truly think. We are all aware that there is a pre-drug Whitney voice and a post drug Whitney voice. Pre-drug Whitney was the business. No one could hold a candle to her range and ability to musically mesmerize a crowd.  Post-drug Whitney was able to sing but it was painful to realize that her gift was no longer as powerful as it once was.

I will never forget her heartfelt rendition of the National Anthem (http://youtu.be/Z1QmeEdFOSc). Hands down it is best performance that I have ever heard. It touched my soul. There are  various songs that I could mention but I will say that "Saving all My Love" is my favorite secular song and my favorite religious would have to be "Who Would Imagine A King." The soundtracks to The Preacher's Wife and The Bodyguard are both sensational showcases of her vocal talent. It goes without saying that I will post my Whitney Play list in a day or two.

As I watch the various news reports, I am irritated that the media has chosen to blame Bobby Brown for her downfall. We all have life choices to make and Whitney made hers. Like most humans, she too is prone to make mistakes and bad decisions. I am chuckling because I can remember the day clearly when I told my BFF Sonja that Whitney was a hood rat that Clive Davis had groomed to perfection and America and the rest of the world bought the lie. I know you can take the girl (or boy) out of the hood but you can't take the hood out of the person. A savvy person could figure it out after a while. I think the best example of this was when she did an interview with late night talk show host Arsenio Hall. Houston spoke to him from her home and I think it was one of the rare opportunities you got to see who she really was. She was smoking Newport cigarettes and had her home-girl persona in full effect. It confirmed what I already knew. I mean no disrespect, I just knew in my gut that she had been packaged well. I want Clive Davis to package me if I ever make it.

Bobby Brown was just a part of who she really was. Their relationship was on display and it didn't play out well in public. Two addictive personalities are volatile and can't help the other out of a rut. He was a choice that she made too.  In short, let's just say that Whitney was a strong woman who made her own decisions. She didn't march to the beat of anyone's drum but her own.

People can't love you out of your issues. Whitney was no exception. She had demons to slay and her family and friends desire to see her well didn't change the situation. There is no doubt in my mind that Whitney believed in God. and yes, she knew Jesus loved her. Even still, she had addiction issues and eventually they become more important to her than the gift God gave her. No amount of money or fame can protect you from the blows that life may send your way.

Whitney Houston's memory will live on in our hearts and souls. There will be no more CDs or performances. There is only one movie left to see. Sparkle comes out in August. Like many folks, it is a re-make that I am really looking forward too. I hope Houston shines on the big screen. After all, she was larger than life. God, and God alone knew Whitney's destiny. Her legacy is far reaching and will live on for decades to come. Now, she performs for an Audience of One. Her voice has taken flight and joined the angels and eternity praising Jesus, truly, The Greatest Love of All. No more paparazzi, sorrow, or pain. Whitney is healed and her voice is better than ever. RIP, Nippy! You are with the One Who Loves you Best.

Saddened Diva,
Pam







Sunday, February 5, 2012

Love, Peace, and Soul

On February 1, 2012, news reports indicated that Don Cornelius was dead from an apparently self inflicted gunshot wound. He was 75. Don Cornelius is best know for launching the now extremely famous long running music show, Soul Train. If you are an African American person, you probably spent many a Saturday morning in front of your television watching, singing and dancing to the latest musical talent in our community. Hardly a Saturday morning went by, where most of us didn't take the "hippest trip in America." White America revered Dick Clark and American Bandstand, Soul Train was the African American community's equivalent.

I have great memories of getting up on Saturday mornings and doing some serious cleaning. A break was always guaranteed once Soul Train graced the air. I could figure out the Scramble board with expediency and you could believe that my brother and I were grooving down our own Soul Train line. The fashion was eccentric and the moves were meant to imitated. Who can forget the Asian chick with the long hair or the afros, or the robot? So many memories come flooding back and they all make me smile. Cornelius hosted the show from 1971 to 1993. Thirty five years is a long time and it covers various musical eras and styles of dress. The show continued until 2006. Soul Train was a platform for seasoned and upcoming musical artist of color. It defined black pop culture for many years.

Cornelius apparently had serious health issues having suffered a stroke at some point and also had undergone brain surgery as well. He was a smooth dresser with a trademark deep voice. His vision for the show was groundbreaking because he really gave Black music a face. He also created the Soul Train Music Awards to highlight and give our artists their due. There is an extraordinary Time Life series highlighting the long running show. Not just a host but the owner of his shows, Don Cornelius leaves a legacy in the music community that will not easily be matched or surpassed. No one knows what drew this legend to end his life but a void will be felt. By all accounts, Don Cornelius was loved by many. He leaves two sons behind. There are memorials planned and even a flash mob to commemorate his life. Rest in peace!



In true DIVA love and soul,

Pam