Farewell Whitney

Last weekend, the body of Whitney Houston was laid to rest. There's much to say about her life, but I'll try to be brief here.

I was first introduced to Whitney Houston when watching Black Entertainment Television back in 1985. The song was "You Give Good Love". Whitney came across as a very warm, likable individual. Soon thereafter, she released "Saving All My Love for You"(her first #1). The way she hit some notes toward the end of that song really moved me. Though I didn't understand the full meaning of the tune at the time, it was nonetheless a vocal triumph.

Whitney released a few other hits off of her debut album, and saw her second recording have five tops ten hits (four of which went to #1) not long thereafter. In the interim, I saw her with my family at the Kentucky State Fair in Louisville. The concert was simply unforgettable. Unlike some of the other shows I saw with my parents around that time, both Mom and Dad really enjoyed Whitney's performance.

Whitney continued to record some great singles(including "One Moment in Time" and "The Star Spangled Banner") through the late 80s and early 90s. In addition, she released her third album while I was a community college student. "All the Man that I Need" and "Miracle" were my favorite cuts from that one.

In 1992, Whitney starred in her first motion picture, The Bodyguard, with Kevin Costner. The film was o.k. though not exceptional. Whitney's songs on the soundtrack, however, are a different story. If she wasn't already, her rendition of Dolly Parton's "I Will Always Love You"(which spent 3 months at #1) made her into a superstar.

During my Texas and Thailand years, I really didn't keep up with pop music as much. Whitney did continue to record, though, and cranked out such memorable numbers as "Step by Step" and "Count on Me". Regrettably, it was also during this period that she began to engage in frequent substance abuse(even while filming The Preacher's Wife, a movie full of great black gospel songs).

Shortly after buying her greatest hits in 2000, Whitney was rumored to have an addiction. She released a new album in 2002 and also a Christmas recording one year later. However, based on interviews I've seen from around then, her voice wasn't the same. She was much thinner, even sickly-looking, too. The drugs had taken their toll.

Whitney disappeared from the public eye for a while after that. Many didn't know what had become of her. In 2007, she announced her divorce from Bobby Brown, who many blame for the difficulties in her career and personal life. Plus, she released her final studio album in 2009.

Watching parts of Whitney's funeral made me think about what could have been:
1. What if she'd stuck to the music she grew up singing in the Baptist church?
2. What if she'd married a godly man whose heart's desire was to love and serve Jesus? (cf. 2 Cor. 6:14a)
3. What if she'd stayed away from the excesses of the Hollywood scene?
4. What if she and her former husband had set better examples for their daughter?
5. What if she had kept positive influences in her life even after she'd hit the big time?

I could go on and on with these types of questions. However, I must say I was encouraged by the Gospel-centered focus of Whitney's funeral. She seems to have come back to the faith in recent years, which is a reminder of God's mercy, grace, and forgiveness for even those who do the "worse" sins. However, the primary message of the funeral for me was that we should all focus on Jesus above anyone or anything else. When we focus on Him, the real Greatest Love of All, we won't go wrong.