Waxy Whitney

Whitney Houston's wax likeness hits New York City on loan from Madame Tussaud's in London. From looking at the image above, I'd say it's a pretty incredible representation of the singer, isn't it?

What a tragic ending...

Whitney's Prayer

It's been a year since the death of Whitney Houston.

Here's the lyrics to "I Look to You" one of her last songs. Chilling.

As I lay me down
Heaven hear me now
I’m lost without a cause
After giving it my all

Winter storms have come
And darkened my sun
After all that I’ve been through
Who on earth can I turn to?

I look to you,
I look to you
After all my strength is gone
In you I can be strong
aI look to you,
I look to you
And when melodies are gone In you I hear a song
I look to you

'bout to lose my breath
There's no more fighting left
Sinking to rise no more
Searching for that open door

And every road that I've taken
Led to my regret
And I don't know if I'm go'n make it
Nothing to do but lift my head

My levees are broken
My walls are coming down on me
My rain is falling
Defeat is calling
I need you to set me free
Take me far away from the battle
I need you
Shine on me!

The Death of the Queen, the Return of the King

Based on sales alone, if Pop Music Superstar Michael Jackson is the King of Pop, love her or loathe her, Whitney Houston is definitely the Queen. May they both rest in peace, but I cannot get her out of my head. Beauty and talent rarely go hand in hand to this magnitude, yet here she was, seemingly just waiting to be discovered, waiting to be adored. Upon first listen of "Saving All My Love For You", I knew a superstar was born.

As part of my mourning process, I created a mini "Greatest Hits" CD of my own. Even then with 80 minutes to play with, I had to cut out some songs I truly enjoyed. Lest you think this was just the work of a newly anointed fan, I have listened to her since the beginning of her career. In fact, "Until You Come Back", one of the songs from 1998's "My Love is Your Love" has always been part of a ballads compilation in the car since first listen.

In some ways, Whitney was the soundtrack to my adult life, just as the Carpenters was the soundtrack to my youth. (I always thought of Whitney's "Run to You" in the same vein as I felt "I Need to Be in Love" was to Karen Carpenter.) Her voice had its ups and downs as the years went on and drugs took their toll, but whether it was "The Bodyguard", "The Preacher's Wife" or "Just Whitney" she was always interesting.

There's many angles I could take to approach Whitney Houston as an artist, an icon, a woman. But at her core, I believe her to be a follower of Jesus. Even with her faith and upbringing, she did not finish well at all. However...

I've been captivated by what is reported to be some of her last words to friends: She couldn't wait to see Jesus. Her world seemed to tire her, and her body and soul were aching for something different, something more. My bet is she never forgot Jesus alone had paid the price for her sins.

Whitney's life is the modern day parable. Success wasn't everything and in fact, may have helped keep her enslaved. All this makes her early hit "Didn't We Almost Have It All?" take on an entirely new meaning, as does her brilliant take on the gospel classic "I Go to the Rock". I'm sure there is more I will say about her over time. But for now, the Queen is gone.

Pretty catching advertisement, isn't it? Viggo Mortensen's eyes pierce the page, and his look is at once regal and challenging while being reaffirming. In The Lord of the Rings films, this hero finishes well, blessing everyone around him. The people waited, and he returned as promised, to the delight of some and the pain of others who opposed him and his kingdom.

"'I am the Alpha and Omega,' says the Lord God, 'who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.'" This quote out of the book of Revelation from the Bible promises the return of the real king, Jesus Christ. And the thought of this at once brings me terror and peace, fear and hope. I fall short in so many ways. And unfortunately, so many people I love dearly view Jesus as a fable, or at worst, a philosophy to embrace versus the God made Man for our benefit. One who requires a relationship with Him in order to see eternal life beyond this earthly one. The Return of the King indeed.

Perhaps it is the recent deaths of a dear friend and the death of Whitney Houston that is making me look a bit inward to what really matters. I know my own sin all too well. Perhaps it is watching the Middle East, and knowing that once again, Israel is being threatened. And then I add in all the tragedies, both natural disasters and those done by the hands of man. In all this I think, "Lord Jesus, we need you. I need you. Save us- and save me from myself." Do you look inward too? Do you look at the world and see we are going downhill? Then I say, don't give up, and don't give into despair. Look to Him, and have hope now and for the future.

Sorry, Whitney

Short and sweet: It's officially the end of the line for my Whitney Houston CD collection.

I've just heard her album in streaming audio on the official website- and it is a major disappointment. While "I Look to You" starts off promisingly with the upbeat "Million Dollar Bill", it is the chorus and production that carries the song. For someone like me who is a fan of her singing, this is very telling. Sadly, it is painfully clear that Whitney has burned out what was once a beautiful voice and now must rely on studio tricks and producers who can maneuver around her voice as opposed to highlighting it.

The production, arrangements, and the studio sparkle are all there, but the poor woman sounds tired and working too hard for a hit. In her own words, "It's Not Right But It's Ok". Her desperate bid to sound contemporary dillutes what made her unique. The ending result is lackluster package.

What should have been a showstopping personal ballad, "A Song for You" instead becomes a mixed genre piece of recording, with Whitney having a very hard time remembering something called melody in the midst of a disco beat. Leon Russell wrote this gorgeous song and after many, many covers, no one yet sings it like Karen Carpenter did 37 years ago!

Heavy marketing and retouched photos will make this disc a sure fire hit, but it isn't deserved. Her best recording days are behind her. Sorry, Whitney. I really am.