death

Poor Michael Jackson

Michael Jackson died less than three hours ago.

Around 3:00 pm (Pacific) I first saw the breaking report as red headlines at the Drudge Report. Not wanting to bother with a post here, I quickly Tweeted and WordlMagBlogCommented the story.

For years I’ve thought of Michael Jackson as weird, sick, and so forth. Perhaps he was. The photos I’ve seen over the years certainly caused and nourished my impressions. News stories more recently did nothing to starve those impressions.

Whatever he was and whatever his influences for evil, Michael Jackson had a soul.

And that soul has now reached its eternal destiny.

The poor man.

All his wealth, fame, stature, and influence are now worthless to him.

I wonder when the last time was that anyone presented the Gospel of Jesus Christ to him.

I wonder when the last time was that he purposefully rejected that Gospel.

Jesus died for Michael Jackson.

Jesus wanted Michael Jackson in heaven.

I believe the poor man missed that destiny.

Now his family and friends and fans grieve his passing and their loss.

May God’s comfort somehow reach them.

Tuesday Morning

Andrée Seu reflects over at WorldMagBlog:

On Tuesday, at 7:30 a.m., they took Marie away. I stood in my doorway peeking, like Gladys Kravitz in Bewitched. I can’t tell if they took her out dead or alive. When the ambulance came for my husband, they brought his remains downstairs in a black zippered bag, but Marie’s stretcher looked white, so she may still be alive. They had told her three-and-a-half years, and it’s been three-and-a-half years. I wonder how they know such things.

I prayed in the doorway but felt like an idiot.

Hold to His Hand

Danny and Liisa, Liisa and Dan,
Walking together through life hand in hand
Raising a family, doing their best
Through thick and thin and every hard test
Holding to God and trusting His way
Living and laughing and loving each day.
Till one day God called
And He said, “Come home, Dan,
I’d like you to sing in my heavenly band
I’ll care for your family — trust Me on this,
They’re special to Me and I know they will miss
You, Dan, as their father,
But I want them to trust
And have faith in Me — that is a must.”
So now picture with me a brand new Dan
Walking with Jesus hand in hand
Now do you not hold to Jesus’ hand too?
Are you seeing the picture in this life so new?
You on one side, and Dan on the other
Jesus between you still holds you together
Yes, we must let go and not wish him back
Though our hearts break and we feel such a lack
God has a grand purpose, a wonderful plan
Keep trusting and hold to His unchanging hand.

My wife Ruby wrote this yet-unfinished poem for Liisa. (I just made up the title — Ruby hasn’t titled it yet.)

For those interested in the family connection, Dan’s mother is my first cousin Janet (Shetler) Ewing.

Danny and Liisa Ewing and some of their children

Other Body Counts

I got to thinking about this when the American media was heralding the 1000th US execution since executions were reinstated in 1976.

I remembered the media’s heralding of the 1000th American soldier to die in Iraq. And the 2000th. And the gradually-ticking-upward toll.

What other body counts could the American media track?

I have five suggestions for now:

Why should the media be bothered?

Oh, I don’t know. I suppose most people don’t care to be bothered with more body counts and statistics. (I know I don’t want to be bothered.) But it might convey at least the appearance of some balance to the media’s reporting.

Maybe instead of body counts they could substitute some un(der)reported good news. Some uplifting, life-brightening, positive stuff. Ever hear of such a notion?!

Above all, love God!