Life, death & Whitney Houston

I've not posted here for a while, but am currently sat in an airport lounge, where I've just been told the news that Whitney Houston has died. I'm trying to 'avoid' the news, given I've got some recorded sports matches I'd like to see later in the day that I don't know the results of, but it seems clear it was unexpected. At 48, she could hardly be described as old, and it must be seen as somewhat of a surprise.

The death of anyone 'before their time' is always a shock to us, but death should not be the great surprise. George Bernard Shaw called it "the Ultimate Statistic" - 100% of people die. This morning, I was musing on the verse in the Bible that says "It is appointed to people to die once and after this the judgment." They're not things we look forward to or anticipate, but for all there will be a day. Thinking about death is somewhat morbid, but reminding ourselves of someone's life needn't be so. For me, Whitney Houston holds powerful memories of the period when she came to the fore, largely through her work with 'The Bodyguard' and her incredible song "I will always love you." I was a late developer when it came to buying albums, so hers was my first. For that reason, the memory of Houston will remain strong. It appears her life was cut short and her talents seemingly somewhat wasted. The challenge for us all is to make the most of life, to number our days and to remember that one day, our appointment day will come when we will face God our Judge. Making the most of these days of life is important, but being ready for the 'afterlife' is far more important.