Pastor Pusch

It seems that the last week or so has been the week of celebrity deaths. Ed McMahon, Billy Mays, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Steve McNair all left this world and made their way into eternity. That’s a sobering thought. Even more sobering is the fact that hundreds, if not thousands of people die every day. It kind of gives you a different perspective on just how short life is. The book of James describes our lives as a vapor; here for a moment and then vanishes away. What if the vapor of your life vanished today?

Last Saturday, the football world and others were shocked when they heard the news about the death of one of it’s good guy quarterbacks, Steve McNair. McNair was found shot to death on July 4, 2009 in a Nashville apartment. It was tragic news to those who loved the Tennessee Titans and quarterback Steve McNair. McNair’s death was the result of a murder/suicide as his girlfriend, Sehel Kazemi, shot McNair 4 times before turning the gun on herself.

Perhaps even more tragic than the actual death of Steve McNair were the circumstances surrounding his death. Steve McNair was husband and a father to 4 children, yet he was killed by his 20 year old girlfriend, Kazemi, who may have shot him out of the suspicion of yet another girlfriend. It’s possible that McNair was cheating on the girlfriend that he was cheating on his wife and children with. This is the more tragic story.

It seems that friends, coaches, and confidants have a different way of defining what “greatness” is about a person. While it is true that McNair may have been a leader on the football field and the different charity organizations he was committed to, the fact the Mr. McNair failed at the one responsibility that matters most makes me reconsider His greatness. As a husband and father myself , the responsibility that matters most in my life is the responsibility I have to my wife, Rena and daughter, Jovie Madelyn. That’s it. With that being said, there are other responsibilities I have in life that are important because it affects my family, my greatest responsibility.

Below is a portion of an article I read on Yahoo.com concerning the life and death of Steve McNair…

Publicly, McNair was a happily married man and proud father of four sons who split his time between his Mississippi farm and a home in Music City, where celebrities are cherished, not hassled.

His death, however, thrust a darker side of his private life into the spotlight.

“People have certain things that they do in life,” said McNair’s longtime friend Robert Gaddy, who called 911. “We don’t need to look on the situation at this time (but) on the fact we just lost a great member of society.”

After reading this small portion, my heart sank at the fact that one can be considered such a “great member of society” when that person is not a champion in his own family. Perhaps I’m a little old-fashioned in my thinking, but what was happening in the “darker side of his private life” truly determines the kind of man he indeed was. A man who cheats on his wife and by doing so neglects his children may have been good football player and giver to charities, but by no means does that make him a “great member of society.” It’s one thing had McNair slipped up and got caught in a sticky situation, it’s a completely different and more defining thing when family neglect becomes a lifestyle. While I am not here to judge the eternity of Mr. Steve McNair, I do think there are lessons we can learn about family and the society in which we live.

The question is floating out there concerning the legacy Steve McNair leaves behind. Will his personal life play a role in the history, or has our society simply turned to utter and complete apathy. I am sad today that McNair will never have a chance to make things right with his family. I am sad about the loss of a football giant and one who worked hard for people around the country. I am sadder still for his family who now has to piece together the tragic lifestyle their husband and father left behind.

“Some things are too sacred to joke about.” – Dr. Robert E. Woodard

“You can tell a lot about a man’s character by what makes them laugh and what makes them cry” – Dr. Robert E. Woodard

The first time I heard the above quotations was about 10 years ago when I began my college experience. While I’m sure I haven’t always lived up to the principles found in those two statements, I haven’t forgotten his impression. I do think there is a lot to be said as they are great words to live by. Dr. Woodard, though a tough professor, was a great encourager and had a heart of gold. I am thankful for the relationship I have with him.

Death would be one of those issues Dr. Woodard would have placed into the sacred category. Death is not just the termination of life here on earth, but it is a beginning of eternity in one of two destinations. Anytime we attend a funeral or learn of somebody dying (celebrity or not), it ought to be a sobering thought.

Surely if you have any sense of awareness of what’s happening in the world around you, you are then well aware of the iconic deaths that have taken place in recent days. Ed McMahon, Farrah Fawcett, Michael Jackson, and Billy Mays all have stepped out into eternity over the last 3-4 days. Where they are, I do not know, however, I do know that Christ was the only avenue into the Father’s paradise for them; I hope they made that discovery.

Making Fun of Death – It took only a few minutes after the pronouncement of death for the jokes to begin circulating concerning the deaths of Billy Mays, Ed McMahon, and especially Michael Jackson (mostly coming from friends who heard them first). In my humble opinion, I think it’s absurd. ”Some things are too sacred to joke about.”

Side Thought 1: While there is great rejoicing that takes place after the deaths of the most notorious evildoers a.k.a. Saddam Hussein or Adolf Hitler, it is still a sobering thought to know that these stood before their creator and all was revealed.

Side Thought 2: Thousands of people step out into eternity every day, notorious or not. That’s sobering or at least it should be.

What do those things have in common? They are all a part of my blog today!  

Fusion: I am PUMPED! This morning as I pulled up to the parking lot (gearing up for another exciting work day), I noticed a freight truck backing up to our loading dock. My first thought was… “could that be FUSION”? I threw my truck into park ran up to the building and guess what? It was FUSION – Hot (actually freezing) off the press! I knew that magazine was close to getting here! I was excited to see it! What only took 10 minutes to unload seemed like an eternity. I was like a fat kid in a candy shop (wait I am still like that in a candy shop)! I looked over to our distribution manager and asked if I could immediately open a box and grab a handful for my team. She allowed it and I did it! It looks great!

What in the World is Fusion? FUSION is our new devotional magazine for adults that integrates biblical truth into everyday life. Relevant articles address practical interests and needs from a biblical worldview. Personal devotions are designed to encourage believers to draw closer to God and apply the principles of His Word. The goal of this magazine is to help the reader integrate truth, faith, and life.

American Idol: American Idol returns for it’s eighth season. Has it been that longs since… whatshisface? Anyway, the judges are back, Seacrest is back, and so are the tens of thousands that auditioned. The first few episodes are among my favorites. I really enjoy the scenes from those who really think they can sing. The “Living on a Prayer Guy” and the ”No Sex Allowed - 40 Year Old Guy” left me encouraged last season. It will be real hard to beat those performances. After the first couple episodes, do not call me until the live voting begins. Sometimes Idol can be so drawn out.

Anytime I think of American Idol, I think of Ed McMahon and Star Search. Do you remember that talent show from the 80’s? I used to look forward to watching Star Search. Actually, I really only liked the comedians and soloists (even the kid soloists were amazing at times). Star Search ran for about 12 years and then finally bit the dust. They tried to redo it with host Arsenio Hall in 2002, but ultimately it flopped.

Pornography: (no links for this portion). Did anyone else catch the stir out of the porn industry? At first I thought it was a joke, but as time progressed and more and more news outlets were reporting, it started to get serious.  Reports late last week indicated that the Pornography Industry is looking to the U.S. Government for a BAIL OUT! You have got to be kidding me. The Pornography industry is struggling. Great! Obviously, I am “voting” NO on this one, however, let me play the devil’s advocate here. Why not bail out the pornography business? It is another failing American business and that seems to be the standard for government, I mean, my money. We are bailing everyone else out, why not them? Whose job is it to determine if the porn industry is worth saving? According to those guys, this is another company we cannot let fail.

Can you believe this load of garbage. PLEASE go out of business! You are destroying American lives, marriages, families, churches, AMERICA, etc. Perhaps more people would have more money if you ALL went down the tubes. The scary thing to me is that I can totally see our precious big government giving them a chunk. Why? Well… you cannot just leave them out, it’s not right. So… Heff, Flint, and others… look out… I am sure your check is in the mail! UNBELIEVEABLE!

What say you?