Jane Russell was an icon way before my time. Really. I was born in the JFK days and the years when Elvis (though I have never been a fan - sorry) and Berry Gordy's MoTown was redefining the music world. But I have seen a couple of her movies and am aware of the strong following she had, especially with World War II soldiers.
A beautiful lady on the outside, it is somewhat evident that her beauty was more than skin deep. In iconic comparison with Marilyn Monroe who was a somewhat younger peer (5 years younger) of Russell's, there is no published or known scandal connected with Jane Russell's life. That says a lot in the world of Hollywood and starlets who desire to remain in the public eye.
The Daily Mall cites, "At the height of her career, Russell started the "Hollywood Christian Group", a weekly Bible study at her home for Christians in the film industry. Asked about the apparent conflict between her faith and her image, Russell replied, 'Christians have bosoms, too, you know,'"
In 1953 when Jane played opposite of Marilyn Monroe in the infamous movie, "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes", there were exceptional differences in the two. Monroe was quoted as saying of that time:
'Jane tried to convert me (to religion) and I tried to introduce her to Freud,' Monroe said.
The Daily Mall further cites, "Although she had all but abandoned Hollywood after the 1960s for a quieter life, her daughter-in-law Etta Waterfield said Russell remained active until just a few weeks ago when her health began to fail.
Until then she was active with her church, charities that were close to her heart and as a member of a singing group that made occasional appearances around Santa Maria.
'She always said I'm going to die in the saddle, I'm not going to sit at home and become an old woman,' said Ms Waterfield. 'And that's exactly what she did, she died in the saddle.'"
And that's the part that inspires me today. Regardless of what you think of Jane Russell, she had a desire to make a difference and chose not to let her numerical age dictate what she could do.
As Christians, I think it is a great philosophy to embrace! Life gets hard, there are many demands on our time, and it is a fact, we just get weary. Our bodies grow tired, our minds get overloaded, and we just often want to succumb to the pressures of life.
God is much bigger than that! A quote that I use in my book says, "Courage does not always roar. Sometimes it is a quiet voice at the end of the day saying, 'I will try again tomorrow.'" (Mary-Anne Radmacher)
What about you? Determine to stay in the saddle! Life is too short. Too many still need to know about Jesus. LET'S DO THIS!!
