I'm... seriously... almost famous

We're all almost famous. Those mathematical 6 degrees of separation are not too far for any of us. It can be creepy to think of it sometimes.

I shook President Clinton's hand one time, no twice. This was when he visited my university. It was also before the Monica news broke. I started washing my hands more after that media frenzy. The "I know someone that knows someone" thing is really true. We've all been close to greatness, infamy, or something of that sort.

It was super fantastic to read Michael Hyatt's blog yesterday. His "From where I sit" blog is awfully amazing. For those of you unaware or illiterate, Michael is the CEO of the world's most successful Christian publisher Thomas Nelson. Hyatt gave great advice for first time authors (that would be me) so, obviously, I read it. Lo and behold, he listed my agent as one of three noteworthy agent bloggers to read. That's some nice street cred. Surprisingly my thought wasn't to have that feeling like, gosh, gee, I almost know him, (in a weird way).

Instead, I thought about how gracious people can be. Chip MacGregor is a talented, gracious agent who, obviously, takes a few charity cases. I'm working on some cool things, and, sometime soon we're going to see what deals we can swing. No matter what happens, I hope the same graciousness, the same goodness will be imbued into the character of my projects, because that is what matters most to me. All that other "being famous" stuff, or whatever you could try to call it, it's a means to an end that doesn't count for things beyond a short end.

Just today I was reading my Christian Spiritual Direction book assignment for grad class, and it actually said how you introduce yourself shows the self you want to live out of. This is really an attached self, a part of who you are. Mainly this is a false self. The things we have and do are not us at all. It is only the us that can be found in the identity with Christ that becomes the true self. Not a diminished self, but a fully human self, body and spirit.

I am famous, you could say, with Christ, but not almost famous. I'm awash in abounding love.