Last week I was in Atlanta for Passion 2010. What an amazing experience. There are lots of things to write about, but one of the most amazing parts was rubbing shoulders with people who have been mentors in my life from afar. Standing in the same room with people whose books you’ve read, ideas you’ve integrated, and thoughts you’ve plagerized. It was pretty amazing.
So there I was in the green room area when I excused myself to use the restroom. Also in the restroom – Francis Chan. Then I walked out and stood next to Matt Redman in the BBQ line. Beth Moore already had hers and was sitting at a table.
I did not speak to any of these people.
So that’s today’s question:
“Who is the most famous person you’ve almost met?”
**Don’t forget to enter the drawing to win a a copy of my Bible study. Click here for details….
Carrie Underwood…I stood next to her at the Apple Store in Green Hills Mall. I guess I figured it was cooler of me to stand there and say nothing than to engage and ask for an autograph. My 12 year old niece disagrees.
Madeline L’Engle. I was in line to meet her but stepped out of line just before it was my turn; I just couldn’t speak. I stood and watched her intstead, amazed by her grace, her kindness, and her genuineness. She was even more real than in her writings. It was refreshing to me to see someone be so who she said she was. And I still wonder if today I would have had the courage to meet her.
Steven Curtis Chapman in the Nashville airport. I literally got giddy and nervous. I had a massive crush on him in the 7th grade. It was like…almost meeting Zac Efron 15 years from now…
Little Jimmy Dickens. He was at the Red Lobster with a group of people. I was in my early 20’s and have always been pretty hard core country fan, so I thought it was pretty cool. He had on a very bedazzled and shiny jacket. Sweet.
Scott Hamilton (the figure skater) was in line at Starbucks behind me. Some guy behind him started asking him lame questions (I remember a lot being said about Brian Boitano) including the awful “So…where have you been?” SH was gracious and funny, but I decided that I’d leave him alone and just focus on my grande non-fat no-whip mocha.
Pele, in an elevator in Dallas during the World Cup in the ’90’s.
Muhammad Ali…he was on the escalator in front of me and my family at Sears Tower in Chicago. It was very tempting to approach him but no one else did.
Michael Jordan…almost have him a noogie after a game.
Lynn Swann. Boy! Do I wish I could meet him. I threw his autograph away not knowing who he was. Andy has not forgiven me.
indulge me:
Michael Chang – Memphis, TN tennis
Jimmy Connors – Memphis, TN tennis
Derek Webb and Sandra McCracken (Best Buy Cool Springs)
SC-squared (barbara’s home cooking)
Nicole Kidman (Brentwood shell station)
Leanne Rimes (Zoe’s Green Hills)
Michael Kelley (Lifeway food court)
I don’t have a good one, but my wife was with my daughter at the play area at one of the malls and sat next to Nicole Kidman and her daughter.
bah, I’ve only seen Amy Grant (who hasn’t) and Lee Greenwood about a zillion times
Bo Jackson, Dr. J (Julius Erving for you young folks) and Brett Favre
Don’t know if this counts, but I had Ryan Seacrest mention me in a tweet last year…
By the way, this question is so fun, that I’m stealing it for a blog entry myself. Great job! And congrats on your new son!
[…] you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!I saw this entry over at Michael Kelly’s blog and wanted to ask you what your experiences with famous people are as […]
So far behind in answering this but I sat behind Ben Folds in a plane and a little like Jana I decided it was cooler to just sit and not reach through the seats to touch him.