PHOTO: The night Grant became famous.
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Five year-old Grant and I were sitting in the front row of a cruise-ship show when the singer spotted him and walked down to ask him his name.
The young boy leaned into the microphone and vociferously declared, “My name is Grant.”
The singer got a kick out of his diction, the 900-person crowd enjoyed the exchange and the star promised Grant that he’d sing a special song for the little guy later in the show.
Sure enough, toward the climax of the performance, he introduced the theme from “Spiderman” and dedicated it to my little companion. The only little hiccup: the singer forgot Grant’s name in the middle of the introduction.
With that, the crowd yelled, “Grant!” They hadn’t forgotten and the whole place roared.
The embarrassed singer made up for it with a rousing rendition of “Spiderman” that brought the house down. After the show, the entertainer came down for selfies and Grant was on top of the world.
In the elevators and up on deck where the Mardi Gras-themed party was going on, everyone was pointing at my little buddy saying, “Hey, there’s Grant.” After this happened several times, the five year-old declared, “I always wanted to be famous.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. The desire for recognition and fame must be a fairly universal draw because the devil himself tempted Jesus with that same thought.
During a trip to Hollywood Boulevard, I noticed that John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr’s names were engraved in front of Capitol Records. Grant, now much older, didn’t have the slightest clue of who they were.
Notoriety is a slight of hand for the validation everyone craves. Whether you’re Grant or a rock group, you learn that fleeting fame is an old song.
PORTAL TO HEAVEN: Talents were always meant to be portals to heaven to “The Giver of Gifts” because of the part of heaven they represent.
Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever…let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven…Again, the devil took [Jesus] to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to him, ‘All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.’
Daniel 12:3 NIV, Matthew 5:16 NIV, Matthew 4:8-12 ESV. Editor’s bracket.
COMMENTS:
"You Will Attend Your Own Funeral"
This writing piece touched my heart today. Thank you Bob You have given me something
to reflect on
Antoinette Renzi, Guilderland, NY
Well said, Bob. Thank you.
Rich Cretaro, Living Word Parable Book Store, Latham, NY
Could not have said it better, Bob.
Frank Wray, Delmar, NY
"Oscars, Proms & Picks"
I like behind the scenes. What we do with our life that God has given to us is between God and yourself . We must remember what talents and gifts we have come from Him and and He will determine the Award . People tell us what we want to hear God tells us what we need to know . He is the one who gives us strength in our times of weakness
Antoinette Renzi, Guilderland, NY
Ultimately Bob only one Hall of Fame really matters and that’s God‘s Hall of Fame a faith! The amazing thing is that we all can make it but sadly not all will!
Frank Wray, Delmar, NY