“We love because we have been loved, we forgive because we have been forgiven. None of us shines with our own light.”
– Pope Francis
I have written nearly 450 of these posts since 2016 and for at least 300 of them, a dear clergy friend encouraged me to collect them into a book. The first few hundred times, I brushed off the idea as simple kindness on his part. However, at our annual holiday lunch together more than a year ago, he reminded me that he was serious about his encouragement and doesn’t typically “blow smoke.”
As I set my 2024 goals on New Year’s Day, I decided I would make it happen by the following Christmas. Almost like magic, I happened to run into a publisher at an event. I shared my desire to write a book, and he handed me his card. “This is too easy,” I thought. The next day I forwarded one of my best posts to him and awaited all the praise and excitement that would surely come with his reply. His response was quick: “No one buys these types of books.” My heart sank a little, but I couldn’t argue with him. I think my last purchase of a daily reflection book was Chicken Soup for the Teenage Soul, circa 2000.
I was ready to scratch the goal off my list when our always-encouraging founder, Tim Flanagan, suggested that I chat with a couple he knew who had self-published several books. I spoke to the couple and shared the publisher’s feedback. They pushed back, saying: “Don’t do it for others, do it for the journey. Do it for yourself.” They connected me with an editor who would not only edit the text but also help get everything laid out and set up on Amazon. As summer approached, I knew I would need to get busy if I wanted to meet my goal. I enlisted a talented college-aged niece to help me gather and catalogue the posts and give me her best assessment of which ones needed to be excluded. I tasked my clergy friend with writing the foreword and I began asking some close friends to write a few endorsements for the back cover.
One friend challenged me that my title needed to be “catchier, to cut through the noise.” I took the title of the first post - Clean up on Aisle Mine - and gave my artistic oldest daughter the task of designing the front cover. By Halloween, I was within striking distance of making my Christmas goal. As I clicked “submit” on the Amazon site, I understood what the couple was talking about when they said to do this for myself. I was so grateful for the process of going through eight years of my life through written posts, reflecting on all the learnings and remembering all the moments that have shaped my life and leadership.
When the email from Amazon came that my book was published and available for purchase, I thought I would google the title for the thrill of the experience. What popped up was a spy novel with the same title and about four hundred other things with similar names. So much for cutting through the noise. Almost instantly, my gratitude for the journey was overwhelmed by my concern that the only person who would buy this book would be my Aunt Maria.
As I eventually found my version of Cleanup on Aisle Mine on the web, I couldn’t help but think of how often I fall into the trap as a leader of wanting to “stand out.” There is a lot of noise and stimulus out there, and any organization or parish has to have some savvy to help get people’s attention. But when does my fixation with being noticed detract from the mission at hand? When does the spotlight begin to blind me from the real purpose to which God has called me?
In a world full of “influencers” and “thought leaders,” when does the tension of getting attention cause us to fall into pride?
My wife bought the first copy and as I sat and read a few excerpts about my youngest daughter to my youngest daughter, the cuddle and smile that came from being included “in a real book” was more than enough to make the adventure worthwhile. To everyone who continues to read these posts, especially those who are kind enough to send me a reply every once a while, thank you for being on the journey and pushing me to see all the light and lessons the Lord puts in front of me every week.
As we begin 2025, may you see all the blessings the Lord has in store for you this year.
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