Another New Re:Create Blogger...

And another one bites the dust. Randy has truly become the ultimate BlogFather. Check out Chris Vacher's blog, Chris from Canada.

OK, Chris... I've pimped your blog (and added it to my blog roll). How about a little link love for Two Blonde Boys?

Re:Create's Newest Blogger

Go check out Bob Chambless' blog, What About Bob.

Another re:create blogger is born!

Re:Create Day 4 - Rick Dempsey

Rick Dempsey, Senior VP at Disney is talking about branding. Here's the top 40 global brands, according to Business Week:

1. Coca-Cola (U.S)
2. Microsoft (U.S.)
3. IBM (U.S.)
4. General Electric (U.S.)
5. Intel (U.S.)
6. Nokia (Finland)
7. Toyota (Japan)
8. Disney (U.S.)
9. McDonald's (U.S.)
10. Mercedes (Germany)
11. Citi (U.S.)
12. Marlboro (U.S.)
13. Hewlett-Packard (U.S.)
14. American Express (U.S.)
15. BMW (Germany)
16. Gillette (U.S.)
17. Louis Vuitton (France)
18. Cisco (U.S.)
19. Honda (Japan)
20. Samsung (South Korea)
21. Merril Lynch (U.S.)
22. Pepsi (U.S)
23. Nescafe (Switzerland)
24. Google (U.S.)
25. Dell (U.S.)
26. Sony (Japan)
27. Budweiser (U.S.)
28. HSBC (U.K.)
29. Oracle (U.S.)
30. Ford (U.S.)
31. Nike (U.S.)
32. UPS (U.S.)
33. JP Morgan (U.S.)
34. SAP (Germany)
35. Canon (Japan)
36. Morgan Stanley (U.S.)
37. Goldman Sachs (U.S.)
38. Pfizer (U.S.)
39. Apple (U.S.)
40. Kellogg's (U.S.)

Sorry, Los... Apple is only #39, beat out by razors, (#16), purses (#17), and beer (#27). Look on the bright side, at least Apple beat out Cornflakes!

Re:Create Day 1 - Wrap Up

What a night! Word Music Group hosted a great writers night featuring Michael Farren, (from Pocket Full of Rocks) Mike Weaver (from Big Daddy Weave), Adam Agee (from Stellar Kart), Jason Roy (from Building 429), and Mark Roach. There were some really great songs that WILL be featured in some upcoming worship services very soon.

The highlight of the night was the surprise guest: Amy Grant. I could say so much about her set, but let me say a just couple of things:

• I had a huge crush in Amy during high school. in college, we had the life-size cut-out of Amy (the one from "Unguarded" where she was wearing the leopard-print jacket on the cover...) in our window in the house I lived in with four other guys.
• "The church" has mistreated Amy Grant. Remember when she was the first Christian cross-over artist? She was labeled a sell-out and her passion for Christ questioned. She was (to the best of my remembrance) the first person to consider herself a Christian entertainer (so that she could reach a larger audience in the end), and "the church" just didn't get it.
• Amy was very brave to come sing to a group of people from an organization that has pretty much turned its back on her.
• Amy ROCKED! It was incredible to "see" the voice I've listened to for so many years. It was surreal in a way. The falsetto licks... the pronunciations... it was all there.
• The last song she sang, a song she wrote to help her memorize Ephesians 6, was like listening to the ultimate culmination of her entire career. It was brilliant.

My final thought it this: I cannot believe that THE MOMENT I stepped out of the room, JVo got his picture with Amy. Dang!

Re:Create Day 1 - Blogging Seminar

Here it is... my first live blogging post from re:create.

We are hearing from some great Nashville bloggers:

• Brittney from Nashville is Talking
• Elizabeth from BusyMom.net

Bloggers at Re:Create

• Bobby Triplett
• John Voelz
• Carlos Whittaker (he also has SpitBox)
• Heather Whittaker
• Justin Adams
• Chad Jarnagin
• Brock Gill
• Auny Gill
• Ramon Presson
• Jeremy Theissen
• Rich Kirkpatrick
• Mark Jaffrey
  

I'll post the full list later this week (and more live posting to come).

Monday Morning at Meridee's

The re:create food-fest has begun in earnest! Mark and I caught up with Jeff and Randy (with a Brock and Auny sighting) at Meridee's, Randy's "office."

After breakfast there, I'd make it my office, too!

Sunday: Church, Lunch, and the Super Bowl Ads

I had a great time attending The People's Church this morning (you can check out their service HERE).

After church I went to lunch with Randy and Chris, Mark, Kathy, Chris, and John and Tahni Voelz at one of my favorite restaurant's, Saffire.














It was great to see Mark, who ministers in a Muslim country (Egypt), able to enjoy great meat - especially pork!


























Mark shared with us that he is the ONLY full-time worship pastor in his entire country!

After lunch, Randy, Mark, JVo, and I walked downtown Franklin. We stopped at a beautiful little Episcopal church - the oldest continuous-use Episcopal church west of the Appalachians. The stained-glass windows are behind bullet-proof glass because they are priceless- they were made by Tiffany!

Then we were back at Randy's house for the Super Bowl and of course, the Super Bowl ads! My top 3 were the Bud Light Rock-Paper-Scissors ad, the Chevrolet Topless Guys ad, and then a tie for 3rd between the Doritos Spicy Check-out ad and the Bud Light Hitchhiker ad. See all the ads HERE.

Which was your favorite?

Saturday: Walk Like an Egyptian

When I arrived in TN for re:create, it was actually quite warm - brick as compared to bone-chilling. While it got bone-chilling later in the evening, at 3 p.m., it was a balmy 36 degrees.

After getting in and getting settled, I ended up at dinner in downtown Franklin with Randy and Chris, Ben and Paige, Lauren, Matt (?), Joel, Garrett (?), Kathy, and Mark.

Mark is a worship leader from Cairo, Egypt (by way of Liverpool, England). Mark had just arrived after a 40-hour flight. He is a really fantastic guy and I really look forward to getting to know him (more on Mark later).

Had a great Italian dinner in a cozy restaurant (I tried a really delicious appetizer of flash-fried artichokes - delicious). After dinner, it was back to Randy's then back to the hotel for some Z's.

It's good to be here.

It's Really Early!

It is extremely early (for me). Went to bed at 11:00 last night. Got up at 3:45 this morning. I am now at the airport in Fresno... waiting.














Yes, my watch says 5:00. That is why my picture looks a little dazed - it's because I am.

Why am up so early? I am heading to Nashville, TN for the re:create conference, hosted by Randy Elrod. I'm looking forward to a great week of learning, being challenged, personal growth, and networking.

The TBB and I live in central California. We have just come through a bad freeze (your orange prices will be going up!). Fortunately, we have had some good weather lately. In fact, the next few days it is forecast to be in the high 60's to low 70's.



















Did I mention I was going to Nashville? The Nashville forcast if for cold weather. Weather where the high and the low for the day are both below freezing and only a few degrees apart. I think the average forecast high for next week is about 30.



















So think warm thoughts for me. Leave a comment to mock my whining (and shivering).

And stay tuned for some live blogging from re:create!