I love the beach! There is nothing I don’t love about the beach. I could go on and on for a series of blogs on why this is so, but this morning I love it for another reason. This is where I’m having church today. Just me, God, the view you see above, and the truth of Psalms 19: 1-6 soaking in my mind, body and soul!

Before you go getting all weird on me and judging my choice for Sunday morning worship, let me say a few things. As many of you know, most Sundays I’m in the four walls bouncing around on stage worshipping our God.

First, I believe God wants us to discover and enjoy Him in His creation. That’s not to become a substitute for being plugged in a local family of believers we call the church. It’s also not meant for consideration only on Sunday.

We live in the most beautiful part of the world in my opinion. We have amazing beaches, warm water, great seafood, and warm temperatures most of the year. I sit here with this view, hearing the waves crash, and say Thank You Lord for this creation.

The second thing I would say about my Sunday morning worship is sometimes we need to get out our books, buildings, and electronic devices to enjoy God’s creation. That needs to happen 7 days a week!

We’re here for a limited time, I believe God wants us to enjoy Him and all His creative qualities we find around us. I can honestly say, since I have become a believer there hasn’t been one time I have breathed in and smiled out at the beach…thinking about God and thanking Him!

Jesus had it right. He lived and traveled by the sea often. He got away in His Father’s creation to be with Him. To talk to Him and enjoy all the creation that has His mark.

Get out and enjoy it this week. For me, I’m closing this blog now so I can go back to enjoying this morning.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

In a salute to the NBA Playoffs, here are some great dunk ideas!

Breathe In & Smile Out,

Chris

So, what’s wrong with this picture? Can you spot the brand killer? Do you see what I see?

I’m not sure what happened between the nice professional sign hanging and the boarded up spray painted one, but I’d venture to say there was a little mis-step.

Now, I’m not the brand police. I have some grace for local restaurants trying to do it right. But, I just have to say this one couldn’t go unnoticed. We are in the south, but we’re not in hurricane season quite yet. You gotta lose the boarded up window sign!

There is a simple rule when it comes to brand management. Be consistent! Don’t step backwards or allow any compromise…subtle or large. Once the bar has been set, leave it or raise it. Don’t lower it down to a plywood board and spray paint.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

This is an amazing picture of the creative process it takes to create great art. The beauty is magnified in the details. The hand-crafted focus through every phase sets it apart. It brings the art from average to excellent.

This documentary was inspiring, because I believe we can apply the principles to our creative worlds no matter what industry we’re in. It’s a reminder to not settle for just “good.” It’s motivation to pay attention to the creative details. It’s affirmation that hand-crafting your art is what it takes to go from good to excellent.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

I had a brand experience today on my third day of SXSW that really punctuates everything a great brand should be. At the recommendation of my good friend, Chris Bell, I stopped by the Billy Reid store on my way to a showcase on top of Whole Foods (another great brand) which conveniently was a few blocks away.

The Billy Reid store is all about the experience. From the parking lot to the checkout, the brand experience never falters. As you can see in the photo above, it begins in the small parking area behind the store. The Billy Reid parking sign sets the tone for what you are about to encounter.

The store, like the other select locations, is built around the fashion designer’s love for classic southern home culture. You feel like you’ve walked into his home in Florence, Alabama. The decor and displays all extend this experience as you are greeted by their staff who treat you like a very special guest. They take care to make sure you feel important no matter what you’re there to buy. Then as you check out the special care they take to wrap the purchase and place it in their branded bag is a nice last stroke of the experience paint brush.

I’m a fan of great marketing and customer experiences. Especially when they are cohesively thought out. I’m thankful for the brands that make the experience the focus. I bought the most expensive t-shirt in my life, but it’s one of a kind and an experience I’ll never forget.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

I ran across this today at SXSW 2013. This is the epitome of bad music marketing. It represents the stupidity of throwing up a print advertisement, digital banner ad, or even a billboard without any strategy. This was just another piece of unnoticed noise in a stream of people shouting for attention.

Yes Tal B, you are on iTunes…along with 28 million other songs screaming for attention. The average indie band on iTunes that doesn’t have a team or strategy to actually message, brand, and develop a real fan relationship will end up with less than 1,000 downloads. That’s a micro fraction of the 25 billion song downloads iTunes claims.

Don’t become this statistic. Don’t think like Tal B, believing a poster on the streets of SXSW will actually move anyone. If Tal B was thinking strategically, he would have a free download link for a song. He would have a QR code for a website landing page with the free download, a video, a welcome from Tal, and a way for people to really connect with him.

This was a good reminder for me today. I took time to notice, not for the reason he intended. Remember, behind every great success in music there was a great strategy map. It doesn’t happen by osmosis or a half-cooked attempt.

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

“Left to my own devices, I made music.” – Dave Grohl from the 2013 SXSW Music Keynote

Mr. Grohl uttered these words as he approached the guitar and table pictured above. This was one of the best moments from the keynote for me because it really hit home as a kid who did the same thing! Dave mentioned before he figured out how to work a cassette tape recorder he had pillows set out as a drum set. He continued, “I played them to the music until sweat was dripping off my Rush poster on the wall.”

Dave then discovered the magic of two tape recorders. He grabbed that old acoustic guitar and recorded the rhythm guitar. Then he played that as he recorded on the other tape recorder a drum beat from the body of the acoustic guitar. Now he had the drums and guitar ready for a vocal pass on that handy extra tape recorder. There you have a picture of a kid recklessly into a passion for recording the feeling music gave him. Left to his own devices…he made music!

Dave went on describing his musical journey from a punk kid to an adult who wrote significant pages in the history of music movements. As any good communicator, he kept coming back to the theme of “left to my own devices, I made music.” This was exactly what he did to cope with the suicide of Kurt Cobain which led to the sudden end of Nirvana.

Dave found himself in a place of pain from the very thing that gave him the most passion and pleasure. The music had betrayed him. After a season where he walked away from anything with music, Dave found his way back in the studio. He banged out 14 songs by himself, playing every instrument including the “coffee pot,” that fueled the process. It was therapy and passion colliding in his world….left to his own devices, he made music…again!

Dave made some tapes to pass out to friends and family, carelessly writing “Foo Fighters” on them as the name. Some tapes eventually ended up in an A&R guy’s hand, and the call was made. They loved it. They wanted to sign it. The only problem was there was no “it.” At least not in band terms, it was all Dave, “left to his own devices.”

I love that story I got to experience today with my fellow SXSW’ers and Dave. I was that kid who grabbed a tennis racket, tied a shoe string on as a strap, queued up 12 tapes to my concert playlist, jumped on my bed….and went crazy…until the sweat dripped off my Ozzy, Iron Maiden, and Judas Priest posters. I was that kid who fashioned a microphone off a pool stick and a shabby radio shack microphone. I was the kid who had the tape recorder….although not smart enough get two cranking for multi tracks.

I love the stories of beginnings. I love the passion that resonates through the commitments to “make music,” no matter the devices. That’s why I love working in the music industry, because we all have those stories of the moment our passion became reckless abandonment for anything else.

No matter the side of the stage your vista point is, if you love music…I mean really love it…then we all have those stories. Some may be a karaoke machine and a mirror, while others are a pillow or tennis racket fashioned as an instrument. We all, left to our own devices, make music! What’s your story?

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris

I’m excited about this epic 10-hour miniseries from executive producers Roma Downey (Touched By An Angel) and Mark Burnett (The Voice, Survivor, Shark Tank, Celebrity Apprentice).  I most excited to see these stories come to life on screen with effects and context. Just like The Passion did, I’m sure Roma and Mark will draw illustrations through this mini-series that will connect me even further with these stories I’ve read so many times.

I love that we were created by a Father who loves story. He longs to write us into His eternal story. They often involve struggle, tragedy, perseverance, justice, deliverance, and redemption just like the stories that will be covered in this mini-series.

Breathe In & Smile Out,

Chris

I would like to see our President’s face when they tell him, “Mr. President, ummm….Vice President Biden…umm, well there is an interview that’s…” I can see the cringe and sigh as he realizes the stupid filter didn’t work again from Biden’s brain to his mouth. Kind of like when he dropped the “F” bomb in President Obama’s ear at the signing of his healthcare reform bill in the last term.

It’s funny and sad to know that we have Vice President who is a lot like that drunk uncle who always shows up and shows out at the family events. It’s scary to know the power and influence he has, especially when you see interviews like this. I can only imagine the conversations when the camera isn’t on!

Breathe In & Please Speak Out With Intelligence!

Chris

I’m thankful for the leadership my friend Zach Adamson brings to the worship ministry at COTES. A long time ago Zach made the decision to lead without charts and music stands, and every week since then I’ve benefitted. This pushes me to worship more at home and more during the week leading into Sunday. Those times of practicing songs have turned into great worship times… and I have to say I love that!

I’m honored to be on a worship team that takes excellence seriously. From practice to Sunday morning, Zach leads us with a spirit that exudes giving God our best. It’s made a difference in my life…and my week!

Breathe In & Smile Out,
Chris