Brad Crisler

2006-10-18T21:11:00.000-05:00

...So one of the disadvantages of a commitment to excellence in work is that it leaves little time for existence in other areas. For example, I haven't lifted a finger in exercise for the 2 or 3 weeks I've been hitting it hard at work....and I don't eat well if I eat at all during the day. And blogging..haha..well...you get the picture.

I obviously hit a nerve with my last post....(sarcasm is harder in written form)

Last night I dreamed I was fishing (I never fish) and I was on the bank with a tree limb and a very short line (like 3 feet)...There were lots of fish and I was catching a few but I was aware that the bigger fish were further out and I couldn't reach them because of the short line. I was looking around and finally took one of my shoestrings out and tied it to the end of the line and started catching bigger fish. Now aside from a myriad of sexual inadequacy references, anybody wanna take a shot at that??

Dawn sang with the Nashville Choir at the new symphony hall Sunday night. Several guests sang with them including our local American idol star Mandisa (Which by the way, I've always thought was the perfect testimony to how our God never changes: who else would use a little black girl from Antioch to show the love of Jesus to 100 million people starting with Simon Cowell better than Billy Graham or Pat Robertson could ever do)

Anyway, the night was filled with wonderful music and Christ-loving people of many races and denominations worshiping together. The most interesting part of the night was when Dawn and I and 2 other girls were in the parking lot and one of those guys walked up to me and said "Excuse me sir, I'm down on my luck and was wondering if you could give me something to get a hotdog or something?" So I put my arm around the guy and talked to him for a few minutes and gave him some money and hugged him. As soon as he left a Symphony hall security guy came running over and said "Did that guy ask you for money?" When I told him yes he said "I apologize sir, we're trying to keep people like that away from here"....

Was God in there....or out there?

...the last shall be first....

Have a peace-filled week,
b
c

2006-10-14T09:48:00.000-05:00

After Dan Mcvay's short but powerful talk at Zoe this year, I recently bought a book he mentioned, "The New Christendom" by Phillip Jenkins. This book explains through solid research how the western world is no longer the center of Christianity and that there are now 100 million more Christians in Africa than in America....and that by 2050, if trends continue, only about 1/5th of the world's 3 billion Christians will white Americans.

Probably in my lifetime and certainly in my children's, the term "White Christian" may be a curious oxymoron, like a "Sweedish Buddist".

This is a hard sell to we post-modern American Christians. After all, aren't we the center of the universe in all respects. Doesn't everyone want to be like us? Aren't we the model of Christian society built on respect for God and his principles? Don't we perpetuate the ideals of freedom to the rest of the oppressed world?

?

Above is a 34 Star US flag (1863) I recently aqquired.

Peace-
bc

2006-10-02T23:37:00.000-05:00

το καλύτερό μου

There was a 19th century funiture maker (although I can't recall his name..and I probably couldn't spell it even if I could) who, after spending countless hours perfecting his work and satisfied that he could not make it better, would carve into the piece in some inconspicuous place the Latin phrase that translated, "My Best".

I'm not much for Latin but above is the Greek equivalent.

This is my new philosophy on my job. From now on, when I sit down to make up a song, the end result will be the product of my best effort on that particular day. I understand some days will be better than others but that doesn't change what I expect of myself.

..and here's the bottom of the iceberg: I want this to be the micro-cosum for the rest of my life. Some days will be better than others but if I could end the day knowing that It was the product of my best effort as a Husband,Dad, Christian, Person....I think my head would hurt less before bedtime (although maybe a little less green tea might help too).

I wonder if they make those little ink stamps with Greek letters? Maybe Mars Hill bookstore?? :)

Holy Father, I am so bad at multitasking. Please make yourself the thread of consistency that runs through this wild ride called "ordinary life" and rain down grace, Love and peace on your broken but willing servant.

The only show worth watching "studio 60" had one of the cast members leading a prayer in last week's episode in which she closed the prayer "In the name of your son Jesus Christ-who must have had a great sense of humor to get so many people to listen to him."

..I'd like to believe that's pretty accurate.

HE is PeaCe-

bc

2006-09-29T19:55:00.000-05:00

Sorry....again.

My life seems to be so busy that I have trouble just living it, much less writing about it.:)

Things are good with us here. The fall is a busy time. Soccer. Gymnastics.Metal Detecting. Award shows. Zoe.

...oh, yeah..writing for the majority of artists that come off the summer tour season and all seem to record in the same month.

I went to a exclusive invitation-only party this week that Kenny Chesney put on for all the writers who had written a song for him. It was quite a little get together and I got to see friends I had not seen in a while. Got some good food and of course lots of things with rum in them. (It was Kenny's party, after all). Also got presented some nice wall candy to hang at the office and got to talk to Kenny for a minute or two. We had a laugh. I reminded him that the 1st writing appointment I ever had in Nashville was with him. It was right after his 1st single came out and we sat in the room and didn't write a thing. Then we went down to Mac's cafe in his little beat up Mazda truck and he bought me a bowl of chili and then we went to a guitar store and played guitars neither one of us could afford.
....Kenny made $36 Million......Last year.

For some reason I've yet to discover, that party got me thinking about stewardship and gifts and honoring God with my work...I suddenly became honest with myself about how easy it is for me to write songs on autopilot...and how many times I start a song with someone and the goal is to see how fast I can get out of the room and onto something I like better. and how the product of that approach resembles different shades of mediocre. And how for the 1st time in my carrer I am disatisfied with my activity and it has nothing to do with money.

...in any case..I went to work the next day and wrote what I believe (and most people that have heard it believe) is the best song I've ever written....and as has been the case with any song I've written that has gone on to success, I barely remember writing it. The whole experience was....redemptive.

Big backlog of pictures coming soon....

I can feel in the deepest part of me God preparing me for Zoe....It always seems to work that way.....we look forward to seeing all of you that are coming up for it.

pieces of peace-
bc

2006-08-14T21:55:00.000-05:00

I Got two words for ya.....Fried pickles and Pig Racing.
It's funny sometimes that we had to move to the city to find the country.

Last week was the Williamson co. fair. We had a blast. Like the old co. fairs in "Charlotte's Web" Vegetable, cattle, rooster and rabbit judging. Great food, pony rides, bluegrass and rides,rides,rides!

Ironically, I started a 2 week detox, boot camp training with a trainer. Man, I feel better than I have in 2 years!! Green Tea, tons of water.

I also had one of those typical music business weeks where on monday I had nothing really going on and by Saturday I have 3 singles coming out on the radio in the next couple of months.

1st is the next single on the Canadian band, Doc Walker..they consistantly have #1 hits up there on mainstream radio and the song is an alternative rock thing I wrote with rock artist John Paul White...video adding in late sept. single out early oct.

2nd is the next single on the new country band "Heartland". Their first single, "I loved Her First" is the fastest moving single on the charts right now and probably going to be one of the biggest hits of 2006. My song is called " Play Hurt".

3rd is I got an email forward from Ronnie Dunn saying that "Hillbilly Deluxe" will be the next single on Brooks and Dunn. There also some coke promotion where HBD will be on 4 million cases of Coke starting Aug 25th...so go buy some of dat:)

Anyway, that's the way it goes in my business...Check back next week..I might all fall through:) Maybe not.....

Hope you are all well....all 3 of you.

peace-
bc

2006-08-07T12:34:00.000-05:00

Self-portrait.....

It's a little known fact outside the music business but aprox. 35% of scheduled writing appointments are either cancelled or no-shows. I took this with the built-in icam on my Macbook Pro this morning during one of the no-shows. I knew it would come in handy one day. Frustrating.

Anyway...Letting that Romans thing lie for the moment. Spent some quality time in our life group last night. We have been trying the past few meeting times to approach some authenticity within our group that I believe is essential to creating true community. I think we, in this fiercely independent culture, have a really hard time being truly honest with anyone outside of maybe our spouse. The problem with that is (in my opinion) is that we are called to community that requires that kind of honesty to really work.

I think we've done a poor job of this in our fellowship. As evidenced by the fact that, many times, when there is disagreement about worship, exergesis, doctrine, tradition, food, dress or just about anything else, instead of church people engaging in dialogue about it and agreeing to disagree, all the time knowing and affirming their longterm commitment to one another (like we do in our marriages), they (we) just split and go find another church or start our own church. Most of the time this damages individuals, churches and our witness of unity to the world.

I can tell my wife that I disagree with her and I don't like certain things and such...But at no time does she ever question my love and commitment to her. WE are in it for the long haul-Warts and all. That's how we should be in our community of faith. That's what we're called to (Eph. 4). We are seeking that kind of authenticity and honesty and love within our small group that will cultivate that kind of community. I think that's where it starts. Pray for us.:)

http://www.traceadkins.com/

"Dangerous Man" will be in stores next week.... I wrote the title cut with my boy Craig.

PeAce-
Bc

2006-07-27T12:50:00.000-05:00

Sorry about that....I'm back.

I really have too many irons...not just in the fire, but too many period. Maybe I should trade some in for brass... (It may take some you a while to get that:)

ANNNyway- I have been CONSUMED by Romans the past week or so...I sincerely believe that the more I really soak in the writings of Paul, the more I am convinced he is as brilliant and as skilled in the ways of subtle articulation as Aristotle or Shakespeare. And although his larger, intended message in any given letter could have easily been discerned by most Jews or Gentiles of the 1st century, the layers that are there, underneath, challenge the best minds of our time as well....There are no wasted words. Ever. The word of God shakes my soul to the very core. I am in complete and utter awe of it. Imagine how it will be in the presence of the One who it is about.

I am wrestling with trying to read Romans within it's Historical context, as though I were a pagan roman who has heard the Ευαγγέλιο Χριστού...(Gospel of Christ) while trying to reconstruct Paul's worldview as a lifelong Parisee, walking around as a Roman citizen and having met the risen Savior, now converted to this new theology.... Not an easy task...but I believe, for me, imperative to understanding what is really being said.
As much controversy as 1st Cor. 15 and 1st and 2nd Timothy has caused in our immediate faith (COC) over the years, Romans has brought about much more fundemental disagreements in the wider protestant world.

Here's a sample:

Romans 3:21..pretty much the scripture where I first saw the true Gospel....

NIV translates dikaiosune Theu as "Righteousness From God"...When in fact the greek is "Righteousness OF God"....as several of the literal translations correctly say. How does this change what Romans 3:21 says to you? What about 1:17? Same greek phrase....Not that the idea of Imputed Righteousness isn't supported by scripture elsewhere...but what is 3:21 about if it's not imputed righteousness?

Anyway....It was good to play at Crosspoint last Friday...It was good to play at Handy last night. It'll be good to play at the Bluebird on Aug 19th and 21th and at seaside (watercolor) the 24th. Sooner or later I'm gonna actually remember the words to my songs:)

Above is a picture of my new flag. It's a Confederate 1st national pattern that was made around 1890-1900. UCV=United Confederate Veterans. It's 60" X 39". It'll be interesting to see where Dawn lets me put it:)

Peace to those who seek it...

bc

2006-07-01T11:41:00.000-05:00

12 years....3 Presidential terms....one and 1/5 decades.....a high school education.

Isn't it funny how much in love we feel when we get married, yet we know (at least I did) so little of real love...What it means to love through things....Money problems, expectations, changing personalities, a baby, late night feedings, lack of sleep, another baby, chaos, weight gain, weight loss, weight gain, work, ....

...and yet these are the things that cultivate love...that strengthen the ties that bind us together. Without all of these things, we would just be two kids in love. Instead, I believe God teaches us through our commitment to one another so much about his commitment to us.

Thank you Father for the best 12 years of my life...she was a gift then and she is a gift every day. I am, above all men, truly blessed.

2006-06-30T16:32:00.000-05:00

Dawn said that my last post was probably confusing without the context of the original discussion (Brandon's blog)...So my apologies...It was probably confusing WITHIN the context:)

What's your favorite 4th of July memory?

One of my favorite places to visit:)
http://www.propstore.com

Why do people blog? I alluded, jokingly about narcissism vs. some deficiently of community...But seriously???

Kellie Pickler put one of my songs on hold today...I am now Audra's ultimate hero.

PEace-
b
c

2006-06-28T12:16:00.000-05:00

So I'm gonna let this response I posted on Brandon's blog be my post for today. (Along with our newest family picture) Speaking of patriotism, SUPERMAN RETURNS TODAY!!!!!!

(Whatever, I've always been a Marvel guy myself:)

Could it be that the reason Christians (especially the 45-older group) have such an emotional response to patriotism and the institution of country is b/c they find in it the sense of solidarity (especially in the face of a unifying threat) and community that they have not/do not find in the Church? Could it be that the reason they haven't found that sense is b/c in the past the Church has made the unifying threat the Baptists? Or insrtruments? And community means eleatism where at least one day a week for an hour we get it right (despite what we look like the rest of the week). Those things aren't anything to grab onto. Our sons and daugthers being beheaded is. I think people look for a sense of belonging, they want something to stand up for...and in the absence of the right things, they will fill in the wrong ones.

In the final analysis, people are responsible for their own understanding of community and what the Church is and what it's role is as it pertains to patriotism...But I do think many of us as modern, western Christians have lost a sense of narative...That we are not mere Americans on a journey through culture as we take with us our Christian faith....But we are the children of the living God-our identity is 100% wrapped up in him. We are his story. He is OUR story. Everything else is just window dressing.
This is a deeply confusing area for many people and has been for many generations.
The 1st real work on conscientious objection? The only minister reconized and respected by Governor Andrew Johnson b/c of his refusal to take either side during the Civil War? That's right....David Lipscomb.

Peace to all who seek it-
bc

2006-06-27T16:55:00.000-05:00

(This picture is for Holly...JoeDon's Pensive, just-got-out-of-bed-at-11:30 look) :)

Hellen Keller was cool...actually..hot...real hot...but only when we played..it was cloudy the rest of the time.

For those of you that have had more than one true, spiritual, accountable, authentic deep friendships-what are some common threads that were present in all of those relationships?
It's funny how moving to a new place forces you to think about friends and what makes great freindships.

I continue to have strange dreams: Night before last, D and I were investigating a haunting and were able to find out why the place was haunted and figured out a way to set the ghost free...basically, she and I were Scully and Molder. Last night, I dreamed this girl I write with sometimes was dating a guy in the Mafia (she didn't know) and she bought him a Civil War sword that was broken in 2 places. She met this guy I know who works on guitars to see if he could fix the sword. Then the guy she dates along with the rest of the cast of the Sopranos planned a way they could fake their own deaths and disapear to an island somewhere.....
Green Hills Grill...Crab Cake salad.... hmmm...

Today I didn't like being a songwriter very much....Today I wished I was a farmer.

peace-
bc

2006-06-23T17:51:00.000-05:00

This weekend I'm playing at the Helen Keller Festival in Tuscumbia Al.

Should be fun. Come out. Bring the family. Actually, I have no idea if it will be fun or not..I've never been.

Thanks for the sympathy and advice re: my crazy dream. This has been a strange week for some reason. I was in the studio all day Tuesday mixing...and I wrote Weds and today. I think out of the 80-100 songs I write every year, I only like around 6 or so...I mean, don't get me wrong, I like most of them to one degree or another while I'm working on the demo but as far as songs sticking with me through the year and beyond...6 is about it. Is 6 a magic number? Has anyone ever eaten at Caraba's? Good food.

I really wish I could find some lasting motivation to get healthy and consistently exercise. I think part of my counter-culture personality kicks in when I think about it..as long as everybody else is getting healthy and losing weight I subconsciously don't want to. But I don't feel very good. I like feeling lean...I think it has less to do with the way I look and more to do with the fact that if I'm lean, I can jump out of the way of an out of control firetruck or something. Mobility. And my back doesn't hurt as much. I dunno. I don't eat horribly. But I do NOTHING that requires my heartrate to get up there...and I'm getting older...so It's catching up fast.
Any advice?

Have a good weekend...

bc

..A couple of pics...our new piano..or weepano as Carmen says...Me and D singing at the family reunion in 110 Degree heat...

2006-06-22T13:29:00.001-05:00

On a much lighter note....I spent two hours this morning with local kids at camp Carnton. It's a weeklong camp for kids that have an interest in the Civil War...And going to camp...
They loved the relics I brought and they waved the sword around (not the CS one mind you)...But their favorite part is when I actually took them out in the yard at Carnton and did some "real" metal detecting...the staff had planted a couple of "relics" for me to find (All of which I had found in the past at Carnton)...I didn't find them. Instead, to the staff's and my own surprise, I found 3 beautiful Cs 3 ring CW bullets (you can see the kids in the front holding them up).....I was hunting under a tree I had avoided in the past b/c of so much modern trash...You can imagine the screams of joy when the bullets rolled out instead of pop-tops...They went running around yelling "we found a bullet, we found a bullet"...Oddly enough, most of these 9 year olds had more specific knowledge about the war and the associated relics than I had until a few years ago....

No dream interpreters out there?? Ok...No food past 8:00PM from now on :0

Happy Hunting-

Bc

2006-06-22T04:12:00.000-05:00

I'm writing this at 4:10AM Thursday after waking up from a horrible dream....I have them every so often...Usually, and I mean this sincerely, they are connected to pizza, or late dinner or some other physiological element...This may be no exception (burp)

But it was bad enough to get me up..And downstairs..And to Mike Cope's blog for comfort.

In my dream, I'm trying to get home. Real home..like from Florence, over O'neal bridge to Town Creek....but there are huge military boats filling the water and huge military vehicles rolling over the bridge..it's closed...So I blow up an inflatable toy (which has a strange resemblance to Carmen's pool rings) and start drifting over the river...I am in the air about powerline high and once I get over land, I start realizing that there are powerlines everywhere...So I drift back down to ground...I'll walk for a while. Then I come upon this parking lot...looks like a Dr. Office...In the parking lot someone has found a dead baby...Everybody wants to know what happened to it...Everyone is looking at me coz I'm the only one out of place..I have no car...I'm frazzled...They think I killed this baby....I try to explain that I'm just trying to get home..But I can see it in their eyes...So I run...I run until I get to a post office..I sit down and rest in the lobby...This guy comes in and and sits down...and this is blurry but somehow I end up in another lobby with this guy and he suddenly takes a pencil and starts stabbing this other guy and then runs away..I'm trying to help the stabbed guy when people see me and think that I stabbed the guy...Again..I'm just trying to get home..(I should have never come down from the air...better to dodge powerlines) I run out one door of the post office when I see Gary Nichols (a new country artist..I have 2 songs on his new album) he's running after me..So I run out the other door of the post office...There's Gary Nichols again...Trapped. Where's my inflatable ring??? I'm just trying to get home......

...Then I wake up....And do my routine check to make sure my kids are still in their beds...like I do almost every night in the middle of the night when I wake up. I lay back down but can't get the dream out of my mind...So I start trying to pray..except I'm partially asleep so I can't articulate...In fact, everytime I start to pray it's like I'm seeing myself from outside myself and my voice is so quiet, God can't hear me.

So that's when I get up and put jeans on and come down here.

There are some tough things going on with my brother and my mom and dad back home. Some things that should have been addressed and confronted and dealt with are finally being dealt with. I spent an hour on the phone with my mom before I went to bed.
I'm still trying to sort out my feelings about all that. I guess my subconscious is as well...

...then there's the popcorn before bed.

Life is strange. Dreams are stranger.

Peace to you-
Bc

2006-06-20T09:36:00.000-05:00

So these are some of the CW relics I have been diggin over the past couple of months...Nashville is so NOT like North Alabama in that just about wherever you throw a rock, you hit a CW site of some kind...I've found more since I took this picture including an 1828 Merchant token that is apparently the most valuable thing I've ever found...

I mentioned last post about the Network class Marty Dodson and I are teaching at Otter Creek. We are using this class to help people honestly evaluate their Spiritual gifts, personal style and Passions in an effort to create a kind of "Servant profile". I think it really helps Christians to figure out what they are gifted for and where they can best contribute to the body of Christ. Even more, it gives us an opportunity to ask some questions that I think hardly ever get asked...Like.."If you could do anything for God, what would it be?" "What do you want to do at Church?" I think when you give people permission to dream outside the box that we've created for Church and give them permission to say NO to things that drain them of their energy, some powerful things can happen.

This whole model is based on the scriptural premise that each person who becomes a Christian is uniquely and divinely gifted by God for a specific ministry purpose. Further, that person is not fulfilled unless they are actively engaged in that purpose....The Church is not functioning as it should if that person is not engaged in that purpose....

This is some life changing, Church changing stuff and I can't wait to see the fruits of it take hold in the membership as it has with the staff (We spent 9 weeks with the OC staff sharing this same model).....Anyway, we take much of this model from the Bruce Bugbee book "What you do best in the body of Christ"....He's one of the Willow creek church guys....

You guys be looking for the new Trace Adkins album in stores Aug 1st...I have the title cut, "Dangerous Man"....

Peace-

Bc

2006-06-18T23:04:00.000-05:00

Don't have a heart attack..I'm back..Stacked and packed....

...Oh, sorry...had a Will Smith moment...

1st update since Jan..Much has happened..Not that anyone ever reads this pitiful excuse for a blog...Anyway, I did something tonight that I've never done. I played Guitar...In church..During worship....It was great...Brandon asked me this week to sit in on Celebration Sunday night and it was cool...

1) 3rd week of teaching Network...Spiritual Gifts assessment class at OC...Empowering stuff..More about that later...

2) I've dug a ton of great CW relics in the last two months..Pics later...

3) New Office

4)A few songs cut..

5)Still the same ole sinner saved by Grace...

6) New favorite books: Nashville: The Occupied City: The 1st 17 months and "Simply Christian" NT Wright.

7) Newest itunes D/L: Michael Mcdonald: What a Fool Believes

Do you ever think blogs/Myspace/etc are our generation's way of returning to dependent community? Or our we just consummate narcissists?

Daniel Amos...yes..Brisbane..Represent...Save the computer room for me...back to AU soon:)

later-
Bc

2006-01-06T11:16:00.000-06:00

Ipods must be the coolest invention of the past 10 years! The past few days I've been listening to the unabridged version of CS Lewis "Mere Christianity" on my way into work via my ipod. What a great combination of pure logic and simple truth that comes from this man. I've read part of it but in the car I can concentrate more deeply on the writing.
I'm also reading NT Wright's "Paul" along with The Gospel of John both in the Amplified english and the original Greek (which takes me about 1 hour per chapter...Sounding out and pronouncing is one thing, only knowing the meaning of every 5th word is something else:) I LOVE it though....

With all this I still have to find time to watch all the Firefly episodes with Joss Whedon's commentary....Whew! Who has time to write songs:)

bc

2006-01-03T19:14:00.000-06:00

Daddy and Carmen today...While Dawn and Audra did school, I took C upstairs and we had an 80s retro play day.
The Empire Strikes Back Hoth playset is exactly what I got for Christmas in 1982:)
Carmen was more partial to the vintage TRON figures, (Especially the Red ones)

Through Chapter one of Greek Tutor and I'm already translierating some basic text...I think I can do this...In about ten years.

Back to work at some point this week...(Richie Mcdonald cancelled tomorrow for a Football Game:) Artists.
Lunch with Robert Hicks instead. He has learned to open Champaine bottles with a sword..so he wants me to find him a Confederate one:)

More tomorrow...

pAx-

bc

2005-12-30T11:49:00.000-06:00

Ahhhh!!! I just weighed for the 1st time in about 4 months....

I weigh 178...which means, since the peak of my fitness which was right before our 2nd daughter was born (2 1/2 years ago) I have gained 18 pounds!!

WEll..at least one of my Christmas presents to Dawn and my self was a membership to the Rec center...Gonna try to get back on track in Q1 '06.

I also have made a 10 year committment: I want to learn to read and speak Biblical Greek.
I figure if I give myself 10 years, I will be an intermediate by the time I'm 45...just in time to start translating the NT before I die:)

The task is made even more monumental by this ironic fact: I write country songs for a living. In other words, I have a very basic understanding of the English language which is, as I understand it, very helpful for learning Greek...uh..any other Language for that matter.

But I'm committed. I may end up in some Libscomb biblical greek 101 class...or do greek tutor software for a while...I'm still evaluating how to go about getting started...Any sugguestions? Eric (my bro-in-law) is a Hebrew expert and could probably fully learn Greek before I could learn to say "Where is the Lavatory?"...so maybe he can help:)

Anyway, Happy New Year...

Brad

2005-12-27T11:17:00.000-06:00

I am, I have decided, the worst blogger in the brief history of blogs.

However, as one of many new year's "revolutions" I vow to update twice as much as I have so far (which puts me at one a month or so...haha)

We have had a very full, rich Christmas. The biggest stress for me was practice for the Christmas concert at Otter Creek. Dawn was singing and I was keeping the kids on the nights leading up to the concert. I would have problems being a full time mom. But the concert itself was glorious and worshipful and inspiring. I love me some Brandon Scott Thomas...

Well...let me say that over the past few years I have really discovered the pure joy in giving. This year I tried to put a lot of thought into the gifts I gave my co-workers. That was fun...Giving things to people that they would never have gotten otherwise....finding that special thing that leaves no doubt that you are actually putting much thought into the person not just a present.
Anyway, I gave my A&R friend Darrell Franklin and long time friend and collaborator Walt Aldridge both Civil War Union buckles that had been dug along the Battle of Nashville battle lines...and I (with very much help from my Father-in-law) built my business partner Craig Wiseman a "Tatergun"...More on that later:)

My best Christmas present? Itunes cards and the Movie "Serenity" Also got the acclaimed "Gospel of John" dvd....

Over the holidays I've been reading quite a bit including the brillant Thomas Cahill book "Desire of the Everlasting Hills" and have just started "Paul" by NT Wright.
I've also downloaded and listened to some lectures by NT Wright. All I can say is these lectures along with Cahill's book along with Randell Wilcher's classes on Paul have deeply moved me more than I have been moved in many years.
I think God is awakening me to the realness of what it means to be a true follower of Jesus of Nazareth. About how we in the 21st Century encounter Christ when we interact with those who are poor (literally and in Spirit) the downtroden, the weak, the needy, those that the world has rejected....I am becoming overwhelmingly convinced that we (I) cannot live in a perpetual middle class, white, intellectual state of being, never venturing out to rub up against those who are hopeless...and expect to rub up against the God that said "when you did it for the least of them, you did it for me"....

I have no idea where that is going to lead me and my family.

But isn't it ironic that we have found ourselves smack in the middle of a Church that has bought into this revelation and are on the move...outward?

I have some catching up to do in my walk with God. Father give me fleet of feet that I may get in line with your will.

Happy New Year....

BC

2005-10-31T19:29:00.000-06:00

Well..we placed membership at Otter Creek this Sunday....

First, Tim Woodroof....Tim is one of those special Ministers that glides gently into a message and ends with a quiet resolve...in the middle, for about 8 minutes, there is a constant stream of truth that flows out of him that is so....true...that it's breathtaking. The Word of God has a way of doing that. I love to be in the pressence of someone who peels back the layers of tradition and bias and allows us to see the truth of The Truth.
Tim also has the heart of a writer. You can just tell. I'm not sure what he's written. But he's a writer. Call it a kindred spirit thing...

Randell Welcher is quite possibly the best Bible teacher I've ever heard. He has knowledge. He has the skills to communicate knowledge. But more than all of that he has Passion. He has a heart for the truth of the Word...and it shows...and it's awsome.

For many years now Dawn and I both have felt like we were on the cutting edge of the church we attended. We were leaders. I taught constantly and was passionate about the teaching. I felt I was revealing (or God was revealing through me) some truths that some of the people around us didn't have...Dawn and many of her friends started the praise team at our church. They enhanced worship and brought an emphasis to Worship that had not been there before.
But now as we settle into OC...we are both in awe of the talent and teahers and the faith of the people there. Leadership that leads and is led of God. In OC we have found a church that has made it over the fence of identity crisis and has seen the other side: a whole world of lost...and they have gotten to work to bring the good news to the people who need some good news. They are about the father's business. This is both so refreshing and terrifying. We have been and are challenged everytime we walk out the doors.
BTW, Brandon Scott Thomas is the epitomy of a worship leader. I've never seen someone take so seriously their role in the body as BST. He is simply...the best.

So I think we'll shop around some more....not.

BTW, Happy Halloween to all you Devil Worshipers!! jaahaha.....

bc

2005-10-18T16:59:00.000-05:00

Well, the 2005 ASCAP country music awards were last night and we had a ball. This year it was at the Ryman...The original Mother Church..The Grand Ole Opry..blah blah.Here's some pictures of the night.Thanks to Brittney Stewart, the best babysitter in the world!!

Here we are with our 18 passenger Hummer...ridiculous.

Here's a very blurry picture of me getting my 2nd award for "Sweet Southern Comfort"

Lovely Dawn with our lovely American Idol, Carrie Underwood...

Lovely Dawn with Lovely Brad....

It was good to see my longtime buddy Carolyn Dawn Johnson.

My partner in crime, Craig Wiseman...2005 ASCAP songwriter of the year...and song of the year, "Live Like You Were Dying" Go C!!

"Pickin Wildflowers" Keith Anderson...me..Stacy Wilbur (My EMI Plugger) and my other-brother, Arlis Albritton.

Muscle Shoals brotha Gary Baker ( I Swear, I'm Already there)..C'mon Gary Move up Here!!!

More later

2005-10-16T21:42:00.000-05:00

Whew! What a weekend...Weddings...Civil War shows...Clearing out our Patsy Drive house.....
We're exausted.
Big day tomorrow...
I'm gonna try to post some pictures of ASCAP fun on Tuesday!

More later

2005-10-11T23:21:00.000-05:00

Talked to my pal Robert Hicks today.

Robert is one of the most unique, selfless, talented, endearing guys I've met.
My friend Evan Loenstein (Evan and Jaren..you know "Crazy For That Girl")
introduced us when he realized my intrest in all things Civil War. We hit it off and I'm so happy that his 1st novel "The Widow of the South" is #5 on the New York Times Best seller list this week!

This book is a fictional account of the very non-fictional life of Carrie Mcgavock who opened her house, Carnton, to the Confederate army after the battle of Franklin. The house and grounds were used for a Field Hospital for many days after the battle.

I loved the book and apparently so do about 10,000 people a week so far!

Also got to hear my cut on the Belgium idol winner today , I can't even spell his name:) It sounded great though...I'll take what I can get....No Carrie Underwood:( I did talk to her at lunch last week...The girl I was eating lunch with, Melissa Pierce, got a cut on her new album...She's a sweetie (carrie...uh..and melissa..), I hope she does well.

I am about to begin a new commitment to several things...one being my Bible Study and prayer. In the past, I've taught almost constantly at our home church. This always helped me staying disciplined in study. Now, new church. New folks. Plenty of great teachers at the Creek....I need a new way to motivate myself....maybe the fact that the only truth in this world is in the Word....or that the thing that matters most in this life, knowing our creator, is facilitated so beutifully in the Word.....nah, I just need to find somewhere to teach...haha....

Anyway, studio -mixing tomorrow...Mcgraw is cutting monday....need a cut....Lunch with the infamous BST tomorrow....Murfreesboro to do some trading....Need to rent a tux for Monday night...

oh, yeah..and it's my birthday tomorrow:) 35

..."we've only just begun...."..ahah

Bc
Check out my finds today...swinging the coil a little....

http://www.franklincwrelics.com/finds.html

2005-10-10T19:41:00.000-05:00

Went to Alabama (Roll Tide!) to write today and get the last of the stuff from the old house. We close on the 21st! Only took 4 1/2 months to sell...JK, I'm so thankful to God it did sell and that we can put that to rest.
Some busy times coming up for me and D...My cousin's wedding this weekend...we have to sing of course....Monday are the ASCAP awards...San Antonio trip...Dawn's folks moving here (and moving in with us for a while) my work...whew! Cutting season is coming up...

We are ready to dive head first and hard into Otter Creek. We have never felt so sure of where we need to be.
I have never seen leadership like this.
I have never been to a COC that knows who and what it is like Otter Creek.
God is so good.

I need to lose about 20 pounds.

I've forgotten what exercise felt like.

BTW, in case you missed it...I have a website....

http://www.franklincwrelics.com

There is a link there to my day job which is a glimpse into the glamourous life of a professional songwriter...(this is, of course, a joke:)
Also feel free to buy a CW relic while you're there.

Is anybody listening?

:)

bc

2005-10-09T20:58:00.000-05:00

Isn't blog just hebrew for "ramble"?...
Wow! Finally a forum for what I do best!

Seriously, I look forward to getting to know some new people through this format, which is truly yet another of the seemingly endless extensions of our global village-ness.
I have so many interests and hobbies and passions that it won't take long for this single blogg (is this one or two Gs?) to get clogged with eclecticness.

BTW, right off the bat here let me lay it out: I am officially the worst speller currently residing in the United States.

I intend to unfold the exaustive (and exausting) depths of my existance here...in due time, of course.
Pontificate and Position myself on topics of which I have an interest (American Civil War, Competition Scale Modling, Relic Hunting, Collecting, Star Wars, Old guitars, Pro Tools, Books, Video Games, Politics and Policitical History, Franklin Tn, Alabama Football.....ahh, I almost forgot, music)...

Those things are my intrests, hobbies and Job.

This is my Passion:
Jesus Christ.
I was saved 21 years ago. Well...I was saved 2000 years ago..I got saved 21 years ago. And what a journey it has been.
A few years ago, I stopped meeting myself long enough to meet God. And I keep meeting him in the most unexpected and unlikely places it seems.
A few years ago I stopped talking at God and started listening for God.
A few years ago the words from The Word began to wash the mud of my western existance out of my eyes just enough to experience a sliver of "Kingdom Vision"....and I had one of "those" moments.
Like the scene in The Matrix when Neo sees for the first time not just the images of the matrix but the matrix itself....or when a gifted musician just looks at the transcribed page (I don't understand how they do this) and sees not just the notes but the soul behind the notes...

and I began to realize that God is not only speaking to his called...he is screaming.

More to come.
bc