Waiting...


(click on the title to get a pdf chord chart of the song)

Don't Have To Go Far

 1.Don't Have to Go Far

Verse 1
Whether I have or if I don't
Whether I will or if I won't
You'll always be available
Oh I can see You are my Hope

Verse 2
In these days or the nights
There are troubles there are fights
But I want to struggle to do what is good
Pop this 'ol bubble do what is right

Chorus
Don't have to go far, don't have to be
Somebody else now You always see
Deep into my heart deep in my soul
You want the best for me
You want to make me whole

Verse 3
Sometimes I fight, sometimes I cry
Sometimes I don't know even why
When you are good and help me still
Even when I treat you ill

Verse 4
The kind of guy I want to be
Is doing well and is living free
Bound by love teach me good
I want spend my time as I should

Chorus 2X

Sing-a-long
Oh-o-o-o-o

Bridge
All the damage I've done through all the years
Why did I always run Your words I want to hear
All the damage I've done through all the years
Why did I always run Your words I want to hear

Chorus 2x

---

There is nothing like having a good friend, the kind of friend that wants to be there for you, the kind that helps you be the best that you can be. Don't Have to Go Far is a song to remember that friend. A lot of bad things are happening all the time, but having that friend is so comforting. A friend to lift you up when you are down. A friend to keep you going on the right path. That ever-present, faithfulness is a character trait that we all want to have in a friend and that we end up wanting to be like when we see how good it is. And this kind of friend is always available and to be with them, you don't have to go far.

Good, Great, God

 2.Good, Great, God

Chorus
I am weak. You are strong.
You are what I've needed all along.
You are good. You are great.
You are God!
You can save from all sin.
You are the only God who can win.
You are good. You are great.
You are God!

Verse 1
Like a flower, I will fade.
But Your glory, Will always stay.
Like a tower, I will fall.
But your Holiness is stronger than any wall.

Chorus
Verse 2
In the heat I will faint.
But the heat is what you made
In the cold I will freeze
But You control the
Climate with greatness and with ease

Chorus

Bridge
I'm created in Your image
So let Your light shine in the land
I'm created in Your image
So let me follow Your commands

Chorus 2x

----

1Co 1:26 For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 1Co 1:27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is in the world to shame the strong; 1Co 1:28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 1Co 1:29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1Co 1:30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 1Co 1:31 so that, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."
I was at soccer practice in high school. The team was kicking balls at the goal before things got going. Brian was the a leader in the team and a typical assertive , aggressive player. He thought it would be fun and funny to start kicking balls at another player and friend, Robbie. Brian decided that everyone should kick balls at Rob, so he yelled “everyone kick balls at Robbie”. And people did. I ran up in front of Brian, and yelled “No! Stop!” “What are you doing Bures. Get out of the way, or kick this at you.” “You can do that, but I'm not going to let you kick balls at Rob.” He threatened me like he was going to kick the ball into me. Finally he did and missed. “What's your problem Bures! You want to go!? You want to go?!” “No.” “What are you weak,” with that Brian pushed me, “ you !@$%%?” Another push. “No. Fighting's for cowards, and I'm not a coward.” “You #@%#$.” “Call me what you want. That isn't gonna change anything.” I was raised to believe that when I can fight better with my worth and life than with my fists. Jesus said that if someone hits you on the right side of your face, give them the left. That's an act of enabling the wrong. Why would Jesus say that? It's because He knows that you can kill the body, but what's more important is the soul (Matt 10:28). It is amazing to see again and again that I am weak and God is strong. Ps. 18:2 says that God is my fortress, my deliverer, my rock, my shield, , my horn of salvation, and my stronghold. That sounds like He's who I need to depend on, who is really in control, who can really make a difference. He can take matters into His own hands. He could have destroyed Brian, but He gave Brian the time to change his mind and turn away (the better decision). God has so much mercy everyday. That is why I want to follow Him and make His ways known. He is just and we'll get what we deserve in the end. And so he sent His Son Jesus to be our sacrifice and take the punishment for our sin (Eph 5:1-2). God has control over everything! The wind and storms (Matt 8:26), demons (Matt 8:32), and everything (Heb 2:7-9). So what do I have to fear? People? no. Friends? no. Strangers? no. I know that the Spirit of God makes me strong when I am weak (Rom 8:26), God's foolishness is wiser than my wisdom, God's weakness is stronger than my strength (1 Cor 1:25), that God's grace is made perfect in my weakness (2 Cor 12:9) and if I must boast, I should boast in my weakness and God's strength.

Waiting...

 3.Waiting...

Verse 1
It's like a hurricane that's rolling thru my window
When I feel the pain that's hittin' like a billow.
All the hurt and failure humanity's dealing
Stopping me like I am hitting the glass ceiling.
But somehow I can see through it all still (still, still)
You have never left me and that you never will
All this failure points me back to who I am
A sinner saved by (the) grace of the God who became man

Chorus
So I'm Waitin'... I'm waitin'... I, I'm waitin' for You.
I'm Waitin'... I'm waitin'...I, I'm waitin' for You.

Verse 2
There were five virgins who
Jesus Christ said were wise.
They prepared their lamps to
burn all through out the night.
Waiting for the bridegroom to
come take them away
They planned ahead and from the
truth they did not stray.
But those who didn't have oil were shut out.
I know that I can be
like that when my faith runs out.
Jesus Christ, You have shown us how to wait.
Your patience with us lights our path ev'ry day.

Chorus 2X

Bridge
Lord, we know You're coming back,
But we do not know just when,
So we won't get lazy or slack,
And we will fight the World's sin. (2x)

Chorus 2X

----

A couple of years ago, I started writing and recording music focused around the themes of Living Waters Bible Camp. This lead me to focus around the theme of “waiting” because the verse that was running in 2008 was Isaiah 40:31. I'll let you go ahead and look that verse up if you don't have it memorized, and memorize it if you haven't already. Simply put, this verse made me think about the benefits of waiting on the Lord, putting my trust in Him and not in my own control. It's cool to me that this verse is OT (Old Testament) and that in the NT (New Testament) we have Jesus telling us that we will be waiting for Him to come back (Luke 17:30-37, Acts 1:11). Waiting is part of who we are, part of what we do. We don't always like to wait, but we have to learn to love it and we will benefit from that form of life. But we need to redefine how we wait. We need to wait and, at the same time, prepare. If you knew an innocent prisoner, you wouldn't tell him/her to stop hoping for salvation and to stop getting ready to live a normal life, would you? Neither would you tell a lover to stop loving until the day of marriage. This is the kind of life we need to be living. We want to go to heaven to be with our Bridegroom and Savior and we want to stop as many people as we can from choosing to go to hell so that they come with us!!! That is the kind of waiting we need to be doing, the working kind. This is the kind of waiting Jesus showed us when he came to Earth. He came, knowing who His Papa was, learning from Him in His human form. Jesus chose to become weak like we are and become nothing (Phil. 2:5-7). He knew He was headed for the cross, but He wasn't still, He didn't sit around, He was working, speaking, making friends, making disciples, showing people how to love, even their enemies, doing the hard things in life. That's the kind of waiting that Jesus is about. Being God, he could have chosen to be sacrificed any way, to be executed quickly, like John the Baptist, but no, he chose to be cursed by his people, to take the curse of sin on him and be hung on a tree, disgraced for all to see (Gal. 3:13). That's a patient way to die. A painful way to die. That's the God that we serve. He's waiting for us to repent from sin and live right. He waits every day for us to do the right things in life. To love our neighbor as ourselves. I've seen a few father's waiting for their children to turn from evil and do what is right. That's not an easy thing. Though the father has control and could force right action, the heart cannot be forced into righteousness. Right living is a choice that many of have spent years rebelling against. And that is where God is with us, waiting...waiting for us to align ourselves with his laws and ways (Ps 51:6, 86:9-13).

Bells

 4.Bells

So Stubborn

 5.So Stubborn

Verse 1
Why is it that we are so stubborn
Why is it that we refuse to learn
Following Truth leads us in goodness
Love is what we all want to earn

Verse 2
Sometimes I find I don't want to be here
Sometimes I find I'm caught in fear
But when I move, it's so much better
Inertia proves I need help to steer

Chorus
Love...you are...
Love... I'm created for...
Love...'s not far
Love...is where life is stored

Verse 3
I need to be broken from
From the evil and the dumb
Things that hurt and do not help
That weigh me down, don't help me run.

Chorus 2x

Bridge
The goodness that help is
Is never easy but rewarding
We'd never see the daylight if
We didn't know darkness.

Chorus 2x

----

Why is it that we are so stubborn? I have to say that I sure can be. I think that I'm right when I'm not. I think that people need to hear the truth when they will not. I want to force them, but end up hurting them. Instead I need to learn to love, to love like God loves. He knows all my problems. He doesn't want them there, but he walks with me, he hopes in me to change, he shows me the truth and lets me choose day after day. In a lot of ways Ana, has shown me a lot of this in our marriage. When I get impatient because I think I said something and expected her to understand, she's able to let me know sometimes when I need to communicate better and not just impose my thoughts.

Ransom For My Soul

 6.Ransom For My Soul

Verse 1
Jesus, frees us
Word made a man
Jesus, frees us
Slaves to our sin

Chorus
Ransom for my soul
My propitiation
You set free all those
who receive
Ransom for my soul
My propitiation
You set free all those
who believe

Verse 2
Jesus, frees us
Sacrificed Himself
Jesus, frees us
Calls the lost from hell.

----

Freedom. What is freedom? Is it doing what you want to do? Is being in control? Is it being able to choose? Sometime I get stuck on a theme, like a record skipping, and the same thought comes back to me time and time again and I want to figure out the answers to the questions hitting me from my blind spot. These were the thoughts that rambled through my brain a while ago. I thought about friends and family who are living in freedom, but are bound by chains that they can't even see. They are bound into things that they think are ok, or even right, but are only hurting them. It's so easy to feel free isn't it, even if you are captured by a house, a job, desire for money, desire for love, desire for things, desire for being right over what God has said is right. Jesus is often quoted by journalists and the like saying “and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free?h, but they often forget the rest of the quote giving the words context, "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” The only way we can know the truth is if we are Jesus' disciples and abide in his word, what he said. Let me say this a different way, Freedom is when we abide in Jesus words and are his disciples. That is a different definition of freedom than “doing what I want” or “choosing my own way”. Really, it's the opposite, it's doing what Jesus wants and choosing Jesus way. That is what, I feel, God impressed on me once. So often, we are standing at the cliff, looking down it, thinking that it would be soooo cool and exhilarating to jump off of it, instead of realizing God says no for a reason: Jumping off the cliff would only hurt us as we hit the ground below and there is a big huge field behind us where we can run, play, build things, meet people and do a ton of other good things. God wants our benefit. God works for our benefit. Jesus didn't have to come to earth as a limited man, but he chose to become weak so that we could realize that true freedom was in him and in him alone. John 8:31-32

Hey! Wood!

 7.Hey! Wood!

Verse 1
Walking along, I'm singing a song and it's getting dark
The lights come on, I hear my mom and the dogs start to bark
It's that time of day, when I'm winding down.
The work and the play are shutting down

Verse 2
I'm hearing the bugs, the bizz and buzz, in the cool of the day
The sun is setting and I'm letting my worries away
Tomorrow's another day to grow
But my mind is changed when I stubbed my toe

Chorus
Hey wood, would you make like tree and leave
You are hardhearted this beautiful eve.
But I'm barking up the wrong tree baby.
Yeah, I'm barking up the wrong tree baby

Verse 3
So
I start up again and I'm singing a new tune
Not about to allow a few problems to go and ruin
This beautiful time that's in front of me
Close my eyes to enjoy but suddenly

Chorus

Bridge
Let's sing together.
(Go thru La's, Da's, Na's double time, Ooh's real high)

Chorus

----

I was trying to come up with ideas for songs themed around being Firmly Planted (because that was the theme of LWBC for 09) when Kevin Evers, my brother-in-law, who was living with us. We were walking through the park that's in the back yard coming from Grace and Truth Chapel, three houses down, when he said, wouldn't it be funny if you made a song that was about a kid walking along and he stubbed his toe. Then then the kid'd say “Hey Wood!” Kevin laughed. Then you the kid would say, “Make like a tree and leave.” We laughed about it and made some more bad puns, “make like a tree and bark,” etc. That got me thinking. I went home and wrote a poem about a kid named Johnny who had this thing happen to him. I thought it was a funny poem, so I shared it with Kev. He didn't laugh too much. So, I got the picture that I may need to re-think it and work on it. Time passed and the thought was still there. I kept playing with the idea (get it, playing the guitar..idea, ok bad) and finally I just ran into the music while playing around and today we have the song “Hey! Wood!”. On a more serious note, this song at first seems like a silly song, but it has an underlying tone. You just can't blame what's not at fault. You need to take responsibility for your actions even if it hurts. And it's always good to help, even if you're not at fault. I hope you enjoy this song as much as I enjoyed writing it. I laughed a lot.

Miracle Grow

 8.Miracle Grow

Verse 1
Toxic waste is all around
In the air and on the ground
Litter here and litter there
Garbage growing everywhere
But that's not the life that you have
This is just the growing fad
You bring life abundantly
Your ways are life to this 'ol tree

Verse 2
You see good and that's what you do
Even if you have to prune
Ouch! that hurt, but it had to go
No use holding evil. No!
You are like a vine to me
So divine and oh so free
Show me how hold on to
The Way, The Life and the Truth.

Chorus
You are my Miracle Grow
Your love I need to know
Deep down inside of me
You're the love that I need
You're the love that I need

Verse 3
Soaking up all the things around
All the sights and all the sounds
I need to be feeding my soul
Not with things that take a toll
With your life with your love
Not with all that vanity stuff
Feed me with your words so great
I want love you love you love you all day.

Chorus (2x)

Instrumental
...Whistling (Read your Bible and Pray Everyday)...

Chorus (2x)

----

Kevin Evers and I were talking about song ideas and the Living Waters Bible Camp theme of Firmly Planted, when our conversation stumbled upon the thought of Miracle Grow and how God is our Miracle Grow. We need Him to feed us, train us, and make us into what we need to be. We need his love to nourish us and his life to give us real life. God is our Miracle Grow.

God Ur #1

 9.God Ur #1

Verse 1
God You're number 1. God You gave Your Son.
I'm saved by grace, He took my place.
God, I owe You a ton.
God, You're amazing. God You are my King.
Ruler of all, (The) big and the small.
God, Your praise I sing.

Verse 2
God, You made my hands God, You made commands
Because You love us You sent Jesus
God, for You I stand
God, I'm number2 God, that's under You.
(But) only by Faith in Christ
God, You are the Truth!

Chorus
God, You are worth it Cause I don't deserve
The free grace that you've given me
All of the good I do never ever could
Take away all my sin
But You have loved us So You gave us Jesus
To show us how to be
So we lay down All of our pride on the ground
With our lives we sing.

Verse 3
God you know our hearts God you know the start
Of each day. You know my way
God, You're the best part
God you know the bad God you know the sad
Things that shake us, Things that make us
Stronger if Your mind we have.

Verse 4
God you want us to grow God You want us to know
(How) Great You are (But) You're not far
God, You love us so.
God, You're growing us up. Even though it is tough.
(We've)Got to learn You're at the stern.
Your grace is more than enough.

Chorus

Bridge
Only You. Only You. Only You are in control
Only You. Only You. Only You can make us whole.
Only You. Only You. Only You are in control
As we wait for the day, we will glorify You.

Back to Verse 1 (first part)
God You're number 1. God You gave Your Son.
I'm saved by grace, He took my place.
God, I owe You a ton.

----

So often we think we are the most important. We can think that our thoughts matter the most, that our time matters the most, that our music choices matter the most, etc, etc., when in fact, we are really just a speck in this vast universe, and not always a lovable speck. Even so, God loves us. All he wants is for us to put Him first. He is the definition of Good. He is the one we need to put first. He knows best and can lead us down the path of life the best. That is why he's called God. He made it all. So He should be #1 in all of our lives.

I'm So Glad

 10.I'm So Glad

Chorus
I'm so glad you waited for me.
I'm so glad you waited for me.

Verse 1
You were 15 one time too
And you had no idea who
In the end who it was
You would marry
Of all the kids that were at school
You didn't go and play the fool
You waited to give up
Your first kiss to me

Chorus

Verse 2
When all the world around you said
C'mon it really ain't that bad.
You knew in You heart
You can never return
And you knew that true love waits
It doesn't mess around with dates
Love knows that it's worth
The wait when your heart burns!

Chorus 2x

Bridge
There's so much pressure
To measure yourself by sex
And when that's done, and it's gone,
What is there that's left?

Chorus 2x

----

I was 15. By that time I'd had had quite a few “girlfriends”. I had given my life to Jesus when I was 13, but sadly, things had not changed too much my ways with ladies. No one had really discipled me and showed me that I needed to save my heart for the one true love of my life. Instead I was into what the radio was saying, “Do whatcha like. Do it when you like it,” like the big nosed rapper used to say with the Digital Underground. This is the type of thinking done in the world around us. But Jesus is different. Jesus is faithful. His love is undying and unwavering for his bride, the church. And that is the kind of love that he wants us to have, not like that of people around us. I've seen too many shows today on tv that anyone can see where there is promiscuity and unfaithfulness, like this is normal (what?!). Normal is what everyone is doing, so maybe in modern day, this is what is normal around us, but Jesus is calling us to a better standard, one to be like him, unwavering and undying love toward our bride/bridegroom (husband). So how many intimate relationships have you had? How many people have you given your heart to? I used to write the names of the girlfriends that I had on the border of my room. It was sad. The list grew long. And to this day pieces of those girlfriends are in my heart. Some are stronger than others, but they are still there, sadly. Sadly because I cannot give my heart fully to my wife. But Ana, being faithful to her future husband, never kissed a boy until me. I am so glad that she saved herself for me. I, as a husband, have so much more strength because I can depend on her and I can have faith in her because her heart is not so divided or longing after people. She hasn't created habits of running away from relationships if they get uncomfortable, unfaithful, or hurt. So I submit to you, in whatever state of relationship that you are in, that you create an environment where you will be faithful to your spouse to be, your spouse present, or your spouse that has left you, just like Jesus is; that you love unconditionally, that you don't give up, even when it's hopeless in your sight, just like Jesus has been with us when we have walked away and married other gods and united ourselves with prostitutes, he is always waiting... for us.

Home

 11.Home

Verse 1
Heaven or hell is just a matter of choice
Home is where heart is, where you rejoice.
Sometimes we wander. Sometimes we wonder.
But home ever present, sunshine or thunder

Verse 2
Somewhere over the rainbow, home is there.
The choices I've made will all be where
I left them when I leave where I am
The measure of who I summed up then.

Chorus
From the ends of the earth to your own back yard,
Mouth and mind drink all but won't fill an empty heart.
It's all within -- energy and matter, namaste and ohm,
Myriad formulas, nostrums and prayer -- all roads lead home.

Verse 3
Dreams and hopes will change the land
Challenging walls and find new friends.
Open doorways and others will be closed.
Who I really follow... everything exposed.

----

2008 was a fun year. Part of the fun was that my brother moved within a half hour from us from Portland, OR. It was great! We could hang out and I could see my sister-in-law and nephew. Even though I love Bob so much, he's not a follower of Jesus, so we end up differing on how we view pretty much everything. But one thing we do share in common is music. He likes to play guitar and write music and so do I. He'd be the first to tell you that he doesn't always like what I write about, but we have a healthy respect for each other. That year, he was coming over to my house quite a bit to record music. I recorded all of my album in my basement and this is where he'd come to record his music. During one of his sessions, we were talking about some contest from a station in town here, 89.3 the current, where you would take a set of lyrics written by an artist, and create a song around it. He really wanted to do it! He really thought I should do it to. It took a few times (and maybe a little banter) to get me to think about it. The lyrics were:
From the ends of the earth to your own back yard, Mouth and mind drink all but won't fill an empty heart. It's all within -- energy and matter, namaste and ohm, Myriad formulas, nostrums and prayer -- all roads lead home. The words were a little odd, but I think I was able to come up with a song that communicated what I felt when using those words: Home is the heart is, where you make it. If you want to be with Jesus after this life, you gotta spend time with him now. If you want to spend your time with other things and people, the reward of that life is the same end of all that, nothing.

Bring Joy to Your Heart

 12.Bring Joy to Your Heart

Chorus
All I want to do, all I want to do is bring joy to Your heart.
All I want to do, all I want to do is please You.(2X)

Verse 1
This world is chasing after things
Happiness that's fleeting.
Nothing on this Earth will last
But Your love will be here when all has past

Chorus

Verse 2
My friends may fall into sin
but I want to be pleasing
To You, my God and my King.
May Your Holy Spirit rule everything.

Chorus

Bridge
(Ooooooo)
Chorus

----

Sitting in the fireside room of Living Waters Bible Camp, I was showing my friend, Robbie this new idea that I had for a song (which happened to be Hey! Wood!). He turned away for a second. If any of you know me, I cannot stay still for too long. There's no disrespect intended, but it's just the way that I am. So I started playing a new tune, totally unrelated, but it sounded nice. By the time Rob had been able to turn back and listen to my song, but finding a new tune to sing, I was like, “Hey, listen to this.” I played him the song and sang a little bit with it. Sometimes I'm surprised on what I discover. I don't view songs as being made as much as I see them being discovered. All the notes are there, they just need to be arranged in a way that is new to us, with new, interesting elements for us to be interested in. And Robbie agreed, it was nice. But he's agreeable like that. Still, I worked with it and found it was really a blessing of a song to me. Bring Joy to Your Heart is a song born out of deep place in my heart, where I have a simple desire to love God with all I have and am. Even though we all may not get the chance to have a good father, or a good boss, we do have a good God, and we all know what it is to be respected, loved and listened to in a way that the listener does what is asked of them. We can all relate to that. When I was called out of darkness into God's wonderful light, I saw many people who simply took the grace of God for granted, expecting that it would be there no matter what as much as I had been doing for some time. It was as if there was no cost to God to have grace, no effort on His part, and that loving him back and pleasing him is not even on their radar as a good response to his love. I have never been a boss, but I know what it feel like to be in charge of something and to have people that want to help, want to be there, want to serve with their whole heart. There is nothing greater, no greater honor for a boss to receive than to have his desires, orders and wishes completed and fulfilled. That is the kind of servant and son I want to be to God, my Father. I hope that is the same kind of love and respect that you want to have for God. If it is, get to know his ways, his laws and live them out. They are in the Bible. Let's read it!

Sorry

 13.Sorry

Chorus
Sorry doesn't help right now
What I need is change somehow

Verse
Obedience is better than sacrifice
Better not to have to pay the price

Bridge
I can forgive you, but
You've gotta change
You've gotta show me that
It means more than what you say.

----

Apologies seem to frequent in our lives. People lie, people steal, people hurt, and so much more. Still we need to forgive. Jesus even said to forgive the perfect amount of times, that is unconditionally. But where is that point when apologies don't mean a thing, you know, when sorry is just a word, a meaningless word. That is where this song is coming from. There was a girl who we were mentoring. We loved her. She is a wonderful person. Still, she wanted a boyfriend. She wanted one bad. We warned her not to go that route. She was 17 and she was in no position, maturity level, and really had no desire to get married. Still she wanted to have a boyfriend. We told her she shouldn't be dating until she's ready to get married. She went ahead and started dating this fella. Time went on and she ended up seeing him more...and more...and more. Unfortunately, she slept with him. She knew she could never get that back and felt terrible about it. She ended up telling Ana and saying sorry many many times. Ana, being a great friend, told her she wouldn't talk to her until she broke up with the guy, knowing that the sex wouldn't stop until she stopped seeing her boyfriend and that this leverage was the only thing she could do. Our friend said she would break up with him. Time went on. We went to pick her up and found out that she was at her boyfriends house. She apologized and said she was going to break up with him. She didn't. Time went on. She got pregnant. She apologized. So what did that mean? I'm sorry had lost it's meaning and was now an insult more than a means to repair the relationship. I wish she had simply changed her ways in the beginning and done what was right. That would have avoided so much hurt and pain of consequence. Time goes on. And what will you do? Will you listen to what God has to say about your life, or will you just do your own thing? Shoot first, ask questions later? Or gain wisdom and walk it out? Sorry only means something if you are going to change. Change.

Remember Your Creator

 14.Remember Your Creator

Chorus
Remember, Remember, your Creator, o man (2x)

Verse 1
Who can know all that there was and is
Who knows the depths of all that exists
Who is the Maker of Earth and the sea
Who made the morning and put it in place
Who made the justice and redeeming grace.
Who is the Master of all? It is not me.

Chorus

Verse 2
Ashes to ashes and dust to dust
Every thing's eaten by decay and rust.
What is the measure of a man's living?
It is not houses or what is achieved
Naked he came and naked he'll leave
With whom would you want to spend E-ter-ni-ty.

Chorus

----

I have a t-shirt from LWBC that has these words on it “Remember Your Creator”. I've had this shirt some time and I wear it still. The first time I saw it, the thought stuck in my mind. We are all created beings. We all have a creator. Even if we give credit to our parents and leave it at that, we must admit, at the core of life, we are not the center of the universe, as we so often seem to act and respond to the world around us. I found it very strange as I got older the more aware I was of this fact. I began to see that my life will end some day. I then found a need to do something with my life and make something of it. It was then, when I saw my depraved and empty state, vain attempts to be more than I was, that I realized this fact, that I was created, was a very important situation. I also found my self needing to know my Creator, the “Maker of Earth and the Sea” the maker of “justice and redeeming grace”. Someone had to think up these ideas so that they could be. Someone had to make it so. Someone had to make life as it is. Someone had to make the measure of a man. And at the end, what will be measured, what will be left? Will the thing you get be there, the wife you have, the kids, the job, the garden, the toys, the car, the schooling, the boat, the gamestation? Our life is set up around relationships. Do you ever wonder why? Could it be that God is trying to make a point and hint everyday that we need Him? that we need to know Him? This is what Jesus said differentiates the sheep from the goats, those who entered heaven from those who didn't enter heaven: that they knew Jesus and served him lovingly, obeying his words, loving their neighbor as themselves. I've seen so many people try to follow part of the rules/laws set down by God and call what they are doing good enough. Is it? Since when do humans make the rules? Since when does the created tell their Creator how the rules go? It sounds like a coup. If we were of equal strength, this coup may be possible, but we are not of equal anything. We are jars, and God is the Potter, as Paul equates us. We are to be used, to be poured out, to be worshiping servants and loyal lovers of our God and King. This song is a reminder to me, that I am not the master. I am not God. I need simply to remember God, and to remember him in all I do, honoring him and leading other people to him with my life and words.

My Need

 15.My Need

Chorus
My need is as deep, as deep as my soul
My need is as long as long as my life does go
I need to love. I need to know
I need You right now.
I need You right now.

Verse 1
From our birth, until our death
We all need some how
From our food to our breath
We all need some how
From the Sun to the rain
We all need some how
From the joy to the pain
We all need somehow

Chorus

Verse 2
From our day until our night
We all need some how
From our blindness to our sight
We all need some how
From our work til our rest
We all need some how
From our life til the test
We all need some how

Chorus

Bridge
Now, that I need a friend
That I need an end
That I need a Beginning
That I need My God
That I need to give
That I need, that I need to live

Chorus

----

I was on a business trip in 2007 in Denver, Colorado, sitting in my hotel room, talking to a friend of mine up in Ft. Collins. We were having one of those conversations about relationships and how we all need to be loved, when it hit me that we are made with needs. We need to breathe, we need to eat, we need, need, need. We were made as incomplete beings, and that points us back to the main source of life that we need. God is the only one who can complete us. We need Him. We need to follow Him. We need to listen to Him. We need to obey Him. We need to love Him.
We were made with needs, small and large.

Chicken?

 16.Chicken?

I just wanted to have a little fun with Ana. :)

I'll Fly Away

 17.I'll Fly Away

Verse 1
Some glad morning when this life is o'er, I'll fly away!
To a home on God's celestial shore, I'll fly away.

Chorus
I'll fly away, oh glory, I'll fly away;
When I die, hallelujah by and by,
I'll fly away.

Verse 2
When the shadows of this life have gone, I'll fly away!
Like a bird from prison bars has flown, I'll fly away.
Chorus

Verse 3
Just a few more weary days and then, I'll fly away!
To a land where joys shall never end, I'll fly away.

Chorus

Verse 1

Chorus

----

This classic was a fun one to record. I though long and hard about the style that I'd give to it for la poema. It seemed fitting to give it that Americana, Bluegrass feel. It was sure fun to do. I even got my dad to give a few attempts at soloing over a section. I was able to put together something fun. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
p.s. the other stuff was just fun. You may not think harmonizing with yourself is hard, but I found it to be a bit more challenging than with other people, at least on this project. It is kind of fun to take on different personas and roll them out into this song that tells the timeless truth that Jesus is the only way (he said it) and that he'll take us to a better place if we trust in him.

Chicken.

 18.Chicken.

The Blessed Hope

 19.The Blessed Hope

Verse 1
The grace of God
Has been shown to all
Brought salvation
From the wicked fall.

This grace shows us
How to renounce
All kinds of lusts
and ungodliness

Verse 2
It shows us how
to live self-controlled
upright, godly
lives in this present world

By grace alone
I know I am saved
The hope I have
Is not in the grave!
So we wait for

Chorus
The blessed hope
and splendid appearing
Of our great God
And Savior Jesus Christ.

Verse 3
He gave himself
To redeem us all
From lawlessness
And the pit of hell

He wants his own
To be purified
Zealous to do good,
A beautiful and loving bride
So we wait for

Bridge
Hope, I have a Hope Eternal!
Hope, I have a Hope forever!
Hope, I have a Hope in Jesus Christ my Savior
----

What hope do you have? Is it that tomorrow will be better? Is it that life will just get better? Is it that you will see your lover when you come from work? We have many hopes in life. Some of us hope to be doctors. Some of us hope to earn some money tomorrow. Some of us hope for that new guitar and hope for a new song to just flow out of it. Some of us hope in other gods and read the horoscope. Some of us hope our rude jokes are funny after all. Paul writes about hope when he's writing to his disciple: Tit 2:11 For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, Tit 2:12 training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age, Tit 2:13 waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Tit 2:14 who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. Paul had hope, but his hope was secure. It wasn't the kind of hope that passes with time. It's the kind of hope that a runner has. That one day he will win the race. And the runner trains, he focuses, and he dreams. He wants the prize. He is willing to give up time and effort. He will trade pain for the pleasure of winning. He will give up money so that he can be a better runner than the rest. He would rest himself when rest is needed, but run when running is necessary, disregarding desires that could rob him of his goal. Hope is a great thing, but what greater hope is there, than a lover waiting for her love to come take her home with him, The hope that the loving and gracious God, Jesus, our anointed and appointed one, would come down from his place high above and bring his loving bride home. As we leave this journey though months of music and work, it is my hope that your hope is in Jesus, the only one who can be your Savior and that you would reap the benefits of making him your Lord. Jesus is the hope that I hope you have and the hope that you will spread around the world.