7in7 – day four – a day of glory // 2011

Its Christmas time! Well, it isn’t even Thanksgiving yet, but we are writing Christmas songs that hopefully can be sung by our church during this upcoming Christmas Season and worship our Savior Jesus. It is a rewrite of a hymn written in the 1800s by John Neale (1818-1866) called “a day, a day of glory”. We call this rewrite “A Day of Glory”.

verse one

a day, a day of glory
a hope that ends our woe
a day that tells of victory
against our vanquished foe

yield, o brightest sunrise
and find this glorious morn
found in manger silence
the son of man came forth

chorus

let angels swell the triumph
let mortals raise their voice
lift up your gates, ye princes
the King of kings is born

verse two

the stable’s wealth, his birthplace
the swaddled rags, his robe
the shepherds gaze in wonder
the king of heav’n now known

he comes, his throne the manger
who made and governs all
with stars, his subject watching
he comes, the cross his call

chorus x2

bridge x3

gloria
gloria
gloria
our king is born

chorus x2

7in7 – day three – simple love // 2011

This is a song that is inspired by the feelings that are stirred up when you get in a spiff with your spouse and don’t want to go make amends in the moment and then when things settle down a bit you realize just how petty you were and you know that there really is only one cure for the situation…to say, i love you. (okay, maybe after “i’m sorry”, but that isn’t in this song)

<no recording…there is a falsetto note that i just cannot submit the open public to that sort of torture>

i don’t wanna take another step
i don’t wanna walk away from this right now
i don’t wanna face another night
wondering what to do with the love i feel inside

i don’t wanna look you in the eyes
i don’t wanna know that i hurt you all the time
i don’t wanna live another day
knowing what i know and exactly what to say 

cause, without you i can’t see clearly
its just the way its meant to be
and the tide turns oh so quickly
in light of this truth, you see

i love you
in simplicity, love you 
i love you
i do

i just wanna hold you close to me
i just wanna hear your heart speak to me
i just wanna be who you deserve
finally i’ve come to my senses and i have learned 

that, without you i can’t see clearly
its just the way its meant to be
and the tide turns oh so quickly
in light of this truth, you see

i love you 
in simplicity, love you 
i love you
i do

7in7 – day two – new every morning // 2011

this is where the “art” of walking away comes in…this song is definitely not what i had intended, nor the fullness of the thought that i had in mind for it, BUT that is not what 7in7 is all about, SO here it is…in all of its rawness…i know we aren’t supposed to caveat, but i have to warn you that my vocals make me want to go run my fingernails down a chalkboard AND my wife just pointed out that my chorus is waaay too close to Hillsong’s “From the Inside Out” (she means well).  All those aside, enjoy!
it was inspired by scriptures in the Bible found in Lamentations 3:22-24.

<first take recording on an iPhone> 

<verse>
hope for the hopeless
rest for the weak
light in my darkness
strength in my need

<pre-chorus>
i will remember
i will remember

<chorus>
your mercy is new every morning
new every morning
your love, it never ends
your mercy is new every morning
new every morning
and my soul will rise again

<verse>
<pre-chorus>
<chorus>

<bridge>
my soul, it cries out
my soul, it bows down
my soul, it hopes in you
in you alone

<chorus twice> 

7in7 – day one – waiting on the lord // 2011

This song is different than anything i’ve ever tried to do with a song.  It has no verse, chorus, bridge structure…just verses I suppose…with some yearnful ooohs and aaahs in the middle of each.  It was inspired by a prophet in the Bible named Elijah.  You can read about it in 1Kings 19:9-16.
<first take recorded on an iPhone> 

i came upon this mountain
following your voice
broken for your people
zealous for the lord
oh, i waited on the lord

the wind, it blew so mighty
rending as it went
you were merely passing by
but you weren’t in the wind
oh, i’m waiting on the lord

the rock around me shattered
as the earth began to shake
power shown around me
but you weren’t in the quake
oh, i’m waiting on the lord

the fire came so sudden
like a lion that’s untamed
consuming all it touches
but you weren’t in that flame
oh, i’m waiting on the lord

the land, it fell in silence
nothing could be heard
a whisper broke the tension
twas the voice of my lord
oh, i’ve heard from my lord 

inside myself

contemplating
debating
inside myself
inrternal struggles
with no way out
outside of the things i’ve learned
what i’ve seen
the things i deserve
forget me not lord
i know you see the past
all the facades i put up
sins i attempted to sneak passed
what a joke
what a laugh
the thinker become the thoughtless
the debater loses his words
the train that brought man’s victory
becomes unheard

today

today
what does it contain
the past and the present
this very moments refrain
the future
with no guarantees
to what will come next
we wait,
then we’ll see
but wait not
for the future to come
or you will waste
this moment
and the present becomes
nothing more than time
and an empty shell
containing what should be
a day called
today

up in flames

eyes wide open
and dry from the flame
not wasting a second
trying not to blink
watching in amazement
this flame as it unfolds
a never-ending story
about to be  retold
colors warm
and fierce just the same
how can such beauty
bring about such pain
consuming in nature
it holds within it’s grasp
anything it touches
it’s ever inviting wick
so watch it closely
and don’t put up a fight
give it what is needed
to burn throughout the night

failed attempt at love

i wish i wish
i had the clarity of thought
to tell you of how much i love you
but thoughts are just thoughts
may i try words?
but in futility i try
every attempt at expression
comes up dry
and stale is not the way i want these
feelings to be shared
but if i could wrap them up for you to open
surely you could not bare
the whole of the many parts
of my love
every moment i sit here
they grow
can you see
can you touch
can you feel
the love i cannot seem
to share?

a love unconditional

a love unconditional
beyond the bounds of thought
outside the conscience of thought
what is and what is not
no degree nor measure
might find it’s boundary
limitless in it’s power
flawless in it’s neutrality
no way of knowing nor finding
it’s faults
none exist within it
without it we have lost

act now

greater works of your hands
have you yet to do
to lay down your life you know
for someone
be it friend or foe
be it driven by
a thought
a feeling
a desire
a tempt
who cares the motive
but the outcome be spent
on a greater thing
than you have yet to know
some passion pulling you
outside of what is true
to comfort you cling
and the lie you cash in
everyday gravity pulls down
down to the depths of your soul
shackling the craving
for the truth be told
you want out
and it only takes once
to give you everything
and act