Category:

WE ARE WAITING

6/22/2012

In the 1980s there was a lot of focus among Christians on the end times; the Rapture, The Apocalypse, The number of the beast 666, Armagaeddon, and The Millenium. One of the lines "take me away before the storm" is a direct reference to the rapture. The song comes from 1983. I was dabbling in jazz with Mark Crafford. I made a Christmas compilation on cassette (remember those?) and one of the songs was real similar to this one. But it was purely instrumental, and I was inspired to write lyrics to it. The problem was it was heavily dependent on piano, and I didn't have a clue on how to tickle the ivorys as they say.

Well many years later, and with the help of multi-track recording, I was able to come up with this recording. Not sure how close to the original it is since I no longer have it and don't know the title or artist. If you recognize it, please let me know!

A milestone for me musically, this is my first song recording ever that is not guitar driven. This song will be included in my album project entitled MELTING POT. Here are the lyrics:

WE ARE WAITING
Words by Reggie Michaud © 1983

The world I see is covered by a darkening cloud
The beauty there is hidden by its residue
With tear filled eyes I contemplate the state we’re in
As rebels feed the fire with hate and jealousy

And patiently looking on, king of the universe

You filled the world with coverings of tapestry
Reflections of your perfect love and righteous plan
You gave it all to us for our inheritance
Although we chose to listen to the devil’s lies

And tenderly reaching out, savior of all mankind

We are waiting for the Lord to come
Watching fervently seeking his Word
We are waiting for the Lord’s return
Only visitors passing through the earth

When will we be with you oh my God
When will we praise you name before your throne
When will we see your face oh my God (Jesus)
When will you come again

We are waiting for the Lord to come
Watching fervently seeking his Word
We are waiting for the Lord’s return
Only visitors passing through the earth

When will we be with you oh my God
When will we bow before the throne of Him
Take me away before the storm (Jesus)
When will you come again

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WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

6/22/2012

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(Listen to the song; #10 on CHRISTIAN FOLKS)

This song shall be included in my CHRISTIAN FOLKS album. This one is unique in that it was written while I was living in the jungle in Southern Venezuela. It felt like a breath of fresh air in a minor writer's block I had at the time. I attribute that to the fact that I had been removed from my culture; the immersion in constant music and entertainment, and into a simpler daily life of having to work to obtain the basic necessities of life. The only music and entertainment we had access to was that we made ourselves, singing and playing the beater guitar I brought along on the trip.

The basic song idea came out of my study of 2nd Corinthians 10 and verses 1 through 5 specifically. To me it was very significant also because the year before, a war had broken out while the last missionary team was there and so we did quite a bit of thinking and praying about the imminent danger of living with the indiginous peoples there in the jungle. But the weapons of our warfare were of a spiritual kind, and I was reminding myself that our war was not against flesh and blood but against principalities and powers in opposition to God Himself. So we were on the side of might and infinite power and at a time of feeling vulnerable in an unfamiliar environment and that was very comforting!

So give it a listen; I hope you like it and it inspires you to dig deeper into God's Word and protection. Take up your swords my fellow warriors!!! Here's the lyrics:

THE WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE
Words & music by Reggie Michaud © 1984
(ref: 2nd Corinthians 10: 1-5)

I became a soldier in God’s holy army
When I gave my life to the Lord
I will fear no evil or any worldly disaster
Because my safety lies in the hands of God

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty
Through God to the pulling down of strongholds
Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself
Against the knowledge of God

I will recruit you by the gentleness and meekness
In Christ through whom we all must abide
For thought we walk in the flesh, we war not after the flesh
For to live is Christ and to die is gain!

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty
Through God to the pulling down of strongholds
Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself
Against the knowledge of God

For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty
Through God to the pulling down of strongholds
Bringing into captivity every foolish thought a man can have
To the obedience of Christ

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Job's Summary Defense

5/29/2012

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(Listen to the song; #5 on CHRISTIAN FOLKS)

We all know the story of Job right? It's the original riches to rags saga. Bible scholars believe it is one of the oldest books of the bible and the author is anonymous. As you can tell from the title, the lyrics for this song were taken from the portion of dialogue in chapter 29 where Job is lamenting how wonderful his life was in the past and trying to defend himself among his so-called friends. And they are brazenly telling him he must have sinned to cause all this calamity. They tell him to just repent and God will surely heal his afflictions. But if you've read the beginning of the account, you know that Job is being put to the test.

Some puzzling questions might arise like, Did God actually allow Satan to manipulate him into allowing the destruction of Job and his family? Or was Satan unwittingly playing into God's plan? Was there some hidden (or not so hidden) sin in the wife and children of Job? Many times Job's wife advises him to curse God and die; sweet girl huh? And his children were quite the partyers!

In the end Job passes the test and repents before God for calling his motives into question. I find it so incredible that in the very beginning when Job receives all the bad news at one time about the loss of his family and wealth, that he simply states, 1:21 "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I shall return there. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. Blessed be the name of the Lord. What an extrordinary man Job was!

Well I hope you listen to and like the song. Click on my picture and you will snap to the Songs page where it is in the top-left corner. See ya next time...

JOB’S SUMMARY DEFENSE
Words adapted from the NASB & music by Reggie Michaud © 1984
(ref: Job 29)

Naked I was born, naked I shall die, blessed is my God who is hearing me cry
Empty are my hands, raised up they shall be; worshiping my God for eternity

Wish that I were as I was in days gone past
In the time when Yahweh watched over me
When His blessings shined down upon my life
By His light I walked through blinding darkness

As I was back in the prime of my days
When the Lord’s friendship was upon my house
When my steps were bathed in butter
And every new day just got better

And the rock poured out for me rivers of oil for me
And we carried it out to my friends and family
Yes the rock He poured out rivers of oil for me
Looking back I wonder what happened to me

Because naked I was born, naked I shall die; blessed be the God who is hearing me cry
Empty are my hands, raised up they shall be; worshiping my God for eternity; yeah yeah

I would boldly go to the gates of the city
Held an honored seat in the village square
When the evil ones would hide in shame
And the princes hushed at the sound of my name

When His mighty power was still with me
And my sons and daughters were my best friends
When my steps were bathed in butter
And every new day just got better

And the rock poured out for me rivers of oil for me
And we carried it out to my friends and family
Yes the rock He poured out rivers of oil for me
So what can I say to the One who made me

Naked I was born, naked I shall die; blessed be the God who is hearing me cry
Empty are my hands, raised up they shall be; worshiping my God for eternity

Yes naked I was born, naked I shall die; blessed be the God who is hearing me cry
Empty are my hands, raised up they shall be; worshiping my God for eternity; yeah yeah

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TAKE ME HOME

4/2/2012

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(Listen to the song)

This was one of those songs that was over and done too quickly! I was really having fun working within the Irish Folk style that this tune loosely falls into. I suppose it could use a third-part harmony and some fiddle and perhaps mandolin. But I decided to keep it simple and let it humbly tell the story of an old man who has lived a full life and now must rely on his son to take care of him. I have it posted on the Christian Folks album.

So next I will jump over to the other album I'm working on; Melting Pot. I'm going to work on THE ANSWER IS JESUS CHRIST, a song that I wrote almost entirely from newspaper headlines from 1984, 1994, and 2004. So it's a 20 year song project. Like I've said before, some songs spill out in just a few minutes, others need to stew a while in the musical melting pot.

By the way, I did a bit of organizing tonight and discovered this last song is the 60th song I've recorded. Just another 24 or so to go, however I intend to continue churning out new material, so with God's blessing, I may never reach the end of the list! Here are the lyrics:

TAKE ME HOME

Oh take me home will you son I'm feeling quite old
And the road I've been traveling on has taken its toll
Been wandering like a river-run from the top of the range
But the call of the road I'm on became a dry plain

I once was a young man of means- have you heard of the places I've been
Have you run through the forests in the middle of Maine
Or repelled on the rocks of a South American plain
Now I can't lift myself from this cell that I'm in
And it's time to reach out to my closest of kin

So take me home will you son I'm feeling too old
And the road I've been traveling on has taken its toll
Been down to the meadow brook from the top of the grade
Now the bones of this traveler are feeling his age

I once was a young man like you- was yet to learn all that I knew
When the death of a child brought a season to mourn
In the Spring of my sorrow new wisdom was born
Though my tears filled the ocean and the rivers that flow
Through the power of the Spirit my crying did go

To take me home will you son I'm feeling so old
And the road I've been traveling on has taken its toll
Been up on the mountaintop in the cold winter's chill
Now the bones of this traveler are holding me still

I once was a man in your eyes- and you bragged of our family ties
In my fondest of days did you travel with me
For the barbecue chips and the worship so sweet
Now the road's called you out to a land far away
And the pain in my heart it gets stronger each day

Take me home will you son I'm feeling so old
And the road I've been traveling on has taken its toll
Been riding on a melody to the edge of the stage
Take me down to the place my bones will be laid

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WE ARE WAITING

WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

Job's Summary Defense

TAKE ME HOME

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WE ARE WAITING

WEAPONS OF OUR WARFARE

Job's Summary Defense

TAKE ME HOME

Author

Latest Song(click below)

Archives

Categories

Latest Song
(click below)