1991
While picking on the guitar I had borrowed from Rene Garner at that time, I came up with this finger pattern in the key of A that I thought sounded unique and really nice. The chord progression that grew around it had minor chords, and a major seven chord, making it difficult to work out vocal harmonies. Jon and Bonnie Hayman and I laughed so hard one night when Jon was struggling with coming up with the 2nd voice.This song got more worship play at the home fellowship than most of the others during that era. Originally I had only one verse and a chorus which I repeated three times. Later when I got around to recording it (February of 2010) for the album TO SEE THECHILD, I added a second verse. Unfortunately I never got Jon and Bonnie to sing along on the recording. Something I remembered about that guitar I was borrowing from Rene Garner; my Alvarez Yairi had gotten stolen. She had this large-body Estrella acoustic she wasn’t using and offered to let me use it as long as I needed. It was really nice although the strings buzzed a bit and the pick guard had come unglued and curled up, which was very annoying. I think she had some old match sticks stuffed into the nut to fill the over worn gaps. Anyway, I got brave, and having watched Jim of Jim’s Guitars fix an over worn nut, I mixed bone dust with epoxy and filled the grooves. After they hardened, I recut them with a tiny file I had bought for that purpose. Then I took the pick guard off. It was really curled up, so to get it flat again, I wrapped it in a towel and got my clothes iron really hot. Then I set the pick guard on a hard flat surface and placed the hot iron on top and just unplugged it. When the iron had cooled (the next day) I was really pleased to find the pick guard was perfectly flat! I re-glued it back onto the guitar and then adjusted the truss rod to straighten the neck. After all that, the thing played and looked like new! It felt really good when I finally returned the guitar and it was in much better condition than when I took it.
Getting back to the song, the lyrics I came up with really reflect my life at that time. I realized raising children and holding the family together was a task I could never accomplish without God directing me and giving me wisdom on a daily basis. It was a prayer from a father to his heavenly Father for protection, wisdom, love, and unity in the home and everywhere we went. The girls were really good during those years. Bonnie was so mature for her age- always willing and able to help out and babysit the others.When we went out to restaurants, people would frequently comment on how well behaved our children were. I remember coming home from work and all three girls would come running yelling “Daddy! Daddy’s home!” I was so blessed with them! Here’s the lyrics:
WE NEED YOU
Words and music by Reggie Michaud © 1989-1991
Holy, holy God; God of power and of majesty
Hear us when we pray. Send Your Spirit to our families now
Drive out the enemy. Raise up a hedge around us, Father we pray
Holy, holy God; God of love and God of unity
Make us all as one; fix our eyes upon Your only Son
Jesus of Nazareth, born of a virgin, raised from the dead
We need You in our lives and in our homes
We need to have You lead us on the road
We need to hear Your voice in our hearts
We need You every day of our lives
Holy, holy God; God of patience and longsuffering
Hear us when we pray. Send Your mercy to our families now
Drive out the bitterness. Make us one holy nation under God
Holy, holy God; You came down and lived the perfect life
Teach us how to love. Help us see like You do from up above
God of the universe; maker of all that is and all that’s to come
We need You in our lives and in our homes
We need to have You lead us on the
need to hear Your voice in our hearts
We need You every day of our lives
While picking on the guitar I had borrowed from Rene Garner at that time, I came up with this finger pattern in the key of A that I thought sounded unique and really nice. The chord progression that grew around it had minor chords, and a major seven chord, making it difficult to work out vocal harmonies. Jon and Bonnie Hayman and I laughed so hard one night when Jon was struggling with coming up with the 2nd voice.This song got more worship play at the home fellowship than most of the others during that era. Originally I had only one verse and a chorus which I repeated three times. Later when I got around to recording it (February of 2010) for the album TO SEE THECHILD, I added a second verse. Unfortunately I never got Jon and Bonnie to sing along on the recording. Something I remembered about that guitar I was borrowing from Rene Garner; my Alvarez Yairi had gotten stolen. She had this large-body Estrella acoustic she wasn’t using and offered to let me use it as long as I needed. It was really nice although the strings buzzed a bit and the pick guard had come unglued and curled up, which was very annoying. I think she had some old match sticks stuffed into the nut to fill the over worn gaps. Anyway, I got brave, and having watched Jim of Jim’s Guitars fix an over worn nut, I mixed bone dust with epoxy and filled the grooves. After they hardened, I recut them with a tiny file I had bought for that purpose. Then I took the pick guard off. It was really curled up, so to get it flat again, I wrapped it in a towel and got my clothes iron really hot. Then I set the pick guard on a hard flat surface and placed the hot iron on top and just unplugged it. When the iron had cooled (the next day) I was really pleased to find the pick guard was perfectly flat! I re-glued it back onto the guitar and then adjusted the truss rod to straighten the neck. After all that, the thing played and looked like new! It felt really good when I finally returned the guitar and it was in much better condition than when I took it.
Getting back to the song, the lyrics I came up with really reflect my life at that time. I realized raising children and holding the family together was a task I could never accomplish without God directing me and giving me wisdom on a daily basis. It was a prayer from a father to his heavenly Father for protection, wisdom, love, and unity in the home and everywhere we went. The girls were really good during those years. Bonnie was so mature for her age- always willing and able to help out and babysit the others.When we went out to restaurants, people would frequently comment on how well behaved our children were. I remember coming home from work and all three girls would come running yelling “Daddy! Daddy’s home!” I was so blessed with them! Here’s the lyrics:
WE NEED YOU
Words and music by Reggie Michaud © 1989-1991
Holy, holy God; God of power and of majesty
Hear us when we pray. Send Your Spirit to our families now
Drive out the enemy. Raise up a hedge around us, Father we pray
Holy, holy God; God of love and God of unity
Make us all as one; fix our eyes upon Your only Son
Jesus of Nazareth, born of a virgin, raised from the dead
We need You in our lives and in our homes
We need to have You lead us on the road
We need to hear Your voice in our hearts
We need You every day of our lives
Holy, holy God; God of patience and longsuffering
Hear us when we pray. Send Your mercy to our families now
Drive out the bitterness. Make us one holy nation under God
Holy, holy God; You came down and lived the perfect life
Teach us how to love. Help us see like You do from up above
God of the universe; maker of all that is and all that’s to come
We need You in our lives and in our homes
We need to have You lead us on the
need to hear Your voice in our hearts
We need You every day of our lives
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