This album is dedicated to my friends who have high convictions concerning music - this is my first album containing no rock music whatsoever. Side A is a compilation of songs I composed while attending Sangre de Cristo Seminary from 1998-2000, and Side B is a sampling of some of my best acoustic-only songs gathered from previously-released albums (Samples, Missions & Holy Living, Songs Hymns & Spiritual Songs, Family Album, Lord's Prayer, Christmas, and Sound & Meaning). Thanks to all who helped me here at the seminary in making the recordings! May these songs give you joy as you worship our Lord!

I trust in Your Unfailing Love
I composed this song in a hurry when Rev. Ron Kruis asked me to do a song for a chapel service where he was preaching on Psalm 13. It is a duet with my wife, Paula.

I trust in Your unfailing love, My heart exults in Your salvation
I will sing unto the Lord For He has been good to me.

SEAFOAM
I composed this song while sitting on the porch of the Spencer Family's "La Cabiñita." I used several guitars in the recording of this song found on my Instrumental album, but this is a one-guitar version.

Song of Hannah (I Sam.2)
While studying I Samuel, I was very impressed with the character of Hannah, Samuel's mother. I versified the words of her song in Chapter 2 and set it to Ralph Harrison's "Warrington" tune from 1784. That's me on the recorders, and my wife, Paula, and son, Joshua, sang the solos. The last verse is a recording of a chapel service at Sangre de Cristo Seminary with Lois Zeller playing the organ.

There is No Rock (I Sam.2)
A continuation of Hannah's Song, but in a somewhat different style. I can just imagine Hannah dancing in the temple and singing something like this after Samuel was born! The last phrase is Hebrew for "There is none holy like the LORD."

There is none holy like the LORD
For there is none besides You
And there's NO ROCK like our God
אֵין־קָדוֹשׁ כַּיהוָה

She Shall be Called Woman (Gen. 2)
When God created the world, He decided to make Him a man
So he formed him out of the dust of the earth, According to His perfect plan

Dagesh in the He
Most of the Bible is written in Hebrew. Now some say Hebrew writing looks like a drunk chicken stumbled across the page on a Saturday night, so if you've ever tried to learn Hebrew, this song is for you! I composed it with Nathan George, and we performed it with Josh Sturgill, Steve Hicks, and Seth George. By the way, a Dagesh is a dot that appears sometimes in the middle of a Hebrew letter, and He is one of the Hebrew letters.

Well, I learned my letters in class today: Aleph, Bet, Gimmel, Dalet, Hay.
And all those dots drive me crazy, But a dagesh in the hay is just fine with me!

The Anger Song (Jonah 4)
I composed this song for a Sunday School lesson at the Sangre de Cristo Chapel, and got the class to sing it. Voices are: Hannah, Marie, Heidi, James, Clara, & Kathryn Zeller, and Josh, Beni, & Amos Wilson.

When Jonah preached in Nineveh, he was a great success
The people fasted and the king removed his royal dress
But Jonah wasn't happy--He wanted them destroyed!
God looked down & blessed that town, Jonah was annoyed!

STOP! Think about it! Will it really make things right?
Don't scream and fuss, whine and pout, don't put up a fight!
Just remember Jonah Whose anger did him in
And when the anger boils inside You must beware of sin.

Jonah stomped outside the gate and he began to pout,
And so God made a Kiki plant upon that spot to sprout.
The plant grew up and shaded Jonah, making him so glad-
Next night a worm ate up that plant and he got very mad!

The sun beat down on Jonah; he fainted dead away.
He came to & prayed that God would take his life away.
Then God asked Jonah, "Is it right for you to fret and stew?"
Nineveh is what I love, and really so should you!

Song For Yemen (Isa. 54)
I'll never forget the experience I had of visiting the Middle-Eastern country of Yemen. I tried to put some of the most poignant images of what I saw into this song. At the end, there is a recording of an anonymous Quaranic chanter followed by me banging on kitchen pots and playing my banjo in an attempt to imitate traditional Yemeni music.

Ancient people carve a life out of the mountainside,
While modern Mitsubishis whisk their owners for a ride
Who will bring good news to you, no mind how hard it gets?
When will your Saviour's name be hallowed from minarets?

Armpit of Arabia, "No Good," your people call you.
You have been despised, rejected--your Redeemer has been too.
Vices at the highest level poison any thought of change,
But the Hope of Hopeless people will not leave you in disgrace.

Yemen, Your husband is your Maker,
Yemen, He is the Lord of Hosts.
Yemen, Your Redeemer is the Holy,
Yemen, Yemen, the God of all the Earth

Daggers point from belts of men up to their bulging cheek
Building castles in the air that will crumble by the eve.
In earth's oldest city black-robed women shuffle streets.
Eyes behind the lithma hide the tears of many griefs.

Those who have been cast aside, is any hope ahead?
Brown eyes, tousled hair of little children begging bread
Jesus has been broken for you--Holy bread of life.
Yearning burns in your Redeemer like a husband for his wife.

People of the Lord are won through sonic transmission,
Yet between believers lies uneasy fear and tension.
They meet quietly by threes or twos in stealthy tryst;
Can men who sing no harmony find unity in Christ?

Moon-shaped colored windows mirror starlight from above,
The Lord who is your Light now longs to show you His love.
Your eyes are turning to the West, but do not look to men,
Fling open iron gates, my brothers, let your Saviour in!

Rock of Righteousness
This solo acoustic guitar instrumental is from my 1998 "Sound & Meaning" album. We named our fourth child Peter Justin, which, being translated is, "Rock Righteous." All thanks to Jesus Christ who is our Rock of Righteousness!

Drop in the Bucket (Isaiah 40)
Who has measured the waters in His hands, And measured the span of the heavens?
Who has held the earth in a basket, Or weighed the mountains on scales?
Who's understood the Spirit of the Lord, Or counseled Him in the right way?

Surely the nations are a drop in the bucket, And regarded as dust on the scales!
He rules in majesty above the clouds, And before Him, we look like grasshoppers!
To whom then, can you compare God, Among the tawdry images upon the earth?

Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens; Who has created all these?
He brings out the starry host one by one, And calls them each one by name!

Do you not know; have you not heard; Have you not seen? The Lord is God!

They that wait on the Lord, He shall renew their strength.
Mount up on wings like the eagles, and they shall fly!

Change of Season
Fall is my favorite time of year; this guitar duet reflects the falling leaves.

Praise To The Lord Of All
Duet with my wife, Paula.
Your love is a river running deeper than the sea,
And Your Spirit is a fire that purifies my soul.
Your justice and holiness are a wonder to me,
And Your grace is all that makes a sinner whole.

We praise You, Holy One, forever still the same
For Who You are and what You've done, For Awesome is Your Name.
The people of the earth confess as at Your feet they fall,
"You are the God of righteousness, You are the Lord of all!"

The canticle of creation has a single theme,
To glorify the King of Kings in diversity of hue.
It's fitting for praise to come from those You redeem.
The peoples of the world will give their praise to You.

Give accolades of praise to the glory of our God!
We honor You above all things, for You are salvation.
Your power and majesty and Your wisdom we applaud;
Exalt the Name of Jesus and offer adoration.

1,000 Miles Away
I composed this song to be interpreted in two ways, naturally as a young man missing his girlfriend (I married her a little over a year afterwards!), and spiritually, as a member of the church missing her bridegroom, the Lord Jesus Christ. My brother, Ben, sings this duet with me.

Sitting here, guitar in my hand, and I don't know what to do.
My love, you're 1000 miles away, I can't come home to you.
I'm thinking back on a sunny day when you and I were here;
There's nothing that I miss more than the one I hold dear.

There's a lonely feeling in my soul 'cause we're so far apart.
Sometimes the feeling's just too much to bear.
But I have a hope that's living deep within my heart
Of the day we'll be together and the joy that we'll share.

Nothing steals the loneliness like your letters I've read;
Nothing matters quite so much as the things you said.
I look back on good times--we loved as best of friends.
Makes me long to see you, hold you in my arms again.

I love the way you've walked with me all along the way.
You held my hand gave me strength through each passing day.
When you're 1000 miles away, it's like part of me is gone;
I guess that's how it has to be, and I guess I'll carry on

I Will Lie Down
The text of this song comes from Psalm 3:5 and Psalm 4:8. I like to sing it as a lullabye to my children.

I lie down and sleep, & I awaken again
because the Lord sustains me.
I lie down & sleep

I will lie down & sleep in peace,
for You alone, oh Lord, make me dwell in safety,
I lie down and sleep.

Peace to You
Peace to you --My peace I give to you
Peace to you--Not as the world can give

Louez L'Eternel
This is the text of Psalm 147; I lifted it right out of the French Bible.

Louez l'Eternel! Louez l'Eternel du haut des cieux!
Louez-le dans les hauters! Louez, vous tous ses anges!
Louez-le, vous toutes ses armees! Louez, soleil st la lune!
Louez-le, vous toutes, etoiles lumineuses! Louez-le, cieux de cieux,
Et vous, les eaux qui etes au-dessus des cieux!
Qu'ils louent le Nom, le Nom de l'Eternel!

Car Il a donne un order, et ils ont ete crees.
Il les a etablis pour toujours et perpetuite;
Il a donne une regle qu'il ne violera pas.

Louez l'Eternel depuis la terre,
Monstres marins, et vous tous, abimes,
Feu et grele, neige et brouillard,

Vent de tempete, executeur de sa parole,
Montagnes et toutes les collines,
Arbres fruitiers tous les cedre
Animaux et tout le betail, reptiles et oiseaux,

Rois de la terre et tous les peuples,
Princes et tous les juges de la terre,
Jeunes hommes jeunes filles, vieillards et enfants!

Qu'ils louent le Nom de l'Eternel! Car Son Nom seule est eleve;
Sa majeste domine la terre et les cieux.
Il a releve la force de Son peuple:

(Sujet de) louange pour tous ses fideles,
Pour les Israelites, le people qui Lui etes proche.
Louez l'Eternel! Louez l'Eternel!

You Are My God
Sometimes little phrases form themselves into an impromptu worship song in my head when I am quiet, and this is one of them. The keyboard sound was made by creating a sample of me plucking an electric guitar string and adding effects to it. David Bryant Bird helped me with this and let me use his keyboard.

You are my God & I will praise You.
You are my God & I will glorify Your Name
You are my God, and I will serve no other.
Father in heaven, You are my King!

KEEP SILENT
This Song is from my Christmas Album from 1997, but it is my favorite instrumental of all. This recording was done in four tracks, each using sounds from my acoustic guitar.

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