His Present

God has blessed me with many very precious gifts in life, in the forms of both people and things. And yet, there is one that tops them all...

Verse:
Sweeter than the roses placed in tender virgin hands,
Richer than inheritance of houses, wealth, and lands,
Dearer than the teardrops shed upon a broken heart,
Is the present I received...

Grander than regalia that royalty display,
Fresher than the blossoms gathered midst the dew of May,
Softer than the teddy bear I hold against my heart,
Is the present I received..

Chorus:
The cross was His present,
Bought by His bleeding hands,
The cross was His covenant
For God and sinful man;
The cross was His gift to me,
Bought by His death and shame--
A present given lovingly...
That I can never be the same.

The Beauty of a Place

Strolling around a near-empty campus during lockdown week, I realized the incredible amount of memories that have been formed upon those grounds throughout the past 30 years...but is it really the place that matters?

The beauty of a place lies not
Upon its selfish charm,
It lieth rather on the lot
Of human melancholy wrought
Upon that selfsame spot;
One place of sweetest dreams for me
Might be of dread for thee,
'Tis not the place that earns the grace,
'Tis human memory.

Kept For Me

I wrote these lyrics as a personalized wedding gift to my musician friends Mark and Jocelyn. Even though their whole love story won't fit here, I can bear witness of how their lives testify to God's amazing sovereignty in keeping both of them unattached for many years until they met each other and fell magically in love...to be each other's first and last in a world of broken hearts. And whenever I fear that God would let me miss out on what's best, I remember their story, and I find comfort in knowing that God would keep me and my groom for each other, according to His perfect plans.

Verse 1:
There were times I felt there was no one
Who'd know me as I am;
There were times I thought I'd settle for
Whatever was at hand,
Yet somehow God would have me wait
In search for something more,
For in His perfect, sovereign plan,
The best was still in store...

Chorus 1:
And through the years, He's guided me
To where I stand today,
Breathless at what my eyes see,
And robbed of words to say.
And through the years, there was no one,
For looking back, I see
That He was keeping me for you,
And keeping you for me.

Verse 2:
There were times I felt there was no one
Who'd love me as I am,
There were times I thought I'd never find
Someone to understand.
Yet somehow God would lead me through
An unexpected door
That opened to a world of love
I'd never known before...

Chorus 2:
And through the years, He's molded me
To who I am today,
Breathless at what my eyes see,
And robbed of words to say.
And I thank God there was no one,
For looking back, I see
That He was keeping me for you,
And keeping you for me.

Bridge:
The first to see inside of me,
The first to hear "I love you,"
The first to sing within my soul,
Are you...

Coda:
And looking back upon the years,
I sing with ecstasy...
That He's been keeping me for you,
And keeping you for me.

And here is the video that they made out of the song =)

A Morning Prayer

I have always been a night owl, and waking up early every day, ready for a day's challenges was difficult for me as I faced college life. Yet God has been my strength; His glory my motivation. On happy days, exhausting days, or painful ones...these were the words that greeted my mornings, and drove me through each day.

In the morning I arise,
Stretching arms and rubbing eyes,
Wondering what course should lie,
On my way today.

In the morning, silently,
As the sunrise creeps on me,
I can't help but question why
I need face the day.

Not for love and not for fame,
Not for praises to my name,
Not for mem'ries passing by
Must I live today.

Christ alone, my heart's desire,
Gains the flame and feeds the fire;
Lord, upon You I rely,
Use me, Lord, today.