The Busiest Time of Year

As the Christmas season approaches, the words in this "Care for Christmas?" office scene excerpt are coming true again. Even though these lyrics may be the weakest in the musical, I like them for their realism. With parties, presents, travels, and all the rest piling in during the holiday season, it really is becoming the busiest time of year...besides, this was the first (and perhaps only) rock song my mother ever wrote. It should be worth something just for that, hehe...

Richard:
Thank you cards to send away,
Christmas bonuses to pay,
Meetings, parties, everything upon one single date.
Five more messages to send,
Three return calls for this friend,
Gotta go within the hour, and goodness grace! I'm late!
Can't believe that Christmas's here...
The busiest time of year!

Jack:
Master Richard, please sign here,
Goods are late again, I fear.
Richard:
Not again! I needed all those stocks immediately.
Call them up and see if they
Will come faster if we pay
All the money through a check signed right away by me.
Can't believe that Christmas's here...
The busiest time of year!

Jack:
One contract done today,
Two will be for later.
Kim:
Sir, your wife is on the phone,
And she would like to talk.
Richard:
Kim, please tell her that I--
That I will be home shortly.
Can't believe that Christmas's here...
The busiest time of year!

It's Christmas

Perhaps due to my leisure, I have been prematurely pre-occupied with Christmas this year. Well, Christmas is a very happy time of year, so I am going to continue to indulge in my early nativity spirits.

This song is the grand opening number to our in-house, all-original Christmas musical production "Care for Christmas?" in December 2006. Involving almost the entire cast, it is a song that set the stage of "Christmastide" for the play, and I hope it does for reality today as well. It's Christmas, my friends! May glory be to God on high, on earth goodwill to men.

The Christmas lights are twinkling
In colors sharp and bright.
The Christmas trees are glistening
With branches green or white.
And Christmas shops are opening
From morning into night
While Christmas kids are caroling
With all their heart and might.

It’s Christmas, Christmas,
It’s Christmas once again.
May glory be to God on high,
On earth, goodwill to men.

The Christmas cards are sent away
To friends and family
As Christmas children laugh and play
Around the gleaming tree.
The Christmas figures on display
Reflect nativity
For Christmas time is on its way
In joy and gaiety.

It's Christmas, it's Christmas,
It's Christmas once again.
May glory be to God on high,
On earth goodwill to men.

Hong Kong, I Come

This is a simple poem I penned around the time of a recent visit to Asia's global city Hong Kong. Describing the impressions of a passenger on an arriving plane, this poem captures the feelings I have every time I approach the family's "favorite city."

A shining sleepless city,
Beneath the summer sky,
I scan the harbor city,
As soaring high I fly.

The sighs of hustling people,
The sounds of screaming trains,
The sight of scraping steeples,
Below the surfing plane.

As I the city sighted,
As engines lowly hum.
I catch my breath excited,
Hong Kong, once more I come.

Never Apart

I wrote these lyrics as an entry to an online contest last year. Written to the tune of Chinese celebrity Vicki Zhao's song "With and Against the Wind," this song has little classic content. Still, it won me the competition, it's sweet, and I'm happy.

Every echo in the wind,
Every whisper from the ocean,
Every hustle in the twilight air,
In love’s lasting song,
Every thunder in the night,
Every question from the nightingale,
Every shower from the waterfall,
In love’s lasting tale…

Tells me even though the universe
may keep us from each other,
There is nothing that can ever truly
separate our hearts…far apart…

Even if the ocean spans the world,
Every wave would repeat the lasting vow,
That we held so dear, clinging near and
Loving, trusting, holding to each other’s hands.
Even if the sun sets upon our love,
Every cloud would repeat all the promises,
That we made that day, on our way to
Recreating dreams made just for me and you.

Even if the matters of this world
may keep us from each other,
There is nothing that can ever truly
separate our hearts…far apart…

Even if the storm should steal the night,
Every lightning bolt would light the flight,
Of our fantasies, over seas and
Mountains, valleys, travelling years to the end.
Even if the waters flood the land,
Every echo of the falls would verify
Every single word, that it heard when
Laughing, dancing, we stood within it again.

Amazing Grace

Grace, grace, grace...somehow the majority of my recent compositions have revolved around that word. Yet who could ever experience grace enough? I was not facing any trials or worries when I wrote this poem, but the grace that was sufficient then is still sufficient now. His grace is ever more than enough, amazing grace indeed.

“Amazing grace,” they often say
And quote from day to day;
“Amazing grace,” they so recite
At home, at work, at play.

“Amazing grace!” so they exclaim
When they have reached their aim,
“Amazing grace!” they would delight
When countless blessings came.

Yet which of us within this place
Would shout it on the days
When only wrong comes from the right
And troubles block our ways?

Amazing grace…more than enough
For times both smooth and rough
Will be the comfort of my plight
Through tests and trials tough.

“Amazing grace!” shall be my cry
Though times call for a sigh,
For by His grace I claim that Light
Who brightens every sky.

Wasted, Tired, Torn, and Worn

Ever tried to find God's promises in your own name? The feeling is quite amazing.

Wasted, tired, torn, and worn,
Ever faithless to my King,
Now I come with form forlorn,
Shamed with everything I bring.
Lovingly Your eyes You show,
“Yet will I forsake you, child,
Never will I let you go.”

Bend in the Road

At the end of the book Anne of Green Gables, Anne faces "a bend in the road" as she weighs circumstances and considers major decisions during her late teens. After reading that novel years ago, I wholeheartedly identify with Anne now. Yet just like her, in the midst of conflicting thoughts, plans, and emotions, I trust there is something better in store, around this bend in the road.

Gingerly, carefully, holding my breath,
Taking so sparingly each tiny step
On to the future which blurringly bodes
Round yonder corner, that bend in the road.

“Lord, I can’t see You,” I fearfully cry.
“Lord, I can’t feel You,” I tearfully sigh.
Still I’m led forward as each step unfolds,
T’ward yonder corner, that bend in the road.

Chilly the wind blows, and softly the rain
Pecks on my elbows and over the plain.
“Lord, let me trust You,” I cling to this ode,
Nearing that corner, that bend in the road.

I dare not wonder what’s over the bend,
I know not what will be started or end’d,
“God gives the best,” this the promise bestowed,
He will be with me o’er bend in the road.