Perfect Plan

Life isn't always what we expect it to be. No matter how much we try to map out our own lives, we can't control how things truly do turn out. At the end of the day, embracing God's timeline is always the way to His perfect plans.

Verse 1:

When what You give is not to give

When You withhold as You think best

And when the life I have to live

Appears inferior to the rest,

I turn my heart to who You are,

To every way that You’re enough

Because have I or have I not,

It’s still a way You show Your love

Chorus:

No good thing do You withhold

From the ones who follow You

Every sheep within Your fold

Knows the Shepherd’s ever true

And no matter what You grant

I’ll take gladly from Your hand

Knowing that I can or can’t

Is still Your perfect plan.

Verse 2:

When I would try and fail to do,

When I can’t be what’s asked of me

And when whatever I pursue

Is not what You deem meant to be,

I turn my eyes to You on high

And ponder on Your perfect will

Because however I may fall,
You stay our God, and I’ll be still.

A Sweeter Song

I have thought much about which composition to choose as my new year post. And this song...written long ago in the midst of heartache...finally emerged as the best choice. No matter what my foolishness might tend to do, may the new year bring me closer and closer to my Savior, as I live a lifesong of satisfaction and love to Him.

Verse:
I brought to You my foolish dreams
And threw them up to You,
Requesting that You faithfully
Make all of them come true.
"I'd do my best, You do the rest,"
As long as each of them comes true...

I brought to You a battered heart,
All torn beyond console,
Requesting that You faithfully
Redeem and make it whole.
You tore it more, and then restored
That sweeter song unto my soul...

Chorus:
A sweeter song I sing
Of all that's pure and true,
A song no man can bring
Though everything he do,
A song my life resounds,
A song of love profound,
A song of love I found,
When satisfied in You.

More Than a Song

I typed down these lyrics on the breakfast table at my cousin's house almost a year ago. The words were soon set to music by my cousin Theo, although I still haven't heard the whole piece myself. For now, this song is a reminder for me to not merely sing praises with my lips, but to pour out my life for my Lord and my God.

Verse 1:
More than a song, with my life I will worship,
All the day long, with my being I'll sing;
Be it heart, be it soul, be it all that I own,
I will live, I will give You alone.

Chorus:
Praise You, O Lord, I will praise You in the morning,
Praise You, O Lord, I will praise You in the night,
Praise You, O Lord, every moment I am living,
Praise You, O Lord, praise with all my might.

Verse 2:
More than a feeling, with rev'rence I worship,
Humbly I'm kneeling, before You to sing,
Be it now, be it then, be it then and again,
I will raise, I will praise You alone.

Bridge:
Over and over the years,
Giving You all that I am,
Freed from all trembling and fear,
Praising You all that I can...

The Gift

The conversation in this poem was inspired by the tale "The Nightingale and the Rose" by Oscar Wilde, something I read in English literature class. Yet I have also drawn deeply from personal experience for this piece. My first composition in blank verse, this long poem answers a question for all who are patient enough to read and understand it...What is the best gift love can give?

The little boy came to the nightingale
And asked with youthful curiosity,
"Dear love-bird, if I deeply love a girl,
What present can I give to prove my love?
I've never loved a person more before
And want to give what no one else can give."
The nightingale looked on him long and sure,
"That present only truest love can give."

The little boy gazed at the nightingale
And asked with patient, slight uncertainty,
"Dear love-bird, if I want to give to her
What I can never give to someone else,
What present can I give to only her?
What present can I give to prove my love?"
The nightingale looked on him kind and long,
"That present can be given only once."

The little boy sighed at the nightingale
And asked with young frustration in his voice,
"Dear love-bird, will you please tell me today
What present's worth the most in all the earth?
I want to give what money cannot buy
For she is worth far more than jewels are."
The nightingale looked on him sweet and kind,
"This present's worth is irretrievable.

"Dear boy," the bird replied, "this special gift,
This present that you seek to give to her
Is never bought, though often rashly giv'n,
Is never earned, but granted undeserved,
'Tis what no other one can give to her,
'Tis what no other can receive but her,
Its worth is priceless, for there only is
But one in every human life on earth."

The bird continued as the boy, so filled
With love, did strain his youthful ear to hear,
"This gift is truer than fine silvery;
This gift is giving what is part of you.
Her heart can melt when you give it to her,
But you must give with warnings in your ear:
For this dear present, once given away,
Can never be outdone or taken back.

"If you should love her till the end of life,
Then only do you have the right to give;
But if you cannot love her till the end,
Then you should hesitate to grant this gift."
"Oh what's the gift?" the boy would want to know.
"No matter what the cost I'll gladly pay,
No matter what the work I will accept,
For I love her more than I love myself."

"The gift is simple, priceless, and profound,
'Tis given once, yet given not alone,
'Tis given with a record you must bear
No matter what may change in days to come.
The gift you seek is rightly named as--'First'
And it is given with whate'er you choose:
A song, a kiss, a hug, a word or three...
You give it only once eternally."

"Oh that is easy!" the young boy exclaimed.
"Oh no! 'Tis not!" the bird did reprimand,
"For once you give this gift away to one,
No human being can have it again.
You might give greater, better, stronger things,
But 'first' has ownership for one alone.
So please, be wary of what you decide,
For though you've found the gift, please bide the price."

The boy in love looked happy yet confused,
He's found the gift, but many warnings too.
"Oh be not sad," the love-bird sweetly said,
"For love would give what can be given now,
But save for last what's best among them all.
The choice of what to give and what to save,
Is yours to make, with wisdom, love, and sense,
And yours to keep throughout your days ahead."

The young boy hesitated for a while,
Then lifted up his visage with a smile,
"I think I've learned what gift is best of all,
'Tis not a gift of passion or of gold,
'Tis not a gift of words or one of praise,
But 'tis a gift I give once and for all."
And off he skipped to give his special gift,
While silently, the nightingale did muse.

"I hope that this one makes his choices well,
Lest I have one more saddened tale to tell,"
Spoke thus the bird, spoke thus the nightingale.

Shadow of the Cross

Near the end of the year 2008, I fidgeted in my plane seat, on my way home to the Philippines. And as I sorted through my hopes for the year to come, I realized that the only desire worth having would be to live with a constant awareness and assurance of Christ's redemptive sacrifice. I scribbled down these words as I went through the air...oh Lord, in every day to come, please keep me near the shadow of the cross!

Verse 1:
You are Lord of heaven,
Owner of all things,
Author of each harmony
Humankind can sing;
Yet you left Your heaven,
Came to die for me,
Paying all redemption that
I might be made free.

Pre-chorus:
Lord, You loved in such humility...
Help me now to be as You would be...

Chorus:
Keep me near the shadow of the cross,
Make my soul abandoned to its frame;
Help me count all gain to be as loss,
So I'd live to glorify Your name.

Verse 2:
I was born a sinner,
Living selfishly,
Proudly thinking I could own
Self-sufficiency;
Yet You loved this sinner,
And Your love bestowed
Grace that led my eyes to see
All that I now know.

All Done for You

It's another new year, and I can hardly keep up with everything I want to do in every area. I admit the tendency to pursue only what I want to do, instead of what I should. Yet all our pleasures on this earth are temporal, and I can only pray for God to help me keep an eternal perspective, no matter what sacrifice it requires.

My heart is beating, beating, Lord,
Each moment of each day;
The time is fleeting, fleeting, Lord,
As hours refuse to stay.
O may Your voice repeating, Lord,
Remind my heart today
That when in heaven meeting, Lord,
In Your eternal day,
All done for me proves fleeting, Lord,
All done for You will stay.

Your Symphony

I very seldom write with analogies, and this is one of my attempts. As a music lover, I often revel in the wonder of numerous instruments coming together to form thrilling symphonic music. Yet the wonder of the music could not come together by chance. Each instrument had to faithfully and patiently follow the music score, and the Conductor.

Lord, write with me Your symphony,
Beginning to the end,
That I may grow and learn to blend
With heav’nly harmony.

Lord, help me when the single notes
Form chords I cannot play,
And trust that each progression will
Resolve in Your own way.
Lord, help me wait through interludes
Though measures long they be,
And still believe that in Your time,
I’ll hear the symphony.

Lord, help me play when instruments
Of those apart from me,
Don’t join with mine like music done
For godly harmony.
Lord, help me then to play my lot
Within the score You’ve giv’n,
And trust that all of us could form
A symphony for heav’n.

Lord, write with me Your symphony,
Divinest harmony...

Let Me Live

This poem is a product of my dabbling in Latin. May the Lord help me to live with faith, with hope, with joy, with love, with peace, and with gratefulness--no matter what the time and no matter what the language.

When foggy doubts surround Thy will,
When hardened words my prayers fill,
Please help me, Lord, to trust Thee still;
Cum fide let me live.
When burdens weigh with every stride,
When human strength fails to provide,
Please help me e’er in Thee abide;
Cum spe please let me live.
Though troubles darken daily skies,
Though worries endlessly arise,
I drink to Thee with joyful eyes;
Cum gaudio I live

When loved ones cease to love me so,
When friends no longer friendship show,
Thy love I’ll still believe and know;
Amore let me live
When hurt, distrust, and pain I bear,
When turbulence rocks every care,
Please let me in Thy promise share;
Cum pace let me live
Though I know not Thy purposes,
Though I may lose all I possess,
Your faithfulness I’ll e’er confess;
Cum gratia I’ll live

Dedication

I wrote this short poem when I was around 12 years old. Although it has been several years since, the prayer found in this poem still rings true for me every day of my Christian walk.

All that I am and hope to be,
I consecrate, my Lord, to Thee;
While I may well unworthy be,
Use me, my Lord, to glory Thee.

My life, my soul, and all of me,
I give to Thee eternally;
No matter what the 'morrow be,
My ev'rything will be for Thee.