East of December Music and Lyrics
Thy Glory
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Thy Glory
Thy glory, Thy Will,
Thine eternal purpose in Christ -
nothing more...
nothing less...
nothing else.
Thy glory, Thy Will,
Thine eternal purpose in Christ -
nothing more...
nothing less...
nothing else.
Thy Glory
Click here to listen to "Thy Glory"
Glen: Often in my prayers, I request that God will work according to His glory,
will, and eternal purpose in Christ. This very simple song lyrically and
musically seeks to express this truth which will take eternity to begin to
fathom.
Frances: Sometimes it is that which appears so simplistic which turns out to be
the most profound. That is exactly what I think of this song.
Thy glory, Thy Will,
Thine eternal purpose in Christ -
nothing more...
nothing less...
nothing else.
Thy glory, Thy Will,
Thine eternal purpose in Christ -
nothing more...
nothing less...
nothing else.
Faithful and True
Glen: Our philosophy of ministry is that no one has ever trusted in the God and
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ and been disappointed for doing so. And no one
ever will. I also love the imagery of our Lord expressed in Revelation 19:11: “I saw heaven opened, and behold a white
horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True.”
Frances:
I like the sound of this song because it is so different from what we
normally do. I also love the fact that I don't have to even worry about the
words, I just echo what Glen has sung.
Faithful and True
There is a heart, so faithful and true,
It bears a scar for me and for you.
And we can know for a lifetime through,
It's faithful and true, faithful and true.
Faithful and true, faithful and true.
There is a grace that makes all things new,
born in that valley our Lord passed through.
Where He was smitten for me and for you,
So faithful and true, so faithful and true,
Faithful and true, faithful and true.
Forever draws nigh, we'll see His face soon,
Shining in glory, so lovely the view.
And the glad anthem of our hearts will ensue,
Faithful and true, faithful and true.
Faithful and true, faithful and true.
Look
Into My Eyes -
Click here to listen to "Look Into My Eyes"
Look Into My Eyes
As the years go by and time passes away,
More and more I am astonished by the grace
That brought you to my side, and into my heart.
And if I had the words to say I would try,
But I don’t, oh dear one, so look into my eyes,
Look into my eyes.
There’s a place within our hearts where there’s no time.
Where forever I am yours and you are mine.
And the thought to me is wondrous and sublime.
And if I had the words to tell it, I would try.
But I don’t, oh dear one, so look into my eyes,
Look into my eyes.
And if I had the words to tell it, I would try.
But I don’t, oh dear one, so look into my eyes,
Look into my eyes… look into my eyes.
Glen: If we could think of eternity in terms of time, a trillion years from now
I will still be without the capacity to adequately express my gratitude to God
or to Frances for the gift she is to me. I don’t have the words, but I hope she
can see it in my eyes.
Frances: I love this song, not only because it is a love song to me, but
because I love looking into Glen’s eyes. His eyes are the most beautiful
green, and I just like looking at them. All of our children inherited
green eyes as well (I thought brown-eye genes were dominant!) and I am glad.
Look Into My Eyes
As the years go by and time passes away,
More and more I am astonished by the grace
That brought you to my side, and into my heart.
And if I had the words to say I would try,
But I don’t, oh dear one, so look into my eyes,
Look into my eyes.
There’s a place within our hearts where there’s no time.
Where forever I am yours and you are mine.
And the thought to me is wondrous and sublime.
And if I had the words to tell it, I would try.
But I don’t, oh dear one, so look into my eyes,
Look into my eyes.
And if I had the words to tell it, I would try.
But I don’t, oh dear one, so look into my eyes,
Look into my eyes… look into my eyes.
Walden
(Instrumental)
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East of December
Glen: Our visit to Boston in 2010 resulted in an “accidental” discovery of
Thoreau’s Walden Pond. I have little doubt this was actually God’s gift to us.
When I stood looking out at the pond and walking through the woods of Walden, I
knew that as soon as a piano became available, a song would be forthcoming. It
was.
Frances: When Glen said he wanted to see Walden Pond while we were in Boston, I
had no idea why. When we stood at the edge of that marvelous body of
water – clear and as smooth as glass – I felt as if I could have stood there
all day. Our experience of Walden only lacked two things, our kayaks!
East of December
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East of December
East of December, west with the wind,
they came to find answers, they came to find Him,
They came to find Him.
Wise men they called them,
Wise men they were,
Bearing their gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh,
gold, frankincense and myrrh.
With hearts full of worship,
Spirits led by faith,
They knew that the star would lead them in their way,
Would lead them to the Way.
East of December, west with the wind,
they came to find answers, they came to find Him,
They came to find Him.
With Mary they found Him, and fell to their knees,
To worship the Child they knew was Heaven’s humble King,
Heaven’s humble King.
The treasures were opened, of rich and precious things,
But most of all the wise men gave their hearts unto the King,
They gave their hearts unto the King.
East of December, west with the wind,
they came to find answers, they came to find Him,
They came and found Him.
Blue Jewel
Glen: I was walking our beagle Sparrow one day just after Christmas last year while
talking to our dear friend Jay Grelen on the phone. Somehow we got our imagery
mixed up, pretty beautifully I think, and the words “east of December” were
uttered. The song flowed pretty swiftly from there.
Frances: I enjoyed recording this song. There is something in the rhythm
of the phrase “East of December, west with the wind,” that was fun to
sing. The wind sound came as an afterthought and I never really imagined
it would make it onto the album. There is a line in our signature song,
Orange Moon, that goes “my strings, your wind, a perfect blend. . .”.
When it was written it referred to my playing the flute. Now my “wind”
takes on a completely different meaning.
East of December
East of December, west with the wind,
they came to find answers, they came to find Him,
They came to find Him.
Wise men they called them,
Wise men they were,
Bearing their gifts, gold, frankincense and myrrh,
gold, frankincense and myrrh.
With hearts full of worship,
Spirits led by faith,
They knew that the star would lead them in their way,
Would lead them to the Way.
East of December, west with the wind,
they came to find answers, they came to find Him,
They came to find Him.
With Mary they found Him, and fell to their knees,
To worship the Child they knew was Heaven’s humble King,
Heaven’s humble King.
The treasures were opened, of rich and precious things,
But most of all the wise men gave their hearts unto the King,
They gave their hearts unto the King.
East of December, west with the wind,
they came to find answers, they came to find Him,
They came and found Him.
Blue Jewel
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Blue Jewel
Blue Jewel, floating out in space,
Who painted the beauty of your lovely face?
Blue jewel, you make me think of grace.
(You make me want to fall to my knees,
You make me want to cry holy, holy, holy,
You make me want to sing, you make me want to sing.)
Blue jewel, I see the prints of Feet,
That once walked upon your lanes and streets.
Blue Jewel, it was the Prince of peace,
(The Maker of your loveliness,
The Savior of your citizens,
It makes me want to sing, it makes me want to sing.)
For as lovely as you are, how much more must your Maker be?
And as brightly as you shine,
Oh how I wonder of His glory.
Blue jewel, as lovely as you are.
One day, you’ll be purified by fire.
And your beauty will be greater, greater far
(We will walk your streets and lanes of holiness,
Your every way will be filled with righteousness,
And we will forever sing, of your wondrous King.
Mad Dash (Instrumental)
Glen: Other than the faces of Frances and our children, the most beautiful
things I have ever seen are the images of Earth taken by the Apollo astronauts.
They make me cry, I’m not ashamed to say, because, in a universe of beauty, God
obviously made our home the incredibly special display of His wondrous heart
and mind.
This song is unlike anything we’ve ever done, and honestly, I don’t recall ever
hearing a piece of music quite like it. I love playing it and singing it, and I
love the description of Earth as God’s “Blue Jewel.”
Frances: This was a fun yet frustrating piece of music to record. The
harmonies to the verses were fun, as the song has a fun tempo and feel.
The echoes, however, nearly drove me crazy. What you hear on the album is
far from that which with we started. I think I spent more time erasing my
part than Glen did recording all of his.
Blue Jewel
Blue Jewel, floating out in space,
Who painted the beauty of your lovely face?
Blue jewel, you make me think of grace.
(You make me want to fall to my knees,
You make me want to cry holy, holy, holy,
You make me want to sing, you make me want to sing.)
Blue jewel, I see the prints of Feet,
That once walked upon your lanes and streets.
Blue Jewel, it was the Prince of peace,
(The Maker of your loveliness,
The Savior of your citizens,
It makes me want to sing, it makes me want to sing.)
For as lovely as you are, how much more must your Maker be?
And as brightly as you shine,
Oh how I wonder of His glory.
Blue jewel, as lovely as you are.
One day, you’ll be purified by fire.
And your beauty will be greater, greater far
(We will walk your streets and lanes of holiness,
Your every way will be filled with righteousness,
And we will forever sing, of your wondrous King.
Mad Dash (Instrumental)
Click here to listen to "Mad Dash"
The Winter Is Past
Glen: I don’t do music for fun, although it is a lot of fun. This one is surely
an example of that, and I enjoyed every minute of recording it. Be sure and
listen to the end as the piece comes to a, shall we say, crashing halt. Uh-oh!
Frances: I think this has my shortest part in any song. Glen had me
listen to the end and I had an immediate and spontaneous reaction to it.
What you hear from me is that reaction.
The Winter Is Past
Click here to listen to "The Winter is Past"
Glen: I don’t know if folks will find this song beautiful to listen to, but it
is beautiful to play and sing.
Frances: This song is very special to me because part of it comes from my
musical past. I was part of a concert choir in college and we sang a song
from these verses. I have never heard it since, but it has remained a
favorite. Since I sang the harmony, I don’t even know how the melody
goes. When Glen was writing this song and came to the chorus, I suggested
the verses of “The Winter is Past” and he loved the idea. It was a way
for me to blend the past and the present.
Musically,
I love the way it sounds. I love how the verses have a forlorn sound, but
the chorus has a hopeful sound, turning more up the scale than down.
The Winter is Past
Sometimes the winter seems so cold and deep,
Sometimes we wonder, will there ever be a spring?
Sometimes our hearts seem so broken and grieved,
Sometimes we wonder, Is there hope for me?
Is there hope, is there hope for me?
The winter is past, the flowers appear,
the time of the singing of birds is here.
The voice of the turtledove is heard in our land,
and our Beloved is at hand.
We must trust His heart, when we cannot see His hand.
When He seems so far apart, and we cannot understand.
For beneath the frozen shroud, a seed awaits new birth,
And life will once again appear, amid the dark and dearth…
life will once again appear, amid the dark and dearth.
The voice of my Beloved speaks and calls to me,
Rise up my love and come away, My glory you shall see.
And deep within my heart, His Spirit moves in grace,
I lift my head in wonder, and look upon His face
I lift my head in wonder, and I look upon His face.
The winter is past, the flowers appear,
the time of the singing of birds is here.
The voice of the turtledove is heard in our land,
Oh beloved, I am at hand,
Oh beloved, take My hand.
Beyond the Bow
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Beyond the Bow
Beyond the bow, the sun is rising.
Beyond the bow, the wind is blowing.
Beyond the bow, a voice is calling,
Oh let us go, let us go… beyond the bow.
Beyond the bow, we’ve seen such glory.
Beyond the bow, we’ve felt such love.
Beyond the bow, the old, old Story,
on the wings of a Dove, Calls from up above,
Beyond the bow.
Beyond the bow, we will sail forever.
Beyond the bow, your heart in mine.
Beyond the bow, let us go together
To our Lord divine, Beyond space and time…
Beyond the bow.
Let Us Cross
Glen: Written for Frances’s birthday this year, and inspired, of course, by the
sheer delight of our kayaking journeys together.
Frances: Besides singing together, kayaking together is one of my favorite
things to do with Glen. It is an activity that has brought us much joy
and wonder as we navigate the beautiful waterways the Lord has blessed us with
in our area. The song was a wonderful birthday gift.
Beyond the Bow
Beyond the bow, the sun is rising.
Beyond the bow, the wind is blowing.
Beyond the bow, a voice is calling,
Oh let us go, let us go… beyond the bow.
Beyond the bow, we’ve seen such glory.
Beyond the bow, we’ve felt such love.
Beyond the bow, the old, old Story,
on the wings of a Dove, Calls from up above,
Beyond the bow.
Beyond the bow, we will sail forever.
Beyond the bow, your heart in mine.
Beyond the bow, let us go together
To our Lord divine, Beyond space and time…
Beyond the bow.
Let Us Cross
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Let Us Cross
Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond our Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
His heart so full of peace.
I will go when He calls me to come; for me that will be best.
O do not mourn for me, my love, this life has been so blessed...
Oh let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond our Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
His heart so full of peace.
Oh what will it be in that holy abode, when I look into His face?
For only then will I fully know the glory of His grace.
Yes, let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond our Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
His heart so full of peace.
I bid farewell to this world of strife, to battles won and lost.
I look toward eternal life, and the Jesus of the cross…
So now I cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond my Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
If My Voice
Glen: For General Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson. His last words before going to be
with His Lord.
Thanks to Steve Kennedy for his perfect quoting of Gen. Jackson at the end of
the song. Great Virginia drawl by an Alabama boy!
Frances: I cannot begin to tell you of my great admiration for General
Jackson, his life, and his dedication to the Lord and to his men. That our
dear friend Steve, for whom I also have great admiration, would do the
narration for General Jackson’s song is quite fitting.
I really love singing this song. There is something peaceful in the feeling
of
and I just enjoy singing it, whether for the album or live.
Let Us Cross
Let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond our Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
His heart so full of peace.
I will go when He calls me to come; for me that will be best.
O do not mourn for me, my love, this life has been so blessed...
Oh let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond our Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
His heart so full of peace.
Oh what will it be in that holy abode, when I look into His face?
For only then will I fully know the glory of His grace.
Yes, let us cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond our Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
His heart so full of peace.
I bid farewell to this world of strife, to battles won and lost.
I look toward eternal life, and the Jesus of the cross…
So now I cross over the river and rest under the shade of the trees,
for there just beyond my Savior awaits, His heart so full of peace…
If My Voice
Glen: David said of the Lord, “My voice He shall hear,” and that our prayers are God’s “delight.” The Song of Solomon also depicts that our voices
are sweet to God. This is so amazingly wonderful that words and music can’t
even being to express it.
Frances: I didn’t want to sing on this song. I thought it was so perfect
as it was, but Glen insisted on harmony. I think this is a most beautiful
song, both in the melody of it and in its meaning.
If my voice is sweet to you, Lord,
As Your Word declares,
And if somehow you find delight in my prayers.
And if Your face You call me to seek, Lord,
Your face I will seek…
And my voice You will hear…
Glen: Recording this was unplanned. The song was unfinished and really remains
so. Thus, the simplicity of the lyrics. But the recorder was on, and I wanted
to sing the song. The performance and even the arrangement were therefore
completely spontaneous, which is completely unlike anything we’ve ever done.
This also resulted in a weird noise on the track after the song ends, which is
a strange way to finish a project. Oh well, the joys and challenges of home
recording. Thanks for listening to “East of December.”
Frances:
Considering we record with a family talking or cooking or doing what they need
to do while we record (not to mention a sweet dog doing her thing), it
is amazing there aren’t strange noises throughout the whole album. If we
were looking for perfection, we would still be working on the first album we
ever did. Thank the Lord it is His strength made perfect in our weakness,
not our perfection!
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