Flying High Warwick Allen Saturday, 30 August 1997
[Verse 1] The eagle it soars, with such might Above the clouds in noble flight And it does, from that lofty height To the ground below cast its sight
[Verse 2] On the creatures down low it stares With scorn and derision it sneers To itself and what ever hears And with bitter contempt declares:
[Verse 3] “Shame to all those birds low flying Sparrows, finches, all those choosing Low to stay, near the ground to sing And never actually trying
[Verse 4] “For if their wings they would bother To stretch that little bit wider Set their sights a little higher And try that little bit harder
[Chorus 1] “They too might know The glory and the majesty Of flying high
[Verse 5] “'Twas not without effort that I Managed to climb so very high My wings I did spread wide, and my Sights I did set high in the sky
[Chorus 2] “It's through my own efforts that I know The glory and the majesty Of flying high
[Verse 6] “As for those creatures who must stay On the earth forever as they Have no feathers, no wings, no way Of flying. Pity them, I say
[Verse 7] “But it's the ground fowl I can't stand He has wings, as I understand Feathers too, but he dwells on land Not in the sky, so high and grand
[Verse 8] “Why does he choose this way to live When the blue skies he could have if His wings he would flap, and then, with Some effort, the skies would be his
[Chorus 3] “And then he too might know The glory and the majesty Of flying high
[Verse 9] “But no, he makes a decision To live in humiliation And shame; an abomination To all the birds of creation
[Coda] “If only he tried Oh, how I loathe the ground fowl.”
Sonnet of the Stone Warwick Allen Friday, 22 August 1997
[Stanza 1] The weight of the stone, around my heart bound Is not enough to pull me under, but Just enough for the chains, my soul to cut And the load to keep my dreams on the ground. Sometimes I stand tall, my strength I have found, But often strength I've none, I'm in a rut, I long for a haven, a lonely hut Where, onto a page, my fears and doubts mound.
[Stanza 2] From this safe place, I cry my forlorn plea To my Lord, I ask Him to take the stone. He hears, but He is teaching me to wait. He wants to use me, now He's moulding me, Yet He still lets me know I'm not alone, And from my shoulders He will lift the weight.
Amazing Man of God Warwick Allen Friday, 1 August 1997
Lord, I want to serve You. How I wish I were able, And capable, and ready. I know they say that it doesn't matter, That You can use me anyway. I guess that my feeble mind Has trouble comprehending that fact. Please, Lord, Make me an “amazing man of God”.
[Verse 1] What have You done for me? Merely given me a life worth living, Shown me love to which none can compare, A hope of a future, amazing and exciting. You've given me this, for free.
[Chorus 1] Should I be grateful? Should I show it? Should I fervently praise You, And proclaim Your name to the ends of the earth?
[Verse 2] After all, You only sent Your Son To die in sheer agony, To be cut off from Your love, To be crushed by the weight of my sin, So that I might know You, and live.
[Chorus 2] You'd think I'd be grateful. You'd think I'd want to show it. You'd think I'd fervently praise You, And proclaim Your name to the ends of the earth.
[Verse 3] What act of gratitude would be worthy To give thanks for what You have done? Nothing, really, but I could make a start, Such as giving You all that I have and all that I am, And living Your will in all that I do.
[Chorus 3] Father, I am grateful, And I want to show it. I shall fervently praise You, And proclaim Your name to the ends of the earth.
[Verse 4] If giving You my life and living Your will Were the least that I could do, You'd think that I'd manage that. But no, I fail, I let You down. Sometimes I think I'm more of a hindrance than a help to Your kingdom.
[Chorus 4] Lord, I am grateful; Help me to show it. Teach me to fervently praise You, And proclaim Your name to the ends of the earth.
[Verse 5] Thank You, Father, for Your grace, And for Your infinitely patient love. Thank You that whenever I fall, You catch me and comfort me with Your tender presence, And You're always ready to forgive.
