Chris Rice Album

Feel the sun in my eyes
Swat that clumsy fly
Woke me up from a dream about Heaven
Smellin' coffee downstairs
Yawn a quick little prayer
And get up at a quarter to seven

Mirror catches my stare
Got some nice pillow hair
And I smile all the way to the bathroom
Scratch my whiskerly chin
Now my cranium swims
With questions I can't wait to ask Him

Like: Why did You bother with so many stars?
Do You ever play tricks on the angels?
And what happened to all of those dinosaurs?
Where's the Garden of Eden?
And what causes de ja vu?

I guess in Heaven I'll learn
I'll be waiting my turn
To ask about quasars and feathers
I hope the line isn't long
I hope Your patience is strong
It's a good thing forever's forever

Do our jokes make You laugh?
What's Your favorite cartoon?
Can You tell me what's out past the edges?
And what about UFOs, taste buds, and tornados?
Why do we dream?
Oh, and what causes de ja vu?

Time to call it a day
Time to turn off my brain
It's already half past eleven
Reach to turn out the light
And close my sleepy eyes
And save up the questions for Heaven
I'll save all the questions for Heaven
I'm savin' up questions for Heaven

I would take no for an answer,
Just to know I heard you speak,
And I'm wondering why I've never,
Seen the signs they claim they see,
A lotta special revelations,
Meant for everybody but me,
Maybe I don't truly know You,
or maybe I just simply believe...

Chorus: Cause I can sniff, I can see, and I can
count up pretty high; but these faculties
aren't getting me any closer to the sky,
but my heart of faith keeps poundin' so
I know I'm doin' fine but sometimes findin
you is just like tryin to smell the color nine.
Smell the color nine...

Now I've never felt the presence,
But I know You're always near,
And I've never heard the calling,
But somehow You've led me right here,
So I'm not lookin' for burnin' bushes,
Or some Divine graffiti to appear,
I'm just beggin You for Your wisdom,
And I believe You're puttin' some here...

Chorus

(ah's and do's)

Chorus (repeat)

Nine's not a color...
and if even if it was you can't smell a color,no
that's my point exactly.

do do do do do do do (repeat)

Fading memories ignored
I crawl across the forest floor
Pool reflects an orphan child
Dirty, lost, alone and wild
Fatherless and nameless still
Fallen heart and broken, will
there ever be a place where I belong

I cower 'neath the monster trees
And try to stand on tired feet
But gravity knocks me to the ground
Where I give up, and tears roll down
I claw the dust and beg the end
Curse the day that I began
to hope there'd be a place where I belong

I hear a sound I recognize
You lift my chin and seek my eyes
Song of love You sing to me
I ache to sing it back to Thee
"Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong!"

How did I miss this wondrous song?
The forest sang it all along
"River rinses all your shame
Father offers you His name
Father Love prepares a home
Brother Jesus leads you on
Follow to the place where you belong!"

"Father Love prepares a place
Brother Jesus leads the way
Follow to the place where you belong
Follow to the place where you belong!"

He shares a room outside with a dozen other guys
And the only roof he knows is that sometimes starry sky
A tattered sleeping bag on a concrete slab is his bed
And it's too cold to talk tonight
So I just sit with him instead and think

How did I find myself in a better place
I can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
'Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ

After sixteen years in a cold, gray prison yard
Somehow his heart is soft, but keeping simple faith is hard
He lays his Bible open on the table next to me
And as I hear his humble prayer
I feel his longing to be free someday

How did I find myself in a better place
I can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
'Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ

See you had no choice which day you would be born
Or the color of your skin, or what planet you'd be on
Would your mind be strong, would your eyes be blue or brown
Whether daddy would be rich, or if momma stuck around at all

So if you find yourself in a better place
You can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
You gotta stoop down low, look him square in the eye
And get a funny feeling, 'cause you might be dealing ...

How did I find myself in a better place
I can't look down on the frown on the other guy's face
'Cause when I stoop down low, look him square in the eye
I get a funny feeling, I just might be dealing
With the face of Christ

With the face of Christ, yeah

With the face of Christ

I've come to my senses
How did I get so far from home
The lies dissipating
Revealing I'm so alone
And I remember now how strong love can be
And I wonder how did I ever leave

Burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I'm still too far away to see it
But I'm aching for its warmth
And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm comin' home tonight

This isn't the first time
I've wandered away from home before
You'd have every reason
To slam and dead-bolt the door
But I remember now how strong your love can be
And I wonder how you might welcome me

Burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I'm still too far away to see it
But I'm aching for its warmth
And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm comin' home tonight

Into your arms, to my back yard
Where I used to play
How I miss the days...

So burn your fire on the altar
Leave a candle on the porch
I'm still too far away to see it
But I'm aching for its warmth
And I'm so tired and cold and dark and lonesome
But still I hear your song inside
So sing it louder if you want me home tonight
Sing it loud now, 'cause I'm comin' home tonight

He rode his wagon into town
A gaudy spectacle
And every gray November brought him there
Always entertaining
Prestidigitating
Pulling rabbits from thin air

He would wave his magic wand
He would say the magic words
Working up a miracle
Puttin' on a show
Changing what I thought to be
Unchangeable reality
Wish I had a magic wand of my own

Now twenty-three Novembers later
The prestidigitator
Still holds a power in my mind
'Cause I'd like a quick and easy way
To look inside and make a change
A magic wand would do me fine

I would wave my magic wand
I would say the magic words
Working up a miracle
Puttin' on a show
Changing what I thought to be
Unchangeable reality
If I had a magic wand of my own

I would wave it over me and over you
And over all this crazy world
And make it right
Oh and there's so much I'd change
If I could take the easy way!

I would wave my magic wand
I would say the magic words
Working up a miracle
Puttin' on a show
Changing what I thought to be
Unchangeable reality

I would wave my magic wand
I would say the magic words
Working up a miracle
Puttin' on a show
Changing what I thought to be
Unchangeable reality
If I had a magic wand of my own

The only way to really change
Is simple choices everyday
Obey the Spirit-whisper in my soul
With the help of God, a little time
Can change a heart, renew a mind
Without a magic wand He'll work a miracle...

Without a magic wand He'll work a miracle...

Without a magic wand He'll work a miracle...

Standing on the edge of the dock
With the wind in our faces
Been watchin' the waves roll in
And it feels like we're sailing
Now Russell chimes in with his youthful imagination
"What if we saw him there
Walking out on the water?"
No time for splashing around in shallow theology
He just invited us out into the deep simplicity

And I'm sailing with Russell
Chasing that heartbeat
Playing on sunshine
Laughin' with heaven
When I'm sailing with Russell
It's like I'm walkin' on the water
And floatin' in the freedom
And thankin' the Savior

Now a couple of years have gone by
Filled with some crazy days
Been sailin' our separate ways
Across the blue ocean
But the Good Wind brought us around
And time made us older
But not on the inside
We're still talkin' 'bout sailin'
Catchin' the wind from the good times
Fillin' our sails with the memories
Feelin' the tide carry us back out to the deep simplicity

And I'm sailing with Russell
Chasing that heartbeat
Playing on sunshine
Laughin' with heaven
When I'm sailing with Russell
It's like I'm walkin' on the water
And floatin' in the freedom
And thankin' the Savior

Fresh page, new pen
Where do I begin
Words fail, tears come
I need someone
To take the thoughts I almost think
And carry them to God for me

Deep breath, exhale
Breathe in deeper still
Long sigh, I'm still numb
Is there anyone
Who can find the things I'm barely feeling
And give them wings beyond my ceiling?

Right heart, wrong place
It's too far to outer space
Sorry, I forgot, You're right here
I cup my hands around Your ear
I feel you smile, You feel my breath
You listen while I whisper non-sense

Simple exchange
Your will, I'm changed
And now my prayer ends
Thank You, Amen

Another night slips away
As the events of the day
Keep burning deep in your mind
Why can't you leave them behind
And there's no one there in the dark
To share the ache in your heart
But no matter where you are
You're not really alone

Somebody's watchin' that lonely heart inside
Somebody's watchin', ain't missed a tear you've cried
Somebody's watchin', even the dark can't hide you
Somebody's watchin' you, you know that
Somebody's watchin' you

A million thoughts in your head
Toss you around in your bed
As the night drags on
Without a warning you're drawn
Into a childhood memory
Of a God Who never sleeps
Is He still lookin' down on me?
Does He really care?

Somebody's watchin' that lonely heart inside
Somebody's watchin', ain't missed a tear you've cried
Somebody's watchin', even the dark can't hide you
Somebody's watchin' you, you know that
Somebody's watchin' you

Through the darkest night His love can reach
Into the secret place of your heart

Somebody's watchin' that lonely heart inside
Somebody's watchin', ain't missed a tear you've cried
Somebody's watchin', even the dark can't hide you
Somebody's watchin' you, you know that
Somebody's watchin' you

Every day is a journal page
Every man holds a quill and ink
And there's plenty of room for writing in
All we do is believe and think
So will you compose a curse
Or will today bring the blessing
Fill the page with rhyming verse
Or some random sketching

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much

Every day is a bank account
And time is our currency
So nobody's rich, nobody's poor
We get 24 hours each
So how are you gonna spend
Will you invest, or squander
Try to get ahead
Or help someone who's under

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much
Life means so much
Life means so much

Has anybody ever lived who knew the value of a life
And don't you think giving is all
What proves the worth of yours and mine

Teach us to count the days
Teach us to make the days count
Lead us in better ways
That somehow our souls forgot
Life means so much

Every day is a gift you've been given
Make the most of the time every minute you're living