More About In the Quiet
The Project Itself
I started thinking about doing this project for two reasons. The first is that I was writing a lot of songs for my then young daughter, mostly just as I sang over her each night. The second is from a few comments I got from friends of different ages about how my first CD was helpful for calming down. One high school-aged friend told me he put in on to fall asleep at night. Other friends told me it calmed their toddlers or babies down when they were agitated or having a hard time sleeping. I decided not to take offense at these remarks about how my music tends to put people to sleep but instead took encouragement that it could bring peace. Thought I’d pull together some gentler songs , some from previous recordings and some new compositions, with the specific aim of making a recording you could relax or even fall asleep to. I hope these bring you rest.
Come Lord Jesus
The first verse of this song is a traditional table grace that my mom taught my brother, my sister and me. I was walking through my neighborhood a while back, praying for my neighbors, and this little prayer just bubbled out with a tune as I walked. I worked with it when I got home and added the additional verses. My nephew added the lovely acoustic lead guitar work and Susan’s harmony part just makes it complete. Hope you enjoy these prayers, both old and new, and can sing them over those you love and are praying for.
Words to 1st verse- traditional table grace; words to other verses -Don Lacquement; Music - Don Lacquement; Vocals - Don Lacquement and Susan Grimm; Guitar - Don Lacquement and Alex Lacquement (lead)
Lullaby (adapted from “Wither’s Rocking Hymn”)
I found an old lullaby called “Wither’s Rocking Hymn” written by an English poet named George Wither (June 11, 1588- May 2, 1667). It boasts up to 11 verses in versions I found. I pulled a few choice verses out with the intent of creating a functional (usable) lullaby for parents rocking their babies to sleep. I did this both by trying to write it in a tempo that made for one measure for each full rocking chair cycle- forward and back. I also added a verse with just “La da da da’s” because I wanted parents to be able to extend the song as long as need be to get their sweet baby to sleep! Many thanks to Susan Grimm whose harmony parts are just lovely and make the song much fuller than it was on the Christmas album on which I first sang it.
Words adapted from “WIther’s Rocking Hymn”; Music by Don Lacquement; Vocals-Don Lacquement and Susan Grimm; Guitar-Don Lacquement
Dream of You
The beginnings of this song came to me one night as my then 4 or 5-yr old daughter was drifting off to sleep. Later, I worked a bit more on the lyrics and then my wife – who is really good at boiling many words down into a single phrase—summarized the whole song in one line, and that became the bridge. I don’t like the fact that during the night we don’t have control of our thoughts and we’re shown “movies” sometimes we would never buy a ticket for. Not sure how that all works but I do know God gave plenty of people dreams in the Bible, so I know he can do it again. Keeping my head in the game is hard enough when I’m awake, so I think it’s wise to ask Him to help select what I see in my dreams.
Words and Music: Don Lacquement; Piano: Rick Flint; Vocals and Acoustic Guitar: Don Lacquement
Listen
Some people aren’t sure they want to hear God speak to them, for fear His words would only condemn, or at best wound them. I love what one minister who worked with many different hurting people said: “God is always speaking a healing word.” This doesn’t mean he never confronts and corrects, but I remember once when I had spoken unkindly behind someone’s back, a missionary of all people! I was on a retreat when the Spirit of the Lord so convicted me, but I can’t tell you how much love that conviction came with. I was overwhelmed that the Lord would make the effort to care about such a seemingly little detail, but one that could hurt another person and one that was keeping me from reflecting what He was really like. And for those who are quick to say, “Yeah, but you don’t know what I’ve done.”, it is with great joy that I commend you to a book in the Old Testament, Hosea. I won’t spoil the story, but God shows in the most graphic terms in the whole Old Testament ( in my opinion) how much He loves the broken and those who wander away from Him. Jesus life says it in even more clearly. Be encouraged, God is always speaking a healing word… so listen.
Words and Music- Don Lacquement; Vocals and guitar-Don Lacquement
Glad My Eyes
I found the first three verses of this song in a little hymnal my uncle gave me and it soon became my favorite hymn. I so resonated with the writer and wanted to put my own music to these wonderful words so I could sing it and make it a part of me. Later, while walking at lunch one day and praying, I said, “God, I don’t just want to rattle off my wish list to you and have a one way conversation! I want to dialogue with you, to be open to hearing Your heart too.” I know the Spirit was stirring up that desire in me, and that little prayer turned into a fourth verse for this song . I love how honest this song is about revealing the fact that some days start off very “dark and cheerless”, but that can break when the presence of the Lord brings a reminder of the love and mercy He wants for us to have. Special thanks to my nephew Alex Lacquement, and his bandmate, Sean McComisky (Charm City Junction) for adding their special touches to this recording.
Words: Charles Wesley (vs. 1-3) Don Lacquement (vs.4); Vocals- Don Lacquement, Susan Grimm; Acoustic Guitar - Don Lacquement; Upright Bass- Alex Lacquement; Button Accordion-Sean McComiskey
Gentle Jesus
This song focuses on one key truth that I have found indispensable when navigating a life with God: If things get confusing as to what you think God is like, just look at Jesus. In him, as Paul says, we have the “exact representation of His (God’s) likeness.” So this song looks at three aspects of Jesus’ character on which I focus to keep a true picture of what God is truly like, despite what I see or feel around (or inside) me. 1. He invites all to come to him, and he promised we’d find rest for our souls. 2. He did not open His mouth to defend himself, but allowed himself to be taken away and crucified, though we were the guilty ones. He wanted us back that much. 3. The mystery of mysteries to me is that through the Spirit of Jesus and because of Jesus perfect sacrifice for sin, I can actually be friends with God and really please Him, despite my imperfections. My efforts to be good will not get me an inch of the way down the road. But reaching out for Jesus hand will take me all the way home. It was my great pleasure to work with my mom on this one, who is a wonderful clarinetist and has always been so supportive of my music.
Words and Music by Don Lacquement; Clarinet - Connie Lacquement; Vocals and Guitar- Don Lacquement
Trust in the Lord
It’s important to know what was happening in my life when I wrote this song, or you may conclude it’s one you can only sing when things are all going well. I wrote this song in a season when my wife was basically bed ridden with no end in sight to her illness. At the same time I was trying to prepare for and pass my professional engineer’s license exam. So, it was born out of much pain, and confusion, and crying out to God for answers and for help. If you are in a fierce struggle, join in on this one and sing over your soul, then sing to the Lord with me.
Word and Music by Don Lacquement; Vocals- Laurie Harmer, Larissa Ubelhart, Brynia Schultz, Caroline Sykes, Olivia Rodgers, Anna Grace Garren; Piano-Scott Solak; Flute - Matt Rogers
When We First Met
If you just listen to this song without knowing any background, it might seem like a slightly unusual collection of ideas. I initially wrote it as a present for my wife, Jeannine, to go along with a video I made for her. Now about that video…From over 18 hours of video I pieced together 3 minutes of our daughter during her first year with us. I captured the cutest of the cute, the most precious shots we had of Jeannine and Niqui together, THEN I wrote this song to go with it. If you want to see the video (with an older recording of the song) here is the link:
Enjoy!
Words and Music: Don Lacquement; Vocals and Acoustic Guitar: Don Lacquement
In the Morning
This is one of my favorite quotes from C.S. Lewis: “It comes the very moment you wake up each morning. All your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists simply in shoving them all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in. And so on, all day (C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity). This song is a prayer that both in the morning when I first awaken and in the evening as I lie down to sleep, the Lord would help me remember Him, thank Him, praise Him. It doesn’t seem to come naturally, to me anyway, and so came this prayer for help that I could.
Words and Music by Don Lacquement; Guitar and Vocals: Don Lacquement
Flowers
I wrote this song in a time when I was struggling deeply with the question of how God could possibly love me when I was so far from being like Jesus, so far from loving Him with my whole heart and my neighbor as myself. I grew more an more fearful of God. Then the Lord began to speak to me…through flowers. I was surveying for the County and would often find myself in a field with all kinds of little wild flowers. I began to think, "What kind of a God would want to scatter beauty like this, that’s just a delight to my eyes, all over the place?” He could have made the whole planet a functional green, but instead this artistry is flung all over the planet. A few years later, usually when I’d be praying for someone, I’d start seeing flowers in my mind’s eye. I knew the Lord was assuring me, at that moment, He was right there with me and the person I was praying for. I find it so encouraging that He knows how to “whisper” thoughts and even pictures to us that are unique to us so that we’ll know He’s with us.
Words and Music- Don Lacquement; Vocals-Don Lacquement, Susan Grimm; Piano-Rick Flint
Psalm 63
I fell in love with this Psalm last November, feeling such a connection with the ideas in a number of the verses, particularly those that expressed a longing for the Lord in a place that was far from comfortable.
When David wrote this he was being hunted down like a dog by Saul and Saul’s army, and yet somehow he was still able to sincerely praise God, knowing that God would deliver him. May singing these ancient words again in our time spark the same faith in us that God will deliver us, and the same praise as we expectantly wait for Him.
Words and Music by Don Lacquement; Vocals and Guitar: Don Lacquement
Baptism Prayer
I wrote this song for my daughter to explain more about what it means to be baptized. So this one was on the bedtime songs list for a season. It uses the images from Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12 where Paul draws the parallel between Jesus’ death and and resurrection and our coming to Christ and being baptized. My friend John Gockel is playing cello and he deserves a medal for taking the parts I sent him and making sense of them…written out improperly all on treble clef and therefore in an octave I did not intend! He is a very patient AND talented musician! Thanks John!
Words and Music: Don Lacquement; Vocals and Acoustic Guitar: Don Lacquement; Cello: John Gockel
Holy Promise
With this song I actually set out to write a simple chorus that could be sung in a large or small group worship setting. So that meant it needed to be quickly accessible, but still have an interesting enough melody and lyrics that, once someone heard it a couple of times, they were still pulled in and pleased to sing it again. Whether I achieved this or not, I’m not sure. At least you and I can sing this (as a VERY small group) and give our hearts and lives to the Lord afresh. The chorus reminds us that the Holy Spirit’s role in our being able to do this is central and indispensable. The Spirit draws us to God, humbles our hearts to even be willing to want to come to Him, and gives us the motivations and urgings from deep within to want to find out what His will is and do it. If we could see more clearly how small a role we play, and what a massive role the Spirit plays, I think we’d be thanking God for Him a lot more…and would probably be more humble (and useful) as well!
Words and Music- Don Lacquement; Vocals- Don Lacquement, Susan Grimm; Guitar-Don Lacquement and Pete Lukschander