Initially the song words were hand-written from the Bible in verse and chorus format and then the chords were written in – in common guitar format, and the melody memorized. Later on the words were typed using Word on the pc and printed before the chords were written in, and the melody memorized. Once the melody was established and memorized the chords were typed above the typed words and the song printed and placed in a hard-covered book with plastic sleeves.

Most songs took about an hour to complete with exceptions of course, as some songs took days to complete due to overseas traveling and everyday stresses etc. Songs were composed, using the guitar, piano and keyboard and the same format procedure was adhered to. This entailed writing the song, and then singing it repeatedly as many times as possible over a period of days / weeks until it was a part of the author’s life / being / aura / chi whatever you wish to call it. Later on notation was written, only when songs were performed in public with others.

During the period 10 June to 2001 to 5 October 2006, whilst the songs were being written, the author was intensely researching and seeking information regarding healing both physical and spiritual. She had lost her health steadily from her youth and collapsed in 1994. After many tests and visits to her GP alternative remedies were sought. An ayurvedic practioner / GP, our local Deepak Chopra - was consulted and a new eating and healing programme was adhered to. Through this brilliant GP various products from network marketing companies purporting to healing were hungrily welcomed and tested – and then enthusiastically shared with others. Life was generally taking its course and yet each crisis, excitement, and disappointment in my work or in my relationships and circumstances impacted and inspired each song, at exactly the appointed time it was to be written.

When Song No 55 (Part 1) was completed and written from 15 – 19 March 2003 – I thought that the Work was complete. Inspiration for this Song is from Luke 13 vs 34 – 35 which ends with “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord”.

This proved not to be the case as Part 2 comprising 11 Songs was begun on 17 June 2003 and completed on 19 October 2004. This made up a compendium of 66 Songs and once again I thought that the Work was completed as Song 66 inspired by Zechariah 9 vs 9 – 17 and entitled “The Coming of Zion’s King”. There were still another 12 songs to complete the tale.

Part 3 consisting of 12 songs began on 20^th December 2004, just 6 days before the Tsunami hit countries from India to Thailand, but I already knew that something profound and yet tragic was about to happen, because Song No 1 of this section, is entitled “Sacrifice Thank Offerings to God” and words are from Psalm 50. It had a marked affect on my life and I expected the “worst possible news for the world”. The balance came in Song No 2 which I entitled “Everlasting Peace” and was inspired from Micah 4 vs 1 – 5 headed “The LORD’S Universal Reign of Peace” and was written on Saturday 8^th January 2006.

Song 1 and 2 of Part 3 were composed on the keyboard.

All writing came to stand still at this time as our home which was registered in the name of a family business, but bought as our marital home, was sold by my father-in-law. We were given 6 months notice, and at the end of February we moved lock, stock and barrel to a rented home in my original home town, Umhlanga Rocks.

Soon after this move and before we really got settled, another crisis seriously disturbed my peace of mind and set me on another course of intense research into healing, suffering and death. The husband and brother of my very dear friend and hairdresser, were critically injured in a motor vehicle accident and after a week both passed away.

This changed the nature of the next 9 songs.

Inspiration came from attending the Smash Hit Musical Mamma Mia based on the songs of the universally loved music of ABBA – the internationally acclaimed and brilliant compositions of Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus. This dramatically and radically impacted on me and my life was changed forever. I now so wanted to write a musical with Benny and Bjorn (using their tunes) that had a “Happily Ever After” ending as in Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella fame!!!

To quote Judy Craymer from the Mamma Mia Programme which included the story of how it all came to be – “the lyrics tell a roller-coaster story of love and loss; it is extraordinarily theatrical.”

I set to work immediately, as usual working with situations, upsets, and tragedies of my every day life to draw my compositions from. I acquired the CD – “ABBA Gold” and proceeded to receive the “answer” to the story of love and loss of each of the songs. The next 8 songs (except for 1 - an original composition), gave a Biblical solution and instead of a worldview a Biblical view which gives comfort, universally reverses the story of love and loss (the curse) and returns the listener/singer into a place of great tranquility, perfection and beauty where there is no lack - only peace and joy and the inevitable “and they lived happily ever after” ending I so desperately desired. One of the songs words were not changed at all – it fits in perfectly just the way that Benny and Bjorn wrote it – all their music is heaven inspired.

These 10 songs “blow my mind” as they are magical in their formula and composition as the words that fit the melodies not only work with the intonations and musical notation word for word, but they come directly from the Bible mostly just as it was written (in my NIV Bible) by Isaiah 28, 51; 2 Samuel 22; Ezekiel 47 vs 2; the Psalmists numbers 121, 69 and 70, 144, 31, 119, 122; Rev 22; Exodus 5 vs 1 and finally Matt 5 vs 13 and 14 “You are the salt of the earth….” and “You are the light of the world…..”

The first 10 Songs are described in detail below. Song No 9 (Nine) uses a melody that is world-famous and words when not from the Bible are from the original song, thus keeping the original message intact.

Where Tempo is written, it indicates Tempo as per a Yamaha 350 keyboard.

Song No 1: “Here I Am!”

Description: Country Rock style, with up-beat. Tempo 148

To be sung brightly with feeling, in a “hip” manner.

Information: Key - E-Major

Written on guitar – using barre chords for B and A chords

Introduction: E – A – B – A – E – straight in to Here I am!

Ending: Repeat last line of chorus holding the “in” for 2 bars and ending with “and eat with him”.

Background: Words of song come from Revelation 3 vs 20 – chorus.

Verses from Isaiah 55 vs 1 - 6.

History: First song of a compendium of 78.

Written on 10^th June 2001 between 12noon and 1pm.

Inspired by combination of chords of introduction “received” during band set up at church on the previous Sunday morning.

Song No 2: “My Thoughts Are Not Your Thoughts”

Description: Waltz – Tempo 105

Sing slowly with emotion

Information: Key – D Major

Written on guitar

Introduction: D – G – D – A – D

Ending: Repeat last line 3 times

Background: Words from Isaiah 55 vs 8 - 13

History: Written on 11^th June 2001 at 7,05pm whilst waiting for my husband to fly down from Jhb and before leaving for the airport to pick him up. It was so exciting writing these songs that I just wanted to play guitar all day and night long!!!

Song No 3: Jesus

Description: Slow Waltz – Tempo 98

Meditational / worship song – lose yourself in this one

Information: Key - C Major

Written on guitar.

Introduction: begin with bass run G>A>B>

Repeat song as many times as you wish until you are the song

Ending: Repeat “I want to hear your voice” and fade

Background: Words inspired from Matthew 1 vs 18 - 25 and Isaiah 7 vs 14

History: Written on 12^th June 2001 from 6,30 – 7,30am

Was making breakfast in the kitchen when the song descended, and I rushed for guitar, pen and paper to write it down.

Song No 4: The Battle Call of Hope (SAFA SONG)

Description: March – Tempo 120

Call to battle – sing with conviction

Information: Key – G Major

Written on guitar.

Introduction: Two sharp blasts on the shofar

Repeat song twice

Ending: hold word men.. to match my plains…G-C-G-C-G-C-G-D-G

Background: Inspiration from Isaiah 2 – The mountain of the Lord

and Joel 2 – An army of locusts

History: Words anon – given to me by my dear friend and associate Peter Munns

Inspiration came from the work we doing at the time and Peter’s political aspirations in forming a new political party called SAFA – South African Freeman’s Alliance. 1 Peter 2 vs 16 & 17

Written on 26^th September 2001

Song No 5: Prepare For War!

Description: Up-beat waltz with movement

Hammer on 6^th string on G

On 4^th string on C and 1^st string on D all with second finger

Information: Key – G Major

Written on guitar

Introduction: Begin singing directly

Ending: Complete bar and hold note. No repeats

Background: Strong call to counter the darkness of the mind by taking responsibility for one’s actions – act local, but thinking global

Inspiration Joel 3 vs 9 - 13

History: Peter had written and I had just completed typing his document

A Biblical Blueprint for South Africa (The Only Solution) focusing on Biblical principals of charity to receive peace and prosperity. We had already formed the Leopard Kingdom Foundation and were working it along with his NUBIS Foundation mostly in the rural schools and Peter was busy with formulating SAFA.

This song was a natural progression from Song No 4, and took half an hour to write on a rainy morning 22^nd October 2001

Song No 6: The Valley Of Decision

Description: Up-beat waltz using barre chords and hammer on the whole chord

Should be soul-stirring.

Information: Key – F Major

Written on guitar

Introduction: 3 x bars hammer on F barre chord

Ending: End on the word decision abruptly – leave listener hanging

Background: Words from Joel 3 vs 12, 14 – 16

It is time to make a decision – no respite for fence-sitters.

History: This song took 40 minutes to write on the evening of 22^nd October 2001 between 10,20 and 11,00pm. By this time Peter and I were starting to go our separate ways as we had taught each other and learned from each other all that we needed to at that stage. Our real work is still to come.

Song No 7: The LORD Dwells in Zion!

Description: Waltz this slow waltz is quietly played on guitar with picking.

Pick = Thumb - 1 – 2&3 -1 -2&3 – 1 (repeat)

Count 1 and 2 and 3 and

Pick thumb playing bass notes

G- 6^th string,

Em – 5^th string,

C – 5^th string,

D – 4^th string

This song is holy and so are you! Be in the holy instant and enjoy!

Information: Key – G Major

Guitar picking

Introduction: Picking G – Em – C – D slowing down before going back to G and being singing immediately on G

Repeat once

Ending: Sing last two lines again and holding Zi-----on …..

Background: Words by Joel 3 vs 17, 18 & 21 and inspiration Jeremiah 30 – the Restoration of Israel.

Inspired by marital relationship difficulties and a deep desire to do things God’s way.

History: I was in the valley of decision – the valley of Jehoshaphat. I remember being very upset with the circumstances surrounding me at this time. It would have been so easy at this time, just to go with the flow of decisions that were going on in my home between my husband and me, but we were seeing things from a completely different perspective. I remember writing this song in tears after my husband had gone to bed. The time it took 11,30 to 12pm on that same day – 22^nd October 2001. Three songs in one day and of such emotional importance took it’s toll. The outcome – growth!!  

When I sang this song to Peter sometime later – he informed me that the name Umgeni in Zulu means acacias. This was profound as we lived right in the valley of the Umgeni River at the time and one of the decisions we were facing was the ownership of that house/home. A heart matter!!

Description: Waltz – Pick slowly but play with a skip, as if skipping along

Same pick as Song No 7

Thumb plays bass 6^th string for G, 5^th for C and Am and 4^th for F

A soul searching song – my way or your way Lord?

Complete surrender here – life depends on it.

Information: Key – C Major

Guitar picking

Introduction: Picking C-Am-F-G bass run G>A>B>

Sing on C

Sing through once and end with bass run

Background: Psalm 139 vs 23 & 24, 2 & 8; 9 & 10, 17 & 18

Inspiration from the Psalms but mostly 139 – felt close to David.

History: I wanted to be close – so close to the LORD. I wanted to be clean

and for my thoughts and plans and ways to be aligned with the thoughts and plans the LORD had for my life. I was hurting real bad in my marriage relationship and I wanted peace in my home and “to live happily ever after” more than anything in the world. This was my plea to God for the “separation” to end, because if God knew my heart - I had to have the heart of Him too.

Written on 8^th November 2001.

Song No 9: Unchained Love – Tune Unchained Melody

Description: As per original melody of Unchained Melody

Information: Key – G Major

Written on guitar

Background: Words from Psalm 119 vs 33 & 34, 35 & 36, 89 & 94

Inspiration from Psalms 1 – 16. I am still commiserating with David.

How I found these words and fitted them in is a miracle!

History: I was really feeling attacked, alone, separated and abused in my close family affairs and was crying out to God for support, comfort and to soothe me. After having my heart and thoughts searched I was unashamedly totally in love with the Lord and wanted to express it in my favourite love song of all time – Unchained Melody.

Written on 17^th November 2001 at 11,00am

Song No 10: Sing to the LORD A New Song

(He has remembered His Love)

Description: Common time (4 beats in a bar)

Play boldly and brightly with confidence of being crowned with the crown of life (Rev 2 vs 10 ……Jesus says: “Do not be afraid… ……Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.)

Information: Key – G Major

Written on guitar

The verse is sung at a slower tempo than the chorus – let the chorus really swing! .

Background: Words from Psalm 98 vs 1 – 9.

The final judgment was imminent – mine was complete and the knowledge and research I was writing down was coming to pass. With focus on soul-searching and crying out in pain with passion for release with forgiveness – I was lifting my vibration and these things were beginning to manifest around me, and I was slowly regaining my peace of mind and my joy. “Let the rivers clap their hands, let the mountains sing together for joy, let them sing before the LORD.”

History: I felt soothed, comforted and in love with my LORD – washed clean, brand new,….Holy and righteous. My marital problems would not be solved until about April 2005, but, I knew “He has remembered His love” and I felt like a Princess – the daughter of The King! I focused on the King – the King of Kings! I was wearing the crown of life - I was free~~I am free!