lost and found

I don't really listen to Christian music. This surprises a lot of people, what with my being a pastor's wife who sings in the praise band at church and leads the singing at Sunday School and all. But really, I usually can't stand it. I can enjoy it in worship (although really, can anyone sing "like a rose, trampled on the ground you took the fall, and thought of me above all" without thinking of "every rose has its thorn...just like every night has its dawn...") But I find most Christian rock to be unnuanced, over produced, and often full of shallow or even bad theology. There are exceptions, of course, and in a worship service I can take a full hour of "Oh God, you're so great" music. But that's enough for me.

On the last leg of our road trip, though, I listened to one of the only Christian bands (Lost and Found) that I own many albums of. That I purchased. And actually listen to.

Maybe it's because they actually have a snarky sense of humor:

I'm so surprise to see you up and out of bed
I guess you haven't heard yet that last night you were found dead
I heard it from the one who heard it from the one who knew
the one who heard it from the one who never checked with you
-Heard

They encourage thinking for yourself:

And Jesus don't want to take away your brain. No.
Just wants for you to live again. Yeah.

-Since

Maybe it's because their references will have me running to my bible for a little self directed study:

I want to see like Daniel, I want to love like John
I want to Hope like Mary, be the rock that's built upon
I want to Laugh like Sarah, I want to preach like Paul
I want to live like Lazarus, play the trumpet watch the crumbling wall
- New Creation

Maybe it's because certain lyrics still choke me up:

How can you still love me
How can you still love me
You have seen me even when
I don't want you to and then
Somehow you still love me
-How Can You

Maybe it's because they've spoken so clearly to situations I've been in

But Lord these very people who say your word is true
Sometimes these very people make me feel what you went through
How could they be so blind and how could they not see
In one breath they say they love you Lord and in the next breath they hate me

And it's so nice to know you know, it's so nice to know you know...
-Nice to know

Maybe it's because I can hear a song I've been listening to for over 10 years and have to listen to it again, because it has struck a totally new chord in my heart and mind

You preserve the prejudice but you violate the virtue
of the heroes you've abandoned and the memories that hurt you
And as the shades of night descend it surprises you to see
An ever brighter picture of the land you used to be

Now you're a long, long way
from your amber waves of home
-Amber

Maybe it's their message of hope in midst of despair

Must be that the world's gone blind
Must be that the world's gone blind
I can't believe that we could see some things and just go on with our lives
Well it must be that the world's gone blind

...
Must be that the world's been saved
Must be that the world's been saved
The blind will see and the dumb will talk
The chains will fall and the lame will walk
And the dead will rise from the grave
Must be that the world's been saved
-Must Be

Maybe it's nostalgia. Maybe it's a lot of things. But I know that they are the rare Christian band that I can sing along to, rock out to, and stop and think with. (and apparently leave lots of dangling participles with)

(And for you Canadians: I've never heard this song, but i just found it in their songbook. they often write silly songs while on tour "Thirteen provinces, we can list them But we don't get the metric system There's a half an hour change when you go to St. John's But the time we like is Saskatchewan's")

This post has been part of Soccer Mom in Denial's Music Monday