A Prisoner of Hope

I have been thinking more today about JOY, and about how depressing life is without it! We have a "home day" with my husband here, and I played a lot of my secular music as background music, since I want it to be a place he likes to be. But even though it was my music -- music I like! -- it was depressing. I had to switch to some things that reminded me of how full of JOY life can be!

I put on the newest Randy Stonehill CD, and love his lyrics as much as ever. I think many of you will get the joy in these lyrics, but I was trying to think of anyone close enough to me to bother to read this who would like the music. The only one who might have a reason to like it would be my mom. (Mom, remember driving home from Wheaton with me one summer and listening to a Randy Stonehill cassette the whole way back to Omaha?)

Anyway, here are the lyrics:

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PRISONER OF HOPE by Randy Stonehill

I’m slow to learn, I’m slow to change
I find this roller coaster life both beautiful and strange
I try my best to sort things out
But at times I’m sort of clueless as to what this thing’s about
And I’ve been wrong and I’ve been used
But in light of the big picture I’m still peaceful and bemused

Prisoner of hope tonight
With a reason to be faithful
I’m a prisoner of hope tonight
With a reason to be grateful

I’m slow to judge, I’m slow to fight
I confess that my own track record is far from lily white
Sometimes I’m scared, sometimes I doubt
Sometimes I make such a mess I’m sure there’s no way out
And I have failed and I have cried
But at times I find it’s healthy when you dine on humble pie

Prisoner of hope tonight
With a reason to be faithful
I’m a prisoner of hope tonight
With a reason to be grateful

Bound for all eternity by this three chord rope-
Father, Son and Spirit-
I’m a prisoner of hope

Captured by a love I don’t deserve or understand
Held within the grip of these awesome, holy hands
You may say that this is just the dream of desperate men
But far from desperate dreaming, I am waking up again

Prisoner of hope tonight
With a reason to be faithful
I’m a prisoner of hope tonight
With a reason to be grateful
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I am grateful for the people who love me, and for artists like Randy Stonehill who brighten my world, and for the writers and speakers who do the same!

Now I am off with my two littlest children to worship with all the wonderful, imperfect people who are part of the Saturday evening worshipping community at St. Andrews . . . .