The iTunes Hymnal

This is something that I picked up from a friend of mine. I have a playlist in iTunes that is called Hymnal. This is a collection of songs that mark less than 0.5% of the songs in iTunes. (62/2987) They are not specific albums but are rather songs that have the ability to modify my mood in such a way that I cannot resist the change. They are songs that can bring me to tears without effort or fail. They are songs that can calm my angry spirit into a place of worship. Songs that I will sing in my car at the top of … whatever lung capacity I have. They are not songs that you would expect. They are not the stereotypical hymns and praise songs that one finds in Sunday service.

They are songs that are to be cried out from the pit of one’s soul.
They are songs that have understanding that transcends religion and culture.
They are songs that ask questions that have no answers.
They are songs that would not preach from the pulpit
They are songs that question so hard that it hurts
They are songs that express theological ideals that you cannot find in a textbook
They are songs that dance with both light and darkness as a golden fiddle is played.
They are songs to weep to
… to dance in joy
… to fall to your knees
… to sing with all that is within

These are the songs that drive me to embrace music. Understand very clearly … to embrace music.

Not to lead worship with my guitar, not to play bass and appear happy, not to sing my heart out. If I’m leading music for the sake of the congregation I may as well have not shown up. It is about the target and the purpose. It is about the music that comes from the soul and is translated through an instrument (voice = instrument too).

Someone once mentioned to me that there are two types of musicians: The first needs good equipment to sound good, the other makes whatever they play sound good. I have always strived to be the second; not looking for Taylor or Martin guitars, but making the guitar I have sing and proclaim the cries of my soul to a savior that have no words that can be typed here. If this doesn’t make sense the most concise statement to describe what I am talking about is this: I speak in tongues using a guitar rather than words.

Yea that is kinda a bold statement, but it make sense to me, and might help you understand what I’m trying to say here.