Soundtrack: Holy Week Edition.

For some, this week is a reminder that there is a finite number of days left in which Cadbury eggs are available for purchase. For others, this week is a mad rush of stuffing plastic eggs and searching high and low for coordinating outfits for the entire family so the spring picture will be just perfect. Speaking of, have I ever written about that Easter that my mama bought me a dress with a hat? That went over like a lead balloon. Finally, for some, this week is perhaps a bit somber as they reflect upon God's sacrifice of his own son so that one day we could live forever and forever with him without even worrying about whether or not we will still be able to fit into our Easter frocks after polishing off that last Cadbury egg. I suspect that for most of us, this week is some combination of all three of the aforementioned scenarios. In honor of this most important week, I'm featuring music fit for a king.

Desert Song by Hillsong. "My God is the God who provides." This entire song is oh so good, but this particular line has been my mantra these days as I've been wandering through the desert.

Forever Reign by Hillsong. Ok, while I think that Hillsong was put on this earth to provide us with a small sneak preview of what music in Heaven is going to be like [actually I have no idea what the music in Heaven is going to be like...but I would be ok if it was like their music], I am continuously confused by the fact that sometimes they are referred to as Hillsong while other times they are Hillsong United [is that when they are playing soccer in the UK?] and sometimes it's Hillsong Live. I like this song because that it reminds me that even on my crankiest of days when there isn't a lot of good in me, God is still good.

Grace Flows Down by Christy Nockels. I hope that she sings this song on Friday at the Good Friday service. Bonus if she sings it with Chris Tomlin. Did I mention that I will be there in person to hear the performance with some of my very favorite people in all the world? Good Friday becomes even greater.

Waiting Here for You by Christy Nockels. Actually Chris Tomlin wrote this one and she sings it so my hopes are high that we'll hear this one too. Verse 3 [which incidentally it seems is always the verse omitted in hymns in the Baptist church] is my favorite: "You are everything you promised / Your faithfulness is true / And we're desperate for your presence / All we need is you."

How He Loves by John Mark McMillan. I like this version because the original lyrics of heaven meeting earth like a sloppy wet kiss haven't been watered down to be more churchy. I mean, is it really appropriate to talk about sloppy wet kisses in church? I think so. But I'm no music minister. If this song doesn't make you feel like you have been fought for as the greatest most cherished prize ever then well, please listen to it again. And again. Until the tears streaming down your face make you wonder if you've been given a sloppy wet kiss.

Something Beautiful by needtobreathe. We've all heard it. A lot. We all love it. A lot.

No More, No Less by MercyMe. Have y'all heard this song yet? I think it's pretty new. Must be because the powerpoint gurus haven't had time to upload a slideshow set to the song with the lyrics over lovely pictures of puppy dogs, rainbows, sugarplum fairies to YouTube yet. No more, no less...if only I could be content with that.

Beauty of the Cross by Jonny Diaz. You know, I will never be able to say with certainty because well, I wasn't there, but whenever I think about the Cross, I think it would have been a sight far too painful to witness. It would have been ugly and full of hurt and suffering. But God made something beautiful out of something horrible. And that wasn't the last time it happened. It happens every single day in our own messy lives.

You by Hillsong. I've said it before and I'll say it again: those Pentecostals from Australia make some good music. However, every single time this song is played at church at the very beginning I think the band is about to break out in some sort of RiverDance routine or something. But they never do. Probably because Pentecostals from Australia don't RiverDance. Neither do non-denominationals [read: basically Baptists if you live in the South] from the United States.

Alive Again by Matt Maher. Ok, I'll be honest, I don't really know this song very well. I heard it on the radio the other day and saw the title on the screen and thought to myself "well, Easter is about the resurrection and living and Jesus died but then rose on the 3rd day so it'll work to round out the list." Please don't criticize my lack of Bible story telling savvy...I never went to Sunday School as a kid. [Why in the world Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" comes up as the next song after this one is beyond me.]

I am so very thankful for the gift of the Cross. There's nothing I could have ever done to have earned it. Or deserved it. As with all gifts though, the best ones are never earned or deserved...they are given freely and the giver does so out of love without regard to his cost. The Cross represents the gift of eternal life. It's ours for the receiving.