Got you didn’t I? I’m not referring to Natalie Merchant actually attending church, I’m not sure if she does or not, but she was in church this morning at our church. At least her song “Carnival” was sung.
The message today was wrapping up our series on “The Sunday Ticket”, which has been a multi-week series with a football theme. Today’s message was about “Join the Team: Helping Others in Need” and was focused on compassion. Before the message, our worship pastor intro’d a song and talked about how he’d grown blind to some of the needs around him everyday because they’d just become so common place. The Holly McDaniel sang “Carnival”. I’ve heard this song numerous times before on the radio and never really put all the words together but it was really fitting for our message today.
I’ve walked these streets
a virtual stage
it seemed to me
make up on their faces
actors took their
places next to meI’ve walked these streets
in a carnival
of sights to see
all the cheap thrill seekers
the vendors and the dealers
they crowded around mehave I been blind, have I been lost
inside my self and my own mind
hypnotized, mesmerized
by what my eyes have seen?I’ve walked these streets
in a spectacle of wealth and poverty
in the diamond markets
the scarlet welcome carpet
that they just rolled out for meI’ve walked these streets
in the mad house asylum
they can be
where a wild eyed misfit prophet
on a traffic island stopped
and he raved of saving mehave I been blind, have I been lost
inside my self and my own mind
hypnotized, mesmerized
by what my eyes have seen?have I been wrong
have I been wise
to shut my eyes
and play along
hypnotized
paralyzed
by what my eyes have found
by what my eyes have seen
what they have seen?have I been blind, have I been lost
have I been wrong, have I been wise
have I been strongHave I been
hypnotized
mesmerized
by what my eyes have found
in that great street carnival
in that carnival?
Fitting words don’t you think? Could almost have been sung by Amy Grant or Nichole Nordeman and been as fitting as anything else they could have sung for the situation. Our church has also sung “Bad Day” by Daniel Powter, “Desperado” by the Eagles, “500 Miles” by the Proclaimers.
Does your church insert and use “secular” songs in your worship services? What do you think? What songs have been sung that you think were great?
On another note, you should check-out Holly McDaniel’s website, she’s a independent singer that’s really great and has recorded a couple of albums of her own. A great talent.
