Laughing With
Today when we went around the group of students interested in singing with the praise team for introductions, the ubiquitous “extra” question was: what is your favorite song? With the given caveat that of course in a room of musicians, none of us could pick just one, so, pick one that you like, or like to play, or sing, or praise to, or something.
Examples: Jazz: Take 5, (lots of) Hillsong, My Redeemer lives by Nicole Nordman, Gregorian Chant and Rolling stones (in the same sentence), Hymns, and Folk Hymns.
An impossible task, for sure.
For me, I cycle through many songs as I go through the seasons of my life, but there tends to be an album on continuous replay or song that catches my ear every time I hear it. In the last couple of months, that song has been Laughing With by Regina Spektor.
This song caught my ear the first time I heard the album, but as I came to listen more deeply, and actually consider the lyrics, it has grown in depth and meaning to me. I so want to sing it in chapel.
Really, what I like about this song is that she is calling them out, and telling the truth. Truth has a good bit of significance, especially to me. And it is both about faith, and not about religion, but not in the way of the scorning of religion, just n the way of telling a story about faith that does not require the inclusion of religion. Granted, there are a few examples of the “religion” that many like to ridicule, but these are just to show how vital the actual faith of those who are actually struggling proves to be.
No one laughs at God in a hospital,
No one laughs at God in a war.
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor.
No one laughs at God when the Doctor calls after some routine tests.
No one’s laughing at God when it’s gotten real late and their kid’s not back from that party yet.
No one laughs at God when their airplane starts to uncontrollably shake.
No one’s laughing at God when they see the one they love hand in hand with someone else and they hope that they’re mistaken.
No one laughs at God when the cops knock on their door and they say we’ve got some bad news, sir.
No one’s laughing at God when there’s a famine, fire, or flood.
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God themed joke,
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think they’re about to choke.
God could be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way.
When presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus.
God could be so hilarious, ha Ha.
Ha ha.
No one laughs at God in a hospital,
No one laughs at God in a war.
No one’s laughing at God when they’ve lost all they got and they don’t know what for.
No one laughs at God on a day they realize that the last sight they’ll ever see’s a pair of hateful eyes.
No one’s laughing at God when they’re saying their goodbyes.
But God can be funny
At a cocktail party while listening to a good God themed joke,
Or when the crazies say he hates us and they get so red in the head you think they’re about to choke.
God could be funny
When told he’ll give you money if you just pray the right way.
When presented like a genie who does magic like Houdini
Or grants wishes like Jiminy Cricket and Santa Claus.
God could be so hilarious.
But no one laughs at God in a hospital,
No one laughs at God in a war.
No one laughs at God in a hospital,
No one laughs at God in a war.
No one laughing at God in a hospital,
No one’s laughing at God in a war,
No one’s laughing at God when they’re starving or freezing or so very poor.
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
No one’s laughing at God
We’re all laughing with God.
