Caedmon's Call Album

Nobody has as many lives as I do
But I lose them all
My reluctance to be my version of me
Is all the writing on the wall I'll ever need

All my life
You can have all of my life
All my life
You can have all of my life

I can see a tree in the soft ground holding onto roots
And it's given me
And I think how you're saved
We're dumb and depraved
And dependant on a hand that opens each day

Chorus

How great the love of God,
The cause for who I am.

Chorus

.:: Thankful ::.

You know I ran across
An old box of letters
When I was bagging up some clothes for goodwill

But you know I had to laugh
At the same old struggles
That plagued me then are plaguing me still

'Cause I know the road is long
From the ground to glory
But a boy can hope he's getting some place

But you see I'm running from
The very clothes I'm wearing
And dressed like this I'm fit for the chase

You know there is none righteous
Not one who understands
There is none who seeks God no not one
No not one

So I am thankful that I'm incapable of doing any good on my own yeah
Said I'm so thankful that I'm incapable of doing any good on my own yeah

'Cause we're all still-born
Dead in our transgressions
Shackled up to the sin we hold so dear

What part can I play
In the work of redemption
'Cause I can't refuse and I cannot add a thing

'Cause I am just like Lazarus
And I can hear your voice
And I stand and rub my eyes and walk to you
Because I have no choice

'Cause it's by grace I have been saved
And through faith it's not my own
It is a gift of God and not by works
Lest anyone should boast

Looking back at the road so far
The journey's left its share of scars
Mostly from leaving the narrow and straight

Looking back it is clear to me
That a man is more than the sum of his deeds
And how you've made good of this mess I've made
Is a profound mystery

Chorus:

Looking back you know
You had to bring me through
All that I was so afraid of
Though I questioned the sky now I see why
Had to walk the rocks to see the mountain view
Looking back I see the lead of love

Looking back I can finally see
How failures bring humility
(I'd rather have wisdom and pain)
Brings me to my knees
(Than be a comfortable old fool)
Helps me see my need for thee

Repeat Chorus

.:: There You Go ::.

Is this the strange feeling
Of you working all to good
'Cause I am so confused
I don't even ask for what I should

When I asked for and deserved a stone
You broke and gave your body as bread
And even the stone that dropped down and rolled away
Spoke of the one who bled

There you go working good from my bad
There you go making robes from my rags
There you go melting crowns from my calves
There you go working good of all I have
Till all I have's not that bad

When I asked for and deserved a serpent
You gave a net full of fish
And even the serpent that told the lie
When lifted high foretold the gift

For you so loved the unlovable
That you gave the ineffable
That who so believes the unbelievable
Will gain the unattainable

There's tarnish on the golden rule
And I want to jump from this ship of fools
Show me a place where hope is young
And a people who are not afraid to love

Chorus:

This world has nothing for me
And this world has everything
All that I could want
And nothing that I need

This world is making me drunk
On the spirits of fear
So when He says who will go
I am nowhere near

Repeat Chorus twice

And the least of these
Look like criminals to me
So I leave Christ on the street

This world has held my hand
And has led me into intolerance
But now I'm waking up
And now I'm breaking up
But now I'm making up
for lost time

Repeat Chorus

Danny and I spent another late night over pancakes
We talked about soccer and how every man's just the same
And made speculation on the 'who's and the 'when's of our futures
And how everyone's lonely but still we just couldn't complain

And how we just hate being alone
Could I have missed my only chance
And now I'm just wasting my time
Looking around

But you know I know better I'm not gonna worry 'bout nothing
'Cause if the birds and the flowers survive then I'll make it okay
If given a chance and a rock see which one breaks a window
And see which one keeps me up all night and into the day

Because I'm so scared of being alone
That I forgot what house I live in
But it's not my job to wait by the phone
For her to call

Well this day's been crazy but everything's happened on schedule
From the rain and the cold to the drink that I spilled on my shirt
'Cause You knew how You'd save me before I fell dead in the garden
And You knew this day long before You made me out of dirt

And You know the plan You have for me
And You can't plan the ends and not plan the means
And so I suppose I just need some peace
To get me to sleep

.:: 40 Acres ::.

Out on these Texas plains you can see for a million lives
And there's a thousand exits between here and the state line
About the last time that I saw you
You said call me Pandora, call me a fool

And I'm thinking this view it could do you some good
So drop these scales and take a look

There's 40 acres and redemption to be found
Just along down the way
There is a place where no plow blade has turned the ground
And you will turn it over, 'cause out here hope remains
'Cause out here hope remains...

Out here the Texas sky is as big as the sea
And you're alone in your room like an island floating free
Your spirit's hanging in a bottle out on a tree
You say that you're the black sheep, I say you're still family

So throw that bottle to the waves
They'll bring you in to me and from the shore you will see

Out here the Texas rain is the hardest I've ever seen
It'll wash your house away, but it'll also make you clean
Now these rocks they are crying too
And this whole land is calling out for you

I can see Jesus hanging on the cross
I can see Jesus hanging on the cross
I can see Jesus hanging on the cross
He came looking for the lost

Chorus:

And Love has come
Love has come
Love has come
And it's giving me hope to carry on

I can hear Jesus saying "Father forgive"
I can hear Jesus saying "Father forgive"
I can hear Jesus saying "Father forgive"
What a thing he did

Repeat Chorus

I can see Love
Love is all I want to see
Love can make a beggar rich and set a prisoner free
I know it can do it for you
And God knows it did it for me

I can see Love
Love is all I want to show you love
Love's the only way to go
Love
Love is all a man might need to know
Yes, I know

You know Peter put away his sword
I can see Peter puttin' away his sword
I can see Peter, he put away his sword
He won't fight no more

Repeat Chorus

I gotta carry on

Depth of mercy, can there be
Mercy still reserved for me
Can my God, Your wrath forbear
Me, the chief of sinners, spare

It's my only hope
You're my only hope
It's my only hope of Heaven
At the cross forgiven

And I have long withstood Your grace
Long provoked You to Your face
Would not harken to Your calls
Grieved You by a thousand falls

It's my only hope
You're my only hope
It's my only hope of Heaven
At the cross forgiven me

And there for me the Savior stands
Shows His wounds and spreads His hands
And face to face before the Son
And like Isaiah I'm undone

Depth of mercy, vast and free
So much deeper than the sea
And God of love, You heard my cry
Now into Your open arms I fly

It's my only hope
You're my only hope
It's my only hope of Heaven

My only hope
You're my only hope
It's my only hope of Heaven
At the cross forgiven, yeah

Lord if I'm the clay
Then I've been left out in the sun
Cracked and dry, like the mud from the sty
Still clinging to the prodigal son

But I'm on my way back home
Yes I'm on my way back home

Into the hands
That made wine from the water
Into the hands
The hands of the potter

Lord if I'm the clay then
Let your living water flow
Soften up my edges, Lord,
So everyone will know

But I'm on my way back home
Yes I'm on my way back home

And Lord, when you listen for the song of my life
Let it be, let it be, a song so sweet
Let it be, let it be, a song so sweet
Let it be...

Lord, if I'm the clay then lay me down
On your spinning wheel
Shape me into something you can fill
With something real

And I'll be on my way back home
Yes i'm on my way back home

Can't believe that I did it again, wake me up from this nightmare
'Cause this monster is wasting me away and taking my days
Every day I live a bit less, one night leads to another
Even if I went back would they recognize me or criticize me

Who are you that lies when you stare at my face
Telling me that I'm just a trace of the person I once was
'Cause I just can't tell if you're telling the truth or a lie
On you I just can't rely, after all you're just a piece of glass

Still I control this nightmare, when I call it answers
But I can't tell it when to come or when to stay

Don't talk, listen
Hold me tighter
Stay with me just for a while
Until the sun shines stay with me
Just give me one more day

Who are you that lies when you stare at my face
Telling me that I'm just a trace of the person I once was
'Cause we're not the same, you're just a picture of me
You're gone as soon as I leave, you've lived my life for me
And you're no more than a piece of glass
You're no more than just a piece of glass

I am a bus driver and it's four in the morning
And I'm pressing out my clothes beside my bed
fourteen years been on the job
And with many miles behind
Still I'm up at 3:30 to make sure I'm there on time

My car gets me along just fine
To and from the station
But my castle is this Houston Metro bus
My first stop is Ashbury
The sign's been gone for years
All the same the people wait
'Cause they know that I'll be there

Chorus:

What would you say
If I told you that I won't be by today
Would you say that
I'm just a bus driver
And what do I know
Just a bus driver
And what do I know
Just a bus driver
And what do I know

I'm always there by 5:15
And lately I've been early
Judith likes to be in early to the bank
And she gives me conversation
And a token good for riding
And she's happy all alone

And then there's Charles in retail sales
And I hope they pay him well
for all the work that young man does
'Cause I've never seen the inside of a custom refrigerator
But I know that he's the first and last one there

Repeat Chorus

I wonder what they do all day
And their respective works
Suppose they give money and take money away
Still I'm just orbiting this town
With the post office my sun
I'm circling again

And I wonder how this world would be
If I was never here
To drive this bus around from Ashbury to Main
I suppose this town would be the same
With one bus less exhaust
But that bank and retail store
They just wouldn't be the same

But what can I see
from the limited confines of my bus driving seat
Only me
And I'm just a bus driver
And what do I know
I'm just a bus driver
And what do I know
Just a bus driver
And what do I know
Just a bus driver
So don't believe that
Just a bus driver
Well don't believe that
Just a bus driver
Well don't believe that
We're all just bus drivers
And it's time to go home

Before there was time
There were visions in Your mind
There was death in the fall of mankind
But there was life in salvation's design
Before there were days
There were nights I could not see Your face
But the night could not keep me from grace
When You came and took my place


So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
Of the One who saved me
And the promises He made


Before there was time
You counted the hairs on my head
You knew all the words that I've said
And You purchased me back from the dead
Before I was made
You searched me and knew my ways
You numbered all my days
And You set forth the steps I would take


So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
Of the One who saved me
And the promises He made


You saved me; You raised me
You saved me; You pulled me from the grave


So I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
Ancient of days
I cry holy only begotten Son of God
And sing the praises
Of the One who saved me
And the promises He made

When I was young
You were my breath and heartbeat
Born in the dark
You were the hand that held me
You opened Your arms
Called me to Your salvation
Your infinite love
Echoes in all creation


For who You are
You're the Great I am
For who You are
You're the Son of man
For who You are
I am who I am


Father of grace
I am Your child of mercy
Inside my heart
And all around me I see the glory


Of who You are
You're the Great I am
Of who You are
You're the Son of man
Of who You are
I am who I am


You pulled me out of the darkness
You pulled me out of all my emptiness
You are Your instrument of praise


For who You are
You're the Great I am
For who You are
You're the Son of man
For who You are
I am who I am


For who You are
You're the Great I am
For who You are
You're the Son of man
For who You are
I am who I am

.:: Faith My Eyes ::.

As I survey the ground for ants
Looking for a place to sit and read
I'm reminded of the streets of my hometown
How they're much like this concrete that's warm beneath my feet

And how I'm all wrapped up in my mother's face
With a touch of my father just up around the eyes
And the sound of my brother's laugh
But more wrapped up in what binds our ever distant lives

But if I must go
Things I trust will be better off without me
But I don't want to know
Life is better off a mystery

So keep'em coming these lines on the road
And keep me responsible be it a light or heavy load
And keep me guessing with these blessings in disguise
And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes

Hometown weather is on TV
I imagine the lives of the people living there
And I'm curious if they imagine me
Cause they just wanna leave; I wish that I could stay

And to visit places from my past
But only for an hour or so
Which is long enough to smell the air
To tell the tale and find the door

But I get turned around
I mistake some happiness for blessing
But I'm blessed as the poor
Still I judge success by how I'm dressing

So I'll sing a song of my hometown
I'll breathe the air and walk the streets
Maybe find a place to sit and read
And the ants are welcome company

And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes.
And I'll walk with grace my feet and faith my eyes.

.:: Shifting Sand ::.

Sometimes I believe all the lies
So I can do the things I should despise
And everyday I am swayed
By whatever is on my mind

I hear it all depends on my faith
So I'm feeling precarious
The only problem I have with these mysteries
Is they're so mysterious

And like a consumer I've been thinking
If I could just get a bit more
More than my fifteen minutes of faith
Then I'd be secure

My faith is like shifting sand
Changed by every wave
My faith is like shifting sand
So I stand on grace

I've begged you for some proof
For my Thomas eyes to see
A slithering staff, a leprous hand
And lions resting lazily

A glimpse of your back-side glory
And this soaked altar going ablaze
But you know I've seen so much
And I explained it away

Waters rose as my doubts reigned
My sand-castle faith it slipped away
Found myself standing on your grace
It'd been there all the time

I can feel it in the darkness of the night
I can feel it in the breaking of the dawn
I can see it in the setting of the sun
A new day is coming

I can almost hear the angels' choir
As the coldest hearts are being set on fire
And what's been destroyed will be rising even higher
A new day is coming

And the end of the darkness
We'll burn these chains
And we will never be the same

And we will be free
We will be free
All our tears will be swept into the sea
We will be free

Free to find your glory in our dreams
To love and serve our god and families
The full being of who we were meant to be
A new day is coming

A day where the sun shines on the truth
And the old man is changed into the new
I said the old man is changed into the new
A new day is coming

And the end of the darkness we'll burn these chains
And we will never be the same

Chorus

We will follow
We will follow
We will follow
Wherever you lead