Zeke 37

A couple of folks commissioned songs from me as an AWAB fundraiser.  Here's the chords and lyrics the first one I wrote.  Not sure how to post an mp3 here, so let me know if you want the recording and I can email it to you.

Zeke 37

G / C/ Am/ F D

The little church's coffee hour

is fifty minutes out

a few people stand and argue

but I don't know what about

well the choir sang like angels

and the message it was fine

and the children were so precious

and it ended just on time

chorus: Em G/ Dm/ Dm/ F D

But the valleys in my world

are filled up with dry bones

and God's children wander hungry

and too many have no home

The church sign is freshly painted

with words of welcome without price

but I've never found much welcome

where everybody is just nice

And the preacher leaves the building

locks the door and turns the light

wondering as he finds his car keys

where will Jesus sleep tonight

And the valley of my city

is filled up with dry bones

and my friends wander hungry

and my people have no home

The deacons meeting is on Tuesday

and we'll talk about the plans

for the rummage sale and picnic

for the boiler and the cans

Wednesday night we come for dinner

and we cook a pot of soup

and we hear from some missionaries

and we hear from some youth

They bring us so many stories

show us pictures of such pain

as we're reaching for our checkbooks

we wonder if it's too late

And the valley of my family

is filled up with dry bones

and my heart is wandering hungry

and my sorrow finds no home

But tonight the wind is blowing

one of the deacons is up late

she's praying for her daughter

wondering how to stop their hate

And not too many miles distant

a kid is also sitting up

and he's reading in the Gospels

and wondering can he drink this cup?

And when it's time to choose the music

the choir director picks that song

that will only lead to trouble

but she can't reckon that it's wrong

And the guy who runs the diner

wakes up once again in tears;

when it's his turn to give the welcome

he will know to start from here

and the preacher doesn't know it

but the scripture coming round

is the one that lights the fire

is the one that breaks the ground

and sure enough on Sunday morning

three more strangers come in back

and one's sick and one is tired

and one's expecting an attack

and the table on that morning

is the same table as all these years

but it's a different invitation

and the bread casts out our fear

And in the valleys of our world

the wind blows once again

and our dry bones come together

and our hearts begin to mend

And a church that once was dry bones

picks up hospitality

and it turns out this band of pilgrims

could welcome even me.