Lord, I'm coming home
Now back in South Georgia,
when I was just a lad
Near the Okefenokee swamp,
possum and coon hunting
was really the fad.
We boys would all gather with
all of the hounds
and we'd head for the swamp
to hear a beautiful sight.
We'd find us a sitting down place
and all settled back and listen to the chase.
But one dark night,
for some reason or another,
I wandered off and got
lost from all the others.
And I floundered around
for four nights and three days,
thinking maybe I could find my own way.
But I can tell you now that on the fourth day,
here was one little boy
that learned how to pray.
I fell on my knees
beside a great big log,
Too exhausted to think, I begin to sob.
Lord if you'll help me to get
out of this place,
I'll wash my hands,
Lord I'll even wash my face,
And I'll mind my grandma
when she tells me what to do.
She understands, boys, Lord.
She's even tried to tell me
about you.
And I guess, that you understand,
boys,
because you have one of your own.
I heard what happened to him, Lord,
and I'm awfully sorry.
But I sure wish you'd help me
to find my way home.
I'm hungry, Lord, and tired,
and thirsty, too,
an d I've gone around in circles
for three or four days.
I just don't know what else to do.
Why, down at the church the other day
when our little preacher started in to pray,
he said you'd help people that
got themselves lost.
He also said,
Lord, you'd help them to get found
if they were willing to pay
the cost.
Now, Lord, I don't know exactly what
it is that you charge,
but I'll pay you, Lord,
but you may have to wait a little while
till I grow up to be big and large.
When I do grow up and get to be a man,
a lot of these things I may understand.
I don't know, just what you'd have me to do,
but you just holler, Lord,
and I'll drop whatever it is I'm doing,
and I'll come around,
because I know that I'll owe it all to you.
When I finished my prayer
and opened my eyes,
there stood my old hunting dog, Blue.
Was I ever surprised why
he ran up
and licked me on the chin,
as if to say, boy,
where in the world have you been?
My granddaddy's whistle loud and shrill,
the most beautiful sound
I can hear it still.
He'd whistle many times
to call me in from play,
but that one long whistle I
can hear it today.
I closed my eyes and said, thank you Lord.
I knew that
And I'd get found
when you said the word.
Open wide thine arms,
O Lord, Lord, I'm coming home.