1. Virginia, you are home sweet home to me

From the corn fields of Wisconsin
to the woods of Tennessee,
Many lovely places I have seen;
A windy Irish farmstead,
Sonoma’s vineyard fields
Remind me of the place I long to be.

The prettiest places all look like Virginia
No matter where I go, or who I see
The prettiest places all look like Virginia
Virginia you are home sweet home to me

The Black Hills of Dakota,
the rocky coast of Maine,
The lake shores of the MidWest,
Sunflowers on the plains
All share a glimpse of beauty,
that makes my heart glow;
They show me what I love about my home

It’s days like this when I miss Virginia most
I never hear the whippoorwill, or the bobwhite singing free
I’ve traveled so far, but it’s home that holds my hopes
Virginia you are home sweet home to me

The prettiest places all look like Virginia
No matter where I go, or who I see
The prettiest places all look like Virginia
Virginia you are home sweet home to me

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

2. The Eyes of Yesteryear

See those gas pumps over there?
That’s where your uncle killed a bear
There were woods here, before the four lane came through
Tore out the springhouse and the shed
For those dry cleaners just ahead
And the folks just passing by, they never knew.

The eyes of yesteryear see what’s no longer here
Shapes and shadows of what used to be
Grandma’s house that burned down
The barn the storm blew into town
They show up only for those with memories.

The bowling alley, a yarn shop
Have now become a parking lot
for tractor trailers waiting for their pickup time
And the travelers only see
Trash and gravel, and too-tall weeds
They don’t know what came before in days gone by.

The eyes of yesteryear see what’s no longer here
Shapes and shadows of what used to be
Grandma’s house that burned down
The barn the storm blew into town
They show up only for those with memories

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

3. The ballad of John Henry’s wife

The first time I saw John Henry
I’d heard about his strength and his size
But the thing that struck me like a spike through the heart
Was the fire and the kindness in his eyes
Yes, the fire and the sadness in his eyes.

His mama pulled me aside to say
“I’ve seen the look in his eye.
You should know he doesn’t know the hour or the day
But he knows the way that he will die
That hammer will cause him to die.”

John Henry wrapped her in his arms
Said “I’d love to take you as my wife,
But how can I ask when this work I’m called to do
I know it will one day take my life;
This hammer will cause me to die.”

I looked at his face, I reached for his hands
Calloused, and weathered, and rough.
“I’d rather have one year with this good hearted man
Than a lifetime in a palace, sure enough
Just being your wife would be enough.”

All over town we had seen the signs
About the prizes a man could earn
If he could sink that steel deeper than
the new machine
We could go in style with money to burn
We could live a while without a concern

The last time I saw John Henry,
He was leaving with his hammer in his hand.
He had kissed me & the baby with a grin on his face
Said “I’ll come back to you a rich man.”
But he died with his hammer in his hand.

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

4. Where did he go?

Where did he go? Where have they put him?
Why is the stone rolled away from the tomb?
Just a pile of grave clothes with no body inside.
Where did they take him? Oh where did he hide?

The women stood by on that terrible day
When Jesus hung on the cross.
When the men, all but John, were scattered away
Confused, disheartened and lost.

Nicodemus and Joseph placed him in the tomb,
But they had to do it in haste.
The rulers were granted the use of a guard
To be sure the stone stayed in place. 

Don’t look for the living among the dead.
He is not here he is risen
We know now there’s nothing too hard for our God.
Even our sins are forgiven.

He is  alive. Nobody took him.
That’s why the stone’s rolled away from the tomb.
Just a pile of grave clothes with no body inside.
Death could not  hold him. He is  alive!

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

5. Resentment

It sidles up beside you,
It whispers in your ear,
It says that you deserve better,
It talks like God won’t hear.

Resentment –  don’t it make you feel so good.
It lets you think more of yourself than you should

It started long ago
In Lucifer’s heart
He said, “I’m so important,
I will be just like God.”

Resentment – don’t it make you feel so good
It tells you that you’re the one who should be God.

Resentment makes you bitter
Resentment makes you mean
It makes you think your problems
Are the worst the world has seen.

Resentment – when it’s coming, better run and hide
Resentment: It will eat you up on the inside.

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

6. The Pharisee and the tax man

The Pharisee and the tax man went to God’s house one day
The Pharisee went to brag, but the tax man went to pray

Which one will you be, my brother,
on that coming judgment day?
Which one will you be, my friend,
when the clouds are rolled away?

The Pharisee told how lucky God was to have him on His side.
The tax man went off by himself, like a baby he cried.

Which one will you be, my brother,
on that coming judgment day?
Which one will you be, my friend,
when the clouds are rolled away? 

The Pharisee left God’s house that day
still filled with sinful pride.
The Bible tells us, when the tax man left,
he walked away justified.

Which one will you be, my brother,
on that coming judgment day?
Which one will you be, my friend,
when the clouds are rolled away?

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

7. They don’t know my name

Well the names on the gravestones are
the same as the names
Of  the characters in my family’s tales
And when I go to town, the faces look a lot like
The pictures Grandma sent us in the mail

But they don’t know my name, they don’t
   recognize me
They think I talk like I’m from far away
And even though we called it that, it really
wasn’t home
But it haunts my dreams every single day

Well they sent me off to school when I was
   very young
With people whose names sounded so strange
And the words that they used, for all kinds
of things
Were different, so I began to change. 

But they don’t know my name,
they don’t recognize me
They think I talk like I’m from far away
And even though we called it that,
it really wasn’t home
But it haunts my dreams every single day

These are the people my mama grew up with;
These are the people my daddy called friend.
But when they see me, they don’t recognize me.
Will they open their door? Will they welcome me in?

My parents tried to do things right,
to find a better life,
To keep us from falling in a trap,
But I don’t belong here, I don’t belong there
My heart is stretched so tight it just might snap 

But they don’t know my name, they don’t
recognize me
They think I talk like I’m from far away
And even though we called it that, it really wasn’t home
But it haunts my dreams every single day.

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

8. Consider your ways (Haggai 1)

The Lord God of Hosts says, “Consider your ways!
You will not prosper while you seek your own gain.
Give up your fancy houses, and blessings you won’t share,
and you shall have enough, and to spare.”

You harvest too little and the reaping goes too fast.
You eat but you still hunger when dinnertime is past.
Your thirst is not quenched by the drink in your bowl.
And your wages are collected in a bag full of holes.

The narrow road to true life is really hard to find.
The lights and sirens of the world can make you miss its sign.
Be careful not to miss it — those who do will see
Consuming fire through eternity.

The Lord God of Hosts says, “Consider your ways!
You will not prosper while you seek your own gain.
Give up your fancy houses, and blessings you won’t share,
and you shall have enough, and to spare.”

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

9. Cast your bread on the waters

He who gives to the poor lends to the Lord.
In due time he’ll receive a good reward.
Boaz fed the widows when harvest time had come
And God blessed him with a loving wife and son. 

The prayers of a righteous man accomplish quite a bit.
God answers the one who calls on Him and does not quit.
Elijah prayed for drought; God answered his call.
Elijah prayed again and the rain began to fall

Cast your bread upon the waters
Watch them flow down to the sea
Cast your bread upon the waters
God says, “Put your trust in Me.”
For you know that where your treasure is
Is where your heart will stay
Cast your bread on the waters
There you’ll find it … After many days.

Job’s righteousness was well known, He cared for the poor–
The widows and the orphans who sought out his door.
Still God brought him through suffering, and proved his heart was pure
God answered him in person– His promises are sure

Cast your bread upon the waters
Watch them flow down to the sea
Cast your bread upon the waters
God says, “Put your trust in Me.”
For you know that where your treasure is
Is where your heart will stay
Cast your bread on the waters
There you’ll find it … After many days.

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

10. If I’m going to be lonely

People want to see me happy
It makes them think that they’ll survive
Maybe sometime that will happen
Right now I just don’t feel alive

It’s been months now since you left me
Since we gathered round your grave
My friends say it’s time to start again
Time to crawl out of my cave

If I’m going to be lonely, I’d just as soon be alone
There’s no point in pretending that you’ll soon be coming home
While I’m sleeping in the evening, I’ll remember your embrace
But when I wake up in the morning, will I still recall your face?

Someday I will learn to breathe again
I’ll remember how to walk
I’ll learn how to laugh and dance again,
When that happens, then we’ll talk

If I’m going to be lonely, I’d just as soon be alone
There’s no point in pretending that you’ll soon be coming home
While I’m sleeping in the evening, I’ll remember your embrace
But when I wake up in the morning, will I still recall your face?
When I wake up in the morning, will I still recall your face?

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

11. Didn’t you know that we would cry

Didn’t you know that we would cry when you were gone?
Didn’t you know that we would bring you home, though you stayed away so long?
Living took you someplace else, but here you still belonged.
Didn’t you know that we would cry when you were gone?

You kept your ache inside; you never had too much to say.
So we learned not to pry; we just hoped you were okay.
But over time, the toll was paid, the months turned into years.
The end result of all your pain has brought us all to tears.

Didn’t you know that we would cry when you were gone?
Didn’t you know that we would bring you home, though you stayed away so long?
Living took you someplace else, but here you still belonged.
Didn’t you know that we would cry when you were gone?

We tried to show you love, but didn’t know what we could do
To make a passage through the wall that was protecting you
Maybe now you can see how much we miss you now
(…)

Didn’t you know that we would cry when you were gone?
Didn’t you know that we would bring you home, though you stayed away so long?
Living took you someplace else, but here you still belonged.
Didn’t you know that we would cry when you were gone?

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP

12. Far Side Banks of Jordan (with Johnny Joyce)

© Terry Smith, Warner-Tamberlane Publishing Corporation (BMI)

13. When I Get To That City

There’s coming a time when my loved one’s face I’ll see,
The one who died and rose again to set us free
I’ll be more amazed by the grace that sought me out
When I get to that city I can’t help but shout

When we get to the city, we will know as we are known,
There’ll be no secrets we can hide, if we’re the Lord’s own
And we’ll understand better the gifts he’s passed along
When I get to that city I’ll break out in song

I cannot run from Him, I cannot hide
But when I feel his love for me, why would I even try
He knows what He’s redeemed me from, he’s not a bit surprised
And when I finally see him, his “Well Done” will be my prize

When I get to that city I can’t help but shout
My Lord came to my prison and he brought me out
Jesus’ death and resurrection have freed me from my sin
When I get to that city, they will welcome me in.

I cannot run from Him, I cannot hide
But when I feel his love for me, why would I even try
He knows what He’s redeemed me from, he’s not a bit surprised
And when I finally see him, his “Well Done” will be my prize

© 2016 Debbie Durant, Walnut Run Music, ASCAP