Ballad of a Spooky Tree, or A Pentacost of Chaplains

                     BALLAD OF A SPOOKY TREE;

 OR, A PENTACOST OF CHAPLAINS

   John Andrew Bryant 

 A MEDITATION THROUGH CONVERSATION (a work of fiction)

                      FRIEND 

So what was it like?

                       SPOOKY TREE 

It was like I was in a hole. 

And everything I did to get out just made  it a deeper, 

darker hole   

   FRIEND

Did you see it coming?

     SPOOKY TREE 

I think I always knew there was something wrong. But I just 

didn’t think it was gonna turn into a deep dark hole

  FRIEND

      Is there anything worse than a deep dark hole?

                      SPOOKY TREE   

      The only thing than worse than a deep dark hole is 

      not  knowing you’re in one.  

                    FRIEND 

       What is it like in a deep,dark hole?

                     SPOOKY TREE      

      It’s a deep dark hole that says: it’s all wrong, it’s all 

      over. We’re all in trouble, and we’re not gonna make it. 

     It’s a lot of things.

        It’s a lot of big bad feelings. 

   It’s a lot of big bad feelings all at once.

   I wouldn’t know how to say much more

        But I can tell you about the hardest feeling.                                          

      FRIEND

        What’s that

                       SPOOKY TREE

        The hardest feeling is the one that says it’s over. The 

        hardest feeling is the dark strong pull that says it’s 

        over. 

                      FRIEND

        How you feel now?

                      SPOOKY TREE

       Took a while to get to a thing called livin’

       Took a little while to get to a thing called stable

                       FRIEND

        Do you still feel like you’re in a hole.

        Are you still in a hole that says all that?

                       SPOOKY TREE

       I think now it’s just a fog that burns off. 

       I think it’s a fog that burns off now. 

       Or a shadow that lingers. 

  But it’s really just a bunch of feelings now.

  It’s really just a bunch of feelings now. 

  And its bitter,hard and sad but it’s not scary.

  The feelings are bitter, hard and sad but I don’t think 

  A lot about them anymore.        

       It used to be thoughts and feelings. Because I spent so 

  much time defending myself, proving myself

  Trying to make things right.

  But now  it’s just the feelings 

  It’s just the feelings now and 

  I don’t think about them all that much anymore.

  I think it’s just feelings now. 

       The feelings are all still there. 

       All the feelings are still there. 

       But I’m there to. 

       And they haven’t got me yet. 

       And I just  have to sit there 

       in the middle of just how bad I feel, 

  And see if I’m still there like a tree

  like a tree surrounded by all those feelings. 

  Like a tree surround by big feelings

  Like a tree surrounded by all those big bad feelings 

                   FRIEND

  And are you still there, like a tree?

                  SPOOKY TREE 

  I think I’m still there like a tree 

                 FRIEND 

   What kind of tree

                 Spooky Tree 

   A spooky tree 

                 FRIEND 

   What’s a spooky tree

                Spooky tree

It’s a tree that shouldn’t be there except it is.  

What do you do? 

When the world falls through?

When the worst is true. 

When there’s nothing you can do?

When there’s about to be no such thing as you? 

Gentle as the plane goes down, 

Gentle as the plane goes down. 

Stop flailing like a sad, angry clown

Stop throwing expensive things around.

Stop driving fast all over town,  

Gentle as the plane goes down, 

What do you do?

When the world falls through? 

When there’s nothing you can do? 

When there’s about to be no such thing as you? 

   FRIEND

 All the  big bad feelings are there but you’re still 

 there.

   SPOOKY TREE

     All the feelings are there.All the big bad   

feelings are there but I’m still there. All the big bad feelings are there but I don’t think a lot about them now. All the big bad feelings are there but I think I know what they are now. 

  FRIEND

 What are they 

SPOOKY TREE

I think they’re just a real bad expectation.

A real bad expectation about what’s life’s about, 

and what’s matters most

And what’s about to happen. I think that’s the most 

important thing to know when it comes to a big bad 

expectation

               FRIEND

What’s that 

SPOOKY TREE

The most important thing to know is that it’s lying.

             FRIEND

  The big bad feelings?

             SPOOKY TREE

  The feelings

                    FRIEND

What about when it gets bad? 

What do you need when the big bad feelings get like that?      

SPOOKY TREE

All I need is just a little bit of light. 

                 FRIEND

And what is the light? 

   SPOOKY TREE

The Light is when he gave Himself to us, 

And the light is when we go and see each other. 

I think the light is when he gave Himself to us.

And we hold out that Light is when we go and see each 

other.

That’s the only Light I know. And I call it

The Lord’s sweet cry for Mercy.  

The only light I know is the Lord's sweet cry for Mercy.

                   FRIEND

What’s that mean?

                  SPOOKY TREE

I think it  means His Dying and Rising is the only thing that makes things right. 

I think it means Good News is all there is. 

I think it means Good News is all there is

The light that reveals Him, the bread by which he 

Reveals Himself to us

Good News is all there is. 

I think it means all I really want is a simple life 

with this Good News

And I think I found out what that is. I think I found out

What that simple life is.  

                   FRIEND

 What is it?

                   SPOOKY TREES

Scripture, prayer, and visits 

                    FRIEND

 Scripture, prayer, and visits?

SPOOKY TREE

     Scripture, prayer, and visits 

        As far as I can tell, its Scripture, prayer, and visits

        As far as I can tell, that’s all there is. 

  Good News is all there is. 

  Scripture is where we get the Good News, 

  Prayer is how we stay with this Good News. 

  Visits are how we work with this Good News.

   A life held together by Good News

       Held together by scripture, prayer, and visits 

  Good News is all there is. 

  Good News is all there. 

  And every visit is a sign this News is true. 

           FRIENDS

 Has that been helpful? 

 I finally got my life down to a version of it that I 

 can stand. And it’s Scripture, prayer, and visits. 

 I had to get my life down to a version I could stand

 I needed  a day I didn’t have to think a lot about. 

 And when I got there, when I got down to that day

 It was Scripture, prayer, and visits 

 And it kinda made my mind an empty place. 

 The feelings are all still there but I don’t think a 

 lot about them anymore. Maybe I should.

 It changes me. His Dying and Rising.

 It changes me. 

 Good News changes me. 

 And a simple life with this Good News changed me

 Good News changes what I trust. 

 Scripture prayer and visits changes what I trust

 What I trust changes what I pay attention to 

 What I pay attention to changes what I want.

 Scripture prayer and visits changes what I want

                     FRIENDS

  Until you want what? What do you want?

                  SPOOKY TREE

   I want that new heart he’s always going on 

   about.                  

   Scripture, prayer, and visits changes what I want. 

   Until what I want is that new heart he’s always going

   On about.

   Until what I want is to go and see my friends. 

   I think that’s what I want. I think 

   I want to go and see my friends. 

   Good News changes me 

        Scripture, prayer, and visits change me.      

   Until what I want is to go and see my friends. 

     FRIEND

   How’d you get to a place like that? 

SPOOKY TREE

   Scripture, prayer, and visits is my new home. 

   I spent a lot of time trying

   to prove myself, take things back

   Make things right. And get out of trouble. But I think 

   that’s just how you dig a hole. 

    I had to find a new place to be. 

    I had to find a new home. 

    The Lord had to take me to my new home. 

    When I was out there proving myself, taking things back

    And making things right, I was just digging hole. 

    The Lord had to take me to my new home 

    And it’s scripture, prayer, and visits. 

    A life held together by Good News.

    Held together by scripture, prayer, and visits 

    I had to get to a place where I wasn’t doing that. 

    I had to get to a place where I wasn’ proving myself

    Taking things back, making things right.  

    And Trying to get out of trouble.  

         Because at the end of the day there’s no such thing. 

         I had to get to a place where I wasn’t doing that. 

         And Jesus is the only way to get to a place like that. 

         To ge to a place where we weren’t doing that 

    Because only the Lord can take us home. 

         Because our new home is what we offer. 

I had to get to a place where I wasn’t doing that. 

And scripture, prayer, and visits 

          was the place I found. 

          So that I wasn’t out there doing that. 

Scripture,prayer and visits was my new home.

Held together by this Good News

Held together scripture, prayer, and visits 

Receiving Good News, staying with Good News

Working with Good News  

 You get to a place 

       where you can’t make it right, 

   Or prove yourself, get out of trouble.

     And only Jesus can meet us in a place like 

  That

 There’s nowhere else I’d rather be

 Than in the garden with the old JC

 He’s there for you, he’s there for me

 It’s how you become a stubborn weed, or a spooky tree 

I finally got my life down to a version I can stand. 

  And it’s Scripture, prayer and visits. 

     That’s my new home. 

     I got a life 

Held together with scripture, prayer,and visits

That’s my new home. 

Held together like duct tape. 

     A life held together by Him. 

     Held together by this Good News . 

     And that everything happens

     By His Word, through His Spirit, 

     In His Name, and for the building of His Fellowship

     A life held together by Good News

          Held together by scripture, prayer, and visits 

     Held together by Him

     Held together by scripture, prayer, and visits 

                 FRIEND

  Are you a real big fan of Jesus?

                 SPOOKY TREE

    I’m a real big fan of Jesus. 

    I only believe in Jesus Christ. 

    He is the Lord’s Mercy.

    He is the Lord’s sweet cry for Mercy. 

    I only believe in the Lord’s Sweet Cry for Mercy

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known.

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known.

The only sign of the only thing Id ever call home 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known.

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever home 

     And Im almost sure that’s all there is

     I’m almost sure Good News all there is. 

     Scripture prayer and visits

     I’m almost sure that’s all there is

     I’m almost sure that’s it. 

     Held together by this Good News.

     All the good things Christ Himself is

     And the small good things we offer in His Name. 

 The Lord I said, is duct tape and light

 He holds me together he makes it alright 

 And so I had a question, 

 I saved it for Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost

 I said “They say that less is more 

      But is it true that least is most.” 

 He set my heart a-ringing. 

 A better song than singing. 

 He sets my heart a-ringing. 

 A better song than singing. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known.

The only sign of the only thing Id ever call home 

               FRIENDS

    Is it hard to be a Christian

SPOOKY TREE

    It’s impossible to be a Christian.

    You tell yourself he’s not there and it doesn’t matter

    And it doesn’t matter. 

    And the  all of sudden He is and it does. 

  FRIEND

         And its Scripture, prayer, and visits? 

                SPOOKY TREE

          And it’s scripture, prayer, and visits. 

I have a homemade prayerbook made of scriptures

And I hold them, and I read and mumble them to myself.  

And then I try and pray, 

And its Good News. And its bread and light. 

And it’s all there is. 

And a simple life with this Good News changes 

And it changes what I trust, 

And it changes what I pay attention to. 

And it changes what I want. 

And then I go and see my friends. 

Because I think Good News is all there is.

          The light that reveals Him and the bread by which 

          He give Himself to us.  

And I think a  simple rhythm of scripture, prayer, and visits is all there is. 

I think that’s all there is.

I thinks that’s how I see light.

I think that’s how I eat bread and see light. 

Good News is all there is. 

The light that reveals Him, the Bread by which 

He gives Himself to us. 

and when everything is held together by Him

          And everything happens His Word through His Spirit

          In His Name and for the building of His Fellowship.

     I sit on a foldable stool and read the Bible and just 

kinda mumble the scriptures to myself. And then I 

try and pray, and then I go and see my friends.  

              FRIEND 

Where are your friends?

              Spooky Tree

Usually dying in a hospital somewhere

FRIEND

     Is that true? 

SPOOKY TREE

     Feels like its true. I’ll just say this: 

If I’m you friend, and were talking

     It’s probably not because everything worked out. 

                     FRIEND

          What about people who aren’t your friends?

 SPOOKY TREE

    I think that’s the thing. You don’t have to be friends 

    With somebody to be a friend to them. 

    That’s the thing: you can visit just about anyone who’s 

         not trying to kill you. 

         There’s almost no one I’m not willing to talk to. 

         You can visit anyone who’s up for a visit.

         Because Good News is all there is 

         And a visit’s just a sign this News is true. 

         Because the Light is when He gave Himself to us

        And we hold out that Light when we go and see each other

 FRIENDS

Isn’t that hard? 

SPOOKY TREE

         It’s impossible. 

         But Good News is all there is. 

         And a visits just a sign this News is true. 

         A visits all we got. 

         A visit’s all that’s left.

         It’s literally the very least we can do. 

         It’s knock down drag out fight for the bare minimum. 

         I’m almost sure Good News is all there is, 

         I’m almost sure that’s all we got . 

         That the Light is when he gave Himself to us

         And we hold out that Light when we go and see each 

         other 

                FRIEND 

        Isn’t it hard to hold out that Light?

                  SPOOKY TREE

        It’s about the hardest thing I know I have to do . 

        But a visit’s all there is. 

        And if I don’t go I won’t get to see my friends. 

        It’s about the hardest thing I know I gave to do. 

        And that’s about the only thing that counts as joy 

        anymore

                    FRIEND

        How do you do it

              SPOOKY TREE

  I’m not entirely sure I am the one doing it. 

  I’m not entirely sure that’s how it happens. 

  When everything happens by His Word, through His Spirit

  In His Name, and for the building of His Fellowship

  I think that’s what’s strange about Scripture, prayer 

  and visits  

  I think that’s what strange about a simple

  Life with this Good News 

  It means everything only happens because of Him

  Everything only happens by His Word, through His 

       Spirit, in His Name, and for the building of His 

       Fellowship.

   Because to hear His Word is to die with Him

   To be led by His Spirit is rise with Him

   To serve one another in His Name is to share 

   in the joy of His return                

We know the secret, we know it yes we do

Every visit is a sign, a sign this News is true 

Good News is spooky too

Good News is spooky too

When you go see me

And I go see you

Oh, Good News is spooky too 

When someone comes to see you and it’s been a bad day

It makes it kinda special anyway. 

Makes it kinda special anywhere.

When someone comes to see you and its been a bad day

It makes it kinda special anyway. 

Makes it kinda special anyway. 

                      FRIEND

And you worship the Lord ona  foldable stool?

And you serve the Lord on a foldable stool? 

                   SPOOKY TREE

     And I serve the Lord foldable stool.

It’s a stool that folds, you know. Folds out. 

That’s so  that no matter where you are  

that’s where you can sit.

No matter where you are, you can sit there.  

    FRIEND

You sit and mumble on a foldable stool?

                    SPOOKY TREE

     I sit and I mumble on a foldable  stool.

You have to hear yourself mumble it so its not 

just in your head. 

And its Good News

And when I sit and mumble it changes what I trust. 

And what I trust changes what I pay attention to. 

What I pay attention to changes

What I even want. 

Until all I want is to see my visit. 

Until I want to see my friends. 

     I want to go and see my friends.

     That’s my only superpower anymore. 

     My only superpower is I’m eventually able to pay 

     attention. 

My only superpower is that I eventually want to go 

And see my friends 

FRIEND

        A spooky tree is someone who hears Good News and goes

        And sees his friends?

SPOOKY TREE

         A spooky tree is someone who hears Good News and goes

         And sees his friends.

We know the secret, we know the secret yes we do. 

Every single visit is a sign this News is true.

Visit is a sign,a sign  this News is true

The Crucifixion means’s we’ve been all forgiven, 

The Ressurections means maybe life’s worth living. 

Because he died we’ve all been fed

Now He’s risen we can all be led

It sets my heart a-ringin’

A better song than singin’

It sets my heart a ringin’

A better song than singin’

The sweetest thing I ever known.

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home.

Good News Is spooky too

Good News is spooky too

When you go see me

And I go see you

Good News is spooky too 

It’s set my heart a ringing 

A better song than singing. 

                FRIEND

What would happen if your life got bigger. What would happen if your life got bigger than scripture, prayer and visits?        

    SPOOKY TREE

Scripture, prayer and visits 

If my got life got a little

Bigger I think I would just dissolve

FRIEND

  Scripture, prayer, and visits. 

 Is that the same as doing  better? 

SPOOKY TREE

  Well, I don’t know. Maybe.

  Or maybe it’s just a new home. 

  Or maybe it’s just better than a hole. 

  Scripture, prayer and visits. 

  I just think that’s all there is. 

  I just think Good News is all there is. 

  And that’s a simple life with this Good News. 

  I’m  almost sure it’s the only song there is. 

  Scripture, prayer, visits 

  A better song than singing 

              FRIEND

   What’s so important about singing ?

                      SPOOKY TREE

       Singing is how I know I’m still there. It’s how I know 

       It’s how I know it hasn’t got me yet. 

FRIEND

       What hasn’t got ya? 

SPOOKY TREE

  The dark strong pull that says its over.

  That dark strong pull hasn’t got me yet

   FRIEND

So Scripture, prayer, and visits? And that’s it?

         SPOOKY TREE     

Well I do that, and then I walk around.

     And I cry a lot.

     FRIEND

     You cry?

                      SPOOKY TREE

   I cry all the time. 

 FRIEND

    And walk around a lot? 

      SPOOKY TREE

And walk around a lot

I go on long slow walks. And if there’s something 

going on, a long slow walk the only thing

To sort it out.

Me and this long slow walks the only thing

That’s gonna sort it out 

A long slow walks the only thing will sort it all out.  

Scripture and prayer.

 And then walk until things are 

what their supposed to  mean to me. 

If things are happy that’s when I’ll laugh

If things are sad that’s that’s when I’ll cry. 

When I’m walking.  

              FRIENDS

And what have things been

             SPOOKY TREE

O, sad sad sad  

            FRIEND

    Where are you walking to?

             SPOOKY

    Walking toward my sad friends 

             FRIEND

    What makes them so said again?

             SPOOKY TREE

  Well, like I said,  if I’m you’re friend and we’re 

  talking, it’s probably not because everything worked out. 

             FRIEND 

 You walked toward people who haven’t had things

 Work out. Why don’t you drive to see your friends? 

             SPOOKY TREE 

Well my wife has the car most days. 

But also usually I don’t wanna go see them. 

Something happens on a long slow walk. 

Kinda like scripture, prayer, and visits. 

Usually I don’t want to go see them. 

But maybe by the end of the walk I’ll be the kind 

of person who does.

But it makes me sad. Sad to see them like that.

Makes me sad to see my friends.  

But if I don’t go I don’t get to see my friends. 

But it makes me sad to see them like that. 

Sometimes it’s  so sad I have to sing.

Sometimes it gets so sad I have to sing. 

Sometimes it gets so sad.

I don’t always want to see them. 

But maybe by the end of long slow walk

I’ll be the kind of person who does.

              FRIEND

Life gets so sad sometimes you have to sing?

SPOOKY TREE

     Just so I’ll know I’m there.

     Scripture prayer and visits that’s my song  

     My song so that I’ll know Im there.

     A song so that I’ll know I’m still there

 But sometimes it’s an actual song on my b flat harmonica. 

      It’s a bluesy, nasty wailing. 

      And sometimes its like a good sad thing takes over. 

      And I start wailing on a Bflat harmonica 

      Sometimes it’s like a good sad thing takes over 

      And the big bad feeling can’t get me

 If I’m singing. 

 The dark strong pull that says it’s over can’t get

  Can’t get me if I’m singing. 

       Or singing’s how I tell that feeling to come and get me. 

       And it’s like this bluesy nasty wailing Funk song. 

       Except the song is how sad I am how  and awful everything 

       is.

               FRIEND

      And the song is Scripture, prayer and visits 

      But sometimes it’s an actual song on your b flat harmonica 

              SPOOKY TREE

      A bluesy nasty wailing 

FRIEND

And whats the bluesy nasty wailing about? 

SPOOKY TREE

I think I’m trying to get to the heart of a thing. 

FRIEND

     What thing? 

SPOOKY TREE

The thing. What’s its all about. 

FRIEND

      And what’s its all about

SPOOKY TREE

 That mercy, baby. That mercy. 

Mercy gets me out the door, 

Mercy keeps me beggin’ for more. 

It sets my heart a-ringin’

A better song than singin’

The sweetest thing I’ve ever know

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home. 

                FRIEND

      You’ve made a commitment to Scripture, prayer, and visits.

      Long slow walks and bluesy nasty wailing.

SPOOKY TREE

  I’ve made a commitment to scripture, prayer, and visits. 

  Long slow walks, and bluesy nasty wailing.

        FRIENDS

   A spooky tree is a tree that shouldn’t be there, except 

   it is. 

   A spooky tree is someone who hears Good News, goes and

   Sees his friends. Someone who’s commits

   to long slow walks and a bluesy nasty wailing 

   On his b flat harmonica. 

SPOOKY TREE

      I’m surrounded by that feeling, I’m waiting to 

      Be swallowed by that feeling. 

      The thing that says it’s over. The thing that says

      I’m not gonna make it  

      I’m gonna be swallowed by 

      That feeling but I’m just wailing on the b flat harmonica. 

I’m just wailing on this b flat harmonica. I mean just this bluesy, nasty wailing sound. Except the sound is how sad I am and how awful everything is. And the

Fact that it didn’t work out

But the sound is also sad and sweet and good. And its a tender loving sorrow and 

A stubborn defiant joy. And sometimes I think there’s more to the sound, something else in it, sometimes I think the sound is…

FRIEND

What?

SPOOKY TREE

Aw, no, its just too weird to say. 

FRIEND

  It’s all been weird. What else is the sound?

SPOOKY TREE 

Sometimes, after a long sweet draw on a bflat harmonica I swear I catch the slightest edge of the Lord’s sweet cry for Mercy. 

     The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home 

     A little bit of Christ Himself 

A better song than singing. 

           FRIEND

And the Lord still cries for Mercy? What, in the garden, 

On the cross? I thought the whole point was it was all 

done. 

     SPOOKY TREE

That’s the thing. I think its done. It’s just not done with

Me. 

 You don’t know what you’ve been missin’

 Come get yourself a crucifixion. 

 It sets me heart a-ringing

  A better song than seeing. 

      FRIEND

What, in the garden? On the cross? I thought it was done

SPOOKY TREE

That’s the thing. When I’m playing on the harmonica, 

It feels likes It’s all done it’s just not done with me. 

               FRIEND 

And your sitting there singing, trying to get to the heart 

Of the thing. 

                SPOOKY TREE

I think I’m trying to get to the heart of a thing. 

I think I want that new heart he keeps going on about. 

He said he would give me a new heart. I’m making sure 

He hasn’t forgotten he’d said he’d give me a new heart.    

He told me one day I’d want to go and see my friends. 

Sometimes I want to go and see my friends.  

And one day, I’ll want to go and see my friends. 

 FRIEND

Wouldn’t a new heart mean you’re happy? 

               SPOOKY TREE

No. A new heart means your hurt, scared, upset 

A new heart just means you can’t hide it anymore

A new heart means you can trust Him with how hurt,

scared and upset you are. 

A new heart just means you can trust him with what’s wrong. 

And a bluesy nasty wailing is how I trust Him with whats 

wrong. 

FRIEND

And what’s wrong? 

SPOOKY TREE

Everything. Everything’s wrong. 

And a b flat harmonica is how I trust the Lord with 

how upset I am and the fact that it’s all wrong. 

And how I trust Him with all the trouble I’m 

in. And the fact that nothing worked out. 

If we don’t want to be bitter, angry, resentful. 

We’re gonna have to learn to be hurt, scared, and upset. 

He wants our sorrows and our losses

I think’s that’s why he gets up on crosses

And so I trust Him with everything that’s wrong

I cry him a laugh

I screech him a song

Sin and death will claw and reach

They must all make way for Mercy’s screech. 

You don’t know what you’ve been missin’

Come get yourself a crucifixion. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home.

FRIEND

 How upset are you? 

     SPOOKY TREE

      Oh, very very upset. 

                    FRIEND

      You don’t look upset 

                   SPOOKY TREE

      Jesus is a way to be very upset.

FRIEND

      Jesus is another way to be upset? 

SPOOKY TREE

 Jesus is another way to be very upset.

 You have to be real gentle if you’re gonna be a chaplain. 

 You have to be known for your gentleness. 

 And gentleness is a screaming crying wailing thing.

 Your gentleness has to be a screaming, crying, wailing 

 thing.  

Don’t you understand, don’t you get it yet? 

Jesus is a way to be very, very upset 

He wants our sorrows and our losses

I think that’s why he gets up on crosses

When the future is a bully

And the past is a kick in the nuts

When the mind is a villain

And the body is a stranger who sucks. 

Nowhere else I’d rather be

Than in the garden with the ol JC

He’s there for you, there for me

It’s how you become a spooky tree

Mercy will carry us in down stream

But only  we learn to serve and scream 

     To the things that only Mercy knows

The place only Mercy goes. 

     Mercy will carry us in down stream

But only  we learn to serve and scream 

     To the things that only Mercy knows

The place only Mercy goes. 

     I can tell you what it takes 

     All it takes is a whole lotta walkin’

     A whole lotta cryin’

     And just a little bit of testifyin’            

               FRIEND 

       What does a spooky tree look like? Like, in this 

       Metaphor we’re using, What does it look like? 

                 SPOOKY TREE

         You ever see one of those hearts kids draw?

         Like, not the real ones?

                FRIEND

          Yeh

                SPOOKY TREE

         It’s like one of those hearts 

         But the cross has been stabbed through it 

         And its been staked through the ground. 

    And the new heart is bleeding, shaking, crying

         But it’s also pushing back the dark 

        And it’s bleeding shaking crying but it’s pushing 

        darkness back

   It’s bleeding, shaking, crying buts its pushing

   Darkness back and its never gonna be mean again. 

   And its never gonna take things back or make things 

   right. And it’s never gonna prove himself. 

   It’s gonna hear Good News and go and see his friends. 

   And go on long walks. And play the b flat harmonica. 

   And gentleness is a screaming, shaking, crying thing. 

 FRIEND

   So is the spooky tree you or Jesus? 

SPOOKY TREE

       Exactly 

  FRIEND

       Would you rather be mean or in a deep dark hole? 

 SPOOKY TREE

      I’d rather be in a deep dark hole hole than ever be mean 

 again 

  sometimes I feel like I was only mean 

       So I could get out of a deep dark hole hole  

       And I told the Lord I didn’t want to be mean. 

       And he told me I could either be gentle or safe. 

       And he told me as long as I lived in fear

       I was gonna be a little mean. 

             FRIEND

Did you used to be a little mean. 

SPOOKY TREE

I used to be a little mean. 

And so I had a question

Ran it by the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

They say less is more 

But is it true that least is most

And so I had a request, so simple it almost sounds obscene 

To be hurt upset and honest without ever being mean

A little request so simple it almost sounds obscene 

To be hurt upset and honest without ever being mean

It sets me heart a ringing

A better song than singing

FRIEND

A spooky tree is someone who hears Good News. 

And goes to see his friends.

And goes on long slow walks. 

And plays the b flat harmonica. 

And is never mean again.        

SPOOKY TREE

   The only real adventure is to somehow not be awful

   The only real adventure is to stay in one place and somehow 

   not be awful 

   And it’s hard and it’s impossible

   Sometimes you just gotta say “enoughs enough” and you gotta   

   Go on a long slow walk,

   take out your foldable stool and your b flat harmonica 

   and work on a song about how people shouldn’t be cruel

              FRIEND

    Who shouldn’t be cruel? You or them?

SPOOKY TREE

    Exactly

 FRIEND

What do you do when its all too much. 

And people are mean, 

and your friends are sad, 

And nothings worked out 

and it feels like it’s all over. 

SPOOKY TREE

There’s something I say. And I say it with scripture, 

prayer and visits. And I say it long slow walks. And I say 

it with bluesy nasty wailing. And I say it to myself. And

It’s something Ive had to learn to say

to the dark strong pull that says it’s over:

It sets my heart a-ringing, a better song than singing. 

It’s all over but tomorrow 

It’s all over but the tender loving sorrow. 

That feeling its calls out. 

Says its all over, says “run and scurry.”

And I say its too late I’m already in love with the Lord’s sweet cry for Mercy. 

It sets my heart a-ringin’

A better song than singing. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home

The Lord will take us on downstream

But only as we learn to serve and scream

To the things only Mercy knows 

The places only Mercy goes

The things only Mercy knows, 

The places only Mercy goes. 

    Jesus is the only way past that feeling.

    Jesus is the only way past a feeling like that. 

    And He says we’re gonna walk past that feeling together

    And scripture, prayer, and visits is how we walk past that 

    feeling together 

    I say it  Scripture prayer and mumbling

    And I say it with bluesy nasty wailing

It sets my heart a-ringing

A better song than singing

It’s all over but tomorrow 

It’s all over but the tender loving sorrow

Mercy gets me out the door 

Mercy keeps me begging for more 

When he walked out 

Walked right through sin, 

And made it so death was just another place he’s been

The belly of the whale is the best place to sing

The bread crumb trail of small good things. 

I say it with scripture, prayer, and mumbling

That long slow walk we take together, 

     That long slow walk

Out of pride and lies,

Through trouble and loss

Toward meaning and rest. 

That long slow walk we take together 

Long slow walk toward to all the good things 

Christ Himself is

And the small good things we offer in His Name.

That’s all there is

That’s all there is 

When Good News is all there is, 

That long slow walk when Good News is all there is.  

That long slow walk to all the good things Christ is

And the small good things we offer in His Name. 

FRIEND

And how much sorrow till then? 

And when do you say “too much sorrow?”

SPOOKY TREE

 It’s all been too much sorrow

      It started off as too much sorrow. 

      And maybe were not done crying. 

 But he’s only one who ever turned sorrow into sometibg

      That ever turned pain into sorrow, 

      Sorrow into longing, longing into joy. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known

The only sign of the only thing Is ever call home. 

Our new home is what we offer

And a visit is just a little nostril above water. 

Our new home is what we offer

And a visit is just a little nostril above water

  SPOOKY TREE

   Our new home is what we offer. And the Lord will take us

        Home. 

   Good News is all there is. 

   And a visit is just a sign this News is true. 

Do you remember when we sat down and cried

When he was already sick when he went ahead and died 

The bitter feast is Christ as well

The sorrow is the gladness 

To share someone else pain

To share another’s sadness

To say that nothing makes it right

But to say that it still matters. 

When something’s broken, when somethings wrong, 

When something in us shatters. 

To love the folks who wont be healed

And the things that won’t come unbroken

To still, somehow, be some small sign, 

Of another word still spoken, 

I’ve seen enough to be sad forever, 

Sad in the sunshine, sad in good weather, 

A bitter crushing sorrow has been an enemy to avoid, 

It has also somehow been,a long slow walk towards joy. 

The belly of the whale is the best place to sing

The bread crumb trail of small good things. 

All I know is there’s something that makes me want to go see people to go see people when their crazy and when their awful and when their dying and whatever that thing is I believe in it more than I believe in myself and it’s the only thing that ever turned pain into sorrow and sorrow into longing and longing into joy 

And I can swear to you it’s Good News

And I can swear to you it’s Jesus Christ 

But whatever it is it’s the only thing that ever turned 

And whenever I go and see my friends I feel like I’m in the middle of whatever that thing this. That a visit is at heart of whatever it is. It’s at the heart of whatever 

That thing is that can turn pain into sorrow and sorrow 

Into longing and longing into joy. 

And a visit is a sign this new is true. That it’s a sign of our new home. When the Light is when He gave Himself to us, and we hold out the Light when we go and see each other. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known.

The only sign of the knot thing I’ve ever called home. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known.

The only sign of the knot thing I’ve ever called home. 

And I think its the Lord’s sweet cry for Mercy. 

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home 

It sets my heart a ringing

A better song than singing

It’s all over but tomorrow, 

It’s all over but the tender loving sorrow.  

Whatever that song is it’s a better song than singing 

and I only wanna be where that song is 

I only wanna play that song and be where that song is. 

I feel like I’ve been gently pursued, all my life by quiet sense of indestructible purpose, a tender, loving, sorrow, stubborn, defiant joy, a sweet cry for mercy. 

And I think it’s name is Jesus.

The sweetest thing I’ve ever known

The only sign of the only thing I’d ever call home 

It sets my heart a ringing

A better song than singing 

FRIEND

 And so you go and see your friends

SPOOKY TREE

      I go and see my friends.  

Our new home is what we offer.

And every visit l is a nostril above water. 

Our new home is what we offer

And every visit is a nostril above water. 

I wanna be a dependable guy

I wanna sing a dependable song

I wanna hold with dependable hands

It sets my heart a-ringin

A better song than singing

I feel sturdy when I know what I’m doing

I feel sturdy when I know what I’m doing

Sad slow, simple and steady

Sad, slow, simple and steady

Keeping dinner warm, keeping it ready

Sometimes I want to jump on up, and run and twist and shout

And say “I think I got that new heart 

he was always  talking about”

Sometimes I want to jump on up, and run and twist and shout

And say “I think I got that new heart he was always  talking about

Sitting on a foldable stool, catching some rays

This is the blue I’ve been searching for all my days

Playing chess with a friend whos gonna die anyday, 

This is the blue I’ve been searching for all my days

Making a home made prayerbook with a thread thats frayed

This is the blue I’ve been searching for all my days

Knowing no matter what happens 

what life’s all about stays the same

This is the blue I’ve been looking for all my days

When someone comes to see you and it’s been a bad day

It makes it kinda special anyway

It makes it kinda special anyway

It makes it kinda special anyway .