Three Wooden Crosses

I don’t normally listen to country music but when I was on the way to Storytime at the library today I was flipping through the stations and just happened to land on the local one. A familiar tune came over the waves followed by a song I’d not heard before. I almost flipped the station as it sounded a little old fashioned which I am usually not interested in. I’m glad I didn’t because the song’s words were really amazing. The name of the song is Three Wooden Crosses and it’s sung by Randy Travis. Here are the words:


A farmer and a teacher, a hooker and a preacher,Ridin’ on a midnight bus bound for Mexico.One’s headed for vacation, one for higher education,An’ two of them were searchin’ for lost souls.That driver never ever saw the stop sign.An’ eighteen wheelers can’t stop on a dime.There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway,Why there’s not four of them, Heaven only knows.I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you,It’s what you leave behind you when you go.
That farmer left a harvest, a home and eighty acres,The faith an’ love for growin’ things in his young son’s heart.An’ that teacher left her wisdom in the minds of lots of children:Did her best to give ‘em all a better start.An’ that preacher whispered: “Can’t you see the Promised Land?”As he laid his blood-stained bible in that hooker’s hand.
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway,Why there’s not four of them, Heaven only knows.I guess it’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you,It’s what you leave behind you when you go.
That’s the story that our preacher told last Sunday.As he held that blood-stained bible up,For all of us to see.He said: “Bless the farmer, and the teacher, an’ the preacher;“Who gave this Bible to my mamma,“Who read it to me.”
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway,Why there’s not four of them, now I guess we know.It’s not what you take when you leave this world behind you,It’s what you leave behind you when you go.
There are three wooden crosses on the right side of the highway.

I was thinking how true the words are really to this song. Life is so short and fleeting and only what we do on this side of eternity really matters. What are you going to leave behind?

My heart is steadfast O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make music. I will praise you, O Lord, among the nations; I will sing of you among the peoples. For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth. Psalm 57:7-11.