Dust on the Highway

[Verse 1]
He was a farm boy, barely turned eighteen
Lunchbox in his hand, faded jeans
A Bible on the dash, a note from Mom
Said, "Bring him home when the work is done"

The old truck coughed on the county road
Past the cornfields bent in the summer glow
They never saw the storm roll in
Just a flashing blue and a hard rain win

[Pre-Chorus]
And by the time the sun went down
Four names were etched in that little town
One took the blame, one rang the bell
One gave her coat, one knew too well

[Chorus]
Three wooden crosses, by the river bend
One held mercy, one held sin
One held a promise that wouldn't break
Three wooden crosses, by the river bend
(Three wooden crosses)
That road still tells what love can make

[Verse 2]
The preacher said, "Son, you're not lost yet"
With a voice like gravel and a tear-soaked vest
The girl in the pew wore Sunday white
But her hands still shook from that Friday night

The guilty man stared at the floor
Said, "I chased a fire I couldn't ignore"
And the last man nodded, slow and low
Said, "Grace can grow where the bitter weeds grow"

[Pre-Chorus]
Now every fall when the fields go gold
They tell that story to the young and old
'Bout one act dark, and one act kind
And a mercy line that crossed their minds

[Chorus]
Three wooden crosses, by the river bend
One held mercy, one held sin
One held a promise that wouldn't break
Three wooden crosses, by the river bend
(Three wooden crosses)
That road still tells what love can make

[Bridge]
I know a lot of folks want an ending clean
With a bow tied up and a perfect scene
But life leaves scars in the front yard dirt
And some of us learn through a whole lotta hurt

Yet even then, when the night gets long
There's a hand that reaches and a heart gets strong
A little wood, a little blood, a lot of grace
Can turn a lost soul toward a better place

[Chorus]
Three wooden crosses, by the river bend
One held mercy, one held sin
One held a promise that wouldn't break
Three wooden crosses, by the river bend
(Three wooden crosses)
That road still tells what love can make

[Outro]
Three wooden crosses
By the river bend
Three wooden crosses
Telling us again