The Christmas Guest Chords by Andy Griffith

It happened one day near December's Inn.
[D] _ Two neighbors called on an old-time friend,
_ [G] and they found his [Dm] shop so meager and lean,
made gay with a thousand boughs of green.
[G] And Conrad was sitting with face just ashine
[D] when he suddenly stopped as he stitched a twine, and [Em] he said,
_ Old friends, [E] at dawn today, when the cock [F#] was crowing the [F#m] night away,
[D] _ [A] the Lord appeared in a dream to [E] me [B] and said, _ I'm coming your [Em] guest to be.
_ [G] _ [F#m] So I've been busy with feed a stir [A] and strewing my [B] shop with branches of fir.
[E] The [Em] table spread, [G] the kettle [Em] shined, and over [D] the rafters the holliest [A] twine.
_ And now I'll [D] wait for the Lord to appear and listen closely,
[Em] so [E] I'll hear his step as he nears [F#m] my humble place.
_ _ And I opened the door [A] and [B] look on his face. _ _ _
_ [Em] So his friends went home [A] and left Conrad alone,
[F#m] for this was the happiest [B] day he had known.
For [Em] long since his family had passed away,
and Conrad had [D] spent many a sad Christmas [A] day.
_ But he knew [G] with the Lord as his [D] Christmas guest, _
this Christmas [G] would be the [D] dearest and [Em] best.
_ [A] So he [F#m] listened with only joy [Em] in his heart, [B] and with every sound he would rise [Em] with a start _
[F#] and look [D] for the [A] Lord to be at his door [D] like the vision he had had a few hours before. _
[B] _ So he ran to [F#] the window after hearing a sound,
_ [E] _ [A] but all he could [Bm] see on the snow-covered [D] ground [Em] was a shabby old beggar [G] whose shoes were torn
and all of his [Bm] clothes were ragged and worn.
[F#] _
But Conrad was touched, and [B] he went to the door.
[Bm] He said,
[D] _ [F#m] Your feet must [E] be frozen and sore. _
I have some shoes in my [G] shop for you, [D] and a coat [F#m] that'll keep you warmer too. _ _ _
_ So with grateful [A] heart, the man went away.
_ _ [D] But Conrad noticed the time of day.
He wondered what made the Lord so late and _ how much longer he'd [G] have to wait.
[D] _ When he heard a knock, _ _ he ran to [C#] the door.
_ It was only [B] a stranger once more, [Em] a bent old lady with shawl of black,
[A] _ a bundle [G] of kindling [F#m] piled on her back.
_ She asked [B] for only a place to rest, [Em] but _ all that was reserved [D] for Conrad's [A] great guest.
_ [G] _ But [D] a voice seemed to plead,
_ Don't send me [G] away.
_ [D] Let me rest for [G] a while here on Christmas [A] Day.
_ _ [D] _ _ [Em] So Conrad [D#m] did.
[B] He brewed her a [Em] steaming cup and told her to [A] sit at the [D] table and sup.
[C#] _ But [D] after she left, he was filled with dismay, for he saw that the [B] hours were slipping away, _
[F#] _ and the Lord hadn't [Bm] come as he said he would.
_ [D] And Conrad felt sure well [G#] _
he'd [E] misunderstood.
_ _ When out of the [Em] stillness, _ [A] he heard a cry,
_ _ Please help [F#m] me.
Tell [A] me where am I?
[Em] _ _ _ So [D] again he opened his friendly door and stood disappointed as twice [G] before.
_ _ _ It was only a child who'd wandered [B] away and was lost from her family on [Em] Christmas Day. _ _ _
[G#m] _ Again [E] Conrad's heart was heavy and sad.
_ [Em] _ [A] But he knew he should make this little [F#m] girl glad.
_ _ [B] So he called her in and wiped her [Em] tears and quieted all her childish [D] fears.
_ [A] Then he led her [D] back to her home once more.
_ _ But as he entered his own [B] darkened door, he knew that the Lord was [Bm] not coming today,
_ _ for the hours of Christmas had passed away. _ _
_ _ So he went to his [E] room _ [A]
and knelt down to pray.
_ He said, _ Dear Lord, _ why did you delay?
_ What [D] kept you from coming to call on me, for I [A] wanted _ _ so much your face to [E] see?
_ _ [A] _ _ When soft in the silence, a voice he heard, _
_ [F] Lift up your head, _ for I kept my word.
_ [Gm] Three times my shadow crossed your floor, three [Am] times I came to your lowly door.
_ _ I was the [E] beggar with bruised cold feet, [D] _ I was the [Gm] woman you gave something to eat,
[C] _ _ I was the [Am] child on the homeless [Gm] street.
[D] _ _
Three times I knocked, _ [Gm] three times I came in,
_ and each [C] time I found the warmth of a friend.
_ Of all of the gifts, _ [A#] love is the best.
[Am] _ [Gm] _
I was [C] honored to be [A#] your Christmas guest. _ _
[F] _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _