Pat's House of Hope & Faith

I'm in a poetic mood again today. Here's one by Henry Vaughan:

The Dwelling Place

(John 1:38, 39)

What happy, secret fountain,
Fair shade, or mountain,
Whose undiscovered virgin glory
Boasts it this day, though not in story,
Was then thy dwelling? did some cloud
Fixed to a Tent, descend and shroud
My distressed Lord? or did a star
Beckoned by thee, though high and far
In sparkling smiles haste gladly down
To lodge light, and increase her own?
My dear, dear God! I do not know
What lodged thee then, nor where, nor how;
But I am sure, thou dost now come
Oft to a narrow, homely room,
Where thou too hast but the least part,
My God, I mean my sinful heart.

--Henry Vaughan

D.J. and Skyraven, thanks for those songs! Very encouraging, and beautiful lyrics.

For Kev...

This is for KCPotatohead—and anyone else struggling with a sense of God’s timing/working in your life:


26From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. (Acts 17:26)

3and at His appointed season he brought His word to light through the preaching entrusted to me by the command of God our Savior (Titus 1:3)

Psalm 31

1 In you, O LORD, I have taken refuge;
let me never be put to shame;
deliver me in your righteousness.
2 Turn your ear to me,
come quickly to my rescue;
be my rock of refuge,
a strong fortress to save me.
3 Since you are my rock and my fortress,
for the sake of your name lead and guide me.
…
9 Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress;
my eyes grow weak with sorrow,
my soul and my body with grief.
…
14 But I trust in you, O LORD;
I say, "You are my God."
15 My times are in your hands;
deliver me from my enemies
and from those who pursue me.
16 Let your face shine on your servant;
save me in your unfailing love.
17 Let me not be put to shame, O LORD,
for I have cried out to you;
…
19 How great is your goodness,
which you have stored up for those who fear you,
which you bestow in the sight of men
on those who take refuge in you.
…
21 Praise be to the LORD,
for he showed his wonderful love to me
when I was in a besieged city.
22 In my alarm I said,
"I am cut off from your sight!"
Yet you heard my cry for mercy
when I called to you for help.
23 Love the LORD, all his saints!
The LORD preserves the faithful,
but the proud he pays back in full.
24 Be strong and take heart,
all you who hope in the LORD.

Happy Easter!

Great verse, D.J.--thanks!

(Hi, Mark!)

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter week. Here's a favorite poem by a favorite poet to help you celebrate:

1 "Come, all you who are thirsty,
come to the waters;
and you who have no money,
come, buy and eat!
Come, buy wine and milk
without money and without cost.
2 Why spend money on what is not bread,
and your labor on what does not satisfy?
Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,
and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.
3 Give ear and come to me;
hear me, that your soul may live.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you,
my faithful love promised to David.

(Isaiah 55:1-3, NIV)


8 Taste and see that the LORD is good;
blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

(Psalm 34:8, NIV)

Janna, that picture is adorable. (Especially the dog ). Thanks for posting!


heyjude, thanks for the feedback, . I've only got one highschooler at home still, but I remember those birthday cupcake days, LOL!

So glad you found a little respite in Him this morning.

Donna, thanks so much for posting that link! I look forward to hearing the sermon. (I've passed that church many, many times; used to live just off Arapaho Rd.!)

Not forgiving self is every bit as destructive as not forgiving others. (At least this is what I've experienced.) It's strange--but it's the same 'coin' as refusing to forgive another (just the other side). It boils down to a pride issue, though that's not readily apparent at first. ("I alone am so uniquely unworthy, heinous, etc., that God's forgiveness could not apply to me.")