Love bade me welcome, yet my soul drew back,
Guilty of dust and sin.
But quick-ey'd Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning
If I lack'd anything.
"A guest," I answer'd, "worthy to be here";
Love said, "You shall be he."
"I, the unkind, the ungrateful? ah my dear,
I cannot look on thee."
Love took my hand and smiling did reply,
"Who made the eyes but I?"
"Truth, Lord, but I have marr'd them; let my shame
Go where it doth deserve."
"And know you not," says Love, "who bore the blame?"
"My dear, then I will serve."
"You must sit down," says Love, "and taste my meat."
So I did sit and eat.
- George Herbert
Community Church really stepped up. My music director, God bless her, took the sermon. I suggested a hymn sing. She did that and more...taking the congregation through our hymnal supplement's Lenten offerings as if journeying through Lent. Rich, an occasional commenter here, led the prayers of the people and such. Lovely. Just lovely.
At Reconciler, Larry and Laura+ also stepped up. I e-mailed Larry and asked him to tap into his pietist roots and preach from the hip. He did so without expressing hesitation. Wondrous. Laura was a wonderful neighbor.
Members of Community Church brought lots of chicken soup, a book, and many get well cards. The one that the children signed is my favorite. The children and several adults signed it...my favorite: "Heal Thyself Soon!"
So, many thanks to all. I will endeavor to get back up to full speed this week. Keep me in your prayers. I am told this thing will be with me for at least a week. Dern bug.
Now, some of you have likely been paying attention to the news...So, you will have to get me caught up with this. Jesus' tomb? Oh shit. Am I going to be out a job? I need to know if I need to go back an audition for that theme park again. They wanted to pay me good money to sing and stuff.
Posted by tripp at February 27, 2007 06:31 AMI am so glad that you are beginning to feel better, Tripp. I will keep praying for you, too . . .
I also love your quote today. Do you know David Hurd's setting of that? Holy . . . good stuff. (Literally.) Happy, happy George Herbert Day!
E
Posted by: Emily at February 27, 2007 08:19 AMThat sounds awful, although it's good to hear that you're better.
I know you'd been meaning to lose some weight, but this was a pretty dramatic way to do it!
Posted by: Jorge Sanchez at February 27, 2007 09:08 AMI posted on this over at my site, too. As one of my commenters put it:
By the way, I have this letter from the late 18th century signed “George.” It _obviously_ must have been written by our first president. I’ll sell it to you for a bazillion dollars.Posted by: Clifton D. Healy at February 27, 2007 09:22 AM
Good to have you back in the land of the living, my friend.
I like Clif have posted on the "Jesus Tomb". Though Clif I am not sure flipant dismissal is the way to go here, even though I think there is something a bit rediculous about it. However, there are some interesting questions that it raise around historical evidence interpretation, origins and contemporary academia and scholarship.
I think this can also be filed in the contineuing attempt to rehabilitate the "gnostics".
I had the same thing a couple weeks ago but it wasn't that bad. At least I didn't end up in the hospital. Glad you are feeling better now. My advice, go slowly with the solid food.
Posted by: Sarah at February 27, 2007 05:07 PM