Jan 4, 2011
Come On Up to the House
This video is of our church worship team this past weekend covering an awesome Tom Waits song called Come On Up to the House. It was so stinkin’ good, I just had to post it.
It was amazingly timely, too, because last week, a family in our church suffered a 35-week-gestation stillbirth. And for a relatively young church who hasn’t experienced much death or grief, people came around them so well.
I was particularly struck by the line:
Does life seem nasty, brutish and short?
Come on up to the house.
The seas are stormy
And you can’t find no port.
Come on up to the house.
What I took from it was a simple confirmation to just come to Jesus. I feel like I can hear it in ways I wouldn’t have been able to when we were so freshly living our tragedy. I also felt like I was able to call to mind times that I was able to “come on up to the house” in the last three years that changed me in such deep, irrevocable ways.
And I’ve experienced his welcome every time I’ve come on up.
Wow. Thanks for posting this. You’re right, it is so stinkin’ good.
Thank you for keeping your heart open about your own loss. I often find that during times of worship I am struck with lessons learned from past and present pains as well as a new perspective on how He calls my name.
Beautiful! What simple, yet really powerful words!
**I linked to your (in)courage blog yesterday, and I must say you’ve encouraged a whole entourage of Iowa moms! We may start a fan club! :)
pass it on
Thanks for this. I found this song last year through Sarah Jarosz and loved it so much that I made my friend learn the guitar part and we “performed” it at a open mic-type night (fear! trembling!). I am NOT a lead vocal singer. But I love belting that song out like no other.
I’m listening now. My husband and son will love this! (Both musicians and my husband a long time worship team member.) Your post is so beautiful. Tragedy truly does deep, irrevocable work, and you have let the Lord shine through in yours.
You are a treasure in the kingdom of God. I look forward to heaven so we can have 10,000 year lattes with our brothers and sisters we only know now from afar! (even from other time periods.:) You and I will have to do that someday, sister.
I just love this, sometimes I ache that I would like to sit and have a cuppa & chat with sisters I love but have not and may not meet this side of heaven, I just love the hope you have written of, a huge resounding yes in my spirit!
Looking forward to that latte with you here or home!!
Hugs
In His Joy,
xx
I just love this blog, so glad 2 b here
Hugs
In His Joy,
xx
thanks for posting, this was beautiful. He truly does welcome us no matter what we are facing; what comfort!
Molly, thank you for your transparency and obvious love for Christ. In the past year, I lost my 29-year old brother to pancreatic cancer, had a miscarriage, and have experienced such deep family struggles that threatened to consume my thoughts entirely. Yet I have also experienced the deep, abiding peace that our Heavenly Father gives–and promises–to those whose mind is stayed on Him (Is. 26:3). The biggest lesson He taught me is that 1) there is NOTHING that does not fit between the “bookends” of His unsearchable, limitless wisdom and knowledge (Rom 11:33–Thank you, Elizabeth George, for this word picture), and 2) His love is fundamentally different from our own human love–and much, much greater. I did not truly know until this year that nothing shouts His glory as loudly as the quiet grace He bestows in the deepest valleys. The world does not have a category for our response of praise in these times, and this so often is how He chooses to glorify Himself. “Thy will be done,” has become the cry of my heart, tears or no tears. Thank you for sharing the same radiant joy. What a blessing to know that believers all over are learning to walk with Him more closely each day. We are so blessed!
I wasn’t going to watch this video until I realized that ANGELA VAN LOON
I wasn’t going to watch the video until I realized that ANGELA VAN LOON
I wasn’t going to watch the video until I realized that ANGELA VAN LOON was singing! She sounds wonderful!! This is a beautiful song as well.
Thank you for posting this, especially the part about the words that resonated with you. They did with me too. We just lost our home group leader who was a dear friend in a tragic accident last week. His wife and children were also injured, with two of his kids including one who is my mother’s helper being injured quite severely. I’ve been surprised by the way grief has made itself known in my heart and have just been wishing there was a pill I could take to make the pain go away. But all I can do it “come on up to the house” and see Jesus. Thank you again.
I am here from in courage because your post so touched my heart, I too have let life ache steal my time in the Word. My mumma heart cries for your loss and I weep for this young couple, you are in that place to bring strength and I thank God for the way that He works and He brings people alongside others in heartache. I’m praying also for comfort & protection of your heart as I know that this will bring up so much memory and pain for you, I wish I could sit and have a coffee with you & hug, instead I will pray, pray, cry & pray,
Hugs you are a very special sweet sister,
In His Grace,
C
ohh! Barb in OC – what a wonderful wonderful thought! Yes, I will really look forward to enjoying that latte with you!!
Jessica, your grace from the valley is truly beautiful, sending hugs & prayers for you on your journey with Jesus and the blessing that comes with His comfort, keep walking looking up, xxoo
Thanks for this wonderful video. Beautiful!! And just the words that I needed to hear today.
I found my way to your blog from Kristen’s blog. I saw this video and stopped to listen. My husband heard it in the background and said “Hey, that’s the Sarah Jarosz version.” I’ve heard that song over and over (she’s one of our favorite artists) and never thought about it having a deeper meaning for a circumstance like this. I’ll never listen to it the same way again. “This world is not my home, I’m just a passing through…Come on Up to the House.” Amen.
Molly, I just found your blog through your amazing scarf demo on Kristen’s blog. I’ve been so blessed by this song…thank you for sharing it! I look forward to getting to “know” you better.
Beautiful song. Thanks for sharing.