Del Re Zanette

Oh Father I thank You for the house You placed before me For the family that opened their doors and did not turn me away For they welcomed me when I had little to offer And gave me rest when my heart was weary I thank You for the Del Re family For they follow Christ not only with their mouths But with the lives they live before me And through them I have seen little pieces of Your grace They gave me a place to sit A place to speak A place to breathe And they listened to the rumbling of my thoughts Even when my words were confused Even when my heart spoke of things That many would rather never hear Oh Father I thank You for the strings For the instrument I once feared to hold You allowed my hands to find it again And through its chords I found something I thought I had lost Their house became more than walls Their table became more than a place to eat Their kindness became more than kindness For I found rest among people who did not require me to hide As Peter's house welcomed those who came As believers broke bread and made room for one another So have they made room for me And I have sat among them as one welcomed to the feast Oh Lord bless the house that welcomes the weary Bless the hands that prepare the table Bless the ears that listen without turning away Bless the hearts that make room for another For I did not enter their home merely as a guest I entered tired And I was allowed to rest I entered confused And I was allowed to speak So Father I thank You For through their kindness I have seen Your kindness Through their welcome I have felt Your welcome And through their lives I have been reminded of Christ May their house remain a house of peace May their table never lack meals May their hands never grow tired of giving And may every person who enters their doors Leave knowing That they have been welcomed That they have been heard And that they have been loved For some houses shelter the body But theirs Has given rest to the soul.