What's in a name?

The decision to start a weblog was long in coming. I resisted for a long time because I've never liked the name "blog". Makes me think of wet, squishy, smelly places where hopping amphibians live. When I finally decided to create one, I had to decide on a name for it. Perhaps some of my readers will recognize the sources of my URL and title, but I am sure that not all will.

The name comes from the third stanza of a favorite hymn by George Matheson. Here is the text in full.

O Love that wilt not let me go,
I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine oceans depths its flow
May richer, fuller be.

O Light that followest all my way,
I yield my flickering torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine's blaze its day
May brighter, fairer be.

O Joy that seekest me through pain,
I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain
That morn shall tearless be.

O Cross that liftest up my head,
I dare not ask to fly from Thee;
I lay in dust life's glory dead,
And from the ground there blossoms red
Life that shall endless be.

These words never fail to bring me hope, especially those of the third verse. Our Lord is always seeking to bring us joy (not necessarily happiness), though often we fail to see it. If we keep our hearts open to His leading and keep hope alive, we will not fail to see the rainbow through the dark rainclouds that threaten to obscure our vision.

Lord, upon our blindness Thy pure radiance pour;
For Thy loving-kindness we would love Thee more;
And when clouds are drifting dark across the sky,
Then, the veil uplifting, Father, be Thou nigh.

We will never doubt Thee, though Thou veil Thy light;
Life is dark without Thee, death with Thee is bright.
Light of light, shine o'er us on our pilgrim way,
Go Thou still before us to the endless day.

~William How (SDAH No. 110)