Add post to static home page

Preface – Sorry, I searched the forum and found similar topics but not quite what I need here.

Hi,

Please see url http://informaticseducation.org.

From a former site I built with help from an experienced WP designer, I copied and pasted some code from the template-homepage.php file into the site I’m currently working on (the link above). I created a post category, and the post is appearing on the page, but it’s below the main (left) and sidebar content.

template-homepage.php code: (see html comment in the middle, which is my question)

<?php
/*
Template Name: Home
*/

get_header(); ?>

<?php
if (have_posts()) :
	while (have_posts()) :
		the_post();
		the_content();
	endwhile;
endif;
?>

<!--the following code needs to be combined with the code above in order for the post to follow the content in the home_main (left) div but I don't know enough php to know how to assemble this code correctly-->

<?php query_posts('showposts=3&cat=4'); ?>
	<?php while (have_posts()) : the_post(); ?>
	<div class="home-page-article">
	<h3><?php the_title(); ?></h3>
	<?php the_content(); ?>
	</div>
	<?php endwhile; ?>

<?php get_footer(); ?>

Related Note – I’m relatively new to WP, but I am trying to migrate to designing exclusively with WP. I would appreciate any suggestions that can teach me how to do more advanced things (like what I’m trying to do here). I don’t find the Codex terribly helpful, in that it doesn’t provide a lot of linear processes from start to finish; mostly just provides the pieces of the puzzle without full context. Can anyone recommend a book, video series, etc. that could help me with more advanced WP procedures and techniques? Thank you.