Dangers of the Tongue



Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies. Or look at ships: though they are so large that it takes strong winds to drive them, yet they are guided by a very small rudder wherever the will of the pilot directs. So also the tongue is a small member, yet it boasts of great exploits. How great a forest is set ablaze by a small fire! And the tongue is a fire. The tongue is placed among our members as a world of iniquity; it stains the whole body, sets on fire the cycle of nature, and is itself set on fire by hell. For every species of beast and bird, of reptile and sea creature, can be tamed and has been tamed by the human species, but no one can tame the tongue — a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With it we bless the Lord and Father, and with it we curse those who are made in the likeness of God. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this ought not to be so. Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and brackish water? Can a fig tree, my brothers and sisters, yield olives, or a grapevine figs? No more can salt water yield fresh.

 

James 3:1-12

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Saint Peter

Studio of Sir Peter Paul Rubens

Flemish, 1577 – 1640

c. 1616/1618
Timken Collection

National Gallery of Art

Washington, D.C.

http://www.nga.gov/fcgi-bin/tinfo_f?object=46056

 

 

 

 

 

 

When deeds speak, words are nothing.

~African Proverb

 

 

 

 

The place God calls you to is where your deep

gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.

~ Frederick Buechner

 

 

 

 

 

How lovely.

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I thank you kindly!

 

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Gail Montgomery as the Baroness and DJ Himstedt as Max

provide comic relief in the Evergreen Chorale’s production of “The Sound of Music.”

Our Rotary group was treated to a sneak preview on Friday morning.

 

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Liesl and Rolf sang “Sixteen Going on Seventeen.”

Liesl is played by Caroline Vickstrom, Anne and Mark Vickstrom’s youngest.

 

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Bruce and Joan Evashevski hosted the Spares and Pairs

potluck dinner for church members this month.

 

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Sunny just wanted goodies that might fall to the floor.

 

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This weekend is the Women’s Retreat so we had several men without wives.

Of course, I imagine it was their wives who prepared the dishes they brought.

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Rebecca, Eileen, Sharron

Rebecca led us in casting away our sins* as part of Rosh Hashanah.

 

 

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This weekend is the Open Door Studio Tour

and many Evergreen artists open their studios to visitors.

http://www.evergreenopendoorstudios.com/

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Jane Christie with one of her beautiful pastels

at Evergreen Glass, one of the sponsors this year.

http://www.janechristieart.com/

 

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Do any of you have a fascinating faucet like this?

The blue light in the spout indicates the water is cold.

The color turns red as you move the light beam on the base for hot water.

Cool.

 

Evergreen Glass

http://www.evergreenglassinc.com/

 

 

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Judith Brunko demonstrates how she begins a painting.

I especially like her portraits.

http://www.studiojudithbrunko.com/

 

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Betsy Buckner-Kadane had paintings all over the downstairs of her home.

She is seriously thinking of joining our Rotary Club.

http://www.betsybuckner.com/

 

 

 

 

A closed mouth gathers no feet.

~ Fortune Cookie

 

 

 

 

 

 

September 16, 2012    Sixteenth Sunday after Pentecost; 24th Sunday in Ordinary Time

 

Previous OPQs may be found at:
       http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm

 

 

* Besides what James tells us, Proverbs warns of the “scoffing,” “waywardness,” and “complacency” that come from a deafness to Wisdom and her “cries out in the street.”

 



Jesus went on with his disciples to the villages of Caesarea Philippi; and on the way he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that I am?" And they answered him, "John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets." He asked them, "But who do you say that I am?" Peter answered him, "You are the Messiah." And he sternly ordered them not to tell anyone about him.

Then he began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, "Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things."

He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels."

 

Mark 8:27-38

Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein

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Agnus Day appears with the permission of www.agnusday.org

 

 

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Then they will call to me but I will not answer

VALLOTTON, Annie

http://www.biblical-art.com/artwork.asp?id_artwork=25940&showmode=Full

 

Proverbs 1:20-33

Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.

At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
"How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?

Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.

Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.

Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.

 

Prov. 1:20–33

Ps. 19

James 3:1–12

Mark 8:27–38