Joy
Hold
fast to what is good.
Testify
to the light.
The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
because the Lord has anointed
me;
he
has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,
to bind up the brokenhearted,
to
proclaim liberty to the captives,
and release to the prisoners;
to
proclaim the year of the Lord's favor,
and the day of vengeance of our God;
to comfort all who mourn;
to
provide for those who mourn in Zion—
to give them a garland instead of ashes,
the
oil of gladness instead of mourning,
the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.
They
will be called oaks of righteousness,
the planting of the Lord, to display his
glory.
They
shall build up the ancient ruins,
they shall raise up the former devastations;
they
shall repair the ruined cities,
the devastations of many generations.
For
I the Lord love justice,
I hate robbery and wrongdoing;
I
will faithfully give them their recompense,
and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.
Their
descendants shall be known among the nations,
and their offspring among the peoples;
all
who see them shall acknowledge
that they are a people whom the Lord has
blessed.
I
will greatly rejoice in the LORD,
my whole being shall exult in my God;
for
he has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
he has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
as
a bridegroom decks himself with a garland,
and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
For
as the earth brings forth its shoots,
and as a garden causes what is sown in it to spring up,
so
the Lord God will cause
righteousness and praise
to spring up before all the nations.
Angel of Truth Giving Freedom and Liberty to the Slave
GUÉRIN,
Jules Vallée
1922
Lincoln
Memorial
Washington,
DC
United
States
The decoration above the Gettysburg address in the central
group typifies Freedom and Liberty. The Angel of Truth is giving Freedom and
Liberty to the slave. The shackles of bondage are falling from the arms and
feet. They are guarded by two sibyls. The group to the left represents Justice
and Law. The central figure in the Chair of Law has the Sword of Justice in one
hand; with the other she holds the Scroll of the Law. Seated at her feet are
two sibyls who are interpreting the Law. The standing figures on each side are
the Guardians of the Law, holding the torches of intelligence. The group to the
right represents Immortality. The central figure is being crowned with the
laurel wreath of Immortality. The standing figures are Faith, Hope, and
Charity. On either side are the vessels of wine and oil, the symbols of
Everlasting Life. [from Flickr]
http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-processquery.pl?code=ACT&SortOrder=Title&LectionaryLink=BAdvt03
People in developing countries have a depth of joy,
a richness to which those of us consumed
with material things are often blind.
~
Pam Grout
I wish I could show you,
when you are lonely or in darkness,
the astonishing Light of your own Being.
~
Hafiz
Sculpture Evergreen Holiday Party
Monday,
December 11, 2017
Cute!
Tricia
and Don Rosenthal were the hosts in their gorgeous new home.
Carol
Slaughter, Martha Zavodsky
Bill
Manning, Bill Slaughter, Pem Dunn
Center for the Arts Evergreen Holiday Party
Wednesday,
December 13, 2017
It
was fun to have it in the NEW Art Center!!!
Incoming
President Peggy Eggers presented outgoing President Carol Dobbs
with
a special gift.
Chew and Chat
Thursday,
December 14, 2017
Sondra
Kellogg, Kay Owen, Karla Byrd, and I enjoyed lunch at Sondra’s.
Jackie
McFarland was unable to join us for our December get-together.
Evening Book Club Celebration
Thursday,
December 15, 2017
Ginny
Boschen was our hostess in their new home … just
around
the corner from me!
Rotary Club
Friday
morning, December 15, 2017
Keller
Martin, Director of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL),
was
our very interesting speaker.
https://www.nrel.gov/about/leadership.html
Dessert with the Brekkes
Friday,
December 15, 2017
Oh,
my! YUM!!!
Holly
anad Jeff Brekke in their gorgeous home.
The
dessert get-together was to honor Harry and Carma Scheafer who have
moved
to Florida. Rita Carver is wishing them farewell.
There is no value in life except
what you choose to place upon it,
and no happiness in any place
except what you bring to it yourself.
December
17, 2017
Third Sunday of Advent Year B
Previous
OPQs may be found at:
* Often misattributed to Henry David Thoreau … or vice
versa
There was a man sent from God, whose name
was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might
believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the
light.
This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests
and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not
deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then?
Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.”
Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent
us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out
in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah
said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are
you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?”
John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not
know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his
sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing.
Agnus Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the permission
of www.agnusday.org
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11
Psalm 126 or Luke 1:46-55
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
John 1:6-8, 19-28