Gentleness
The king gave orders to Joab and Abishai and Ittai, saying, "Deal gently
for my sake with the young man Absalom." And all the people heard when the
king gave orders to all the commanders concerning Absalom. So the army went out
into the field against Israel; and the battle was fought in the forest of
Ephraim. The men of Israel were defeated there by the servants of David, and
the slaughter there was great on that day, twenty thousand men. The battle
spread over the face of all the country; and the forest claimed more victims
that day than the sword. Absalom happened to meet the servants of David.
Absalom was riding on his mule, and the mule went under the thick branches of a
great oak. His head caught fast in the oak, and he was left hanging between
heaven and earth, while the mule that was under him went on. And ten young men,
Joab's armor-bearers, surrounded Absalom and struck him, and killed him. Then
the Cushite came; and the Cushite said, "Good tidings for my lord the
king! For the Lord has vindicated you this day, delivering you from the power
of all who rose up against you." The king said to the Cushite, "Is it
well with the young man Absalom?" The Cushite answered, "May the
enemies of my lord the king, and all who rise up to do you harm, be like that
young man." The king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the
gate, and wept; and as he went, he said, "O my son Absalom, my son, my son
Absalom! Would that I had died instead of you, O Absalom, my son, my son!"
2
Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33
King David
from the Psalter of Jean de Berry
BEAUNEVEU,
André
1400
Bibliothèque
nationale de France
Paris
France
We must
learn to regard people less in the light of what they do or omit to do,
and more in
the light of what they suffer.
~ Dietrich
Bonhoeffer
Many people
are alive but don't touch the miracle of being alive.
~ Thich Nhat
Hanh
Keith Wilson
Alexander
October 11, 1930 - August
1, 2012
The funeral
on Tuesday was just the way Keith wanted it,
and there
was much visiting afterwards.
Keith’s
wife, Lotus McGuinnis Alexander
Dottie and
Jack Alexander, John Alexander
Keith’s five
children;
Koreen,
Kenton, Kerin, Kevin, Keann
Kenton with
his daughter, Bridget.
His son,
Hunter, had already left for work.
Kevin with
his wife, Anna.
In front,
Kevin’s daughter, Brooke, with her 3½ month old son, Cameron.
The rest of
the week has been filled with many activities …
Kathi
(Wednesday breakfast group) with her Austrian nieces, Lisa and Verena, at an
art opening.
Lisa and
Verena, the girls from Austria, had some watercolor lessons
with David
Cuin, and fused glass lessons with Danna Cuin.
They showed
off their accomplishments at breakfast in Silver Plume on Wednesday.
Sid and Tim
with Sid’s mother at our Homeowners’ Dinner and annual meeting.
Vicki, Lynn
Wenger, and I had lunch at Aspen Peak Cellars in Conifer.
Carolyn,
Greg Podd, Brenda Hagerman, and Maria Camp at Rotary.
Desiderata
Go placidly
amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and
ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your
achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your career, however humble; it is a real possession in the
changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs; for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for
high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be critical about love; for in the face of all aridity and
disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly
the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not
distress yourself with imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a
child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it
should.
Therefore be
at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep
peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be careful.
Strive to be happy.
~ Max
Ehrmann *
August 12, 2012 Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost; 19th
Sunday in Ordinary Time
Previous
OPQs may be found at:
http://www.dotjack.com/opq.htm
* In some reference books, Desiderata is still sometimes thought
to have been 'found' at Old St. Paul's Church in Baltimore and to date back to
1692. It was actually written by Max Ehrmann and copyrighted by him in 1927,
the copyright was renewed in 1954 by Bertha K. Ehrmann.
Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will
never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty."
Then the Jews began to complain about him because he said, "I am the bread
that came down from heaven." They were saying, "Is not this Jesus,
the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How can he now say, 'I have
come down from heaven'?" Jesus answered them, "Do not complain among
yourselves. No one can come to me unless drawn by the Father who sent me; and I
will raise that person up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'And
they shall all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the
Father comes to me. Not that anyone has seen the Father except the one who is
from God; he has seen the Father. Very truly, I tell you, whoever believes has
eternal life. I am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate the manna in the
wilderness, and they died. This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so
that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread that came down from
heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will
give for the life of the world is my flesh."
John
6:35, 41-51
Agnus
Day, by James Wetzstein
Agnus Day appears with the
permission of www.agnusday.org
So then, putting away
falsehood, let all of us speak the truth to our neighbours, for we are members
of one another. Be
angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not make room for the
devil. Thieves must
give up stealing; rather let them labour and work honestly with their own
hands, so as to have something to share with the needy. Let no evil talk come out of
your mouths, but only what is useful for building up,
as there is need, so that your words may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy
Spirit of God, with which you were marked with a seal for the day of
redemption. Put
away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander,
together with all malice, and
be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ
has forgiven you. Therefore
be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us
and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 4:25–5:2
Get Rid of All Bitterness
VALLOTTON,
Annie
Ephesians
4:31
http://www.biblical-art.com/artwork.asp?id_artwork=26144&showmode=Full
2 Sam. 18:5–9, 15, 31–33
Ps. 130
Eph. 4:25–5:2
John 6:35, 41–51