If I Dare Open My Mouth, It'll Just Be to Bite My Tongue

I have a lot of things to say.  That's the main reason that I created this blog.  In making this blog though, I feel the first post should be on how to tame my tongue and make sure what I say isn't based on what I feel should be said, but on what I feel God wants me to say.
My philosophy is the key to a healthy relationship of any kind requires a lot of conversation and talking in order for the exchange to be most beneficial for both parties.  In talking and communicating so much though, I often get myself into more trouble for things I have said.  Take today, for instance: I got into a middle man position by trying to mediate between my grandmother, my grandfather, and my aunt, and I ended up gossiping about one to the other.  I can't be upset though, because I opened the door for venting, and thus, I initiated the gossip.  Frustrated with myself and my philosophy of talking it all out failing, I looked up some verses to see what Jesus and the Bible in general says about speaking and how to avoid gossip.
Starting as early as Leviticus, God mentions how we should not spread slander. Leviticus 19:16 states, "'Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life'".  It would seem as if we are supposed to keep our opinions to ourselves then, but the very next verse, Lev. 19:17, tells you what to do then: "'Do not hate your brother in your heart.  Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt."  Now, the word 'frankly' doesn't mean publicly or during a shouting match between you and the offender.  Matthew 18:15 denotes that "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you.  If he listens to you, you have won your brother over".  We ought not bottle everything up inside, but rather air our grievances out with those involved, privately.
Now I'm just as susceptible as anyone else to crave a little sympathy, and the floor, while talking with someone by rehashing an argument, possible skewing the evidence a little to my favor, but these verses should make me realize that going about things in that way is just a disguise for slanderous remarks; things that I say to others, I may be mortified to say to the person's face of whom I am speaking of, which should be a testament to the fact that I'm not saying something I should be.
In turning the ripe old age of eighteen, I realized there were are a lot of qualities in myself that I consider childish: sarcasm, dependency, need for attention, gossip, etc.  When first reading Proverbs 31:10-31, I learned immensely what it means to be a wife. (Not that I'm expecting that role any time soon. Which is good, because I need a lot of work.)  But one of my favorite parts of Proverbs 31 is verse 26. "She speaks with wisdom, and faithful instruction is on her tongue".  Jointly, "In the same way, their wives are to be women worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything" is mentioned in 1 Timothy 3:11.  
My current goal in life now is to be a listener so that one day I may be able to speak with wisdom and be temperate and trustworthy in everything. I want to have faithful instruction on my tongue that comes from submission to God and fervent studying of His word, and in doing so, be worthy of respect. There are many more verses on this topic, but the last verse I want to leave you with is one that I recall frequently as I sing the latest secular based, but incredibly catchy, pop songs in the car or am tempted to curse when I'm frustrated. I think of it when I force a smile and am about to whisper a name to someone as they turn their back, and when I'm quick to judge someone and am about to condemn them: "But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned."-Matthew 12:36.