Good morning, Dear friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! The sun is shining brightly and I don't think there will be any rain today..my prediction, not the weatherman's. But we had a late shower last night, so water is still dripping off the roof. 

Dave C. came to mow yesterday and just before he came, the squirrels decided to build a nest, so that meant lots of green twigs all piled up just between the two trees. So, Dave mowed right through them, and said they are good for the grass. Well, the yard looked nice and neat for a while, but this morning another big pile of twigs is in the same place, so I guess they were not through building the nest. Messy, messy!

Before Dave came, a large flock of ibis was making its way slowly, as they pecked, down this street. They started across the street and worked down about three houses, then came back on this side, still pecking. I counted sixteen, but that was a moving count. They seem to be really used to people.

I saw the big dump trucks at the park again, so I guess that work will take awhile. A beautiful egret was high in a tree with another one, hanging over the canal. Just so Florida! God is good!

From the Devotional book Quiet Moments with God for Teachers:

Teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom. Psalm 90:12 KJV
Ann described a lesson she learned after the painful loss of her sister. Her brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of her sister's bureau and lifted out a tissue-wrapped package. "This," he said, "is not a slip. This is lingerie." He discarded the tissue and handed the slip to Ann. It was exquisite silk, handmade and trimmed with a cobweb of lace. The price tag, bearing an astronomical figure, was still attached.

"Jan bought this the first time we went to New York nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. Well, I guess this is the occasion." He took the slip from Ann and put it on the bed with the other clothes they planned to take to the funeral home. His hands lingered on the soft material for a moment, then he slammed the drawer shut and turned to Ann. "Don't ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you're alive is a special occasion."

She remembered those words throughout the funeral and the days that followed. Ann thought about all the things that her sister had done without realizing they were special. The words her brother-in-law spoke changed her life.

Ann now spends more time with her family and friends and less time in committee meetings. Now she enjoys the view from her deck without fussing about the weeds in the garden. She's not saving anything either; her family uses the good china and crystal for every special event--such as losing a pound, unclogging the sink, or spying the first camellia blossom of the season.

As you watch the breathless beauty of a sunset or the colorful splendor of a rainbow, savor the moment. Cherish the brilliance of the maple leaf nipped by frost and the white clouds floating across the crystal blue sky. Remember that every moment of every day is special.

So here hath been dawning another blue day. 
Think, will thou let it slip useless away? 
Thomas Carlyle

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis