Friday, September 28, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 145

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! This is another day just like yesterday, sunny and warm with a few clouds, high and puffy white. When I stood outside for a few minutes this morning, I watched a flock of ibis across the street, growing larger as singles kept flying in and joining them while they paid no attention and kept pecking, meanwhile moving slowly into the next yard.  I was also watching a couple squirrels playing and climbing high in my oak trees. They don't seem to be putting acorns away for the winter. Maybe it will be a mild winter, although I have already heard predictions that it will be severe. Only God knows!

Well, the Rays won again last night. I have to confess I almost gave up on them, but thanks to Longo, and Rodney, they won their 8th straight! I am going to miss baseball when the season is over. And, on another positive note, but totally unrelated to baseball, Brian got moved into the downtown office of his bank yesterday, so no more long trips to Bradenton! He said he even got a day's work done after getting everything settled and in place. One negative in the new place, is lack of good lighting, but that will soon be corrected. Since he works in accounting, good lighting is essential! I am hoping to be able to go visit when they have the open house.

I drove over to the park yesterday, after completing my errands, and found it peaceful, with just a few people, ibis, and egrets here and there. Even though the weeds are high in places, it still looks good! God is good!

 
From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 145:13-21

The Lord is faithful in all he says!
He is gracious in all he does.
The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
All eyes look to you for help...
you give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand,
you satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to those who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and rescues them.
The Lord protects all those who love him
but he destroys the wicked,

I will praise the Lord,
and everyone on earth will bless his holy name
forever and forever.

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


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Thursday, September 27, 2012

The Final Judgment

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! Bright sunshine and blue skies and  lots of birds singing to welcome the new day! I walked around outside on the dewy grass and was listening to the music of the different birds all awake and chirping. They were just filling the air with song! There is a thick moss like weed  that has taken over the grass and there are pretty, tiny flowers blooming on it. I don't know how long it will last, but it feels soft under foot. I actually like it better than grass!

I talked with Jason, the yard man, yesterday, about future plans for a sprinkler system and how to get grass or ground cover to grow under the oak trees, where nothing is growing now. He seems to have plans, but no firm date. But I have learned to be patient and wait, because I know I am unable to do things myself, so I wait for someone else to work for me. 

I drove to Boston Market for my supper yesterday, and was amused to see Victoria egret standing right in the middle of the drive-thru waiting for a handout in front of the window. She reluctantly moved, but only off to the side, still wary and watching other cars coming behind me. Then, after my order, I drove to the park and saw another egret , along with two ibis and one anhinga, all on the weir, just having a nice chat with each other.. There were a few other people there, which seemed like a nice time to come after a long day at work. A place to come and wind down and relax. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 25:31-40

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me.

Then these righteous ones will reply, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and gave you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? " and the King will tell them, "I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me"!

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


Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 97

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 and it is still in the high seventies, but the humidity is slowing coming back and we will be close to ninety today, so fall is still knocking at the door, but not here to stay yet.

I did a little shopping yesterday and drove on over to the park, so see a few cars, but no people in sight walking. I did see a couple at a picnic table, enjoying being outdoors on a beautiful day. A bedraggled looking anhinga was sitting on the weir drying out the wet wings, but no other birds were visible. I have not seen the gopher tortoises in a while, so I am wondering what has happened to them. Mike, the naturalist who retired, showed me a photo taken from the air, which showed all the gopher holes and there were plenty! 

One thing I have noticed around here, are the many pretty butterflies flitting back and forth! All kinds, big, little, yellow and yellow and black. My beauty berry bush is supposed to attract them when blooming and birds when the berries show. I love butterflies! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 97
The Lord is king! let the earth rejoice!
Let the farthest islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness surround him.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and burns up all his foes.
His lightning flashes out across the world.
The earth sees and trembles.
The mountains  melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness,
every nation sees his glory.
Those who worship idols are disgraced-
all who brag about their worthless gods--
For every god must bow to him.
Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced
and all the cities of Judah are glad
because of your justice, Lord!
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth,
you are exalted far above all gods.

You who love the Lord, hate evil! 
He protects the lives of his godly people
and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
Light shines on the godly
and those who do right.
May all who are godly be happy in the Lord
and praise His holy name!

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


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 37

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! I turned up the A/C yesterday, because I was a little cool. If I could have opened all the windows, I would have, because the weather outside was so nice. Most of my windows are balky, though, and don't get opened up much, so I just leave them closed. This morning, the temps are in the seventies and, once again, it feels like fall. We've waited a long time!

Maybe the acorns will not be as plentiful as I thought, because I have not swept the porch this week and it is not covered with the pesky things. There are a few, but nothing like I thought. When I was outside yesterday, the noisy bluejay was sounding off in the oak tree, and very loudly!  I would rather hear a mockingbird going through his repertoire than the jay. Speaking of mockers, I saw one fly into the hedge outside my window and a few seconds later another flew in right behind the first! I thought perhaps there was a nest in that spot, but I have not seen them since. If there is an early cold spell in the north, we may be seeing much more of the northern birds shortly.

I got to the park later in the afternoon yesterday, and the only bird I saw was a great white heron, posed by the canal, fishing. A spot of beauty! God is good!
 

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 37:3-9

Trust in the Lord and do good. 
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord and he will give you your hearts desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord,
Trust him and he will help you
He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don't worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

Stop your anger!
Turn from your rage!
Do not envy others--
it only leads to harm.

For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord
will possess the land.


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


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Monday, September 24, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 19

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 air is definitely cooler and it looks and feels like fall is definitely here! It will warm up soon and we will probably be up to ninety, but change is in the air!

I attended a birthday party last night with a lot of friends, old and new, and had a really good time, staying out a little later than I usually do. And, another dear friend and prayer warrior is having her 97th birthday today! She lives alone and gets around with just a cane and is pretty healthy. The Lord has blessed her and me with her friendship. She is a blessing to all who know her!

I stopped in at the park after church yesterday, and saw a lot of cars, so the boardwalk was busy. The air was nice and it was a beautiful day, so people were out enjoying nature. The water is still high and now that the hydrilla as washed in again, it looks very pretty with the water rushing, the shade trees and the falling leaves. My beauty berry bush, and other flowering shrubs are very pretty and the grass has really greened up from all the rain, so God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 20:8-14
The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight to life.
Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true, each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.

They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to those who hear them;
There is great reward for those who obey them.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep me from deliberate sins!
Don't let them control me.
Then I will live free of guilt 
and innocent of great sin.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

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


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Friday, September 21, 2012

Knowing God's will

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! No rain this morning, but yesterday afternoon, we had a hard shower for about half an hour. so I postponed my errand running until after the sun came back out. As I drove out of the neighborhood, I passed a house with a yard full of black ducks, and a large flock of ibis, all busily pecking around. Talk about contrasts! They were still there when I came back later!

I made a trip to the Family Christian Store and saw a large display of Christmas cards already. Seasons are getting close, because the first thing that caught my eye was a display of ceramic pumpkins . As soon as Sept. comes around, out come the Halloween decorations, Thanksgiving is stuffed in there somewhere, and it should be high on the importance list and then Christmas. It takes me a long time to list all the things I am thankful for, but I try in the morning during my prayers.

One of the things I am thankful for, is the Rays game last night. What a finish! I have really enjoyed this baseball season and while I know the chances are slim, I still hope they get into the playoffs!

I drove into the park on my way back from the Christian store and saw only four cars there. That was really strange. The water is still high and the great white heron was still busy fishing. Every thing is growing and green with all the rain, and there were even puddles on the road from the afternoon rain.

I was telling Daryl about the gecko that lives on my mailbox. When I put a letter out to be picked up, it moved off the lid, reluctantly, and down to the window sill, then curled around and just stared at me until I was finished. Unfortunately, he uses it as a bathroom and I am constantly cleaning it off! He is big and ugly, but one of God's critters. So God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:


I pray you, if I have found favor
in your sight, show me now your way.
Exodus 33:13 AMP

Knowing the will of God--both the big picture and the daily details--concerns every Christian. We all need to ask often, What is it God wants me to do? How is it he wants me to live?...
It is as we know we are doing God's will that we find true meaning in life and a deep sense of accomplishment and purpose. How can we know we are doing God's will? One of the simplest approaches is this:

1. Commit yourself to the Lord each day, and periodically throughout the day, by simply saying,"Lord, I put my life in Your hands,Do with me what you will."

2. Trust the Lord to send you the work and the relationships you need for his  purpose in your life to be accomplished.

As Roberta Hromas, a noted Bible teacher, once said: "Simply answer your door, answer your phone, and answer your mail. the Lord will put in your path the opportunities that He desires for you to pursue.

God's will is not a mystery you try desperately to unlock. He does not desire His will to be a secret because the Bible is filled with scriptures about knowing His will. The key is to seek His will, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to read and study His word. Then you can know what He has planned for you!

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


Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Thursday, September 20, 2012

Hope

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! We have already had a brief shower this morning, which I was not aware of, until I saw water dripping off the roof and saw the porch was wet. Now the sky is overcast, but yesterday was full of sunshine, so it all balances out!

My cleaning ladies came and I always have  a chance to catch up with them. They are an interesting couple. One is married and has grandchildren, the other has been divorced for a long time with a bird and a dog, but they get along very well and even take trips together. One smokes and likes to gamble, the other is compassionate and always willing to help. God puts different people together who get along very well. They seem to work well, although I have noticed that one likes to chat more than work, and the other does her job, without stopping. I am thankful for them.

I had a short trip to the park later yesterday and noticed that the canal is way up. It is much higher than usual, but will soon go down if no more rain comes. I noticed a great white heron with his head bent down at the weir, very interested in something in the water. Majestic! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can I have hope when times are tough?

Hebrews 10:23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.


Our hope is rooted in God's integrity and faithfulness. When everything else falls apart, we can cling to the fact that God keeps his word.

Our troubles do not surprise the Lord and should not surprise us. Trouble is rampant in this fallen world. Our focus should be on Jesus  who has overcome the world and all its troubles.

Romans 14:14 I pray that God who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of his Holy Spirit.

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


Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Be Humble

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! After an all day rain yesterday, it is good to see the sun, even though the humidity is very high. When I stepped outside this morning the heat hit me in the face like a sauna! And I see the acorns are starting to fall, which is a sure sign of fall coming. Looks like there might be a large crop again. As I was looking around on the porch, I heard a large truck coming fast, and at the same time, a very large flock of ibis took to the air, and flew by. I watched until they flew out of sight! Beautiful!

My computer froze up sometime Monday and Tuesday when I turned it on, nothing happened. So, after having called my friend, who stopped by and was unable to fix it, I called Dave, the pro, who fixed it last time I had a problem. but later on, I tried again and lo and behold, it had healed itself or thawed out, so I canceled the pro and got busy reading about a hundred emails that had accumulated! Sheesh! Most of them got deleted! 

 
However, after going out to check on the towels in the washer, I discovered that the towels had not been rinsed, were sitting in a tub full of soapy water and the washer would not drain, or rinse or spin. My washer is probably not a year old, yet! Well, I looked in the yellow pages and saw the number one listing was for Anytime Appliance repair, so said a quick prayer and called.They advertise same day service, so, sure enough, he came at 5:45, tested it and discovered the circuit board was faulty. He took it out and it had exploded wide open! He had a new one in his van, installed it, arranged everything back the way it was, gave me the bill, I paid and he left. Of course, the new circuit board cost almost as much as I paid for the washer, but at least. it works!

Meantime, my friend, who with her partner who lives next door to her, called and said today was my cleaning day, so I told her about the washer, and she called me later, and offered to come over and wring out the towels and take them home, (across the street), finish washing them and bring them back. I was overwhelmed by her generosity and told her that the guy was coming later. She is such a caring , thoughtful person. I am happy she lives across the street from me. God is good!

From the little devotional book, Knowing God:

Be Humble


Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he
may lift you up in due time.
1 Peter 5:6 NIV


On the road to spiritual growth, pride is an enormous roadblock. The more prideful you are, the more difficult it is to know God. When you experience success, it's easy to  puff out your chest and proclaim, "I did that!"  Easy, but wrong.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer observed, "It is very easy to overestimate the importance
of our own achievements," and he was right.

So the next time you're tempted to take too much credit for something you've
done, resist the temptation. Instead of hogging all the glory, give God His fair share of the credit....and His share
by the way, is far bigger than your share.

                                               Great Thoughts

God exalts humility. When God works in our lives, helping us to become humble,
he gives us a permanent joy. Humility gives us a joy that cannot be taken away.
                                                   Max Lucado


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


Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Friday, September 14, 2012

1 Corinthians

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! Another bright, breezy, cooler than usual day means a great start to the weekend! Even though it will get up to ninety this afternoon, still the change in weather is noticeable. Already stores have Halloween and Thanksgiving displays, which means Christmas is not far behind!

I am feeling much better today, so I guess my system has gotten used to the antibiotic, but I was careful what I ate yesterday, and had no more upsets. Praise God! I just took it easy, and while eating lunch, I heard what sounded like a huge airplane flying too low over the house. Turned out to be Jason the lawn guy, on his riding mower. That machine is loud!! I chatted with him a few minutes when he was finished, mostly about our various ailments, but also about the grass, or lack thereof, and what to do about it when the time comes.  He is interesting to talk to. He always puts banana peels in the staghorn fern when I have one, because he is very tall and can reach, and I cannot. Anyway, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Corinthians 3:5-9
Who is Apollos, and who is Paul, that we should be the cause of such quarrels?
 Why, we're only servants. Through us God caused you to believe .
 Each of us did the work the Lord gave us.
My job was to plant the seed in your
hearts, and Apollos watered it,
but it was God, not we, who made it grow.
The ones who do the planting or watering
aren't important, but God is important
because he is the one who makes the seed grow.
The one who plants  and the one who waters
work as a team with the same purpose. 
Yet they will be rewarded individually,
according to their own hard work. We work
together as partners who belong to God. 
You are God's field, God's building--not ours....


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


Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 100

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! Well, there is definitely a change in the air, at least for a few days! Once again, the air is cooler and drier, with a fallish breeze blowing. Great! It may not last long, and the temp will be up to 90 this afternoon, but that's okay.  It's the promise that counts!

Yesterday I tried to phone the doctor for an appointment, but got the voice mail over the span of three hours, so, I got in the car and drove to the office to see if I could get in. I only had to wait about fifteen minutes and got in to see the NPR, which was fine. Got the problem taken care of with antibiotics prescribed and will soon will fine again...usually  within seven days! Then, this morning, I upchucked half my breakfast! I am thinking this may be due to the antibiotic, but it never happened before when I took it, so I will read the cautions again. ( I know what you are thinking, and no, I am not pregnant! ) Ha, ha, ha!

After I got business taken care of, I drove to the park to relax and found a lot of people out enjoying the beautiful weather. I passed a great blue heron, waited for a squirrel to cross the road, and had to swing by the big tree trimming trucks. There are a lot of trees to take care of, so that is a never ending job, plus all the other parks they have to take care of. But, God is good! 

From the Promise Bible NLT;

Psalm 100     (this is one of the first scriptures I learned as a child in SS.)

Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!
He made us and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
and his faithfulness continues to each generation.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

A Prayer from Peter Marshall

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! When I stepped outside this morning, I was thinking it was fall already! The breeze was so nice and cool and the humidity seemed lower, so maybe cooler weather is not far off!

I got some errands done yesterday that needed doing,...batteries in a couple watches, and glasses nose pieces replaced; all done within a mile of home! Good to have a little shopping strip so close to home! When I went to the park a couple days ago, I saw a big, black, shiny gator sunning himself on the bank of the canal near the weir. I have not seen one there in a long time. There is a lot of trash piled up against the pipes along side the bridge over the weir, from all the rain Sunday. Also the canal is filled up again with water. We have had so much rain lately, but that makes up for the time when the weather is dry. God is good!

Since the election takes place in a couple months, I thought this prayer by Peter Marshall is just as relevant as it was when he was Chaplain of the Senate;

                                        Before An Election  (from Hymns for the Family of God)

Lord Jesus, we ask Thee to guide the people of this nation as they exercise their dearly bought privilege of franchise. May it neither be ignored unthinkingly  nor undertaken lightly. As citizens all over this land go to the ballot boxes, give them a sense of high privilege and joyous responsibility.

Help those who are about to be elected to public office to come to understand the real source of their mandate-a mandate given by no party machine, received  at no polling booth, but given by God, a mandate to represent God and truth at the heart of the nation, a mandate to do good in the name of Him under whom this country was established.

We ask Thee to lead our country in the paths where Thou would have her walk, to do the tasks which Thou hast laid before her. So may we together  seek happiness for all our citizens in the name of Him who created us all equal in His sight, and therefore brothers. Amen.
Peter Marshall

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


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

A Day of Remembrance

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! My flag is flying, even though I did not get it out until around 8, but it is a nice sunshiny day, and so the flag waves on this day of remembering. I know where I was, do you?

I thought since this is such a solemn day that I would just copy the words to America the Beautiful for you to sing a long, or just reflect on;

But in every nation He that feareth Him and worketh righteousness is accepted by Him. Acts 10:35

O Beautiful for spacious skies, 

for amber waves of grain.
For purple mountains majesties
Above the fruited plain!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee
and crown thy good with brother hood
from sea to shining sea.

O beautiful for patriot dream
that sees beyond the years.
Thine alabaster cities gleam,
Undimmed by human tears!

America! America! God shed his grace on thee.
And crown thy good with brother hood
from sea to shining sea..

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

 
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Monday, September 10, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 37

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! Yesterday, rain....today clouds and probably rain. I stayed home from church because of the rain. I may have been able to get in without getting wet, but by the time church was over, it was pouring down, so I thought it prudent to stay in. I am sure God will forgive me. Speaking of rain, we had thundershowers during the early morning hours. I kept seeing lightning flashes through the drapes, and hearing thunder for an hour or so, while trying to sleep. But, everything is certainly green!

I went shopping Saturday and then, drove into the park, where I saw a great white heron in the canal and had to wait for a flock of ibis to cross over in front of me. They were not in any hurry, but neither was I, so I just waited and admired their beauty. Mostly, over the weekend, I watched the Rays, and several portions of football games and read a lot, so it was a restful weekend. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 37:1-9

Don't worry about the wicked.
Don't envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like springtime flowers, they soon wither.

Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord.
and he will give you your heart's desires.

Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him and he will help you.
He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn.
and the justice of your cause will shine
like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don't worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

Stop your anger!
Turn from your rage!
Do not envy others--
it only leads to harm
For the wicked will be destroyed,
But those who trust in the Lord will
Possess the land....

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


Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Friday, September 7, 2012

Prayer

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! Well, I wrote about the peculiar looking skies yesterday, and sure, enough, it did rain the middle of the day. Then a very hot sun, and more clouds and then a thunderstorm last night. So, today looks like more of the same, but that's okay, we can store it up for the dry months.

I saw a black spot on the carpet this morning, and, as I was about to pick it up, it moved! Then I realized it was a teeny, tiny, froggie. He seemed to be single minded and was hopping into the kitchen too fast for me to try to capture, so I took the fly swatter and put it in front of him, which brought him to a halt, then I picked him up with a tissue, and deposited him outdoors where he belonged. He must have come in when I opened the front door to get the paper. And yes, after my last call to the Times, the paper is now being tossed onto the porch!

As I was in the library yesterday, a lady walked up to me and asked if I attended FCC. I said yes and she asked if she looked familiar to me. I told her I had seen her face, but did not know her name, so she told me her name and asked mine, twice, and said she had never met anyone with that name before. I told her I had not, either, but thanked her for stopping to speak to me. I was a little embarrassed because I was just wiping my nose, since my allergies were disturbed by a couple who came near me, reeking of cigarette smoke! The same thing happened to me in the doctors waiting room a couple days ago. An elderly lady smoked before she came in and once again, my air was polluted by the awful smell. I think smokers noses are so deadened, they don't realize how annoying their habit its to other people. Well, enough ranting for today.

I got over to the park and there the air was fresh, warm and humid. Good stuff! I saw an anhinga on the weir, and a great white heron in the canal, and noticed another tree down across the canal just beyond the weir. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can I know God hears my prayers?
Psalm 134:18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.


The Lord invites us to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name and will humble themselves and pray ande seek my  face and turn from their wicked way, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.

1 Peter 3:12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those wo do evil.


Since prayer is a conversation with God, we must approach God with the same love and courtesy we bring to any relationship we value. We must be humble, not arrogant. We must admit our sin and seek God's forgiveness.

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


Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Thursday, September 6, 2012

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! There's a peculiar sky this morning..it's very cloudy, but there was brilliant sunshine an hour ago. I know that most of Florida is covered with clouds and we are predicted to get a lot of rain on Sunday. I think it is due mostly to Isaac, which circled around, had a sex change as my son says, and is now tropical storm Nadine. Very strange weather...

Well, I got ambitious yesterday and vacuumed the house, because my cleaning ladies are in Va. baby sitting with Kim's grandchildren, while mom and dad go to Hawaii for training. The husband is in the service and the wives were invited to go along for the short session in Hawaii. Nice. But that leaves me without my cleaners for another week. Oh, well, it won't kill me to get back in the groove of housekeeping for a little while!

I drove to Boston Market to try one of their new "bowls". I think I would choose different sides next time. Mine were too salty for my taste, as I do not use much salt on my food. It's just all your food put in a bowl and gravy poured over it all.  Earlier in the afternoon, I had paid a visit to Steak and Shake for a half price shake, and the cashier recognized me and gave me two booklets of coupons, good for half off any time instead of just 2-4 PM. Kind of her. I really don't buy that many shakes, maybe one a month, but the cashier is usually there and very friendly.

I went on over to the park where all was quiet and peaceful, and parked to have a couple slurps of my shake, while sitting in the shade. It was very hot, so the coldness was welcome. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 5:1-5

Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith,
we have peace with God  because of what Jesus Christ our Lord
 has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has
brought us into this place of highest privilege where we 
now stand, and we confidently and joyfully
look forward to sharing God's glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know 
that they are good for us--they help us to learn
to endure. And endurance develops strength
of character in us, and character strengthens
our confident expectation of salvation. And this 
expectation will not disappoint us. For we know
how dearly God loves us because he has given
us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

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


Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Psoaring thru Psalm 139

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! This is another beautiful morning like yesterday, but we could have showers at any time.

I drove to my doctor's yesterday for a check up and to my surprise, it started to rain almost as soon as I left the house. a dark cloud was hovering right overhead, so I went through some harder showers and then by the time I got to the office, just a mile and a half away, it had almost stopped. ! I saw the funniest sight that I have seen photos of on facebook and the internet, but this was real. Two lines of cars were totally stopped on busy ninth street while a long parade of black ducks all in a row crossed the street, taking their own sweet time. Not a horn blew...just people patiently waiting for the ducks to cross. I was wishing for a camera!

I got the all clear on my health report, so I guess I am doing all right for my age and the shape I am in!  While I was waiting in the examining room, I picked up a Reader's Digest and was interested in an article in it , but the doc came in before I finished, and I did not think to take it with me to check out. Now, I subscribe to the RD and have for years, so I looked for it at home, but did not find it. I looked online and discovered which issue it was, so I am not giving up yet! It was the Dec 2011/Jan2012 issue in case anyone has it. My next move would be to go back to the doctor's office and ask if I could borrow the copy.

I went to the park to check it out, after shopping at CVS, and found a few people there, and the big, tree trimming trucks were busy sawing off the limbs from some trees.A flock of ibis was grubbing on the hills and a great white heron was in the canal pecking for food, so God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 139:13-19 23,24
You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body
and knit me together in my mother's womb.
Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex!
Your workmanship is marvelous---and how well I know it.
You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion,
as I was woven together in the dark of the womb.
You saw me before I was born.
Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.
How precious are your thoughts about me, O God!
They are innumerable!
I can't even count them; they out number the grains of sand!
And when I wake up in the morning, you are still with me!....

Search me, O God, and know my heart, test me and know my thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

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


Love and hugs,
,Amaryllis