Psoaring thru Psalm 121

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! What a storm we had last night! It just hung over this area for over half an hour and the thunder boomed and lightning struck, the lights kept flickering and some of the lights went out in the Trop, delaying the ball game for about thirty minutes!

I have seen many photos of the large waterspout that was seen by many people as they crossed over Gandy Bridge. Fortunately, it did not come ashore that I know of. I expected Jason, my yard man to come today, but since the yard is so wet, he may postpone mowing until tomorrow.

I drove out to Walmart to gas the car up yesterday, and was pleased to see they are the lowest in this area as far as price goes. As usual, the Walmart parking lot looked full. They still do a large business!  Afterwards, I went into the park and saw a graceful ibis take off with wings outspread and looking very Floridaish. Also, an egret was bending its crooked neck down toward the water, looking for  a snack. Beautiful enough for a painting! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 121

I look up to the mountains---
does my help come from there?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made the heavens and the earth!

He will not let you stumble and fall;
the one who watches over you will not sleep.
Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never tires and never sleeps.

The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
The sun will not hurt you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord keeps you from all evil
and preserves your life.
The Lord keeps watch over you
as you come and go
both now and forever.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Gems from John

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 was really hot, in the nineties, and today promises to be the same. Although I saw a big, fat dark cloud hanging over the house as I was driving home, nothing came of it, which is OK, because we still have water in the gutters and it is draining out of my front yard.

I managed to motivate myself to do some things around the house that needed doing... filling softsoap bottles, etc. also making the bed with clean sheets. I often think if I would just swap the bottom sheet around, I would not have to wash it as often, since I only sleep in one spot.That is just the lazy me talking...

I drove to the park and not many people were there. Only a few cars, and the only wildflife visible was an ibis pecking in the canal. The canal is filled with big floating islands of hydrilla still, so someone will have to launch the boat and clean it out soon. I noticed the mowers were at work again and have been doing a much more thorough job of mowing. Almost like it used to look! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

John 17:20-24
I am praying not only for these disciples
but also all those who will ever believe in
me because of their testimony. My prayer for
all of them is that they will be one, just as
you and I are one, Father--that just as you are
in me and I am in you, so they will be in us
and the world will believe you sent me.

I have given them the glory you gave me, so
that they may be one, as we are--I in them and
you in me, all being perfected into one. Then the
world will know that you sent me and will under-
stand that you love them as much as you love me.
Father, I want these whom you have given me to be
with me, so they can see my glory. You gave me
the glory because you loved me even before the world began!

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 30

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! Lots of sunshine this morning and in days past that meant the Monday morning wash would be hung on the line outside and drying in the sun. What good smells that made in sun dried clothes. However, I am happy for my dryer and rely on the softening sheets to provide the smell. In case you haven't guessed, I stripped the bed and washed my sheets today.

I have seen many butterflies floating by the window this summer. I thought perhaps my beauty berry bush was attracting them, but  when I was out there a few days ago, I did not see any around it. Whatever is attracting them, I am grateful for, because they are beautiful!

When Brian came over Saturday, I had just reached for the mail and discovered a bug-eyed froggie sitting on the mailbox. Now, I always have big, black lizards, or anoles, on the mailbox, messing it up, but a frog is a first. He did not move when I opened the box and retrieved the mail, but seemed pretty secure. Maybe he was waiting for special delivery! :o)

After Brian was through checking out my bank statement, he ordered a pizza for us from Italia Mia, so we had that for supper and I had more of it for lunch yesterday. It was good!

I took a couple of trips through the park and yesterday, a family was gathered around the big, brown gopher tortoise touching him and hopefully, not annoying him, since they are protected. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Excerpts from Psalm 30:

Sing to the Lord, all you godly ones!
Praise his holy name.
His anger lasts for a moment,
but his favor lasts a lifetime!
Weeping may go on all night,
but joy comes with the morning....

You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.
You have taken away my clothes of
mourning and clothed me with joy
that I might sing praises to you and not be silent!
O, Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 22

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 have not seen the sun yet this morning, in fact, we just had a hard downpour. which almost put me to sleep while I was having my devotions! Just something about having the sound of rain coming down...and, I went to sleep to the sounds of thunder and rain falling last night, so the wet weather is back again for a little while.

It was overcast but not raining when I went grocery shopping yesterday. But the humidity was very high and it was very hot when I came out of the air conditioned store!  I get spoiled when I go from an air conditioned house to an air conditioned car, and then go in a chilly store. But it is good!

After I left the store, I drove to the park and noticed a lot of clumps of hydrilla loose in the canal. They usually flow down stream on  the current and wind up clogged against the third bridge. There were a few people out , so some really enjoy the heat. Or at least,, they don't mind it.

One of the things I have enjoyed this summer has been the beautiful flowers alongside the street that Dolin's nursery has displayed. The sun flowers and the black-eyed susans have been outstanding! Someone always has seasonal flowers planted there, for us motorists to enjoy.
God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 22:23-29
 I will praise you among all your people.
Praise the Lord, all you who fear  him!
Honor him, all you descendants of Jacob!
Show him reverence, all you
descendants of Israel!
For he has not ignored the suffering of the needy.
He has not turned and walked away,
He has listened to their cries for help.

I will praise you among all the people;
I will fulfill my vows in the presence of
those who worship you.
The poor will eat and be satisfied.
All who seek the Lord will praise him.
Their hearts will rejoice with everlasting joy.
The whole earth will acknowledge the
Lord and return to him.
People from every nation will bow down before him.
For the Lord is king!
He rules all the nations!

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Zephaniah

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 neighbor is out mowing his yard with a very noisy mower and a lot of birds were singing in the front yard, which I could hear until the mower started!

We have an overcast day, but no rain for a couple days.However, the gutter still has water in it and the yard is still muddy looking down front, so we're good for awhile.

I had a really good time celebrating my sister's birthday, with her two daughters yesterday! Kim flew up from south Florida, and came to my house, and Dena and her mom came from Palm Harbor. We started at the Dali Museum and toured the whole gallery and then went across to The Hangar. Wednesday is $5 burger day, and the place was packed. We had to wait about 15 minutes for a table, and then about forty minutes for our food, but meantime, we caught up a lot on each other's lives. It's too bad we live in the same state and spend so little time in personal contact that does not include texting or emailing!

I am a people watcher, and directly in my line of vision, across the room, I noticed a handsome young man sitting alone at a table, waiting for someone. After a short wait, a young woman joined him and they engaged in conversation, with him hardly taking his eyes off her. When their food finally came, after a wait as long as ours, he asked the blessing on their food. A sweet moment!

About five minutes after I came home , my cleaning ladies came, so I was busy catching up with
them for another hour. It was a busy day, but God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Zephaniah 3:17

The Lord your God has arrived to live
among you. He is a mighty savior. He
will rejoice over you with great gladness.
With his love, he will calm all your fears.
He will exalt over you by singing a happy song.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Wings as Eagles

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! Still no rain and lots of sunshine, so the grass is growing and my yard man just left.

Even though the water is still draining out of the yard, I think it is getting easier for him to mow, although he still has to be careful not to leave tracks with his mower. I notice that several yards in the neighborhood have black tire tracks in them where cars have driven over them. Just not a good thing to do with the ground so wet.

I saw another duck family resting on the street...a bad place to take a nap! The babies were still downy and decided to plop down in the shade of a tree, right in the street. Mama was standing by, giving cars the evil eye to warn drivers her babes were resting! People are pretty much careful when passing or waiting for the duck family to cross. I have even seen traffic at a standstill just waiting for the ducks to get out of the way, on 9th Street!

I saw the gopher tortoise lumbering along at the park yesterday, but still did not stop for a photo.  The air was very humid, but people were still out walking dogs and themselves. Some people were just sitting in the cars reading or resting. A peaceful place! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Isaiah 40:28-31
Have you never heard or understood? Don't you know that the Lord is the
everlasting God, the Creator of all the earth? He never grows faint or weary.
No one can measure the depths of his understanding. He gives power
to those who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the weak. Even
youths  will become exhausted, and young men will give up, But those who
wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like
eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 106

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 huge white clouds and blue sky , and maybe no rain. Yesterday, we did not have a drop, which is good, because the gutters in front of my house are full and the front yard is still draining,

I am amazed at the many different cloud formations there are. Paul Dellegatto posts on FB the shelf clouds, which I never heard of, and all different pics that are sent to him. It must be fascinating to know all about clouds!

Well, we had an enthusiastic service yesterday at church. We had a dancing, praising the Lord preacher who had a lot of congregational participation! Nobody slept through that one!  Pastor Michael had some smooth dance moves! He also presented a good message. Two friends came out of first service and informed me they did not need their hearing aids! :o)

When I drove around Lynch Lake on my way to church, I saw another wood stork. Maybe some of them do stay all summer. And when I went to the park later in the afternoon, I saw the ibis and lots of squirrels, but most of the wildlife were hidden or taking an afternoon siesta. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 106:1-3
Praise the Lord!
Give thanks to the Lord for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Who can list the glorious miracles of the Lord?
Who can ever praise him half enough?
Happy are those who deal justly with others
and always do what is right.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

You are one of us

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will be glad and rejoice in it! Water was dripping off the roof when I looked out the window, but no rain that I could see, so it must have been from last night. We have overcast skies, but I admired a beautiful sunrise, and now the sun seems to have disappeared. Well, we are still cooler here than anyone else on the east coast!

I did a little shopping yesterday and visited the park, where lots of ibis were pecking their way along, not looking up. And mama duck is still on this street waddling along beside her ducklings. Sometimes they lead her and sometimes she leads them! When they settle down to rest for a minute, then she does also, but for the most part, they stick very close together. A lesson in family togetherness! God is good!

From the devotional book, Quiet Moments with God:

Be ye kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving
one another.  Ephesians 4:32 KJV

"It's all right; sometimes I don't know why I do things either.
You are part of our group,and we support you." With that one
statement, the tension evaporated from the room, and other
teens expressed their support to Sara.

The setting was a community meeting of adolescents in a
mental health treatment facility . Sara suffered from chronic
schizophrenia , and she often did not comprehend her actions\or control them.
The previous evening, upon returning from a visit home, she
had promptly set a small fire in her bathroom that created
major problems for the unit, including an evacuation as well
as a canceling of evening activities.

The next morning the staff and patients met to work through the
problems of Sara's actions and the anger it created among the
other teens. For nearly an hour she sat mute in the group as
everyone tried to get her to explain. She would not meet anyone's eyes.

But when Sam, another patient, came across the room, knelt
down before her, looked up into her face, and expressed his
support for her, she responded. Sara how her mother became
angry with her and screamed at her, "Why don't you just stop
being schizophrenic?"

"I just wanted to die, that's why I started the fire," Sara said
in a barely audible voice.

Sam's willingness to forgive her in spite of this error in judgement
made it safe for Sara to share her heart with the group.

It is the "Sams" of this world who make us a community  because
of their forgiveness and compassion. For as St. Francis of Assisi once
said , "It is in  pardoning that we are pardoned."

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

God's source of energy

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! Once again, sunshine in the morning, with floating white clouds and then, this afternoon, we will probably have more rain, or I should say torrential rain and thunder!

My computer was down for a couple days, simply because I did not know which plug to pull out and plug in again. We had a power blip while I was typing the blog for the day, Tuesday, and the computer would not come on again, so I called my repairman and he said to unplug it and plug it in again. Well, I did the wrong plug, so he came out yesterday, and did the right one, and the pc came right back on! He did not feel like charging me, but I gave him a small fee for his trouble.

Now I know!

The mama duck and her five ducklings come up to me whenever I open the front door and step out. They did that when the repairman came, and he squatted down and talked to them for awhile before he left. I do not feed them, because they are very messy, but I am sure other neighbors do.

I attended an ice cream social at the church Tuesday afternoon, and had a good time visiting and chatting with friends. Then the rains came down really hard, and I was fascinated watching the steam clouds rise and blow like fog, in the parking lot! I guess the black in the lot was hot enough to fry an egg, and when the rains came, it just steamed!

It slacked off enough, so I could get in the car without getting wet and then drove on to the park. I saw some downed branches and small stuff that had blown off the trees from the high winds, and all the canals are full! But God is good!

From the  Promise Bible NLT:

What has God given me as a source of continual energy?

Zechariah 4:6
He said to me, This is what the Lord says to Zerubbabel. It is not
by force nor by strength, but by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty."

Ephesians 3:16 I pray that from his glorious , unlimited resources,
he will give you mighty inner strength through his Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is the indwelling power of God in the believer.
When we yield control of our lives to the Lord, He releases his
power within us. The spirit sustains us moment by moment.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Planning

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! Sunshine, blue skies, gentle breezes and puffy white clouds are the sights that greet the day! Of course, now that the pattern of afternoon thunder showers is upon us, that will change shortly.

Yesterday, although the thunder was all around us, we never got rain here, but it was coming down about six blocks away! That's the way it is in the summer!

The mangoes on the tree next door are bigger than the ones I saw in Publix Thursday, but they are still green. I remember as a kid trying to eat a green mango and being told they were poison. Also they were  hard as rocks!

We had a sparse attendance at church yesterday. The pastor is away on vacation, so a lot of people followed suit and also were absent. But we had a good sermon and invitation to accept Christ for those who had not. I noticed several people I had not seen before, so visitors are still coming.

After church and lunch from Boston Market, I had a nice visit from Brian, while watching the Rays win. Then I drove over to the park to see what was going on, and had to wait while a man with two large dogs walked across in front of me. There were a few people out and a couple smooching on top of the hill. Ah, love in bloom!  The gopher tortoises are more active now, and have come out of their holes. I wonder if they ever get flooded?? Lots of butterflies and ibis floating and pecking..God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How am I supposed to plan my life?

Proverbs 2:1-11
My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions. Turn
your ears to wisdom and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out  for insight and understanding. Search for them
as you would for money or hidden treasure. Then you will
understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will
gain knowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom!
From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He
grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their
shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards
the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to
him. Then you will understand what is right, just, and fair,
and you will know how to find the right course of action
every time.  For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge
will fill you with joy.
 Wise planning  will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.
A plan is only as good as the information upon which it's based. Our
human intellect is limited and inadequate. Apart from the Lord, our
plans are liable to fail . The Lord promises wisdom to those who
rely on his word and depend on his spirit.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Integrity

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, we must have had a little rain already, because water is dripping from the roof and the air seems to be still and waiting. Not a breath of breeze or wind right now. I can see blue sky and white puffy clouds in the north, but darker toward the east and Tampa Bay. More thunder showers in the afternoon, as usual.

I went to Publix in the heat of the early afternoon, and was glad for the cool air in the store. I had made a list and attached my $5 coupon to it, but while going through the deli and produce, it must have fallen out of my purse. I retraced my steps, looking on the floor for it, but could not find it, so I hope whoever picked it up, used the coupon! Pffft!

A retired man was the bagger, and he could have been better. He lifted my insulated bags out for me, but left the rest in the cart. Now, Publex check out lanes are not very wide.,so I had to squeeze around the cart to finish emptying it, and then ask him to zip the bags closed when they were full. When I got home and unloaded, I found regular stuff in the cooler bags that did not require refrigeration. Sigh. I think younger kids do a better job and are more enthusiastic. Just my opinion....

I drove through the park later and saw the water is still very high and has not gone down much. Quite a few people were there, even in the steamy heat. When I got home I drove through a flock of ibis, separated by the driveway, and all they did was look at me, and continue their pecking. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How does God respond to my commitment to integrity?

Psalm 18:20-25 The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He
compensated me because of  my innocence. For I have kept
the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow
evil. For all his laws are constantly before me. I have never
abandoned his protection. I am blameless before God. I have
kept myself from sin. The Lord rewarded me for doing right
because of the innocence of my hands in his sight. To the
faithful you show yourself faithful, to those with integrity,
you show integrity.

The psalmist claims a high level of personal integrity that
makes some of us uncomfortable. It makes sense, however,
when we realize that he isn't boasting in his accomplishment,
but thanking God for giving him the power and direction for
living according to God's ways. This passage offers us the same
promise to us. God will empower our obedience.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 25

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, we have clouds, wind and sunshine this morning, so I don't know if we will have an early shower or the usual late one, But, regardless of the weather, I have to do some shopping because I am out of very low on some essentials!

After the cleaning ladies came, still groaning from their very satisfying lunch at the Stone Soup Cafe and Pub, I just took it easy and talked myself out of going anywhere.

When I tried to get the baby lizards in the garage to leave the door, they still refused, then, last night, when I went out to close the window, there was one of the funny looking tiny anoles on the window. At least, I think that's what it is. Only about three quarters of an inch long and missing the tail. They have to be hatching out someplace in the garage! But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 25:8-10
The Lord is good and does what is right;
he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
He leads the humble in what is right,
teaching them his way.
The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
all those who keep his covenant and obey his decrees.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Temptation

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! Once again we have a ditto day, which is what we had yesterday and the day before. Apparently, there was quite a show of lightning with the storm that rolled in over Tampa Bay last night, but I did not go outside to see it, even though it was not close. I did think it was going to pour again, but got skipped . A small tornado touched down and did some damage in the upper part of the county. Seems to me, we never had so many tornadoes in the past, or maybe we just did not have so many ways to warn us.

When I went out to the garage to close the window in the door, I tried once again to get the two tiny lizards to leave, but one just kept going between the window and the screen, where I could not touch it, so I just had to trap him all night. I went out this morning to open the window and tried once again to let him go free, but he was not having any of it!

Yesterday I drove to the park, after I finished my ironing, and saw the big, brown tortoise ambling alongside the road. An ibis was all alone pecking around in the circle, but very few people were out. Then I drove to Steak and Shake and had a half price strawberry shake! Tasty on a hot day!
God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can God break the power of addiction in my life?

Galatians 5:22-25 When the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this
kind of fruit in us; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. Here there is no conflict with
the law.

Romans 8:5-9  Those who are dominated by the sinful nature, think about sinful things. But those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Holy Spirit. If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls my mind, there is life and peace. For the sinful nature is always hostile to God. It never did obey God's laws, and it never will. That's why those who are still under control of their sinful nature can never please God. But you are not controlled by your sinful nature.  You have the Spirit of Christ living in you.  (And remember, that those who do not have the Spirit of Christ living in them, are not Christians at all.)

God can break the power of addiction in your life when you give him
control. He will come into your life and change your hear and your desires.
Surrender to the Holy Spirit and God will replace addictive drives with
life affirming desires.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Worry less

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! Once again we had a late evening shower, one I was not even aware of, until I went into the garage and noticed that everything was wet outside. Then, later on, I hear the rain coming down pretty hard and thunder in the distance, But, meanwhile, we have lots of sunshine. and not much breeze yet.

One thing I like about the summer rain storms...there are such beautiful cloud formations; very high, white whipped cream clouds piled on top of each other! Breathtaking!

The dozen or so mangoes on the tree next door are getting big and ripening. Now some mangoes do not taste so good, but depending on the variety, some are delicious. My late Uncle, retired" down to Matlacha to raise a rare variety of Mangoes, and soon found himself back in the nursery business!  A short retirement!

The water is still high in the Park and trash wrapped around the short poles on the weir, from where the water was so high and rushing over the pavement. Not many people were visible, nor were many cars parked, but it was mid afternoon and very hot. But, as always, God is good!

From the little book of devotions Knowing God:

Do not worry about anything,
but pray and ask God for everything you need,
always giving thanks,
Philippians 4:6 NCV

In the game of life, you win some, and you lose some.
Life is risky business; you live in an uncertain world,
a world in which trouble may come calling at any moment.
No wonder you may find yourself feeling a little panicky at times.

So you sometimes spend more time worrying about a problem
than you spend solving it? If so, here's a strategy for dealing
with your worries. Take them to God. Take your troubles
to Him. Take your fears to Him. Take your doubts to Him.
Take your weaknesses to Him. Take your sorrows to Him. And
leave them all there.

God is the Rock that cannot be moved. When you build your
life upon that Rock, you have absolutely no need to worry...
not now, not ever.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Paul's Thanksgiving

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! Lots of sunshine this morning, but we had rain later last night, so we remain very wet.

My yard man is working now, because he thought it was dry enough that his mower would not leave wheel marks in the grass. The water is really flowing in the gutter. I looked at it last night and watched it for a few minutes. No telling when it will dry up!

But it was just a few months ago that I was talking about the dry earth and how badly we needed rain! God sent it!

Well, the cute little bunny is still hanging around. Friday he was sitting, almost hidden, among the azaleas. I have no idea where the family lives, but there are the same ones across the street, or maybe there is a huge family of bunnies around here!

We have lots of butterflies, too, and they are really pretty. I was in the park over the weekend, and the canal is full. I saw an anhinga, a white egret, and on the way home, a  woodstork slowing ambling up the side of Lynch Lake. That was a bit unusual, because they usually hang around in the winter! But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 1:9-10

So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard
about you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding
of what he wants to give you in your lives, and we ask him to
make you wise with spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live
will always honor and please the Lord, and you will continually
do good, kind things for others. All the while you will learn
to know God better and better....

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Soaring thru Psalm 150

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, it is still morning for another thirty minutes...

I have been outside with the Acme A/C man, for an hour, while he did a thorough job on checking the air and furnace. We have used them for over forty years. Good people!

My yard man came this morning, but consulted with me about the very soggy yard, and I agreed to wait until next week some time, hoping the soil dries out a bit.

I had a quiet 4th, babying my left knee. For some reason it has been cranky for about three days, not wanting to bend without pain. I have no idea what is wrong with it, but hope it gets better soon!

I drove over to the Park about midday, but was surprised to find very few people there. I saw a majestic great white heron peering into the water among the bulrushes. And the ibis were absorbed in their pecking . The water is still very high and rushing along toward the overflow water control at the third bridge. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 150

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his heavenly dwelling;
praise him in his mighty  heavens!
Praise him in his mighty works;
Praise his unequaled greatness!
Praise him with a blast of the trumpet;
praise him with the lyre and harp!
Praise him with the tambourine and dancing,
Praise him with stringed instruments and flutes!
Praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with loud, clanging cymbals!
Let everything that lives, sing praise to the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 119

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! So far no rain, although the sky is overcast and we will probably be getting showers later on, but meanwhile, it is good to see no rain for  a little while.

Come to think of it, we had no rain yesterday, either!

I ran some errands yesterday, and on my way to various places, noted that the retention ponds were all full. We are a wet city! After I finished shopping, I drove into the park, and saw the canal was full almost to overflowing the weir. An anhinga was sitting on the edge with his toes almost in the water. The grass was freshly mowed and the ibis were enjoying the pecking. Also the squirrels were munching all over the grass for acorns newly visible.

The water was flowing swiftly under the first bridge and large groups of lilies were floating on down toward the third bridge, probably to pile up against it. But it is good to see the water so high. God always provides!

Well, the attack cardinal is gone! Yay! No appearance yesterday, and none today, so far. So I guess the next order of business is to get the dirty windows cleaned. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 119
Happy are people of integrity,
who follow the law of the Lord.
Happy are those who obey his decrees
and search for him with all their hearts.
They do not compromise with evil,
and they walk only in his paths.
You have charged us to keep your
commandments carefully.
Oh, that my actions would consistently
reflect your principles!
Then I will not be disgraced
when I compare my life with your commands.
When I learn your righteous laws,
I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your principles.
Please don't give up on me!

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

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! I can see patches of blue sky and already there has been sunshine, even though it was raining just before seven AM. Maybe the drippy stuff will move out sooner than predicted!

Although I could have been productive yesterday and cleaned out drawers, I chose to enjoy the rainy day by reading, and finished a book I had started the day before. Don't feel guilty, either!

Even though the attack female cardinal started pecking on the window early yesterday, she took off when the rain started and has not been back. I am cautiously hoping she has given up!

Since I did not take the car out yesterday, I did not get to the park or any place else, but have to run some errands today, as a result.But that's ok, can't be lazy all the time! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 145:13-18
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 is everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes to all who call on him sincerely.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Colossians 4

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 sky is overcast and looks like an early rain. I heard rumbling from thunder and it rained just about all night, so we are very wet! It's good that the earth is so soaked, after the long dry spell.

I drove to church early and was dry...did not take my umbrella, being an optimist, and two and a half hours later, came out to no rain, although it had rained while church was going on. But, wow! Did I run into it on the way home! I could see a solid sheet of rain ahead of me as I neared my house and sure enough, I ran into the downpour!

 I had bought new wipers for the car earlier and they got a workout! But, I drove into the garage and stayed dry until the sun came out later in the afternoon and shone until sundown, then the clouds rolled back in and the rains came back.

Well, I made a discovery yesterday. The attack bird is a female cardinal! The reason I did not recognize her at first was because I never saw one up close and from the front before. But, while she was attacking the front window, the male started pecking on the back bedroom . What's up with these two?? My front bedroom windows are full of dirty peck marks and other stuff from her. Bright and early at 6:30 Sunday she was pecking away, and same thing this morning. She has temporarily left, so I guess she must take a coffee break once in a while. Oh, well...

The park is full of water, and lots of people were out walking yesterday. By full of water, I mean the canal , of course. It also has lots of trash from the houses which back up to it from outside the fence. Not much wildlife was visible, but dogs and people were much in view.
But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 4:12-13
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves,
you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy,
kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. You must
make  allowance for each other''s faults, and forgive
the person who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave
you, so you must forgive others. And the most important
piece of clothing you must wear is love.  Love is what
binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace
that comes from Christ, rule in your hearts. For as members
of one body you are all called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis