A Prayer of Praise

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 a beautiful start to a long weekend, so there should be a lot of people enjoying the outdoors!

We had no rain again, for about the fourth day, so that is good! I saw a city truck across the street yesterday, stopping at each house, and thought the man was pumping water out of the water meters, so the electronic reader could read the meters accurately,. But when he finally came to my side of the street and stopped in front to work on my meter, I asked him what he was doing and he said he was replacing all the water meters. He was going to turn off the water for ten minutes, and since my ladies were inside cleaning, and I had a load going in the washing machine, I told him this, and he said he would wait for me to clear it. I turned off the washer and the girls cleaned without using water, until he was done. Other than the faucets spitting at first, all seems to be well! Our tax dollars at work!

I went to Arby's and had a beef and cheddar for lunch. While it was good, I wish I had ordered a Reuben or one of their other sandwiches. Oh, well.

I have a skinny lizard living on my bedroom window, and I am afraid he is not long for this world if he stays indoors, but I cannot catch him. I need some quick hands!

 I still have two azalea blooms showing, but I think they will be trimmed next time my yard man comes. Plants are growing fast with all the rain we have had. But God is good!

Jude 1:24 NLT

And now, all glory to God, who is able to
keep you from stumbling, and who will bring
you into his glorious presence innocent of sin
and with great joy. All glory to Him, who alone
is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Yes, Glory, majesty, power and authority belong
to Him, in the beginning, now and forevermore.
Amen

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

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!  Bright sunshine and few clouds greet us this early and it promises to be another hot day, but maybe a little lower humidity. Yay!

I did some more shopping yesterday at two drug stores, for specials, and in Walgreen's I stood in line behind two pretty young women, (early twenties), I think, who were behind an old, talkative man. He was talking to the girls while carrying on his business and they were very friendly toward him, not thinking he was a nuisance for holding up the line. They were both wearing ankle length dresses, one more revealing than the other. I was admiring their attitudes toward the old man and then one of them asked for a pack of cigarettes. Not trying to be judgmental, but I was a little disappointed to think that such a pretty young lady would harm her body that way. Oh, well, not my worry!

I drove on to the park and noticed that it was very quiet. Very few cars were parked and no squirrels were scurrying about. Maybe they were all taking a siesta! But I have critters from the outside inside my house...a very thin lizard is watching me as I type. He is on my window screen and was there yesterday. This morning,I picked up a dead frog from the carpet. I think it was the same one that was in the mailbox, but I don't know how he got in the house. So sad, but God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

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

Psoaring thru Psalm 138

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 and no breeze right now, but maybe rain much later. I heard thunder last night, but no rain fell, so that is good. The pothole in front of my house is still full of water, so we are not in need of any more rain. I called the city about the pothole several months ago, and someone came out at looked at it; decided that it really was a developing pothole and left. No word or action since. Sigh.

I shopped over at Disston Shopping Plaza yesterday, before school zones were up, and, as usual, that is a busy area. I took water with me, because it is still so hot, I get really dry.

I stopped at the Park, and saw that it was freshly mowed and really looks good again. I believe that the powers that be have rethought their position about letting things go, and only mowing paths, and as a result, the park looks better and better.

I saw the brown gopher tortoise half hidden in the brush, and thought I glimpsed the darker one nearby, but could not tell. A beautiful egret was curving his neck, and was almost hidden in the bulrushes of the canal. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 138:6-8
Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble.
But he keeps his distance from the proud.
Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will preserve me against the anger of my enemies.
You will clench your fist against my angry enemies!
Your power will save me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life-
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don't abandon me, for you made me.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Pressing toward the goal

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 sun already and hopefully, lower humidity, but we may still get rain later this afternoon. Last evening, I heard the hard rain coming down all at once, with no thunder or lightning, so I was really surprised! It just poured five or ten minutes, but then quit. Water is still dripping down off the roof, so it has not dried off, yet.

As I was putting the dumpster in its place yesterday afternoon, I noticed some large, black splashes on the side of the house. They look like tar, like someone high up just took a brush and shook off three big splashes. I guess this is one of those mysteries that will never be explained, because I have had no roof work done, nor have the neighbors. I don't have a clue about how to get it off, either. Sigh.

Well, my butterfly bush  in the backyard is still attracting the beautiful critters as they go fluttering by my window, and the bird of paradise has a couple blooms on it. Also, I noticed a couple azalea flowers on my hedge in front, so the abundant rain must have caused them to decide to blossom! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Philippians 3:12-14

I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things
or that I have already reached perfection! But I keep working
toward that day when I will finally be all that Christ saved me
for and wants me to be. "No, dear brothers and sisters, I am still
not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this
one thing. Forgetting the past, and looking forward to what
lies ahead , I strain to reach the end of the race and receive
the prize for which God through Christ Jesus is calling us up
to heaven."

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 71

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 not had any rainstorms for three days! But the water is still draining out of the yards and is in the gutters in the street, so we don't need any rain for awhile.

My yard man is at work right now, so I will have to go in a few minutes...

We had a large crowd at church yesterday at both services because of the three women who gave their testimonies. All three were friends who run, and each had different stories to tell about their journeys through difficulties in their lives, including the heartbreaking story of losing a husband because he was killed in his service as a law officer.
I even saw the former mayor in attendance, but did not get to speak with him.

Well, back again, after chatting with Jason for a few minutes. He was in a hurry to get to his chiropractor app't.  Jason was dripping wet already because it is so humid today, Not so hot, yet, but very humid. He had already done three yards before mine.

Well, I woke up with a really red eye yesterday and was going to call the doctor about it, but it feels better today, although it still does not look so good. I will still call the doctor, though.

I drove to the park after church and saw the water had been up and over the weir from the very heavy rain we had last week, The water is very high in the canal. Everything looks green and is growing fast! There is a lady who rides her three wheeler, which has a cover for shade and she pedals on the wrong side of the road. I almost ran into her yesterday, because she was in the shade and coming right at me. She apparently does not know she should be on the other side. But, anyway, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 71:19-24

Your righteousness, O God, reaches to the highest heavens.
You have done such wonderful things.
who can compare with you, O God?
You have allowed me to suffer such hardship,
but you will restore me to life again
and lift me up from the depths of the earth.
You will restore me to even greater honor,,
and comfort me once again.

Then I will praise you with music on the harp,
because you are faithful to your promises O God.
I still sing for you with a lyre.
O Holy one of Israel.
I will shout for joy and sing your praises,
for you have redeemed me.
I will tell about your righteous deeds all
day long, for everyone who tried to hurt me
has been shamed and humiliated.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

A Prayer of Praise

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! Wow! What a thunderstorm we had last night! That was so noisy with lightning and thunder, it just hung around for over half an hour and I was praying that the lightning would not strike the trees out front! I did not turn the TV on because it is best to have all things turned off during a storm like that, but fortunately, the lights did not go out. It was still daylight, though, so I would not have had to use my LED candles. Hopefully, we will not have such a violent storm later today!

I opened the mailbox yesterday checking to see of the mail had come, and there was the tree frog plastered against the side inside! I don't know how he managed to get in, because when the lid is closed, it is pretty tight. I told him he was going to get clonked with mail if he did not move, but I don't know if he paid any attention to me or not.

I went shopping at Publix right after lunch, before school let out, and, even though it was not raining yet, the sun was blazing hot! I heard the heat index was over a 100 yesterday. I saw two men, formerly from church, got to speak to one, who looked at me so strangely, like he did not know who I was, even though we have known each other over thirty years. Maybe he was having a senior moment.

But then, I drove on to the park where it was shady and cooler, saw the canal was very high, and a few people were out in the heat, walking and jogging. I noticed the moorhen in the water on the lilies, and the squirrels scampering about. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Jude 1:24
And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep
you from stumbling, and who will bring you into
his glorious presence innocent of all sin and with
great joy. All glory to him, who alone is God our
Savior, through Jesus Christ , our Lord. Yes, glory,
majesty, power and authority belong to him, in the
beginning, now and forevermore.
Amen

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 1

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 already have clouds this morning, so we could have rain earlier today.  Even though we had lots of thunder and lightning last night, it only rained a little , which is okay since we are saturated.

My girls came to clean yesterday and so we caught up on the weekly activities. Next week Cheryl will have cataract surgery, so they will be a day early in their schedule. I am blessed to have dependable people to take care of what I used to do.

Well, I found out the meeting at the Park Tuesday was a long boring, two hour session with the head of the County Parks workers. My friend, David, who is a Ranger, called me this morning, unexpectedly, and we had a long, conversation. It was the first time in months that we had talked, so it was good catching up. That's why this is late this morning. But a chat with a long time friend is more important! God is good!

Psalm 1 from the Promise Bible NLT:

Oh, the joys of those
who do not follow the advice of the wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join in with scoffers.
But they delight in doing everything the Lord wants;
day and night they think about his law.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season without fail.
Their leaves never wither,
and in all they do, they prosper.

This is not true of the wicked.
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of the judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.

For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

The Wisdom of Kindness

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 had a few sprinkles earlier in the evening and then a hard downpour after dark, but today is bright and sunny, so far. More showers later on, probably.

My house is so fresh and clean outside! Rick, my handy man, came and used a power washer which he assured me would not take the paint off. He washed the porch floor, which looks great, and got the algae off the back and sides of the house. And, best of all, the windows sparkle! Remember the bird that was leaving peck marks all over the bedroom windows? Well, they are now gone!  He did a marvelous job! I am so blessed to have people to take care of me and the property for a small price!

I looked out the front window last evening and thought I saw a cat resting on top of the porch wall, but it turned out to be a black duck. Well, I chased it away, and kept shooing. They are so messy, I could just see him messing up the clean floor! Apparently, he did not go far, because he was out in the yard this morning, Shoo!

Well, I have a doctor's appointment this afternoon, so I will miss the ice cream social at church!

Sniff! But, God is good!

From the little devotional book Knowing God:

Kind people do themselves a favor,
but cruel people bring trouble on themselves.
Proverbs 11:17 NCV

If we believe the words of Proverbs 11:17--and we should--
then we understand that Kindness is its own reward, And, if
we are to obey the commandments of our Savior--and we
should--we must sow seeds of kindness wherever we go.
Kindness, compassion, and forgiveness are hallmarks of our
Christian faith. So, today, in honor of the One who first showed
compassion for us, let's teach our families and friends the art
of kindness through our words and through our deeds. Our
loved ones are watching... and so is God.

                                    Today's Prayer

Dear Lord, help me see the needs or those around me.
Today, let me spread kind words of thanksgiving and
celebration in honor of Your Son. Let forgiveness rule
my heart, and let my love for Christ be reflected through
the acts of kindness that I extend to those who need the
healing touch of the Master's hand. Amen

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! Lots of clouds this morning with blue sky mixed in. Our rain came late yesterday, so I expect the same pattern today,

My handy man is coming to wash the house , so, hopefully, the rain pattern will hold off long enough for him to get all the mildew, dust, and webs off the sides of the building. Amazing how much dirt collects on the window sills from the lizards and birds. I had the washing done about a year ago, and it looked so fresh, so hopefully, the same thing will happen today!

My yard man came Friday, so the grass looks good for now, but grows fast with all the rain.

Well, I can see several ripe mangoes from my window...unfortunately, they are on the neighbor's tree. Since the tree is huge, and the fruit is high up, I don't know if she knows they are there or not.She will have to wait until they drop and hope the fruit rats don't get there first!

 I drove to the park over the weekend and saw preparations for a party one day and the next, few cars were parked, but a few people were sitting on the benches or leaning over the bridge, watching the water with the fishes swim below. I saw the moor hen again in the middle of a clump of hydrilla, so, maybe, there is a nest there. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians  4:22
You slaves must obey your earthly masters in
everything you do. Try to please them all the time,
not just when they are watching you. Obey them
willingly because of your reverent fear of the Lord.
Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do, as
though you were working for the Lord rather than
for people. Remember that the Lord will give you
an inheritance as your reward, and the master you
are serving is Christ. ...

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Effective 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!  It's kinda overcast and breezy today and thunderstorms are predicted as usual, but it is still very warm and humid.

I hear my yard man riding his mower right now, so he is getting his work done while it is dry.Well, a slight interruption while I went outside and talked to Jason for a while. He was dripping wet already from the humidity and already doing four yards. I would never be able to do outside work in weather like this!

Yesterday, I was on the phone for a total of over an hour, including waiting time, trying to get solutions to a question with my health care provider...while she was persistent and called me back when I suggested that instead of waiting on the phone, I was a little frustrated by the fact that all the associates I spoke with had pronounced foreign accents, sometimes difficult for me to understand. I am still working on a solution to the problem with my local primary care. But I am learning a lot of patience through this experience!

I saw the tortoise going into his tunnel yesterday in the park and wondered if he goes in their head first, how does he get turned around to come back out head first? Maybe it is wider down inside than it looks on the entrance...

I also saw a lovely egret quickly pecking at an unwary fish or frog in the canal. Seems like each fish or fowl is part of the food chain for some other critter. That's God's plan and He is Good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 7:7-11
Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for.
Keep on looking, and you will find. Keep on knocking and
the door will be opened. For everyone who asks, receives.
Everyone who seeks, finds. And the door is opened to everyone
who knocks. You parents, if your children ask for a loaf of bread
do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish
do you give them a snake?   Of course not! If you sinful
people know how to give good gifts to your children, how
much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to
those who ask him.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 133

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 heard thunder later in the afternoon yesterday, but all the rain was over the bridges and none came this far. It is windy and sunny today, with another hot and humid day on tap. Daryl told me last night that it seemed like fall in TN, with temps in the 70's and low 80's, so maybe there is hope for us soon. Ha.

I caught up with some long put off chores around the house yesterday morning, folding towels, catching up with ironing..etc., but took off for the park later.

I was re-reading some very old letters while going through my desk and came across a letter from the daughter of an Amish friend of mine from years ago. She was telling me how much they had enjoyed my letters and that her mother was not here "no more". This was her way of saying she had passed away. Her mother. Ida, had made two quilts for me which I had ordered long distance since they live in Indiana. They are old order Amish without electricity or running water in the house, although they had fixed up a bathroom, primitive;, but it worked, and had a hand pump in the sink. The fridge was run on gas from a generator and they used lanterns for lights.
Hard for us to imagine living that way...

I found very few people in the park when I visited yesterday, but did see two large brown, gopher tortoises munching on the grass, I was able to pull the car in very close to the larger one. He raised his head, took a look at me and went on munching, so I took his picture with my iPhone. I also saw a moor hen in the canal in the midst of a bunch of floating hydrilla. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 133
How wonderful it is, how pleasant, when brothers live together in harmony! For harmony is as pleasant as the fragrant, anointing oil that was poured over Aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion. And the Lord has pronounced his blessing even life forevermore.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Time

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! It was quite windy a few minutes ago, but now the air is calm and the sun is shining, so it looks like another hot, humid day is ahead for us.

I received a call from my bank early yesterday, informing me that some fraudulent purchases had been made with my debit card, so they wanted me to come in as soon as possible to sign some papers and take care of the serious matter. I am so baffled by this and why someone would go to all that trouble to be a criminal...I just do not understand!!

After I finished with the bank, I went to the library, returned a couple books and picked up one I had ordered, then decided to go on to the cleaners to pick up my Amish quilt I had left for cleaning. After leaving there, I drove back up 4th St. to the Salvation Army and dropped off several bags of clothes and other items, from cleaning out my closets. I still need to clean out more stuff! For every new item I buy, an old one must be discarded. Right!

I drove on to the park after all that, and absorbed some of the peace I always feel there. Then back home to make the bed with clean sheets and eat some lunch! God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

As Time Goes By

This is the day which the Lord
has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 NKJV

"Where does the time go?" we ask. Here it is--a
new day on the horizon--and we can't  remember
how it arrived so quickly. Why, last week seems like
yesterday, and last year flew by like a video is fast forward.

And worse, it's hard to remember what we spent it on.

Shouldn't I have more great memories? we wonder. What
did I accomplish? IS this all I've done with all that time?

Singer Jim Croce mused in his hit song "Time in a Bottle"
that "there never seems to be enough time to do the things
you want to do , once you find them." We search so hard for
happiness. But often, we don't understand that happiness is
 not a goal to be won, but a by-product of a life well spent.

This "Old English Prayer" offers simple instruction for enjoying
the day that the Lord has made:

Take time to work, it is the price of success.
Take time to think, it is the source of power.
Take time to play, it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read, it is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream, it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and be loved, it is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to look around, it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Prayer Pause

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 had no rain yesterday, and it is another hot and humid morning, , so maybe there will be no rain again tonight. I tried to get out and see the Perseid meteor display last night, but, although I saw the beautiful half moon shining brightly,and a few stars, there was also a smattering of clouds and I did not see any meteors. Oh, well...

I had an interesting weekend, starting Friday. Terry, my old friend, (not so much in age) called and after a short chat, invited me to meet him for lunch. So I did. It was good to catch up on what was going on in each others lives. I used to see him at Sawgrass pretty much every day, since he was supervisor, and Louis knew him even before that.

I also visited CVS to pick up a prescription. and asked about the Shingles vaccine, which I had a doctor's scrip for. Seems you have to make an appointment with the pharmacist, who will then give the shot. My appointment is today at noon, so it looks like a late lunch for me. I had the chickenpox as a child, so just as a precaution, I wanted to get the vaccine. Never too late!

I visited Sawgrass Park in the heat and saw a few people, with several little ones which the heat did not seem to bother. A flock of ibis was just moving slowly as they kept their heads down and slowly pecked their way to wherever they were going.

I was going to throw out some peanuts for the squirrels in my yard yesterday, but several ducks were moving toward me, so I did not dare encourage them by giving them peanuts. Sorry, squirrels, you will have to wait! But, God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

A coffee break is a good time for prayer!

Uphold me according to your promise so that I may live.
Psalm 119:116 AMP

When we pray at the outset of our day, our prayer is often for general guidance and help from the Lord. When we pray in the midst of our day our prayer is much more likely to be specific and aimed at immediate needs and concerns. By the time a coffee break rolls around, we have a much better idea of what our day holds, including what particular dangers, difficulties, or temptations  we are going to face! It is with that knowledge, born of experience, that this prayer of Saint Patrick takes on even greater meaning:

May the wisdom of God instruct me,
the eye of God watch over me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God give me sweet talk,
the hand of God defend me,
the way of God guide me.

Christ be with me,
Christ before me.
Christ in me.
Christ under me.
Christ over me.
Christ on my right hand.
Christ on my left hand.
Christ on this side.
 Christ on that side.
Christ in the head of everyone to whom I speak,
Christ in the mouth of every person who speaks to me.
Christ in the ear of everyone who hears me today.
Amen

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Be Still

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 another duplicate of yesterday's weather...sunshine and heat in the morning and towards afternoon, clouds building and rain in the evening. Wow! Did we ever have rain for about thirty minutes! I guess people at the Bucs game got wet in the first quarter. I have to say the Rays do not have that problem!

While I was getting dressed this morning, Jason, my yard man, called to say he was outside but his mower was in the shop for repairs. So, he will be back this afternoon if his repairman has it ready. I was happy he called instead of coming to the door, so that was thoughtful of him. He also wanted me to call Lee down the street, to say he could not come today, yet. He thought Lee might be still in bed, and he was, but I talked to him for about fifteen minutes while he was still trying to think of a good reason to get up. :o) That's retirement for you!

My friend across the street had cooked a big pot of lima beans Wednesday,with all kinds of seasoning in them and brought me over a good portion of them, so I went to KFC and got two biscuits and cole slaw to go with them. As Louis' late uncle would say, "Mighty fine eatin'"! And I have enough for tonight!

I drove to the park and was revived by the peace and quiet, even though it was very warm and steamy in the afternoon. But God is good!

From the little devotional book Knowing God:

Be  still and know that I am God.
Psalm 40:10 NKJV

The Bible teaches that a wonderful way to get
to know God is simply to be still and listen to Him.
But sometimes you may find it hard  to slow down
and listen. As the demands of everyday life weigh
down upon you, you may be tempted to ignore God's
presence or --worse yet--to rebel against His
 commandments. But, when you quiet yourself and
acknowledge His presence, God touches your heart
and restores your spirits. So why not let him do it
right now? If you really want to know him better,
silence is a wonderful place to start.

                          Great Thoughts

Speed-reading may be a good thing, but it was never meant
for the Bible. It takes calm, thoughtful, prayerful meditation
on the Word to extract its deepest nourishment.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Greetings from Paul

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 and clouds this morning, as usual and another very warm, humid morning greeting us. Last night, I heard lots of thunder, rumbles and noise off in the distance, but it never came this way, although the porch was wet this morning, So, sometime during the night, we got a little rain, I think earthworms have built tunnels in the sand in the front yard where the grass does not grow, because the dirt looks very weird with black and white speckles.

And the crows are making a mess on the front sidewalk! They scratch all the mulch and old acorns out and leave them to make marks on the concrete! Messy, messy!

My cleaning ladies came to work yesterday after lunching at Italia Mia, which is one of their favorite places. Cheryl has to have cataract surgery this month, so that will keep her from working for a little while. I gave them calendars, because I always get half a dozen from the various charities I have donated to in the past! They were glad to get them.

I drove to Boston Market for a Mediterranean salad with chicken which I had for supper, and on the way back went by the building where Krispy Kreme is supposedly coming, but saw no signs of life or construction, so maybe they are waiting for permits, or maybe KK is not coming. Time will tell! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 1:9-14
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 do 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.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his
glorious power so that you will know all the glorious
power and endurance you need. May you be filled
with joy, always thanking the Father who has enabled
you to share the inheritance that belongs to God's
holy people that live in the light. For he has rescued
us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness
and he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear
Son. God has purchased our freedom with his blood
and has forgiven all our sins.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 46

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 day started out really hot and humid yesterday, as it is today, but we had another unexpected hard thunderstorm  in the afternoon! I really do not like the loud, crashing thunder, and was glad when it stopped and moved on.

But I got in my doctors appointment before the rain, and also got some shopping done, so I was thankful for that! I even paid a visit to the park before heading for home. A few people were out and lots of squirrels, again, but no feathered friends  were in sight.  God is good! Just a note; today our daughter would have been 61. I miss her.

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 46
God is our refuge and strength,
always ready to help in times of trouble.
So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come
and the mountains crumble into the sea.
Let the oceans roar and foam.
Let the mountains tremble as the waters surge! 

A river brings joy to the city of our God,
the sacred home of the most High.
God himself lives in that city; it cannot be destroyed .
God will protect it at the break of day
the nations are in an uproar,
and kingdoms crumble!
God thunders and the earth melts!
The Lord Almighty is here among us,
the God of Israel is our fortress.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Teachings from Matthew

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! Even though  we had a lot of clouds yesterday, not a drop fell and today the sun is bright and already the temp is in the eighties and humidity is high, Another warm day in Florida!

I really enjoy looking at the cloud formations during this rainy season...towering piled up clouds in brilliant white, mixed with dark rain clouds lower down. It must be wonderful to be a pilot and look down on what we see on the ground with different eyes!

Yesterday I took a trip down 4th Street to the cleaners and saw new construction businesses thriving. Then I came back by Crescent Lake park and admired the vast grassy lots and serenity of the lake when traffic was whizzing by right beside the peace. I ended up at Sawgrass, where all was quiet in the heat. Very few people were out and I did not even see an ibis. Lots of squirrels, though. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 6:25-34
So I tell you,  don't worry about everyday life--
whether you have enough food, drink, and clothes.
Doesn't life consist of more than food and clothing?
Look at the birds. They don't need to plant or
harvest or put food in barns because your heavenly
Father feeds them. And you are far more valuable to
him than they are. Can all your worries add a single
moment to your life? Of course not.

And why worry about your clothes? Look at the
lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make
their clothing, yet Solomon in all his glory was not
dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares
so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and
gone tomorrow, won't he more surely care for you?
You have so little faith!

So don't worry about having enough food or drink
or clothes. Why be like the pagans who are so
deeply concerned about these things?  Your heavenly
Father already knows all your needs, and he will
give you all you need from day to day if you live
for him and make the Kingdom of God your primary concern.

So don't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow  will
bring its own worries. Today's trouble is enough for today.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Cruisin' thru 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! The sun has been shining, but all at once, it has gotten cloudy. Maybe we will have an early rain today, instead of late afternoon.

Well, I tried to take advantage of the tax-free days sale at Beall's over the weekend, but I was too chicken to park in the north forty and walk in the heat to get into the store, however, they always have discount days and sales, so I don't feel too badly.

I did get into Target and bought two DVDs which were not tax free, but I had been wanting them for a long time. I had not been in that store for a year or more, so I had to walk nearly the whole place before I found the music section against the back wall! Sure got in some exercise!

Brian and I had dinner at Leverock's Saturday evening. I had not been there in several years and had forgotten how good the food is. I had shrimp and crabcake, which was served with amazing veggies! We had an appetizer of mushrooms with crab stuffing and chopped tomatoes and lettuce. We were also presented with warm crusty bread with seasoned oil dipping sauce. Reminded me of a meal I had in Keystone , CO several years ago!

That, plus a win for the Rays, made for a great evening! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Corinthians 15:56
For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power, How we thank
God, who gives us victory over sin and death through Jesus Christ our Lord!
So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and steady, always enthusiastic about
the Lord's work, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

A quote from Mr. Chambers

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, breezes blowing and warm temps already are just a sample of the kind of day we will have.

Yesterday we had an overcast sky starting about noon, but my yard man got my grass mowed, along with three other customers he has picked up along this street, because they saw his truck parked in front of my house. I heard the mower in the yard, but could not see his truck. Turned out he parked it down the street and rode the mower  and then walked to get the edger and blower. He said it saves him a little gas. Whatever works for him!

I was able to get to my podiatrist even though it was sprinkling when I left the house and when I got to his office, Then it kept on while I did the rest of my shopping and errand running, but never came down hard enough for me to use my umbrella.

When I finished, I went to the park, and saw a great blue heron with neck craning down into the creek, and further on saw a flock of ibis pecking and moving along. I noticed that the masses of hydrilla have been sprayed and are turning brown, so that problem is taken care of. God is good!

From Oswald Chambers:

If you are going to be used by God,
He will take you through a multitude of
experiences that are not meant for you at all.
They are meant to make you useful in His hands.
        Oswald Chambers (food for thought)

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Roamin' thru Romans

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 and a moist, breeze blowing greets this first day of August! We had the dark, ominous clouds last evening, but no rain, so that was good!

My yard man did not come as I expected, so I am hoping he will show up today, even though the grass is still very wet down front. But my cleaning ladies came and so the house is spic and span for a while.

I had a quiet day yesterday, finishing up a book, and ready to reload at the library. I have found an author who writes novels about the Amish life mixed with suspense. It's a pretty accurate description of the ways of the Amish. This is of special interest to me because of my Amish heritage.

Well, the mango tree within my vision is still loaded and it looks like a good crop. They are larger than the ones for sale in the supermarkets, but I do not know how they taste. There are different varieties of that fruit and some are better than others. My late uncle moved down to Matlacha so he could grow a specific brand of mango, which he did, and it grew to be a nursery, so instead of retiring, he was busier than ever! But, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 8:38

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate
us from his love. Death can't, and life can't.
The angels can't, and the demons can't. Our fears
for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even
the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.
Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest
ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to
separate us from the love of God that is revealed
in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis