Prowling thru Proverbs

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 in a long string of beautiful days. The only negative is that it is so dry. I see sprinklers going on several yards. Yes, even after all the rain last month and even a hurricane, we did not receive much this month.

We had a good service again yesterday with a mixture of Ecclesiastes, Genesis and Revelation all tied in together! It was another outstanding one from Pastor Kevin! BTW, His daughter's birthday is today. My late sister-in-law was also born on Halloween.

Speaking of Halloween; I don't expect anyone to come knocking at the door. I always leave my light off until everything is quiet and that is usually honored. I remember when we first moved in to this house, we would have over a hundred little trick or treaters come for goodies. Louis liked to sit outside and enjoy all the different costumes! He loved the little kids! And this neighborhood was full of them, but since that was 47 years ago, all the kids now have little ones of their own and have moved away..

Well, the Gators won on Saturday; Yay! but the Packers lost in the last 3 minutes yesterday; Boo.

But it was a really good game! Daryl and I texted all during it, because he was rooting for the Falcons; Boo! Just wait "til next week! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Proverbs 21:5,22:1
Good planning and hard work lead to prosperity
but hasty shortcuts lead to poverty.

Choose a good reputation over great riches, for
being held in high esteem, is better than having
silver or gold.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Isaiah

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 almost skipped this blog today because it is so late. I slept an hour later than usual because of lack of sleep Wed. night. Once in a while I have a hard time going to sleep, but fortunately, that does not happen often!

Anyway, I took time this morning to do some sorting of papers and notebooks and discovered a commemorative fabric bookmark  marking Faith Covenant's 20th anniversary. 1978-1998! And I was there at the beginning! Great memories! Now we are making more good memories under Pastor Kevin's leadership! I am looking forward to the future to see what God has in store for us! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Isaiah 55:15-17
The rain and snow come down from the
heavens and stay on the ground to water
the earth. They cause the grain to grow
providing seed for the farmer and bread
for the hungry. It is the same with my word.
I send it out , and it always produces fruit.
It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will
prosper everywhere I send it. You will live
in joy and peace. The mountains and hills
will burst into song, and the trees of the field
will clap their hands. Where once there were
thorns, cypress trees will grow. Where briers
grow, myrtles will sprout up. This miracle
will bring great honor to the Lord's name,
it will be an everlasting sign of his power and
love.

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! We have another in our string of cooler and partly cloudy and partly sunshiny days, which are such a contrast to our usual long summer of hot days and warm nights!

This weather is very welcome!

Today I am hoping to get over to the library to return the rest of my books. I finished the big one by Nicholas Sparks last night. It's funny how some of the passages seemed familiar to me, and yet I don't think I had read it before. I have read several of his books and think he is a good writer, but this one had suspense, also. I enjoyed it.

While I am rooting for the Cubs to win the World Series, because of Ben Zobrist, I really have not watched much of the games. For one thing, I don't care for the commentators who are definitely rooting for Cleveland. I am so used to the Rays broadcasters, DeWayne and Brian. They are tops!

Yesterday, My friends and cleaning ladies came and did their usual good job. I gave Cheryl the name and number of my handyman because she wants him to power wash her driveway. She met him when he was power washing my porch last week. He doesn't have to advertise...word of mouth does it for him! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 5:6-11
When we were utterly helpless, Christ came
at just the right time and died for us sinners.
Now, no one is likely to die for a good person,
though someone might be willing to die for a
person who is especially good. But God showed
his great love for us by sending Christ to die
for us while we were still sinners. And since we
have been made right in  God's sight by the blood
of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's
judgement . For since we were restored to friendship
with God by the death of his Son, while we were
still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from
eternal punishment by his life. So now we can rejoice
in our wonderful new relationship with God----all because
of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in
making us friends of God.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Faith Brings Joy

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 still have our cooler weather, and although it is still very dry, it is beautiful. I know I should not be complaining about the dry weather and I am not; just wishing we had rain about once a week. Since my well and pump have not worked for many years, I rely on God to provide.

I don't know about everybody else, but I have been getting so many calls on my land line from election  to charities, that I don't answer if I don't recognize the number. 99 percent are from other states! I even got three on my cell yesterday starting out with someone with a heavy Spanish accent wanting to speak to someone here involved in drug and alcohol rehab. Sorry, wrong number! Sigh.

Well, I escaped by taking a walk around the house and noting the beauty berry bush is full of colorful berries, and then I took off for the park and then stopped by the bank.

There were fewer people at the park because school was still in session,but I saw ibis and anhinga and a great blue heron near the bridge. 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 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 when we run into problems and
trials, for we know that they are good for us---they
help us  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

We Reap What We Sow

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 had our first taste of fall over the weekend and it felt good!

I wore a jacket to church, but when I came out, I almost shed it before getting in the van because the air had warmed up so much!

Speaking of church, instead of the benediction, we had a celebration at the ending of the series on Ecclesiastes that Pastor Kevin has been preaching . He has mentioned several times during the 14 weeks to Enjoy! Eat ice cream! so, sure enough, small cups of ice cream were passed out and we ate and discussed the series for a few minutes. It was so different and such a treat! I really love the direction Kevin Dean is leading our church in..can hardly wait to see what happens next!

And another good thing that happened over the weekend was that an employee of the bank where Brian is employed was the winner of a Publisher's House million dollar contest. She had only been working there for a few months, but had entered the contest online for many years and it finally paid off!  Good for her!

I visited the Park after church and saw that it was full. Such beautiful weather brought out many people to enjoy walking the boardwalk and just breathe the dry, cool air!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Galatians 6:6-10
Those who are taught the word of God
should help their teachers by paying them.

Don't be misled. Remember that you can't
ignore God and get away with it. You will
always reap what you sow! those who live
only to satisfy their own sinful desires will
harvest the consequences of decay and death. But
those who live to please the Spirit will harvest
everlasting life from the Spirit.
So don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't
get discouraged and give up, for we will reap
a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time.
Whenever we have the opportunity, we should
do good to everyone, especially to our Christian
brothers and sisters.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

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! While the sky is bright blue, there are some white clouds that are obscuring the sun, so that it looks like rain, which is not predicted for the weekend. The air is cooler today and we are looking forward to our first  "cold" front for the fall.

I am starting late today because I was watching Live with Kelly who had as her co-host a high school teacher from Pa. He was so natural and such a good humored person, that, to me, he outshone most of the pro co-hosts she has had. He must be a wonderful teacher with his personality!

I got to bed later last night because I had to stay up and watch the Packers win their game over the Bears, although I was sad to see their quarterback get his arm broken from a tackle made on him. I prayed for him as he left the field. I don't get to watch the Packers much because most of their games are shone on a channel I don't subscribe to.

I got over to the Park yesterday and the two huge oak trees are all gone, leaving more sun and less shade to park under. I realize that trees get old and diseased, but it is still disappointing to lose their beauty and home to many critters.

There were quite a few dog walkers and other people out enjoying the day. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 34:8=10
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in him!
Let the Lord's people show him
reverence,
for those who honor him will have all
they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go
hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord will never
lack any good thing.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

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 cool, fall day is in store for us; well, by cool, I mean the air is definitely cooler in the morning and then, of course, the temps climb by noon or so. But the mid eighties are not so bad. So, it is a beautiful day!

Since my van was in the shop all day, I did not go anywhere, but it was good to have a day at home without any appointments. Unfortunately, my van is slowing dying. I will have to replace it as soon as possible, because the repairs it needs far exceed its value. I have really enjoyed it for ten years, but all good things must come to an end. I am praying now that I can find a car that will last me for as long as I continue to drive, however long that may be.

Ray was kind enough to stop by to get my van and leave his truck here, and then brought the van back at the end of the day. Another friend who takes care of me. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

 Psalm 1
Oh, the joys of those
who do not follow the advice of the
wicked,
or stand around with sinners,
or join 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.

But this is not true of the wicked.
They are like worthless chaff, scattered
by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of
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 thanksgiving, joy and
love!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

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! We are supposed to get down in the fifties at night this weekend for our first cold front, but then the temps will pop back up to the eighties, so just a taste of fall is coming!

At 9:30 yesterday, I heard the yard crew working. They just edged and blew, because the grass has slowed down its growth. I was expecting my handy man to come and do some tasks for me, but I did not know what time he would be here, so I took off for CVS after lunch to pick up a prescription and some other things, I had just come home when Rick drove up, so Good timing!

He helped carry the bags in and then I handed him the list I had made. So now the mailbox is lowered, so I can reach inside better, the porch is power washed, and a necklace that had come off in the car and somehow gotten draped over the slide that the power seat glides on is recovered. It had been there for a couple weeks, but a friend just discovered it Sunday, I had not been able to get it out, so Rick took about a minute and he had it out.

Meanwhile, Cheryl, came to clean while Rick was power washing and she had to come in the garage side door. So, the house is clean partially outside and mostly inside. Believe me , I am grateful for all the people who have committed to help me. Plus which, Ray came to take the van in this morning for repairs and service! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 6:25-34
So I tell you, don't worry about every day
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 wonder-
fully 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
clothing . 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

Paul's Prayer (con't)

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 cool breeze, warm sun day with no rain in sight. Just beautiful! The prediction is still for cooler weather for the weekend, but we will see...

I had an app't with Dr. Chris yesterday and when I arrived at the clinic he was sitting out front in a car with Pastor Kevin. God's timing was good, because when I had tried to load up my walker in the van, I could not get the sliding door on the driver's side to open, so had to walk around the van and put it in the passenger side. This meant walking all the way around at the clinic, but since Dr. Chris was there, I asked him for a favor and he got it for me.

Funny thing is; this morning I tried the door just to see if it worked and it did! I don't know what is going on, but whatever caused it not to work yesterday, is working today! Praise God! Now if I could only get the necklace off the seat runner where it is caught...

After I left the clinic, I drove on to the park, which is just a quarter mile away and discovered that the road was blocked just beyond the building, by a huge oak tree which had fallen or was pulled over so it blocked the whole road. A couple barricades were in front of the tree and two guys were standing there to keep people away. I hate to see those beautiful old trees disappear. They spread so much shade. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ephesians 3:20.21
Now glory be to God! By his mighty power
at work  within us, he is able to accomplish
more than we could ever dare to ask or hope.
May he be given glory in the church and in
Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless
ages. Amen.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Paul's 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! I am really liking the coolness to the breeze these days. We actually had a little rain shower Saturday, but yesterday was beautiful and dry!

After my appointment at the salon Saturday, Brian met me and we went to Coney Island for lunch.  I have had better chili dogs, but the old time atmosphere is the attraction there. They were surprisingly busy for a Saturday and then, just before we left, two paramedic units pulled up in front. When we came out the door, we saw what looked like a homeless man sitting on the sidewalk and the paramedics were talking to him, so I said a prayer for his well being and we drove on our way.

Brian took me by the destruction site of the old Pheil Hotel and theater. That was the  place where I saw "Gone with the Wind" for the first time. You had to walk in the theater and then turn around and face front, because the screen was over the entrance door. I don't know when the "cheese grater" name started, because I never called the building that name. I am sad to see it go, but the old hotel was just taking up valuable space in a vibrant downtown!

There were lots of people out and about, but we got home in time for me to go pick up some needed items at a store and then get home in time to watch the Gators win! I also washed a load of clothes and got them out of the dryer after dark; left the garage light on, which resulted in a call from my neighbor about 9 telling me my light was on.She is good to watch out for me! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ephesians 3:14-19
When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's
plan, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father,
the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth,
I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources
he will give you mighty, inner strength through
his Holy Spirit. And I pray that Christ will be more
and more at home in your hearts as you trust in Him.
May your roots go down deep into the soil of God's
marvelous love. And may you have the power to
understand as all God's people should, how wide,
how long how high, and how deep his love really is.
May you experience the love of Christ , though it is
so great you will never fully understand it . Then you
will be filled with the fullness of life and power that
comes from God,

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Conclusion

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 cool, sunny day starting out, which will get warmer  later on, but not as hot as last month. I am still using my A/C and will continue until later in the month, when we get the first really cool spell!

I went and got my flu shot yesterday. I usually get that in Sept. but just neglected to until I purposed to do it when I had the chance. It didn't hurt and my arm is not sore, so there is no reason not to get it done!

I am technically ignorant and especially with the iphone. I heard the ping which meant I had a message on messenger yesterday afternoon, so I pulled the phone out of my pocket and saw a message from a cousin in CA. Just as I read it, a blob popped up just below it which said if I wanted to video to click on the blob, which I did, not knowing any better. Well, much to my surprise, I heard a phone ringing and then my cousin answered! There was my face showing in the corner, and just before we hung up, I saw his face! We had never spoken in person before and have just been in touch by posting. He is one of the relatives discovered by another cousin in England who did a family history using Ancestry and other sources. The world is getting smaller!

I took a ride in the park later on and quite a few visitors were enjoying being outdoors. I saw a couple of large gopher tortoises munching on the grass and an anhinga on the weir. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ecclesiastes 12;9-13
Because the Teacher was wise; he taught the
people everything he knew. He collected proverbs
and classified them. Indeed, the Teacher taught
the plain truth, and he did so in an interesting way.

A wise teacher's words spur students to action and
emphasize important truths. The collected sayings of
the wise are like guidance from a shepherd

"But my child," he warned; there is no end of opinions
ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever
and become very exhausting!

Here is my final conclusion: Fear God and obey his commands
for this is the duty of every person. God will judge us for
everything we do , including every secret thing, whether
good or bad.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Wisdom

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 back after an overcast day all day yesterday. The breeze is cooler, so fall is truly here! The fire station near here is having a block party and Haunted House for the neighborhood kids Saturday, which always draws lots of people. They do this every year and it is a good way for everyone to appreciate our first responders!

My yard crew came yesterday morning and picked up the twigs and branches which had fallen from the oaks, so the yard looks nice. I knew that Kim and Cheryl were coming to clean around 2:30, so I thought I would have time to go to the Library, which I did. I was surprised to find it so neat! Just about every time I go in, the carts are filled with books which haven't been shelved, but not yesterday! All books were on the shelves and there were even some spaces. I think because of Matthew, people were not visiting the library so much, so the librarians got a lot of work done.

Anyway, as I was coming home, I saw Kim's Suv in the driveway, so I opened the garage door from a distance and let them know I was not home yet. So, the timing worked out, and after they finished, I headed over to Feet First to try on the shoes they had ordered for me. I had received a call that my shoes were in. They are located right next to Firehouse Subs, but since it was mid afternoon, the parking lot was almost empty at that end of the strip.

It was an unusually busy day for me, so I was glad to drive through the park, and noticed that the huge stump has been ground down and is just sawdust. The giant tree is all gone. Sigh. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Proverbs 3:21-26
My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight.
Hang on to them,for they fill you with life and
bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe
on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. You
can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams.
You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction
that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your
security. He will keep your foot from being caught in
a trap.

Wisdom produces honor in our lives and protects us from trouble. Wise people know the
difference between right and wrong and choose to do what's right.More than that, wisdom
is choosing to apply God's truth and principles to our daily relationships and situations.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

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 we had bright, blue weather, but today we have overcast skies for some reason. I have not heard any rain predictions, and the air is still cooler than usual, so maybe the sun will come out later on.

I will try to get my flu shot today. I intended to do that last month, but kept forgetting. It doesn't take long and I don't have any ill effects from it, so I make it a point to get one every year.

I finally got a call back from the tree guys, after leaving 3 messages, so he will be out tomorrow to give an estimate on the trimming. Soon the leaves will start falling so if I get the trimming done now, maybe there won't be quite as much mess.

Well, I baked my pumpkin rolls yesterday and my, they are good! I am waiting for a cooler day to try the pumpkin soup, and I have yet to make or buy a pumpkin pie, but that will come! I remember when we used to vacation in North Carolina and visit Pumpkin Corner to see all the white and orange pumpkins piled up for sale by the roadside. Good times!

I went through the Park yesterday and saw that the huge root of the old oak tree that fell over is trimmed down a lot and will soon be removed. The two palmetto trees that were damaged when it fell down are still crushed looking, but I'm sure they will survive. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 139 :1-6
O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me;
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my every thought when far
away.
You chart the path ahead of me
and tell me when to stop and rest.
Every moment you know where I am.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to know!...

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

My Morning 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! We have a touch of fall this morning! Low humidity and lots of sunshine. When I opened the door I was surprised at the coolness of the air! It felt so good! We also had nice weather this weekend after the remnants of Matthew moved off.

My front yard is not too bad. Brian moved a large dead branch out of the front into the side yard. Hopefully the yard crew will cut it up and put it in the dumpster. There are also small twigs and stuff but nothing major. The wind gusts did not seem to be that high around here. Thank God for that!

Well, I shopped at Trader Joe's last week and loaded up on pumpkin stuff. Frozen waffles, frozen pumpkin tarts, a jar of Pumpkin Spice Cookie Butter and Brian brought me pumpkin Joe' Joe's; cookies with pumpkin cream in the middle, and Pumpkin soup! I haven't baked the pumpkin rolls yet, but may get that done today! Yum!

I did not watch the debate last night, because the Packers were playing and I seldom get to see them! And they won over the Giants! Yay! Go Packers!

I drove around Lynch Lake on the way to church yesterday and there was a roseate spoonbill and also a wood stork! Two beautiful birds, but very different! God is good!

My Morning Prayer

"Oh, God, for another day, for another morning,
for another hour, for another minute, for another chance
to live and serve Thee, I am truly grateful."
Do Thou this day free me
 from all fear of the future
 from all bitterness toward anyone,
 From all bitterness toward anyone,
 from all cowardice in face of danger
 from all laziness in face of work,
 from all failure before opportunity
 from all weakness when Thy power is
   at hand.

But fill me
 with Love that knows no barrier
 with Sympathy that reaches all
 with Courage that cannot be shaken
 with Faith strong enough for darkness,
 with Strength sufficient for my tasks,
 with Loyalty to Thy Kingdom Goal,
 with Power to lift me to Thee.

Be thou with me for another day and use me as Thou wilt
for Christ's sake, I pray.
 Amen

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

safe and well

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! I just wanted to let you all know that I am safe and although it is very cloudy and windy, no damage in this area, and from the TV reports I have seen there is very little damage on the east coast. Some power outages due to falling trees, but as far as I know, no loss of life.

God is good!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

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 overcast, and sunshine, which means lots of clouds, but still the sun is heating things up. The news is full of hurricane warnings for the east coast. Long lines are at gas stations and people are loading up on all the supplies they will need for when and if the power goes off. I thank God Matthew is not headed this way!

Speaking of power outages, Bright House had a power outage from about 9 AM yesterday, until lunch time, so I had no TV or internet for a few hours.. I did not turn on any radio, either, so for a little while had the sound of silence!

 My cell phone worked, though...

My yard men came early this morning, trying to catch up with what they missed because of the rainy day we started the week with, but I still have not been able to get the tree man to call me. I will try him one more time and then go to another that a friend recommended. I really would like to get the low hanging limbs trimmed before a strong wind comes.

I heard from my niece in Louisiana about the progress on their house which was flooded by Hermine and is in the process of being rebuilt. They have the drywall up and are waiting for the mudding. But the pictures look like great progress has been made, considering all the work the people have to do on all the other places they have to work on. Many people have not been able to start work because of delayed insurance payments. Donna said they are using the insurance payment for her truck to pay for the work on the house while waiting for the house insurance to kick in. But she said they had a wonderful place to stay meanwhile, and she is still very positive.

I did a little shopping yesterday and stopped in at the Park on my way home. It must be moving around season for the gopher tortoises, because I saw two one day and one the next day after a long period of absence, or I just was not there at the right time. Every thing is lush and green from all the rain, so it looks good. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 1
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....

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! We have lots of clouds and not much sun today. I don't know if it is because of Matthew, or just overcast. I watched the weather forecast and it looks like Jamaica is getting hit hard and perhaps the east coast, but it is so powerful that some of the clouds could be coming this way. People in its path need lots of prayer!

We had a good sermon again yesterday from Pastor Kevin's series on Ecclesiastes. Enjoy yourself! That was the theme . Then, as is usual on the first of the month, we also took communion, which is a meaningful time. We had pretty good attendance, and I had to wait for a handicap space to open up before I was able to get into church.

After leaving church. I had to take a slight detour because of a serious accident at 62nd and 4th St. I don't know if anyone was hurt, but I saw a young lady sitting in the shade of the phone box. so I am sure she was shaken up. I prayed for all concerned including first responders.

Saturday on my way to an appointment, I rounded Lynch Lake and saw the beautiful roseate spoonbill all by itself pecking away along the bank. I love those pinks! 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 way 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 principles. 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.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis