Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cloudy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
Due to a squeaky mouse that would not do anything this morning, I shut the PC off and made breakfast, and now the PC works!
From the book Quiet Moments:
Micah 6:8 "He has shown you, O man, what is good and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God."
What do you hold to be your personal ideals--the qualities you consider to be foremost in defining good character?
This is what Sir William Osler once said about his own ideals.
"I have three personal ideals. One, to do the day's work well and not to bother about tomorrow...The second ideal has been to act the Golden Rule, as far as in me lay, toward my professional brethren and toward the patients committed to my care. And the third has been to cultivate such a measure of equanimity as would enable me to bear success with humility, the affection of my friends without pride, and to be ready when the day of sorrow and grief come to meet it with the courage befitting a man."
A speech teacher once assigned her students to give a one sentence speech, entitled "What I Would Like My Tombstone to Read". The class told her later that the assignment was one of the most challenging assignments they had ever received. In virtually every case, the students saw a great discrepancy between the way they lived their lives and the way they desired their lives to be perceived by others.
This morning, give some thought to what you hold to be the characteristics of a respected life. What do you aspire to in your own character?
As you identify these traits, you can then see more clearly how you desire to live your life and what must change in order to live up to your ideals.
Fame is vapor.
Popularity an accident.
Riches take wings.
Only one thing endures
and that is character.
Horace Greeley
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (16 and counting)
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Challenges
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another warm, clear day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! When I stepped outside this morning, the moon had a small halo around it. I too off my glasses to look again and it was still there, so I don't know what that means!
Butterflies flitting and fluttering about, anhingas drying their wings, ibises intently poking their beaks into the ground, hawks feeding their young, and alligators basking in the sun. All this and more we see at the park as the waters have come up considerably from the good storm Barry! It did such a lot of good. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Why does God allow challenges in our lives?
James 1:2-4 "Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."
Challenges that threaten and try us are the very tools that God uses to strengthen and mature us. As we endure, we gain greater wisdom, integrity, and courage to face whatever comes our way.
Are some challenges too small to bother God?
Psalm 37:5 "Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you."
Nothing is too small for God. When we commit our plans to the Lord, he commits himself and his infinite resources to us.
What has God given me to help me face my challenges?
Joshua 1:7 "Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do."
God has given us his word to direct us. The promise of success is embedded in our commitment to obedience.
1 Chronicles 28:20 David continued, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see o it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly."
Instead of being discouraged by the size of the task, we should be encouraged by the limitless power of God.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (17 and counting)
Butterflies flitting and fluttering about, anhingas drying their wings, ibises intently poking their beaks into the ground, hawks feeding their young, and alligators basking in the sun. All this and more we see at the park as the waters have come up considerably from the good storm Barry! It did such a lot of good. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Why does God allow challenges in our lives?
James 1:2-4 "Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything."
Challenges that threaten and try us are the very tools that God uses to strengthen and mature us. As we endure, we gain greater wisdom, integrity, and courage to face whatever comes our way.
Are some challenges too small to bother God?
Psalm 37:5 "Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you."
Nothing is too small for God. When we commit our plans to the Lord, he commits himself and his infinite resources to us.
What has God given me to help me face my challenges?
Joshua 1:7 "Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you. Do not turn away from them, and you will be successful in everything you do."
God has given us his word to direct us. The promise of success is embedded in our commitment to obedience.
1 Chronicles 28:20 David continued, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid or discouraged by the size of the task, for the Lord God, my God is with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. He will see o it that all the work related to the Temple of the Lord is finished correctly."
Instead of being discouraged by the size of the task, we should be encouraged by the limitless power of God.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (17 and counting)
Monday, June 4, 2007
Psoaring thru Psalms
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the clear day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
The three quarter moon was visible as I stepped outside this morning... a change from the cloudy skies of the last few days! Because of a long day at church, we did not walk at the park yesterday, but did drive through and talked to Terry, who loves to tease Matthew because of his southern accent. Matthew teases him right back!
Everything was greened up and the canal was higher because of the rain from Barry. God blessed us with part of the rain that we needed! God is good!
From the Promise Bible:
Can we do things that affect how much God blesses us?
Psalm 84:11 "The Lord God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right."
Psalm 100
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 with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (18 and counting)
The three quarter moon was visible as I stepped outside this morning... a change from the cloudy skies of the last few days! Because of a long day at church, we did not walk at the park yesterday, but did drive through and talked to Terry, who loves to tease Matthew because of his southern accent. Matthew teases him right back!
Everything was greened up and the canal was higher because of the rain from Barry. God blessed us with part of the rain that we needed! God is good!
From the Promise Bible:
Can we do things that affect how much God blesses us?
Psalm 84:11 "The Lord God is our light and protector. He gives us grace and glory. No good thing will the Lord withhold from those who do what is right."
Psalm 100
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 with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (18 and counting)
Friday, June 1, 2007
Psoaring thru Psalms
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! Happy June first! This is the cloudy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
Well, I was able to see the "blue Moon " this morning, but it was streaked with clouds in front of it, riding low in the southwest! The second full moon in the month of May! God is Awesome!
We went to the park yesterday, but all was pretty quiet in the stillness of the heat, but saw many butterflies flitting about. They seem to enjoy hot summer days. We also went over to Joe's Creek Park, and walked for a little way, enjoying the cool breezes off the lake. It is such a pretty little park, but no one ever seems to be there...
Psalm 5:11-12
"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice,
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Protect them,
So all who love your name may be filled with joy,
For you bless the godly, O Lord
surrounding them with your shield of love."
A devotional by Ruth Stafford Peale from the Guideposts 2007:
My husband, Norman and I both knew a man who often felt discouraged and weak from the blows of life. One bleak, rainy morning, he entered a diner for breakfast. Several others were there, but no one spoke to anyone else. Our friend sat down on a stool and tried to decide what to order for breakfast. Even that was a difficult chore.
At the other end of the diner, he noticed a young mother with her little girl. Suddenly the child broke the silence by asking her mother, "don't we say grace here, Mommy?"
Behind the counter the cook looked at the little girl and said, "Sure we do, honey. Will you say it for us?"
The little girl bowed her head, clasped her hands and said in a loud voice, "God is great and God is good, and we thank Him for our food. By his hand we all are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread." All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the diner changed and people began talking to one another.
Our usually gloomy friend later told us how that experience was pivotal for him He saw the little girl's faith and he, too, started to believe in God, to believe in other people and to believe in himself. He began to pray regularly, no matter how much rain was coming down outside. He experienced the power of prayer in the midst of adversity and that made all the difference!
There's no sense worrying or despairing over past failures, present situations for potential mishaps. As long as we truly do our best as praying, positive-thinking people, God will see us through.
Ruth Stafford Peale
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (21 and counting)
Well, I was able to see the "blue Moon " this morning, but it was streaked with clouds in front of it, riding low in the southwest! The second full moon in the month of May! God is Awesome!
We went to the park yesterday, but all was pretty quiet in the stillness of the heat, but saw many butterflies flitting about. They seem to enjoy hot summer days. We also went over to Joe's Creek Park, and walked for a little way, enjoying the cool breezes off the lake. It is such a pretty little park, but no one ever seems to be there...
Psalm 5:11-12
"But let all who take refuge in you rejoice,
let them sing joyful praises forever.
Protect them,
So all who love your name may be filled with joy,
For you bless the godly, O Lord
surrounding them with your shield of love."
A devotional by Ruth Stafford Peale from the Guideposts 2007:
My husband, Norman and I both knew a man who often felt discouraged and weak from the blows of life. One bleak, rainy morning, he entered a diner for breakfast. Several others were there, but no one spoke to anyone else. Our friend sat down on a stool and tried to decide what to order for breakfast. Even that was a difficult chore.
At the other end of the diner, he noticed a young mother with her little girl. Suddenly the child broke the silence by asking her mother, "don't we say grace here, Mommy?"
Behind the counter the cook looked at the little girl and said, "Sure we do, honey. Will you say it for us?"
The little girl bowed her head, clasped her hands and said in a loud voice, "God is great and God is good, and we thank Him for our food. By his hand we all are fed. Give us, Lord, our daily bread." All of a sudden, the atmosphere in the diner changed and people began talking to one another.
Our usually gloomy friend later told us how that experience was pivotal for him He saw the little girl's faith and he, too, started to believe in God, to believe in other people and to believe in himself. He began to pray regularly, no matter how much rain was coming down outside. He experienced the power of prayer in the midst of adversity and that made all the difference!
There's no sense worrying or despairing over past failures, present situations for potential mishaps. As long as we truly do our best as praying, positive-thinking people, God will see us through.
Ruth Stafford Peale
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (21 and counting)
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cloudy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Perhaps this is the day we will have rain...we hope and pray!
As Matthew and I were walking along the boardwalk yesterday, we were admiring the elderberry blossoms across the canal, and enjoying watching the little gator at the tower. It was fairly quiet, without many people around, so a good time to walk. We watched the hawks for awhile and saw what looked like Ma Hawk feeding the young one on a limb further away from the nest...looks like they are finally ready to leave the nest!
We saw two four foot gators on the bank of the canal on our way out. God is good!
From the Promise Bible:
How is my work important to the Lord?
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "This should be your ambition; to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs."
Work is God's plan for our lives. Those who work diligently experience many benefits in their own lives and bring benefits to others. God promises two basic rewards for faithful work. (1) having a more credible witness to nonbelievers and (2) having our needs met without having to financially depend on others.
Proverbs 13:11 "Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears, wealth from hard work grows."
Honest, hard work is much better than get-rich-quick schemes. Money quickly gotten is often quickly wasted.
Romans 12:8 "If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously! If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
God blesses us when we do work that is in keeping with our gifts and abilities.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (22 and counting)
As Matthew and I were walking along the boardwalk yesterday, we were admiring the elderberry blossoms across the canal, and enjoying watching the little gator at the tower. It was fairly quiet, without many people around, so a good time to walk. We watched the hawks for awhile and saw what looked like Ma Hawk feeding the young one on a limb further away from the nest...looks like they are finally ready to leave the nest!
We saw two four foot gators on the bank of the canal on our way out. God is good!
From the Promise Bible:
How is my work important to the Lord?
1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 "This should be your ambition; to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs."
Work is God's plan for our lives. Those who work diligently experience many benefits in their own lives and bring benefits to others. God promises two basic rewards for faithful work. (1) having a more credible witness to nonbelievers and (2) having our needs met without having to financially depend on others.
Proverbs 13:11 "Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears, wealth from hard work grows."
Honest, hard work is much better than get-rich-quick schemes. Money quickly gotten is often quickly wasted.
Romans 12:8 "If your gift is to encourage others, do it! If you have money, share it generously! If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.
God blesses us when we do work that is in keeping with our gifts and abilities.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (22 and counting)
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Guidance
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the hazy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I could not see the stars or moon or even the sky clearly, when I stepped out a while ago. Perhaps God will bring us rain today!
I walked along the butterfly garden at the Park yesterday and saw a butterfly fluttering its wings as it flew by - ..black and yellow ones, yellow, orange and black ..all are so colorful!
Then we stood and watched the baby hawks moving about in the nest and heard and saw Mama fly by calling loudly! God is good!
From the Promise Bible:
How can I be sure God will guide me?
Psalm 32:8 "The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."
Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."
Luke 12:6-7 " What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid, you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows."
Jesus gives this promise to all his followers. If God values the littlest things of his creation, how much more must he value us for whom he gave his own precious Son. When we are anxious or concerned, we need to remind ourselves that God does indeed care about and is watching over us.
Jeremiah 29:11 ""I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
God is always seeking the best future for us. There are times that we delay it through our disobedience, but when we come back to God, he is always ready to give us his best.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I walked along the butterfly garden at the Park yesterday and saw a butterfly fluttering its wings as it flew by - ..black and yellow ones, yellow, orange and black ..all are so colorful!
Then we stood and watched the baby hawks moving about in the nest and heard and saw Mama fly by calling loudly! God is good!
From the Promise Bible:
How can I be sure God will guide me?
Psalm 32:8 "The Lord says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."
Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of the godly are directed by the Lord. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will not fall, for the Lord holds them by the hand."
Luke 12:6-7 " What is the price of five sparrows? A couple of pennies? Yet God does not forget a single one of them. And the very hairs on your head are all numbered. So don't be afraid, you are more valuable to him than a whole flock of sparrows."
Jesus gives this promise to all his followers. If God values the littlest things of his creation, how much more must he value us for whom he gave his own precious Son. When we are anxious or concerned, we need to remind ourselves that God does indeed care about and is watching over us.
Jeremiah 29:11 ""I know the plans I have for you," says the Lord. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
God is always seeking the best future for us. There are times that we delay it through our disobedience, but when we come back to God, he is always ready to give us his best.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Cruisin' thru Colossians
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the beautiful day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Have you noticed that now the Royal Poinciana trees are flaming with their orange blossoms? Now, that the jacarandas are fading, God give new beauty in the Poinciana tree...always something of color and beauty to see!
We watched the baby hawks moving around in the tree at the Park yesterday. They certainly are big, now, but Ma and Pa continue to fly in lizards, frogs, snakes and other delicacies to stuff the little mouths.
Speaking of little mouths, Mama duck and at least, 13 pin-feathered babies were moving along the street yesterday morning, They flow so fast they are hard to count, but she clucks at them and they stay fairly close together. God is awesome!
From the Promise Bible:
Colossians 3:13
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.
Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (24 and counting)
We watched the baby hawks moving around in the tree at the Park yesterday. They certainly are big, now, but Ma and Pa continue to fly in lizards, frogs, snakes and other delicacies to stuff the little mouths.
Speaking of little mouths, Mama duck and at least, 13 pin-feathered babies were moving along the street yesterday morning, They flow so fast they are hard to count, but she clucks at them and they stay fairly close together. God is awesome!
From the Promise Bible:
Colossians 3:13
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.
Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (24 and counting)
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