Psoaring thru Psalms

Good chilly morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! Brrr! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! The windows are clouded over with moisture and the air outside is clear and cold. Winter has arrived for a day or two! I saw a duck fly over the house while I was writing in my prayer notebook... not a pretty duck, but one of the Muscovy ducks that we have too many of in our neighborhood. It's strange that they do not inhabit the park, but then, again, maybe they know that gators love ducks!

Speaking of the park, another of the staff has left, so that means they have very few left to take care of three parks: Sawgrass, Lealman, and Joe's Creek. Big jobs for about four guys!

Psalm 111:1-10

Praise the Lord!

I will thank the Lord with all my heart as I meet with his godly people. How amazing are the deeds of the Lord! All who delight in him should ponder them. Everything he does reveals his glory and majesty. His righteousness never fails. Who can forget the wonders he performs?
How gracious and merciful is our Lord! He gives food to those who trust him, he always remembers his covenant. He has shown his great power to his people by giving them the lands of other nations. All he does is just and good, and all his commandments are trustworthy. They are forever true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity. He has paid a full ransom for his people. He has guaranteed his covenant with them forever. What a holy, awe-inspiring name he has! Reverence for the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. The rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him.

- From the Promise Bible NLT

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis (I am thankful for God's provision)

Peace

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cool, beautiful day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I stepped outside this morning early, and just stood in the very cool pre-dawn darkness and admired the galaxy of stars! Seems like they were all visible with Venus still outshining them all in the high east.

The baby gators were not visible yesterday, but as I looked up the canal, I think I saw Mama's head a little ways up from the shelter. Perhaps she has had enough of people climbing down to get at her babies, and moved them away from the shelter. I hope so!

As I approached the tower, I was delighted to see an osprey soaring, gliding and hovering over the lake. Since this is mating time, maybe they had already built a nest and one was sitting on eggs, because this was a lone one. I just stood and watched the osprey and the skimmers swooping down to skim fish out of the lake.

On my way home, I saw a Cooper's hawk on the wire by our lake, and later, saw a drama when a mother duck and four babies wee in the middle of the street and the Cooper hawk came swooping low for a baby. Mama clucked and spread her wings as the babies gathered close to her. She had about two dozen babies a couple days ago, so apparently the hawks have been busy. ..The survival of the fittest!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can I find peace within?

Isaiah 9:6-7
"A child is born to us, a son is given to us. And the government will rest on his shoulders. these will be his royal titles: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. His ever expanding, peaceful government will never end. He will rule forever with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David. The passionate commitment of the lord Almighty will guarantee this! "

Lasting peace comes only from Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. He rules over all creation!

Psalm 29:11
"You are my hiding place; you protect me from trouble. You surround me with songs of victory."

Our peace comes from knowing that we are under God's protection. As a watchman keeps guard over a city, so the Lord watches over us day and night.

Isaiah 26:3
"You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, whose thoughts are fixed on you!"

We find peace when we remove our eyes from our problems and rivet our attention on our Lord."

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis ( I am thankful for friends who care, and for God's provision.)

Encouragement con't

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cool day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!

I hope most of you were able to see the new moon last night... looked like an Arabian nights moon in the clear sky!

This morning when I stepped outside, the moon was not visible, but Venus was shining brightly still in the East (reminds me we are getting close to Christmas).

A big black, shiny gator was sunning himself on the concrete on the weir yesterday, as I drove into the Park. He has been there twice in the past week. Yesterday he had a leg hanging down very casually and looked totally comfortable taking his sunbath. Two ibises were pecking along very unconcerned about him, just a few feet away. God is good!

From the Promise Bible:

Colossians 1:11-14
"We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power so that you will have all the patience 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, who 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."

Our encouragement comes from what God has done for us. He has given us the power to be patient and persistent and to keep our minds set on the great hope that awaits us. When we remember that we are already free, the problems of this world lose much of their power over us.
What good can my struggles produce?

2 Corinthians 1:5
"You can be sure that the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with His comfort through Christ."

Just as food tastes better when we are hungry, God's comfort is most vivid when we are struggling.

1 Peter 5:10:11
"In his kindness God called you to his eternal glory by means of Jesus Christ. After you have suffered a little while, he will restore, support and strengthen you, and he will place you on a firm foundation. All power is his forever and ever. Amen."

Suffering lasts for a brief time, but God's blessing is forever. He not only restores what was lost, but brings new support, strength, and stability to our lives.

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

Love and hugs, and Happy Birthday, Sue!
Amaryllis

Encouragrment

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the beautiful day that the Lord has make and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I stepped outside this morning and saw a misty Venus dimly sparkling through the trees, with all the other stars not as bright because of the mist.

As I walked yesterday, enjoying the solitude and listening to the birds chirping, I stopped and looked for the baby gators, which were not visible and Mama wasn't either. Would you believe someone has climbed over the shelter rails and gone down in the mud just to get at the gators!? There are several footprints in the mud all put there around six in the evening according to Francia.

But, on to the tower and on my way, I was delighted to see the osprey pair soaring and gliding and HOVERING over the lake. I just caught my breath and marveled at the way God created them to be able to hang in the air in one spot and flap their wings rapidly and just hover for a few seconds! God is Awesome!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

What do I do when I feel overwhelmed?

Joshua 23:10 "Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you... just as he has promised."

Be encouraged that the power of God is for us, regardless of the number of enemies against us. God used David to overcome Goliath, Gideon's three hundred soldiers to defeat the armies of Midian, and one hundred and twenty disciples to establish the church in Acts. He joys when working through our weaknesses and limitations.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Flower Power

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another chilly day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! When I stepped outside in the pre-dawn hours, Venus was brilliant in the eastern sky and the clear sky showed off the beauty of the other stars! God is Awesome!

I enjoyed my walk yesterday with a heavier jacket on, which I soon took off on the way back. It doesn't take long to warm up. I stopped at the first shelter to check on the babies, but couldn't see any, so went on my way, heard a hawk, but didn't see it. I could hear the little gallinule couple, but they must have been under the tower.

On my way back the Mama gator was visible just under the shelter, and five babies were very actively swimming about just at the edge of the shelter.

Sometimes the boardwalk can be a holy place. I overheard a man praying for two women who seemed to have problems with evil, and, of course, that is the place where our grandson asked Jesus into his heart. God is very present wherever we are.

From Quiet Moments with God:

Butchart Gardens is one of the most famous tourist attractions in Victoria, British Columbia. Since 1904, when Jenny Butchart decided to transform her husband's limestone quarry into a sunken garden. It is open all year and includes a botanical display of breathtaking beauty. (We had the pleasure of visiting it some years ago.)

Walking through the delightful grounds, it is impossible to choose the most outstanding exhibition. The plants are obviously healthy and well attended. Each provides colorful blossoms that are distinct, yet make a significant contribution in the overall scheme and design.

Likewise, part of our spiritual growth is to realize our importance in god's garden, especially when we exercise the talents and abilities He has given. Many feel inferior about their own gifts and they compare themselves unfavorably with others. And yet God designs different people just as He created various kinds of flowers. The lily and the rose each have their own features. In fact, every blossom has its own unique characteristics. Tulips, lilacs, and hyacinths are not alike yet each kind of flower adds a particular fragrance and beauty to any arrangement.

The same is true in life. Take a few moments to make an inventory of your gifts. Then ask the Holy Spirit to guide you. Through His power, you can make a difference in the lives of others as will as your own.

"We dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, among themselves, are not wise. "
2 Corinthians 10:12 KJV

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

Good chilly morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the winter day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!

Well, we have the heater going this morning! I stepped outside and the wind was very chilly even though the temp is in the fifties, after all our warm weather it seems very chilly. We are just not used to this!

I zipped up my jacket on my way to the first bridge yesterday, because the wind was blowing in my face, but I soon warmed up with a brisk walk. I hung over the railing at the first shelter, looking for the babies and Ma, but didn't see them, so I finished my walk going to the tower, and noticed the gallinule couple were back, busily pecking around.

Then as I came back to the shelter, a couple there told me where to look. I still didn't see the babies, but hung around looking and soon Mama came to get some bread the couple had thrown in. Tsk, tsk. When she came swimming out from under the shelter, the babies scrambled to get out of the way. There were only two, though. But God is good!!

Psalm 20 from the Promise Bible NLT:

"In times of trouble, may the Lord respond to your cry. May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.
May he send you help from his sanctuary and strengthen you from Jerusalem. May he remember all your gifts and look favorably on your burnt offerings.
May he grant your heart's desire and fulfill all your plans. May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory, flying banners to honor our God. May the Lord answer all your prayers....
Some nations boast of their armies and weapons, but we boast in the Lord our God.Those nations will fall down and collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.
Give victory to our king, O Lord!
Respond to our cry for help."

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Matthew 6:34

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another cool day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! Once again the early morning sky is brilliant with the myriads of stars, but the moon is hidden now. The clear sky is lovely, but we really need the clouds and rain. We trust in God to provide in His time.

I walked yesterday afternoon, due to a morning appointment with the dentist, :o(, and enjoyed the still cool air and the warm sun. I watched for a few minutes at the first shelter, because I didn't see the baby gators nor Mama, and soon, I saw the super-sized lizard crawl out of the puddle where he had been disguised and there was another one just below him. Since they are black and white striped, God has cleverly disguised them from some of the predators which are around. I saw another branch lying where the babies are, so another someone had torn it off and thrown it at them. What joy can that bring? Sigh.

Francia, the teacher, does her best to educate people about gator habits and all the other creatures, including spiders. Her tag is 6-spider. :o)

Matthew 6:34
"Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

From the book Quiet Moments with God:

There was a man, who at the end of each workday, would visit an old tree in his front yard before entering his home. As he passed the tree, he would reach out to gently touch the trunk and branches.

He did this so he could mentally "hang is troubles" on the branches so that he would not take them inside to his wife and children. He left his troubles with the assumption that if the problems were important, they would still be hanging there when he came out the next morning. But many mornings, he found they had disappeared.

Of course, hanging your troubles on the worry tree is not always easy.

In his book, "Still Married, Still Sober," David Mackenzie describes another practical method for remembering to cast one's cares on God.:

To act out the principle of turning prayers over to God, we took a paper bag, wrote "God" on it, and taped it up high on the back of our kitchen door. As I prayed about matters such as my career, my role as a father, my abilities to be a good husband, I would write down each concern on a piece of paper. Then those pieces of paper would go in the bag. The rule was that if you start worrying about a matter of prayer that you've turned over to God, you have to climb up on a chair and fish it out of the bag, I don't want to admit how much time I spent sifting through those scraps of paper.

Using God as your "Worry Tree" takes practice, but it's a skill worth developing. And your effort will be rewarded with the peace of knowing God is with you, ready to handle your heavy load-if you will only let Him.

Worry is like a rocking chair.
It gives you something to do
but doesn't get you anywhere.
Bernard Meltzer

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis