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 shining today as it did yesterday, and it promises to be another very warm and humid day. I don't know where the time goes, I get up early and before I know it, it is already mid-morning. If I had a schedule to follow, I would probably have a lot done by now!
I had to go grocery shopping yesterday, because of the procedure I had done Friday. I could not eat Thursday and so did not need anything until the milk and bread and other necessities started to run out. I just went to Publix, where shopping is a pleasure and had the carry out service, because of heavy bags. . But there is always something I forget to put on my list, so I will have to pick up a couple things today that I forgot yesterday!
I went to the Park after supper last night. The wind was still, but it was pleasant and not too humid. Actually, I thought the humidity would make my nose feel better. It still gets very dry inside from the radiation and bleeds a lot, so anyway, as I walked along the sidewalk, a gator started swimming toward the bank by me. I stopped and watched it, and then, a larger one came swimming under the bridge, zipping along toward the second bridge. All at once, he skidded to a halt and turned in to a dead log. The object of his eye were several egrets by the log, . Aware of his presence, they kept on doing what they were doing and looked like they were getting ready to settle down for the night. I walked out on the bridge to see what the other gator was attracted to, and, hidden by the tall weeds, were two ibises. One was mature and the other dark colored and immature. The gator sank down until the eyes and nose were showing, but, once again, the birds were very aware of it and kept moving slowly away. I was really pleased that I got to see that bit of God's creation. God is good!
From 1 Thessalonians 5:12 NLT
Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong. Think highly of them and give them your wholehearted love because of their work. And remember to live peaceably with each other.
Brother and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.
See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other. and to everyone else.
Always be joyful. Keep on praying, No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophesies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from every kind of evil.
Paul's Final Greetings:
Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul, and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again.
God, who calls you, is faithful. He will do this.
Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.
Greet all the brothers and sisters in Christian love.
I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.
And may the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Monday, August 16, 2010
Wise words from Romans 12
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 rain for about three days, so it looks like a good day to put a coating on my flat roof that has been waiting to dry out.
I went into the tranquil park yesterday after church and was impressed as always by the serenity and calmness of the place where people can go and enjoy God's beauty and the different critters He has created. Even though it was very hot and humid, a few people were out, including the ever present squirrels. The toadstools have almost disappeared, but will be back once the rain comes again.
I really enjoyed seeing the Logue family at church yesterday! I have known them since Drew was a baby, so it's always good to see old friends. I had to explain my nose, because it is so red and ugly looking from the radiation and won't stop bleeding inside. AArrgh! But it will soon heal up and won't be so bad . God is good!
BTW, I saw a large woodstork slowly ambling along the side of the canal on 77th yesterday. He was up close and personal. I don't think they ever move fast, but he actually looked quite graceful.
Romans 12:3 -12 NLT
As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning. Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body.
We are all parts of his one body , and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others..
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophecy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. 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.
Don't just pretend you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I went into the tranquil park yesterday after church and was impressed as always by the serenity and calmness of the place where people can go and enjoy God's beauty and the different critters He has created. Even though it was very hot and humid, a few people were out, including the ever present squirrels. The toadstools have almost disappeared, but will be back once the rain comes again.
I really enjoyed seeing the Logue family at church yesterday! I have known them since Drew was a baby, so it's always good to see old friends. I had to explain my nose, because it is so red and ugly looking from the radiation and won't stop bleeding inside. AArrgh! But it will soon heal up and won't be so bad . God is good!
BTW, I saw a large woodstork slowly ambling along the side of the canal on 77th yesterday. He was up close and personal. I don't think they ever move fast, but he actually looked quite graceful.
Romans 12:3 -12 NLT
As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning. Be honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ's body.
We are all parts of his one body , and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others..
God has given each of us the ability to do certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophecy, speak out when you have faith that God is speaking through you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, do a good job of teaching. 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.
Don't just pretend you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. Love each other with genuine affection and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Friday, August 13, 2010
Explanation
Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,
For those of you who may or may not have noticed, there was no Gator Bytes this morning, Due to an early appointment I had for a colonoscopy. I should have written last night, but better late than never!
Everything is fine and I have finally thawed out from the unusually cold prep room. Bayfront had a problem with the A/C which had been set at "freeze" for three days. all the staff were wearing anything warm they had to put on.
Anyway, I hope some of you got to see the meteor shower last night. It is too light around here to see many and I went to bed a little early.
I hope you all have a blessed weekend!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
For those of you who may or may not have noticed, there was no Gator Bytes this morning, Due to an early appointment I had for a colonoscopy. I should have written last night, but better late than never!
Everything is fine and I have finally thawed out from the unusually cold prep room. Bayfront had a problem with the A/C which had been set at "freeze" for three days. all the staff were wearing anything warm they had to put on.
Anyway, I hope some of you got to see the meteor shower last night. It is too light around here to see many and I went to bed a little early.
I hope you all have a blessed weekend!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Thursday, August 12, 2010
Shortsighted
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! Wet, wet, wet! Everything around here is wet. I am not complaining, because I remember when it was dry and I was praying for rain. Well, God supplies abundantly! I heard it raining a lot during the night, and everything is soaked today, so I guess the yard doesn't get mowed today. We have puffy clouds today and sunshine off and on, but will probably have more rain today.
Lots of really big white toadstools were popping up in the park yesterday, one of the only times I ventured out. A flock of ibis were covering one side of a berm and a few people were walking, but although there was a lot of sun in the afternoon, it was too hot for me to walk. My nose is very red now, and is very tender, but God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
Galatians 6:10 KJV As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men. Especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Do you miss life-changing opportunities because of shortsightedness? Consider this example:
A fellow approached a cab driver in New York and said, "Take me to London." The cab driver told him there was no possible way for him to drive across the Atlantic. The customer insisted there was. "You'll drive me down to the pier; we'll put the taxi on a freighter to Liverpool, and you; drive me to London, where I'll pay you whatever is on the meter."
The driver agreed, and when they arrived in London, the passenger paid the total on the meter, plus a thousand dollar tip.
The driver roamed around London, not quite knowing what to do. Then an Englishman hailed him and said, "I want you to drive me to New York." The cab driver couldn't believe his good luck. How often can you pick up a person who wants to go to New York?
When the passenger began to say, "First we take a boat..."the driver cut him off.
"That I know, But where to in New York?"
The passenger said, "Riverside Drive and 104th Street."
The driver responded, "Sorry, I don't go to the west side."
Jesus was well schooled in the Scriptures, and He often followed the traditions of His heritage. He also had a daily routine of praying and ministering to the needs of the people. However, He didn't allow traditions or personal preferences to stand in the way of carrying out God's will for the day.
Look for God-given opportunities to serve Him by serving others. Don't allow your daily routines, personal biases, or shortsightedness cause you to miss what the Lord wants to do in you and through you today.
A good deed is never lost:
He who shows courtesy reaps
friendship and he who plants
kindness gathers love.
Saint Basil
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Lots of really big white toadstools were popping up in the park yesterday, one of the only times I ventured out. A flock of ibis were covering one side of a berm and a few people were walking, but although there was a lot of sun in the afternoon, it was too hot for me to walk. My nose is very red now, and is very tender, but God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
Galatians 6:10 KJV As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men. Especially unto them who are of the household of faith.
Do you miss life-changing opportunities because of shortsightedness? Consider this example:
A fellow approached a cab driver in New York and said, "Take me to London." The cab driver told him there was no possible way for him to drive across the Atlantic. The customer insisted there was. "You'll drive me down to the pier; we'll put the taxi on a freighter to Liverpool, and you; drive me to London, where I'll pay you whatever is on the meter."
The driver agreed, and when they arrived in London, the passenger paid the total on the meter, plus a thousand dollar tip.
The driver roamed around London, not quite knowing what to do. Then an Englishman hailed him and said, "I want you to drive me to New York." The cab driver couldn't believe his good luck. How often can you pick up a person who wants to go to New York?
When the passenger began to say, "First we take a boat..."the driver cut him off.
"That I know, But where to in New York?"
The passenger said, "Riverside Drive and 104th Street."
The driver responded, "Sorry, I don't go to the west side."
Jesus was well schooled in the Scriptures, and He often followed the traditions of His heritage. He also had a daily routine of praying and ministering to the needs of the people. However, He didn't allow traditions or personal preferences to stand in the way of carrying out God's will for the day.
Look for God-given opportunities to serve Him by serving others. Don't allow your daily routines, personal biases, or shortsightedness cause you to miss what the Lord wants to do in you and through you today.
A good deed is never lost:
He who shows courtesy reaps
friendship and he who plants
kindness gathers love.
Saint Basil
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Psoaring thru Psalm 8
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 just got the weather report that gusty winds and rain are expected until about noon, and I notice that the wind is really blowing all the trees and shrubs already. Guess that's the tropical storm moving out.
But yesterday, I really enjoyed the cooler weather which never got out of the eighties. I went for a walk in the park, careful to stay in the shade because of my healing nose, which is really red this morning. I walked along the sidewalk, admiring the thick underbrush across the canal which really looked like the original Florida. There were big ripples in the water either from tilapia or unknown critters down in the deeps. Lots of white toadstools are popping up all over from all the rain, but the ibises like to get the underground critters that the rain brings out. Once in a great while I see one on top of a light pole, but for the most part, they keep their heads to the ground.
The rain is good for the plants and brings out a lot of flowers, God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and nursing
infants to give you praise.
They silence your enemies
who were seeking revenge.
When I look at the night sky and see the work
of your fingers--
the moon and stars you have set in place--
what are mortals that you should
think of us,
mere humans that you should care for us?
For you made us only a little lower than God
and you crowned us with glory and honor.
You put us in charge of everything you
made,
giving us authority over all things--
the sheep and the cattle
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims in the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name
fills the earth!
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
But yesterday, I really enjoyed the cooler weather which never got out of the eighties. I went for a walk in the park, careful to stay in the shade because of my healing nose, which is really red this morning. I walked along the sidewalk, admiring the thick underbrush across the canal which really looked like the original Florida. There were big ripples in the water either from tilapia or unknown critters down in the deeps. Lots of white toadstools are popping up all over from all the rain, but the ibises like to get the underground critters that the rain brings out. Once in a great while I see one on top of a light pole, but for the most part, they keep their heads to the ground.
The rain is good for the plants and brings out a lot of flowers, God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and nursing
infants to give you praise.
They silence your enemies
who were seeking revenge.
When I look at the night sky and see the work
of your fingers--
the moon and stars you have set in place--
what are mortals that you should
think of us,
mere humans that you should care for us?
For you made us only a little lower than God
and you crowned us with glory and honor.
You put us in charge of everything you
made,
giving us authority over all things--
the sheep and the cattle
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims in the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name
fills the earth!
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
What's the Problem?
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 today with puffy white clouds so far, but more rain is predicted. Yesterday I ran some errands in the morning, before the rain came in the afternoon. I like rainy afternoons, because I can read instead of organizing which I really need to do.
As I pulled into the driveway from an errand, I stopped to watch a very large woodpecker darting under and around the Crown of Thorns which grows right beside the garage door. I have no idea what he was pecking at, but was really concentrating on doing it. I saw a very large tri-colored heron at the park, along with a lot of trash in the canal from all the rain. I think volunteers will soon pick it up. The trash , not the heron. :o)
Last night I attended a wedding reception at the church, which was lovely, with lots of people, but some of the love songs really touched me emotionally. It was a little difficult, but God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Ever had a difficulty that gives you "2 AM wake up calls"? It could be a project at work, a committee you've suddenly ended up chairing, or simply the challenge of trying to figure out how to get everything done with only two hands. Whatever the issue, it ruins your sleep and saps your energy for the upcoming day.
The developer of a popular series of business training films describes the phenomenon of discovering your problem-solving skills are going nowhere.
"You start thinking, I'm uncomfortable,I'm anxious, I'm nervous. I can't do this. I should never have started to try. I m not creative. I was never creative in school. I'm a complete failure. I'm going to be fired, and that means my spouse will leave me and-in other words, you start enjoying a real, good old-fashioned panic attack."
Problems can feel ten times as large in the middle of the night. But in reality--and by daylight--solutions might not be as distant as they seem.
Inventor Charles Kettering had a unique problem-solving method. He would divide each problem into the smallest possible pieces, then research the pieces to determine which ones had already been solved. He often found that what looked like a huge problem was already 98 percent solved by others. Then he tackled what was left.
In bite-sized pieces, problems become more manageable. Remember that, with God, all things are possible. He can give us peace in our darkest nights and bring wisdom with the morning.
Obstacles in the pathway of the weak, become stepping stones in
the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
As I pulled into the driveway from an errand, I stopped to watch a very large woodpecker darting under and around the Crown of Thorns which grows right beside the garage door. I have no idea what he was pecking at, but was really concentrating on doing it. I saw a very large tri-colored heron at the park, along with a lot of trash in the canal from all the rain. I think volunteers will soon pick it up. The trash , not the heron. :o)
Last night I attended a wedding reception at the church, which was lovely, with lots of people, but some of the love songs really touched me emotionally. It was a little difficult, but God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Ever had a difficulty that gives you "2 AM wake up calls"? It could be a project at work, a committee you've suddenly ended up chairing, or simply the challenge of trying to figure out how to get everything done with only two hands. Whatever the issue, it ruins your sleep and saps your energy for the upcoming day.
The developer of a popular series of business training films describes the phenomenon of discovering your problem-solving skills are going nowhere.
"You start thinking, I'm uncomfortable,I'm anxious, I'm nervous. I can't do this. I should never have started to try. I m not creative. I was never creative in school. I'm a complete failure. I'm going to be fired, and that means my spouse will leave me and-in other words, you start enjoying a real, good old-fashioned panic attack."
Problems can feel ten times as large in the middle of the night. But in reality--and by daylight--solutions might not be as distant as they seem.
Inventor Charles Kettering had a unique problem-solving method. He would divide each problem into the smallest possible pieces, then research the pieces to determine which ones had already been solved. He often found that what looked like a huge problem was already 98 percent solved by others. Then he tackled what was left.
In bite-sized pieces, problems become more manageable. Remember that, with God, all things are possible. He can give us peace in our darkest nights and bring wisdom with the morning.
Obstacles in the pathway of the weak, become stepping stones in
the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, August 9, 2010
Thinking things through
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! After a deluge from a storm last night, I thought we might have sunshine today, but not yet. However, I like the cooler temps that come with overcast skies. I just saw a butterfly flit past my window, and then a bird zipped by, so nothing stops the creatures that God created for our pleasure. Even the squirrels that are so silly sometimes, chasing each other around and around the oak trees.
I went to the Park yesterday and watched an anhinga drag himself over the weir drying his wings. They look very graceful and sleek swimming underwater, but on land...not so much. I also watched a young woman come running on the other side of the canal, where it is not open to the public, but somehow, she got over there and then kept running down to the boardwalk. She looked like a runner, very swift and steady in her gait. I saw another runner the other day, who was definitely pushing it and looked exhausted, but she was determined.
There is a purple flowering tree down at the end of my block and I don't know the name of it, but it is beautiful, and I admire it each time I drive by. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. the streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain. For so you have ordained it. Psalm 65:9
One of America's most popular contemporary painters, Andrew Wyeth, portrays life in rural Penn. and Maine so meticulously and naturally that it sometimes appears surreal. A story told by his brother Nat gives a great deal of insight into the source of Wyeth's intensity.
Andy did a picture of Lafayette's quarters near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with a sycamore tree behind the building. When I first saw the painting, he wasn't finished with it. He showed me a lot of drawings of the trunk and the sycamore's gnarled roots, and I said, "Where's all that in the picture?"
"It's not in ther picture, Nat," he said. "For me to get what I want in the part of the tree that's showing, I've got to know thoroughly how it is anchored in back of the house."
The act of thinking things through is important to eveery task in our lives. For example, we cannot overlook the importance of good preparation when we are planning our garden, or we risk damaging the plants with poor soil or by setting them too close together to grow freely.
Wall Street legend, Barnard Baruch emphasized this need, stating, "Whatever failures I have known, whatever errors I have committed, whatever follies I have witnessed in private and public life have been the consequence of action without thought."
It is a joy to commune with God and ask His advice as we plan our daily activities. When you have an important task to think through, take time to ask, "Lord, what is your will?" He will be glad to help.
Four steps to achievement"
Plan purposefully. prepare prayerfully,
proceed positively,
Pursue persistently.
William Arthur Ward
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I went to the Park yesterday and watched an anhinga drag himself over the weir drying his wings. They look very graceful and sleek swimming underwater, but on land...not so much. I also watched a young woman come running on the other side of the canal, where it is not open to the public, but somehow, she got over there and then kept running down to the boardwalk. She looked like a runner, very swift and steady in her gait. I saw another runner the other day, who was definitely pushing it and looked exhausted, but she was determined.
There is a purple flowering tree down at the end of my block and I don't know the name of it, but it is beautiful, and I admire it each time I drive by. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. the streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain. For so you have ordained it. Psalm 65:9
One of America's most popular contemporary painters, Andrew Wyeth, portrays life in rural Penn. and Maine so meticulously and naturally that it sometimes appears surreal. A story told by his brother Nat gives a great deal of insight into the source of Wyeth's intensity.
Andy did a picture of Lafayette's quarters near Chadds Ford, Pennsylvania, with a sycamore tree behind the building. When I first saw the painting, he wasn't finished with it. He showed me a lot of drawings of the trunk and the sycamore's gnarled roots, and I said, "Where's all that in the picture?"
"It's not in ther picture, Nat," he said. "For me to get what I want in the part of the tree that's showing, I've got to know thoroughly how it is anchored in back of the house."
The act of thinking things through is important to eveery task in our lives. For example, we cannot overlook the importance of good preparation when we are planning our garden, or we risk damaging the plants with poor soil or by setting them too close together to grow freely.
Wall Street legend, Barnard Baruch emphasized this need, stating, "Whatever failures I have known, whatever errors I have committed, whatever follies I have witnessed in private and public life have been the consequence of action without thought."
It is a joy to commune with God and ask His advice as we plan our daily activities. When you have an important task to think through, take time to ask, "Lord, what is your will?" He will be glad to help.
Four steps to achievement"
Plan purposefully. prepare prayerfully,
proceed positively,
Pursue persistently.
William Arthur Ward
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
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