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 sunshine in the afternoon yesterday, we have overcast skies again today, but they may clear up again and once again, we will be having very warm weather.
After the estimator came to look at my flat roof, I went on over to the park and looked for the big gator again. He was there, but partially submerged, so only the fat middle part was showing, A brave, little moorhen was swimming around him, very unconcerned. Across the street a couple turtles were sunning themselves on the weir, but no ibis. This is leaf falling time and maple leaves are all over at the park, with the boardwalk pretty much covered and oak leaves are falling here at home. I swept up a big pile from the front porch, but more will be falling today in the wind which has picked up. But, God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God:
We fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen, is eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:18
Eternity is a difficult concept for us to grasp. In human terms, it seems a matter of time---or more accurately, timelessness. But eternity is more than a measure of time. Things said to be "eternal" have a quality of permanence. The benefits of eternal things are not found solely in the hereafter; they provide an incredible sense of satisfaction in this life as well.
The late Lorado Taft, on of America's great artists, often said that a real work of art must have in it "a hint of eternity." The writer of Ecclesiastes says that God has not only made everything beautiful, but also He has set eternity in the hearts of people. When we do a good peice of work, whether it is part of our vocation or not, we may find in it a hint of eternity, the abiding value that outlasts silver or gold.
Daniel Webster, one of America's most famous statesmen, once said;
If we work on marble, it will perish,; if on brass time will efface it; if we rear temples, they will crumble into dust; but if we work on immortal souls and imbue them with principles, with the just fear of God and love of our fellowmen, we engrave on those tablets something that will brighten to all eternity.
Ascending to the top of one of the magnificent stairways in the Library of Congress, one reads this inscription on the wall" "Too low they build who build beneath the stars."
In building your life, build with God for eternity. In building the Church build to the glory of Jesus Christ for the salvation of soul.
Ask the Lord to show you this evening how to make your life and effort count for eternity. Pray for an awareness of eternity as you face every decision and task each day.
If we build to please ourselves we are building on the sand.
If we build for the love of God, we are building on the rick.
Oswald Chambers
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the foggy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! The air is misty and damp, but once this burns off, it will probably be in the high seventies or low eighties! Ahh, Christmas in Florida! No snow, for sure!
Yesterday, after church I drove to the park, and noticed several ibis sitting on the weir, looking very downcast. This is strange, because I almost never see them sitting. They are always moving and pecking. And I looked across at the lake and sure enough, the big, fat gator was back on the bank. I have been looking for him every day and thought he had moved on. He is about 8-10 ft. long and very wide in the middle. Must be a grandpa to many gators around there. I went on down to see the rest of the park and saw quite a few people enjoying the sun and looking over the bridge at the small gators. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory,
Your unfailing love is better to me than life itself;
how I praise you!
I will honor you as long as I live,
lifting my hands to you in prayer.
You satisfy me more than the richest of foods.
I will praise you with songs of joy.
I lie awake thinking of you,
meditating on you through the night.
I think how much you have helped me;
I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings.
I follow close behind you,
your strong right hand holds me securely...
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
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 and the cool breezes blowing, but it is about twenty degrees warmer than yesterday at this time. So the cold spell was short lived, just as the weather guys said it would be.
I looked up in the sky yesterday and saw a beautiful pattern of dozens of contrails criss-crossing the blue, blue sky. Just took my breath away! It was a gorgeous day!
After doing some shopping, I went to the park and got out to walk on the bridge. I had seen a very wet anhinga just emerging from the water to climb up on the weir with a fish to eat, so drove on down to look at the gopher tortoise. When I got on the bridge, I looked for the gators that usually hang out there in the water, and sure enough, the young one was at the far end and started moving as I watched him. He went a little ways, then turned his head and scratched with his hind leg. I had never seen one do that before! I didn't know they itched. I had almost given up looking for the little one, but all at once I spotted him flat out on a branch sticking out of the water...eyes closed, totally relaxed with legs hanging down. So funny! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT! (and my paraphrase)
Psalm 23
Thank you, Lord, for being my shepherd;
Thank you for giving me everything I need.
Thank you for letting me rest in green meadows;
and for leading me beside peaceful streams.
Thank you that you renew my strength.
Thank you for guiding me along right paths,
so I can bring honor to your name.
Even when I walk through the dark valley of death,
I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
Thank you for preparing a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You welcome me as a guest anointing my head with oil.
You make my cup overflow with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love
will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in your house forever.
Amen
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the chilly day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! My indoor/outdoor thermometer says 48 right now, and the furnace is doing its job of keeping the house warm. I have not used the fireplace, yet, and probably won't until the Tenn. part of the family comes. That is, if it is cold enough.
I was disappointed with the rain yesterday, because my flat roof is still not fixed. I am hoping no more water seeped into the leak. I am not expecting an estimate until Monday. Wish he could have come sooner,.
I did not leave the house yesterday., By the time I got laundry done and chores around the house, it had started raining, so I settled in for a cup of tea and relaxing for the rest of the afternoon. And, BTW, I read that the acorns only fall in abundance every five to seven years, so last year was the big one, because millions fell, and this year , hardly any. Very interesting. I never new that. But the squirrels are certainly not starving, nor the blue jays. Yes, I have seen them with large acorns in their beaks.
God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 133
How wonderful it is, how pleasant,
when brothers live together in harmony!
For harmony is as precious as the fragrant anointing oil
that was poured over Aaron's head,
that ran down his beard,
and onto the border of his robe.
Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from Mount Hermon
that falls on the mountains of Zion.
And the Lord has pronounced his blessing,
even life forevermore.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
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 it is a beautiful day today, cold weather is on the way and so this morning I stripped the bed and put a flannel sheet on the bottom, so I can be warmer tonight. I am not a person who likes cold sheets!
Yesterday was shopping day. I was gone about two hours enjoying shopping and thinking about Christmas gifts for various people. I have already ordered some by phone, so a lot is done. I had a fun time with the manager at CVS, because I had taken a rusty, very squeaky cart in from outside because it was the only one left besides a bent one. He was working on a display and I guess he could not stand the squeak, because he started to joke about me not being able to hide where I was. He asked if that was the only cart, and I told him about the bent one, so he went outside while I squeaked my way on back, and in he came, running with a non-squeaky cart. I finished my shopping and walked up behind him and he said he didn't hear me. I told him I snuck up on him, and we had a good laugh.
After I had my lunch, I went to the park and saw two gopher tortoises at their different homes, and a few people walking around. Then I drove on to Cartek and had a rear brake lamp installed by Ray. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 149
Praise the Lord!
'Sing to the Lord a new song.
Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful.
O Israel, rejoice in your Maker.
O people of Jerusalem, exult in your king.
Praise his name with dancing,
accompanied by tambourine and harp.
For the Lord delights in his people;
he crowns the humble with salvation.
Let the faithful rejoice in this honor.
Let them sing for joy as they lie on their beds.
Let the praises of God be in their mouths
and a sharp sword in their hands--
to execute vengeance on the nations,
and punishment on the peoples.
To bind their kings with shackles
and their leaders with iron chains,
to execute the judgment written against them.
This is the glory of his faithful ones.
Praise the Lord!
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
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 beautiful clear day with cool temps this morning, and like yesterday, warming up to about 80 this afternoon! Ah, Christmas in Florida!
I already had a visit from the Circulation Mgr. of the Times this morning, She called yesterday to check on my delivery, because I had requested the paper be placed on the porch and it took nine calls to get it to happen. Even now, sometimes, it is thrown under the azaleas, and one time was on the roof! However, I told her it had pretty consistently, been placed on the porch for the past week, but she wanted to check for herself. It was thoughtful of her...
As I drove around Lynch Lake yesterday, I was amused to see a pair of woodstorks, one lying down in the grass, and the other standing beside it. I rarely see two together like that, and never scrunched down, resting. I went on to the park and noticed that the water is way down, and the muddy banks are showing. Several black turtles were sunning on the banks of the weir and a small flock of ibis were further down in the canal. Didn't see so many squirrels, though. But, as always, God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
1 Thessalonians 5:12
Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your 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.
Brothers 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.
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 prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from eveery kind of evil.
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.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
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 clouds have blown away and now lots of sunshine and breezes and temps going up in the seventies today! Beautiful weather!
I was so engrossed in the story Pastor Jim was relating about his experience in seeing a nativity set over a strip club in W.Palm Beach some years ago, that I forgot it was communion Sunday until the end of his true story yesterday. It just shows God is everywhere!
As I came home from church I stopped in the driveway to watch an egret at the edge of the yard, stretching to investigate a bush, looking for a tasty morsel, I guess. They are so graceful and beautiful. After lunch I went to the park and was interested in people watching;
Scenes from Sawgrass:
- A group of young adults gathered in the street...one with a camera and tripod.
- A lady in a white ankle-length dress and four inch heels walking a dog.
- Young mothers pushing strollers and carrying backpacks.
- A young couple being very affectionate under an oak tree. (They were standing.)
- More dog walkers in the middle of the street.
- Squirrels scampering around a car, hoping for a handout.
As Louis Armstrong sang, "What a wonderful world."
God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
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 us 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
