Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another warm day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I notice on my weather report that the heat index is to be 106 this afternoon!! Thank God for A/C!
If I don't get my walking done in the morning, I don't walk, because the air is too hot!
I walked Saturday and as we drove in the Park, a chocolate colored bunny, with unusual outlined eyes, was munching on grass beside the road. It must have been a domestic that someone turned loose in the Park, Not a good thing to do.
Mama Gator was back at her nest, but I almost didn't see her, because she was directly below me with just her head showing. When I came back from the tower, she had moved and was pointed toward the nest.
I watched a small gator swim alongside the bank, on my way back and climb up on the bank, where he has been sunning every day the past week.
Then I waited while Mark and James came in their cart, on the way to clean out trash in the gator nest. I told them she was there, and there was only one bottle right next to her. They thought maybe it would not be a good time to get the bottle. :o)
From Quiet Moments:
"This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24 NKJV
"Where does the time go?" we ask. Here it is-a new day on the horizon- and we can't remember how it arrived so quickly. Why, last week seems like yesterday, and last year flew by like a video in fast forward.
Singer Jim Croce mused in his hit song "Time in a Bottle" that "there never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do, once you find them." We search so hard for happiness. But often, we don't understand that happiness is not a goal to be won, but a by-product of a life well spent.
The "Old English Prayer," offers simple instruction for enjoying the day that the Lord has made:
Take time to work; it is the price of success.
Take time to think' it is the source of power.
Take time to play; it is the secret if perpetual youth.
Take time to read; it is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream; it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and be loved; it is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to look around, it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.
True happiness comes
from the job of deeds
well done, the zest of
creating things new.
Antoine de Saint Exupery
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, August 20, 2007
Friday, August 17, 2007
Calming Down
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 went to bed to the sounds of another thunderstorm, which started right after we arrived home from an evening out. God's timing is perfect!
I splashed through water yesterday on the boardwalk, and I am sure it will be wet again, after the downpour last night. All is well, though, with Mama gator. She was back at the nest yesterday, with just her head visible directly below the railing. I spoke to her and told her I was glad to see her, but she was surly and didn't answer. Sigh...
The small gator was sunning on the bank again and getting plenty warm, I'm sure. It was a pleasant walk yesterday, because the wind was blowing so that made the heat bearable. When I stopped, though, I was drippy. But God is good to send rain and wind when we need them!
From Quiet Moments with God:
Jeremiah 31:26
"My sleep had been pleasant to me."
It's virtually impossible for you to sleep if you are wound up. Do memories of the day's events keep you from falling asleep? Do you sometimes feel as if you spent the day pushing a boulder up a mountain with a very small stick? If so, memorize these words:
"I lift up my eyes to the hills__Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
Are you worried about making mistakes, disappointing your boss, or letting your family down? If so, memorize these words:
"He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber, indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:3-4
Does unnecessary anxiety sometimes get the best of you, causing you to fear for your won safety or health? If so, memorize these words:
"The Lord watches over you___the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night."
Psalm 121:5-6
Are you already starting to agonize over next month's deadline, next year's taxes, the college tuition that has to be paid ten years from now, or funding your own retirement in thirty years? Are you taking all of that on when your head hits the pillow at night? If so, memorize these words:
"The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Psalm 121:7-8
You have just memorized an entire psalm! Repeat it to yourself every night. Substitute My for your and me for you. Then rest in the knowledge that God has your life, and the rest of the universe under control.
WORRY IS AN INDICATION THAT WE THINK GOD CANNOT LOOK AFTER US.
Oswald Chambers
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
We went to bed to the sounds of another thunderstorm, which started right after we arrived home from an evening out. God's timing is perfect!
I splashed through water yesterday on the boardwalk, and I am sure it will be wet again, after the downpour last night. All is well, though, with Mama gator. She was back at the nest yesterday, with just her head visible directly below the railing. I spoke to her and told her I was glad to see her, but she was surly and didn't answer. Sigh...
The small gator was sunning on the bank again and getting plenty warm, I'm sure. It was a pleasant walk yesterday, because the wind was blowing so that made the heat bearable. When I stopped, though, I was drippy. But God is good to send rain and wind when we need them!
From Quiet Moments with God:
Jeremiah 31:26
"My sleep had been pleasant to me."
It's virtually impossible for you to sleep if you are wound up. Do memories of the day's events keep you from falling asleep? Do you sometimes feel as if you spent the day pushing a boulder up a mountain with a very small stick? If so, memorize these words:
"I lift up my eyes to the hills__Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1-2
Are you worried about making mistakes, disappointing your boss, or letting your family down? If so, memorize these words:
"He will not let your foot slip-he who watches over you will not slumber, indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
Psalm 121:3-4
Does unnecessary anxiety sometimes get the best of you, causing you to fear for your won safety or health? If so, memorize these words:
"The Lord watches over you___the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night."
Psalm 121:5-6
Are you already starting to agonize over next month's deadline, next year's taxes, the college tuition that has to be paid ten years from now, or funding your own retirement in thirty years? Are you taking all of that on when your head hits the pillow at night? If so, memorize these words:
"The Lord will keep you from all harm-he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Psalm 121:7-8
You have just memorized an entire psalm! Repeat it to yourself every night. Substitute My for your and me for you. Then rest in the knowledge that God has your life, and the rest of the universe under control.
WORRY IS AN INDICATION THAT WE THINK GOD CANNOT LOOK AFTER US.
Oswald Chambers
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Night Watch
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 last night's storm, this morning is clear and promises to be hot!
I walked on the dry boardwalk yesterday, but today it will be puddly again. I am eager to see if Mama gator has come back, because two days in a row she has not been seen. I hope she has not deserted her nest.
It seemed to be just a little cooler yesterday, or at least, a breeze was blowing, so I wasn't so warm while walking... plenty drippy when I stopped moving, though. I was admiring the thick ferns, which are thriving from all the rain. Many of them are in water, and tiny sounds are always being heard, from the different little critters living in the water. God is marvelous!
From Quiet Moments:
...Times of trial and struggle often seem like long, dark nights. But doing the right thing - even the hard thing - gives us hope. How do we maintain those long night watches when there seems to be little change in our circumstances?
1. Take one step at a time. Don't attempt to tackle the whole task at once. "A man's steps are directed by the Lord." (Proverbs 20:24)
2. Keep your struggles in perspective. Separate the mountains from the molehills.
"What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
3. Cultivate the discipline of delayed gratification.
"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."(James 1:4 KJV)
4. Learn to recognize the invisible God in the world around you.
"By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27)
Placing your hope in the Lord helps you to do all these things. He will lead you; He will remove your mountains; He will strengthen you, helping you to be patient; and He will open your eyes to His works all around you.
If it were not for hope
the heart would break.
English proverb
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I walked on the dry boardwalk yesterday, but today it will be puddly again. I am eager to see if Mama gator has come back, because two days in a row she has not been seen. I hope she has not deserted her nest.
It seemed to be just a little cooler yesterday, or at least, a breeze was blowing, so I wasn't so warm while walking... plenty drippy when I stopped moving, though. I was admiring the thick ferns, which are thriving from all the rain. Many of them are in water, and tiny sounds are always being heard, from the different little critters living in the water. God is marvelous!
From Quiet Moments:
...Times of trial and struggle often seem like long, dark nights. But doing the right thing - even the hard thing - gives us hope. How do we maintain those long night watches when there seems to be little change in our circumstances?
1. Take one step at a time. Don't attempt to tackle the whole task at once. "A man's steps are directed by the Lord." (Proverbs 20:24)
2. Keep your struggles in perspective. Separate the mountains from the molehills.
"What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
3. Cultivate the discipline of delayed gratification.
"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."(James 1:4 KJV)
4. Learn to recognize the invisible God in the world around you.
"By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27)
Placing your hope in the Lord helps you to do all these things. He will lead you; He will remove your mountains; He will strengthen you, helping you to be patient; and He will open your eyes to His works all around you.
If it were not for hope
the heart would break.
English proverb
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Excerpts from Ecclesiastes
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! As I stepped outside this morning, I looked for stars, and hoped I could see a meteor flashing by, but there was too much light and the puffy clouds interfered. Has anyone seed the meteors, yet? This is the week for them.
Well, I heard thunder late last night, but we did not get any rain. However, our gutters are still running with water, which the ducks really like.
I splashed through the water on the boardwalk once again, yesterday. When I got through my walk, I was dripping! Mama gator was out getting breakfast, I guess, or hidden on the other side of the nest, because she was not visible. If the rain keeps up, there will be plenty of water for the babies when they hatch. I like to hear them grunt when they come out and after they start moving around.
I was in time, as I walked to the tower, to see the six or seven footer come swimming swiftly in to head under the tower, and as I started up the steps, I heard a tremendous thump and splash and out he came, with a hydrilla leaf on his head. He must have found something to eat underneath in the thick hydrilla. God is good!
From Ecclesiastes 4,5,and 8 NLT
"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person fails, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."
"People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night's sleep."
"And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Well, I heard thunder late last night, but we did not get any rain. However, our gutters are still running with water, which the ducks really like.
I splashed through the water on the boardwalk once again, yesterday. When I got through my walk, I was dripping! Mama gator was out getting breakfast, I guess, or hidden on the other side of the nest, because she was not visible. If the rain keeps up, there will be plenty of water for the babies when they hatch. I like to hear them grunt when they come out and after they start moving around.
I was in time, as I walked to the tower, to see the six or seven footer come swimming swiftly in to head under the tower, and as I started up the steps, I heard a tremendous thump and splash and out he came, with a hydrilla leaf on his head. He must have found something to eat underneath in the thick hydrilla. God is good!
From Ecclesiastes 4,5,and 8 NLT
"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person fails, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken."
"People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night's sleep."
"And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Confidence
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the beautiful sunrise day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
Wow! We went to bed last night to thunder and lightning and pouring rain! That was unexpected, because I thought rain was not predicted. Oh, well, the weatherman has been wrong before!
The boardwalk at the Park was still wet from rain Sunday, so I splashed through the puddles on my walk, but, unfortunately, they did not keep me cool. I spoke to Mama gator, still guarding faithfully at the base of the nest. In case I hadn't told you, the nest is about three ft. high, and the eggs are buried at the top, with trees and stuff growing all over the mound. Not like a bird's nest or a chicken nest.
Amazingly, no trash was in the nesting area, so maybe the signs are doing some good!
As I walked to the tower, I heard the chirping of a bird and looked carefully, and saw a blackbird in a tree, just sitting there chirping. He kept it up the whole time I was looking around and seemed content to stay in one spot. God is amazing!!
From the Promise Bible NLT
Where do we find confidence for every day?
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?
Psalm 121:8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever."
John 16:33 " I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Many of the greatest athletes say that their real contest is a mental, not a physical one. It's the same way in our spiritual life. Our confidence comes not from looking around at our physical circumstances, but from looking to God.
How can we have confidence in the face of life's greatest hardships?
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."
When we rely on God, he will not let us down. Our limited understanding is no match for his limitless love and grace.
Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
Our happiness rises and falls, but our steady confidence comes from the consistency of Christ.-not in circumstances.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wow! We went to bed last night to thunder and lightning and pouring rain! That was unexpected, because I thought rain was not predicted. Oh, well, the weatherman has been wrong before!
The boardwalk at the Park was still wet from rain Sunday, so I splashed through the puddles on my walk, but, unfortunately, they did not keep me cool. I spoke to Mama gator, still guarding faithfully at the base of the nest. In case I hadn't told you, the nest is about three ft. high, and the eggs are buried at the top, with trees and stuff growing all over the mound. Not like a bird's nest or a chicken nest.
Amazingly, no trash was in the nesting area, so maybe the signs are doing some good!
As I walked to the tower, I heard the chirping of a bird and looked carefully, and saw a blackbird in a tree, just sitting there chirping. He kept it up the whole time I was looking around and seemed content to stay in one spot. God is amazing!!
From the Promise Bible NLT
Where do we find confidence for every day?
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?
Psalm 121:8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever."
John 16:33 " I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Many of the greatest athletes say that their real contest is a mental, not a physical one. It's the same way in our spiritual life. Our confidence comes not from looking around at our physical circumstances, but from looking to God.
How can we have confidence in the face of life's greatest hardships?
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."
When we rely on God, he will not let us down. Our limited understanding is no match for his limitless love and grace.
Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
Our happiness rises and falls, but our steady confidence comes from the consistency of Christ.-not in circumstances.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, August 13, 2007
Phillippians 4:13
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the slightly cooler day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I noticed on my daily weather prediction that the heat index is not supposed to reach 100 today! What a blessing!
I had a fairly quiet weekend, trying to stay indoors and cool. We rode through the Park a couple times, and it always looks so peaceful and calm. We have had some rain, both days and that keeps the water up at the park. Speaking of that, there is a picture of a gator taken at Sawgrass, in the Times classified this morning.
Yesterday, I saw another roseate spoonbill at the lake near us. What beautiful pinks. I don't think the bird even knows how beautiful he is! God is good!!!
From Quiet Moments for Teachers:
What's the problem?
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
...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 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... in other words you start enjoying a real, good, old-fashioned panic attack.
Problems can feel ten times larger 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
I had a fairly quiet weekend, trying to stay indoors and cool. We rode through the Park a couple times, and it always looks so peaceful and calm. We have had some rain, both days and that keeps the water up at the park. Speaking of that, there is a picture of a gator taken at Sawgrass, in the Times classified this morning.
Yesterday, I saw another roseate spoonbill at the lake near us. What beautiful pinks. I don't think the bird even knows how beautiful he is! God is good!!!
From Quiet Moments for Teachers:
What's the problem?
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
...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 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... in other words you start enjoying a real, good, old-fashioned panic attack.
Problems can feel ten times larger 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
Friday, August 10, 2007
Change
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another hot day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! When I stepped outside this morning, I noticed the tiny sliver of the moon, so tomorrow is the day I won't see it for awhile.
Due to the rain lately, our Mexican petunias are blooming abundantly and very pretty. The purple blooms only last for a day, but many are left to open the next day.
I had a very warm, breezeless walk yesterday and spoke to Mama gator, who was on the left side of the nest. I wonder if she is getting ready for the hatching of the babies? They should be popping out the end of this month or the first of Sept. Then as I got to the tower, I watched clear across the lake as a gator swam on the far side.
When I started back, the same small gator that had been on the bank the day before, was curled up in the same spot again. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God
Hebrews 6:11 "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure."
...Change takes place in all our lives. One season ends and another begins. We may say good-bye to a job, a relationship, a town, or a dream. With each ending, we have a choice. We can walk away without looking back, ignoring the closure and attention that's needed, or we can take the time to finish well-to tie up loose ends, to say our good-byes, to work hard right to the end. Only then can we know we have closed out the old chapter with integrity.
Is there an area of your life that needs attention today? Something that needs to be finished well? Take a moment and ask God to help you close the door. then you can face your new beginning with confidence.
The crossroads are down here. Which way to pull the rein? The left brings you but loss. The right nothing but gain.
Angelus Silesius
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Due to the rain lately, our Mexican petunias are blooming abundantly and very pretty. The purple blooms only last for a day, but many are left to open the next day.
I had a very warm, breezeless walk yesterday and spoke to Mama gator, who was on the left side of the nest. I wonder if she is getting ready for the hatching of the babies? They should be popping out the end of this month or the first of Sept. Then as I got to the tower, I watched clear across the lake as a gator swam on the far side.
When I started back, the same small gator that had been on the bank the day before, was curled up in the same spot again. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God
Hebrews 6:11 "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure."
...Change takes place in all our lives. One season ends and another begins. We may say good-bye to a job, a relationship, a town, or a dream. With each ending, we have a choice. We can walk away without looking back, ignoring the closure and attention that's needed, or we can take the time to finish well-to tie up loose ends, to say our good-byes, to work hard right to the end. Only then can we know we have closed out the old chapter with integrity.
Is there an area of your life that needs attention today? Something that needs to be finished well? Take a moment and ask God to help you close the door. then you can face your new beginning with confidence.
The crossroads are down here. Which way to pull the rein? The left brings you but loss. The right nothing but gain.
Angelus Silesius
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
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