Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Temptation

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! When I stepped outside much earlier this morning, I noticed the bright star once again in the east..must be Venus, but did not see any others. God is Awesome!

Well, I have been playing a waiting game this morning. Waiting for the plumber to come, and when he did, the problem was solved in five minutes, but it cost a lot more! Also, David was late coming to mow, but now the plumber is gone and David is mowing, so soon all will be taken care of.

The park was nice and peaceful when we visited yesterday, but a large truck with two huge round pipes was parked in front of the building, so I don't know what is going on. Guess I will have to ask Mike. I was happy to see a gopher tortoise in his usual high grass, munching away at the succulent stalks. Yum!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

-Do I have the power to resist overwhelming temptation?

James 4:7 Hunble yourselves before God . Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

The devil can tempt us, but we can resist him just as Jesus did--by responding to the temptation with the truth in God's word.

1 John 4:4 Every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory. And the ones who win this battle against the world are the ones who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.

We can break free from temptation when we change our focus and our minds. Instead of thinking about our weakness, we can fill our minds with the promise of God's strength. In Christ we have power. We must never forget that the Holy Spirit is great enoiugh to overcome any threat against us.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Wisdom

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! When I stepped outside this morning, the stars were still twinkling, with one bright one in the east... must have been Venus. A beautiful sight! God is good!

As I was running errands yesterday, I drove by a couple schools and saw that the teachers are already busily at work getting ready for the students next week. This means summer is almost over and time to get to work for the kids! Apparently, the economy has not affected parents at St. Pete Christian so much, because hundreds of cars were parked all around the campus on the grass.

As I drove through the Park. I noticed an anhinga airing its wings on the dead log that looks so much like the old Florida, with a turtle sunning on the log nearby. A wonderful natural spot. One of God's offerings to us!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

What are the benefits of wisdom?

Psalm 111:10 Reverence for the Lord is the foundation of true wisdom. the rewards of wisdom come to all who obey him. Praise his name forever!

Wisdom is not simply knowing facts and figures, it is understanding that an all-powerful, all-knowing God has designed a moral universe with consequences for our good and evil choices. Wisdom begins with understanding our accountability to and our full dependence on our Creator. It's not what we know, but who we know.

Proverbs 3:21,26 My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to these, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling. You can lie down without fear and enjoy pleasant dreams. You need not be afraid of disaster or the destruction that comes upon the wicked, for the Lord is your security. He will keep your foot from being caught in a trap.

Wisdom produces honor in our lives and protects us from trouble. Wise people know the difference between right and wrong and choose to do what's right. More than that, wisdom is choosing to apply God's truth and principles to our daily relationships and situations.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Monday, August 17, 2009

Psoaring thru Psalm 34

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 quiet, cooler, overcast day yesterday, today the sky is blue, streaked with pink clouds and the promise of sunshine and a very hot day!

Looks like the tropical disturbance in the gulf has moved on north, if that was the cause of our cloudy weather yesterday. On the one outing we had yesterday we checked in at the park and saw two peahens on the way in, and a smaller cousin of the large gopher tortoise that hangs out at the curve. They look indestructible, but I know they are not I also spied my favorite sight, a roseate spoonbill at our local lake. What beauty in the lovely pinks of that bird. God is special and good!

Even though I did not attend church because of my coughing, I can listen to the sermon online since my faithful friend put it there already! I am thankful for him!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 34:1-10

I will praise the Lord at all times;
I will constantly speak his praises,
I will boast only in the Lord;
let all who are discouraged take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness,
let us exalt his name together.

I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me,
healing me from all my fears.
Those who look to him for help
will be radiant with joy;
no shadow or shame with darken their faces.
I cried out to the Lord in my suffering
and he heard me.
He set me free from all my fears,
For the angel of the Lord guards all who fear him,
and he rescues them.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Friday, August 14, 2009

A Prayer

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!

When I stepped outside this morning, the crescent moon was shining low is the eastern sky and a bright star was even lower. Then the sky was streaked with beautiful pinks, and golds as the sun started to come up. God is Awesome!

Our staghorn fern is getting huge because of all the rain. It hangs down to the ground now, but weighs so much it can't be pulled up higher to the tree. It is really beautiful! The squirrels like to take the banana peels out of it that i drop in the top.

Because I felt puny yesterday, I never left the house..just stayed home and coughed, but, hopefully, the antibiotics will start showing up today and I will feel better. The Great Physician is at work!

Prayer

Eternal Heavenly Father, we know that You are more eager to hear our prayers than we are to pray them, and more concerned to respond to them than we expect You to be, Forgive us now with that complete pardon that eases the troubled conscience and replaces its sharp torment with a permanent peace. This we ask that Your risen Son may be more alive among us.
Amen

-Bryan Jeffrey Leech (from Hymns for the Family of God)

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Thursday, August 13, 2009

What's the Rush?

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! Well, I'm back on track now, after an early appointment with the doctor yesterday, to get something done about this nagging cough. I am on antibiotics and a new cough med, so, last night I slept well for the first time in a week! PTL! The Doctor said a lot of people have coughs right now, so something is going around.

God's timing was really perfect yesterday, because when I came out of the waiting room, dark clouds were threatening, and I had to stop at the pharmacy, but made it home just as the sprinkles came. Then came the hard rain! I also had a narrow escape from a large car, which did not stop at a stop sign, and almost hit me just three doors from my house! God protects me! !I am thankful for that!

When I went to the park after the rain, everything looked fresh and green and lovely and the water was almost over the weir. Not many people were out..too hot. I did not even see the usual herons and egrets, for some reason, just the squirrels chasing each other and racing across the street. God is good!

From Quiet Moments with God for Teachers:

Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord's coming.
James 5:7

Rush hour traffic. What comes to mind when you hear those words? Chances are they don't put a smile on your face, cause your heartbeat to slow, or drop your blood pressure to healthy levels. More likely they bring up images of exhaust smoke, angry drivers, brake lights, and those ever-popular "Detour" or "Lane Closed Ahead" signs.

Rush hour has become an oxymoron, like jumbo shrimp. Too many cars have taken the rush out of rush hour. Despite the number of people working part time, on late shifts, or at home, more cars seem to be on the road between 8:00 and 6:00 P.M. than there are people on the planet. And we all know there's absolutely nothing that can be done about it--unless you live in Thailand.

Proving that traffic cops have a sense of humor, an officer in Bangkok gave his men some rather unusual instructions. During morning rush hour at one of the worst spots in town, these traffic directors suddenly looked more like dande-troupe hopefuls than ticket-writing law enforcers.

Since the traffic wasn't going anywhere, anyway, why not do some pirouttes or some break dancing? Why not lighten the mood (if not the load) on the road?

The result has been all they had hoped. The traffic is still tied up in knots, but people are more cheerful about their situation, and the cops are happier too.

Sometimes we feel pressed on all sides, and there seems to be no way out. Perhaps those around us keep turning up the heat, and we can sense we're getting closer and closer to the breaking point.

That's when we need to realize how far we've come and that the rest of the journey will have bright moments if we'll only reach out for them. That's the time to laugh anyway, and do a few pirouettes!

We must wait for God, long,
meekly in the wind and wet,
in the thunder and lightning,
in the cold and dark. Wait,
and he will come. He never
comes to those who do not wait.
Frederick William Faber

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Plans

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 am having a little trouble getting started this morning..just feel tired and unambitious. But I have accomplished a lot, laundry, breakfast and dishes, so enough of that!

When I visited the Park yesterday, I stopped to watch two anhingas sort of fighting for the same spot on a dead log. First time I had seen two together. They are usually loners, not like the moorhens who mate for life. Not many people were there because it was so hot and the first of the week, I guess. Anyway, the grass was very green as were the weeds and all was peaceful. God is good!

Planning from the Promise Bible NLT:

How am I suppose to plan my life?

Proverbs 2:1-11 My child, listen to me and treasure my instructions. Tune your ears to wisdom, and concentrate on understanding. Cry out for insight and understanding. Search for them as you would for lost money or hidden treasure. Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord, and you will gainknowledge of God. For the Lord grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He grants a treasure of good sense to the godly. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of justice and protects those who are faithful to him. then you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy. Wise planning will watch over you. Understanding will keep you safe.

A plan is only as good as the information upon which it's based. Our human intellect is limited and inadequate. Apart from the Lord, our plans are liable to fail. The Lord promises wisdom to those who rely on his word and depend on his Spirit.

What if my plans fall short of God's plans for me?

Proverbs 19:21 You can make many plans, but the Lord's purpose will prevail.

Our plans cannot mess up God's plans!

What gives me confidence in my plans?

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 in control of all things and always has been. Jesus Christ, who is now resurrected and ruling, will govern and guide us in the best possible ways.

Do not doubt God's good intentions for us. the wonder of creation, the evidence of his constant care, and the priceless gift of Jesus Christ for our salvation give us confidence that he will establish all who trust in him.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Monday, August 10, 2009

Hope

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! When I stepped outside this morning, the three quarter moon had moved to just about straight up overhead. Seemed like it was lower in the west a few days ago. Anyway, it was beautiful and clear for a change.

After a restless night because of coughing, (but, thanks be to God, I was able to attend church yesterday) I will probably be drowsy the rest of the day. I chased a tiny frog in our house, no bigger than my fingernail, but leaping at least twelve inches at a time, and caught it with a tissue. I opened the door and deposited him outside. "All creatures great and small..." "The Lord God loves them all."

I saw a great blue heron in the park with his head all scrunched down...hard to tell just what he was at first. Not many people there, but it was very hot yesterday. We stayed in and kept cool. God is good to provide for all our needs

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can I have hope when times are tough?

Hebrews 10:23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Our hope is rooted in God's integrity and faithfulness. When everything else falls apart we can cling to the fact that God keeps his word.

John 14:1 Don't be troubled . You trust in God, now trust in me.

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.

Our troubles do not surprise the Lord and should not surprise us. Trouble is rampant in this fallen world. Our focus should be on Jesus who has overcome this world and all its troubles.

Romans 15:13 I pray that God, who gives you hope, will keep you happy and full of peace as you believe in him. May you overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

Our hope is rooted in the wonderful acts of God in creation and history. The Bible gives full testimony to the fact that God is able to deliver us from any and every circumstance. He will either get us out of it or bring us through it--for his glory and our joy.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis