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! And since this is a day celebrating love, I will just say;
Happy Valentine's Day!!!
"And the greatest of these is love"!
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Jesus teaches about serving others
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! Another cold day! If I could type with gloves on, I would., Personally, I will be glad to see the warm weather back! Yes, I have the furnace running, but I am still cold, because I have not been moving much. But, the sun is shining, and there is no snow, so we are blessed!
I drove to the Park after church yesterday and saw three black turtles sunning on the weir, and across the street, the big gator was also catching some rays. Maybe the water was too cold for him! Not a lot of people were out, but some hardy souls were bundled up and walking. While the sun was hot, the wind was chilly. I enjoyed conversations with my sons, but otherwise, had a quiet afternoon.
I watched the Grammy awards last night, and, I have to tell you, I am so out of it, that I never even heard of Adele, who won a lot of awards. In fact, most of the artists were totally unknown to me. Give me the Dove awards where I know the singers and what they sing! But, God loves all those people and He is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Matthew 21:20-28
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. "What is your request?" he asked.
She replied, "In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left?But Jesus told them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of sorrow I am about to drink?"
"Oh, yes," they replied, "We are able!
"You will indeed drink from it," he told them. "But I have no right to say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."
When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world, kings are tyrants. and and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you, it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be first, must become your slave. For even I, the son of Man, came here not to be served, but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I drove to the Park after church yesterday and saw three black turtles sunning on the weir, and across the street, the big gator was also catching some rays. Maybe the water was too cold for him! Not a lot of people were out, but some hardy souls were bundled up and walking. While the sun was hot, the wind was chilly. I enjoyed conversations with my sons, but otherwise, had a quiet afternoon.
I watched the Grammy awards last night, and, I have to tell you, I am so out of it, that I never even heard of Adele, who won a lot of awards. In fact, most of the artists were totally unknown to me. Give me the Dove awards where I know the singers and what they sing! But, God loves all those people and He is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Matthew 21:20-28
Then the mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to Jesus with her sons. She knelt respectfully to ask a favor. "What is your request?" he asked.
She replied, "In your Kingdom, will you let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one at your right and the other at your left?But Jesus told them, "You don't know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of sorrow I am about to drink?"
"Oh, yes," they replied, "We are able!
"You will indeed drink from it," he told them. "But I have no right to say who will sit on the thrones next to mine. My Father has prepared those places for the ones he has chosen."
When the ten other disciples heard what James and John had asked, they were indignant. But Jesus called them together and said, "You know that in this world, kings are tyrants. and and officials lord it over the people beneath them. But among you, it should be quite different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant. And whoever wants to be first, must become your slave. For even I, the son of Man, came here not to be served, but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Friday, February 10, 2012
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, preceding the rain which is to come tonight or tomorrow, and the winter weather for another day or two. This has really been a mild winter so far...more like spring!
My azaleas are finally blooming and so are the ones at the park! They are so pretty this time of the year. It doesn't last very long, but bring beauty when we need it! I still have not found the name of the little yellow breasted bird I saw in the hedge yesterday, but used to see a lot of them at the park. All was quiet at Sawgrass yesterday..lots of people but not many animals visible, except for the ibis, which were decorating a tree hanging over the canal.
My friend and worker, David, used the Cover Up kilz I bought with the advice of Mr. Putnam at the hardware store, and it worked very well to cover the water stain from the leak in the roof of my fireplace room. I am blessed to have friends who do the work for me, He also did some trimming around the yard, where plants are really starting to grow, with the warm weather we are having.
I was surprised with a phone call from my nephew, who is a Major in the P.D. in Albany, GA. He was telling me about Ancestry,com. and the info his son found there. Apparently, they are related in some way with Bing Crosby and Sarah Palin. Russ says they both know how to tap dance! :o) (little political statement there.)
I went to the library after finishing my other chores and errands and came across several friends from church! Good place for people to meet! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Philippians 4:1-9
Dear Brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends.
And now, I want to plead with those two women, Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And, I ask you, my true teammate, to help these women, for they worked hard with me, telling others the Good News. And they worked with Clement and the rest of my co-workers whose names are written in the book of Life.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again, Rejoice! Let everybody see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me, and heard from me. and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
My azaleas are finally blooming and so are the ones at the park! They are so pretty this time of the year. It doesn't last very long, but bring beauty when we need it! I still have not found the name of the little yellow breasted bird I saw in the hedge yesterday, but used to see a lot of them at the park. All was quiet at Sawgrass yesterday..lots of people but not many animals visible, except for the ibis, which were decorating a tree hanging over the canal.
My friend and worker, David, used the Cover Up kilz I bought with the advice of Mr. Putnam at the hardware store, and it worked very well to cover the water stain from the leak in the roof of my fireplace room. I am blessed to have friends who do the work for me, He also did some trimming around the yard, where plants are really starting to grow, with the warm weather we are having.
I was surprised with a phone call from my nephew, who is a Major in the P.D. in Albany, GA. He was telling me about Ancestry,com. and the info his son found there. Apparently, they are related in some way with Bing Crosby and Sarah Palin. Russ says they both know how to tap dance! :o) (little political statement there.)
I went to the library after finishing my other chores and errands and came across several friends from church! Good place for people to meet! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Philippians 4:1-9
Dear Brothers and sisters, I love you and long to see you, for you are my joy and the reward for my work. So please stay true to the Lord, my dear friends.
And now, I want to plead with those two women, Euodia and Syntyche. Please, because you belong to the Lord, settle your disagreement. And, I ask you, my true teammate, to help these women, for they worked hard with me, telling others the Good News. And they worked with Clement and the rest of my co-workers whose names are written in the book of Life.
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again, Rejoice! Let everybody see that you are considerate in all you do. Remember, the Lord is coming soon.
Don't worry about anything, instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need and thank Him for all he has done. If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.
And now, dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is true and honorable and right. Think about things that are pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into practice all you learned from me, and heard from me. and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Grace Tickets
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! Another overcast day, but cooler, so I don't know whether to take my car in for detailing or not. It is supposed to rain Sat., so I probably should wait until the first of the week. This is a gift card from Brian from Christmas, that I haven't used yet! And the van really needs a good detailing inside!
I saw the most amazing sight last night. I knew the moon was full, so I peeked out the front door and saw this beautiful, bright glow from the moon shining above the layer of clouds ,casting a lamp-like light. I saw this through my huge oak tree which has lost many of the leaves,(and they are still falling), so it was truly amazing seen through that filter!
Then, this morning, outside my window, I saw a tiny, yellow breasted bird fly down and disappear into the thick hedge next door. I will have to look it up in my Peterson Guide. And yesterday, on one of my trips, I saw an osprey on top of one of those very tall electric line poles. And when I drove into the park, a very large, woodstork was standing beside a couple of small, black turtles, sunning on the bank of the weir. Across the street, in his usual spot was the large gator posing for a group of people taking pics. I also saw the very ancient brown, gopher tortoise, very well disguised, walking by his tunnel I thank God for my eyes! God is good!
From the devotional book, Quiet Moments with God:
"The one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out." John 6:37 NASB
A Bible teacher once talked about God's "Grace Tickets". She said God makes himself available to us no matter how many times we reach out for an extra "Grace Ticket". His grace is available to us in liberal amounts. She even prayed that she would have the wisdom to know when to reach out and take another.
When the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM , it is all too easy to slip a hand out from under the covers and push that snooze button to allow for ten more minutes of sleep. You might repeat that movement every ten minutes, until 6 A.M. when the clock radio is programmed to come on
The minute the announcer's voice is heard, you are immediately jolted from bed, realizing you have overslept and must do in twenty minutes what would normally take fifty. The antics that take place in that room are worthy of a feature on a television comedy show.
We all need several of God's grace tickets for times in our lives when we attempt to put God and his timing on hold. Yet God had made himself available to us every minute of the day. We are privileged to call out to him no matter how severe or miniscule our situation. His grace is sufficient for each of us--at all times. He never runs out. It is up to us to open our eyes each morning and reach out to the Giver of all Grace Tickets.
Grace comes into the soul as the morning sun into the world.
First a dawning, then a light, and , at last, the sun in his full and excellent brightness.
Thomas Adams
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I saw the most amazing sight last night. I knew the moon was full, so I peeked out the front door and saw this beautiful, bright glow from the moon shining above the layer of clouds ,casting a lamp-like light. I saw this through my huge oak tree which has lost many of the leaves,(and they are still falling), so it was truly amazing seen through that filter!
Then, this morning, outside my window, I saw a tiny, yellow breasted bird fly down and disappear into the thick hedge next door. I will have to look it up in my Peterson Guide. And yesterday, on one of my trips, I saw an osprey on top of one of those very tall electric line poles. And when I drove into the park, a very large, woodstork was standing beside a couple of small, black turtles, sunning on the bank of the weir. Across the street, in his usual spot was the large gator posing for a group of people taking pics. I also saw the very ancient brown, gopher tortoise, very well disguised, walking by his tunnel I thank God for my eyes! God is good!
From the devotional book, Quiet Moments with God:
"The one who comes to me, I will certainly not cast out." John 6:37 NASB
A Bible teacher once talked about God's "Grace Tickets". She said God makes himself available to us no matter how many times we reach out for an extra "Grace Ticket". His grace is available to us in liberal amounts. She even prayed that she would have the wisdom to know when to reach out and take another.
When the alarm goes off at 5:30 AM , it is all too easy to slip a hand out from under the covers and push that snooze button to allow for ten more minutes of sleep. You might repeat that movement every ten minutes, until 6 A.M. when the clock radio is programmed to come on
The minute the announcer's voice is heard, you are immediately jolted from bed, realizing you have overslept and must do in twenty minutes what would normally take fifty. The antics that take place in that room are worthy of a feature on a television comedy show.
We all need several of God's grace tickets for times in our lives when we attempt to put God and his timing on hold. Yet God had made himself available to us every minute of the day. We are privileged to call out to him no matter how severe or miniscule our situation. His grace is sufficient for each of us--at all times. He never runs out. It is up to us to open our eyes each morning and reach out to the Giver of all Grace Tickets.
Grace comes into the soul as the morning sun into the world.
First a dawning, then a light, and , at last, the sun in his full and excellent brightness.
Thomas Adams
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Seek Strength from God
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! Blue skies and cooler temps this morning in contrast to yesterday's clouds and rain! It was an unusual rain, coming down in tiny drops that still required windshield wipers and an umbrella. But we really needed it and looks like we will get more on Saturday.
After I left the doctor's office and made a stop at CVS, I went on to the park where there was lots of activity, in spite of the slight drizzle. The nature teacher had a large class and was leading them along the sidewalk, stopping to point out things of interest, along the way. People were dog walking and walking on the boardwalk. The rain didn't seem to bother them at all.
I watched an osprey float in to a landing on a tall light pole, on the way home and thought it might have been one from the nest on the Sawgrass school grounds. They look big enough to leave home, now. The ibis seem to be all over the city, in large flocks, so they may be more plentiful than mockingbirds! They do a good job of aereating the ground., God is good!
From the little devotional book Knowing God:
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my victory.
He is my God, and I will praise him.
Where do you go to find strength? The gym? The health food store? The espresso bar? There is a better source of strength, of course, and that source is God, He is a never ending source of strength and courage, if you call upon Him.
Have you "tapped in" to this power of God? Have you turned your life and heart over to Him, or are you muddling along under your own power? The answer to this question will determine the quality of your life here on earth, and the destiny of your life throughout all eternity.
So start tapping in-and remember that when it comes to strength, God is the Ultimate Source.
The same God who empowered Samson, Gideon, and Paul seeks to empower your life and my life, because God hasn't changed.
Dear Heavenly Father, you are my strength and my protector. when I am troubled , You comfort me. When I am discouraged, You lift me up. When I am afraid, You deliver me. Let me turn to you, Lord, when I am weak. In times of adversity, let me trust your plan, Lord, and whatever my circumstances, let me look to you for my strength and my salvation. Amen.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
After I left the doctor's office and made a stop at CVS, I went on to the park where there was lots of activity, in spite of the slight drizzle. The nature teacher had a large class and was leading them along the sidewalk, stopping to point out things of interest, along the way. People were dog walking and walking on the boardwalk. The rain didn't seem to bother them at all.
I watched an osprey float in to a landing on a tall light pole, on the way home and thought it might have been one from the nest on the Sawgrass school grounds. They look big enough to leave home, now. The ibis seem to be all over the city, in large flocks, so they may be more plentiful than mockingbirds! They do a good job of aereating the ground., God is good!
From the little devotional book Knowing God:
The Lord is my strength and my song; he has become my victory.
He is my God, and I will praise him.
Where do you go to find strength? The gym? The health food store? The espresso bar? There is a better source of strength, of course, and that source is God, He is a never ending source of strength and courage, if you call upon Him.
Have you "tapped in" to this power of God? Have you turned your life and heart over to Him, or are you muddling along under your own power? The answer to this question will determine the quality of your life here on earth, and the destiny of your life throughout all eternity.
So start tapping in-and remember that when it comes to strength, God is the Ultimate Source.
The same God who empowered Samson, Gideon, and Paul seeks to empower your life and my life, because God hasn't changed.
Dear Heavenly Father, you are my strength and my protector. when I am troubled , You comfort me. When I am discouraged, You lift me up. When I am afraid, You deliver me. Let me turn to you, Lord, when I am weak. In times of adversity, let me trust your plan, Lord, and whatever my circumstances, let me look to you for my strength and my salvation. Amen.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
absence
Good morning, dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the rainy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it. anyway!
Just a word of explanation for my absence this morning...I had an early appointment with the doctor for my wellness checkup. It's always good to hear a doctor say, "You look incredibly good!" And he mentioned my birthday, so I am sure he meant "in spite of your age". :o) But I'll take any compliments and thank God for my health!
Last night I saw a huge flock of ibis pecking its way down the street and across. They walked through my yard and across the street and just kept moving, and then I saw another flock this morning as I was on my way.
I visited Bay Pines cemetery yesterday and took flowers for Louis' grave in memory of his birthday. The sun was scorching, and since my hands were full, I could not hold an umbrella for shade, but it was peaceful and quiet, and only one other person was there besides me and the workers. It was a good visit. God is good!
See you all again tomorrow, Lord willing!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Just a word of explanation for my absence this morning...I had an early appointment with the doctor for my wellness checkup. It's always good to hear a doctor say, "You look incredibly good!" And he mentioned my birthday, so I am sure he meant "in spite of your age". :o) But I'll take any compliments and thank God for my health!
Last night I saw a huge flock of ibis pecking its way down the street and across. They walked through my yard and across the street and just kept moving, and then I saw another flock this morning as I was on my way.
I visited Bay Pines cemetery yesterday and took flowers for Louis' grave in memory of his birthday. The sun was scorching, and since my hands were full, I could not hold an umbrella for shade, but it was peaceful and quiet, and only one other person was there besides me and the workers. It was a good visit. God is good!
See you all again tomorrow, Lord willing!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, February 6, 2012
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! This is another is the string of warm days that should be spring instead of Feb.! I am comfy in short sleeve, so have gone back to summer clothes, instead of winter. But, at least, I got to wear my leather jacket once and that was on the motorcycle ride a couple weeks ago. Thanks, again, David!
Lots of people are enjoying the park these days...Sat. I saw a bride and groom with their photographer. walking along the sidewalk, up to a bench on the berm for pics. I did not see any other of the wedding party around, just the usual dog-walkers , moms with little ones in strollers, older people with walkers, runners and picnickers. I also saw the big gator, all wet and shiny, turtles black and shiny, and the gopher half out of his tunnel. dry and brown.
I enjoyed attending the date/Knight dinner at Chick-fil-a for sons and moms that Brian made reservations for. I knew we would be the oldest couple there by far, but it was fun. There was a special section reserved with tablecloths sprinkled with colored shiny stars, balloons on the tables and we were served our orders, instead of having to carry them. We also got free ice cream for dessert, and the giant cow came around to give every one high fives and pose for pics. It was a thoughtful thing for the manager to do...
Well, Patriot fans, I was rooting for the Giants, so sorry for you and happy for me! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
How can I know God hears my prayers?
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
The Lord invites us to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
1 Peter 3:12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.
Since prayer is a conversation with God, we must approach God with the same love and courtesy we bring to any relationship we value. We must be humble, not arrogant. We must admit our sin and seek God's forgiveness.
1 John 5:14.15 We can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
While we may not know God's specific will for every situation, we do know that his will is to empower our obedience, to overcome evil with good, and to equip us to be his witnesses. We can pray confidently for his power and guidance, knowing that we are asking for the very things he most longs to give.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Lots of people are enjoying the park these days...Sat. I saw a bride and groom with their photographer. walking along the sidewalk, up to a bench on the berm for pics. I did not see any other of the wedding party around, just the usual dog-walkers , moms with little ones in strollers, older people with walkers, runners and picnickers. I also saw the big gator, all wet and shiny, turtles black and shiny, and the gopher half out of his tunnel. dry and brown.
I enjoyed attending the date/Knight dinner at Chick-fil-a for sons and moms that Brian made reservations for. I knew we would be the oldest couple there by far, but it was fun. There was a special section reserved with tablecloths sprinkled with colored shiny stars, balloons on the tables and we were served our orders, instead of having to carry them. We also got free ice cream for dessert, and the giant cow came around to give every one high fives and pose for pics. It was a thoughtful thing for the manager to do...
Well, Patriot fans, I was rooting for the Giants, so sorry for you and happy for me! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
How can I know God hears my prayers?
Psalm 145:18 The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
The Lord invites us to make prayer our first response rather than our last resort. He always listens to those who are honest with him.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land.
1 Peter 3:12 The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers, But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil.
Since prayer is a conversation with God, we must approach God with the same love and courtesy we bring to any relationship we value. We must be humble, not arrogant. We must admit our sin and seek God's forgiveness.
1 John 5:14.15 We can be confident that he will listen to us whenever we ask him for anything in line with his will. And if we know he is listening when we make our requests, we can be sure that he will give us what we ask for.
While we may not know God's specific will for every situation, we do know that his will is to empower our obedience, to overcome evil with good, and to equip us to be his witnesses. We can pray confidently for his power and guidance, knowing that we are asking for the very things he most longs to give.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
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