Phlipping thru Philippians

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 another sunshiny day with temps expected to get up to the high eighties this afternoon, so we are back to summer!

I kept my dentist appointment yesterday afternoon, and there was a big black cloud hanging overhead around the Mall area, but no rain. However, because of the overcast, the air was very nice. It turns out, that even though it feels to my tongue that I have a broken tooth, even after an x-ray, there is no sign of one, so I was out of there in thirty minutes, with no charge. I am due for a cleaning next month, so if the tooth is still bothering me, I am sure the hygienist will find out what is wrong.

When I drove over to the Mall afterwards, I had thought I would go in Macy's, but it seemed like such a big crowd was out, I decided to give up, so I headed on home and on the way, turned into the Park, and was happy to see the large gator up against the bank of the canal, waiting to climb up on the top, I think. I saw lots of squirrels running back and forth across the road, and a pretty white egret fishing in the canal. BTW, as far as wildlife goes, I have two large anoles residing in my bedroom now. I do not appreciate their boldness! I need my grandson to come down and capture them! But God is good and maybe he will keep them off the bed!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Philippians 4:5-9
Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again-
rejoice! Let everyone 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 . 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

Psoaring thru Psalm 19

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! From the water dripping off the roof, I would think we either had a heavy dew or rain last night. I didn't see any signs of rain on the porch floor, and just a couple big drips from the roof, so it could not have been much wetness, but we will take all we can get!

It is still overcast , though, so maybe we will get  some more sprinkles. I have a dentist appointment this afternoon, out near the Mall, so maybe it will rain then.

Yesterday, after church, and a meeting, I drove out to Boston Market and ordered their barbeque chicken, rib combo once more. I had it last week and the ribs were so good, I wanted to try it again. They also, have squash casserole, one of my favorites, so I ordered that again. Their servings are so generous, I have a plate all ready for tonight!

A little later, I drove over to the Park, (after watching the Rays sweep Oakland), and saw the plump gator curled up on the bank of the canal near the weir. An anhinga was sunning on the weir, not paying any attention to the gator. Then, as I was coming around the circle, a hawk swooped very low in front of the windshield, and I stopped and looked to see where he was going, but could not see for the trees. That was exciting! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 19:9-14
Reverence for the Lord is pure lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true; each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.
They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to those who hear them;
there is great reward for those who obey them.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep me from deliberate sins!
Don't let them control me.
Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 100

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 another sunshiny, warm and very windy day ahead, so I expect more leaves to land on the porch today..

I have been very interested in the Boston lock down as police and others search for the second suspect in the Marathon bombing. One of the brothers is dead and the other is believed to be armed with a body bomb strapped to him. I heard an interview with a former classmate of his who could not believe he was capable of doing what he apparently did.  We never know what is in the hearts of some people.

But God is great and He is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

A psalm of thanksgiving

Shout with joy to the Lord, O earth!
Worship the Lord with gladness.
 Come before him, singing with joy.
Acknowledge that the Lord is God!@
He made us and we are his.
We are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving;
go into his courts with praise.
Give thanks to him and bless his name.
For the Lord is good.
His unfailing love continues forever,
 and his faithfulness continues to each generation.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Nuggets from Nahum

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! It is another beautiful, sunshiny day with more record setting temps expected. All across the states, just about any kind of weather anyone could want can be found...snow in Co., rain in the Midwest and even stormy weather. But here, it is just about perfect, although already there are complaints about the heat. Just a couple weeks ago, I heard complaints about the cold! Some people are never satisfied.

When I was in Publix yesterday, I found that they carry the new candies from Hershey..called Brookside, they are dark chocolates the size of blueberries, surrounding tart fruit flavored centers. I bought two bags...one blueberry and one pomegranate. I already had the Acai flavored ones. Delicious!

When I drove to the park yesterday, I saw a few people standing close to a very large, snapper turtle, who was way out of his element, which is the water. He was posing for pictures with his head raised , until he got tired of the crowd and headed on into the bushes. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Nahum 1:2-8
The Lord is a jealous God, filled with vengeance and wrath.
He takes revenge on all who oppose him and furiously destroys his enemies!
The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great,
and he never lets the guilty go unpunished. He displays
his power in the whirlwind and the storm. the billowing
clouds are the dust beneath his feet. At his command the
oceans and rivers dry up. The lush pastures of Bashan and
Carmel fade, and the green forests of Lebanon wilt. In his
presence the mountains quake and the hills melt away; the
earth trembles and its people are destroyed. Who can stand
before his fierce anger? Who can survive his burning fury?
His rage bursts forth like fire, and the mountains crumble like dust  in his presence.

The Lord is good. When trouble comes, he is a strong refuge,
and he knows everyone who trusts in him. But he sweeps away
his enemies in an overwhelming flood. He pursues his foes
in the darkness of night.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 145

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! Yesterday set a record for high temps in Tampa for this time of year, and today looks like another record setter. I am not complaining, because we had a very long, cool winter, so as long as the A/C works, I am comfy.

I went to Publix to get a "few" things, which always turns out to be a lot more than what is on my list, saw two friends from church, and chatted with them for a few minutes, and then came out to scorching heat. Well, at least, it seemed that way. There was no wind blowing, so it seemed a lot warmer than it was!

I had planned to go to the park, but my way was blocked by emergency vehicles in front of St. Pete Christian school, ..don't know what the problem was, but, hopefully, all is well. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 145:13 
The Lord is faithful in all he says.
he is gracious is all he does.
The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
All eyes look to you for help.
You give them their food as they need it.

When you open your hand, you satisfy
the hunger and thirst of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him.
He hears their cries for help and rescues them.
The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

I will praise the Lord
and everyone on earth will bless his holy name
forever and forever.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 91

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 lots of sunshine and not much promise of rain, but the breeze right now is cool, even though we will be hot again this afternoon.

My yard man came early yesterday morning, before I even had a chance to shower, or send an email, but even though everything looked good and cleaned off when he got through, today the leaves are all over the driveway and a few on the porch. I don't know why they are falling now, when all of the new leaves are back on the trees. Sigh. One of the mysteries of nature...

I had the TV on a lot yesterday, watching the horrific coverage of the tragedy in Boston. Just incomprehensible to me how someone could do that! One thing I have noticed is that people who usually do not speak of God, except maybe in inappropriate ways, are now saying thoughts and prayers are with the people affected. And pray for Boston is another popular slogan! Too bad it takes a situation like this to remind people that God is in control. But, even through man made disasters like this, God is Good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 91
Those who live in the shelter of the most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty
This I declare of the Lord;
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;
He is my God and I am trusting him.
For he will rescue you from every trap,
and will protect you from the fatal plague.
He will shield you with his wings.
He will shelter you with his feathers.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.
Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,
nor fear the dangers of the day;
nor dread the plague that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday.
Though a thousand fall at your side,
though ten thousand are dying around you,
these evils will not touch you.
But you will see it with your eyes.
You will see how the wicked are punished.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Discernment

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 had a nice rain last night, even though it did not last long, but this morning is sunshiny and a cool breeze is blowing.

I can see lots of tiny mangoes already growing on the tree next door, so it looks like a good crop for them this year. They have several mango trees, some next to the street. Maybe one will be blown into my yard...:o) (The fruit, not the tree.)

Brian and I went to lunch at the Kopper Kitchen Saturday, after meeting at Mari's to have our hair done...him for a haircut and me for styling. She was the one who suggested the place and I had not been there in years, so we drove there and had good salads. I took a slice of lemon meringue pie home, but was disappointed when I ate it. While the meringue was fluffy and delicious, the  lemon part was too tart and I think they used canned lemon juice instead of fresh. Oh, well, maybe another time!

Yesterday I drove over to the park later in the day, and found a sheriff's deputy there with a small crowd around some object. I parked and looked, and saw something covered with a white cloth, then heard a screech. So, I think they had captured a peacock, because that's what it sounded like. Peacocks are beautiful, but they screech very loudly! I had also seen an anhinga on the weir and a beautiful white egret fishing in the canal. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

When I an confused, where do I turn for clarity, wisdom, understanding and direction?

James 1:5-6 If you need wisdom- if you want to know what God wants
you to do ask him, and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your
asking, but when you ask him, but sure you really expect him to answer,
for a doubtful mind is as unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed
by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything
from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and
forth in everything they do.

Psalm 119:125 Give discernment to me, your servant; then I will understand
your decrees.

Discernment is the ability to interpret events and to understand
the true nature of people and situations. Discernment is an aspect
of wisdom. It enables us to see behind the facades that mask the
truth. Discernment shows us through the maze of options that face
us. Like the sun that burns away the fog, discernment cuts through
 the confusion and distractions. Whereas the devil is the "father of lies,"
God is the father of the truth, and he gives discernment to those who
seek it.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis