The Birth of Jesus the Messiah

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! More sunshine and warming up to the low eighties today is the prediction...this is winter? But it feels good to me. I am not a lover of cold weather any more. As I get older, my bones do not like to be cold!

I did a lot of shopping at Publix yesterday, and a very helpful deli worker gave me some super service in selecting a ham. But out of my long list of items, I forgot the most important one (to me) tea!! I really enjoy a cup of tea in the morning and I have about one bag left. Of course, I have other teas in the cupboard, but cannot believe I forgot to get Lipton's! Well, on the other hand, I discovered that they carry pecan pralines..coated glazed pecans, very yummy! That was a nice surprise!

I had planned to spend today wrapping gifts, but I will have to make a trip to get the tea, and then pick up my Amish quilt from the cleaners. Then that will be a wrap!

Matthew and Daryl will be here sometime early in the morning, so I will be taking a vacation until after Christmas.

I did get to the park yesterday and enjoyed the peace, shadows and wildlife God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 1:18-25
Now this is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Joseph , her fiance, being a just man, decided to break the engagement quietly, so as not to disgrace her publicly.

As he considered this, he fell asleep, and an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. "Joseph, son of David," the angel said, "do not be afraid to go ahead with your marriage to Mary. For the child within her has been conceived by the Holy Spirit. And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. All of this happened to fulfill the Lord's message through his prophet:

"Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son, and he will be called Immanuel (meaning, God is with us.)"

When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord commanded. He brought Mary home to be his wife, but she remained a virgin until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

(just a personal thought; One of my favorite Christmas songs is Michael Card's Joseph's Song"
about Joseph's doubts and thoughts about how he can raise the Son of God.)

I wish you all a very blessed Christmas and Happy New Year!

I always thank God for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and Hugs,
Amaryllis

Paul's Joy

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! Bright sunshine and clear skies once again are the order for the day, just like yesterday, the day before,...well, you get the picture! We are so dry that the watering of the yards has been cut to once a week. I don't water at all, and my yard is suffering as a result.  But, according to the prediction, we may get a few showers maybe Christmas day.

We need it!

I am still not ready for Christmas as far as material things go. I have gift wrapping and I still do not have the house quite finished decorating. I am expecting Daryl and Matthew sometime early Sat. morning, since they will be driving all night. Last year they came in so quietly, I did not even hear them!

I got good news from Dr. Pierce yesterday morning, that I was still adjusted, so take that! anyone who says I am maladjusted! He also gave me a gentle hug and wished me a blessed Christmas and Happy New Year! After I left there, I did more shopping, then came home, had lunch and let my cleaning ladies in. They cleaned one last time before a short Christmas vacation and also cleaned out the fridge, which needed it!

I took a trip into the park and saw about 8 Ranger trucks parked in front of the building, so I guess they must have been having a meeting or a party. When my friend, Terry, was supervisor, he used to always have a Christmas party and invited me. It was fun! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Philippians 1:12

Paul's joy that Christ is preached And I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, that everything that has happened to me here has helped to spread the Good News. For everyone here including all the soldiers in the palace guard, knows that I am in chains because of Christ. And because of my imprisonment , many of the Christians here have gained confidence and become more bold in telling others about Christ...

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Love your enemies

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 have the heat on this morning, to warm up the house because it is just up to sixty outside and ten degrees warmer on the inside. But we still have loads of sunshine and clear skies, so that means a warm up as the day progresses.

I had a busy shopping day yesterday, finally getting caught up. Traffic was thick everywhere! I went to Park Place Mall  to Family Christian store and they were really busy. It's good to see Christian stores doing a good business! However, they get their share of grouchy people. The woman coming up behind me as I was waiting to check out, muttered in a loud voice, " They only have one register open" and I told her that there were two. actually, then she muttered something I will not repeat. Some people are not forgiving of crowds any time!

Then I drove to Gateway Mall, even more crowded, found a close parking space right in front of the door, and filled a shopping cart at Beall's. I am not finished, yet, but getting closer! I thought I would treat myself to a peppermint milk shake at Steak and Shake, but the drive in girl came to each car outside, said the speaker was not working and inviting people to come inside for service. When I told her I just wanted a shake, she told me the shake maker was also down. It must have been catching, because later when I went to Checkers for a shake, theirs was down also! I should have gotten one at Chick-fil-a while at Park place!

I saw lots of ibis, an osprey on the line, and lots of seagulls and ducks, all around Lynch Lake as I was on the way home. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Luke 7:27-31

But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies. Do good to those who
hate you. Pray for those who hurt you. Pray for the happiness of those
who curse you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn the other cheek.
If someone demands your coat, offer your shirt also. Give what you have to
anyone who asks you for it, and when things are taken away from you, don't
try to get them back. Do for others as you would like them to do for you.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

1 Thessalonians

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another chilly morning, but with clear skies and lots of sunshine, and with a promise of warmer temps in the next few days. Yesterday was beautiful...just cool enough for long sleeves and a light sweater.

I had a visit to my dentist across town just a stone's throw from Tyrone Mall. You can imagine what the traffic was like! I drove all the way out 62nd Ave. behind a car from Michigan which was going under the speed limit. No passing on that two lane street, so I listened to Christmas music on the radio and tried not to think evil thoughts about the driver. I was glad to get to 66th st. which is three lanes, so I chose the middle lane where the MI, driver was not! I made the appointment with 5 minutes to spare and got in to the hygienist chair right away. Whew! That was an ordeal! I got an excellent report on my teeth, though! She said I must floss like a mad woman! (Which I do after every meal).

After a stop to shop a little, I made my way home without getting behind another slow driver, and stopped off at the park to see what was going on. There were quite a few people there and the guy who lives in his car was there sorting through some of the stuff he has crammed in his formerly nice Toyota.

I had read an interesting article in the Times a couple days ago, about what critters live in the gopher tortoise tunnels besides the gophers. I was amazed that besides the snakes, which I knew about, there are even burrowing owls that live there, raccoons, and other animals. The tunnels are very long with side areas that serve as rooms, I guess. God is good!

From The Promise Bible NLT:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

I can tell you this, directly from the Lord:
We who are still living when the Lord returns will not rise to meet him
ahead of those who are in their graves. For the Lord himself will
come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the call of
the archangel , and with the trumpet call of God. First, all the Christians
who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we
who are still alive, and remain on the earth will be caught up in the
clouds and will meet the Lord in the air and will remain with him forever.
So comfort and encourage each other with these words.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Reviewing the Day

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 definitely cooler with temps in the high fifties...good for those who love winter, not so much for me who likes the warm temps! But lots of sunshine and warming up during the week, so we will be in the eighties again by Friday.  Sounds good for Daryl and Matthew, who are coming down Friday from Tenn.!

We had a wonderful combined service yesterday with the children of all ages leading, including the puppets! The little angels came in leading a mini Mary, the baby, and I think Joseph was in there some place. We have many talented little ones who played instruments, and sang. They were much appreciated by the large crowd who thoroughly enjoyed them. After some pertinent thoughts from our temporary youth director, we enjoyed a brunch in honor of our children and family pastor who is leaving for cold Minn.! He is following God's call wherever it leads!

Well, I am not ready for Christmas, so this will be a busy week for me. Lots of shopping to do, and the trouble with that, is that I have no idea what to buy for certain ones! Well, money always works!

I visited Sawgrass several times, just to soak in the peace...saw the gator sunning on the bank of the lake and several turtles on the weir across the road.Also, an anhinga with outstretched wings drying out. God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

This I recall to my mind. Therefore have I hope. It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.
Lamentations 3:21-22 KJV

In You Don't Have to Be Blind to See, Jim Stovall writes: Your values determine your character, and they set a framework for the choices you make as well as a framework for evaluating your success. In other words, your values provide the framework for self-accountability.

Each night before I go to bed, I review the day I've just lived. And I evaluate it. I say about various things I've done or said, and about the choices I've made, "That was good. That was great. That wasn't so hot." In appraising my actions and decisions, I'm able to make mid-course corrections as I pursue my goals. In appraising my deeds of a day. I can close my eyes and have a sense of accomplishment, of being one step closer to the fulfillment of my destiny on earth."

Reviewing the day and your values against the criteria of God's Word is a valuable exercise. It allows you to eliminate regret and pride, and you can wipe the slate clean for tomorrow's divine handwriting.

When you recall things about which you are pleased, you praise the Lord for the wisdom, strength and ability He provided throughout the day. Ask him to use your good deeds and right judgments to expand His kingdom on the earth.

Before bed, put both good and bad in God's hands. You can rest in hope for tomorrow because His mercy and compassion give you a new opportunity to set things right, and you can build on the good, moving forward in His power and love.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Luke 6

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 got the sun back yesterday afternoon and it is here today, also. Even though it is a little cool today, because our cold front came through, it is still a lot warmer than other places in the country! No snow to wade through, just leaves all over the place!

As I was driving yesterday, I noticed lots of contrails criss-crossing in the blue sky. Very cold air up there, and people flying different places. Some of them must get a good view of snow covered fields and cities. I flew to Charlotte several years ago, and there was snow piled up on the airport and fields. It did not seem so cold, though, for some reason. I have seen snow several times, but never had to drive in it!

As I was coming home a couple days ago, I heard A Christmas song that is not played nearly enough and is one of my favorites; Michael Card singing his song, "Joseph's Song". I pulled into the garage and left the radio on JOY  FM, so I could hear the rest of the song. It is so lovely the way he expresses the thoughts of Joseph as he questions his ability to raise and be a father to the Son of God. I like Michael Card's voice anyway. A great talent!

After I dropped off a quilt at Rogers's cleaners, I drove on to the park, and was glad to see a volunteer carefully cleaning all the trash out of the canal in front of the weir. It has looked messy for over a week, with what was washed down from the houses that back up to it further down.

An ibis was perched in a tree further down, and a moorhen was sitting in a bush on the other side. Not a whole lot of people, but a group of birders were discussing things with a ranger. I don't know why birders dress so funny, but they are easy to spot...shorts, binocs and sun hats, and usually boots, and  backpacks. But I can understand their interest in birds, because I love to see them, too. I went on a hike looking for birds many years ago with Mike, the naturalist, before he retired. He knew every bird and lots about them. He showed me photos of his trip to a panda preserve in China where he went on vacation one year. Fascinating! He was only allowed there because of his profession! God is good!

The Beautitudes

Then Jesus turned to his disciples and said,

"God blesses you who are poor,
for the Kingdom of God is given to you.
God blesses you who are hungry now,
for you will be satisfied.
God blesses you who weep now,
for the time will come when you will
laugh with joy.
 God blesses you who are hated and
excluded  and mocked and cursed
because you are identified with me, the Son of Man.

When that happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy!
 For a great reward  awaits you in heaven.
And remember, the ancient prophets were also
treated that way by your ancestors.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Be Silent

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 haven't seen the sun yet, so the cold front came through and I can feel the difference in the air. Low seventies in the house and 65 outside. Not cool enough for heat, but no need for A/C. Yay!

My cleaning ladies came yesterday afternoon, and so a little more decorating got done. I am expecting Daryl and Matthew in two weeks, so if everything is not done by then, they won't care. I heard the prediction that Christmas day will  be rainy, so hopefully, the prediction is wrong. We need the rain, but not on special days!

I made a trip to the library and then to the park. Saw the squirrels leaping across the road and what looked like a duck in the canal. For some reason, the ducks don't hang out at the park, Maybe because they would not last with the gators around.!

The man who must live out of his car was there again, with some of his stuff laid out on a picnic table. His car is packed full of everything you can think of, so I don't think he can sleep in it. I have seen him in the library parking lot and various other places. He must have an interesting story in his past.

Well, my porch is full of leaves again, after being blown off  Tuesday, so if the wind dies down a little today, I will have to sweep, but God is good!

From the little devotional book Knowing God:

Be silent before the Lord and wait expectantly for Him.
Psalm 37:7 HCSB

Sometimes God speaks loudly and clearly. More often, He speaks in a
quiet voice--and if you are wise, you will be listening carefully when He
does. To do so, you must carve out quiet moments to study His word and
sense His direction.

Can you quiet yourself long enough to listen to your conscience? Are you attuned to the subtle guidance of your intuition? Are you willing to pray sincerely and then to wait quietly for God's response? Hopefully so. Usually God refrains from sending His messages on stone tablets or city billboards. More often, He communicates in other ways. Of you sincerely desire to hear His voice, you must listen carefully,  and you must do so in the silent corners of  your quiet, willing heart.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis