Work

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!  The day is starting out overcast, but that is good because that means the heat is not so intense. Looks like the Tropical Storm, Arthur, will not affect us much , since it is moving on up to the Outer Banks.

I have to do my grocery shopping today, so I need to get going, I wait until I am almost out of everything before I go, which means I always have a big load to unload and put away when I get home! Maybe I should just shop more frequently and buy smaller amounts. Sigh.

After my girls got through cleaning yesterday, I kept watching the Rays sweep the Yankees and then went out to buy my supper and take a trip through the Park. I saw the roseate spoonbill in the canal near the entrance and a couple of ibis. The park is open until 9 PM,, now, which means the workers get home late.

I have noticed lots of mockingbirds diving in and out of the hedge next door, which is full of berries right now. Totally inedible to us, but apparently the mockers think they are a delicacy, because that is what they are after! But, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 3:23-25

Work hard and cheerfully at whatever you do as though
you were working for the Lord rather than for people.
Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance
as your reward and the Master you are serving is Christ.
But if you do what is wrong you will be paid back for the
wrong you have done. For God has no favorites who can
get away with evil.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Call to Remain Faithful

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!  Looks like the storm lurking off the coast of Daytona Beach will not have any effect on them or us, as it seems to be moving up to the Outer Banks and on toward New England. I heard a lot of rumbles late yesterday afternoon, but we did not get any rain. Just a hot, humid day!

I ran a couple of errands later in the day, and got into a mini duel with a city bus, between 77th St. and 62nd Ave. The driver must have been in an agressive mood, because he obviously did not want me getting ahead of him. I was glad when I turned off and let him take out his frustrations on someone else!

When I drove into the park, I saw the brown gopher tortoise, but because of the heat and time of day, not much was going on. I saw no egrets or ibis, which is unusual, but lots of squirrels, as usual. I almost forgot to mention that my crape myrtle which was pruned so severely, is now blooming and looks very healthy! God is good!

Sometimes it takes pruning for good growth to result ...in plants and in life.

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Jude 1:20
But you, dear friends, must continue to build your lives
on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue to pray
as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such a way
that God's Love can bless you as you wait for the eternal
life that our Lord Jesus Christ is going to give you. Show
mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue others by
snatching  them from the flames of judgment. There are still
others to whom you need to show mercy, but be careful that
you are not contaminated by their sins.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Living the New Life

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 good thunderstorm last night, with some much needed rain, but that makes the morning sun and heat very humid! Would you believe the official temp in Tampa yesterday was 96?? But my kitchen thermometer said the outdoor temp was 91 here. Of course, our cooling breezes from the Bay and the Gulf keep us cooler than the landlocked areas!

BTW, Happy July First to all! I guess bankers will have a long weekend!

I have already done laundry this morning, and need to make the bed, but I'll get 'er done, eventually. Yesterday, I replenished my reading material at the library, and were they busy! I should have known better than to go in on Monday. I see patrons having to pay for overdue books, which I have difficulty understanding, but then most people lead busier lives than I do, so it is probably easy to over look turning in books or tapes on time. I usually take mine to the book drop on Sunday, so I don't have to carry books back inside.

I drove in to the park on a hot afternoon and not much activity was going on. One runner was out in the heat and a couple was sitting in the shade. About the only activity I could see were the little squirrels racing around, chasing each other or digging for acorns! But God is good!

Colossians 3:12-17

Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he
loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted
mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
You must make allowance for each other's faults and
forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord
forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most
important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love
is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let
the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as
members of one body, you are all called to live in peace.
And always be thankful.

Let the words of Christ in all their richness, live in your
hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel
each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs
to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say,
let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while
giving thanks through him to God the Father.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

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 sunny, dry day is before us and the temps are going up to the nineties by midday! Did I complain about the cold last winter?? Hope not.

The yard crew has been and gone, and it is the end of another month! Wow! July already! Where has the time gone? It seems like it is just flying by! I have been trying to remember and write down my memories from birth to the present and while I look back at what I considered an ordinary life, still, I can see God's hand gently working in situations I would not have wished anyone else to have. I have not traveled as much as I would have liked...never having gone to Ireland or England, but am happy that we went to NC and most of the other states when we did, either before or after I was married.

I have re-thought the parachute jumping, and instead, a hot air balloon ride sounds tempting! Who knows? It may come to pass!

Yesterday, I visited Boston Market for my take home lunch and there was Victoria egret standing at the front door, patiently waiting for an invitation to a snack! She seems to have adopted the particular restaurant, and knows that it is better than the McDonalds right across the street! 

God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 103

Praise the Lord, I tell myself;
with my whole heart, I will praise his holy name.
Praise the Lord, I tell myself,
and never forget the good things he does for me.
He forgives my sins and heals all my diseases.
He ransoms me from death
and surrounds me with love and tender mercies.
He fills my life with good things.
My youth is renewed like the eagle's!
The Lord give righteousness and justice to all
who are treated unfairly.

He revealed his character to Moses
and his deeds to the people of Israel,
The Lord is merciful and gracious;
he is slow to get angry and  full of unfailing love.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Phlippin' 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! Sun, breezes and puffy, white clouds! The same today and tomorrow. Just beautiful!

I spent some time yesterday trying to remember my life story and writing it down. More difficult than I imagined! I was asked to do this for the FCC anniversary coming up in Oct. I am not the only one to do this...several others are doing the same thing. I don't think anyone is as old as I am and has so many years to cover! I did not get very far, however. Still have to work on the early adult years....

This should be a good project for everyone who has grandchildren, who don't know what life was like without all the electronic gadgets of today! I remember the hang up phones, first black and white TV's, typewriters, ( I still have an electric one) and movies that were family oriented....no swearing, clothes that covered the body, etc. Ah, those were the days!

I took a break and drove over to the Park in the heat and humidity, just to see the ibis, anhingas and squirrels racing around. Life goes on over there, but peacefully on the surface.
God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Philippians 4:4-9
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 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 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 Psalms

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 looks  like the same weather as yesterday, hot and humid, but then, this is summer in Florida, so that is to be expected.

My cleaning friend came by herself yesterday, since her partner was baby sitting with her grands, so we had some fun chats while she cleaned. She retired from the phone company 18 years ago, and after her divorce, formed a partnership with her next door neighbor and they have been in the house cleaning business for 18 years, setting their  own hours and working as much as they want or as little as they want. They are good at what they do, and it works for them. They treat each other as family. A friendship like that is rare!

After Cheryl left I had to run some errands, and as I was coming home, I saw my neighbor was mowing his yard for the first time in a couple months. He lives in his parents house, because they built a new one and since he did not want to move, they still have this house, which the son does not take good care of. I had not seen him in person for a couple months and hardly recognized him, but at least, the yard looks better. I just see his yellow Mustang coming and going to work.

I drove over to the park, and passed under an osprey perched on a wire. They seem to be plenteous this summer. I also saw a beautiful egret and ibis with their pristine white feathers, contrasted with the green of the foliage. Very pretty! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 1
Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the
advice of the wicked, or stand around with
sinners, or join in with scoffers.
But they delight in doing everything the Lord
wants; day and night they think about his law.
They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
bearing fruit each season without fail.
Their leaves never wither,
and in all they do they prosper.

But this is not true of the wicked.
They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind.
They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
Sinners will have no place among the godly.
For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
But the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Opportunities

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! The weather has really been hot the past couple days with temps in the nineties, which makes me thankful for A/C in the house and car! Also the humidity has really been high!

But the birds and squirrels do not seem to notice what the weather is like. I was just watching a mockingbird in the hedge preening and cleaning for about five minutes, while below him on another branch, his friend was hopping from one branch and twig to another, gathering up the berries. Then...off they go!

I drove out the the car wash yesterday and got the van looking much better, then cleaned up the windows before pulling into the garage. It needs cleaning on the inside, too, but that's a job for another day. I also finished a Nicholas Sparks' book, which had me in tears toward the end. Wonderful writer!

Seems like a lot of accidents are happening all over, the last few times I have been out, ER vehicles have passed close by or the police have cars stopped for some infraction. I passed between a paramedic fire truck and Sun Star ambulance just down at the end of my street  yesterday! I don't know what happened but hope it was not serious.

Then I drove on to the park and saw the spoonbill again in the same spot as day before yesterday! Not a lot of people were out in the heat, but the graceful ibis and egrets were enjoying the canal. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How do I know if an opportunity is from the Lord?

Joshua 1:7-9
Be strong and very courageous. Obey all the laws Moses gave you.
Do not turn away from them and you will be successful in everything
you do. Study this book of the Law continually. Meditate on it day and
night, so you may be sure to obey all that is written in it. Only then will
you succeed. I command you---be strong and courageous Do not be
afraid or discouraged. For the Lord God is with you wherever you go.
God honors faithfulness in little things with with the privilege of responsibility
for greater things.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis