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 light clouds this morning, but like yesterday, it will be another warm day in January! In fact, the weatherman say we will have temps in the eighties for a couple days! I'll take it!
I have had the most wonderful week of birthday surprises! I think it started with a breakfast bike ride on my friend David's Gold Wing, then a small group potluck and prayer meeting on Thursday and Brian took me out to dinner on Friday, which resulted in a free dessert for me, because Brian mentioned it was my birthday. I was very glad they didn't sing!! Finally, I was told by Brian that he wanted to take me to Miller's in Bradenton for dinner Saturday. That's about an hour drive, so I was not very enthusiastic and he told me he wanted to stop by a friend's house to say "Hi". I told him I was not going in because she lives in a two story house, which requires walking up stairs, and I don't do that very well any more. Well, sure enough, when we got there, we went in to a totally surprise party. I was almost speechless!! Turns out this had been in the planning for about six months. Mari is very devious. It was a well kept secret and I did not suspect a thing. We had a wonderful dinner with four dear friends and Brian and I now have nine balloons floating on my ceiling plus lovely gifts from everyone, and a beautiful dish garden from my boys. Brian said it's not every day a person turns 85, so that is why the long celebration. If I never live to have another one, I will die happy! It has been a wonderful week! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Paul's Prayer for Spiritual Wisdom
Ephesians 1
Ever since I first heard of your strong faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for Christians everywhere, I have never stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, asking God, the glorious father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the wonderful future he has promised to those he called. I want you to realize the rich and glorious inheritance he has given his people.
I pray that you will begin to understand the incredible greatness of his power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else in this world or in the world to come. And God has put all things under the authority of Christ, and he gave him this authority for the benefit of the church. And the church is his body; it is filled by Christ, who fills everything everywhere with his presence.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
