Generosity and Diligence

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 sun is shining and the wind is blowing, and the air is cooler, so it is a beautiful day! We have been blessed with pretty weather and even when it rains, that is a nice gift.

I had an appointment with my dermatologist yesterday and since he is downtown, I drove by the property where a new, large grocery store is being built. The public does not know which store is going in, but there is a lot of excitement about it. Downtown St. Petersburg just keeps getting better!

While I was waiting to be called back, two friends came out after their appointment and we had a nice chat, catching up. One always has to be on one's best behavior while out. You never know who you will meet up with!

I decided to take a drive down by the beautiful waterfront after my session with the doctor. My face was burning from the zapping and my eye is swollen underneath today, but, anyway, I enjoyed seeing the lovely water, boats, and hundreds of people eating at the restaurants and shopping in mid afternoon.

Then I headed for home, stopping at Office Depot for ink cartridges for my printer, but could only get one since they were out of the color. Sigh. However, my friend across the street works part time at another O.D. so she will bring me one Sat.
Then, I went on to the Park, and saw a great, blue heron,lots of squirrels and several ibis pecking around as usual. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ecclesiastes 11:1-6

Give generously, for your gifts will return to you later.
Divide your gifts among many, for you do not know what
risks might lie ahead.
When the clouds are heavy, the rains come down.

When a tree falls, whether south or north, there it lies.
If you wait for perfect conditions, you will never get anything done.
God's ways are as hard to discern as the pathways of the wind,
and as mysterious as a tiny baby being formed in a mother's womb.
Be sure to stay busy and plant a variety of crops, for you never
 know which will grow---perhaps they all will.

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! Lots of sunshine this morning with puffy clouds drifting across the sky...beautiful!

After the rain yesterday morning, I headed out to gas up the van. On the way, I drove into the park and there on the bank in front of the weir was the large gator sunning himself. On the other side of the canal was a graceful white heron. Typical Florida. Further down, I noticed that two trees had collapsed and fallen into the canal. One was smaller near the bridge and the other was very large and brushing the water. Neither one was blocking the flow. Their roots must have gotten too wet and caused them to fall.

We have so many mockingbirds chirping around here, I get an earful whenever I go outside. I also heard a cardinal the other day, but did not see him. The crows I can do without, as their call is strident and loud! But it takes all kinds, like the osprey I saw on the wire around Lynch Lake the other day. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 139:1-6. 23,24

O Lord, you have examined my heart
and know everything about me.
You know when I sit down or stand up.
You know my every thought when far away.
You chart the path ahead of me
and tell me where to stop and rest.
Every moment you know where I am.
You know what I am going to say
even before I say it, Lord.
You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too great for me to know!

Search me, O God, and know my heart.
Test me and know my thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Paul's Thorn in the Flesh

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord had made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I know, if is almost noon, but because it is a rainy, dark morning, I am taking my time doing everything. The weather prediction was spot on about the rain coming in early. But that's ok, because I have everything I need and don't have any appointments or errands that need to be run today.

The yard crew came yesterday and sliced up the fallen branches and stuffed them in the dumpster. The branches are so long that they are holding the lid up, so I guess there is rainwater accumulating in the bottom. It will get dumped out when the trash gets picked up Thursday. But, the yard looks much neater, now.

Here I am concerned with my own small world, and bad events are going on all over the world...riots in Baltimore, earthquake in Nepal and plane crashes. God is in control, but He gives people choices and sometimes they are not good. All I can do is pray for those in trouble and leave the rest to God.

On a lighter note; I watched Dancing With the Stars last night and my favorites, Noah and Sharna got a really good score for their fantastic jazz dance. Yay! He is a hunky, good looking guy with dimples, even with only one leg and one arm! He gets my vote!

I had to go to the post office yesterday, so on my way back, I stopped at the park to check it out, and saw one of the gopher tortoises receiving admiration from about three people, and noted that the water is still pretty high. This rain today will keep it high, so God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Corinthians 12:6-10

...I have plenty to boast about and would be no fool
in doing it, because I would be telling the truth. But
I won't do it. I don't want anyone to think more highly
of me than what they can see in my life and my message,
even though I have received wonderful revelations from God.
But to keep me from getting puffed up, I was given a thorn
in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me
 and keep me from getting proud.

Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each
time he said, "My gracious favor is all you need. My power
works best in your weakness." So now I am glad to boast
about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work
through me, Since I know it is all for Christ's good, I am quite
content with my weaknesses and with insults, hardships,
persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

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! Even though it was cloudy and sunny yesterday, we had no rain,and today looks much the same, except there is a large mass of rain hanging off the coast in the Gulf. It looks like it will be heading for the upper Pinellas instead of here. I really want the weather to behave today because my yard badly needs cleaning up and mowing. Hopefully, that will be done today!

Things I observed the past couple weeks:  A homeowner on the street I drive down when I go to the park, completely cleared his front yard of all grass, shrubs, etc, and then trenched, by hand, and laid pipe for sprinklers. After that he landscaped with plant sections bricked off, had sod hauled in and now his yard is attractively planted with a couple young trees and shrubs in the planted places, along with a hedge up one side. Good hard work! I have seen him doing a lot of woodworking, which I think, must be his profession or hobby.

While I was in my salon Sat. getting a haircut, another stylist was working with a young woman who had beautiful hair that reached down to below her waist. He combed and blew and brushed and wrapped strands around a flatiron and the end result was a lovely, loosely curled mass of dark, lovely hair. Two different types of work, but beauty in the end!

The water in the park is still high from the downpour we had last week, but this is good. It just means the herons, egrets and ibis cannot wade and peck because the water is too deep, but they fly to wherever the food is. The squirrels have no problem. I had to swerve around one in the middle of the street yesterday. I don't know if he moved or not, but I did not run over him! I drove there after church where we had another powerful sermon and a lot of good singing! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 61:5-8

I wait quietly before God,
for my hope is in him.
He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress where I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor come from God alone.
He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me.

So my people, trust in him at all times.
Pour out your heart to him,
for God is our refuge.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Roamin' thru Romans

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! Today we have sun, and clouds and high humidity. But yesterday, we had about 2 inches or more of rain, so we are caught up for a while. I like rainy days ever so often, because things seem to slow down and I like to watch the rain coming down.  That was a good soaking rain, with no wind around here.

I wrote about going through old pics and also came across an Evening Independent newspaper someone had saved, Dated April 12, 1945, with 4 inch headlines that read Roosevelt Dead!. Very historic! There were also front page articles about the war with Russia and Japan. I was in my teens back then and remember it well. I pray we never have to go through that again!

I like to read on rainy days and so I finished one book yesterday and had already read another one I had ordered from the library. I love the smell of new books, and the one I ordered was brand new by one of my favorite authors. I was happy for the rain for that reason. God is good to send rain when we need it!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 15:13 (my favorite verse) Jude 24,25

So I pray that God, who gives you hope,
will keep you happy and full of peace
as you believe in Him. May you overflow
with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit.

And, now, all glory to God who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who
will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.
All glory to him, who alone is God  our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Yes, glory, Majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now,
and forever more. Amen.

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! Well, no sunshine this morning...as I sit here I can see rain dripping off the roof and it has gotten very dark, I have been hearing thunder for the last hour or so and we have had a severe weather alert, but there is no wind right now. My front yard is still a mess from the last storm. I guess when my yard man said he would come as soon as he could, he meant his regular Monday time. Sigh.

But we need the rain, so I am not complaining. After my cleaning ladies left yesterday, I went to Publix for my groceries, and it was a good time to go. It was not very crowded, so I had a good time shopping, but had to get help to reach a large bottle of Dawn. Apparently, I am not the only one who uses it, because it was at the very back of the top shelf.Shorties can't reach that high!

I pulled out a treasure chest of old photographs from my mother's collection, that had not been looked at since her death. Oh, my! One of me at 19 months, with my sister, 4. My face cannot be seen, because I am standing in front of a white house, and since, I was a tow-head, I kinda blended with the background. I have only seen a couple baby pics of me because I was a second child, so they did not waste film on me. Nowadays, every day of a child's life is recorded on an iphone, it seems, which is great. There are only a couple pics of my brother as a baby, also, so my sister got all the glory! That's the perc of being a first child!

Well, the lights just flickered and another weather alert just came in, so I had better finish up while we have power. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 18:25-30
To the faithful, you show yourself faithful,
to those with integrity, you show integrity.
To the pure, you show yourself pure,
but to the wicked, you show yourself hostile.
You rescue those who are humble, but  you
humiliate the proud.
Lord, you have brought light to my life;
my God, you light up my darkness.
In your strength I can crush an army,
with my God I can scale any wall.

As for God, his way is perfect.
All the Lord's promises prove true.
He is a shield for all those who look to him for protection.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Wisdom from Paul

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 this morning and clouds, but we had no rain yesterday and although the prediction is for rain sometime, it may not fall here. My front yard is still full of trash, but I called Jim, my yard man, and he said he would come as soon as he could. That may not be until the end of the week. But there is nothing I can do about it, because I don't have the ability any more to do yard work. I am learning to be patient in my old age. Smile.

I find I am spending more time on the PC than I should, due to the newly discovered cousin in England and all the second and third and once removed cousins that are popping up all over. I never could figure out how the once and twice removed thingy works! But it is exciting to see info about all these people I never knew existed! Thanks to Adam for starting this!

I did not go out much yesterday, but drove around Lynch Lake and saw herons, ibis, seagulls and a lone crow on the wire. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Thessalonians 5:12-

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those
who are lazy. (ouch) Encourage those who are timid.
Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient
with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try
to do good to each other, and to everyone else.
Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what
happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for
you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies,
but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good.
 Keep away from every kind of evil.

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!  We have some sun and a lot of clouds again today, but still quite warm. Late yesterday we had a terrific storm with a tornado warning and high winds. My yard is a mess with broken off tree branches and dead limbs and twigs all over the grass and driveway!

My yard crew could not get in because of the tree truck that was parked in front for about two hours in the morning. I have no idea what they were doing, except sitting around. As far as I could tell they did nothing. But, anyway, I called my yard man, Jim, and he said he would be here as soon as he could.  I appreciate him. They don't usually do the kind of work that needs doing today, so this is special.

I drove by another accident in the afternoon, near the same spot where one happened last week. People just are not careful, because there is a light at the intersection, and no reason for an accident to happen. Sure caused a long traffic delay. I had driven down into the park after stopping at the Library. There were quite a few people there for a Monday. It was a good day to see all the greenery, the canal and the ibis, which always have dirty beaks from poking in the ground looking for grubs and worms. 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.
But the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

The Whole Armor

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! After all the wind, and thunder last night, we did not get a drop of rain! Somebody close by did, I'm sure, but we were not favored. Maybe today. However, I read a story yesterday about a farmer in CA who may lose his farm because of the drought. His well has to take care of irrigation and the family needs, and is about to run dry, so we are in a lot better shape that those folks.

There is a tree truck sitting in front of my house that has been there for a couple hours, and as far as I can tell, they have not done any work in that time. I know that my trees are hanging over the phone  and street light lines, but I thought they only worked on power lines. Hm. Maybe I will be bold and go out and ask what is going on...

I am staying up too late these nights because of the fascination with all the new cousins once or twice removed that have been discovered from a cousin in England who has been uncovering ancestors and relatives I did not know I have. I am so glad he started this project! It is unusual for someone so young to be interested in the past, but more power to Adam!

We had a good crowd at church yesterday. Seems like more and more people are drawn to Faith Covenant and this is good. Pastor Kevin preaches a powerful message each Sunday, which gives a lot to chew on throughout the week.

After church I took a ride through the park and saw lots of people out enjoying the beautiful weather. Squirrels were getting leftovers, but I only saw one anhinga and no other birds or water fowl. But, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ephesians 6:15-20
So be careful how you live, not as fools but
as those who are wise. Make the most of every
opportunity for doing good in these evil days. Don't
act thoughtlessly, but try to understand what the Lord wants
you to do. Don't be drunk with wine, because that will
ruin your life. Instead, let the Holy Spirit fill and
control you. Then you will sing psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs among your selves, making
music to the Lord in your hearts. And you will always give
thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving,
joy and love!

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Still Roamin' thru Romans

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! What can I say about the weather? It remains the same around here as the last few weeks...no rain, but abundant sunshine and interesting clouds. I like to see the different formations and used to sprawl out in the grass when I was a teen ager, just to watch the clouds form different shapes and see if I could make out a face or two. Sigh. That was probably the beginning of my skin pre-cancers.

Speaking of that, my nose is basically healed. It still does not look like it, but my last trip to the MOHS surgeon was yesterday, and he said to use a certain scar cream on it to flatten out the graft. So, I started that yesterday and we will see how it goes. My trip to Largo for my appointment was uneventful and pretty fast, since I got a lot of green lights, but coming back was a different story. I had to go through several school zones, and then got behind a county garbage truck which stopped at every house on 62nd,, which is a two lane street at that point, but no one got impatient, and I was able to watch, close up, a hard working man. He would grab multiple cans and empty them into the truck and bags and bags and toss them in. He worked very quickly, and then would hop on the side of the truck and off to the next stop. I am pretty sure he did not dream of being a garbage hauler when he was small, but he was doing honorable work, and was not begging on the street.  So, good for him!

After I got back in my neighborhood, I made a trip to the bank, and then a couple more errands, and was glad to get back home and relax a bit. I took a trip to the park first, just to unwind and saw a small gopher tortoise, squirrels in the same place as the last time, and several beautiful jacaranda trees in bloom. The bougainvillea bushes are also gorgeous and in full bloom! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 12:9-13
Don't pretend that you love others; really love them.
Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good.
Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight
in honoring each other. Never be lazy in your work,
but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble,
and always be prayerful. When God's children are in need,
be the ones to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting
guests home for dinner, or, if they need lodging, for the night.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Roamin' thru Romans

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 I was glad that we had no rain, because the flat roof got power washed and coated, and the whole house was power washed, so everything dried well, except Rick, who was pretty wet by the time he was finished with all the water! But the outside of the house looks much better. Next time it will probably have to be painted. We need rain around here, even though other sections of the county have been getting wet. I am sure it will come all in God's timing.

I did not go out because of the length of time that Rick was here, but am going to Largo today to see my plastic surgeon for a check up on my nose. It is healing well, down to a thin red scabby line now. I don't even think about it when I go out, but it is so prominent, I know people look at my face and wonder about it. Oh, well, better that than to have the cancer there.

I threw some bread crumbs out for the birds and squirrels yesterday, and, as far as I know, it is gone, so somebody enjoyed it! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 12:1-2
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you
to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and
holy sacrifice---the kind he will accept. When you think
of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?
Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but
let God transform you into a new person by changing
the way you think. Then you will know what God wants
you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and
perfect his will really is.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Jogging thru John

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! There is a storm raging outside, but it is all man made. My handy man is here power washing the roof and now the house. The nozzle he is using is pretty powerful, so the outside should look almost like freshly painted when he is through.

That is why this is so late...I was waiting for him to come earlier.

After I ran a few errands yesterday, I happened to pass by, slowly, a crash near here, with the victim still lying on the street, and several ER vehicles clustered around him, I could not see any cars damaged, but did not try to look too hard, because of the traffic. One civilian was directing traffic and doing a heroic job, because 62nd Ave. No. at school release time is fierce! I said a prayer for the injured one, and hope he is doing all right.It's a jungle out there!

Tomorrow I have to go to Largo for a checkup on my nose. That is not usually too bad a drive going, but by the time I get out, it is heavy traffic on Bryan Dairy road.

I took time to go in the Park and sit for a few minutes and enjoyed the breeze. I saw six or seven squirrels spread out in a small area and a gopher tortoise strolling along beside them. God is good!

Well, the computer crashed and I have spent the last several minutes trying to work it out.Sigh.

From the Promise Bible NLT:

John 15:5-17
Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who
remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit.
For apart from me, you can do nothing. Anyone who parts
from me is thrown away like a useless branch and withers.
Such branches are gathered into a pile to be burned. But if
you stay joined in me and my words remain in you, you may
ask any request you like and it will be granted! My true disciples
produce much fruit. This brings great glory to my Father!

I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love.
When you obey me, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father,
 and remain in his love. I have told you this, so that you may be filled
with my joy. Yes, your joy will overflow!  I command you to love
each other in the same way that I love you. And here is how to measure
it--the greatest love is shown when people lay down their lives for
their friends..you are my friends if you obey me. I no longer call
you servants, because a master doesn't confide in his servants. Now
you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father
told me. You didn't choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go
and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you
whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

John

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 am getting a late start this morning, but hope to catch up before the predicted rain showers start. We have another in the string of dry, sunny days that we have had for a month!

My lawn crew have already come and gone, and brought the dumpster back up and for that I am grateful. I did not think they would come today, but I guess the grass has started to grow again. My handy man is coming tomorrow to power wash the flat roof and then coat it with the rainproof coating that is already on it. It needs to be applied about once a year or so.. This is one time I hope it does not rain!

We heard a good sermon yesterday and attendance was down just a little bit from Easter, which is to be expected, but it was good to see all the friends and worship with music. I drove to the park afterwards and saw a beautiful egret with graceful, bent neck looking at something in the water. Then a couple ibis were pecking around the canal. I notice jacaranda trees are now blooming...so pretty with the lavender blossoms! After that the Royal Poinciana trees will bloom. There is always a lot of color waiting for me to notice! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

John 14:22-26

Judas (not Judas Iscariot, but the other disciple with that name)
said to him, "Lord, why are you going to reveal yourself only to
us and not to the world at large?

Jesus replied, "All those who love me will do what I say. My Father
will love them, and we will come to them and live with them. Anyone
who doesn't love me will not do what I say. And, remember, my words
are not my own. This message is from the Father who sent me. I am
telling you these things now while I am still with you. But when the
Father sends the Counselor as my representative---and by the Counselor,
I mean the Holy Spirit---he will teach you everything and will remind you
of everything I myself have told 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 be glad and rejoice in it! This is another day just like yesterday, and the day before, etc,. There are a few more clouds, so maybe,  and that is a big maybe, we will get a shower later on. Quite a breeze is blowing, so maybe the surf is up. All the spring breakers that are left, should like that!

I think I will be mostly staying home today, because I have ironing to do, and I want to look again for more photos, among the thousands that I have. I have had a long life, and took many photos along the way. I have come across early church pics, baby pictures of people who now have grandchildren, mountain views, vacation trips to D.C., Shaker Village in Ky. where we stayed overnight, and still more to go through. Ah, memories!

I made a trip to the library yesterday...returned some books and borrowed more, then drove to Chick-fil-A and bought a refreshing Frosted Lemonade, to enjoy on a very warm afternoon. On the way there I went around Lynch Lake and saw a wood stork watching a small duck and several egrets, along with a couple ibis. The stark white of the feathers are a nice contrast with the dark lake.

I also drove to the park, where all was quiet and green and still in the heat of the afternoon.

God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 139:33,34

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my thoughts.
Point out anything in me that offends you,
and lead me along the path of
everlasting life.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Paul's 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! All I can say about the weather is that it is the same as yesterday, the day before, etc., Just warm and perfect! I have been running the A/C for over a month, because we are getting up to nearly ninety some days.

I attended the services for a dear friend and organist at my church, yesterday afternoon. It was a happy and sad tribute to a funny, talented and deeply committed woman who touched many lives. Among the good parts, was the opportunity to see many old friends, whom I had not seen in a long time.

One of them was a friend who walked across the new span of the Howard Frankland Bridge with me, back in the summer of '91. This was something I really wanted to do, and she was kind enough to accompany me. The problem was, I did not drink enough water, the sun was hot, I did not wear a hat, and so I wound up faint, and almost had heat stroke, so the paramedics had to carry me to their tent and put cold water under my arms, legs and make me drink a couple bottles before I recovered enough to go. Now if I could only do a tandem parachute jump...That's on my bucket list.

On my way to church, I drove around Lynch Lake, and there was the roseate spoonbill, in all its pink glory! It was busy pecking alongside some white herons, with seagulls a little ways further on. That was better than anything I saw in the park! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ephesians 3:14-

When I think of the wisdom and scope of God's plan,
I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of
everything, in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his
glorious, unlimited resources, he will give you mighty
inner strength through his Holy Spirit. And I pray that
Christ will be more and more at home in your hearts
as you trust in him. May your roots go down deep into
the soil of God's marvelous love. And may you have the
power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide,
how long, how high, and how deep his love really is. May
you experience the love of Christ, though it is so great
you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled
with life and power that comes from God.

Now glory be to God! By his mighty power at work within
us he is able to accomplish infinitely more than we would
ever dare to ask or hope. May he be given glory in the church
and in Christ Jesus forever and ever through endless ages.
Amen

( I may have sent this recently, but it is one of my favorite scriptures.)

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! This promises to be another in the string of beautiful days...sun, passing clouds, and cool breezes. Just beautiful!

Yesterday, I finally had to go grocery shopping. I keep putting it off, because it is not my favorite thing to do, but I was running out of a lot of things, so off I went to Publix. Besides, I had clipped out a $10 coupon from them if I spent over 50 dollars, and I knew that would be easy! So when the carry out boy put them in the car, I had to open all the windows, because the car was hot! I had the sunscreen up in the windshield, or the steering wheel would have been so hot, I would not have been comfortable touching it.

After getting everything put away, I was tired, but still had to empty the dryer, which had a load of laundry waiting to be folded. I was glad to finally sit down and eat my supper. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 91:14-16

The Lord says, "I will rescue those who love me.
I will protect those who trust in my name.
When they call on me, I will answer;
I will be with them in trouble.
I will rescue them and honor them.
I will satisfy them with a long life,
and give them my salvation."

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Spiritual Growth

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! Sunshine, cool breezes and another beautiful day in the Sunshine City! We really need rain, but these days are nice.

My yard crew came yesterday  to make the sparse grass look nicer. They bring my dumpster back up from the curb, but one guy left it front of the garage door, instead of all the way back by the side door. Guess he didn't think about how I would be able to get the car out of the garage...Oh, well, at least he brought it that far.

I watched Dancing With The Stars last night, just to see Noah Galloway and Sharna Burgess. He is the Iran vet. who lost his left arm and leg. I teared up at their dance, interpreting his story from the man he was before and the man he has become after.  Even after watching it several times, I am still affected by the beauty of the dance. I hope they win, but they probably won't.

I drove through the Park yesterday and saw a young heron in the water, and a couple ibis. Not so many people were there, as over the weekend, but I'm sure a lot of them were already at the Trop, to watch the Rays opening day! Too bad they lost, but Go Rays! God is good.

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Hebrews 4:12-13
For the word of God is full of living power. It is
sharper than the sharpest knife, cutting deep
into our innermost thoughts and desires. It exposes
us for what we really are. Nothing in all creation can
hide from him. This is the God to whom we must
explain all that we have done.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Love

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 overcast skies an hour or so ago, but now the sun is shining and already the A/C has kicked in because the humidity is rising. It promises to be another warm, beautiful day for opening day for the Rays!

We had a wonderful Easter service yesterday, with joyful singing and a powerful message. I attended second service and Brian was already there. He had attended his church's Sat. evening service and then Grace Lutheran for early Easter celebration, so he was very churched by 12 noon. Then, we drove down to The Hangar restaurant for our Easter buffet. I thought it must be opening day for the Rays, because the interstate was so crowded as we neared the exit for Tropicana Field, so we headed for the 4th St. exit, instead, and made our way to the restaurant without having to deal with so much traffic.

After the meal, I was waiting outside in front, for Brian to get the car and pick me up, when I heard a voice calling my name. I looked up, and around, and started to go back in the airport when the Keeners came walking up. Ray was the one who was playing tricks on me! They and the Tallman clan came for their buffet. I told them we did not leave anything...

It was a beautiful weekend with the park quite full all three days. I drove around Lynch Lake Park, and saw my favorite, beautiful roseate spoonbill lift its wings and hop up on the grass by the water! God did such a wonderful thing when He created those pinks! Gorgeous!
God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Corinthians 13:4-13

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful
or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way.
Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it
has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice, but
rejoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up,
 never loses faith, is always hopeful and
endures through every circumstance.

Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown
languages will all disappear. Now we know only a little , and
even the gift of prophecy reveals little! But when the end comes,
these special gifts will all disappear.

It's like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and
reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away
childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a poor
mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.
All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will
know everything completely, just as God knows me now.

There are three things that will endure---faith, hope, and love---
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 and Happy Birthday to Daryl,
Amaryllis

The Resurrection

Good Morning on this Good Friday, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I am running late on this beautiful morning, so I will just send on the scripture about the happenings after Jesus crucifixion and death.

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Luke 24:12
But very early on Sunday morning, the women came to the tomb,
taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone
covering the entrance had been rolled aside. So they went in, but
they couldn't find the body of the Lord Jesus. They were puzzled,
trying to think what could have happened to it. Suddenly, two men
appeared to them,clothed in dazzling robes. The women were
terrified and bowed low before them. Then the men asked, "Why
are you looking in a tomb for someone who is alive? He isn't here!
He has risen from the dead! Don't you remember what he told you
back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands
of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again the third day!"

Then they remembered that he had said this, so they rushed back to
 tell his eleven disciples---and everyone else---what had happened.
The women who went to the tomb were Mary Magdalene, Joanna,
 Mary the mother of James, and several others. They told the apostles
what had happened, but the story sounded like nonsense, so they
 didn't believe it. However, Peter ran to the tomb to look. Stooping,
he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings, then he went home
again, wondering what had happened.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Jesus Prays

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! Just another in the string of beautiful days, with sun, and cool air in the morning and really warming up in the afternoon. I had the windows open all day and left one open last night. Just perfect!

It was a quiet day for me yesterday. I washed the sheets and was making the bed when Cheryl came to clean. We had a nice chat and I asked her if she had heard back from the Duke Energy people about her damaged fence. So far, she hasn't but she talked with the fence people to get their idea of how much it would cost for the repair, so when the Duke person calls back, she will have a working knowledge of what to ask for. The Lewis trimmers are certainly not arborists! They took such a big chunk out of my oak in the back that it will never grow back or fill in again. Sigh.

I watched two cute squirrels sitting on the wall of my porch eating acorns that they dug out of the ground. They always leave the husks on the wall, but I don't mind brushing them off. Louis used to sit out under the tree and the squirrels would crawl up his pant leg and sit on his knee eating peanuts out of his hand. He really loved that!

Well, this is Maundy Thursday, and Sunday is coming! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Luke 22:39-46
Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs
room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told
them, "Pray that you will not be overcome by temptation."
He walked away, about a stone's throw, and knelt down
and prayed, "Father, if you are willing, please take this cup
of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will, not mine."
Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him.
He prayed more fervently and he was in such agony of spirit
that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.
At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples only
to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. "Why are you sleeping?"
he asked. "Get up and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower 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! This is a carbon copy of yesterday's weather with cool air in the morning and the sun rapidly warming up. Just beautiful for all spring breakers and vacationers.

I spent a good part of yesterday looking at old pictures, and trying to find the photos we took on our visit to Uncle Dan several years ago. That visit happened to be shortly before he passed away, so I am very glad we were able to go. I want to send copies to my newly discovered cousin in England, who is trying to build the family tree. I really need an organizing gene! Too late for that, though!

I had several appointments last week and forgot that Friday I had an early one with the eye doctor. I drove back from Pinellas Park with eyes dilated, but, fortunately, the sky was overcast, which really helped. When I got home, I really did not need lights on in the house. I think the stuff they use for the dilating is not as strong as it used to be, because it did not last as long. That was a good thing!

I visited the park later in the afternoon yesterday, and it was crowded, once again. Lots of cars, both local and visitors. The ibis don't hang around when there is a crowd, but I saw an anhinga with wings outstretched in the distance on the way in. Then, on the way out, the 6 ft. gator had climbed up on the bank of the canal in front of the weir, and was busy sunning himself. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd,
I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk
through the dark valley of death,'I will not be afraid,
for you and your staff
protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You welcome me as a guest,
anointing my head with oil.
My cup    overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me
all the days of my life
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis