Fulfillment

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! Happy June First! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It is still sunny with the smell of smoke in the air from all the forest fires in the state, but there is a chance of rain today, so I am hoping God is kind to us and will send the rain we really need.

I always am blessed by good friends and yesterday had a double blessing...Terry came over in the morning to fix a leaky faucet outside, and then I was ready to go to my other friends' house for a delightful lunch and conversation. We had not done that in a long time, so it is always good to catch up with each others' lives and to see how God is working to give us whatever we need to handle challenges in personal situations and the reaching out to those who are unsaved.

I went to the park, and very few people were there. It was a very hot day, so I think that had something to do with the lack of walkers. Of course, there are always people walking their dogs, but most carry bottles of water. I saw a great, blue heron looking for lunch, squirrels racing across the road, and a black snake when Terry was working on the faucet. The snake was hiding in a curled up hose, and slithered out when it got a little wet. I think it was a black racer, but he went over to the neighbor's house. Didn't like water, I guess!
But God is good!

From the book Quiet Moments with God devotional:

"I have come that they might have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." John 10:10 NKJV
Fulfillment is something for which every person seems to long for. In its simplest meaning, fulfillment refers to being "fully filled"-having a complete sense of accomplishment.

If you lack a sense of fulfillment at day's end, ask yourself, What did I not do that I felt I should have done? You'll be calling into question your values, priorities, and goals. As you see areas in which you have fallen short, ask the Lord to help you discipline yourself to achieve what you know is good, adjust your priorities and goals, and refine your values.

A lack of fulfillment isn't the fault of circumstances or another person's behavior. To experience fulfillment, your outer life must live in harmony with your inner life; you must live outwardly what you profess with your mouth and believe in your heart.

For Robert Louis Stevenson, this was the definition of a successful life:

That man is a success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much; who has gained the respect of intelligent men and the love of children; who has filled his niche and accomplished his tasks; who leaves the world better than he found it, whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul; who never lacked appreciation of earth's beauty or failed to express it; who looked for the best in others and gave the best he had.

Do you have a definition of success against which to gauge your own sense of fulfillment?

There's still time to make today fulfilling. Take a moment to reflect upon your goals, priorities , and values. Ask the Lord to show you where they may need some adjusting. As you rethink these important issues, you will be filled with the knowledge that true fulfillment comes in simply knowing and obeying him.

You have made us for yourself and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.
    Saint Augustine of Hippo

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

Things that give me 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! This is another sunny, dry day in the Sunshine State, and I am praying for rain. But God's timing is perfect and I am sure it will come.

Yesterday, I drove out to the airport to pick up Brian after getting a call from him that the plane was 15 minutes early. So, it took me about 20 minutes to drive out there and we stopped at Bob Evans for lunch, which was a nice treat. This time, he drove back, so I didn't take a detour to Tampa like I did when I drove back from dropping him off. I know which turn I missed, now. I am so directionally challenged!

A roseate spoonbill by Lynch Lake, a friend calling to tell me he was at Bay Pines visiting Louis' grave, friends inviting me for lunch, another friend wanting to do the same at the same time, a neighbor who watches out for me, informing me when I leave the garage door open or have not turned on the outside light at night, A friend who takes care of my yard and does other things for me that need doing, and other friends who love me....these are things that give me joy! God is so good!

Psalm 100 NKJV

Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands!
Serve the Lord with gladness;
Come before His presence with singing.
Know that the Lord, He is God:
It is He who has made us,
and not we ourselves:
We are his people and the sheep of His pasture.

Enter into His gates with thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful to Him,
And bless His name.
For the Lord is good;
His mercy is everlasting,
And His truth endures to all generations.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Words to live by from Chronicles

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!

Surprise! This is a holiday, but here I am!

I was so impressed by the medal of honor winner featured on 60 minutes last night, it really brought home to me how much our men and women sacrifice by fighting in the Afghanistan and most are so young. He was so articulate and humble...made me proud.

I took flowers out to Bay Pines National Cemetery on Saturday and was very moved by all the hundreds of flags waving in the wind; one on each grave marker. I also thought of our daughter, Diane, resting in the National Cemetery at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, TX, Her headstone is the same as at Arlington. But I know that the national cemeteries are perpetually taken care of and will always be nice resting places for our loved ones.

From 1 Chronicles 17:31-36
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice!
Tell all the nations that the Lord is king.
Let the sea and everything in it shout his praise!
Let the fields and their crops burst forth with joy!
Let the trees of the forest rustle with praise before the Lord!
For he is coming to judge the earth.

Give thanks to the Lord , for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Cry out,  "Save us, O God of our salvation!"
Gather and rescue us from among the nations,
so we can thank your holy name
and rejoice and praise you."

And all the people shouted "Amen" and praised the Lord.

1 Chronicles 28:20
Then David continued, "Be strong and courageous, and do the work. Don't be afraid
or discouraged by the size of the task, for the
Lord God, my God is with you.
He will not fail you or forsake you.


2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people who are called by my name,
will humble themselves and pray and seek my face
and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear
from heaven and will forgive their sins
and heal their land. I will listen to every
prayer made in this place, for I have chosen this Temple
and will set it apart to be my home forever.
My eyes and my heart will always be here.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 23

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! No smokey smell when I stepped outside this morning, and apparently, no explanation of what it was. There were several fires some distance away, but I guess it will remain a mystery. But I was not the only one who noticed it. Today the air is frest and a bit of a breeze, but very humid.

Yesterday I had an early (for me) appointment with my dental hygienist, clear across town, so that's why I took the day off. She is expecting her first baby in three weeks, so I was one of her last patients before maternity leave. But she will be back in six months when I am due for another cleaning. Danielle, the hygienist, is a sweet girl, who was very patient with Louis when he would go in for a cleaning.

So, since I was very close to Peltz Shoes, I had to stop by and check them out. I bought a pair, which I will have to take back, because once again I let the sales girl talk me into a shoe that is not my size. Grrr. Why do I do that??

Well, I stopped in the park and saw two anhingas airing out the wings on the weir. The path had been mowed alongside the road, and Ibis were pecking in the freshly mowed part. Speaking of them, there were also Ibis pecking next door in the yard when I went out this morning. I happened to realize that  I have not seen any poinciana trees in bloom since the jacaranda trees are finished. Maybe I just have not noticed them. Anyway, God is good!  P. S. I will be absent tomorrow also, because of taking Brian to the airport to be with Daryl and Matthew this weekend. Have a safe Memorial Day, all!

Psalm 23 from The Message:

God, my shepherd!
I don't need a thing.
You have bedded me down in lush meadows, you find me quiet pools to drink from.
True to your word, you let me catch my breath and send me in the right direction.

Even when the way goes through Death Valley,
I'm not afraid when you walk at my side.
Your trusty shepherd's crook makes me feel secure.

You serve me a six-course dinner right in front of my enemies.
You revive my drooping head; my cup brims with blessing.

Your beauty and love chase after me every day of my life.
I'm back home in the house of God for the rest of my life.

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

Love and hugs, Amaryllis

Friday-Night Bravery

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 bright, sunshiny day with a strange smell on the wind. I don't know if there is a forest fire someplace, but when I stepped outside this morning, there was an unpleasant odor in the air. Sort of reminded me of the muck fire when I was a kid, that burned for a long time in what is now the Central Plaza area, but back then was called the Goose Pond area. That was really bad!

Well, I was busier yesterday morning, than I had planned to be, but I had a lot of errands to run, so I started out at Walmart to gas up the van and was pleasantly surprised to pay less for it than last week. Then, on the spur of the moment, I decided to see how crowded the parking lot was, and found a space without too much trouble, so I went in and shopped. Got my exercise going from one end of the store to the other and back again, since I did not have a list. I remembered to take my bags in, and the cashier was very helpful in filling them and putting them in the cart for me.

Then, a banking trip and to the library completed my errands. By that time, the sun was really hot, and so was I, so after a trip to the park, where I absorbed the peace, and watched the moorhen family, which had moved across the road to the lake on the other side, I called it a day and drove home to relax a bit. God is good!

From the Quiet Moments with God devotional:

Hebrews 13:6 

We say with confidence,  "the Lord is my helper. I will not be afraid."
He was a really skinny, little kid even though he was a junior in high school. And to his younger brother, it was unbelievable how loud Don wheezed when his asthma struck in full force. About once a month, Bobby would be awakened by the sound of Don gasping for breath. Just as soon as he could suck in air, Don would be shaking and gasping for the next breath. Sometimes their parents would rush him to the emergency room for treatment.

The doctors said that it was the hot, sticky atmosphere or perhaps the smog of the down town streets that triggered the attacks. They advised Don to stay indoors during the summer months when the himidity was highest. the doctors said that if he stayed indoors, he might be spared from the worst of his attacks.

The problem was that Don and his church youth group had a standing commitment to conduct street revival services every Friday evening, and Don was usually the one to preach. He was determined to never miss an opportunity to fulfill his life calling. So, he continued to preach, no matter the weather, and every once in a while he would fight off the asthma attacks. He counted the cost and decided to take the risk.

More than thirty years later. Don is a seasoned missionary in South America. His dedication to sharing the Good News continues to provide inspiration for others. And, he still never misses an opportunity to preach. For his brothers, Don's Friday night bravery still remains a source of encouragement as he, too, grows in his faith.

Trustfulness is based on confidence in God, whose ways I do not understand.  If I did, there would be no need for trust.
Oswald Chambers

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

Love and hugs, Amaryllis

1 Peter 1:1-7

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! When I stepped outside this morning, I felt a cool breeze and now the wind has picked up and the sun is shining, so it is still a beautiful day!

I had a busy weekend starting with breakfast at FCC and hearing my friend, David, tell about his life and how God has lead him to where he is today as a Delta pilot. I was blessed with church family and Brian who came to join us. It was a good time. I also went to the park several times and was pleased to see a soft-shell turtle hanging on the the bank of the weir, and a little moorhen family, mama, daddy and a couple babies swimming in the not so clean water. Human families could learn a lesson from them; faithfulness, and one mate for life!

And then, Terry lifting up the staghorn about two or three feet which took two hours and a lot of work on his part, was totally unexpected. He had said he would do it a couple months ago, but I thought he had forgotten. Surprise! He has just been very busy.God is so good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:
 
A Letter from Peter:

All honor to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for it is by his boundless mercy that God has given us the privilege of being born again. Now we live with a wonderful expectation because Jesus Christ rose again from the dead. For God has reserved a priceless inheritance for his children. It is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And God, in his mighty power, will protect you until you receive this salvation, because you are trusting him. It will be revealed on the last day for all to see. So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.

These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies  gold-and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold. So if your faith remains strong after being tried by fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world,

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Wisdom from Ephesians

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! Warming up today, but we have been blessed with unusually cool days and low humidity, so now we go back to our regular weather.

As I was starting my prayers this morning, I remembered that I had signed up for prayer for Kairos at 8 this morning for thirty minutes. This is such an important ministry, and I am honored to pray for the prisoners and people working to give them hope. May they be blessed as they bring blessings to prisoners.

Yesterday I had company in the form of Dave, who mowed and trimmed the hedge, (still more to do) and then the bug man came to spray, while an employee of TECO came to make the gas meter digital or something so it can be read from the street. The electric meter is already digital.

And, then, just as I finished supper, Terry called and was on his way to lift up the huge staghorn, which was almost touching the ground. So he worked for two hours using his truck as a winch to pull it up. He had said he would do the job months ago, but he is so busy since he retired from supervisor at Sawgrass, I didn't want to remind him. He does a lot of work for his church and remodels houses. One sure thing, he will not rust out during retirement!! I so appreciate all the people who are so kind to help me with upkeep on the house!

I went to the Park during the afternoon and watched a great, blue heron stretch his neck looking intently at something in the water, while standing on some object in the middle of the canal, I don't know what the thing is, but it shouldn't be there.  BTW, the baby birds I wrote about were gone yesterday morning, Something must have carried them off in the night. But the mockingbirds have been just singing their little throats out all around. Each time I step out of the house, the air is filled with their songs as they fly about. God is good!

Excerpts from Ephesians 3 and 4 AMP.

Therefore, the prisoner for the Lord, appeal to and beg you to walk (lead a life) worthy of the (diving) calling to which you have been called--with behavior that is a credit to the summons to God's service.

Living as becomes you--with complete lowliness of mind (humility) and meekness (unselfishness, gentleness, mildness), with patience, bearing with one another and making allowances because you love one another.

Be eager and strive earnestly to guard and keep the harmony and oneness of {produced by} the Spirit in the binding power of peace.  (There is) one body and one Spirit, just as there is also one hope {that belongs} to the calling you received.
 
{There is} one Lord, one faith, one baptism.

One God and Fatheer of [us]all, Who is above all (Sovereign over all). pervading all and (living) in (us) all.

Yet grace (God's unmerited favor) was given to each of us individually-not indiscriminately, but in different ways--in proportion to the measure of Christ's [rich and bounteous] gift.

Now to Him who, by (in consequence of) the [action of His]power that is at work within us, is able to (carry out His purpose and) do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think--infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams--to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen-so be it.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis