The Final Judgment

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 blue skies and  lots of birds singing to welcome the new day! I walked around outside on the dewy grass and was listening to the music of the different birds all awake and chirping. They were just filling the air with song! There is a thick moss like weed  that has taken over the grass and there are pretty, tiny flowers blooming on it. I don't know how long it will last, but it feels soft under foot. I actually like it better than grass!

I talked with Jason, the yard man, yesterday, about future plans for a sprinkler system and how to get grass or ground cover to grow under the oak trees, where nothing is growing now. He seems to have plans, but no firm date. But I have learned to be patient and wait, because I know I am unable to do things myself, so I wait for someone else to work for me. 

I drove to Boston Market for my supper yesterday, and was amused to see Victoria egret standing right in the middle of the drive-thru waiting for a handout in front of the window. She reluctantly moved, but only off to the side, still wary and watching other cars coming behind me. Then, after my order, I drove to the park and saw another egret , along with two ibis and one anhinga, all on the weir, just having a nice chat with each other.. There were a few other people there, which seemed like a nice time to come after a long day at work. A place to come and wind down and relax. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 25:31-40

But when the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit upon his glorious throne. All the nations will be gathered in his presence and he will separate them as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. He will place the sheep at his right hand and the goats at his left. Then the King will say to those on the right, "Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the Kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you fed me. I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me into your home. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you cared for me. I was in prison and you visited me.

Then these righteous ones will reply, "Lord, when did we ever see you hungry and feed you? Or thirsty and give you something to drink? Or a stranger and show you hospitality? Or naked and gave you clothing? When did we ever see you sick or in prison and visit you? " and the King will tell them, "I assure you, when you did it to one of the least of these, my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me"!

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 97

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 it is still in the high seventies, but the humidity is slowing coming back and we will be close to ninety today, so fall is still knocking at the door, but not here to stay yet.

I did a little shopping yesterday and drove on over to the park, so see a few cars, but no people in sight walking. I did see a couple at a picnic table, enjoying being outdoors on a beautiful day. A bedraggled looking anhinga was sitting on the weir drying out the wet wings, but no other birds were visible. I have not seen the gopher tortoises in a while, so I am wondering what has happened to them. Mike, the naturalist who retired, showed me a photo taken from the air, which showed all the gopher holes and there were plenty! 

One thing I have noticed around here, are the many pretty butterflies flitting back and forth! All kinds, big, little, yellow and yellow and black. My beauty berry bush is supposed to attract them when blooming and birds when the berries show. I love butterflies! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 97
The Lord is king! let the earth rejoice!
Let the farthest islands be glad.
Clouds and darkness surround him.
Righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him and burns up all his foes.
His lightning flashes out across the world.
The earth sees and trembles.
The mountains  melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens declare his righteousness,
every nation sees his glory.
Those who worship idols are disgraced-
all who brag about their worthless gods--
For every god must bow to him.
Jerusalem has heard and rejoiced
and all the cities of Judah are glad
because of your justice, Lord!
For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth,
you are exalted far above all gods.

You who love the Lord, hate evil! 
He protects the lives of his godly people
and rescues them from the power of the wicked.
Light shines on the godly
and those who do right.
May all who are godly be happy in the Lord
and praise His holy name!

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 37

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 turned up the A/C yesterday, because I was a little cool. If I could have opened all the windows, I would have, because the weather outside was so nice. Most of my windows are balky, though, and don't get opened up much, so I just leave them closed. This morning, the temps are in the seventies and, once again, it feels like fall. We've waited a long time!

Maybe the acorns will not be as plentiful as I thought, because I have not swept the porch this week and it is not covered with the pesky things. There are a few, but nothing like I thought. When I was outside yesterday, the noisy bluejay was sounding off in the oak tree, and very loudly!  I would rather hear a mockingbird going through his repertoire than the jay. Speaking of mockers, I saw one fly into the hedge outside my window and a few seconds later another flew in right behind the first! I thought perhaps there was a nest in that spot, but I have not seen them since. If there is an early cold spell in the north, we may be seeing much more of the northern birds shortly.

I got to the park later in the afternoon yesterday, and the only bird I saw was a great white heron, posed by the canal, fishing. A spot of beauty! God is good!
 
From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 37:3-9

Trust in the Lord and do good. 
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord and he will give you your hearts desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord,
Trust him and he will help you
He will make your innocence as clear as the dawn,
and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun.

Be still in the presence of the Lord,
and wait patiently for him to act.
Don't worry about evil people who prosper
or fret about their wicked schemes.

Stop your anger!
Turn from your rage!
Do not envy others--
it only leads to harm.

For the wicked will be destroyed,
but those who trust in the Lord
will possess the land.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 19

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 air is definitely cooler and it looks and feels like fall is definitely here! It will warm up soon and we will probably be up to ninety, but change is in the air!

I attended a birthday party last night with a lot of friends, old and new, and had a really good time, staying out a little later than I usually do. And, another dear friend and prayer warrior is having her 97th birthday today! She lives alone and gets around with just a cane and is pretty healthy. The Lord has blessed her and me with her friendship. She is a blessing to all who know her!

I stopped in at the park after church yesterday, and saw a lot of cars, so the boardwalk was busy. The air was nice and it was a beautiful day, so people were out enjoying nature. The water is still high and now that the hydrilla as washed in again, it looks very pretty with the water rushing, the shade trees and the falling leaves. My beauty berry bush, and other flowering shrubs are very pretty and the grass has really greened up from all the rain, so God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 20:8-14
The commandments of the Lord are right,
bringing joy to the heart.

The commands of the Lord are clear,
giving insight to life.
Reverence for the Lord is pure, lasting forever.
The laws of the Lord are true, each one is fair.
They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold.

They are sweeter than honey,
even honey dripping from the comb.
They are a warning to those who hear them;
There is great reward for those who obey them.

How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart?
Cleanse me from these hidden faults.
Keep me from deliberate sins!
Don't let them control me.
Then I will live free of guilt 
and innocent of great sin.

May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you,
O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Knowing God's will

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 rain this morning, but yesterday afternoon, we had a hard shower for about half an hour. so I postponed my errand running until after the sun came back out. As I drove out of the neighborhood, I passed a house with a yard full of black ducks, and a large flock of ibis, all busily pecking around. Talk about contrasts! They were still there when I came back later!

I made a trip to the Family Christian Store and saw a large display of Christmas cards already. Seasons are getting close, because the first thing that caught my eye was a display of ceramic pumpkins . As soon as Sept. comes around, out come the Halloween decorations, Thanksgiving is stuffed in there somewhere, and it should be high on the importance list and then Christmas. It takes me a long time to list all the things I am thankful for, but I try in the morning during my prayers.

One of the things I am thankful for, is the Rays game last night. What a finish! I have really enjoyed this baseball season and while I know the chances are slim, I still hope they get into the playoffs!

I drove into the park on my way back from the Christian store and saw only four cars there. That was really strange. The water is still high and the great white heron was still busy fishing. Every thing is growing and green with all the rain, and there were even puddles on the road from the afternoon rain.

I was telling Daryl about the gecko that lives on my mailbox. When I put a letter out to be picked up, it moved off the lid, reluctantly, and down to the window sill, then curled around and just stared at me until I was finished. Unfortunately, he uses it as a bathroom and I am constantly cleaning it off! He is big and ugly, but one of God's critters. So God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

I pray you, if I have found favor
in your sight, show me now your way.
Exodus 33:13 AMP

Knowing the will of God--both the big picture and the daily details--concerns every Christian. We all need to ask often, What is it God wants me to do? How is it he wants me to live?...
It is as we know we are doing God's will that we find true meaning in life and a deep sense of accomplishment and purpose. How can we know we are doing God's will? One of the simplest approaches is this:

1. Commit yourself to the Lord each day, and periodically throughout the day, by simply saying,"Lord, I put my life in Your hands,Do with me what you will."

2. Trust the Lord to send you the work and the relationships you need for his  purpose in your life to be accomplished.

As Roberta Hromas, a noted Bible teacher, once said: "Simply answer your door, answer your phone, and answer your mail. the Lord will put in your path the opportunities that He desires for you to pursue.

God's will is not a mystery you try desperately to unlock. He does not desire His will to be a secret because the Bible is filled with scriptures about knowing His will. The key is to seek His will, to listen to the Holy Spirit, and to read and study His word. Then you can know what He has planned for you!

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

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Hope

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 already had a brief shower this morning, which I was not aware of, until I saw water dripping off the roof and saw the porch was wet. Now the sky is overcast, but yesterday was full of sunshine, so it all balances out!

My cleaning ladies came and I always have  a chance to catch up with them. They are an interesting couple. One is married and has grandchildren, the other has been divorced for a long time with a bird and a dog, but they get along very well and even take trips together. One smokes and likes to gamble, the other is compassionate and always willing to help. God puts different people together who get along very well. They seem to work well, although I have noticed that one likes to chat more than work, and the other does her job, without stopping. I am thankful for them.

I had a short trip to the park later yesterday and noticed that the canal is way up. It is much higher than usual, but will soon go down if no more rain comes. I noticed a great white heron with his head bent down at the weir, very interested in something in the water. Majestic! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can I have hope when times are tough?

Hebrews 10:23 Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

Our hope is rooted in God's integrity and faithfulness. When everything else falls apart, we can cling to the fact that God keeps his word.

Our troubles do not surprise the Lord and should not surprise us. Trouble is rampant in this fallen world. Our focus should be on Jesus  who has overcome the world and all its troubles.

Romans 14:14 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 his Holy Spirit.

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

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Be Humble

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 an all day rain yesterday, it is good to see the sun, even though the humidity is very high. When I stepped outside this morning the heat hit me in the face like a sauna! And I see the acorns are starting to fall, which is a sure sign of fall coming. Looks like there might be a large crop again. As I was looking around on the porch, I heard a large truck coming fast, and at the same time, a very large flock of ibis took to the air, and flew by. I watched until they flew out of sight! Beautiful!

My computer froze up sometime Monday and Tuesday when I turned it on, nothing happened. So, after having called my friend, who stopped by and was unable to fix it, I called Dave, the pro, who fixed it last time I had a problem. but later on, I tried again and lo and behold, it had healed itself or thawed out, so I canceled the pro and got busy reading about a hundred emails that had accumulated! Sheesh! Most of them got deleted! 
 
However, after going out to check on the towels in the washer, I discovered that the towels had not been rinsed, were sitting in a tub full of soapy water and the washer would not drain, or rinse or spin. My washer is probably not a year old, yet! Well, I looked in the yellow pages and saw the number one listing was for Anytime Appliance repair, so said a quick prayer and called.They advertise same day service, so, sure enough, he came at 5:45, tested it and discovered the circuit board was faulty. He took it out and it had exploded wide open! He had a new one in his van, installed it, arranged everything back the way it was, gave me the bill, I paid and he left. Of course, the new circuit board cost almost as much as I paid for the washer, but at least. it works!

Meantime, my friend, who with her partner who lives next door to her, called and said today was my cleaning day, so I told her about the washer, and she called me later, and offered to come over and wring out the towels and take them home, (across the street), finish washing them and bring them back. I was overwhelmed by her generosity and told her that the guy was coming later. She is such a caring , thoughtful person. I am happy she lives across the street from me. God is good!

From the little devotional book, Knowing God:

Be Humble

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he
may lift you up in due time.
1 Peter 5:6 NIV

On the road to spiritual growth, pride is an enormous roadblock. The more prideful you are, the more difficult it is to know God. When you experience success, it's easy to  puff out your chest and proclaim, "I did that!"  Easy, but wrong.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer observed, "It is very easy to overestimate the importance
of our own achievements," and he was right.

So the next time you're tempted to take too much credit for something you've
done, resist the temptation. Instead of hogging all the glory, give God His fair share of the credit....and His share
by the way, is far bigger than your share.

                                               Great Thoughts

God exalts humility. When God works in our lives, helping us to become humble,
he gives us a permanent joy. Humility gives us a joy that cannot be taken away.
                                                   Max Lucado


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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis