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! Looks like our cool weather is gone for awhile, because it is going up into the eighties today with more humidity. There is a good wind blowing right now and sunshine peeking through the clouds, so a good day in paradise!

I took my ten dollar coupon to the Publix yesterday and came out with almost everything on my list, which was a lot more than I had anticipated. It looked like they had a big shopping day on Sunday, because a lot of the shelves were empty of the Bogo items. I took advantage of some of them, which were not on my list! I was at the fish counter where I picked up crab stuffed tilapia for my dinner and remarked about a huge whole snapper propped up in the display. He must have weighed about ten pounds! I can only imagine the cost! What a catch!

After I got my groceries home and put away, I drove to the library, which was loaded because of book returns over the weekend, chose my  books in just a few minutes and then checked out. By this time, I was tired, so after lunch I rested a bit, and then went to the park, Lots of people were out enjoying the beautiful weather. I saw woodstorks, not at the park, ibis, an anhinga, and lots of dirt at the entrance to the gopher tortoise hole in the ground, so he has been coming and going. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ephesians 3:14-23

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 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 the
fullness of 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 we be given glory in the
church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever  through
endless ages. Amen.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Effective 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! While watching my yard crew blow and go, I noticed the wind has picked up. I heard the weather report this morning, which predicted gusts up to thirty mph, but I thought that was later on. The sun was shining earlier, but now it is mostly overcast and cool. It is still a good day!

We had such a good service at church yesterday...lots of good singing with the drums back,(since Andrew is going to college in Tampa, he has had to drop out) and my favorite, "Oh Happy Day"!! That one will wake everyone up!

We also had a baby baptism, with Pastor Rick walking the baby up and down the aisles, so everyone could get a good look at him. Adorable! (The baby).  Then a good sermon on Rev. 21 and heaven. Also a fun presentation narrated by Dan Leeper contrasting Florida with NJ. Afterwards, we had a picnic with a cookout and lots of side dishes, hot dogs and barbeque. The weather was perfect for the eating outside. Good company, good friends, good food, both physical and spiritual! God is good!  (And a big thanks to Sam Dauler for helping me)

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Matthew 7:7-11
Keep on asking, and you will be given
what you ask for. Keep on looking, and
you will find. Keep on knocking, and the
door will be opened . For everyone who asks,
receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And
the door is opened to everyone who knocks.
You parents---if your children ask for a loaf of
bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or
if you ask for a fish, do you give them a snake?
Of course not! If you sinful people know how
to give good gifts to your children, how much
more will your heavenly Father give good gifts
to those who ask him.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Nehemiah 9

Good Morning, Dear friends and Prayer Partners and Happy November 1st! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! The breeze is blowing, the sun is shining, and rain is on the way , but it is a great day to be alive!

My adventure of yesterday was going out to Pinellas Park to my eye doctor. My appointment time for some strange reason known only to the scheduler, was for 3:10, so, of course, I had to wait about half an hour to even be called to the desk. After having my glasses tested, and my eyes poked and prodded and looked at and drops put in, then a visit with the doctor who is very pregnant, The good news is...my eyes are healthy, and my vision has not changed in three years!

The doctor commented on how pretty my name is, and knew it is a flower. She said she and her husband are looking for names now, since the baby is due Dec. 16th. Some people just avoid saying my first name because they are afraid of mispronouncing, but others usually remark on how beautiful it is, so my Daddy did me a favor when he named me.

I was able to drive back safely home with dilated eyes, after fervently praying that I would not have a crash, since it was rush hour by the time I got released from the office. My eyes did not completely return to normal until just before bed time!

BTW, I saw several wood storks sitting around Lynch lake yesterday, so looks like they have come back for the winter! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Nehemiah 9:6
"Then they continued, "Praise his glorious name!
It is far greater than we can think or say. "You alone
are the Lord. You made the skies and the heavens
and all the stars. You made the earth and the seas
and everything in them. You preserve and give life
to everything, and all the angels of heaven worship you."

I always thank God for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving,
joy and love!

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis ( remember to fall back tomorrow night)

Ecclesiastes 4

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! So, it looks like all the treat or treaters will be very warm tonight because the humidity is up and we still have temps in the eighties! But, I always leave my light out since I do not like to open my door after dark. Last year no one came, and that was good.

Brian drove me out to Upham beach yesterday evening for a wedding. I knew it would be dark when we left, so I was very happy that he took off work early to take me. I probably would have gotten lost, anyway, since Upham Beach is not that easy to find!

I was able to walk the boardwalk okay, but I was thankful for Brian's arm and my cane when it came to the sand! It was slow going. My longtime park friend, David, got married with a blending of families. It was the first beach wedding I had attended...the weather was warm, the breeze was nice, and the sunset was beautiful! I met David's family for the first time and while it was a different wedding than most I have attended, still, it was very nice. I pray their joining together will be blessed! Afterwards, Brian and I went to Gigi's for supper, so it was dark when I got home.

My ladies came to clean yesterday and it is always good to catch up with them. I was not finished eating lunch when they came, so they started at the other end of the house, while I munched away. God is good!

This is for the newly weds and any one else it applies to...

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
Two people can accomplish more than twice
 as much as one; they get
a better return for their labor. If one person
falls, the other can reach out and help.
But people who are alone when they fall
are in real trouble. And on a cold night,
two under the same blanket can gain warmth
from each other. But how can one be warm
alone?  A person standing alone can be
attacked and defeated, but two can stand
back to back and conquer. Three are even
better, for a triple braided cord is not easily broken.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalm 32

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! Our nice days continue and will until this weekend, when we will get another cool spell, but that is to be expected at this time of year!  I hope some of you saw the gorgeous sunrise this morning! All pinks and orange...just lovely!

My yard men came Monday and blew all the leaves off the porch, but, of course, they are back again, because the trees are really starting to shed. There is a tree at the end of my block that is so beautiful, I wish I had one. It has purple blossoms all year and never seems to go out of season. I think it is a frangipani (sp) but am not sure. There is one just like it on the way to the park, but much smaller, and planted right up against a house. I think they will be surprised in a couple years, to see that it needs more space!

Speaking of the park, I visited late yesterday afternoon, and saw lots of people there. The large brown gopher tortoise was making his way toward the parking lot from his tunnel and the squirrels were busy, as usual! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 32:7-11

For you are my hiding place,
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory.

The Lord says, "I will guide you along the
best pathways for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control".

Many sorrows come to the wicked ,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy all you whose hearts are pure!

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Look for Miracles

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 is warming up again and the humidity is higher, but still pleasant and nice as long as I don't stay in the sun very long!

I will be going to a wedding tomorrow evening at the beach, and it will probably be cool, since there is always a breeze blowing off the water, but it should be a beautiful sunset! I thought about the change in time coming up and thought it should be soon, but looked at the calendar and it is not until the weekend, which will be November. I thought it always changed in October!

Well, we will get the extra hour's sleep back that we lost last spring...

I went shopping at CVS yesterday, and had a list with me, but wouldn't you know, I had stamps at the top of my list and walked out without buying any! I got everything else on the list, plus a couple extras not on the list! Typical of me...

After leaving there, I drove to the Park, and saw some big, heavy equipment parked on the weir, plus mowers, etc., so it looks like things are looking up as far as expenses go. The park is looking better  and better since the weeds are cut down.
I saw the teacher leading a group of children on a learning tour, pointing out something in a tree. I think they are very fortunate to be able to have field trips like that! I know I would have enjoyed it! God is good!

From the little devotional book, Knowing God:

God verified the message by signs and wonders and various miracles and by giving gifts of the Holy Spirit, whenever he chose to do do.
Hebrews 2:4 NLT

One way to know more about God is to look carefully at the miraculous things that He does. But sometimes, we're simply too preoccupied to notice. Instead of playing careful attention To God's handiwork, we become distracted. Instead of  expecting God to work miracles, we become cynical. Instead of depending on God's awesome power , we seek to muddle along using our own power-- with decidedly mixed results.

Miracles, both great and small, are an integral part of everyday
life-and they are a part of your life, too. But here's the million
dollar question; have you noticed?

If you lack the faith that God can work miracles in your own life, it's
time to reconsider. Instead of doubting God, trust His power, and
expect His miracles. Then, wait patiently ...because something
miraculous is about to happen.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

1 Timothy

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! These cool nights and warm days are just about perfect! The sun is warm during the day and yet there is a definite coolness to the breeze that reminds us that we are in an autumn zone...My oak trees are certainly testifying to that! Acorns and leaves are falling ,although not as much as they will later on!

On my way to church yesterday morning, I saw a large flock of ibis around Lynch Lake and a mama duck with over a dozen babies were waddling through yards surrounding the lake. It is so amazing how the tiny fuzzy ducklings can hop up curbs and waddle endlessly around with Mama wherever she goes, without getting tired. I have seen them just flop down, though, so they must take rests whenever it is time.

Speaking of church, we listened to the last of the Revelation series Pastor Rick has been preaching.  Very powerful! One of the illustrations he used was quite interesting to me...he used the Johnstown, PA flood and the fact that the people were warned three times about the weakness of the dam, which flooded the whole town. Johnstown was founded by my great , great great and maybe two more, grandfather! I told Pastor Rick this afterwards and he was excited to hear of the connection! God is good!

1 Timothy 6:17-19
Tell those who are rich in this world
not to be proud and not to trust in their
money which all too soon will be gone.
But their trust should be in the living God
who richly gives us all we need for our
enjoyment. Tell them to use their money
to do good. They should be rich in good
works and should give generously to those
in need, always being ready to share with
others whatever God has given them. By doing
this they will be storing up their treasure as
a good foundation for the future  so that they
may take hold of real life...

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis