Roamin' thru Romans

Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partitrs! This is the day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! We have lots of sunshine this morning, so the yard crew has come and gone. I guess they are catching up with what they were unable to do because of the rain yesterday.. It doesn't take them long to do my yard, because I don't have much grass, but it always looks nice when they finish.

I spent some time reading about Robin Williams' death and the comments on Facebook, and also, the tributes on TV. Such a tragedy for a wonderful actor. He will surely be missed.

I had an appointment with Dr. Pierce yesterday and had very little waiting time. I was in and out in about 25 minutes. I noticed a lot of backpacks lined up in the waiting room that they are collecting for students who can't afford them. The backpacks are fully stocked. This is something my church did, also. I believe 55 were collected and filled at FCC. This is such a need every school year, and I am happy our volunteers do this.

I drove to the Park after I left Pierce Clinic and saw a beautiful heron in the canal, plus a roseate spoonbill perched on a black branch sticking up in the mud. What a contrast! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 5:1-5
 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's
sight by faith, we have peace with God because of
what Jesus Christ our Lord, has done for us. Because
 of our faith Christ has brought us into this place of
highest privilege where we now stand, and we confidently
and joyfully look forward to sharing God's glory.

We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials,
for we know that they are good for us---they help us learn
to endure. And endurance develops strength of character
for us, and character strengthens our confident expectation
of salvation. And this salvation will not disappoint us. For we
know how dearly God loves us because he has given us the
Holy  Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.

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 already had a rain shower and the drips are still coming off the roof. I don't know if my yard guys are coming or not, because I'm sure they were delayed because of the rain. It is still overcast, and according to the weather map, more rain is expected. Oh, well, at least it is cooler!

Well, I attended two memorial services in the last few days, and missed a 50th anniversary celebration, so it was a busy weekend. Sadness and gladness...the ebb and flow of life!

Brian attended the 50th celebration in another city, and was happy to have seen old friends including the Logues, Plotts, Carters, and others. Good times with old friends!

I drove over to the park coming back from the church,  on Saturday, and saw the graceful flight of a flock of ibis, and the busy squirrels. God is so good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Sing a new song to the Lord!
Let the whole earth sing to the Lord!
Sing to the Lord; bless his name.
Each day proclaim the good news that he saves.
Publish his glorious deeds among the
nations.Tell everyone about the amazing things he does.
Great is the Lord! He is most worthy of praise!
He is to be revered above all the gods.
The gods of other nations are merely idols,
but the Lord made the heavens!
Honor and majesty surround him.
Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary....

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Soaring 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! More sunshine and heat and humidity with maybe a shower later on, just like yesterday. In fact, we did get some rain. Quite a hard rain came down for about twenty minutes right around 3 PM. It cooled things down for awhile, but then the weather heated up again, since the sun goes down so late this time of year.

I was asked about Forest City, NC by my nephew, since we, as a family, spent so much time there in the boys growing up years. Those were wonderful vacations, visiting all Louis' relatives in the summer and one winter. The coincidence is; I had just been talking about FC with a friend at a memorial service gathering just a few days previously. This is a small town in NC, close to Chimney Rock and one day driving distance to all the mountain towns nearby. I can almost see the green trees and colorful leaves in the fall as I think about those times past! Ah, memories!

Yesterday I mostly stayed home, since I have a project I am working on, which is writing my autobiography for the church celebration in Oct. How to fit a long lifetime of events onto paper is work, since different memories keep popping up after I think I have finished with one decade, era, or whatever!  You older friends, out there, should try this for your offspring to read and keep as a record. But,if I keep plugging away, I guess I will finish eventually, because God is good. ...BTW, there was no lizard in the shower this morning. He scooted across the bedroom floor yesterday afternoon, so he is lurking around someplace!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 37:1-
Don't worry about the wicked.
Don't envy those who do wrong.
For like grass, they soon fade away.
Like springtime flowers, they soon wither.

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 heart's 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..

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Greetings 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! Another day of lots of sun and high humidity,,,the heat index is supposed to reach 100 today, just like yesterday! Good old summertime!

When I left home on an errand yesterday, I noticed black, ominous looking clouds in the southeast, and wondered if I would get rained on before coming home, but nothing happened. Humphf! They just sort of blew away, quietly.. On my way, I had to figure out how to get from behind a Hybrid car which was stalled in the left turn lane, I was in. I barely had wiggle room to back up a little and swing around her on the right, but noticed the cars behind me, chose to wait and go in the wrong lane to make their left turn. I am wondering if her battery needed to be charged or what the problem was, because her lights were burning okay. Anyway, hope she got some help to get out of the way.

I had unwanted company in the shower this morning. An anole has been living in my bedroom for several weeks now, ( really don't know what keeps him alive) and when I turned on the shower faucet,there he was. wiggling because he was trapped. I kept turning because I wanted hot water, instead of cold, but did not want the lizard on me!! He worked his way loose and took off on the wall, while I invented a new shower dance, swatting at him with my wet washcloth! Life is interesting, but God is always good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 1:9-14

So we have continued praying for you ever since
 we first heard about you. We ask God to give you a
 complete understanding of what he wants to do in
your lives, and we ask him  to make you wise with
spiritual wisdom. Then the way you live will always
honor and please the Lord, and you will continually
do good, kind things for others. All the while, you
will learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his
glorious power so that you will have all the patience
and endurance you need. May you be filled with joy,
always thanking the Father who has enabled you to
share the inheritance that belongs to God's holy people,
who live in the light. For he has rescued us from the
one who rules in the kingdom of darkness, and he
has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son.
God has purchased our freedom with his blood and
 has forgiven all our  sins.

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

Love, Amaryllis

Jesus, the True Vine

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 no rain yesterday and today is bright and sunny, but I saw the most beautiful formation of clouds as I was driving home.  I remember lying on my back on the ground when I was a kid, and looking for faces in the clouds. This was long before TV and other electronic things to keep us indoors. We spent nearly all summer outdoors, building tree houses, making our own scooters, and skateboards, out of skate wheels and rubber bands! Such ingenuity!

After getting the laundry done, I took off shopping yesterday, stopping to visit a friend and chat for a few minutes. It looked like rain at that time, but it turned out not to be that promising. So I drove on to the park and watched two brown tortoises meandering over the grass, stopping to munch on the way. I had to stop for a silly squirrel, who was playing with another one right in the middle of the street. At least I think they were playing! This morning I saw mama duck and the seven babies, moving slowly across the grass at Cheryl's house. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

John 15:5-10

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Changes

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 sunshine and pretty clouds and a good day before us!

We are getting new neighbors moving in across the street. The former resident moved out Sunday after having a For Rent sign in front of her house for a month or so. This has been a pretty stable neighborhood, at least on this end of the street, with some residents living here for about forty years or so. However, this particular house was remodeled after being sold due to a death, and, since then, it has changed hands several times.  The changing flow of neighbors goes on...

Yesterday afternoon I attended memorial services for a friend, which reminded me of memories I would leave behind...some good and some bad, but I have always tried to be kind. Sometimes I speak my mind when I should be quiet and think before speaking. So, if I have hurt any feelings, I apologize now, and ask forgiveness.

There was another memorial service going on just two hours earlier; This for another old friend in a different location. And Saturday, still another! Sometimes it gets a bit overwhelming , and I am reminded of my own mortality! But not for long, as I think of all that has to be done today!

As some friends picked me up for the service, I saw the brown bunny in the neighbor's yard and then, coming home, another one in a yard a couple blocks away! There must be a large flock of bunnies in the yards around here. I know one household has chickens in the side yard. Just a little bit of country in the city!

I got to the library and brought home more books, including the latest by Nicholas Sparks, one of my favorite authors. Then I went on to the park and saw some friendly ibis and lots of people enjoying a warm summer day! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Where can I find security and hope in the midst of tumult and change?

Lamentations 5:19
Lord, you remain the same forever! Your throne continues
from generation to generation.

Malachi 3:6
I am the Lord, and I do not change. That is why you descendants
of Jacob are not already completely destroyed.

James 1:17
Whatever is good and perfect comes to you from God above, who
created all heaven's lights. Unlike them, he never changes or casts
shifting shadows.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Both our security and our hope are rooted in God's unchanging
character. People will make promises one day but disappoint
in the next. Sin or circumstances beyond their control prevent
them from keeping their promises. God's faithfulness. and love
however, are not subject to the fluctuations of time, space, or human
mortality. We will never suffer because of God's fickle whims,
irrational mood swings or inability to handle  the circumstances.

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

Love and hugs,
 amaryllis

Comfort for God's People

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 lots of sunshine this morning, just like yesterday, but a rainstorm came up yesterday in the middle of the afternoon, then blew off and once more it was a nice sunset.

My Saturday did not start off too well. When I went into my bathroom, I discovered a flood. The toilet tank water flow valve was defective and the tank was overflowing. I mopped up with lots of towels and called Brian, who came, and shut off the water, then we mopped some more, but it was still leaking. I called the plumber, but he couldn't come out until afternoon, so I bailed some more. I was able to shower, finally, but could not go anywhere, until the plumber came.

While I did not like the flooding, I have to recognize that God's timing is perfect! What if this had happened in the middle of the night? The water could have seeped out into the bedroom, which would have been a huge mess! There is most always a silver lining..

Then came Sunday...I was greeted at the door by a friend and then,by many friends as I walked into the worship center. I had missed the Sunday before, because I was not feeling too well. But I heard a good sermon, enjoyed the singing, and, most of all, the fellowship!

Afterward, I bought my dinner from Boston Market, and sat down to watch the Rays and read the Times, and promptly went to sleep, sitting straight up. Brian came over later and took the dumpster down and visited awhile. We caught up with the progress of his new job, which has challenges that he is happy to meet, and also we chatted about family matters. I am happy  and blessed that he is so close.

Afterwards, I took a ride into the Park , after dropping off some library books into the book drop. I did not see many people, but some families were still out that late.  One anhinga was on the weir, and several ibis were pecking around. It was a good day and God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Isaiah 41:27-31

O Israel, how can you say the Lord does not see
your troubles?How can you say God refuses to hear
your case? Have you never heard or understood?
Don't you know that the Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of all the earth?

 He never grows faint or weary. No one can measure the
depths of his understanding. He gives power to those
who are tired and worn out; he offers strength to the
weak. Even youths will become exhausted, and young
men will give up. But those who wait on the Lord will
find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis