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 last night's storm, this morning is clear and promises to be hot!
I walked on the dry boardwalk yesterday, but today it will be puddly again. I am eager to see if Mama gator has come back, because two days in a row she has not been seen. I hope she has not deserted her nest.
It seemed to be just a little cooler yesterday, or at least, a breeze was blowing, so I wasn't so warm while walking... plenty drippy when I stopped moving, though. I was admiring the thick ferns, which are thriving from all the rain. Many of them are in water, and tiny sounds are always being heard, from the different little critters living in the water. God is marvelous!
From Quiet Moments:
...Times of trial and struggle often seem like long, dark nights. But doing the right thing - even the hard thing - gives us hope. How do we maintain those long night watches when there seems to be little change in our circumstances?
1. Take one step at a time. Don't attempt to tackle the whole task at once. "A man's steps are directed by the Lord." (Proverbs 20:24)
2. Keep your struggles in perspective. Separate the mountains from the molehills.
"What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31)
3. Cultivate the discipline of delayed gratification.
"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing."(James 1:4 KJV)
4. Learn to recognize the invisible God in the world around you.
"By faith he [Moses] left Egypt, not fearing the king's anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible." (Hebrews 11:27)
Placing your hope in the Lord helps you to do all these things. He will lead you; He will remove your mountains; He will strengthen you, helping you to be patient; and He will open your eyes to His works all around you.
If it were not for hope
the heart would break.
English proverb
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Excerpts from Ecclesiastes
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the cloudy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! As I stepped outside this morning, I looked for stars, and hoped I could see a meteor flashing by, but there was too much light and the puffy clouds interfered. Has anyone seed the meteors, yet? This is the week for them.
Well, I heard thunder late last night, but we did not get any rain. However, our gutters are still running with water, which the ducks really like.
I splashed through the water on the boardwalk once again, yesterday. When I got through my walk, I was dripping! Mama gator was out getting breakfast, I guess, or hidden on the other side of the nest, because she was not visible. If the rain keeps up, there will be plenty of water for the babies when they hatch. I like to hear them grunt when they come out and after they start moving around.
I was in time, as I walked to the tower, to see the six or seven footer come swimming swiftly in to head under the tower, and as I started up the steps, I heard a tremendous thump and splash and out he came, with a hydrilla leaf on his head. He must have found something to eat underneath in the thick hydrilla. God is good!
From Ecclesiastes 4,5,and 8 NLT
"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person fails, 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."
"People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night's sleep."
"And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Well, I heard thunder late last night, but we did not get any rain. However, our gutters are still running with water, which the ducks really like.
I splashed through the water on the boardwalk once again, yesterday. When I got through my walk, I was dripping! Mama gator was out getting breakfast, I guess, or hidden on the other side of the nest, because she was not visible. If the rain keeps up, there will be plenty of water for the babies when they hatch. I like to hear them grunt when they come out and after they start moving around.
I was in time, as I walked to the tower, to see the six or seven footer come swimming swiftly in to head under the tower, and as I started up the steps, I heard a tremendous thump and splash and out he came, with a hydrilla leaf on his head. He must have found something to eat underneath in the thick hydrilla. God is good!
From Ecclesiastes 4,5,and 8 NLT
"Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. If one person fails, 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."
"People who work hard sleep well, whether they eat little or much. But the rich are always worrying and seldom get a good night's sleep."
"And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it. To enjoy your work and accept your lot in life--that is indeed a gift from God. People who do this rarely look with sorrow on the past, for God has given them reasons for joy."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Confidence
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the beautiful sunrise day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
Wow! We went to bed last night to thunder and lightning and pouring rain! That was unexpected, because I thought rain was not predicted. Oh, well, the weatherman has been wrong before!
The boardwalk at the Park was still wet from rain Sunday, so I splashed through the puddles on my walk, but, unfortunately, they did not keep me cool. I spoke to Mama gator, still guarding faithfully at the base of the nest. In case I hadn't told you, the nest is about three ft. high, and the eggs are buried at the top, with trees and stuff growing all over the mound. Not like a bird's nest or a chicken nest.
Amazingly, no trash was in the nesting area, so maybe the signs are doing some good!
As I walked to the tower, I heard the chirping of a bird and looked carefully, and saw a blackbird in a tree, just sitting there chirping. He kept it up the whole time I was looking around and seemed content to stay in one spot. God is amazing!!
From the Promise Bible NLT
Where do we find confidence for every day?
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?
Psalm 121:8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever."
John 16:33 " I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Many of the greatest athletes say that their real contest is a mental, not a physical one. It's the same way in our spiritual life. Our confidence comes not from looking around at our physical circumstances, but from looking to God.
How can we have confidence in the face of life's greatest hardships?
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."
When we rely on God, he will not let us down. Our limited understanding is no match for his limitless love and grace.
Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
Our happiness rises and falls, but our steady confidence comes from the consistency of Christ.-not in circumstances.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wow! We went to bed last night to thunder and lightning and pouring rain! That was unexpected, because I thought rain was not predicted. Oh, well, the weatherman has been wrong before!
The boardwalk at the Park was still wet from rain Sunday, so I splashed through the puddles on my walk, but, unfortunately, they did not keep me cool. I spoke to Mama gator, still guarding faithfully at the base of the nest. In case I hadn't told you, the nest is about three ft. high, and the eggs are buried at the top, with trees and stuff growing all over the mound. Not like a bird's nest or a chicken nest.
Amazingly, no trash was in the nesting area, so maybe the signs are doing some good!
As I walked to the tower, I heard the chirping of a bird and looked carefully, and saw a blackbird in a tree, just sitting there chirping. He kept it up the whole time I was looking around and seemed content to stay in one spot. God is amazing!!
From the Promise Bible NLT
Where do we find confidence for every day?
Psalm 27:1 "The Lord is my light and my salvation-so why should I be afraid?
Psalm 121:8 The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever."
John 16:33 " I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world."
Many of the greatest athletes say that their real contest is a mental, not a physical one. It's the same way in our spiritual life. Our confidence comes not from looking around at our physical circumstances, but from looking to God.
How can we have confidence in the face of life's greatest hardships?
Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."
When we rely on God, he will not let us down. Our limited understanding is no match for his limitless love and grace.
Philippians 4:11-13 "Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to get along happily whether I have much or little. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything with the help of Christ who gives me the strength I need."
Our happiness rises and falls, but our steady confidence comes from the consistency of Christ.-not in circumstances.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, August 13, 2007
Phillippians 4:13
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the slightly cooler day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! I noticed on my daily weather prediction that the heat index is not supposed to reach 100 today! What a blessing!
I had a fairly quiet weekend, trying to stay indoors and cool. We rode through the Park a couple times, and it always looks so peaceful and calm. We have had some rain, both days and that keeps the water up at the park. Speaking of that, there is a picture of a gator taken at Sawgrass, in the Times classified this morning.
Yesterday, I saw another roseate spoonbill at the lake near us. What beautiful pinks. I don't think the bird even knows how beautiful he is! God is good!!!
From Quiet Moments for Teachers:
What's the problem?
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
...The developer of a popular series of business training films describes the phenomenon of discovering your problem solving skills are going nowhere.
You start thinking, I'm uncomfortable, I'm anxious ..I can't do this. I should never have started to try. I'm not creative. I was never creative in school. I'm a complete failure. I'm going to be fired... in other words you start enjoying a real, good, old-fashioned panic attack.
Problems can feel ten times larger in the middle of the night. But in reality--and by daylight--solutions might not be as distant as they seem.
Inventor Charles Kettering had a unique problem-solving method. He would divide each problem into the smallest possible pieces, then research the pieces to determine which ones had already been solved. He often found that what looked like a huge problem was already 98 percent solved by others. Then he tackled what was left.
In bite-sized pieces, problems become more manageable. Remember that with God, all things are possible. He can give us peace in our darkest nights and bring wisdom with the morning.
Obstacles in the pathway of the weak become stepping stones in the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I had a fairly quiet weekend, trying to stay indoors and cool. We rode through the Park a couple times, and it always looks so peaceful and calm. We have had some rain, both days and that keeps the water up at the park. Speaking of that, there is a picture of a gator taken at Sawgrass, in the Times classified this morning.
Yesterday, I saw another roseate spoonbill at the lake near us. What beautiful pinks. I don't think the bird even knows how beautiful he is! God is good!!!
From Quiet Moments for Teachers:
What's the problem?
"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." Philippians 4:13
...The developer of a popular series of business training films describes the phenomenon of discovering your problem solving skills are going nowhere.
You start thinking, I'm uncomfortable, I'm anxious ..I can't do this. I should never have started to try. I'm not creative. I was never creative in school. I'm a complete failure. I'm going to be fired... in other words you start enjoying a real, good, old-fashioned panic attack.
Problems can feel ten times larger in the middle of the night. But in reality--and by daylight--solutions might not be as distant as they seem.
Inventor Charles Kettering had a unique problem-solving method. He would divide each problem into the smallest possible pieces, then research the pieces to determine which ones had already been solved. He often found that what looked like a huge problem was already 98 percent solved by others. Then he tackled what was left.
In bite-sized pieces, problems become more manageable. Remember that with God, all things are possible. He can give us peace in our darkest nights and bring wisdom with the morning.
Obstacles in the pathway of the weak become stepping stones in the pathway of the strong.
Thomas Carlyle
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Friday, August 10, 2007
Change
Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another hot day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! When I stepped outside this morning, I noticed the tiny sliver of the moon, so tomorrow is the day I won't see it for awhile.
Due to the rain lately, our Mexican petunias are blooming abundantly and very pretty. The purple blooms only last for a day, but many are left to open the next day.
I had a very warm, breezeless walk yesterday and spoke to Mama gator, who was on the left side of the nest. I wonder if she is getting ready for the hatching of the babies? They should be popping out the end of this month or the first of Sept. Then as I got to the tower, I watched clear across the lake as a gator swam on the far side.
When I started back, the same small gator that had been on the bank the day before, was curled up in the same spot again. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God
Hebrews 6:11 "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure."
...Change takes place in all our lives. One season ends and another begins. We may say good-bye to a job, a relationship, a town, or a dream. With each ending, we have a choice. We can walk away without looking back, ignoring the closure and attention that's needed, or we can take the time to finish well-to tie up loose ends, to say our good-byes, to work hard right to the end. Only then can we know we have closed out the old chapter with integrity.
Is there an area of your life that needs attention today? Something that needs to be finished well? Take a moment and ask God to help you close the door. then you can face your new beginning with confidence.
The crossroads are down here. Which way to pull the rein? The left brings you but loss. The right nothing but gain.
Angelus Silesius
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Due to the rain lately, our Mexican petunias are blooming abundantly and very pretty. The purple blooms only last for a day, but many are left to open the next day.
I had a very warm, breezeless walk yesterday and spoke to Mama gator, who was on the left side of the nest. I wonder if she is getting ready for the hatching of the babies? They should be popping out the end of this month or the first of Sept. Then as I got to the tower, I watched clear across the lake as a gator swam on the far side.
When I started back, the same small gator that had been on the bank the day before, was curled up in the same spot again. God is good!
From Quiet Moments with God
Hebrews 6:11 "We want each of you to show this same diligence to the very end, in order to make your hope sure."
...Change takes place in all our lives. One season ends and another begins. We may say good-bye to a job, a relationship, a town, or a dream. With each ending, we have a choice. We can walk away without looking back, ignoring the closure and attention that's needed, or we can take the time to finish well-to tie up loose ends, to say our good-byes, to work hard right to the end. Only then can we know we have closed out the old chapter with integrity.
Is there an area of your life that needs attention today? Something that needs to be finished well? Take a moment and ask God to help you close the door. then you can face your new beginning with confidence.
The crossroads are down here. Which way to pull the rein? The left brings you but loss. The right nothing but gain.
Angelus Silesius
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love.
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Thursday, August 9, 2007
Psoaring thru Psalms
Good morning Dear Friends and Prayer Partners. This is the very warm day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it!
When I stepped outside this morning, it felt like a sauna, but the thin sliver of the moon was valiantly shining in the hazy eastern sky. Tomorrow it may not be visible.
I took a very, warm walk yesterday morning, but saw a young gator sunning on the bank across the canal, where I saw the huge one a couple weeks ago. Then I walked a little further, and saw Mama gator on the watch. Apparently, the signs are not being read, because a plastic bottle was by her head. I had talked with Terry for a few minutes before my walk, and he said the signs would not be effective. He is right.
Anyway, I kept on going to the tower and was in time to see another gator swimming quickly for the shelter of the tower, He was about 8 ft. long, and in a big hurry. As he reached the tower, he quit swimming and coasted right underneath me. I could see his legs pulled back as he coasted.
I also noticed a bit of beauty as a cardinal perched on the shelter roof and sang his happy tune for a few minutes. God is Awesome!
From the Promise Bible, Psalm 34 NLT
"I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord,
Let all who are discouraged take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness,
let us exalt his name together....
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in Him!
Let the Lord's people show him reverence,
for those who honor him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord
will never lack any good thing.
Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
Do any of you want to live
a life that is long and good?
Then watch your tongue!
Keep your lips from telling lies!
Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living in peace with others.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He rescues those who are crushed in spirit.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!!
I always thank God for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
amaryllis
When I stepped outside this morning, it felt like a sauna, but the thin sliver of the moon was valiantly shining in the hazy eastern sky. Tomorrow it may not be visible.
I took a very, warm walk yesterday morning, but saw a young gator sunning on the bank across the canal, where I saw the huge one a couple weeks ago. Then I walked a little further, and saw Mama gator on the watch. Apparently, the signs are not being read, because a plastic bottle was by her head. I had talked with Terry for a few minutes before my walk, and he said the signs would not be effective. He is right.
Anyway, I kept on going to the tower and was in time to see another gator swimming quickly for the shelter of the tower, He was about 8 ft. long, and in a big hurry. As he reached the tower, he quit swimming and coasted right underneath me. I could see his legs pulled back as he coasted.
I also noticed a bit of beauty as a cardinal perched on the shelter roof and sang his happy tune for a few minutes. God is Awesome!
From the Promise Bible, Psalm 34 NLT
"I will praise the Lord at all times.
I will constantly speak his praises.
I will boast only in the Lord,
Let all who are discouraged take heart.
Come, let us tell of the Lord's greatness,
let us exalt his name together....
Taste and see that the Lord is good.
Oh, the joys of those who trust in Him!
Let the Lord's people show him reverence,
for those who honor him will have all they need.
Even strong young lions sometimes go hungry,
but those who trust in the Lord
will never lack any good thing.
Come, my children, and listen to me,
and I will teach you to fear the Lord.
Do any of you want to live
a life that is long and good?
Then watch your tongue!
Keep your lips from telling lies!
Turn away from evil and do good.
Work hard at living in peace with others.
The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right;
his ears are open to their cries for help.
The Lord hears his people when they call to him for help.
He rescues them from all their troubles.
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted.
He rescues those who are crushed in spirit.
Blessed be the name of the Lord!!
I always thank God for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
amaryllis
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
More Cruisin; thru Corinthians
Good Morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is another warm day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! We had an unexpected rainstorm yesterday that took me by surprise! I had no idea it had rained until I came out of the salon and saw water all over the streets!
I did not walk yesterday, because it was too hot by the time I was ready to go. However, I did drive through and saw a couple peacocks, a heron intent on finding an unwary fish in front him, and the ever present anhingas. The work seems to be progressing on time, although they had to take last Thursday off because of the rain all day.
I was pleased to look out our front window yesterday and see lots of little blackbirds pecking around on our lawn...it looked like the migration that takes place in the fall! We have more baby ducks in the neighborhood, and while they are really cute when they are fuzzy, I have to keep chasing them out of our trees, because they make an unpleasant mess on the ground. Oh, well, God created them, too!
Excerpts from 1 Corinthians 3 NLT
"...The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work. We work together as partners who belong to God."
...."But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgement day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value.If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames....
"God watches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness.
"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, and they are worthless.
...You belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I did not walk yesterday, because it was too hot by the time I was ready to go. However, I did drive through and saw a couple peacocks, a heron intent on finding an unwary fish in front him, and the ever present anhingas. The work seems to be progressing on time, although they had to take last Thursday off because of the rain all day.
I was pleased to look out our front window yesterday and see lots of little blackbirds pecking around on our lawn...it looked like the migration that takes place in the fall! We have more baby ducks in the neighborhood, and while they are really cute when they are fuzzy, I have to keep chasing them out of our trees, because they make an unpleasant mess on the ground. Oh, well, God created them, too!
Excerpts from 1 Corinthians 3 NLT
"...The ones who do the planting or watering aren't important, but God is important because he is the one who makes the seed grow. The one who plants and the one who waters work as a team with the same purpose. Yet they will be rewarded individually, according to their own hard work. We work together as partners who belong to God."
...."But there is going to come a time of testing at the judgement day to see what kind of work each builder has done. Everyone's work will be put through the fire to see whether or not it keeps its value.If the work survives the fire, that builder will receive a reward. But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builders themselves will be saved, but like someone escaping through a wall of flames....
"God watches those who think they are wise in their own cleverness.
"The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, and they are worthless.
...You belong to Christ and Christ belongs to God."
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
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