Still updating

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

Today Louis was not very responsive and slept almost the whole time I was with him. He woke up to eat his lunch, which I fed him, and had a fairly good appetite, but had his eyes closed most of the time. Tomorrow we make the decision of where to send him for rehab, so please pray for wisdom for me for the right choice, according to insurance and the doctor's visit.

I have been talking with a very nice patient care tech. Ryan, a young man who is going to join the Air Force soon, and today we had a good conversation about how to have a long marriage. (61 years for us) I told him tolerance and Jesus in the marriage. He asked me to repeat it and then said I should go on TV and put it in the paper and on the radio. He also believes marriage should be based on God and that all decisions should be made with God in mind. I told him I did not know what the future held for Louis and me, but God is in control and He knows, so we just have to trust in His will.
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Ryan came over to me and held out his hand, but I stood up and gave him a hug. God sends the nicest people in my path!
God is good!

More updates tomorrow! Keep those prayers coming!

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Another update..prayer request

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

Well, the end of the hospital is not in sight,yet. Louis still has IV's and antibiotic pumping into him and the longer he stays in bed, the weaker he gets. Today the Phys. Therapist came and encouraged him with her help to sit up and dangle his legs. This was very difficult for him and she says he will probably have to go to a rebab center (nursing home) after he leaves the hospital , so he can get back to being mobile. the longer he stays in unfamiliar surroundings, the more confused he is. He will eat if someone feeds him, but the nurses cannot stick with him long enough to help, so today I was there to have his breakfast warmed up, so I could feed him, and then I fed him lunch. He has a good appetite, but needs help, because he cannot use his hands well because of monitors and iv's

Brian is taking the supper shift and is trying to shave him and get his teeth brushed. But God is in control and he is Good!
Keep on praying,

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Update

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

Thanks to all who are praying. Louis is still in the hospital and is still fighting the infection in the bladder and urinary tract. He has a good appetite if someone feeds him, because it is difficult to eat in bed when you have tubes and monitors attached. So I fed him his lunch and supper and he ate everything. He still is not too communicative with the nurses unless they have a good attitude with him, but is fine with Brian and me.

I will not be able to bring him home until they can get him up and remove the catheter, so it may be another day or two.

Thanks for keeping us in your prayers!

Love ahd hugs,
Amaryllis

New Year's EVE

Dear Friends and Prayer Partners,

I would not recommend spending four hours in the ER on NYE, but God is good! As I was leaving to go to Bayfront while the ambulance was still in front of the house, God sent David Massey running up the street and he ran over just in time to pray for Louis and for me! God's timing is perfect!

Louis is staying in the hospital at least overnight, until he can walk with the help of the walker. He has a severe bladder infection and has already had an antibiotic drip and IV. Brian was with me even with his cough and cold, wearing a mask. I got home after nine and ate some waffles because I was hungry!

Please pray for healing and strengthening for Louis and rest and strength for me.

Love and hugs and Happy New Year!!!
Amaryllis

Merry Christmas!!

Good morning, Dear Friends and Prayer Partners! This is the rainy day that the Lord has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it! It is a dark, wet day and supposed to be this way all day and then turn cold. A good day for staying in and off the streets, but shoppers have to shop and workers have to work, and students have to attend school, so lots of people will still be traveling.

Speaking of traveling, please pray for Daryl and Matthew as they start out this evening for their long drive down here for Christmas. I am really looking forward to having them come!

Yesterday we had a ride in the CARERiDE van to the doctors to have Louis' toenails clipped. It is always interesting to see which driver we will have and how well they know the city. I have good conversations with some of them. God is good.

This will be the last Gator Bytes until after Christmas, as I will be taking a break while the family is here, so I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Christmas!!

Luke 2

...and while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. She gave birth to her first child, a son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the village inn.

That night the shepherds were in the fields outside the village, guarding their flocks of sheep., Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord's Glory surrounded them. They were terribly frightened, but the angel reassured them. "Don't be afraid!" he said. "I bring you good news of great joy for everyone! The Savior-yes, the Messiah, the Lord-has been born tonight in Bethlehem, the city of David! And this is how you will recognize him: You will find a baby lying in a manger , wrapped snugly in strips of cloth!"

Suddenly , the angel was joined by a vast host of others--the armies of heaven--praising God :

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and peace on earth to all whom God favors."

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psalm 145

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! Well, sure enough, our weather is turning cooler, and will be for a few days. Guess it will seem more like Christmas with the cool instead of the heat, but I still like the warmer.

I have seen the tiny wrens again in the yard. When they are on the ground they look just like a brown leaf, except they flit about like the wind is blowing them. Lots of ducks, including babies were at Lynch Lake yesterday, along with the usual woodstorks. When I went to the Park, I saw five sleek, wet turtles sunning on the bank of the canal and the anhinga drying on the drive across the weir. Quite a few people were out, including a party from the skating rink. Looked like everyone was having a good time! God is good!

We have had problems with our Times delivery, and so I have called the circulation manager a couple times. He called me back one day and said he had instructed the deliverer to put it on the porch. Sometimes it is, and sometimes it isn't. Yesterday, I discovered a paper on the roof, which had been there two days. I took the long handled grabber and fished it down. Then I had a Christmas card delivered with yesterday's paper. Should I leave a tip or not, that is the question. Sigh.

Psalm 145 NLT

...The Lord is gracious in all he says,
he is gracious in all he does.
The Lord helps the fallen
and lifts up those bent beneath their loads.
All eyes look to you for help,
you give them their food as they need it.
When you open your hand
you satisfy the hunger and thirst
of every living thing.

The Lord is righteous in everything he does;
he is filled with kindness.
The Lord is close to all who call on him,
yes, to all who call on him sincerely.
He fulfills the desires of those who fear him;
he hears their cries for help and
rescues them.
The Lord protects all those who love him,
but he destroys the wicked.

I will praise the Lord;
and everyone on earth will bless his
holy name
forever and forever.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Busyness

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! Well, this is a changing weather day. The front is coming through and while the sun is nice and warm, the north wind is blowing very cool, so I turned off the air, and will probably have the heat on by Saturday! But God is good!

I already swept off the porch this morning...the acorns have just about finished dropping, and now it is the leaves. Hundreds of leaves! It was kind of futile to sweep the porch because the wind was blowing them right back behind me. Oh, well, I tried.

Yesterday we stayed in and I tried to get some Christmasy things done. I am still digging out decorations and cannot find my candle rings anyplace. Well, maybe next year...ha.

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Does God expect me to be busy all the time?

Psalm 23:2 He lets me rest in green meadows, he leads me beside peaceful streams.

Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus said, "Eome to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle, and you will find rest for your souls."

Activity itself is not a virtue; it can actually be a detriment to our spiritual lives. The Lord invites us to rest and be refreshed in his care.

Psalm 90:12 Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.
The key to overcoming empty busyness is to live wisely for God God empowers us to make the most of the time he's given us.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis