God Can Handle It

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 hope some of you saw the sunset last night. Once again the line of clouds in the east were colored with pinks from the sunset in the west. They were gorgeous! This is another cool morning, but if it warms up again like yesterday, it will be hot!

There will be lots of celebrations today to honor our servicemen and women who are protecting their country in various ways. It is not easy being away from home and family and I thank them for sacrifices, and those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice! I remembered to put my flag out this morning, early. I hope many on the street will do the same.

While I was praying this morning and writing names down, I noticed a wild swinging of the branches in the oak tree in the backyard. and sure enough, the squirrels were playing. Back and forth, and hopping from the branch to the roof of the old shed and back. They know how to have fun, but they also work for food most of the day, and use lots of energy zipping across the street and circling round and round the tree trunks. The squirrels at the park are fat from people feeding them, When they see a parked car in the circle, they sit and beg, trying to look pitiful, while all around they are surrounded by acorns and other goodies.

The turtles were all gathered on the bank of the weir again yesterday. All sizes crowded together, and one larger loner away from the crowd. God is good!

From the little devotional book, Knowing God:

So, you see, it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that there is a God and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 NLT

Every life-including yours-is a series of wins and losses. Every step of the way, through every triumph and tragedy, God walks with you, ready and willing to strengthen you. So the next time you find your courage tested to the limit, remember to take your fears to God. If you call upon Him, you will be comforted. Whatever your challenge, whatever your trouble, God can handle it.

When you place your faith, your trust, indeed your life in the hands of your Heavenly Father, you'll be amazed at the marvelous things He can do with you and through you. So strengthen your faith through praise, through worship, through Bible study, and through prayer, And trust God's plans .With Him, all things are possible, and He stands ready to open a world of possibilities to you,,,if you have faith.

Great Thoughts
Faith is always tested for three reasons to prove whether our faith is real; to help our faith grow, and to bring glory to the Lord.
Warren Wiersbe

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Verses from Ecclesiastes

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 am almost used to the bright sun shining in the windows so early now, and the darkness coming early, also. And My internal clock is now on EST, so I am sleeping better. Sure wish the time would stay the same year round. Sigh!

Well, the sparrows have arrived from the North. Yesterday, as I was sweeping off the porch, and, I am happy to say, most of the acorns have fallen, yay! I saw the tiny brown creatures hopping about on the ground and then flitting off to the trees. They are such busy little birds!

When I went to the Park, over a dozen turtles of all sizes were sunning on the bank of the weir. Maybe the temp. of the water has dropped a degree or two to cause them to climb out. I thought they were cold-blooded like the gators, but maybe not. I'll have to check them out in the little golden book Daryl has had since he was old enough to read. I know there is always the internet, but this little book has a lot of info, too. Everything else seemed to be very quiet. Lots of children in the park, I think maybe from a home-schooling group. It is a good place to get an education on nature and God's creations. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Ecc:4:9 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....

5:19 And it is a good thing to receive wealth from God and the good health to enjoy it.So 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

Trust God's Wisdom

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 can't believe it is almost ten already! Where did the morning go? I had the Roachbuster man in already and we chatted about our respective trips to TN and NC recently. He makes enough income as an independent business man to have a house in Hiawassee near Murphy, NC. He must have been up there at the same time as I. He has been spraying my house for many years. once a month.

This weather is still a little chilly for me, but really beautiful. As I went to the Park yesterday, I saw a bunch of turtles drying out on the weir. Big and little snappers, but the gator was not visible on the other side. Not many people were in the park, but it was a school day and , although there was a crowd gathered on the bridge, they must have been locals, because the car tags were all Florida. They were all looking at the anhinga who was posing on the stump with outstretched wings.

The beauty berry bushes that were planted in the middle of the circle, are heavy with berries, as is mine in my backyard. The bushes were planted there to eliminate mowing, when all the budget cuts were made. Sigh. Lots of changes, but God is good!

From the little devotional book Knowing God:
"understanding is like a fountain which gives life to those who use it." Proverbs 16:22 NCV

The world has its own brand of wisdom, a brand of wisdom that is often wrong and sometimes dangerous. God, on the other hand, has a different brand of wisdom, a wisdom that will lead you closer to Him.

Where will you place your trust today? Will you trust in the wisdom of fallible men and women, or will you place your faith in God's perfect wisdom? The answer to this question will determine the direction of your day and the quality of your decisions. Are you tired? Discouraged? Fearful? Be comforted and trust God. Are you worried or anxious? Be confident in God's power. Are you confused? Listen to the quiet voice of your Heavenly Father.He is not a God of confusion. Talk with Him, listen to Him, trust Him. His wisdom, unlike the "wisdom" of the world will never let you down.

Great Thoughts

God does not give His counsel to the curious or the careless. He reveals His will to the concerned and to the consecrated.
-Warren Wiersbe

-Prayer for today-

Dear Lord, You are my Teacher. Help me to learn from You. and then, let me show others what it means to be a kind, generous, loving Christian. Amen.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

The Future Glory

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! It is a beautiful sunshiny , but chilly day. It is supposed to be gradually warming up all this week, so just as well I didn't put my new flannel sheets on the bed!

Something about this change in time takes me a long time to get used to. I cannot sleep well for a few days afterwards. Seems like with the extra hour sleep, I would be doing well, but maybe it's just me. Oh, well, I should be ready to catch a nap this afternoon.

I went to the Park yesterday, and my, was it crowded! The sunshine brought many turtles out of the water to dry out on the banks of the weir, and across the street, the chubby middle-sized gator was sunning. Then, as I rounded the circle corner, there was the old, big gopher tortoise. Now I grew up in this city and we always had gophers around the vacant lot we lived next to, so they were not a big deal to us, but for people new to this area, they are something novel. Many people get up close and take pictures of these strange looking creatures.

Also, as I was coming back from an errand, I saw an osprey on one line, and what I think was a kingfisher on another line. I looked in my Peterson bird guide, but can't quite identify for sure just what the bird is. I thought perhaps a shrike, but it looks more like the kingfisher. Maybe I should study up more on my birds! But, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 8:18 Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will give us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, everything on earth was subjected to God's curse. All creation anticipates the day when it will join God's children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. And even we Christians, although we have the Holy Spirit within us as a foretaste of future glory, also groan to be released from pain and suffering. We, too, wait anxiously for that day when God will give us our full rights as his children, including the new bodies he has promised us. Now that we are saved, we eagerly look forward to this freedom. For if you already have something, you don't need to hope for it. But if we look forward to something we don't have yet , we must wait patiently and confidently. And the Holy Spirit helps us in our distress. For we don't even know what we should pray for, nor how we should pray. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God's own will. And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Psoaaring through Psalm 20

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, November weather is finally here! The weather is in the sixties this morning and tomorrow is supposed to be really cold...well, not snow or anything like that, but cold enough for heat for us Floridians! We've been spoiled by this long, warm, spell!
Yesterday I managed to do all my errands and only got sprinkled on. When the hard rains came, I was ready to settle down with a book, so life was good.

I had an appointment with my doctor in the afternoon, and found out I am good for another thousand miles! I thank God for good health for my age or any age!

When I went to the park, not many people were there because of the cloudy, overcast weather, I guess. I saw a lot of trash, which had washed down just in front of the weir, and a great blue heron was almost invisible because of his color, right in the middle of it. Looked like he had spied something that was tasty in the midst of the stuff. A couple of turtle were trying to dry off on the bank, but no sun just then. When I got to the canal, a bright, white spot caught my eye. It was an ibis in a tree, looking down on the water. It was outstanding and almost hidden in the green of the trees..

When I went to the library later on, I had to stop for a flock of ibis strolling across the street. One of them stopped right in front of the car to scratch...very unconcerned about his safety! But God is good!

Psalm 20 NLT:

In times of trouble, may the Lord respond to your cry.
May the God of Israel keep you safe from all harm.
May he send you help from his sanctuary
and strengthen you from Jerusalem.
May he remember all your gifts
and look favorably on your burnt offerings.

May he grant your heart's desire
and fulfill all your plans.
May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory,
flying banners to honor our God.
May the Lord answer all your prayers.

Now I know that the Lord saves his anointed
King.
He will answer him from his holy heaven,
and rescue him by his great power.
Some nations boast of their armies and weapons.
But we boast in the Lord our God.
Those nations will fall down and collapse,
but we will rise up and stand firm.

Give victory to our King, O Lord!
Respond to our cry for help.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Trust Him when Times are Tough

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 was awakened about 3:45AM this morning when a brilliant flash of lightning glowed through the curtain, followed by the low rumble of thunder. I thought, "Praise God", He answers prayers. We have really needed rain and I'm not sure how much or how long it rained, but today, everything is wet and that is good. I had swept the porch clean of acorns late in the afternoon, and this morning it is covered with them again. Oh, well, just have to wait until they dry to sweep these off.

While the cold front is coming about Friday, I think, it seems funny that we go from A/C to heat in 24 hours or less. That's the way our weather is, though.

Yesterday, I drove to Walmart, found a convenient parking space right away, and went in to the crowded store. Mostly, older people like me , but a few young mothers with small children in the carts. After using the patience God gave me, while waiting for some people to move their carts, and going clear around the aisle to get where I wanted to go, I finally got everything on my list and some things that were not (I avoided the half price candy aisle) I got in line at one of the check outs. Of course, there were not nearly enough cashiers for the crowd that was in there. I probably waited over twenty minutes in line, and the older man two carts in front, turned around and said, "I was only 16 when I got in this line." :o) I got a chuckle out of that! The woman in front of me was on her cell the whole time she waited, and had her hand in front of her mouth, so her conversation was a little more private. It was a good time for people watching!

It was a relief to go to the Park later, where there was peace and quiet. God is good!

From the little devotional Knowing God:

Trust Him when Times Are Tough

He comes alongside us when we go through hard times, and before you know it, he brings us alongside someone else who is going through hard times so that we can be there for that person just as God was there for us.
2 Corinthians 1:4 MSG

All of us face times of adversity. On occasion, we all must endure the disappointments and tragedies that befall believers and nonbelievers alike. The reassuring words of 1 John 5:4 remind us that when we accept God's grace, we overcome the passing hardships of this world by relying upon His strength, His love, and His promise of eternal life.

When we face the inevitable difficulties of life here on earth, God stands ready to protect us. Our responsibility, of course,is to ask Him for protection. When we call upon him in heartfelt prayer, He will answer in His own time and according to His own plan-and He will heal us. And while we are waiting for God's plans to unfold and for His healing touch to restore us, we can be comforted in the knowledge that our Creator can overcome any obstacle, even if we cannot. Let us take God at his word, and let us trust Him.

"A brook would lose its song, if God removed the rocks."
Anonymous

I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers wit 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! I am still waiting for the cold front that's coming this weekend, but the weather has been really pleasant the past two days. Yesterday we had a little sprinkle of rain early, but even though the clouds looked very threatening all day, that was all the rain we received. Well, there is always hope.

I saw a funny sight yesterday as I was coming along Turner's Creek. The tide was out and several guys were throwing their nets in the water, hoping to catch some mullet, I guess, and there, a little distance away was a woodstork, patiently waiting. I have never seen one so close to humans before, it is usually the pelicans that are waiting for a handout. I also saw a great blue heron at the lake and a flock of ducks. Mama was marching toward the water with a dozen or so babies all in a row behind her . She had her ducks in a row. :o)

The anhingas were drying wings at the park, and a turtle was drying out on the bank of the weir, but not a lot of people were walking, because of the weather, I guess, although cloudy weather is best for walking, I think.

Well, because of the results of the election yesterday. I thought these scriptures would be appropriate. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

How can I hope that I can change for the better?

2 Corinthians 5:17 Those who became Christians become new persons. They are not the same anymore, for the old life is gone. A new life has begun!

Philippians 1:6 I am sure that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on that day when Christ Jesus comes back again.

A great work takes a long time to complete. Though we are converted in a moment of faith, the process of transformation into Christ-likeness takes a lifetime. While it may appear slow to us, it is relentless and certain.

Are there some changes that are too overwhelming for our faith?

Psalm 46:1-2 God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear, even if earthquakes come and mountains crumble into the sea.

Faith is the answer to fear. No amount of change in our life will affect God's care for us.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis