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! Water is still dripping off the roof from the all day rain yesterday, but today the sun is shining and it looks like a cool, wonderful day! I drove to church in a light rain, but by the time I parked, it was really coming down hard. I got in fairly dry with my umbrella, but found out my back was wet, which soon dried.
My yard is a mess from the high winds Saturday, which whipped the twigs and branches from the trees, so now, it really needs a clean-up, Since the growth of the grass has slowed down, I only have it mowed every two weeks, and this is the week, so it will mostly be cleaned up Thursday. I can wait. I looked out the garage side door late yesterday to see if could take trash out, and a flock of birds landed and were very busily pecking on the ground, so I did not go out, but stood and watched, I didn't recognize the kind, but then realized they must have been immature blackbirds, kind of brownish with stripes. A few very black blackbirds were with them. They soon left in a cloud and perched on the overhead wires.
As I drove to church, I saw a woodstork and an anhinga perched on the same sign on the banks of Lynch Lake, contrasting very sharply with one black and one white..a strange pair. But God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
James 1:2-8
Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.
If you need wisdom--if you want to know what God wants you to do--ask him and he will gladly tell you. He will not resent your asking. But when you ask him, be sure that you really expect him to answer, for a doubtful mind is an unsettled as a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. People like that should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. They can't make up their minds. They waver back and forth in everything they do. ...
God blesses the people who patiently endure testing. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
Monday, October 10, 2011
Friday, October 7, 2011
Like a Newborn Babe
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 wind is blowing and the air is cool and the promise of rain is in the forecast. And, we had a good shower last night after dark.. I had seen a dark cloud hovering overhead, but really did not think it would rain. But it did not last long.
I was so impressed by the sky yesterday. In addition to the contrails, white puffy clouds were floating around , contrasting with the blue of the sky. Very beautiful!
After vacuuming and getting some things done, I went to the park, and saw one woodstork, and several ibises hanging around the weir. That is unusual, because I had not seen them there before. Then, further on, I saw the old gopher tortoise. As I was growing up, we just called them gophers, and they were everywhere in the vacant lots. Now, they are protected.
On my way back home, I took a detour to Wendy's and purchased a salad and baked potato with chili cheese topping for supper. Couldn't eat all of either one, so guess I will have reruns again for lunch. But God is good!
From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV
In 1994, Jim Gleason underwent a life-saving heart transplant at age fifty-one. After he survived one of the most extreme surgeries imaginable, many asked how it felt to love with a new heart. His analogy was "like being born again, but with fifty years of memories and experiences built in."
He tells of coming home just ten days after his transplant. He wanted to go for a short walk around the yard. Accompanied by his daughter, he gazed in wonder at the green grass--so brilliant after weeks of drab hospital room walls. He recalls:
I stopped walking. "Look at that!" I exclaimed to Mary. I was pointing to our small maple tree, so vibrant with the colors of that crisp, clear fall day. Then I spied a grasshopper and, like the young child, exclaimed in glee, "Look at that! A grasshopper!"
Her response, in disbelief at my reaction, was an almost sarcastic, "Well, if that's exciting, look here-- a lady bug!"
After four years with his new heart. Jim still cherishes life's simple pleasures. And when is the danger of losing that gift greatest? " As friends and family wish you would return to being "Normal"". he reflects. "I struggle to never become "normal" in that sense again."
With God's help, we, too, can walk in newness of life--no surgery required. Give thanks that we don't have to be "normal".
Think not on what you lack
as much as on what you have.
Greek Proverb
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I was so impressed by the sky yesterday. In addition to the contrails, white puffy clouds were floating around , contrasting with the blue of the sky. Very beautiful!
After vacuuming and getting some things done, I went to the park, and saw one woodstork, and several ibises hanging around the weir. That is unusual, because I had not seen them there before. Then, further on, I saw the old gopher tortoise. As I was growing up, we just called them gophers, and they were everywhere in the vacant lots. Now, they are protected.
On my way back home, I took a detour to Wendy's and purchased a salad and baked potato with chili cheese topping for supper. Couldn't eat all of either one, so guess I will have reruns again for lunch. But God is good!
From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you. I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.
Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV
In 1994, Jim Gleason underwent a life-saving heart transplant at age fifty-one. After he survived one of the most extreme surgeries imaginable, many asked how it felt to love with a new heart. His analogy was "like being born again, but with fifty years of memories and experiences built in."
He tells of coming home just ten days after his transplant. He wanted to go for a short walk around the yard. Accompanied by his daughter, he gazed in wonder at the green grass--so brilliant after weeks of drab hospital room walls. He recalls:
I stopped walking. "Look at that!" I exclaimed to Mary. I was pointing to our small maple tree, so vibrant with the colors of that crisp, clear fall day. Then I spied a grasshopper and, like the young child, exclaimed in glee, "Look at that! A grasshopper!"
Her response, in disbelief at my reaction, was an almost sarcastic, "Well, if that's exciting, look here-- a lady bug!"
After four years with his new heart. Jim still cherishes life's simple pleasures. And when is the danger of losing that gift greatest? " As friends and family wish you would return to being "Normal"". he reflects. "I struggle to never become "normal" in that sense again."
With God's help, we, too, can walk in newness of life--no surgery required. Give thanks that we don't have to be "normal".
Think not on what you lack
as much as on what you have.
Greek Proverb
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Paul's Prayer for Spiritual Empowering
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! Even though it is a little more humid this morning, the air is still cool and I have the window open with a nice breeze coming in.
Yesterday, after a visit to the doctor, (funny thing, I saw a friends name on the sign in list just before mine,Tues, and saw another church member yesterday) I went to the park and saw a great blue heron standing by the weir, while a huge green dump truck rolled across the dam and headed on to the mulch pile. I also saw a couple turtles drying out in the sun on the banks., I had not seen them in quite a while.. Not many people were there, but since I was not dressed to walk, I did not get out. I just enjoyed looking at the green shrubbery with a white ibis perched in a tree, looking very much like a Florida post card! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Ephesians 3:14
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 long, 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 he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and every through endless ages. Amen.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Yesterday, after a visit to the doctor, (funny thing, I saw a friends name on the sign in list just before mine,Tues, and saw another church member yesterday) I went to the park and saw a great blue heron standing by the weir, while a huge green dump truck rolled across the dam and headed on to the mulch pile. I also saw a couple turtles drying out in the sun on the banks., I had not seen them in quite a while.. Not many people were there, but since I was not dressed to walk, I did not get out. I just enjoyed looking at the green shrubbery with a white ibis perched in a tree, looking very much like a Florida post card! God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Ephesians 3:14
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 long, 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 he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and every through endless ages. Amen.
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Psoaring thru Psalm 8
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! And what a glorious morning it is! The cool wind is blowing, the sun is shining, and it is a great day to be alive!
Although it gets warm in the afternoon, still , for the most part, I can open some of the windows and let the cool air in. I look forward to October just for that reason. The birds were out in full force this morning, singing and flying about, Morning is a good time to see all the activity in the park, because animals and birds are out getting breakfast.
Well, I watched the Rays lose yesterday, but they should still be proud of the way they came back and got in the playoffs. I have decided that I like baseball better than football, except when the Gators play.
This morning I heard a helicopter hovering for a long time over the interstate and found out from TV that an accident had happened at 54th and the interstate. A good time to be careful going to work. But God is control and He is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise.
They silence your enemies who were seeking revenge.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers--
the moon and the stars you have set in place.
What are mortals that you should think of us,
mere humans that you should care for us
For you made us only a little lower than God,
and you crowned us with glory and honor.
You put us in charge of everything you made,
giving us authority over all things.--
the sheep and the cattle
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
Although it gets warm in the afternoon, still , for the most part, I can open some of the windows and let the cool air in. I look forward to October just for that reason. The birds were out in full force this morning, singing and flying about, Morning is a good time to see all the activity in the park, because animals and birds are out getting breakfast.
Well, I watched the Rays lose yesterday, but they should still be proud of the way they came back and got in the playoffs. I have decided that I like baseball better than football, except when the Gators play.
This morning I heard a helicopter hovering for a long time over the interstate and found out from TV that an accident had happened at 54th and the interstate. A good time to be careful going to work. But God is control and He is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Psalm 8
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
Your glory is higher than the heavens.
You have taught children and nursing infants to give you praise.
They silence your enemies who were seeking revenge.
When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers--
the moon and the stars you have set in place.
What are mortals that you should think of us,
mere humans that you should care for us
For you made us only a little lower than God,
and you crowned us with glory and honor.
You put us in charge of everything you made,
giving us authority over all things.--
the sheep and the cattle
and all the wild animals,
the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea,
and everything that swims the ocean currents.
O Lord, our Lord, the majesty of your name fills the earth!
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
Still Cruisin' thru Corinthiians 12
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 are still having nice, cool mornings, but the afternoons are starting to warm up again, so we will be back in the heat again soon. I turned on the A/C yesterday because the inside was stuffy.
I walked on the sidewalk at the park yesterday, keeping to the shade as much as possible, and using my gnarly walking stick. I watched an egret fishing and down below me, two ibises were standing on a large growth of weeds extending into the canal. Yellow butterflies were flitting all around me , and suddenly, I heard a hawk calling from the oak trees ahead. I looked and looked for him, but when I got to where I thought he was, he stopped calling, so I was unable to locate him.
I stood and watched the water pouring from the drain that leads from Arrow Lake, which means it is still very high from all the rain. Sometimes gators swim through and come out into the canal. It runs right under the sidewalk. I enjoyed the walk and the solitude, although I spoke to several people as they walked along. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
1 Corinthians 12:18
But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you."
In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. ..
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
I walked on the sidewalk at the park yesterday, keeping to the shade as much as possible, and using my gnarly walking stick. I watched an egret fishing and down below me, two ibises were standing on a large growth of weeds extending into the canal. Yellow butterflies were flitting all around me , and suddenly, I heard a hawk calling from the oak trees ahead. I looked and looked for him, but when I got to where I thought he was, he stopped calling, so I was unable to locate him.
I stood and watched the water pouring from the drain that leads from Arrow Lake, which means it is still very high from all the rain. Sometimes gators swim through and come out into the canal. It runs right under the sidewalk. I enjoyed the walk and the solitude, although I spoke to several people as they walked along. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
1 Corinthians 12:18
But God made our bodies with many parts, and he has put each part just where he wants it. What a strange thing a body would be if it had only one part! Yes, there are many parts, but only one body. The eye can never say to the hand, "I don't need you."
In fact, some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are really the most necessary. And the parts we regard as less honorable are those we clothe with the greatest care. So we carefully protect from the eyes of others those parts that should not be seen, while other parts do not require this special care. So God has put the body together in such a way that extra honor and care are given to those parts that have less dignity. This makes for harmony among the members so that all the members care for each other equally. If one part suffers, all the parts suffer with it, and if one part is honored, all the parts are glad.
Now all of you together are Christ's body, and each one of you is a separate and necessary part of it. ..
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!
Love and hugs,
Amaryllis
Monday, October 3, 2011
Cruisin' thru Corinthians
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! Can you believe this cool, fall weather? Just wonderful! I have not had the A/C on for a couple days and have had some windows open. Invigorating!
I had the carpets cleaned Friday and the man who does them came early, so I had to change plans for the morning and just sit and watch. What hard work he does. He said he cleans the carpets at Perkins in Clearwater and they are open 24 hours, so he has to do one room at a time, sometimes at 10:30 at night which is their slow time. Syrup is very hard to clean up. I can imagine. He is a boy scout leader, and chose carpet cleaning as his career, so he could be home when his special needs son comes home. I have known him for several years, and know that he is trustworthy.
I cruised through the park and saw that lots of people were out; some with picnics, some with dogs, and most just walking. The squirrels were out in full force, racing back and forth in front of cars, but the only bird I saw was the anhinga drying out the wings. There are plenty of birds around in my yard, though! Seems like they are coming down from the north already. But God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
1 Corinthians 12:4..
Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.
To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives to one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophecy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown tongues, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have....
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, love and joy!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
I had the carpets cleaned Friday and the man who does them came early, so I had to change plans for the morning and just sit and watch. What hard work he does. He said he cleans the carpets at Perkins in Clearwater and they are open 24 hours, so he has to do one room at a time, sometimes at 10:30 at night which is their slow time. Syrup is very hard to clean up. I can imagine. He is a boy scout leader, and chose carpet cleaning as his career, so he could be home when his special needs son comes home. I have known him for several years, and know that he is trustworthy.
I cruised through the park and saw that lots of people were out; some with picnics, some with dogs, and most just walking. The squirrels were out in full force, racing back and forth in front of cars, but the only bird I saw was the anhinga drying out the wings. There are plenty of birds around in my yard, though! Seems like they are coming down from the north already. But God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
1 Corinthians 12:4..
Now there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but it is the same Holy Spirit who is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service in the church, but it is the same Lord we are serving. There are different ways God works in our lives, but it is the same God who does the work through all of us. A spiritual gift is given to each of us as a means of helping the entire church.
To one person the Spirit gives the ability to give wise advice; to another he gives the gift of special knowledge. The Spirit gives special faith to another and to someone else he gives the power to heal the sick. He gives to one person the power to perform miracles, and to another the ability to prophecy. He gives someone else the ability to know whether it is really the spirit of God or another spirit that is speaking. Still another person is given the ability to speak in unknown tongues, and another is given the ability to interpret what is being said. It is the one and only Holy Spirit who distributes these gifts. He alone decides which gift each person should have....
I always give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, love and joy!
Love and hugs, Amaryllis
Thursday, September 29, 2011
God's Wisdom from Isaiah 40
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! No rain yesterday! But the yard is still draining and the gutters in front are full, as the water runs swiftly to the nearest storm drain.
I had a lazy day yesterday, only getting out to run a few errands, and then to the park. the water has gone down slightly in the canal and is off the weir, leaving lots of trash caught on the poles. I watched mamas and babies in strollers getting ready for a long walk, and a man with a beautiful, old Dalmatian walking along the sidewalk. The dog looked tired and was walking very slowly, that's why I thought he was old. Squirrels were scampering about, but I did not see any ibises. Strange.
When I came home, I watched a blue jay eating acorns in the front yard. I don't know how he got so many into his craw, if that's what they have. Then, off he flew with one in his mouth, so he must have a nest somewhere near. God's creations are marvelous. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Isaiah 40:27
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
I had a lazy day yesterday, only getting out to run a few errands, and then to the park. the water has gone down slightly in the canal and is off the weir, leaving lots of trash caught on the poles. I watched mamas and babies in strollers getting ready for a long walk, and a man with a beautiful, old Dalmatian walking along the sidewalk. The dog looked tired and was walking very slowly, that's why I thought he was old. Squirrels were scampering about, but I did not see any ibises. Strange.
When I came home, I watched a blue jay eating acorns in the front yard. I don't know how he got so many into his craw, if that's what they have. Then, off he flew with one in his mouth, so he must have a nest somewhere near. God's creations are marvelous. God is good!
From the Promise Bible NLT:
Isaiah 40:27
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
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