God's Plan

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! This will be a day like yesterday....cool start and warm finish, but then comes another cold front, so tomorrow night we will finally have a big change and I may have to turn the furnace on for the first time this year!

I got some good walking yesterday when I visited the Neighborhood Walmart store. All in all, it was a good shopping experience. Not many people in the store and they had everything I wanted and then some! I had seen a segment on the local news yesterday of some of the weird things and people that happen in Walmart stores, featuring the manager of the local superstore. Unbelievable what some people will do in public!

So, after that I put away the groceries and drove to the park to see what was going on. On the way there, I saw the ever present woodstorks and ibis around Lynch Lake. But just as I got through the gate at the park, a crowd of people, with cars parked along the road, were gathered at the lake on the right, looking at a large gator. He hasn't been there in quite a 
while, but, until he sank from all the onlookers, he really thrilled a lot of people. I can't blame them, because I never lose my excitement over seeing them in the wild. God is good!


From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

Genesis 2:15   Then the Lord God took the man and put him into the garden of Eden to cultivate it and keep it.  

Thomas Edison, probably the greatest inventor in history, once said, "I never did a day's work in my life. It was all fun."

He changed the lives of millions with his inventions of the electric light and the phonograph. He also helped perfect the motion picture, the telephone, and the electric generator. Edison patented more tha 1100  inventions in sixty years.

What was the secret of his success? He defined it himself as "1 percent inspiration and 99 percent perspiration," Perhaps Edison's greatest contribution to modern society was his attitude toward work.

Have you ever thought about the fact that God worked? After He had completed His Creation work in six days, He rested on the seventh. Some people think work was a condemnation upon human beings after Adam's sin. But work was part of Adam's life from the very beginning. God created Adam in His image, and He placed him in the Garden of Eden to cultivate His creation.

 Work has its rewards and laziness its consequences. The ant is a good worker. It busily gathers food for the winter without anyone giving a command. In like manner we are to initiate work ourselves and do our best. Paul reminds us not to grow weary of doing good. Work may not always be fun, but it is essential and gives us a sense of accomplishment that nothing else can bring.

Now I wake me up to work,
I pray thee, Lord, I will not shirk.
And if You should come tonight,
I pray You'll find my work's all right.

It is our best work that God wants, not the dregs of our exhaustion. I think he must prefer quality to quantity.
Gordon MacDonald

I always give thanks for you, remembering you with joy, thanksgiving, and love!
Love and hugs,

 Amaryllis

Roamin' thru Romans 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! Another bright sunshiny day with cool temps now, but warming up again this afternoon. Just perfect weather!

I did laundry yesterday and  still have closets to clean out..seems like I have a lot more clothes than I really need, and I have already eliminated bags and bags of clothes. It takes time..

But I took time to go to the park after running a few errands, and saw just one black turtle sunning himself on the bank of the weir. Not many people were out in the middle of the day, but a flock of ibis, and a beautiful egret fishing were admired by me. I think the egrets look so Florida when standing against the greens and grays of the woods and muddy banks. They look like a postcard. The young gators are still hanging around the entrance bridge. They seem to like it there.

I don't know what was going on at the park, but two sheriff's deputy cars were parked outside the office and the Ranger's SUV came in just as I was leaving. Guess I will hear about it from Dave, the yard man. But, God is still in control and He is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 8

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

A letter from John

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 cool, sunshiny morning in a string of beautiful days! The weather was perfect for the airfest at MacDill over the weekend. At one time, it sounded like one of the jets flew directly over the house, but was going so fast, it only lasted a few seconds and then the sound was gone I should have gone to Gandy beach to see if I could catch sight of the Thunderbirds as they flew over the air show. Oh, well, maybe another time...

For the first time, I saw a woodstork standing in the water in Lynch Lake. They are always standing on the bank, looking sad, but this time, he was in the water up to his ankles. Well, I guess he has ankles. I hardly ever see any at the park, for some reason, but maybe they are not fast enough to escape the small gators.
 
I had to stop and wait for several ducks to cross over the street, because, as numerous as they are, people still protect them. We had two of them hanging around this meighborhood for a week or two, but  they finally moved on. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

2 John (written to the chosen lady and her children)

May grace, mercy, and peace, which come from God our Father and from Jesus Christ his Son, be with us who live in truth and love.

How happy I was to meet some of your children and find them living in the truth, just as we have been commanded by the Father. 

And now I want to urge you, dear lady, that we should love one another. This is not a new commandment, but one we had from the beginning. Love means doing  what God has commanded us, and he has commanded us to love one another, just as you heard from the beginning.

Many deceivers have gone out into the world. They do not believe that Jesus Christ came to earth in a real body. Such a person is a deceiver and an antichrist. Watch out, so that you do not lose the prize for which we have been working so hard. Be diligent  so that you will receive your full reward. For if you wander beyond the teaching of Christ, you will not have fellowship with God. But if you continue in the teaching of Christ, you will have fellowship with both the Father and the Son.

 If someone comes to your meetings and does not teach the truth about Christ, don't invite him into your house or encourage him in any way. Anyone who encourages him becomes a partner in his evil work.

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

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Love

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 an overcast morning with showers which I did not expect. Maybe I didn't pay attention to the forecast last night, but it is still a good day.

Yesterday was another in a string of beautiful days with lots of sunshine. After getting a workout at a supermarket, just walking around, I went to the park and the gators are still attracting attention at the entrance bridge. This is the time of year that they are moving and having babies...well, laying eggs, anyway.
 
 The crazy little squirrels were racing back and forth in front of the car, and I even stopped for one, but should have known that he was already across the street! They are fast! I also saw some black turtles sunning on the bank of the weir. There was evidence on the boardwalk where the raccoons had their potty station. Many berries! :o). I heard the hawk again but couldn't spot it in the trees. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Corinthians 13

If I could speak in any language in heaven or on earth, but didn't love others, I would only be making meaningless noise like a loud gong or a clanging cymbal. If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I knew all the mysteries of the future and knew everything about everything, but didn't love others, what good would I be?  And if I had the gift of faith so that I could speak to a mountain and make it move, without love I would be no good to anybody. If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it, but if I didn't love others, I would be of no value whatsoever.

Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. Love does not demand its own way. Love is not irritable, and it keeps no record of when it has been wronged. It is never glad about injustice but refoices whenever the truth wins out. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear...

There are three things that will endure--faith, hope and love--and the greatest of these is love.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Looking back

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 cool morning with a warm afternoon coming up;, another in a string of days when the heat or A/C is not needed. Wonderful! We wait for this weather all summer, and it finally comes!

I just puttered around the house yesterday, ironing, laundry and various other things until my cleaning ladies came. They called from Dunkin' Donuts and asked if I wanted one of their coffee drinks. I told Cheryl I would rather have a pumpkin muffin, since I am not a coffee drinker, so they brought me a pumpkin muffin and a pumpkin donut, which I didn't know they had! I ate the donut with them, and then saved the muffin which is huge!

I had a call from David, my yard man, and his truck won't be repaired until Monday or Tuesday, so he said he would bring in heavy equipment to do the yard, since it hasn't been mowed for three or four weeks. I had to laugh, because it isn't that bad!
So, God is good!

From the devotional book, Quiet Moments with God:

When you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent.
Psalm 4:4
We all know the story of the movie It's a Wonderful Life. George Bailey's Uncle Billy loses eight thousand dollars on the day the bank examiner shows up, and George is frantic. In despair, he goes home and looks at his house and family with discouraged eyes. He decides he is a failure at Business, his child is sick, his house is all but coming down around his ears--why not just put an end to his life?

Thank God for Clarence! Through a series of events, this angel without wings shows George how much his life has meant to his family and friends. Without George, his brother, Harry, would be dead; Mr. Gower, the druggist, would be in prison; his wife would be a frightened old maid; and Bedford Falls would be known as Pottersville---a town as mean and miserable as its namesake.

When George Bailey took an honest look at his life, he could see that despite all the disappointments, there were more than enough triumphs to balance the scales. He had done the best he could, and that had brought tremendoous blessing to his family, friends, and community.

Have you had a similar crisis of conscience, a moment when you wondered if your life was worth anything? Take note of these words from Bishop thomas Wilson, and ask yourself these questions at the close of each day:

What good am I doing in the world?

Am I bringing up my children to fear God?

Have I been kind and helpful to poor and needy people?

Have I been honest in all my dealings?

Have I lived in the fear of God and worshipped Him both publicly and privately?

The wisest thing to do is keep short accounts. Take stock of your life often. Don't wait for the closing chapter to decide how your book will end!

How boundless is that volume which God hath written of the world! Every creature is a letter. Every day a new page.
Joseph Hale

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

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Colossians

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's another beautiful day with sun shining and very cool air. I will probably walk again today, since it felt so good yesterday, but I was really dragging by evening.

I did not expect to walk but after running some errands, I went to the park, and got out my old gnarly, walking stick, and decided to start out, at least across the bridge. At the same time, a couple of tourists came up and were taking pics of a couple of ibis, then the man remarked about my walking stick and admired it, and asked what kind of bird the ibis was. I walked on to the bridge and was looking for the gators when the Ranger came up and I asked about Dave, and he knew that Dave mowed my yard. He had heard about me and knew I lived not far away from the park. 
 
So, he stuck around and was talking to the tourists, and meanwhile, I saw the gators sunning across the bridge on opposite sides of the bridge. Alongside the one, was a baby covered in mud. They were trying to warm up, since the air was a little cool. While the Ranger was talking to the couple. I headed on to the first shelter and saw another gator about 4 ft. long in front of the shelter and a baby off to the side, with at tiny Carolina wren flitting about right above its head! The tiny bird was so cute! More people were coming and the Ranger was sort of giving a guided tour, so I decided to walk on back. Seems like each time I use the walking stick I get admiring remarks about it. I have two of them, both given to me by park people. One from Terry and one from David. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 3:13
Since God chose you to be the holy people whom he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. And the most important piece of clothing you must wear is love. Love is what binds us all together in perfect harmony. And let the peace that comes from Christ rule in your hearts. For as members of one body you are all called to live in peace. And always be thankful.

Let the words of Christ, in all their richness, live in your hearts and make you wise. Use his words to teach and counsel each other. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. And whatever you do or say, let it be as a representative of the Lord Jesus, all the while giving thanks through him to God the Father.

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

Love and hugs, Amaryllis

What are the benefits of discernment?

Good Nov. first 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 was cooler than I had expected when I arose this morning, but lots of wind and drier air are moving in, so another touch of fall  is here.

Last night, I left my porch light off, as did most of the neighbors, and just heard the doorbell ring about 6:30, but was busy in the kitchen and did not get to the door before whoever it was had turned away. So, I turned the light on about 9:30 and heard a noisy group come and pound on the door and ring the doorbell. I honestly was a little afraid to open the door, because it was later than they should have been out, so after more noise they kicked the door or threw something at it and left and I turned the light back off. Not a happy Halloween for them...

But, on a happier note, I walked out to the entrance bridge at Sawgrass, and looked for the young gators, and much to my surprise, I saw two of them, twins, facing each other on a mud bank, with their eyes half closed and heads up, enjoying the sun, which by that time, was shining brightly after a morning rain. While I was watching them, a baby gator came crawling up beside them and then crossed over behind them and rested there, too.I walked on to the end of the bridge and saw movement in the hydrilla,. and there was another older baby gator crawling up on a small log out of the water. I thought there was another baby lying in the water beside that one, but couldn't be sure. The water was flowing swiftly, pushing hydrilla bunches along with it. It was a beautiful day! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:
 
Proverbs 3:13 Happy is the person who finds wisdom and gains understanding.

Proverbs 3:21-23 My child, don't lose sight of good planning and insight. Hang on to them, for they fill you with life and bring you honor and respect. They keep you safe on your way and keep your feet from stumbling.

Proverbs 4:12 If you live a life guided by wisdom, you won't limp or stumble as you run.
Discernment enhances the quality of our life and our discipleship. Godly wisdom and understanding keep us from tripping over the lies and deceptions of the devil.

9:11 Wisdom will multiply your day and add years to your life.
 
Discernment preserves our lives, keeping us from the dangers that threaten to destroy us.

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

Love and hugs, Amaryllis