Psoaring thru Psalm 61

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 rain! It started in the early morning hours, I think, but it was gentle, so I did not hear it. Now the wind is blowing quite strongly, so that means the cold front is coming through. Well, we needed the rain desperately, and God always comes through!

Yesterday was so warm,. I had several windows open and left the garage door window open all night, so I had to close it this morning, because the wind was blowing the rain in.I guess I just didn't trust the  weatherman.
 
I drove to the park yesterday. and saw lots of people and a slight traffic jam just beyond the entrance due to a large gator stretched out on the banks of the canal, just before the weir. Cars were parked on both sides of the street with people scrambling to take pictures of the gator. I can understand the excitement of the tourists, because it is something they only see in zoos, but even I always enjoy seeing a gator in the natural habitat..

Well, I have an appointment with my dermatologist this morning, and I am hoping the weather calms down by then. I always dread going to the doctor to get zapped, but this is the result of a biopsy on a spot by my left eyebrow, which showed to be pre-cancerous.  I will sting and swell up and be hurting for a little while, but God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

O God, listen to my cry!
Hear my prayer!
From the ends of the earth
 I will cry to you for help,
for my heart is overwhelmed.
Lead me to the towering rock of safety
for you are my safe refuge,
a fortress where my enemies cannot reach me.
Let me live forever in your sanctuary,
safe beneath the shelter of your wings.

For you have heard my vows, O God.
You have given me an inheritance
reserved for those who fear your name.

Add many years to the life of the king!
May his years span the generations!
May he reign under God's protection forever.
Appoint your unfailing love and
faithfulness to watch over him.
Then I will always sing praises to your name
as I fulfill my vows day after day.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

As Time Goes By

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! Sun is shining, and the temp is already up to 70, so I have no reason to be so slow, except I can always blame it on the time change!

The weekend was great. Brian took me to Starbucks so we could use the WiFi to get my iphone on the internet. For some reason, it did not work, so guess we will have to try again. He said he used the one in TIA because it is free. He tried the one in Hartsfield, but that was a pay to use. Brian was in Atla most of last week for a business seminar. Anyway, at least, I am learning to text. Since texting to me takes a lot longer than a simple phone call, I cannot understand why people text so much! Guess I just don't get it!

I saw two ospreys flying around the light poles at Sawgrass Elementary yesterday, and the one at Gateway parking lot is still active. The old nest is scattered on the ground around the pole they used there, so they will have to start from scratch. There were lots of people at the park yesterday. I drove there to slurp on a strawberry milk shake I bought at Steak and Shake. My one indulgence of the day! I went into the living room when I got out of bed Saturday, and opened the drapes, to see a large flock of ibis, across the street, steadily pecking their way from one yard to another. God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

This is the day which the Lord has made; we will rejoice
and be glad in it, Psalm 118:24 NKJV
"Where does the time go?" we ask. Here it is- a new day on the horizon-and we can't
remember how it arrived so quickly. Why, last week seems like yesterday,
and last year flew by like a video in fast forward.

And worse, it's hard to remember what we spent it on.

Shouldn't I have more great memories?  We wonder.
What did I accomplish? Is this all I've done with all that time?
Singer Jim Croce mused in his hit song, "Time in a Bottle: that
 "there never seems to be enough time do do the things you want
to do, once you find them." We search so hard for happiness.
But often, we don't understand that happiness is not a goal to be won,
 but a by product of a  life well spent.

This "Old English Prayer" offers simple instruction for enjoying 
the day that the Lord has made:

Take time to work, it is the price of success.
Take time to think, it is the source of power.
Take time to play, it is the secret of perpetual youth.
Take time to read, it is the foundation of wisdom.
Take time to be friendly, it is the road to happiness.
Take time to dream, it is hitching your wagon to a star.
Take time to love and be loved, it is the privilege of the gods.
Take time to look around, it is too short a day to be selfish.
Take time to laugh, it is the music of the soul.

True happiness come from
the job of deeds well cone.
The zest of creating things new. 
Antoine De Saint Exupery

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Roamin' thru Romans

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 another chilly morning, but the temp is supposed to climb up to the seventies today, and be around 80 Sunday! Sounds good to me! The wind was chilly all day yesterday, and when I drove out to Walmart for gas for the van, the wind was really blowing. I was wearing a windbreaker, but did not have it zipped up, so I stood with my back to the wind, while pumping the gas. It was really chilly, but the sun was hot!

Well, my friend across the street called last night to tell me my porch light was not on. I told her I had turned it on, but apparently, it burned out. The bug lights do not last very long, so maybe I will have a regular light installed. I cannot do it myself, because I am not tall enough, so I will see if Brian has time, since he returned from Atlanta last night after being gone all week on a business trip. I tried to sweep off the porch yesterday morning before my pest control man came, but the wind was blowing the leaves right back at me, so I finally gave up and gave some mighty sweeps just to get them off the door mat! Right now, all is still, so maybe we won't have so much blowing today.

I checked in at the park on my way back from Walmart and saw black turtles plastered against the bank of the weir. I saw a tan gopher tortoise on the walking trail, and noticed as I got to the canal that there is a dull coating of pollen on the water. Of course, it is lined with oak trees, so the seeds and leaves fall right in and on. Quite a few people were out enjoying the good weather, including a car from Quebec, which I followed in. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

The Danger of Criticism Romans 14:1-11
Accept Christians who are weak in faith, and don't argue
with them about what they think is right or wrong. For 
instance, one person believes it is all right to eat anything.
But another believer who has a sensitive conscience will
eat only vegetables. Those who think it is all right to eat
anything must not look down on those who won't. And 
those who won't eat certain foods must not condemn those
who do, for God has accepted them. Who are you to condemn
God's servants? They are responsible to the Lord, so let him
 tell them whether they are right or wrong. The Lord's power
will help them do as they should.

In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another
day, while others think every day is alike. Each person should
have a personal conviction about this matter.
Those who have a special day for worshiping the Lord are trying
to honor him. Those who eat all kinds of food do so to honor the
Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating . And those who
won't eat everything also want to please the Lord and give thanks
to God....

So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down 
on another Christian? Remember each of us  will stand personally
before the judgment seat of God.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Get Beyond the Distractions

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 chilly sitting here, and I have the heat on, and am dressed warmly, but my bedroom is the coolest one in the house and I am just plain cold! Have to keep my hands warm, so I can type! For some reason, I woke up about 5 and could not go back to sleep, so got up a little earlier than usual. I looked at my indoor outdoor thermometer and the temp was 51 outside, so, hopefully, as the prediction says, it will warm up quickly and we will have eighties by the weekend. Sounds good to me!

I went shopping again yesterday and loaded up on tissues, because the pollen is still flying around and my nose knows it! Wish I had stock in the tissue company! I saw an osprey flying over Turner's creek and I have seen them flying other places, so I think it is nesting time for them. Speaking of nesting, there has been a mama duck and about two dozen babies in the neighborhood lately. They are so tiny, I don't know how they have the stamina to follow her all over streets, yards and all the lakes! They are really cute, but probably not all of them will survive because of all the predators just waiting for them. Sad but true.

I stopped at Steak and Shake and bought a lemonade, because I forgot to take water with me, so I drove on to the park to drink it. I saw a group standing around a large gopher  taking pictures, and the squirrels were back, as were the ibis looking down and pecking while slowly moving. God is good!

From the little devotional book Knowing God:

If you decide for God, living a life of God-worship, it follows that
you don't fuss about what's on the table at mealtimes or whether
the clothes in your closet are in fashion. There is far more to your
lfe than the food you put in your stomach, more to your outer
appearance than the clothes you have on your body.
Matthew 6:25 MSG

All of us must live through those days when the traffic jams,
the computer crashes, and the dog makes a main course out
of our favorite slippers. But, when we find ourselves distracted
by the minor frustrations of life, we must catch ourselves, take 
a deep breath , and lift our thoughts upward.

Although we may, at times, struggle mightily to rise above the 
distractions of everyday living, we need never struggle alone. God 
is here-eternal and faithful, with infinite patience  and love,
and, if we reach out to him, He will restore our sense of perspective
and give peace to our souls.

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

Love and hugs, Amaryllis

Step Right Up

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, the sun is shining,and the air is getting cooler, but it is a beautiful day, especially compared to our northern friends who have snow and rain and generally yucky weather!

I am still trying to get used to the idea of losing an hour's sleep this weekend when we change the time ahead. I wish it would stay the same all year! Takes me a day or two to get over the lost sleep. Sometimes I doze off while reading in the afternoon but not often!

I got a lot done around the house yesterday, as I wrote, with all the laundry and bed making. Then I took a walk around the house, especially the back yard and the brick slab where the shed used to be. I stopped and admired the pale pink azalea on the north side of the house. No grass will grow there because of the shade from the very tall hedge of the neighbors, but the little azalea seems to thrive. We used to have a whole row of them, but this is the only survivor.

I drove to the park in the afternoon, and the only animal I saw was a turtle on the bank of the weir. This is so strange, because the squirrels are always around. But all I saw were people. Well, I should qualify that statement; I did see dogs being walked, but I was thinking of native animals. But God is good!

From the devotional book Quiet Moments with God:

Blessed are those who hear the joyful blast of the trumpet
for they shall walk in the light of your presence. Psalm 89:15 TLB

"Getting away from it all" takes on a whole new meaning when you decide, 
as a young Scottish girl did, to walk around the world. A troubled home life 
convinced her she needed a change of scenery, as will as a challenge that
would test her mettle.

How does one go about walking around the world? In Ffyona's case, she spent
eleven years and covered more tha nineteen thousand miles walking from northern
Scotland to southern England; New York to Los Angeles; Sydney to Perth, Australia;
and South Africa to Morocco. Along the way, she fought disease, poisonous insects, 
bad weather, blisters, stonings , and loneliness.

To keep herself going, she had to come up with a way to motivate her often tired
feet. She quickly discovered that if she could focus her mind on doing what
had to be done to make it through each phase of the walk, her body would do 
the rest. The stronger her mind, the better her body performed.

Another of Fyona's important discoveries was that she needed to take one day at a time. 
 
Each day she would say to herself, "If I walk ten miles right now, I can stop and
have a meal." Building in breaks and small rewards along the way made it much
easier for her to stay committed to her bigger goal.

Walking seems like such a simple thing to do. But, oh, the power of a walk! Even
when we have no particular destination, our feet can take us to a new place and
give us both a physical and psychological break from where we've been. Walking
away from a heated debate is sometimes the smartest thing to do and the best way
to protect a relationship. Crossing a room to talk to someone who looks lonely is
often the first step in building a new friendship.

    "The steps of good men are directed by the Lord"( Psalm 37:23 TLB)

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

The Armor of God

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! There are white , puffy clouds scudding across the blue sky and a slight breeze blowing, and it is cooler than I thought it would be this morning, but I think it will warm up soon.

I am later than I thought I would be, but I stripped the bed and washed sheets, so now I have to make the bed soon. Then I have another load of clothes in the washer. Seems like for just one person, I have a lot of laundry to do, but I don't do laundry nearly as often as I used to with family! I got out to do some shopping yesterday and, of course, wound up at the park, just to check it out. The gator was not in his usual place, but the ibis were pecking and the I saw an egret. BTW, it looks like an osprey is slowly building a nest on top of the lights at Gateway Mall, where the old nest blew down. They build on the platforms put up for them, even in very populated areas. So, God is good!

Eph. 6:10-13 NIV

Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.
Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take
your stand against the devil's schemes.

For your struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world, and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore, put on the full armor of God, so that
when the day of evil comes, you may be able to
stand your ground, and, after you have done everything to stand.

In addition to the armor, take up the shield of faith
 with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

John 3:16

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 sun is shining and the sky is clear and the temp is already in the low fifties, so the weather will begin to warm up today, after our chilly weekend. While the dark clouds looked like snow, we did not get any and if we had, it would have melted right away.

Brian and I went to the Titanic exhibit, Saturday afternoon, and found it very interesting. We took about and hour and a half, or maybe more, to get all the way through, looking and listening to the exhibits and the history of the building. One of the interesting things, is that when we went through the ticket door, we were handed "Boarding Passes" which contained printed bios of real people who had sailed on the ship, whether hired hands or first class, and at the end all the names were listed and my passenger survived!  I guess you could probably rush through in a lot less time than we took. but only by not lingering long over each exhibit. By the time we came out, the line to get in to the exhibit was very long, so we went at a good time!

As I left for church yesterday morning, I saw two hawks take off from the top of a very tall Norfolk Island Pine in the block just west of me. I paused on the driveway, just to watch them. As I drove into the park later on, the gator was stretched out on the bank by the lake , as he had been on Saturday. There was not any sun, so he was just getting warmed up. I think, or maybe just drying off. A few ibis were pecking in the bushes around the parking area by the building. There weren't many people out, because it was chilly, but one man had put a lawn chair beside his parked car and was reading. Intrepid! God is good!

Our sermon yesterday had a theme of John 3:16 and so I looked up several different versions, but not all, by any means...

John 3:16  MSG
This is how much God loved the world. He gave His Son,
 His one and only Son. And this is why. 
So that no one need be destroyed; by believing
in Him, anyone can have whole and lasting life.
 
John 3:16 NLT
For God so loved the world, that he gave
His only Son, so that everyone who believes
in Him will  not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 NIV
For God so loved the world that He gave His
one and only Son, that whoever believed in Him
shall not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3:16 NASB
For God so loved the world that He gave
His only begotten Son, that whoever believes
in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.

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

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis