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! An other chilly start to the day, but like yesterday, it will be warming up to the seventies, so with lots of sunshine it is a pretty day! Yesterday afternoon turned out to be very warm out in the sun, and I had to shed my sweater to bring the groceries in.

Yes, I finally went to Publix, which I had been needing to do for a couple weeks. Shopping was a pleasure, but checking out not so much. I should say just the bagging  was lacking. I admire Publix for hiring handicapped people and those who can barely speak English, but this man could have used a little common sense. He filled one of my bags, (I take my own) so full that the handle ripped the fabric as I took it out of the car. I always take my own insulated bag for cold stuff and he neglected to put ice cream in it and a couple more frozen things. Sigh. Fortunately, nothing was spoiled, but my muscles were sore from lifting the heavy bags. I should have been watching him more closely to make sure the bags were not too full.  On the other hand, there is one stock man who has been there a long time and he is always so helpful. He takes my cart, even if I only have a small amount of groceries, and he takes them to the van and unloads them for me. So, it takes all kinds!

I kept an appointment with my podiatrist yesterday, to have him take a look at in ingrown toenail which was so tender, I could hardly walk Wednesday. He took hold of my foot and told me it was icy! I told him I always have cold feet! But, after he worked on the toenail, my foot feels much better today,so maybe I will not need to have a piece of the toenail removed. Ouch!

My yardman came yesterday, and now the driveway looks much better without all the twigs and stuff that fell from the oak trees during the rain we had earlier this week. He also cut the grass, which had not needed it for weeks. I has started to grow, so spring is just around the corner, hopefully! After all the shopping and appointment, I went to the park for relaxation, and stopped to look at the gator who, apparently has moved from across the road to the bank by the weir. Or maybe this is a different one. Anyway, with long shadows and bright sunshine mixed, it was a restful place to go. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 12:3

As God's messenger, I give each of you this warning: be
honest in your estimate of yourselves, measuring your
value by how much faith God has given you. Just as our
bodies have many parts and each part has a special 
function , so it is with Christ's body. We are all parts of
His own body and each of us has different  work to do.
And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to
each other, and each of us needs all the others...

Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.

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

Love and hugs, 
Amaryllis

Stress, con't.

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 chilly day, even colder than yesterday, but I turned on the heat before I retired last night and so the house was nice and comfy when I got up. I will be happy when we get back to warmer temps! But I must say, the skies have really been beautiful the past couple days...just some high, small clouds and the contrails have been outstanding, so it must be really cold up in the atmosphere.

My cleaning ladies came yesterday and caught me up on all the neighborhood news, while I caught them up on the neighbor's news. My friend and neighbor to the south, is a young, single guy, who has been there since he was born. His parents built a new house and moved, but he did not want to go with them, so he lives in a house that is much too big for him, and is now going to school part time and working. He graduated several years ago, but is now studying mechanics and hoping to get with a dealership when he completes his course. There have been some incidents at his house while he was gone, so I talked to him about them and he will make sure to lock his doors from now on. It pays to be vigilant. 

I drove to the park, while on my way back from Chick-fil-a and saw the large gator sprawled on the bank of the canal, enjoying the sun. There were few people at that time of late afternoon, so no road blocks this time. Further on, people were enjoying their picnics and walking , because it had warmed up in the afternoon and was quite pleasant. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

 What do we learn from stress?

2 Corinthians 1:8-9 I think you ought to know,
dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went
through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and 
completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would
never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as
a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God
who can raise the dead.

Stress exposes our human limitations so that we can better realize
God's limitless power and love.

Galatians6:9 Don't get tired of doing what is good. Don't get discouraged
and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate
time.

We keep going because God has promised a rich harvest  in his perfect time.

Romans  5:3,4 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, 
for we know that they are good for us--they help us learn to endure. And 
endurance develops strength of character in us, and character strengthens
our confident expectation of salvation.

James 1:2,4 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, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will
be strong in character and ready for anything.

While stress exposes our true character, it also helps develop our true
character. Even when we fall short of the mark, God has promised to 
work within us, shaping us into  the image of Christ.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

stress

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! Brr! To me it is chilly, so we go from open windows to closed and I put the heat on this morning. The sun is shining and, unlike yesterday, not a cloud in the sky. Yesterday, I had to reach for the paper on the wet porch with my grabber, since the rain was coming down, but today I walked out in the very dry air, to just pick it up. Lately, the paper has been in the yard, the outside sidewalk and any place but the porch. I did not call, but now they are back to putting it on the porch. Good for them!

I had a wet drive down to the doctor's office yesterday, and now, I have a swollen eye, with an ugly red spot at the base of my left eyebrow. It is supposed for form a blister, which will not be too pretty, but that is the price I have to pay for a misspent youth with too many hours in the sun. Sigh. Because of the squeaky windshield wipers, I paid a visit to Advance Auto Parts, and bought some new wiper blades, which they installed for me, tried them out and no squeaks!

I bought a fish sandwich for my lunch at Checkers and enjoyed lunch after the doc's visit. Then I visited the park, where lots of people were out after the rain. I saw a heart warming sight at one of the picnic tables high on the berm. A very large daddy was holding his infant and swaying back and forth. The baby was tiny and all wrapped in a blanket, so whether it was a boy or girl, I don't know, but the love was evident.God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

What can I do to find relief from stress and anxiety?

Isaiah 41:10 Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed, for I am your
God. I will strengthen you. I will help you. I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

We can turn from fear and anxiety to faith and peace. God promises to supply the power to get us through the hard times.

Matthew 11:28-29 Jesus said, "Come 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."

Resting in Christ breaks the hold of stress. When we are yoked together
in service to him, we are free from the unrealistic and destructive
expectations that can overwhelm us. Jesus humility  and gentleness
overcome every conflict and stress in this life.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

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