Psoaring thru Psalm 89

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! Warm sun and cool breezes is how the day is starting. Just about perfect! One sour note is that the pollen count is very high, and I see yellow dust on a lot of cars. Also, the oak trees are seeding which makes for messes for a lot of yards where the oaks are old and large. This is my neighborhood. Well, at least the wind is blowing the last of the leaves off the trees, hopefully.

I have had acute bronchitis for the last week, which is not gone yet, but I am slowly getting better. I have been to the doc and finished my antibiotics, so now I am just waiting for the congestion and coughing to leave. I was coughing so hard, I thought I would break a rib!  I was told that a particularly bad strain of bronchitis is making the rounds. Don't have a clue as to where I picked it up, but will be glad when it is gone!

I was able to drive to the drugstore and other places I needed to go, including the park a couple times, but for the most part, just stayed home and let Brian do for me when he was able. Daryl was calling every morning to check on me, so I felt well cared for. And chicken soup does taste good when the appetite is gone.

I saw a tiny wren like bird in the hibiscus next door yesterday...yellow breast and dark feathers. I only see them in the winter, but it was so cute! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 89:1,2

I will sing of the tender mercies of the Lord forever!
Young and old will hear of your faithfulness.
Your unfailing love will last forever.
Your faithfulness is as enduring as the heavens.

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! It's not a good boating day because the wind has been blowing in strong gusts at times, and the sky is overcast. The prediction is for thunderstorms ...maybe..sometime today, which is fine with me as the yard has dried up from our last rain a couple weeks ago.

I noticed my crape myrtle looks like it is dying. It was drastically trimmed back and the new growth had reached about a foot, but I think the one really cold spell we had must have damaged the new twigs, because they look very dried out. I would hate to lose that tree, because it is very old. But I will just wait and see.

I took a walk around the house yesterday and saw that the very old azalea hidden in a corner in the back of the house. has lots of deep pink blooms on it and the lone small azalea on the north side, is full of pale pink blooms. So! A little beauty at my abode.

I have a nice, "cardial" relationship with my T.B.T. carriers. I have never seen them, but every morning my paper is laid in the chair right outside the front door. Sometimes I leave little gift cards clipped to the chair, (such as Dunkin' Donuts) and they always leave a thank you.

Well, this week I received a nice Hallmark card inserted in the plastic bag. It was not signed nor was it addressed to me, but it was thoughtfulness card, which I can reuse, if I need,too. I am pretty sure it was for me, and that they did not give one to everyone on their route. NICE!

I mentioned that I thought I was coming down with something yesterday, and I think it has developed into a slight cold or severe allergy. I am hacking and sneezing once in a while, but don't feel too sick. My sons are praying that whatever it is will go away. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 8:22-28
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

Greetings from Paul

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! More sunshine, wind, and up in the middle seventies already! A promise of a great day!

I'm hoping that the wind will blow the rest of the leaves off the oaks, so I can finally get the gutters cleaned out. There was no point in having them cleaned with the porch being covered just hours after being blown clean. But here it is Thursday, and the porch is not bad at all. The tree that is doing the most shedding, is almost bare of leaves, so it is time for the new ones to start budding and the seeds to follow.

I have kind of a funny throat today. Not exactly sore, but all last night, it felt thick and like it was going to be sore. I have been such a long time with no colds or illnesses this winter, I don't want to think of getting sick now! I also had a very disturbing dream, which happens sometimes.  Very weird...

After chatting with my cleaning gals and catching up on the neighborhood news, I took off for the dollar store and also drove to the Park. Lots of ibis, seagulls around Lynch Lake Park, and ibis and anhingas at the Park, along with lots of people and dogs. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Colossians 1:9-14

So we have continued praying for you ever since we first heard about
you. We ask God to give you a complete understanding of what he wants
to do in your lives, and we ask him to make you wise with spiritual
wisdom. Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord,
and you will continually do good, kind things for others. All the while
you will learn to know God better and better.

We also pray that you will be strengthened with his glorious power, so that
you will have all the patience and endurance you need. May you be filled
with joy, always thanking the Father, who has enabled you to share the
inheritance  that belongs to God's holy people, who live in the light. For
he has rescued us from the one who rules in the kingdom of darkness and
he has brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son. God had purchased
our freedom with his blood, and has forgiven all our sins.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Don't Condemn Others

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! Today's weather is a repeat of yesterday's, so it looks like spring has sprung already! Lots of sunshine and cool breezes, with just a few clouds. There were pictures of cirrus clouds on Facebook yesterday and I saw them with their unusual shapes. I always try to look up to see what God has produced for my pleasure.

Well, I discovered a fat anole in my bathroom, Monday, and was not happy about it. He was curled under my curling iron and had left a deposit on the sink cabinet. When I moved the iron, of course he wriggled his way up the wall and I have not seen him since. But I have not felt sticky feet on my face at night, so I guess he has moved on. Shudder!

I finished my ironing! I don't know why I put that off so long, when it only takes a few minutes to do. I just am not that fond of that particular task, but am always glad when it is over. I went to the park in the afternoon, and saw the anhinga perched on the weir with outstretched wings. Several ibis were pecking around on the banks and further down, more ibis , and moorhens in the water. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Luke 6:37
Stop judging others, and you will not be judged.
Stop criticizing others, or it will all come back on you.
If you forgive others, you will be forgiven. If you give,
you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full
measure, pressed down, shaken together to make room
for more, and running over. Whatever measure you use
in giving---large or small--it will be used to measure what
is given back to you."

Then Jesus gave the following illustration. " What good is it for one blind
person to lead another? The first one will fall into a ditch
and pull the other down also. A student is not greater than'
the teacher. But the student who works hard will become like
the teacher.

And why worry about a speck in your friend"s eye when you
have a log in your own? How can you think of saying, "Friend,
let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye, when you
can't see past the log in your own eye? Hypocrite! First get
rid of the log from your own eye, then perhaps you will see
well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye."

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Loping thru Luke

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! Cool mornings, drier than usual air, and sunshine. Who could ask for anything more? Actually, it is more spring like than anything else!

Yesterday, after stripping the bed and washing and drying sheets, I went over to Winn Dixie for a few things. I hardly ever shop there for some reason, but I was glad I did, because they have the brand of bacon that I like, and Publix has discontinued carrying it. And I got everything on my list for a change!

After I left the store I drove over to the Park and saw a very wet anhinga flattened out on the weir drying off. He was sleek, and the feathers were shining blue black in the bright sun. Further down in the canal a great white heron was splashing  and looked quite excited about something, Maybe he found a fish! The azaleas are making a nice show there now, as are mine.

I am still seeing in my mind the crowd of Amish people on their bikes and trikes waiting at an intersection in Sarasota. Since that lifestyle is in my history, I am quite interested in them and their way of life...the women's home made dresses and the men with their style of dress..fascinating!  They don't wear expensive clothes and care nothing about "keeping up with the Joneses". No electronic games for the kids, and no staring at the TV all day. We all could take a lesson from them. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Luke 6:27-36
But if you are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies.
Do good to those who hate you. Pray for the happiness
of those who hurt you. If someone slaps you on one cheek,
turn the other cheek. If someone demands your coat, offer your
shirt also. Give what you have to anyone who asks you for it,
 and when things are taken away from you, don't try to get them
back. Do for others as you would like them to do for you.

Do you think you deserve credit merely for loving those who
love you? Even the sinners do that! And if you do good only
to those who do good to you, is that so wonderful? Even sinners
do that much! And if you lend money only to those who can
repay you, what good is that?Even sinners will lend to their own
kind for a full return.

Love your enemies! Do good to them! Lend to them! and don't
be concerned that they might not repay. Then your reward from
heaven will be very great, and you will truly be acting as children
of the Most High, for he is kind to the unthankful and to those
who are wicked. You must be compassionate as your Father is compassionate.

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

 Amaryllis

Chronicles and Acts

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 yard men have come and gone and since it is President's day and I read on my schedule that there was no change in trash pickup, I thought they would have picked up already. But, apparently the schedule was wrong, so the guys put the dumpster down for tomorrow, which is good, since they put a huge black bag of leaves in it from last week!

Well, I had an interesting weekend. After getting my hair done Sat. by my friend, Mari, I decided to go down Central to downtown, since I had not been in the hub of activity for a little while. What an active, lively, busy place downtown St. Petersburg is! There were no empty parking spaces for about four blocks on Central, and Beach drive was also full. Lots of people walking, eating outside, shopping and just enjoying the beautiful weather! We have one of the most beautiful waterfronts anywhere! I am glad this is my home and home town!

Then Sat. afternoon, Brian and I headed down to Sarasota. I had told him I would like to treat him to dinner in celebration of his new position starting Tuesday. We thought by leaving early enough to get to Yoder's around 5, that we would beat the crowds! WRONG!

There must have been a hundred people standing in line outside to get into the restaurant, and more people shopping the gift shop, and fresh market at the Village. So, we turned around and drove a couple blocks to Der Dutchman. It was also crowded and had a crowd, but they were all inside and had signal devices for when names were called. So, we looked around at all the baked goods and upstairs were gifts. I like to people watch and there were as many Amish and Mennonite people there as outsiders. We only had to wait about thirty minutes, before sitting down to a substantial meal. I had poached salmon which was delicious, but they had other choices of meats and loads of veggies on the buffet, plus a large salad bar. I was stuffed  when I got up.

While we were waiting, a friend came up to me that I had not seen for several years, so it is a small world!

On the way home, the huge, orangish moon was rising over the Bay and it was just gorgeous. If I hadn't been in the car, I would have taken a pic of it! Not a cloud in the sky...just the huge snow moon! It was a wonderful evening. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Acts 10:34
Then Peter replied, " I see very clearly that God
doesn't show partiality. In every nation he accepts
those who fear him and do what is right."

2 Chronicles 7:14
Then if my people will humble themselves and pray
and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways , I
will hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and
heal their land.

I always 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!

And Happy Valentine's Day  to all and Happy 18th birthday to my favorite grandson, Matthew!

We have a beautiful but cool start to the day, with lots of sun and no wind. While it is still in the fifties, the sun will warm things up very soon.

Daryl said their snow is already melting, so everything will be back to normal, whatever that is, soon. I saw pictures on the news this morning of over a hundred cars involved in a massive pile-up on a freeway in PA.! It will take hours for traffic to clear, but I just hope and pray there were no injuries in that mess!

After I finished shopping yesterday, I visited the Park and saw that their azaleas are blooming and while not as pretty as in years past, because of drastic pruning, still the pink flowers are very cheery looking.. I saw a wood stork huddled up on the side of the very full canal, and an anhinga with his wings folded on the weir. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:
 
 1 Corinthians 13:13
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