Psoaring thru Psalms

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!  Just like yesterday, we have sun and a little breeze, but we had a fierce thunderstorm in the afternoon!

My handyman, Rick, was power washing the house when the storm came up, and he did not stop. By the time he got to the driveway, the rain was slanting because the wind was blowing so strongly. I was afraid he was going to get hit by lightning, but he kept on working and was soaking wet! He said it didn't bother him, but it bothered me to see him in the rain.  I must say the house looks really good, now. Dirt and cobwebs gone..looks almost like a new paint job.

Before Rick started on the house I had him work on my shower, which only had a trickle coming out of the hose. He discovered it was stopped up with residue from hard water, and this morning I was able to enjoy a full stream of water, but then suddenly it stopped, and now, hardly any water is coming out. So I called Rick, but he is out at the beaches today, so I called the plumber and hopefully he will be able to fix it permanently!

After Rick left, I did some shopping, and stopped at the Park to see more water in the canal, and a few people enjoying the aftermath of the rain Just a few ibis were around and, of course, the squirrels. I guess they just get in the trees and hang on during a strong storm! Just like the ones in my trees! But, as always, God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 57:7
My heart is confident in you, O God;
no wonder I can sing your praises!
Wake up, my soul!
Wake up, O harp and lyre!
I will waken the dawn with my song!
I will thank you, Lord, in front of all the people.
I will sing your praises among the nations.
For your unfailing love is as high as the heavens.
Your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.

Be exalted, O God, above the highest heavens.
May your glory shine over all the earth.

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! The days seem to be all the same lately...sunshine, heat and breezes, but the car gets so hot when parked in the sun for any length of time! Summer is here!

Seems like each time I think I have a free week in front of me, God has other plans. I look at my calendar and see blanks, but before I know it, activities pop up and off I go!

Some of you may have read the article in the TBT about the reunion of the class of "44 from SPHS. Well, that was my graduating class! It was historic, because we graduated the evening before D Day, when the world, as we knew it, changed. I had invited Brian as my guest at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club, so he was able to take time off work to pick me up and take me there.

There were a surprising group. larger than I had thought, and even though there were walkers, canes and wheelchairs, we all had a good time seeing old friends. Lots of pictures were taken by a pro photographer, the daughter of one of our classmates. I have not seen mine yet, but the class picture taken of all of us, turned out pretty good! I was one of the "younger" ones since I graduated when I was 17. Ah, Memories...

We had a good lively church service yesterday, with all the youth leading, including worship, singing, playing instruments and giving testimonies. Since the service ran over time, the pastor said he would hold his sermon for another time. I stayed afterward talking to Drew and Tim about iphones and how to send pics. Very helpful, but I still don't know how. Sigh.

Well, I drove to the park later on in the afternoon, after returning books to the library book drop, and saw quite a number of people there. The roseate spoonbill was there pecking away in the grassy bottom of the canal. and squirrels were zipping all around. Speaking of wild animals; I had gone to Boston Market for my dinner, and a beautiful egret was hanging around the drive thru window looking for a handout. When I was ready to go, I saw Victoria Egret's head right in front of the van. so I had to slowly keep rolling toward her, so she would keep backing up. she finally took off in the air! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 8: 35-39

Can anything ever separate us from Christ's love? Does it mean he no longer
loves us if we have trouble  or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold
or in danger or threatened with death?( Even the scriptures say, "For your sake
we are killed every day ; we are slaughtered  like sheep." ) No, despite all these
things overwhelming victory is ours through Christ who loved us.
And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can't
 and life can't. The angels can't and the demons can't. Our fears for today ; our
worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can't keep God's love away.
Whether  we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean , nothing in all
creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed
 in Christ Jesus our Lord.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Paul's Final Advice

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! Lots of sunshine and not much chance of rain, and even the air is still right now, without a breeze. It will be a hot one later on, like yesterday.

Speaking of yesterday, I made it a point to be at the Lab for work early, so did not get time to send my usual blog. I walked in the door at Quest and saw a friend from church standing at the counter, so had a chance to speak with her for a few minutes. I had not made an appointment, but did not have a very long wait. Afterwards, I went over to MacDonalds for a very salty cheese, bacon, and egg biscuit. That is probably the first meal I have bought there in a few years. They are not my favorite fast food place. However, I could hardly wait to get home for my cup of tea!

Cheryl had called to say she was cleaning by herself, so she came at 10, and I did not even have time to clean up my few dishes, which she was happy to do herself. I had no energy after giving about 5 0r 6 vials of blood, so I just sat and vegetated while she was here.

I felt much revived  after lunch and drove on down to the cleaners to pick up my Amish quilt, and then visited the park on the way back home. It was very quiet, few people and cars, and peaceful and calm. I saw the tan gopher tortoise and egrets and herons in the canal. And, BTW, I have an amaryllis blooming!! They bloom around Christmas, and this is the first time I have ever had one bloom in June! God is good!

From the Promise Bible  NLT:

1 Thessalonians 5:12-19

Dear brothers sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the
Lord's work. They work hard among you, and warn you
against all that is wrong. Think highly of them and give them
your wholehearted love because of their work. And remember to
live peaceably with each other.

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy.
Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who
are weak. Be patient with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good
to each other and to everyone else.

Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens,
always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to
 Christ Jesus.

Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test
everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Keep away from
every kind of evil.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Psoaring thru Psalms

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 had no rain yesterday, and even though it is overcast this morning, I don't think rain is in the forecast . It is still very warm, though.

I noticed from my window there are some tiny, crazy looking bugs that fly dizzyingly around and around in circles, just in front of the hedge. I don't know what purpose they serve, but, just like mosquitoes, God must have had a reason for them. Maybe they are food for some larger critter.

Well, I drove out to Walmart yesterday to gas up the van, and was pleased to see gas prices have dropped lately! The gas pumps were not very busy, so I picked a good time to go. I stopped in at the park, on my way, of course, and enjoyed the peace, deep shade and ibis, one turtle basking in the sun on the weir, egrets and herons in the canal, but did not see and roseate spoonbills. But, anyway, God is always Good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 92:1-4,  12-15

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
to sing praises to the Most High.
It is good to proclaim your unfailing love
in the morning, your faithfulness in the evening
accompanied by the harp and lyre.
You thrill me, Lord, with all you have done for me!
I sing for joy because of what you have done!

But the godly will flourish like palm trees,
that grow like the cedars of Lebanon
for they are transplanted into the Lord's own house.
They flourish in the courts of our God.
Even in old age they will still produce fruit
They will remain vital and green.

They will declare, "The Lord is just!
He is my rock!
There is nothing but goodness in him!"

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Evening and Morning

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 had such a nice, long rain last night that should last us for a couple days. I was hoping it would still be raining when I went to bed, because I always like to sleep with the rain falling softly outside. But, it had quit just a little while before, but the rain was a blessing, anyway. Today is already cloudy, so maybe we will have a little more rain today!

We had our combined  worship service yesterday, which means one service for the rest of the summer. It was good to see people that have been coming to the first service, since I always attend the second.

I was so blessed by the greeting I received yesterday...Michael came out to where I parked to meet me, and as soon as I walked through the door, Dan was there to lend me his elbow and escort me to the seats. I felt so special! I still don't know why the special treatment, but I'll take it any day!

We had brunch afterward, honoring Marilou and Debbie for their 25 and 20 years of service to the church and once again, I was assisted with my plate. There were some amusing videos from the former pastors mentioning different things that happened during their tenures with FCC and the "church ladies".  Good singing, good preaching, Holy Communion. and good fellowship!  God is good!

From the Devotional Quiet Moments with God:

There was evening and there was morning---the first day.
Genesis 1:5

In the Book of Genesis, each day of creation is concluded with the
phrase, "and there was evening, and there was morning."

From the Hebrew perspective, the day begins at evening, specifically
with the setting of the sun How unlike our Western tradition, where
we start our days at the crack of dawn and consider night to be the end
of a long day!

What does it mean for the day to begin at evening?

For Hebrew people through the centuries, the transition from afternoon
to evening has been marked by prayer. Evening prayer is a Jewish custom.
After prayer, families then gather together for a meal.

The most holy day of the week, the Sabbath, begins with the lighting of
candles and a proclamation of faith, then a more formal family dinner.
After the evening  meal, Jewish families traditionally gather together
to read God's Word and discuss how His laws apply to their lives. The
evening ends in rest...

Consider the priorities evidenced by their way of life:

1. They focus on prayer and their relationship with God.
2.  The emphasize family life.
3. They study the scripture daily, making God's word the
     last thought of the day.
4. They rest and sleep.

It was only after a Hebrew talked with God, enjoyed the love and fellowship
of family, studied the Scriptures, and rested, that work was undertaken!

What would happen in your life if you adopted this strategy for your evening
hours?

Is it possible you would find yourself more renewed and refreshed, more
energetic and healthy, more creative and productive?

might the priorities you desire in your life become a reality?

Why not give it a try? Begin your next day in the evening, and wake up
knowing you're totally refreshed===spirit , soul and body---to have a full and
productive day!

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday and all is well.
               - Unknown

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Habakkuk

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! Sunshine and warm breezes..a continuing pattern for the weather lately, with thundershowers coming in the late afternoon. They will probably shift over to morning showers sometime in the future if memory serves me correctly. At least that's the way it has happened in the past.

My day did not go as planned yesterday, at least according to my plans. I had made out my list for groceries, and got to Publix later than I wanted. By the time I arrived home and put the groceries away, it was too late and I was too tired to attend the strawberry social at church that I was very much looking forward to. I was disappointed. But, I bought some very tasty cranberry orange scones and had a cup of tea in the afternoon, which made me feel better about it.

When I opened the garage door yesterday, the black garden snake that lives around here, was just slithering across the driveway, in front of the door, and a bluejay was dive bombing the snake. Bluejays are not nice birds! The snake slithered away into a large shrub and the bird gave up. Drama at the Green house! God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Habakkuk 3:17-19
Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,,
and there are no grapes on the vine; even
though the olive crop fails and the fields lie
empty and barren, even though the flocks die
in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty,
yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The
Sovereign Lord is my strength! He will make
me as surefooted as a deer and bring me safely
over the mountains.

I always thank God for you, remembering you in my prayers with thanksgiving, joy and love!

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis

Paul's Final Thoughts

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 had quite a noisy thunderstorm last night after a very warm day with lots of sun and warm breezes. Looks like today will be another one just like it!

We had a very informative meeting at church yesterday morning, to start accumulating memories and stories of the early beginnings of Faith Covenant Church. Our new member, Shirley, is quite gifted at getting the info and gathering us together to take on this project, which we hope to get finished by Oct. to celebrate the 35th anniversary of FCC. It was a fun time with some of us old timers remembering special moments in the life and times and those "God Moments" which make up our history. We each have big assignments to get all this recorded and assembled in just a few months...but God is in control!

Afterwards, I drove on to Wendy's to get a salad for my lunch, and had to figure out how to dodge the trucks and tar machine that is repaving 4th St.Between that and the construction still ongoing at 83rd and 9th St, , it becomes an obstacle course on those two streets!

But I drove on to the Park to find all was quiet, with several Ranger trucks parked and people watching and taking pictures of the egrets and herons in the middle of the overgrown canal, getting their food. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Philippians 4:4-9

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again ---rejoice!
Let everyone see that you are considerate in all you do.
Remember, the Lord is coming soon.

Don't worry about anything; instead, pray about everything.
Tell God what you need and thank him for all he has done.
If you do this, you will experience God's peace, which is far
more wonderful   than the human mind can understand.
His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live
in Christ Jesus.

And Now, Dear brothers and sisters, let me say one more
thing as I close this letter. Fix your thoughts on what is
true and honorable and right. Think about things that are
pure and lovely and admirable. Think about things that
are excellent and worthy of praise. Keep putting into
practice all you have learned from me, and heard from me
and saw me doing, and the God of peace will be with you.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis