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! Apparently, it rained during the night, because when I retrieved the paper, everything was wet and water is still dripping off the roof occasionally. While it is still overcast, the weather man says the rain is over. Now we wait for the cold front to come through.

Well, sad news for the Rays, that Andrew Friedman is going to L. A. Dodgers, hopefully, they have a good replacement in Silverman. That's what happens in sports...players get traded and managers get fired or moved around. Not many players stick with one club like Derek Jeter did. Sigh.

I did not leave the house yesterday..in the afternoon the rains came, so I just stayed home and puttered around looking at all the stuff that needs to be cleaned out and donated or discarded. So much to do, so little time (and energy).

Last night as I was ready to go to bed I kept hearing the quack, quack, of the duck family.
I don't know what was wrong with them, but maybe the momma duck was alarmed about something. The babies are as big as she is now, so she is difficult to distinguish from her kids. Maybe I will see the group today and see that they are all right. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

1 Corinthians 13:4-13
Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous
or boastful or proud for 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 and rejoices 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. Now we know only a little and even the gift
of prophecy reveals little. But when the end comes, these
special gifts will all disappear.

It's like this: when I was a child, I spoke and thought and
reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away
childish things. Now we see things imperfectly as in a
poor mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect
clarity. All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but
then I will know everything completely, just as God knows
me now.

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

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 is a wet late morning; we have already had a thunderstorm and rain is still dripping off the roof, although, I saw blue sky peeking through in the west a little while ago. This is a forerunner of the cool front coming through , so the humidity will be much lower tomorrow. Yay!

I overslept this morning for the first time in a long while.  Last I remember, I got out of bed about 4:55 to go to the bathroom, and the next time I woke, it was almost 8! Wow! I usually get up around 6:30, so that was really late!

Yesterday I surprised myself by doing my ironing! No grumbling, no putting off, I just did it! Can't help patting myself on the back, because I had quite a pile to do. Later I drove to the Park and on the way, saw a pair of wood storks by Lynch Lake and at the Park a large great, blue heron was sitting on the weir, and an anhinga was perched near him with his wings shaped like a bat, half airing them out!. There must be a season for butterflies, because I have not seen any flitting by the window for a couple weeks. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 12:3-4
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 one body and each of us has
special 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...

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 still have October's bright blue weather, with just a few white clouds scudding across the sky, but it looks like a cool front will be blowing in tomorrow or Wednesday. It will be welcome!

Well, I had a nice weekend, but the Gators didn't and the Bucs definitely did not!  Brian took me to lunch at the Kopper Kitchen, after we had our hair done by Mari, and we enjoyed the food and the visit.

The TECO people came Friday and really left a dirt filled line where they had dug up the old gas line and threaded a new one in. I hope they will send someone to put sod down, because the first person to tell me about the new line, said they would replace the grass.

They kept me blocked in all day because of the truck and trailer parked in front of the driveway, but anything I had to do could be put off awhile. The apprentice techie who did the actual installing of the new meter, had me thinking I was going to die in my bed because of carbon monoxide poisoning in the house. He thought the flue was faulty and was not drawing like it should, so after figuring out that a plumber would probably know about fixing it, (I had already called my A/C people) , Mr Inman was at Mainlands and he stopped by, checked it out, tested it, and pronounced it legit and working the way it should! Big relief!

Yesterday was the 36th birthday of FCC, so the founding pastor, Don Logue, was invited to preach at both services. Since my family has known them for forty or more years, I was looking forward to it and was not disappointed. It was probably one the best sermons I have ever heard him preach and I told him so. It was so good to see Peggy and Don, and three of the other founding people of the church who were visiting. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

(This is a scripture that Don Logue read yesterday)

Psalm 23
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have everything I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
he leads me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
'He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.

Even when I walk
through the dark valley of death,
I will not be afraid,
for you are close beside me.
Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me.

You prepare a feast for me
in the presence of my enemies.
You welcome me as a guest,
anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings,
Surely your goodness and unfailing love
will pursue me all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.

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

Love and hugs,
Amaryllis

Greetings from Jude

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 promises to be a day like yesterday; beautiful, but very warm. Blue skies with a few drifting white clouds and lots of humidity.

There is a TECO pickup truck blocking the driveway, because two guys are digging up the gas line finally, to install the new one. I noticed the dirt from the deep holes they have dug already, and the earth looks to be very wet still, from all the rain. They must be a couple feet down so far. Well, I don't have to leave any time soon, because I have a load of laundry to do, which I do not need hot water for.

Yesterday, I had to go downtown to my dermatologist, so now I have a wound on my nose where he did a biopsy. I was hoping he would not do that, because we have our founding pastor, Don Logue, coming Sunday to preach for my church's anniversary. Maybe I will cover the spot with a small band-aid. Ah, vanity!

After I left the doc's office, I drove on down Central Ave. and all the parking spaces were filled, people were walking about and some of the outdoor tables still had people enjoying outdoor dining. I realize it was a working day, but was pleased to see many people shopping on Beach Drive. Some very odd looking; for instance, one man was dressed all in black with cut off sleeves, and lots of tats on his arms. Another was all in black with a skateboard and more tatoos. We are a varied community!

On my way home, I drove by the newly re-oeined Publix at 38th and 4th St.. Even though it was mid afternoon, the parking lot was full, so they must have had a banner day in sales! I went on to the park and saw the brown gopher tortoise, still by the parking lot, having a snack and an anhinga on the weir. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Jude 20-25

But you, dear friends, must continue to build your
lives on the foundation of your holy faith. And continue
to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit. Live in such
a way that God's love can bless you as you wait for the eternal
life that our Lord Jesus Christ in his mercy is going to give
you. Show mercy to those whose faith is wavering. Rescue
others by snatching them from the flames of judgment.
There are still others to whom you need to show mercy.
But be careful that you aren't contaminated by their sins.

And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from
stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious  presence
innocent of sin and with great joy. All glory to him, who alone
is God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory,
majesty, power and authority belong to him, in the beginning,
now, and forevermore. Amen.

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! Blue skies, sunshine, and slightly cooler temps mean it is a beautiful day! Although it will be close to ninety again later on, at least we can enjoy a taste of fall in the mornings.

Yesterday I took a trip to the Library to return books and check out more. Children were selecting books and using the computers and adults were using the ones for them, and some were looking for film tapes they had not seen, but still some were reading. Way back when I was in school, a library had audio-visual, and books and that was about it. Ah, times have changed.

Afterwards, I visited Sawgrass and noticed that the water in the canal was still up. A flock of ibis was busy swarming over a berm and the squirrels were streaking across the road and up the trees as fast as they could go! Then I took a trip out to Weedon Island. I saw an osprey in the very top of a dead tree, but the only activity on the road was me. There were some people at the kayak rental and several cars parked at the end, where several people were fishing from the pier. I noticed something unusual also; the overflow areas were full with ducks and ibis splashing around in the water. I have never seen water in these places before. I guess that is what all the rain has done. But God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Romans 8:35-
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 are
in danger or are threatened with death? (Even the
Scriptures say, "For your sake we are killed every day;
we are being 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

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! The grass was covered with dew earlier and a couple days ago, I saw the little brown bunny sitting outside the side garage door, munching on something he found in the grass. He was turned sideways and had blond fur in the front. Very cute!

Well, I took the blanket off the bed yesterday, because we are back to late summer weather. It has warmed up to nearly ninety in the middle of the day, but still no rain. Cooler at night, which is great! October's bright blue weather!

My cleaning ladies came early today, so I had to get up a little earlier and get my breakfast over with a little sooner than usual. But I was ready when they were. As I said before, they live right across the street, so I could see when the garage door came down, and Cheryl crossed the street to drive over. So, the house is clean and I have the rest of the day to do whatever needs doing.

I tried to unload the back of my van at the Salvation Army, but when I got there, a pickup with a trailer was ahead of me and it was loaded with furniture to be unloaded, so I just drove off and will try again another time. I need to add to my stuff anyway, with more to clean out of my closets.

I saw an osprey sitting on the line by Lynch Lake Park, as I was coming home, and a large flock of ibis by the lake. I also drove to the Park and saw the brown gopher munching on the grass right by the parking area. Very few people were there, so no one was bothering him.
God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 91:1-4

Those who live in the shelter of the Most High
will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
This I declare of the Lord;
He alone is my refuge, my place of safety,
he is my God, and I am trusting him.
For he will rescue you from every trap
and protect you from the fatal plague.
He will shield you with his wings.
He will shelter you with his feathers.
His faithful promises are your armor and protection.

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! Well, just as predicted, the weather is warming up. I discarded my blanket for most of last night, and although the A/C has not cycled on yet, it is still a little cool, but comfortable in the house. And, yesterday, was hot in the sun! But, I appreciate any change in the humidity!

The TECO people came yesterday and walked up and down the property for about thirty minutes and one super talked on the phone during that time, but nothing got done. I don't know what the problem is, but hopefully, they will get the new gas line installed sometime soon.

I had an appointment at the Pierce Clinic in the afternoon, so, after a short wait, which I used Texting back and forth with Daryl about the Gators football situation, got called back to the exam room, where I waited flat on my back for another five or ten minutes. I have suggested to the nurse that they post a poster of a hunky guy on the ceiling, but no action has been taken yet. Sigh.

I drove on to the park and saw a few people out walking, and an egret in the canal with a lone ibis pecking around the bank, but on the way around Lynch Lake Park, there was a gorgeous roseate spoonbill standing on the bank, just stretching. A lot of seagulls, and ducks were also enjoying the afternoon. God is good!

From the Promise Bible NLT:

Psalm 138
I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart.
I will sing your praises before the gods.
i bow before your holy Temple as I worship.
I will give thanks to your name
for your unfailing love and faithfulness,
because your promises are backed by all the
honor of your name.
When I pray you answer me.
You encourage me by giving me the strength I need.

Every king in all the earth, will give you thanks, O Lord.
For all of them will hear your words.
Yes, they will sing about the Lord's ways,
for the glory of the Lord is very great.
Though the Lord is great, he cares for the humble,
but he keeps his distance from the proud.

Though I am surrounded by troubles,
you will preserve me against my angry enemies!
Your power will save me.
The Lord will work out his plans for my life----
for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever.
Don't abandon me, for you made me.

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

Love and hugs,
 Amaryllis