Pix 'n Prose: Midnight on Fri the 13th

I'm sitting on my mom's deck, listening to the night sounds. Crickets have packed it in, but the trains and traffic are creating a dull background noise. Other than that? So quiet.

It smells delicious out here. Well, not delicious as in Good Food Smells, but wonderful. Like in Spring scents. Floral blossoms. Fresh air. Candles.

I've pulled my hair up into a pony tail, but the light breeze is causing the wisps of hair on the back of my neck to tickle me and it's giving me the shivers, so I've put on my hoodie.

These are perfect blogging conditions.

Well perfect 'anything' conditions, for that matter. Playing a game. Having a conversation. Sharing a meal. Reading a book. Praying. Thinking. Planning. Posting pics to Instagram. Nosing about on Twitter. Looking into touristy things to do in Vietnam.

I know that most everyone in my world (except, probably my kids) is sleeping right now. I love that. Some people like being up before everyone wakes in the morning.

I like being the last one awake at the end of the day.

Here's what I've been thinkin 'bout:

This inspirational piece:

If you can't read it easily, here it is again:

By Roger Fields:

I am a minister. I minister to the largest mission field in the world. I minister to children.

My calling is sure. My challenge is big. My vision is clear. My desire is strong. My influence is eternal. My impact is critical. My values are solid. My faith is tough. My mission is urgent. My purpose is unmistakable. My direction is forward. My heart is genuine. My strength is supernatural. My reward is promised. And my God is real.

In a world of cynicism, I offer hope. In a world of confusion, I offer truth. In a world of immorality, I offer values. In a world of neglect, I offer attention. In a world of abuse, I offer safety. In a world of ridicule, I offer affirmation. In a world of division, I offer reconciliation. In a world of bitterness, I offer forgiveness. In a world of sin, I offer salvation. In a world of hate, I offer God’s love.

I refuse to be dismayed, disengaged, disgruntled, discouraged or distracted. Neither will I look back, stand back, fall back, go back or sit back. I do not need applause, flattery, adulation, prestige, stature or veneration. I do not have time for business as usual, mediocre standards, small thinking, outdated methods, normal expectations, average results, ordinary ideas, petty disputes or low vision. I will not give up, give in, bail out, lie down, turn over, quit or surrender.

I will pray when things look bad. I will pray when things look good. I will move forward when others stand still. I will trust God when obstacles arise. I will work when the task is overwhelming. I will get up when I fall down.

My calling is to reach boys and girls for God. It is too serious to be taken lightly, too urgent to be postponed, too vital to be ignored, too relevant to be overlooked, too significant to be trivialized, too eternal to be fleeting and too passionate to be quenched.

I know my mission. I know my challenge. I also know my limitations, my weaknesses, my fears and my problems. And I know my God. Let others get the praise. Let the church get the blessing. Let God get the glory.

I am a minister. I minister to children. This is who I am. This is what I do.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This inspires me to write out a My Calling for myself.

Maybe later.

On a different perfect blogging day.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Do you have a long list of folks you pray for?

I have my 78 people's names written on the inside back cover of my work notebook. And a couple times a day, I'll flip open to the page, place my hand over all the names, and say a quick "Thy Will Be Done, Right This Very Minute" prayer for them all.

I've been wanting to have them printed out in a nicer format, because, well, I DO work in a creative department, after all....

And tonight I finally found a Word Cloud Generator that works.

Enter all your names in to the content area. Pick some colours and sizes. Then VOILA.

I thought I'd post mine here, so you all could see what I mean, but someone might read the list and say, "Why is she on there, and not me?" Or (maybe even worse) wonder, "WHAT THE HECK AM I DOING ON HER LIST?"

So I found a random name generator. (OH YES I DID.) And requested 50 random names, both male and female. And then I plunked THOSE names into the Word Cloud Generator.

Wanna see?