Possessing Gratitude

Some were tricked, misled,
Into believing our days,
Our lives are only
Ordinary, when truly
Every single precious one
Is a gift beyond compare
Created for our pleasure.
When we lose the special sense
That we are each one unique
Living with distinct purpose
Placed where we are with reason,
We lose our frame of reference,
Unbelief can assault us
Tearing our lives asunder.
This day, this very one is
Never to be repeated,
Has not existed before,
Each moment is a blessing,
It is ours to fill with love;
The breath we inhale, exhale,
Could be our final one, last,
Maybe that does not fill your heart
With fear, awe, of God who gives
Or easily takes away;
Me, I pray for grace somehow
That I may share His great Love
In such a way that I reflect
Jesus in my words and deeds,
And joy, thankfulness today.

I wrote this in my “Brain Dump Notebook” which, I may have told you, is a cheap composition book from “Back-to-School” days at Wal-Mart. I think it was 99 cents. Every year I go to those sales and grab a few things. I have a collection of beautiful journals, some leather bound, others with wooden covers, I cannot bring myself to write in them. I would make a mistake and ruin the thing. The question this begs, if I cannot use them, what will become of them. Some of my craziness, but I never told anyone I had all my crayons in the box.

I think I will skip a gratitude list here. I have not been to bed since I wrote the last one. Too, just now, my pain levels do not facilitate an enormous amount of thankfulness.

Will you think seriously about how precious each day is? Will you express your love to your dear ones more frequently because anything can and often does happen? Will you realize that your creativity is not to be hidden away like extra bedclothes saved for guests? Keeping the good things that would bring you joy for later, can you break that habit? Will you use your unique gifts, talents, abilities, to bring the world closer to the beauty and wonder it needs to survive? If we are to save the world, we must convince the world it is worth a future.

As a prompt, pick any of the ideas above and expound upon them. If you are an artist other than of the written word, turn one of those things into work.

Thank you for taking time to read my meanderings. I hope you enjoyed your time visiting Haphazard Creative. You may follow the website, or you may make your way here again. Be love, inspiration, encouragement, joy, to others you encounter. Look for the gifts in the moments of the day. Do not take time for granted, it is remarkable. Please, be aware, trust your instincts, lock your doors, and be careful out there. God bless you and keep you in all your ways.

Good-night.

Surely

If we wish to change our lives, those of others, things that concern us, our environments, or anything else, there is one path. It is not an easy road, there will be resistance, it will take considerable effort and consume prodigious amounts of time; we must change ourselves. This is something most of us would instead choose not to do.

To change, we must evaluate what is not serving us in life, and those things that are in our favor. For instance, I have a clutter issue. Since losing my Mom in June 2017, I have been paralyzed by feelings of regret and grief, not dealing with the problem of a great deal of stuff which I cannot use that she left behind.

Today, my nephew and I discussed the mess. He pointed out that should I let go of the stuff, it would free up space for me to use in enjoyable ways. I was aware of this, but I have not known how to dispose of so many lovely things. He recommended I just give it all to charity because he knows me well enough to be sure that I do not care for the aggravation of trying to sell it.

Although this is uncomfortable, I am going to begin the process of liquidation. I will be able to make the freed room into a craft room and library. This will provide space for me to practice my artwork. There will finally be a home for my rubber stamp collection, which is extensive, other than entrapped under my bed.

How do I face all those things, hers, when tears still find me, time to time? I change. I gather my courage and recognize that those things no more embody Mom than I am represented by an ink pen or a notebook. I release myself from the need to please her, to continue as her caregiver when that time is past, and she has transitioned to Heaven where she is happy with Jesus.

There are more changes I must make, but I will not detail them just now. Is there something you are holding onto that would better serve you if you let it go? Maybe there is a relationship, attitude, job, habit, thing, or whatever. I am no psychic. You know what it is, and chances are you know exactly what you should do, but you procrastinate because inaction is comfortable and being stuck feels more natural than change. I understand, but the excavation once begun will give you a sense of freedom, accomplishment, and victory that will make you wonder why you waited.

We, humans, were not made to remain in stasis. From our conception, we are continually changing. We grow, learn, progress, and we never stop. If we stick our minds, bodies, hearts, spirits, or souls in a container, we become cramped, unhappy, dissatisfied. Change is who we are. Our creativity calls us to become something unique, newly discovered, uncovered, revealed to a breathless world.

Change is, and what will be. Do not fight it, latch on to the ripple, wave, that draws you into a brighter future. Create who you are, what you want to be. You have the power, embrace the life that is just beyond your hesitation.

Ah, yeah, on this we could dwell awhile, but I will not keep you. Employ that massive fortune of creative genius you possess and get busy. Your life, those you love, the world will thank you.

Be Awake

This morning with the quiet before the break of dawn, the day begins. We are wrapped in anticipation of what is and what will be. Jesus lingers at the threshold of every moment asking us to rise into love’s infinity. There is nothing able to stand obstinately against our pursuit of joy when we depend on the Lord to go before us.

We are each gifted with the unique ability to bring beauty, peace, and love into being through our creativity. We should put this faculty to work as often as is possible. Creation can be a form of active prayer and practice that lifts us, and those who interact with our works, into refreshing and comfortable spheres of reality filled with love and intriguing mystery that encourages us to become more alive.

Every moment gifts us with the choice of peace, positivity, kindness, understanding, generosity, gratitude, and love. If we are mired in profound negativity, a moment can change the mindset into one of rejoicing. We are able to choose the emotions we will express, the people we will be in the world, moment to moment.

Always endeavor to choose love and life will be yours more abundantly. Reach for the wonder. Notice the light reflecting off the waves, how it shimmers brighter than any gems craved by the hearts of humankind. Listen to the whisper of the trees as they pass their knowledge of earth’s years to the whirling wind. Watch the eyes of a crow sparkle as it finds a shiny bit of trash. Look at the people surrounding you, see the miraculous beauty of each and every one. Remember, these things did not just come into being, they were placed by the Creator to fulfill His purposes and add a pleasant touch to this particular day as you walk your way in the world.

For today, I am grateful:

I am not forgotten, some people care for me.
I am able to write and express my thoughts.
Good things happen when they are most needed.
I had pleasant dreams.
The dogs were groomed this week.
I am having a lot of fun taking pictures at church.
Even though the computer is acting crazy, I am able to use it.

As a prompt, create something that lifts your spirits and will in all probability help someone else. You can be a positive influence if you so desire.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. I hope you found something worth your while here and that you will press the follow button or come back soon. Remember, you are precious, and much loved. Be aware, careful, and safe out there.

Always,
Jo Ann

Creative Restart

I had turned the computer off an hour ago. I try to break my big screen time off early because I tend to be very obsessed with computers. They are my favorite creative tool. There was a time I begged for a machine when they first began to be prevalent. I was told I was too stupid to have a computer. So, in 1991, I bought my own. My creative life, as I expected, has never been the same.

I had always made books, now I could typeset a magazine, which I did. I blogged from very early in the craze. I max machines out with my demands. I am trying to ease my use.

Today, I have written a few things. Facebook has ignored them. I find social media can be the enemy of creativity. When there are no reactions, often I feel my work cheapened.

Hole in Reality’s Pocket

You did not ask me
To be your forever, nor
Did I urge you to
Be my yesterday, sometimes
Things fall to pieces while we
Try to hold the whole world in
The tattered ruins of pockets
Made fragile by grubby hands.
Days run away, and we let
Them go, never noticing
We lose a little romance
With every passing minute.
Then one day we wake up
To find our bed empty of
One who set our heart afire
And we pray God brings our joy
Back to us, knowing it is gone
Like a choice meal once enjoyed
But never savored again.

There are holes, a sieve,
Where everything washes out,
I am left, empty.

When life is too hard
Take paper, a pen, write it
Back to rights again.

You know you are procrastinating when you are trancing from thing to thing without satisfaction and the nudge keeps biting you.

The last is my novel. I need to finish it. I find other things to occupy me. The book is emotionally taxing because it deals with things that are hard to verbalize. I avoid it, but I cannot ignore it. It nudges me, takes up mental space like nothing else. I will read to fill the void, but it still screams that I am ignoring what is important.

As a prompt, think of something creative you are avoiding by filling your time with other things which are not as valuable or precious. Write about the creation, then write about ways you can steer yourself to this important project. You may have to give up something less, but if you do not, you will never accomplish your more. I know it is hard, the novel started in November 2013 during NaNoWriMo. I failed at that. I wrote a few pages in 2017, after finding my way around my lost spot. I know what is next, I just hate to sit long enough to capture the words.

I am grateful:

I now know what is wrong with the outflow of water in the house.
My copyediting went well and paid a little.
I have some magnificent tech.
The power did not go out due to the ice.
I still enjoy writing with fine pens.
Hope is still here, the dogs get groomed Monday.
My contacts are working reasonably well.

It is funny, I feel as if I could write forever tonight, but I need to get to bed if I am to go to church in the morning, which I would like to do.

I want to remind you that you are an extraordinary creative entity. You have the power to move the world and foster change that will reverberate throughout the ages. Trust in your creativity, use your talents, gifts, and abilities, be an inspiration. Life is sometimes hard and what you create could give someone hope to stay the course when they are near abandoning something that could edify humankind.

I appreciate your visit to Haphazard Creative. I hope I have not run anyone away with my faith posts. Faith and creativity go together for me. I see what we create as an outpouring of spirit. If you would like to follow, please click the button, if not, please come back often.

You are dear to me, and I hope you remain in safety and prosperity at all times.

We live in interesting times

My times are in your hands. – Psalm 31:15

We live in difficult times. All around us the world seems to have gone insane. This is the time for us, as the people of God, to step out of our complacency and the shadows concealing our faith. We must let the light of Jesus Christ shine through us. We are challenged by our Lord to speak and work against injustice and hate. Our mission is to reach out bringing change, not with anger and strife, but with generosity, consideration, kindness, meekness, and agape love.

Ours is not to fight and cause a scene, ours is to bring stability and peace to situations and moments where our actions and words must be Christlike to be effective.

We are ambassadors of Jesus empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring renewal to a lost and dying world through the Gospel’s revelation of the Lord. We are to be the living Gospel through words and deeds that cause the lost to turn from error and find the love of God. To foster a resurrection of the people who are in need, we must be wise through the study of the Word and attune our hearts to tenderness and love with the help of the Father. This is a time in which we can make an impact through Christ’s love.

Monday, January 15, 2018

Prayer of Acknowledgement

Dear Lord, remind us
Even in our trials, troubles,
We live in a dream,
Compared to others whose loss
We can scarcely comprehend;
A child taken too early,
A home completely destroyed,
An accident with high cost,
Let our hearts fill with such love
That we find strength to comfort
A world in need of Your touch
Let us be Your hands to soothe
And give us Your words of life
That all may know You, Jesus.

Tuesday, January 16, 2018

Clinging to The ONE

Sometimes, and then again,
There is Jesus. He is
My HOPE when all is working
Against me. When my despair
Is deep, He is my LIGHT.
When I am bright atomic anger,
He is there, a refreshing STREAM.
Jesus is the MUSIC leading
My heart to sing new songs.
When I am rejected, resented,
Shunned, He is my dearest FRIEND.
When the world falls apart
Jesus is the FORCE holding
My life, body, soul, spirit, together.
There is no other who can bring
COMFORT when I am at wit’s end.
He is the GOOD SHEPARD,
Almighty God, He anoints me.
Though I am shattered,
I will praise Him still.

Wednesday, January 17, 2018

I hope your week has gone well. I encourage you to nurture your creativity and use it to share love with a world so badly in need of encouragement, assistance, understanding, and belief. You are a channel of goodness flowing into needy places if you so choose, and you should make that choice because love is what we are all here to share. The interesting in our times should not consist of the difficulties, crimes, anger, abuse, torment, instead, the love, discoveries, creations, remedies, constructions, technologies, and benefits of such a prosperous age should be the interest.

The creativity that each person possesses should be put to use in improving life for themselves and all others. This gift of God can be harnessed for positive change. No matter your medium, cooking, knitting, beading, music, photography, lettering, art, poetry, fiction, non-fiction, memoir, prose, clothing design, home decorating, jewelry making, oh, man, this could go all night, you are responsible for using your gifts, talents, and abilities for humanity’s good. Be about it, I say.

I am grateful:

Every day is not as awful as this one was.
I have food, clothes, shoes, books, dogs, computers, and I know how to use them.
Possibilities are plentiful.
I have a few people who will talk me down when I am ready to break.
I love my new church.
I was given the opportunity to take photos at church Sunday.
I still have my dog, Hope.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. There is a follow button if you wish to use it, if not come back soon. I hope your week lightens your heart and nourishes your creative mind. Please be careful out there. The world can be treacherous.