Site Blunders, Mistaken Communication

I was checking in on the tablet because I turned the computer off. Scrolling through themes, I found one more attractive to my sensitivities. So, sorry, but we are now revamped. This theme is Publication 2. It has my sidebars and widgets, which were sadly missing in SAGA. I am old school, having blogged since 2005. (See Chronicles should you be interested in that history. It has lots on it.) I like as much detail on pages as artificial intelligence can afford me. I am still not paying for the website, though I did keep my domain. (It will happen, just at the appropriate time.)

School has begun in a lot of places. Those of you with kids, (and our crowd of creatives), I recommend you institute a period of gratitude each day. I find this gives a perspective that sometimes slips into the busy oblivion of day following day. Just have a few minutes to write or simply verbally share some things that went well during your limit of hours.

I am thankful:

The Wookie (Marbles) did not injure me while we walked. This being an ongoing problem I am praying about, I would much appreciate an improvement.
My stomach seems to be recovering, I, unfortunately, forgot I cannot eat foods with heavy concentrations of MSG. Mongolian Chicken should be prohibited.
I found a much more appropriate and loveable theme.
I completed reading Ink and Bone by Lisa Unger. An excellent book with some paranormal emphasis and well-developed characters. Missing it. Somewhat adrift trying to find something new. Oh, it was 5 stars, highly recommend it.
Music; brings me through the days when I am straying and finding the way hard to navigate. (We Believe – Newsboys) (Time Waits For Noone – Freddie Mercury) (Anything by the most esteemed Dr. Brian May) (Gangsters Are Running the World – Roger Taylor) ( Hide Away – What can I say, Mick Jagger)

If you can, pull your youngsters (and yourselves) away from screens long enough to do a minimum of ten minutes of creative work, whether art, writing, photography or whatever the penchant. These things will enrich your days and add joy to your lives.

I know many of you are more successful social media mavens than I am. Should you feel inclined and you find my communications of efficacy, please share as you may. I thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative today. I hope you will explore and wander about a bit. There is a follow button, or you may simply return as appeals to you. I think my links are now available again without having to search as much.

As a prompt, if you have a blog or site, which you have not refreshed in some time. Consider what a change might do. I know it takes some investment of time and effort, but the payoffs are sometimes higher than we expect.

Had to share the Tribble, just for the cuteness factor. My buddy.

Love, it may come late, but when it shows up, the world rocks…

Hands touching across
A divide longstanding wide,
Could grow side by side.

Time Enough

2019_07_19_Journal Entry - Tomorrow

Carried

Inside God’s pocket
Where there are no enemies,
I am protected.

In the breast pocket,
Lying right beside His heart;
Never forgotten.

His voice speaks clearly,
The Lord knows my need of Him;
I am always loved.

Not ever alone,
Inside my Savior’s pocket;
Destined for success.

I procrastinate; it is an awful habit, and I often pay dearly. I also worry, too much for my or anyone’s good. Still, I know that Tomorrow is not mine, only God controls the days, and if I make it there, it is by His grace.

I have 23 chapters of a novel and the beginning of a book on creativity. I am guessing one day I will write both. Would that I did it now.

We do these things, or most do, we harm ourselves and withhold help we could lend the world. Tomorrow is the song of uncertainty. There is no guarantee. We could be joyous in the present if we were not dependent on some future condition. Usually, when we achieve the thing we have set our dreams upon, we find we are not, in fact, happy and postpone it until the next big thing.

Invest in the present, it will pay you rich dividends.

I am grateful:

My son is doing well.
My rescue dog is becoming a tiny bit more docile.
The Insider update finally loaded after over two hours.
I have a new nickname with the editor I copy edit with, Our Grammar Genie. I like this quite a lot.
Library books are gifts, better than Air Heads candy.

As a prompt, examine your use of time. Are you employing it to the best of your ability? Create a work related to Tomorrow and its meaning in your mindscape. As I have mentioned, the prompt is for any media you use, there are no limits on creativity.

I hope all is well with you and yours. Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. You may follow the site if you like, or you may visit again as pleases you.

Always,
Jo Ann

The Value of Friendship

The prompt in the planner I made from which this journal entry was created was the word, Friendship. I think maybe all of us should lay aside our devices and interact with people for whom we care more often. As connected as all our lives are, we are suffering from angst, depression, loneliness, and stress more than ever. The likely cause is the erosion of personal connection and meaningful conversation.

When we are together, it would be grand if we could lay aside our devices. Human beings are much more valuable than electronics. I am guilty of living a mostly secluded existence, but it makes me very aware of the treasure interaction is. I thrive on phone calls and those human moments in public and in worship.

Your prompt should you wish to engage is to evaluate your relationships, make an honest inventory of some of your recent in-person engagements, and create something that epitomizes who you are in relation to others. Perhaps you may decide to make a plan that brings more life into your life.

Two Tanka

I.
We know much is wrong,
But our attitudes guide us
Toward improvement
If we remain positive
And pursue development.

II.
We cannot buy hope,
We must manufacture it
In hearts, minds, and souls,
Igniting our love, passions,
Creating possibilities

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. There is a follow button, or you may come back when it pleases you. I wish you all the best and hope your every day is filled with blessings.

Why We Are

2019_07_17_Journal fron Word Prompt

I decided to use the scanner this time, instead of a snap with my phone. Wouldn’t you know it turned out much better too? Sometimes we desert the basics for convenience, and it impinges on quality.

You may notice I am coming back a bit more often. I hope to continue the trend. Exercising creativity every day makes our work stronger. I do not just say this, I have lived it. It is valid for everyone. The more you pour into your work, the more creativity is unleashed. Skills develop from talents and gifts only with practice.

The Source

Within us, everything
Abounds, arises, becomes, and
Exists in beauty,
The heart, mind, soul, fulfill each
Dream through creativity.

Our Creator placed
His image in us to give
All power over
Whatever limits our hope
To create a better world.

We are certainly
Endowed with every good gift
But we must employ
Talent to positive effect
Or we become dark shadows,

Leaving our light, Love,
To whither and fall away;
Losing ourselves, who
We are destined and purposed
To be, hiding potential.

Creativity
Imparts ample freedom to
Build lives of grandeur,
But we must know who we are
And practice being our best.

A prompt for you: Examine your recent days, are you allowing your creativity use in every way you can? Do you need to evaluate your priorities and make changes to give yourself more time to explore your gifts, skills, talents? Formulate a plan, execute it, realize your ambitions and goals.

I am grateful:

I have worked more over recent days with my creativity.
I have excellent tools that make my endeavors exciting.
I see a bit of hope peeking around the curtain from the darkened room.
It is better to live alone than not to live at all.
I have some of the best friends in the world.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. I hope you found something to encourage you. If you like, follow the website, or just come back when you can. You are the most essential part of all of this.

Have a blessed day, and never quit. You are the change that makes the world better for everyone.

Always,
Jo Ann

Time to Time… And All Times

A day like today, one can feel awash in time, especially me, cause my relationship with time is tenuous. Alex, my son, asked me this morning if I thought I would live to be 56. There have been times when I came close to checking out. Only by the grace of God am I here.

I think we do not know how often the Lord keeps some tragedy from happening, maybe that walk back to check the door, or having to change a little one’s clothes, or the misplaced article is actually the Savior at work.

I am thankful for both the bad and the good because the trouble taught me to be stronger and keep fighting to thrive. There are times maybe I just survive, but I am so grateful for the people and relationships that grace(d) my life. I enjoy so many blessings.

Life’s struggles are constant, but to overcome, oh, how sweet is the victory. Jesus is near to those who need Him and will in no wise desert His people who are called by His name.

I am touched by the people who say I make a difference, having so often felt inconsequential. When you spend a lot of time alone, doubt can invade your mind and inhibit your productivity. Positive words are so precious.

I try to encourage and inspire, but sometimes I can wallow in the mire. I appreciate those who throw me a life float when I am sinking into the quicksand. I know sometimes it takes a monster truck and chains to rescue me; I am grateful to you all too.

I am not sure exactly where this was going. I just want to thank all of you who have sent me well-wishes today. I am so glad I got to the church because I got some kind words and hugs, hugs are so special. Sunday School and Worship were terrific as well. Jesus was present.

I sincerely hope I make better use of the coming years than I have the past ones, but I would not miss what has gone before because the Lord has woven a tapestry of identity from all I have experienced and it was worth it all.

I was going to affix Freddie Mercury singing Time Waits For No One to this, but maybe not. You can find it on YouTube, the Offical video is best.

Time does, however, rush away like the water going over the falls. Live every moment to the fullest, never give up, remember happiness is an internal thing, you create it. Do your best to avoid wasting all that is given to you. If there are things, you dream of doing, to the best of your ability, do those. Find your creativity and employ it to enhance the world.

You are so very precious. God loves you, and God makes no junk. I love you, too, all of you mean so much. I think I should probably stop now. Sorry for running long.

This was posted to Facebook first.

I want to add a few things here. I am incredibly grateful for the opportunities I have been given to have some poetry published. The social media communities in which I have been active have been supportive, and I am thankful for each person who has commented or liked or further interacted with my work and myself. I have been on the web since 1991 and put a lot of work out here.

I encourage you if you are creative, to invest sufficient time and effort in your work to hone your skills. Do not let negative thoughts stop you. Do not fear. Make it happen, cause happening is why you are here.

There are so many things, but it will wait. More than anything, know you matter. The world would be a lesser place without you. You are wonderfully made and specially fashioned for this, your time.

I need to be on here more. Sometimes I lose the belief that I make a difference. We are all liable to feel unworthy at times, we are though. We are here, and we belong.

As a quick prompt, explore your feelings about the passage of time and create an original work around your discovery.

The day comes running
Full of gifts, activities;
Freely, we grasp them.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. If you enjoyed what you read, please share, if you like follow the site or come back again. There is plenty to explore, and there is also my site at Chronicles, which contains my Creativity Project, which I did daily for a year and a half.

Tenderness

I feel unworthy
Of all the blessings bestowed,
My weakness I know,
But God uses broken ones
To reach those who need His touch.

Sometimes the lesson
Is taught within the struggle,
We learn His mercy,
We can convey the message
To those mired in great distress.

Nothing without Him
Would I be, have, understand,
For Christ carried me
Through catastrophe, doubt, pain,
He is my Forever King.

Praise Jesus who is,
Was, and will always be, Love,
Sent to free captives,
To restore the fallen to
Life throughout eternity.

He holds our futures,
Jesus accompanies us
In our darkest hours,
He has not given us up,
He redeems and frees us all.

I feel unworthy
Of all the blessings bestowed,
My weakness I know,
But God uses broken ones
To reach those who need His touch.

This will likely appear in the July issue of the magazine I copy edit. I think the publisher chose it after I shared it with him.

Rallying

This poem is written in the first person, but I assure you if you need to take its message to heart, it can apply as a rallying cry for more than only me. In fact, that is the only reason I shared. This was journaling work. A suggestion, if you are struggling with any sort of problem, try using a journal or even “Scraps Of Paper,” that is an old poem of mine, but a valid recommendation.

If fear is haunting you, look up, do not give in, do not give up. We can overcome fear, resistance, negativity, but it has always been, presently is, forever will be, a choice. The war is one of continual battles, but if we do not make an attempt so much will go undone, and the world will not become what it could be.

Choosing Freedom

Where I am right now,

Where I want to be today,

Kept apart by me.

I am the factor

Who must make many changes

To realize dreams.

No one else can do

Whatever it is I must;

The power is mine.

Christ gave me these gifts,

But He will not force my work;

I must create it.

Giftedness is not

Placed within to be wasted,

It has a purpose.

Procrastination,

My inadequate feelings,

I must overcome.

I have studied, learned,

Still, I lack enough belief

To discard my fear.

It, False Evidence

Appearing Real, I leave now

Outside, behind me.

I take confidence

As an armor, wrapped in faith,

And banish my doubt.

These abilities

Were put in me to help those

In need, set me free.

My aspirations

I must craft until they can

Join reality.

Tuesday, April 9, 2019

If you need a prompt, consider creating something to rally yourself, which you can also share with others. All of us are consistently in need of positive influence and encouragement. There is a heaviness of unrealized hopes and dreams in our world today. Many are discouraged and barely keeping themselves alive. We need to help one another. Far too many are lost upon giving up.

I am grateful:

1. The positive influence of music has been helping me so much. I highly recommend YouTube music or if you have Amazon Prime, Prime Music. Both these can be streamed without commercials.

2. My dogs, Marbles, and Tribble, who challenge me to develop a greater degree of patience while providing companionship.

3. I am experiencing a rather extensively creative period.

4. Friends, who back me up when I get down into my soles.

5. Queen, The Rolling Stones, and a wide variety of Contemporary Christian Artists. Newsboys, “Crazy,” is a grand favorite.

All Right!

Everyone has problems
We all carry our deep scars,
But there is still hope;
All the things we have misplaced,
Innocence taken away,
Trust broken apart,
Truth found foul fabrication –
Healing still exists;
No matter our trials, troubles,
Love is real, we belong, hold on.
Life is a treasure –
Holy, precious, rare, unique,
Ultimately given
To bring us all transcendent
Blessings, love, peace, eternity.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. I most sincerely hope you found something edifying and encouraging here. My purpose as I share is to arouse the creative genius in others and set other flames to dispelling the sadness I feel is so much a loose in our world currently. If you enjoyed the things in this posting, please check out other entries. If you like, follow this website, or come back when you have time.

Much love to you all, always,
Jo Ann