The Changes You See

I had to make some site changes. I hope it will inconvenience none of you. It was quite harrowing for me. However, when life gets tough, I get stubbornly tougher. There was a disagreement on what fees I owed, so now I get a refund, and the site goes free. Paying was an expense I needed to do without, anyway. If traffic increases or I begin making more money, I may resume the fees.

So, we have a new theme, which I find I actually prefer over the old one. The theme Fusion which I use on Chronicles has been retired. I had to do some looking, trying, choosing, but I think this is okay. It is called SAGA. The main difference is that all the widgets and sidebars are hidden under one button, MENU. I believe it is uncluttered. It frees the page to showcase what I wish to draw attention.

I am looking forward to this new chapter. Maybe it will invigorate my imagination, it seems saving money usually does. I love my tools and invest in them, but you cannot in my estimation beat free. I am grateful the representative was uncooperative; otherwise, it is unlikely I would have stopped my subscription.

Please do not desert us. I and the site intend to have a continuing presence here.

I did this little bit of art through the night. It seems appropriate to give it this home.

God bless you every one. I do not think you can guess how much I appreciate your support.

If you need a prompt, think about the last thing you felt deeply as a personal injustice. Examine it in detail and create something that explains it.

In My Eyes

When it feels like this,
Seeming to have something caught
Under an eyelid.
Where it hurts like a dying,
But there is no removal,
No relief at any cost,
There must be an ejection,
Some rejection of ongoing
Pain, so life may continue
Even though it may thwart desire
Restructuring well-laid plans.
Some arguments will not be lost,
Some conditions must be met,
Some reasons are non-negotiable;
William described a shrew, not me or you,
But a grain of sand in place
Where one should never exist
Can irritate a person beyond
Reason and cause patience to
Evaporate like rain on baking
Pavement after the storm is ended.
I will not say one course of action
Is superior to another,
But I do say, NEVER GIVE UP,
Do not harbor a thought of QUITTING,
You have a right to what is fair,
And if it is not, you can take
Your game and go home to nurse
Your feelings back to happiness.
Rock your world, create your joy,
Be who you are, and do not apologize,
As long as you are genteel, let things
Go as you believe they must, you
Must live with you and take your peace,
Life is too short to lose your advantage
You carry the seeds of greatness
Follow them until you embody it.

Thank you for visiting Haphazard Creative. You may find the follow button under the MENU button. If you do not wish to follow, perhaps you will find your way back again.

All the best to you and yours. May God richly bless you and keep you well.

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.

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.

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