Some Things I Created Today

A poem in comment on current affairs:

Expression Of Exasperation

They fight endlessly,
They refuse to compromise,
They hold our nation
In a state where progress is
Held in complete abeyance.

Politicians do
No work for electorate,
They simply will not;
Every day the country falls
Further into great distress.

Can we the people
Continue so quietly
While disaster falls
Upon those who sacrifice
Life and limb for our freedom?

Is freedom truly
Manifest in lofty halls
Where reasonable
Voices are not allowed to
Debate or even discuss.

I fear we have let
The very few work toward
Destruction of all
Created by patriots
Who wanted better for us.

When rulers cease to
Serve the interests of those
Who raised them up to
Prominence the time comes to
Cast them out of their places.

Come now citizens,
Rise, throw off the iron shackles
Of a government
Gone willfully against us,
Vote wisdom into power.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Saturday, October 12, 2013

An older photograph and a poem created today:

A photograph taken at dusk today and a thought:

I hope you are well. I encourage you to engage your creativity and make something wonderful to share with the world. I am convinced you have greater ability than you may even realize and that you can reach further than you estimate.

As a prompt, take a picture of your own, past or present, add some relevant text. Share it with others, or post it where it will encourage you.

I am grateful:

1)   No matter what happens, God will never desert me.
2)   I am blessed beyond what I deserve.
3)   My son, Alex, is on his way home.
4)   We still have a home, food to eat, and drink to quench our thirst.
5)   I am strong enough to accomplish my dreams with Christ’s help.

Be a blessing wherever you travel. Even if your belief system is different, you can brighten someone’s life with your kindness, compassion and smile.

Always,
Jo Ann

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Thoughts, Poems, Pictures, I Would Like To Share

Please indulge me as I write about my son…

He is not perfect, but he is my joy. I wish he were not so far away. I miss him more than I like to think about. We talked on Voxer this morning, which made staying up all night worthwhile. He is writing a book, and unlike mine, I fully expect it to be published. He makes me believe I might even be able to write something publishable. He inspires me.

Aptly Suited

You were chosen
To be exactly
Who you are in
This time and place.

Your experience
Has made you quite
Perfect for the tasks
Given you to do.

No one else in
All of Creation
Can fill your special
Place so completely.

No matter what you
Think, no matter how
You feel, it is clear
You are exactly ideal.

Called to be part
Of this time and space,
Someone who has an
Influential place.

So make the best
Of your many talents,
Take advantage of
Your wonderful gifts.

Leave a trace of
Yourself in all things
You accomplish here,
Helping create reality.

Who knows who may
Be watching, depending
On you to go forward,
Leading courageously?

Be light within
The darkness where some
Fear greatly to tread,
You make the difference.

Never let those
Positive words leave
The center of your mind,
For you matter so much.

You were chosen
To be exactly
Who you are in
This time and place.

©Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, July 29, 2013

Positive Uncertainty

You never know,
It is absolutely true,
You never know
When time will end
For those you love,
Or even yet for you.

So make the best
Of every moment,
Letting your love
Shine clearly through
In everything you do,
Because you never know.

Just because you
Have become angry,
Or you carry hidden hurts,
Does not mean you
Should not forgive, make up,
Because you never know.

Live your life to the best
Of your highest ability
And share your heart freely
With those who touch
Your existence so many ways,
Because you never know.

You can be a blessing
If you will only choose
To share your love abroad
With every single person
And creature every day,
Because you never know.

You never know,
It is absolutely true,
You never know
When time will end
For those you love,
Or even yet for you.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Wednesday, July 31, 2013

The other side of the persona that makes up who I am…

Guilt And Shame

Tell me why I must
And always how I can be,
Because I cannot
But see where this failure is
Held within the depths of me.

I am not ever
And never could I yet be
The perfect answer
To the prayers lifted for
Who I should in their truth be.

I am illusion
And perhaps a delusion,
Not a reality,
I am someone no one else
Can completely imagine.

I am the broken
And crushed reed once left standing
In the cruel wind,
Who cannot survive the fall
Or the awful loss of grace.

I hang my head low
And wish I could hide away
So no one else sees
The tears that constantly fall
Because of my great mistakes.

Tell me why I must
And always how I can be,
Because I cannot
But see where this failure is
Held within the depths of me.

© Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, August 12, 2013

I am grateful:

1)   Depression does not always dog me.
2)   I am blessed beyond measure.
3)   I have not lost my faith in others despite the fact I often feel incompetence rules.
4)   Technology has allowed me to do more than I ever imagined.
5)   Dreams do come true.

As a prompt, write about a person, place, or thing that inspires you to fulfill your potential. You have an infinite ability to create, just put your heart, mind, and soul into it. I believe in you…

Please come back here again. I am not writing quite as often as I did with my Creativity Project, but you can definitely explore the past entries and perhaps find something encouraging.

God Bless You in all your endeavors.

Always,
Jo Ann

A Journal Entry, Photographs, and Poetry…

That felt a bit strange, like my pen was rusty. I guess it has every right to be since I have taken a couple of months off. I would like to think I could come back as regular and strong as before, but my heart is not entirely in it. There seems too much going on to pick up where I quit.

Traveling Onward

I had suicide
On my mind
Once upon a time,
But those days are
Long gone in the past.

I am looking forward
Into a future filled
With pleasures I have
Yet to imagine,
Understand, or taste.

Therefore, I will aptly
Leave all these visions
Of death spun rudely
Out behind me and
Chase after happiness.

As I see it now,
God is still in
His Heaven and we
Left here below may
Someday obtain Paradise.

Yes, I did once have
Suicide on my mind,
But I have outlived
Such selfish urges,
Life remains to treasure.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Birth Song

The sun in freedom
Streams across the skies
Lending warmth and light
To us here on Earth,
Keeping our hope alive.

The wind it whispers
With untold stories
Through the leafy trees,
Scattering our dreams
With its easy breeze.

The water washes
Unending against
The soft yielding shore,
Wetting thirsty land
Causing growth galore.

The land allows us
To find shelter in
Places it affords,
Where we can sometime
Live and make abode.

We humans are but
Strangers lodging here,
Only passing quick,
Children wandering
Beneath passing stars.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Wednesday, July 17, 2013

In Simplicity

There is this much
And I know its truth
That I am imperfect,
But worthy of care.

God sees my flaws
Knows my defects
And yet He loves me,
In Him is my perfection.

I long for someone
Who will love me true,
But I know it is hard
To find such affection.

Someday, perhaps
I will meet the man
Who will hold my heart,
And abstain from rejection.

Thank God for family
And friends who help
Me keep heart and soul
Knit tightly together.

There is this much
And I know its truth
That I am imperfect,
But worthy of care.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Saturday, July 20, 2013

A thought I shared elsewhere, but find very true: Only writers and artists give away the secrets of their hearts and souls to strangers they are likely never to meet…

I am grateful:

1)   I have this place in which to share my thoughts with you out there.
2)   Creativity has not abandoned me though I have chosen to take time off.
3)   Good behavior has its own rewards.
4)   Books can impart truths even when they are written fictionally.
5)   We are not abandoned here without love, for even when we are most alone we are caressed by the divine.

I sincerely hope you will find your way back here again. If you have not visited elsewhere on this blog I suggest you go to the about page and the archives to find information about me and enjoy more of the work contained here.

You are a wonderfully creative person who embodies dreams that you can share with the world. Do something creative and let your light shine. Maybe you could write a poem, journal entry, or list detailing something wonderful that has happened in your life recently. Small miracles occur for all of us every day.

I will be back… Until we meet again…

Always,
Jo Ann

I’ve Had A Few Thoughts, I’ll Share Them With You…

July has not been the best month for me, but it has given me a few poems which I thought you might enjoy reading. As an update about the Creativity Project, I think that chapter is over for now. I am not certain what will replace it, but for the present I am just trying to recharge my creative batteries. That involves a lot of reading. I am hopeful that I will return to more regular blogging in the not too distant future, so please stay tuned…

Moon Arising

The sun sets,
The moon rises,
My thoughts turn
Once more toward
The past and you!

We had the best
Of all the things
Given under the
Sun and risen
Beneath the moon.

We had love,
Life, happiness,
And the gifts
Of one another…
We were blessed.

Now those days
And nights have long
Passed us by…
But memories remain
To sustain my life.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, July 1, 2013

Unchangeable

Don’t Go!
Those were words enough
To say, but they could
Not halt time’s passage.
Don’t go!
A heart cry all well
Meant, but God Himself
Had made other plans.
Don’t go!
Accompanied by
Many falling tears,
But unstoppable.
Don’t go!
Impossible trial,
But somehow all will
Go on, left behind.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, July 2, 2013

My Heart Remembers

When I said I love you
I meant forever,
And though we are apart
My heart will always
And forever remember.

That does not mean
There cannot be someone
New who I love too,
Just I will always love you
No matter what life brings.

I know others say
I should move on
Let you go, and it is true
I have, as have you,
But you are still a part of me.

My heart is not a fickle thing,
My love is deep and true,
And though there will be
Others who I love,
I will always love you.

So if you are reading this
And you think it might
Apply to you, it is most
Probably true, because
If I once did, I still love you.

If you chance to want
To be involved with me
Do not be afraid,
For though my love was given
There is still enough for you.

I promise you as I have
Promised in the past,
That I will truly love you
And that honestly means
You will be in my heart forever.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Friday, July 12, 2013

There were more poems this month, but I do not want to overtax you with my verbosity. I thank you for reading and hope you will find your way here again.

I will leave you with a list of things for which I am grateful:

1.   The tablet my Mom gave me for my birthday.
2.   Books, which I have been reading to help replenish my imagination.
3.   My dog, Hope, who comforts and delights me with her unconditional love.
4.   My Mom did not have to go to the hospital last evening, though she gave me an awful scare.
5.   The pain in my neck, shoulder, and back was not so bad that I could not make this post.

I hope you will take time to consider some of the things in your life for which you are grateful. Also, make an effort to do something creative and share it with the world. Your precious creations could change a life or brighten someone’s day.

Always,
Jo Ann

A Thought, A Poem, Something To Share…

I wrote this directly on my Facebook timeline. It was not edited or overwrought, just pure emotion and longing expressed. I thought perhaps it would be well to share it here…

Thoughts, Running Behind

He is not mine,
But my mind does stray
To him who at my side
Did once chance to stay.

If I could but change
Those things that drove
Us far asunder and apart,
I gladly would yet do it.

However, time has passed
Me by and taken him
Away from my side,
So now I only miss him.

I urge you each
To love while you can
And be careful of your words
That you not lose your beloved.

If I had it all to do again,
I would make sure
I kept him close
And never lost him.

My heart, it beats,
My life shudders…
Perhaps one day
Love will find me once more.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Sunday, June 30, 2013

It is not much compared to the Creativity Project, but perhaps the offering of the heart is worth at least something.

I hope all is well with you my friends. I have not in the least forgotten you. I am just taking some time.

Always,
Jo Ann

Creativity Project Year Two-Day 154

Journal entry:

Unknown, But Unforgotten

Their names might have been
Jones, or Smith, or Brown, or White…
I surely don’t know,
Nor does anybody else,
But I owe them gratitude.

For whoever they
Were, from wherever they came,
They gave up their lives
To provide me with freedom,
And now they are lost, unknown.

No family comes
Shedding saddest tears, laying
Beautiful flowers
Upon the tomb, whispering
Their quiet prayers of blessing.

Yet, they are not quite
Forgotten, because someone
Somewhere remembers,
They are greatly missed, hearts grieve
Waiting for them to return.

I owe them honor…
I will not ever forget
Those unnamed ones who
Might have been Joneses, Smiths, Browns,
Whites, or so many others.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, June 11, 2013

I am grateful:

1.   I have such a fertile imagination.
2.   I have some wonderful friends all though I may never know all of them in person.
3.   Computers have brought people closer together who live at a distance.
4.   We have air conditioning and refrigerators.
5.   We live in the country instead of inside the city.

This Tuesday has been quite a good day. I hope things went well for you also. If you have not already put your imagination to work today, I encourage you to do it now. You will never know what you may accomplish if you fail to make an effort. Do as I do and just begin putting words on paper and let it lead you where it will. The world awaits the genius of your sharing.

As a prompt, write about something unknown or forgotten. This could go in many directions and could lead to creation of new worlds. Wherever it takes you, write your poem, story, or journal entry down and share the link to your work in the comments below.

I am so grateful that you have taken time to visit my blog. I hope something here has touched your heart. Please come back often, but you might also want to subscribe to Chronicles for email updates. Your thoughts, suggestions, and criticism are welcome, so leave a comment if you like.

Always,
Jo Ann

Creativity Project Year Two-Day 153

Journal entry:

Constant Pursuit

Green is the freshness
Of love newly discovered,
It brings you awake
From half contented slumber,
Thrusting you into living.

Green is ultimate
Fulfillment in loving arms
Of the one you have
Dreamed of, waited on, searched for
Throughout each day of your life.

Green is the pleasure
Of seeing your reflection
Mirrored in eyes which
Overflow with unending
Adoration uncontained.

Green is the moment
You break free of the prison
Of hope long deferred
And find yourself wide open
To miraculous passion.

Green is the sweet taste
Of luscious kisses shared with
The person you have
Known within the depths of your
Questing soul forevermore.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, June 10, 2013

I am grateful:

1.   I had a very productive day.
2.   I have a heart for encouraging other people and so lift myself from depression.
3.   Beauty surrounds me in all aspects of my life.
4.   I have much more than I deserve.
5.   Love begets more love.

Hope, my inspiration, my companion, my sweetheart…

This was a wonderful Monday because I accomplished more than I expected. I hope your day was also blessed. You have witnessed how I let my mind carry me to new insights through the creative process. I invite you to engage your imagination in a similar way. You can make your dreams come true if you only make a concerted effort. Do not put off your fulfillment… Do your work now.

As a prompt, write some affirmations that lift your heart and might encourage others. Even if you are feeling downtrodden, I know there are many blessings in your life, because there are in mine. Write them in a poem, story, or journal entry, and share a link to your work in the comments below.

Thank you for visiting my blog. I hope you will come back often and explore the many entries here. You might also want to subscribe to Chronicles by email so that you do not miss my updates. Your comments are always welcome, so do not hesitate to leave your thoughts, suggestions, or criticism.

Always,
Jo Ann