365 Creativity Project-Day 173

Journal entry, which rambles a bit:

Forward Press

Door does not open
Backward onto those days past,
At least I hope not,
Walk forward into future
Where hope glows forever bright.

Memories may haunt
Our days, but they are dispelled
By the onward march
Of newborn hours that beguile
Us with pleasant smiles we love.

The paths we begin
Are green, verdant, abundant
Filled with the rich scent
Of sweet lavender, roses,
And climbing honeysuckle.

We amuse ourselves
With speculation about
What our days may bring,
But we may never hold back
The oncoming procession.

Time waits for no one…
It extracts its full payment
Claiming the price due
For every moment we spend
No matter what our reward.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Saturday, June 30, 2012

Photographs:

I am grateful:

1.   I have learned to be thankful.
2.   I enjoy so many blessings.
3.   God is in Heaven watching over us, each and every one.
4.   I went back to sleep after the telephone woke me this morning.
5.   We have a good fan in addition to the air conditioning.

This is a sweltering Saturday, I hope you are staying cool wherever you are. It is time for you to get your creativity in gear and make something of lasting value. That does not mean it has to be perfect, it just has to be your interpretation of life in this world or the world of your imagination. I know you can create and I urge you to do it. It will help you deal with the disappointments of life and infuse you with hope for the future.

If you need a prompt, think about all the wonders that grace your life, and write about some of them. You could make a rambling journal entry as I did today, or write a poem about something specific. You could simply make a gratitude list, but do something that leads you to reflect on life’s goodness. If you use the prompt, please leave a link in the comments so we can visit your work.

I realize I rambled a bit today, but I hope you found something you enjoyed. Please feel free to leave me any comments or suggestions. Thank you so much for visiting my blog and entering my world.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 171

Journal entry:

Forward Strides

One word connected
To others making meaning
Completes a fine line
Eventually leading
To a poem, story, or book.

One line continued
Across a brand new canvas
Joins others to bring
A vision into focus
Creating finished artwork.

Any dollar saved
Can surely be built upon
To finally lead
To a purchase for which one
Has long wished and much desired.

One person can help
Another to accomplish
Something larger than
Either of them can finish
Or yet hope to do alone.

Dreams are realized
When our creativity
Is harnessed to will
Fueled by proclivity
To ultimate completion.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Thursday, June 28, 2012

Photographs:

Wizard pin…

Angel pin…

Rose pin…

Happy cat pin…

I am grateful:

1.   I woke up early.
2.   Mom was able to go out with her best friend, June.
3.   I vacuumed the house.
4.   I listened to some music loud.
5.   Some of my dreams have come true.

It is a beautiful Thursday here, and I hope your day has been good. If you have not already created something, do it now. Put your imagination to work and make something that enriches your world. You have the tools you need, so get busy. You brain is forever on call.

If you need a prompt, do as I did and write about dreams. You can be specific or general. If you don’t believe dreams can come true write about your reasoning… Let your heart lead you wherever it desires. I would love to see what you wrote, so leave a link to your work in the comments below.

If anything has made you think or encouraged you today, please leave a comment. If there is something you would like me to write about let me know and I will try to oblige.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 169

Journal entry:

I used the prompt at Carry On Tuesday to formulate this poem. It wanders a bit, but I hope you will enjoy it. Please visit that site and see what images the prompt evokes in you.

Dashed Dreams, Reimagined

Graceful, beautiful,
Fleet like intervening days
That took the roses
Decorating tender cheeks;
Coloring them ever pale.

The airy fables
Of the world waiting beyond,
Believed good, humane,
Remembered impractical
Hopes dashed by reality.

Outgrown adornments
Impossible to reclaim,
The time moved along
Once leaving disappointment
That sleeps deep within the soul.

Daily new risen
With best of good intentions
To accomplish much,
Although the dreams of childhood
Are beyond the reach of most.

Left behind in dust
The faded aspirations
Come ever undone,
Replaced by strenuous work
Using creativity.

Living examples
Of limitless loving truth
Scattered through good days
When nothing can be withheld
From the race toward triumph.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Photographs:

I am grateful:

1.   I have collected much music over the years.
2.   I am informed by the writing of so many great authors.
3.   Art lives beyond its creator.
4.   Human beings express beauty.
5.   Books give up their secrets over and over.

I hope you have accomplished all you set out to do this Tuesday. Now that you have a few moments leisure, I encourage you to create something. There is no limit to what your imagination can create if you will devote yourself to manifesting it in your present.

My prompt for you today is to write about the impact you want to have on others. What do you wish your creative legacy to be? Are you taking actions to realize your goals? If you use this prompt, please leave a link to your work in the comments here, so I and others may visit your creation.

I would love to read what you think of today’s entry. Please leave a comment below.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 167

Journal entry:

The prompt for today’s poem came from The Sunday Whirl. The words in italics were given on that site. If you want a challenge, visit the site and create something the words suggest.

Overcoming

Haunted by demons
Who appear at the sunset
Invading domain
Through the wide open window
Of deeply flawed tortured soul.

The whistle echoes
Off the ample granite walls
Where only a scrap
Of the montage continues
To remain so fully trapped.

The days scented by
Jasmine that wafts through the air
Encourage freedom
Allowing feelings to rise
Above the gravest of fears.

Capabilities
Reach beyond limitation
Begetting success
That lasts much longer than just
This one fast fleeting moment.

The angels surround
Interior of the heart
Whispering kindness
That raises every being
Into spiritual triumph.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Sunday, June 24, 2012

Photographs:

Penny…

Ko-Ko…

Hope…

I am grateful:

1.   The love of our dogs encourages me to be more loving.
2.   I set out beef ribs last night to cook for supper today.
3.   I am inspired by my Mom’s positive spirit in spite of her infirmities.
4.   All prayers are answered in God’s will and timeframe.
5.   My folder of poems is growing thicker.

I hope your Sunday has provided rest and relaxation. I urge you to devote some time to creating something. It can be anything you desire, but do not let the day pass by without nurturing your creativity. You have much to contribute to the world if you will only do it.

My prompt for today is to write about a treasured pet. You may also draw, photograph, or collage using their image. Perhaps you only have memories of a pet, or dreams of owning one, you can write from these. If you use the prompt please leave a link to your work in the comments.

If you have suggestions or would like to share your thoughts, please leave me a comment.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 166

Journal entry in answer to the prompt I posted in yesterday’s blog entry:

The prompt at Rosemary Mint evoked this poem. The words in italics were given in the prompt. If you like, visit that site and see what the word list produces with you.

Under The Influence

A bit of absinthe
Mixed up with clover honey
In a paper cup
Has taken troubles away
And made me delirious.

I wake to the sound
Of radio under peach
Trees in an orchard
Where it is not very wise
To linger with the pixie.

I seek to subtract
Myself from the pristine scene
Returning to art
Before I am discovered
Missing from my normal days.

What a fine story
I have now to tell others
Of my erstwhile dream
Where I was fully beguiled
To flaunt my inhibitions.

Only finally
I hope to capture in words
The greater magic
Of days when I travelled far
From my own lofty reason.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Saturday, June 23, 2012

Photographs:

I am grateful:

1.   Mozart created music I can enjoy these many years after his demise.
2.   Birds sing.
3.   The sun continues to rise.
4.   The moon graces the sky at night.
5.   The stars are always shining bright to lend us some mystical light.

I sincerely hope your Saturday has gone well. I am sure your day has produced some material from which you can create. So get busy and make something that can brighten your life. You are not confined to any certain discipline, just use your wonderful imagination.

If you are in need of prompting begin with the words: Today is… and go from there. You will no doubt be surprised by what appears on the page. You might not be aware of the significance of the day, but your mind and heart are. If you use this prompt, please leave a link to what you produce in the comments here.

Thank you so much for reading. I would love to have your thoughts on my musings, please leave your comments below.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 165

Journal entry:

Writer’s Debate

I often wonder,
Do words obey my command
As they march across
The page, or am I only
A recruit in their service?

It is hard to say
Who exerts the upper hand,
For the force of words
Appears from out of nowhere,
So should I really claim them?

Could someone other
Than myself not better lead,
Giving direction?
Are these words rightly mine or
Are they only here on loan?

Is there a bank where
I have some lines on account
From which I sometime
May withdraw until surely
Resources are exhausted?

Creativity
Is inherited from God,
But the words themselves,
Am I truly their master
Or am I only their slave?

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Friday, June 22, 2012

Photographs:

I am grateful:

1.   The drive to town went safely.
2.   I have the opportunity to talk to Mom about family history.
3.   I am making a record of my days.
4.   I wrote my poem and journal entry before going to town.
5.   My eyes allow me to see the world and interact with it.

Another week is almost ended and it is Friday again. I hope the day has been rewarding for you. It would be excellent if you took some time to do something creative. Write a journal entry, a poem, a story, or an essay, take a photograph, draw a picture, just do something that exercises your creativity.

If you need a prompt to prime your imagination, write about happiness. You could detail your happiest moment, or why you feel happiness is elusive, or approach it from any angle you desire. Mostly I want you to enjoy the writing and hopefully entice yourself to feel positive. If you use this prompt, please leave a comment with a link to your work so myself and others can share it.

I hope you found something edifying here. If so, please leave a comment.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 163

Journal entry:

My poem today is in answer to the prompt at Poetic Asides. I think I may have taken it in a totally different direction than was intended, but I went where the words led me. If you need inspiration, please visit that site, and see where the prompt leads you.

Straight Line, Right Angle

My life is not one
Straight line engraved across time;
It wobbles and curves
Shifting with necessity
Between each destination.

My days lead me forth
From person to person on
Interesting paths;
Painting my story in bright
Colors that bloom before me.

Incidents happen
That cast me about without
Care for my being;
Like a boat caught in a storm
Which tests determination.

The days are crafted
With exquisite pieces drawn
From many places;
Abounding in such phrases
As answer many questions.

My life is not made
Of one straight line, but wanders
Like a pencil held
In the hand of an artist;
Drawing beauty from nothing.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Photographs:

I am grateful:

1.   There is a trace of God’s great creativity in all of us.
2.   The call to write has been present throughout my life.
3.   Some believe my writing inspirational.
4.   Talent can be nurtured into greatness.
5.   I am capable of learning and growing in skill.

Wednesday has come again, I hope it has found you well. If you have not already created something, do it now. The moment will escape you if you fail to capture it some way.

My prompt for you today is to write about your process of writing: The what, when, how, why, and where of your writing. Approach it any way that ignites your imagination. I think you will find an endless supply of words on the subject. If you use this prompt leave a link to your work in the comments so I and others can read what you created.

I love comments, they help me know what I am doing right and where I need improvement. Please leave yours below.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 162

Journal entry:

The prompt for my poem today came from Carry On Tuesday. I encourage you to visit that site if you are in need of a bit of inspiration.

Question Of Worth

I wonder sometimes,
Is there anybody there?
Are you listening?
Do you have any reason
To pay attention, and care?

My errant words go
Out into the atmosphere
Seeking hearts to move,
Lives to touch with gentleness
Bringing some new awareness.

Yet I never know,
Is there anybody there?
I could be speaking
Only to shadows who have
No souls to be soft caressed.

I write tempting fate
To bury significance
Under layers of
Deepest darkest ignorance,
Lost to almost everyone.

It often makes me
Feel I must work much harder
To make some meaning,
And still I wonder sometimes,
Is there anybody there?

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Photographs:

One minute to midnight, or noon if you rather…

Finished books with prompts I created on each page…

Title and invocation page for my prompt books…

I am grateful:

1.   I slept in a bit, after a very late night.
2.   The writing came easily today.
3.   We stayed home.
4.   My life has meaning, although there are problems.
5.   I pursue writing even though it seems unreasonable at times.

I hope your Tuesday has brought you many smiling moments. Use a few of them to create something that is meaningful to you. When you bring yourself to the page or canvas you legitimize your presence in the world. You may motivate others to excel in their struggles.

As a prompt today, I would like you to write a letter or poem of encouragement to someone you do not really know, someone who mostly goes unnoticed and receives little appreciation for the contributions he or she makes to your life. Maybe your postal person, your hair stylist, a wait person at a restaurant, a cashier at a store you frequent, or anyone who is really behind the scenes of making your life more pleasant. Post your work and leave a link in the comments here so I and those who visit can read your creation, then give it to the person you had in mind to inspire them.

I hope today’s entry made an impression on you, if so, or if you have any suggestions… please leave me a comment.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 161

Journal entry:

Capturing Imagination

Creation does wait
For the opportune moment
To fully burst forth
From busy occupied brains
That hasten into more work.

Creation chooses
Those who aspire to the craft
Making sure plenty
Of grandest inspiration
To produce glorious art.

Creation lapses
From blind leading ambition
Wanting rather those
Who over intervening
Years cast a net of desire.

Creation muses
On those who dedicate time
To following steps
That rise into the heavens
Reaching to touch twinkling stars.

Creation blesses
Those who spend the waking hours
Chasing the shadows
Cast long inside ready hearts
Hinting at awesome rewards.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Monday, June 18, 2012

Photographs:

Lamb…

Close up of lamb…

Angel figurine holding bird with broken wing, which I painted…

I am grateful:

1.   John Cena won against Big Show last night.
2.   I woke up fairly early.
3.   I had encouraging comments on the blog today.
4.   Mom taught me to read and write.
5.   Writing is a great joy.

I hope your Monday has been productive. Take time to create. You have all the talent you need, and you have the time. Make something that moves your heart and mind.

If you need a prompt for inspiration, try writing about creation. Approach it from any direction that appeals to you. You are the best judge of what you should do. If you use this prompt, please leave a link to your work in the comments below, so that I and others can see what you made.

If you liked what you read, or if you have suggestions, please leave me a comment.

Always,
Jo Ann

365 Creativity Project-Day 156

Journal entry:

Grace

You are a bright light
In the firmament of life
Shining out over
Those you connect with during
The restless hours of your day.

Use kind words to voice
Your hearty encouragement,
Nourishing others
Who may be losing their way
In the trials of their rough days.

You have the power
To decorate other lives
With lasting beauty
Through your use of cheerful praise,
Bringing sweet inspiration.

Be reassuring,
Be a real positive force,
Lend your full support
To the people who come in
Contact with you every day.

You are commissioned
By the Creator to be
An agent of good
Bringing happiness and joy
To fellow inhabitants.

Jo Ann J. A. Jordan
Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Photographs:

My counselor years ago gave me this before she left the area…

My daughter-in-law, Laura, gave this to my Mom…

I am grateful:

1.   My Mom is here with me.
2.   My dog, Hope, is a calming influence.
3.   I am able to think, write, and create.
4.   The air conditioner works.
5.   We have a well that supplies us with good water.

I hope your Wednesday has been full of pleasantness. Make time to do something creative, no matter how simple. Write down your thoughts about the day, snap a picture of something that delights you, or write a poem that expresses positive energy. You do not have to do any of these perfectly, just make an effort.

Today there was no prompt on the site where I usually get inspiration on Wednesday, so I had to write my poem on my own. In case you are floundering for a subject to write about, try a poem or story about grace. You can approach it from any number of directions. I would love to see what you create, so if you use my prompt, please leave your link in the comments so I can read your musings.

If you have comments or suggestions, leave them below.

Always,
Jo Ann

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