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I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2"  : "A Respite in Florida" These few days in Florida are such a gift to me. The wind is blowing so I still need to wear my WDC hoodie, but the base temps are in the 40s F, not in the 20s, like back home. Enjoy this poem I created, while standing next to my car, watching the afternoon sun rays lengthen. Blessings, All. Jay O’Toole |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "The Christmas Corner" Today's poem refers to The Christmas Corner as a peaceful place. I simply decorate my peaceful place with Christmas lights, decorations, and soft Christmas carols. The Christmas Corner is an inspirational place for creating crafts of all sorts, but mostly needlepoint items. Sometimes, I sit at the dinner table looking into the Christmas Corner with the warmly lit Christmas lights and gentle Christmas music playing, while writing my blog post. The Christmas Corner is everything the Christmas season should be: warmth, quiet, and peace, reminding me of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace, who left His Heavenly Home to come to Earth to pay the Price of salvation through His Death, Burial, and Resurrection. Commercialism is so antithetical to Jesus' Life. He lived as a homeless human, the Divine Son of God, Who prepares a Home for every human He would save. (John 3:3; John 6:37,44; Ezekiel 36:26-27; Romans 9:15-16; Romans 10:9-10,13; Philippians 2:13) Pull of a chair with a cup of coffee or tea, enjoying a few moments in The Christmas Corner. Blessings, All!     |
| Think I'll make meals a Christmas Corner!! It sounds lovely. |
Reply| Should be me not meals!! |
Reply
| Lazy Writer est 4/24/2008 - Sounds great. 🎄🎅🏼🎁 |
Reply| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Driving at Night" The fact, that I’m near-sighted makes for an interesting canvas of lights as I write a poem in the rider’s seat in the front of our car. I’m writing this without wearing my glasses, since it’s easier to adjust the correct distance between eyes and iPhone. However, lights of the other cars, and the signs along the road create an amazing bokeh, a visual cacophony. Blessings Always! Jay O’Toole |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "The News" For one, I am ready for Spring. This winter has been strangely cold. That's the best way I know how to describe it. This life itself offers many things to enjoy, but they never fully satisfy the heart. We're always left searching for more enjoyments. Jesus, the Christ, is the Only Person, Who has never disappointed me. Every time I thought He did, it was a perspective issue on my part. Jesus is The Only Person, Who truly satisfies my heart. I look forward to The Eternal Day when I can be physically in His Presence forever. Never again will the sadnesses and disappointments of this temporal world dull the satisfaction of heart and life, that I can only find in Jesus Christ. (John 14:6) Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Haiku: "Cold Calls"" It looks like we have one more bout of winter in the South, before we can look for spring. Time to watch out for the tender plants, small animals, and the elderly. This is something our northern friends have been doing for most of three to four months, already. Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Clerihew: "Bob Denver"" Today's poem was created in response to the weekly challenge by
Like most in this Cafe, I enjoyed the career of Bob Denver, especially on Gilligan's Island, which I first remember watching after school when I was in the fourth grade. Getting inspired I strung together four of these Clerihews to tell a story. None in our group should have any difficulty figuring out the allusion in #4, which is a sad, but equally remembered epitaph. Per Tinker  on the website, Poetry Magnum Opus, "Clerihew is a type of epigram named for and invented by Edmund Clerihew Bentley (1875-1956) when he was a schoolboy; the very first Clerihew was written in science class when apparently his mind was wandering from the subject. The form quickly gained popularity among his fellow students but has later been utilized and published by such recognized poets W. H. Auden. The Clerihew mocks the famous and those in authority through a humorous perspective. It is often deliberately clumsy and could be put in the burlesque genre. The elements of the Clerihew are: 1. satirical poetry, an epigram. 2. often metered, written in iambic dimeter, but can be expanded using the rhythm of normal speech. 3. a single quatrain. 4. a mocking epigram of someone (usually famous or in authority) The first line is the title and the name of a person whom the epigram will mock. 5. the second line rhymes with the name of the subject. 6. rhymed, rhyme scheme aabb." Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "How to Stay Focused" Thank you, Marvelous Friend , for the wonderful prompt for my poem of the day. I have great compassion for your situation. Lack of focus is something I deal with, too. That I mind, I chose to poke fun at my lack of focus and lean into my ADHD side, while writing this poem. The rhythms of the verses are intended to mimic the action of the words. The lack of focus is real, but the humor in the poem is helping me so much, like in Proverbs 17:22, KJV. "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." I pray this poem may help you, too, giving you the encouragement you need. Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Winter Settles In" "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, "Wherefore God also gave them up...For this cause God gave them up...And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;" (Romans 1:18-28, selections, KJV) Anyone who knows The Bible, even a little bit, knows that this passage is often accused of being an invective against lifestyle choices. We may discuss that at some point, but that is not the purpose of this post. My purpose here is to point out something about The Lord, that "hit me like a ton of bricks" when I first realized it. How does God display His Wrath? God's highest form of punishment is to let us do whatever we want to do. Paul, the Apostle, uses the expression, that God "gave them up," twice, and "gave them over," once. Leaders can be corrupt. Think of the Pharaoh in the time of Moses. "Let my people go." Pharaoh kept wanting to do it his way. Ultimately, The Lord let him have his way forever by hardening his heart. Recently, on Writing.Com I read a lament about the President being, "self-absorbed." I've had three months or more to think about what I said after the Election. Could it be, that a self-absorbed Society deserves a self-absorbed Leader? Could it be, that God is just giving us what we say we want? Frankly, that's all that Hell is in its eternal torment. We get to do it our way, unable to pay what we can't pay. Hell's theme song is "I Did It My Way." I pray we won't go there. |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "I Cry" WOW! This has been a week of processing grief. Tonight, I went to a "visitation" at a local funeral home, followed by the funeral in the morning at the church, where I attend, have my membership, and play the piano on regular Sundays. The man, who died on Wednesday of lung complications, is the husband of our church's song leader. Therefore, she sings and I play the piano. This is another poem, that helps me to process grief this week. That may not be your fare, but if you need to process some tears, too, then feel free to read it, slowly with tissues. It's true, that Grief has many levels, layers, shapes, and sizes, but it is consistently heavy. Poetry is a great vehicle for venting my emotions in order to prevent the negative consequences of keeping them pent up in some dark, inner "room." It requires discipline to vent some of the emotional bile while keeping myself from slogging about forever in the Slough of Despond, that John Bunyan wrote about in The Pilgrim's Progress. This slough references the traveller's conviction of Sin and growing understanding of the need for Salvation. I have come to reference the term when Life's events tempt me to be overcome by sadness, bogging down in grief and depression. As I consistently do, the poem takes a turn for the better at the end. Hope is ours in the shadow of The Almighty. (Psalm 91:1-4) Jesus has secured Salvation and His chosen ones. The future is bright in His Hands. Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Life Pause" I care about my friendships, both online and off. However, I have the tendency to out-loud process, which can make for odd and uncomfortable scenarios. I've said things, that in 20-20 hindsight made a social faux-pas. I think I have a touch of autism. That's why poetry is such a good form of communication for me. In poetry, not only do I have time to think through the rhythms and rhymes, but reviewing the verses causes me to think about the social implications of the ways I am juxtaposing the words. In real-time, my thoughts always seem to process the situation just after the nick-of-time. However, no matter how many social fouls I have lobbed into the grandstands of the ballpark of Life in a given day, some sanity can be restored by talking with my wife and drinking an evening cup of tea. Thank the Lord for my friend. Sometimes life just feels safer sitting at home on the couch, but I have to keep pushing myself out the door to get another lesson in how to live socially and sweetly with others, no matter the level of discomfort, that may cause me at times. There are so many one-way streets in social settings. If I could find the Uber number for someone to drive me around the town, called "Social," then I would put it into speed-dial format. “No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent, a part of the main.” (John Donne) Blessings, All! |
I have a friend, my choir director, who works full-time with autistic teens and young adults. Trust me, you are no where near autistic. Like Marvelous Friend  said, don't be so hard on yourself. |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "In Sadness Losing" I recently learned of the homegoing of two dear individuals. One in a nursing home (or possibly hospice,) and one, a friend's husband, who is still in the dying process. These two are added to the list of mournings my heart bears. Dad, nearly 23 years ago now on March 29, and Mom, almost 8 years on February 25, if memory serves correctly. The "comforting words" back then, especially when Dad passed, was, "Give it two years. You'll get over it." Those words, now, sound most unkind. I don't want to get over it. I still miss my Dad and Mom. They meant something to me, and to so many people, who knew them, personally. This lacking place in my heart will not be fixed, until I see them, again, in Heaven. I wish well-meaning people could learn, the words, "Don't cry" are not helpful. "Help me cry" is helpful. The more we love the ones we grieve, the deeper and long-lasting is the pain. I don't know if I just quoted someone, but I was speaking from the heart. Blessings, All! |
LinnAnn -Book writer  - i often do talk to the departed as if they're here. Sans Ouija board of course. Even if logical people think it's totally crazy. |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Haiku: "Watch the Sky!"" There was a great anticipation of The Rapture of the Church about four to five months ago. I was disappointed when it didn't come at that time, but it is still very much imminent as it has been for many years. There is no date given for The Rapture, but The Tribulation is the next big event. I pray all my friends and family are ready to go up at the Trumpet blast, and the Call. Since I was wrong about the anticipated date of The Rapture, some may gleefully proclaim the following verse, “And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.” (II Peter 3:4, KJV) With such a proclamation the detractors would strongly proclaim the truthfulness of the anticipation, still, albeit unwittingly. I pray you are ready for Jesus' soon Return. Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Etheree: "Dusk" " Today's poem has been created for the weekly challenge from
This form poem is new for me, and quite a joy to write. According to Tinker on the website Poetry Magnum Opus, "The Etheree is a popular internet verse form, it can be found mentioned at most sites that provide verse form descriptions. It is a simple progressive syllabic verse. Attributed to American poet Etheree Taylor Armstrong, it can be found at Poetry Base and Shadow Poetry. The elements of the Etheree are: a decastich. (10 line poem) syllabic, 1-2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 syllables per line. unrhymed. focused on 1 idea or subject." I hope you enjoy the form and the poem. Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "My Life's Goals" Today's poem has been written for
It is my belief, that my goal or goals should always be related to my faith in Jesus Christ, the Messiah of Israel, The Truth (John 14:6) and the One, and Only One God. I pray, that my testimony is an encouragement to you. There is an homage to the following hymn in the last verse of my poem. This is a wonderful arrangement of the hymn. Most of this version uses a melody line, that is different than the original, but verse #3 is the original melody. This is the verse I wanted to highlight, anyway. I hope you enjoy it. If you've never trusted Jesus of Nazareth as your only Lord and Savior, I pray He will grant you the faith to do so this very day. (Ephesians 2:8-10) Blessings, All! |
| I've added a new entry to my book, "These Are My JOTtings, Part #2" : "Newness" Many things are new, right now. We are living a new year. We respect a new President. We look each day for Life's new chapter. We deal with the new night of each passing day. We hope for the light of each new morning. Salvation's Gift is New Life for Time and Eternity. Youthfulness is borne on the commitment to keep living each new day. Age is hardened on the depressive thought, that "new is all but gone for me." The Lord is The Ancient of Days, but He is ever new because He is forever without sin. Sola Gratia ("Grace Alone") is ever new in Jesus, the world's Only Christ. (I John 5:1) I pray He will give you this new life, today, if never before. (John 3:3,16; John 6:37,44; John 14:6; Romans 10:9-10,13; Philippians 2:13; I John 5:1) Blessings, All! |
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