Wednesday, March 20, 2024

The Things We Believe In - Orden Ogan



Hello friend,

Oh look, a song about the duality of man with themes of frost. Who's surprised? No one. 

Update: I'm still writing Ice Sword Chronicles. (Recap of all my writing projects in this post). Yes, it's slow. Yes, it's all over the place. Yes, I should invest in an editor. After it's written. Any progress is still progress compared to the last.... ten to fourteen... years or so. Yeah, Hanna's character is awful. I've got major development in store for her. Trust the process. Believe me, it’s slow for me too. I keep writing notes for stuff I want to add that will end up in books 2 and 3 (please don't let it expand into a 4th, please, that's so much writing). I want to keep my promise. I've got stuff to do. I wanna wrap this up before life hits again. 

Again, if you want to keep up with the rewrite of the story, follow the FB page or check out the ISC blog. I know I need to revamp the fb page. There are too many bots and fb as a platform in general isn't what it used to be. If you have any suggestions on how to handle that, let me know. It will sit there and I will keep posting to it until I figure out an alternative.  

Second update: I've share another song I wrote. It's in the previous blog post, but wanted to give it some context. This is one I wrote a long time ago. I don't think I shared it with very many people at the time. I wrote it during one of the (many) darker times in my life (little did I know). I didn't share it because I thought it was too dark for my usual content, even though the lyrics are pulled from and inspired by the scriptures. Too dark. Too uncomfortable. Too raw. But I wanted to share it now for a couple reasons. 

1. I've written a lot between high school, college, and present day. Songs, poems, stories, etc. But a lot of that content is lost or locked away (old laptops, forgotten accounts, packed in a box that's been moved too many times). The fact that I was able to get back into this old place and resume posting is almost magical. I consider this place an archive of sorts. A library of a forgotten age, lost in the sands of time, of which I am its caretaker. So for now, this place is as good as any to get my works out to where I can still find them. On that note, if I've shared any of my songs, stories, poems with you and you still have them, let me know. It'd be cool to have access to it again. (I wrote this really cool poem once about an angel who dimmed her light so she could walk beside others through their darkness and now I can't find it anywhere. DX )

2. If by some chance someone finds my song, maybe it can help them. I've always thought there were too few solemn, minor key hymns. Everyone likes to sing about joy, heaven, mansions, and sunbeams. All well and good. But my favorites were always the sad songs. The ones that acknowledge the sorrow, pain, and disappointment believers go through while on earth. While On The Sea. Poor Wayfaring Stranger. Abide With Me. When I Survey The Wonderous Cross. It Is Well With My Soul. Songs that make you (me) cry. I'll sing Poor Wayfaring Stranger over Mansion Over the Hilltop any day. .... maybe that's my problem... you can add it to the list. This song, my song, has been on my heart and mind. I still remember the lyrics and the melody after years of not seeing it. My point is, maybe my sad song will resonate with you. Maybe it won't. If it does, just know you're not alone. 


~ Always Hope ~ 

O Lord, Have Mercy On Me


O Lord, Have Mercy On Me

(Based on Psalm 143)


Listen, my Father. O Lord, hear my prayer. 

Your servant lies weeping in anguish

And my soul now is smitten with fear and despair.

To the ground I have fallen

I dwell in the darkness

O Lord, have mercy on me


My soul is weary, I need Your embrace.

My heart within me is o’ertaken, 

But I look to Your righteousness and to Your grace.

Though my flesh and heart fail me, 

Your strength shall uphold me. 

O Lord, have mercy on me


I meditate on the works of Your hand. 

I hunger and thirst for Your goodness.

Now I trust in You, Lord, and in Thee do I stand.

Draw me near with each step 

To the land of uprightness. 

O Lord, have mercy on me


Nearer, my God, to the land I call home.

Not brick or of clay, but of spirit. 

Earthly refuge forsaken, my portion is You.

Let the children of light 

Bring You glory forever. 

O Lord have mercy on me 


~ Anna

(Based on this melody)