My birthday - video

Hold on - video

God, Utah - video

Beautiful - video

Precious Lord, to the babies - video

Little Five Points

Dear Uraeus #6

When you don't know what to do: breathe, pray, breathe, listen, then take the next small step.

Mom

Isn't she lovely, isn't she wonderful

My Atlantic Station shots

Atlantic Station is a pretty new area of Atlanta. I remember it being built when I moved here almost four years ago. It's an area where there are plenty of places to shop, eat, meet, greet, read, see art, buy jewelry, have a drink, dot dot dot.

For me, it's also an excellent people watching spot.

want skin care products?

Order your Mary Kay products at www.marykay.com/jaha

Health update

While having lunch yesterday at Golden Coral I had a sudden attack. Could barely breathe, began sweating a lot, couldn't walk or sit straight, the right side of my upper body up to my right shoulder was in much pain. I was taken to Henry County Medical by ambulance. After many tests, they found that I had a gallbladder attack. My body is rejecting certain foods. Now I have to stay away from all fast foods, all dairy (and if you know me you know I loves me some eggs and cheese!), and all fried foods. The doctor said that I will continue to have the attacks when I eat those foods unless I have my gallbladder removed.

Sooo, I'm choosing to be much more rigorous with my diet.

I am so thankful that I was having lunch with a friend instead of being home alone! I am thankful that it happened when it did, instead of in a couple of weeks at Janice's surprise party (shhhh) when I would be eating everything.

I am fine and up and about.

Please remember to love yourselves by being careful of what you're eating. I sure will.

Dear Tasha

I wish you love and peace, flowers and blessings on your 40th birthday today. I love you so much and thank you for being such an awesome friend. Supportive, listening, kind, funny, sharing, giving, uplifting, cousin, friend, sister, homegirl. Thank you for being a woman I can look up to and be proud to call cousin. Thank you for being the beautiful spirit you are. I love you dearly and look forward to the many many more years and conversations, stories, energy we will exchange.

Wishing you all of the laughs today,

Jaha

My Clark-Atlanta shots

I had a wonderful day today. Went to church at New Covenant. After church I went to visit Courtney, Tara's daughter at Clark-Atlanta. Courtney has grown up so much. She looks just like Tara and Dee at the same time. I remember when she was born and now college. My goodness.

My mission statement

It is my belief that we are each blessed with specific talents. With these gifts, it is our oppurtunity to bless the world and make it a better place. I have always been an artist. I am a visual artist as well as a poet, which is why I use inspirational messages on my canvases.

It is my mission to continuously say yes to God's call and produce art that inspires, educates and challenges. What is art it it does not at least do that? The challenge also to me. I call myself to see the world through filters of love. By doing this, I agree to release judgments, move beyond any feat that may arise and soar to the heights I see in my dreams. I am constantly visualizing the world and my art in a better place. When we all see hope, freedom, love and the realization that it is not our job to do more than we are doing, rather, be all of who we already are, then I have fulfilled my mission.

In responding to the call to be who I am, I had to recognize that the Most High Spirit is always living through me, even through my art. It is in this light that I say my art is alive. I had to remembe this through my daily, monthly, yearly challenges of the very everyday of life. And yes, there are times that I fall prey to times that seem hard. Then I remember who called me and what my job is. Through each adventure, I find myself on the other side of the mountain. I recognize that there are no obstacles, only lessons for me to learn.

My art is from the heart, the spirit, the flesh, the bones, blood, yesterday, the now.

God is the Source of all of my supply
All of my needs have already been met
I am art and poetry
Music and mother
More than water and daughter
Beyond lover adn breath
I am that I am
Teacher and student
Mountain and tears
Laughter and valley
I am the abundance that God is
As God is God through me
And always always I am beautiful
I live in the glad surprise

Jaha Zainabu

THE CORNERS OF MY SHAPING

Im expecting a new shipment of books today. If you don't already have a copy of my book THE CORNERS OF MY SHAPING, let's make that happen.

New Covenant

Today I joined New Covenant Baptist Church in Lithonia, GA. more on that later. Getting ready for art sale.

My Centennial Park (Atlanta) shots

Remembering Nenya Coleman

Yesterday I went to my friends funeral. She was thirty-nine. 39. Something to do with her heart. Her heart. 39. Heart. She used to come over my house and sit on my couch for hours reading me her poetry and stories. Sharing her life, love, family. Hers was face I could look to while I was performing and know someone in the audience was feeling it.

I will remember to be beautiful because of Nenya. She was always together. Boots, gear, make up, belt and the smile that topped off everything.

This is a poem of hers that was printed on her obituary.

Just Because

I would love to have the outspokenness of Jill Scott
The eloquence of Maya Angelou
Or the fierceness of Nikki Giovanni
But I am plainer and simple
I just let words roll off my tongue
With no design

I could quote Shakespeare or even a sonnett
I could plagiarize knowing that the words
Would sour once released from my tongue
Because I wasn't their keeper

Talking about love, insecurities and pain
I may be a novice
But it doesn't make it less real
Doesn't mean the paper doesn't bleed
As I write my own personal experiences

Accepting, I am not Jill, Maya or even Nikki
I ask my pen permission to write my own style
Of outspokenness, eloquence and fierceness

After all the laboring and toiling
I will give birth to someone
Who has no labels
That JUST writes BECAUSE
It feels good!

Nenya Coleman - June 2009

I miss you Nenya! Thank you for sharing you with me.