The oneness of us

I woke up early this morning and prayed as usual. After prayer I wasn't in a space to easily drift back into sleep so I turned the light on and looked for a book. I'm still at Yuri's place in Oakland sleeping in her son's room. I hoped I would find a book more adult than Thomas the train. Not that Thomas isn't a really cool train.

I found a book on the dresser next to the bed called EARTH PRAYERS. The pages spoke to me as I began flipping through. It's a book of prayers and poems by people of many backgrounds. Just what I like. I am moved by the knowing that we are all connected. We are connected with each other and to all life on this planet. To all life everywhere. When we look at life without the separateness we create it becomes harder to hate, fear, criticize others. We are them. They are us. In some way, we are all one.

The following is one of the poems I found as I went through the book.

The mountains, I become part of it...
The herbs, the fir tree, I become part of it.
The morning mists, the clouds, the gathering waters,
I become part of it...

That poem is a Navajo chant.

I turned the light off and as I got back into bed I began listing in my head many ways that we are connected to each other that we may not take time to be present to. The farmers plant and pick the food we eat. The animals live and die and become food for many of us. The bus driver takes us to work, takes our children to school. Mail carriers bring our mail. Men and women wake up early to clean our streets and take away our trash. The list of course is endless. We turn our noses up at groups of people every day who make our lives better. The connection we have to each other is much deeper than the work we do for each other, but it is a part of it.

What if we saw our own faces in the faces we try to look beyond?

Lola

Lola passed away about a week ago and I haven't filed that away emotionally yet. Anywhere. Haven't dealt with it at all. In any way. Except to acknowledge that she passed and get more busy, my norman m.o.

I am thankful that I got to know her and spend time with her. Thankful I got to share stories and poetry. I am thankful our paths connected when they did.

Rest well, Lola. Rest well.

Morning prayer

Thank You God for this day. Thank You for blessing me with love and with peace. So much peace. Thank You thank You for this. Thank You for friends and for prayer. Thank You for blessing me with the choice to always be connected to You. Thank You, Mother, Father, Friend for revealing Yourself as awesome and powerful. I know that there is no place I can be that You are not.

Today I ask for Your guidance. I ask that You direct my every move and bless my every thought. Please guide my tongue, feet, being to the direction of Your will.

I give thanks and praises to You for all of who You are.

And so it is.

From Friday Morning Inspiration / Help Somebody Ministry

Today I will see God in everyone I meet

I will speak to everyone
as if I am speaking to God

I will give my word to everyone
as if I am giving my word to God

I will go to work and behave at work
as if I am working for God

Today I will forgive everyone
as God forgives me

I will do business with everyone
as if I am doing business with God

I will speak about everyone
as if I am speaking about God

These are words I try to live up to. I fail, but I sure do learn a lot about myself and about the love God has for me in the process. What if we all at least tried to live up to this. We will fail and when we do, let's be generous with ourselves, get back up and try again.

Happy Friday everyone.

Jaha
www.jahazainabu.com

Reaching Out To Be A Blessing,
HSM Cyber Prayer Ministry

Future events

Hello friends and family,

Here is a list of future events. I hope that you will make it out to as many as you choose. I look forward to seeing you. Please feel free to forward to others who may be interested. For more information please visit me at www.jahazainabu.com or call 404-957-5967.

Thank you so much for your support.
Jaha Zainabu

Saturday, April 30, 2011
Red Stories 4
Vibrations
2435 Manchester Blvd., Inglewood, CA 90305
7pm
$20 at the door, $10 advance tickets (send $10 to jahazainabuphotography@yahoo.com for advance tickets)

Saturday, May 14, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Orchid
Los Angeles, CA
Jaha Zainabu Photography

May 11, 2011
Saturday, June 11,2011
Grooveology (party)
Orchid
Los Angeles, CA
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, May 23, 2011
Red Stories 5
Vibrations
2435 Manchester Blvd, Inglewood, CA 90305
7pm

Saturday, July 9, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Wilshire Grand Hotel
930 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, July 30, 2011
Red Stories 6

Saturday, August 13, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Wilshire Grand Hotel
930 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, August 27, 2011
Red Stories 7

Saturday, September 10, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Wilshire Grand Hotel
930 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, September 24, 2011
Red Stories 8

Saturday, October 8, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Wilshire Grand Hotel
930 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, October 29, 2011
Red Stories 9

Saturday, November 12, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Wilshire Grand Hotel
930 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, November 26, 2011
Red Stories 10

Saturday, December 10, 2011
Grooveology (party)
Wilshire Grand Hotel
930 Wilshire Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90017
Jaha Zainabu Photography

Saturday, December 31, 2011
Red Stories

Oakland

Good morning friends and family,

The show yesterday went well. Praise God. It was a day/evening show which is always good for a change. The venue was a clubhouse of an apartment complex. Well, excuse me they were called apartment homes. And sooooooo beautiful!!! The grounds were incredible. I think I took almost as many pictures of the grounds of the complex as I have shots of Oakland all together. The show was actually in Alameda which is very close to Oakland.

What was also beautiful about this show was that the crowd was a group not used to going to poetry events or hearing stories like mine read. Some of them were educators in schools and others in professional businessfolk and most parents. All attentive. It was a great experience for me and for them. And they also enjoyed and purchased the photos that I had displayed.

I give high thanks to God for the blessing of stories, poetry and art. I give thanks to God for blessing me to share the ministry that He has given me to others.

The next show scheduled here is on Thursday at The Oasis Restaurant and Bar in Oakland. I'm looking forward to that. Tomorrow I'm going to a dance rehearsal with Yuri (my friend I'm staying with) and her two year old son.

I'll keep you posted.
Enjoy you today.

First morning back in Oakland

Good morning family and friends. I slept in later than usual but I rested so so good. I'm dressed and about to head out the door to the post office then to the lake. Maybe I'll walk all the way around and maybe I won't. Either way I intend to get some great photos.

I'm wishing you all a wonderful day.

In Oakland

Hello everybody. Just wanted to let yall know I made it safely to Oakland. I love it here! The buildings, people, weather...all of it. I'm staying near Lake Merrit and so I plan to get up in the morning and walk around the lake with my camera. Look forward to the photos. Tomorrow is shoot as much of Oakland as I possibly can day because my first show is Saturday from 2-6. Gonna turn in soon but again, wanted to let you know I made it.

Heading to Oakland

Good morning everyone. I'm in the valley this morning getting ready to head out to Oakland for shows. I went to sleep talking to God. I felt myself peacefully drift off to the world of rest.

If you are in the bay area California please check my website for dates and locations of the shows. www.jahazainabu.com.

I look forward to seeing you.

I am lovingly on my path. Hope you are too.

Morning prayer from HELP SOMEBODY MINISTRY

O Lord, our God, how excellent is Thy Name in all the earth! We thank You Lord for another perfect day that You have created. And, we thank You for blessing us to still be here. We're still here to praise Your Name! We're still here to worship and adore You. We're still here to give love one to another. We're still here to be obedient to You. We're still here to live out our purpose and glorify You. Thank You Father for another chance to say yes to Your will. We're praying one for another, asking that You will give us the courage to walk past situations that have the potential of starting trouble or hurting someone. Give us the strength to share peace where there is confusion and love everywhere we go. Help us to know our attitude determines our altitude and our words are powerful---so help us to think no evil and let our thoughts be renewed by Your Word. Help us to speak no evil and let our speech be seasoned with Your grace. We thank You Lord in advance for this great day and we say by faith, something good will happen to us and for us today, in Jesus Name, Amen.

Reaching Out To Be A Blessing,
HSM Cyber Prayer Ministry

This new chapter

this is the next chapter of the journey
the next foot in front of the other
inhale new air
let go fears

create my world
from nothing
from no past
no yesterday

create my world
from creation

there is art all around
photos of this world
this whole world
stories about this world
poems
films
documentaries about this world
this whole world

I am still standing
I am standing new

two feet
God's feet
there is no place that I can be that God is not
no place that God has never been

new now
this chapeter of the journey

Dear Laura pt 2

So I went to bed last night so full on your words and wisdom. You don't even know how much your words cleared a space in my life I didn't even realize was cluttered. Again, thank you.

Jaha