Tag Archives: heart

Ujamaa: Invest Wisely

Ujamaa: Cooperative Economics. “To build our own businesses, control the economics of our own community and share in all its work and wealth; extended family’, ‘brotherhood’ or ‘socialism” 

What you invest in is where your heart is 

Sow a meaningful seed, 

that you may reap a harvest

Invest local

Shop local

Eat local

Give time and energy into your communities 

The children need you 

The addicts and alcoholics need you 

The mentally ill needs you 

The learning disabled and behavior challenge needs you 

The Community Art Center needs you

The Public Library needs you  

Your local church needs you 

What you invest in is where your heart is 

Sow a meaningful seed, 

that you may reap a harvest

Joyous Kwanzaa 

Domenia 

 

The heart that matters

I just listened to my pastor speak about the “heart that matters.” I’m still getting used to this softer approach to Jesus, instead of the condemnation I was raised listening to in sermons. Shot of a a young couple making a heart shape with their fingers outdoors

The gist of the sermon was not to continually contemplate our faults, imperfections, failures and “lack off’s”. It’s the heart behind the faults, imperfections, and failures that matters. This is the main ingredient to the Christian faith; we are not perfect and fall many times, it’s the heart that matters and how we get back up.

An unusual topic for me to hear with love and in love esp. by a pastor. However, it’s true. I’ve hurt many people and acted outside of my character. Having a mental illness I am different and I process life differently. I never intend to hurt a soul. It hurts me when I find out I hurt someone. It hurts because I know the feeling of rejection, self-hate, judgment; feelings of projected anger and just ugliness. I know these feelings all too well. Knowing I inflicted this hurt onto another soul I resent, reject. self-loathe and I become bitter towards myself. Then it becomes a cycle!

My heart is always in the right place. This is the story with most of us. We don’t want to hurt other people, let alone neglect our various religious beliefs maybe even our family values. It’s the heart that matters. When we evaluate ourselves we should inspect our intent and the execution of what happened. Be honest with ourselves. Genuinely make amends if possible. If not we need to forgive ourselves. The “move on”.

I know as a Christian God doesn’t remember every act that’s negative we commit. He looks at the heart behind the action. I bet Allah and Buddha do too. We need to realize every person born and even animal will make mistakes, it’s getting back up that counts. It’s the heart of getting up and moving on; allowing each incident to be a teacher so that we grow into the beautiful people we are.

We grow from glory to glory. God already is in love with us. God already adores us, we have his personal stamp of approval. God smiles reign on us daily. We are his children and creation. He cheers for us as we play the game of life and even if we miss the mark he is the coach encouraging us to get up and keep playing.

Friends, you may not believe in the God I do. I respect you. You are validated in my heart! You may be Muslim, Jewish, Hindu, Buddist, even Atheist but when we fall to the source of our creation who just wants us to win the fight of life. Life’s short and we are to keep getting up, fighting, and making a difference for others. It’s the “heart that matters”. We will not be perfect. I will never be perfect. However, I will commit to being the best version of myself I can be.

What’s great about that is no one can be you but “you”. You’re a unique and divine creation. You’re the only you. I’m the only me. But that doesn’t mean we cannot be happy, nor does it entail that we don’t deserve happiness. We deserve all the blessings, favor, joy, contentment with all of creation and from our creators.

So please, smile today. Let tomorrow be tomorrow. Know you’re the best “you” today. Let tomorrow be a mystery and embrace it when we face it.

Blessings,

Domenia Zih

Kwanzaa: Ujima: Black lives do matter!

  • Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility): To build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together (wiki..)

 

I’d like to highlight the #blacklivesmatter movement for holding the sacred truths of Kwanzaa (deliberate or not). In reality, we are not far from the African American Civil Rights Movement (1954-1968). Our fight as black people may have transition but it has not changed.

2017 saw too much black death, by a fellow brother or sister, by a cop, by leaders who abuse their power, and citizens whom are quick to pick up a pistol before having that same quickness to listen. Sometimes I think we want to see hate, and violence, and discrimination as it’s a mask energy source. As if we as a country do not know how to live in harmony and peace. Or maybe we are afraid of it

Children are not born hateful, it is taught! Allow our children dear universe, equal opportunity to play and scrap their knees with one another. For our daughters not to be discouraged because their isn’t foundation to match their skin tone. For our sons to be known for their character and to not be known for the quality of his sneakers. For our children, dear universe, to aspire to be doctors, lawyers, construction owners, business owners, chefs, inventors, cosmetologist, teachers, and preachers as well. For them, limitless is their only option.  We went to be equally recognized in the media, movies, politics, and music; equally paid not based on gender or skin tone, but on hard work.

Many are threatened by the black lives matter movement/ civil rights movement just like they were in the 50’s and 60’s. There’s not a reason for fear. We black people, minorities, and women are the ones who live in fear. We come in peace. We demand respect, do not apologize for our integrity, we do not apologize for our kinky hair, dark skin, and broad backs. We are made in the image of our father, the creator of the universe. We don’t want our children to fear going to school for the fear of being killed is so surreal. Or fathers in the morning says goodbye to his children, but in his mind, he questions “will this be my final goodbye?”

I don’t want to read about another Trans/Queer/LGBTQIA person being killed, and never given their day of justice in front of blind lady liberty. I don’t want another brother or sister who is Trans/Queer/LGBTQIA and them not be recognized as human beings with a soul and as an equal creation from our creator.

I pray that in 2018 there are no more deaths plagued by the disease or prejudice, racism, and hate. I pray that in 2018 everyone has insurance. I pray that in 2018 no one goes to bed hungry, and no one is sleeping in the winter or summer, under a bridge or on the sidewalks. I pray for change!

I also understand that those who fought and continue to fight the good fight would want us in 2018 to keep fighting, but not just for us. For anyone without a voice. I pray eventually we birth a generation that is moved past race and gender and seen as a human. I pray that our society stops viewing individuals who are not white skin, or blue eyes as different. For we are a people, with a soul, with a story, and a child of the universe; just like them.

It’s our responsibility to our fellow brothers and sisters of the good fight. to build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems and to solve them together

 

Becoming a better you

God has a plan for me (you) , how he wants me (us) to be. It will not look exactly like his plan for anyone else, which means it will take freedom and exploration for me to learn how God wants me (us) to grow. Spiritual growth is not one size fits all”

Pastor Paula White says it best “we are spiritual beings having a humanistic experience. Understanding that emotions, struggles and strong holds will form but then you have to remember Isaiah 54:17 “no weapon that is formed against you shall prosper, every tongue that shall rise against you in judgment you shall show to be wrong, This [peace, righteousness, security, triumph over opposition.]” Everyone is different levels of spiritual growth. Every scripture that we read reveals something new to each individual who reads it and when they allow the Holy Spirit to enter their hearts. Depending on circumstance and trial that one particular scripture will speak something different into your life and heart. You will receive a new revelation. In everything we need to remember that God [Yahweh] is “I am”, “beginning and the end”, and the “author and finisher of our faith.” We are created uniquely however we are created in his image.

Life is Short, joy is precious, God is too good, our soul is too valuable, we matter to much to throw a single moment of our one and only life”

Freedom:

Psalms 1:2-3 “Blessed in the one who delight is in the law of the Lord, and who mediates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season, and whose leaf does not wither, whatever they do prospers.” This is your source of freedom, and once you have grasped this concept you will understand that you have to freedom to think that “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is love, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things.” [Philippians 4:8]

To gain true authentic freedom we must change the way we think,

Allow God (high power) to know your authentic self, so that you may know who you are in him.

Eugene Peterson said it best, “Christians feed on scripture, holy scripture nurtures from the holy nurtures the holy community as food the human body.” Don’t judge yourself for where you are in you spiritual walk, no matter who your God is. I’m speaking in the form of Jesus Christ. I’m not trying to push religion on anyone. Sometimes our high power is just our soul and that’s okay.

Self-talk, prayer, confiding in a trusted individual is not to condemn you but a chance for your to find and become a better you. Understand to be a better to be a better you, you have to climb mountains and experience pain; know you are not alone, even though each struggle is different.

Please know that to become the better you, your path will be different from mine, your level of faith and deity is different from mine. Don’t feel judge, or condemn. Life is short it’s gone in a breath, and I want the most of it.