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Road trip: Riding shotgun

Travel was one of my first loves. I remember telling my mom at a young age that I wanted to visit all the states, each continent and as many countries as possible before I die. The desire to see the world likely comes from the frequent moves my family made in my youth. So much so that folks often ask if my parents were were military. They weren’t. They were simply okay trying something new for a better life. After making life moves with family, school trips with classmates seemed to be a good next step. Which led to vacations with friends throughout my twenties. My thirties was dedicated to exploring myself and solo trips became my therapy… until the therapeutic benefits disappeared. After a while, asking strangers to take horrible snapshots of me in front of historic landmarks lost its charm. I was tired of group travel with various personalities because the first couple of days were usually spent trying to get to know each other, while the last few days were spent putting distance between self and everyone else so we could all enjoy our own personalized experiences.

When solo travel fell out of favor with me, the only pleasure trip I could talk myself into for a five year period was a self-planned hop-on/hop-off train tour along the French and Italian Riveras to celebrate my 40th birthday. Absolutely no complaints about that trip. As the mother of all vacays, it was also the first time I consciously road shotgun with God. The whole trip was about embracing my solo status and a reminder to celebrate myself even in the absence of others.

Over the last two years, my life has been all about transition and transformation, which are happening at multiple layers currently. The biggest layer is moving from New York City to a suburb of Tucson, Arizona. Throughout the last year, I’ve traveled between the two cities preparing to end my life in one and begin anew in the other.

Because August is my birthday month, I view it as my primary new year and a symbol of renewal. For that reason it was important to spend August in the new place. It proved to be a much needed gift of time and space to myself. Before returning to New York City to sell my apartment in the autumn, I decided to take a road trip. The idea started off small-ish. A quick – perhaps overnight – trip to the Grand Canyon. Five hours each way split over two days seemed almost leisurely to me. It turned into a six day excursion I now call my Grand Tour of Arizona. Road trips and national parks are going to be a huge part of my future. 😌

At the beginning of my trip, words began settling in me. These words were a medition throughout my travel.

Pilgrimage.

Communion.

Silence.

Peace.

I felt a need to declutter my mind, my heart, my soul. A need to be more purposeful about decluttering my life. I didn’t think about fasting until I was on the road. At that point I was already tiring fast so not eating was out of the question. As I reflect back, the week before I began my road trip, I did indeed fast from life. I shut down. I refused to check email or follow up with the major stressors in my life. I decompressed. I vegged on tv. I did some gardening, some cleaning. Generally, I allowed myself to simply and quietly occupy my space.

That was a beautiful gift.

The Grand Canyon has become a symbol of perseverance and focus in my life. When I lived in Arizona as a child, we never visited the Canyon. For my relocation, I wanted to be a tourist early on, to see the wonder of my new home state before I fall into new routines.

I am so grateful for the time and opportunity to see some of the amazingly beautiful National Parks and monuments throughout Northern Arizona and the stunning landscape variations from the south to the north of the state. (Many photos will be shared on my Images + Life photo blog under the tag “Exploring Arizona.”) My Grand Tour of Arizona consisted of stops at Sunset Crater Volcano, the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, Navajo National Monument, Monument Valley, Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend, Lake Powell and the dam that created it, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. I camped in my car for the first two nights, found a bed and breakfast on the third night, then splurged on hotel rooms. Nearly three days were spent on Navajo Nation Land. My first camp fire was started at Grand Canyon Desert View camp site. I LOVED that spot! My fire burned for less than five minutes total, despite lighting it up about twenty times. Most amazing and unexpected was the boat ride I took on the lake in the middle of the desert! Who knew? There was so much natural beauty over such a vast amount of land, I grew tired trying to chase it all.

Within the first day or so, I knew this would become a regular, most likely annual, trip for me. Acknowledging that allowed me to relax a bit. There was no need to try to see everything or do more than my body was prepared to do. I made the trip all about photography. Capturing sunrises, sunsets and dark skies were my primary goals each day. The secondary photo goal was to capture some decent self-portraits. Note to self: hair and make-up should be part of the routine when attempting self-portraits on vacay. 🤭

This year has been exhilarating in many ways. I’ve purposefully taken action to change my life into something that represents my heart, spirit, vision and purpose. It’s taken a lot of energy and focus, so much so, I keep thinking I’m failing when I allow too many distractions or eagerly change or adjust plans as things come up. However, when I look around after detours, I see that I have not been pushed off-course. I’m exactly where I need to be. I’m developing and moving at a pace that has been calibrated for me. After all, I am not behind the wheel of my life. I’m riding shotgun. It may appear that I’m in control, but I’m not. It may seem like I can screw all this hard work up, but I can’t. I’ve already surrendered to the one who controls the universe. Any moment of uncertainty or chaos in my life is not going to disrupt the plans He already has in motion for me. Believing that, knowing it, and remembering it brings comfort and peace in a solitude full of communion with my Heavenly Father. My life, my pilgrimage, my journey is unfolding before me. With each step, I discover more and more good things that have been deposited in me for my good.

Be blessed as you go.

Working on my selfie game!

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Harvest Update: Summer 2018

July 5, 2018, Volume 3, Issue 2

I AM WOMAN: Photo & Essay Project

Through SH-Images, I am developing a photo and essay book with the goal of sharing a collective story of womanhood. The first phrase of this project spotlights the Black Woman’s experience of womanhood in America. There is an open call for written submissions via Submittable.com. Submitters can live any where in the United States. You must complete a profile on Submittable in order to submit your work for consideration. There is no charge for the profile. The submission fee is $25.

Even though Phrase 1 is about Black Womanhood in America, we are embracing women of all ethnicities who want to participate in this project. Our goal is to develop multiple sister projects based on the themes that emerge from the our conversations with participants.

Women of all ethnicities are welcome to participate in the FREE mini portrait sessions that will be held in Chicago, Milwaukee, New York City, Phoenix and Tucson through August 2018. Though the sessions are open to the public, women are encouraged to register for a time slot on Eventbrite. Each open portrait sessions is scheduled for 2-3 hours. All photographs for this project will be taken by LaShawnda Jones.

For more details, please visit the announcement page.

Free Mini Portrait Sessions

Women of all ethnicities and faiths are welcome to participate in the free photo shoots. However, the first phase of the project is dedicated to capturing, cataloguing and presenting a collective story of experiencing womanhood as a black Woman in America. The portrait session schedule is below. Click a date to reserve your spot on Eventbrite.

NEW YORK CITY

Sunday, July 8, 2018 1:00-4:00pm

Battery Park @ Bowling Green

Theme: Liberty & Water

Sunday, July 22, 2018 1:00-4:00pm

Central Park @ Columbus Circle

Theme: Nature & City Images

Thursday, July 26, 2018  7:00-9:30pm

59th Street @ Columbus Circle

Theme: Night & Subway Images

MILWAUKEE

Thursday, July 12, 2018  7:00-9:30pm

Location: Burke Brise Soleil

Theme: Sunset & Twilight

CHICAGO

Saturday, July 14, 2018  12:00-3:00pm

Location: Cloud Gate (Bean) at Millennium Park

Theme: Old School Glam/A Day in the Park

TUCSON

Saturday, August 18, 2018  8:00-11:00am

Location: TBD

Theme: Desert Refreshment/Renewal

PHOENIX

Saturday, August 25, 2018  8:00-11:00am

Location: TBD

Theme: Grace in the Valley

Please subscribe to https://SH-Images.com for updates.


Desert of Solitude: Refreshed by Grace Trailer


BOOK REVIEWS NEEDED

If you have read, or plan on reading, Desert of Solitude: Refreshed by Grace, please share your thoughts in a review on: Amazon.com, BN.com and Goodreads.com. Reviews are a form of “street cred” in the industry and are EXTREMELY important for indie authors. Additionally they are helpful with future endeavors. Many thanks in advance.

Excerpts from Desert of Solitude

Preface: A Note About Desert of Solitude

Introduction: Wonder-Filled Living

Verdant Valley/Faith Challenges

Love Anyway: Things I Learned During My Harvest

Set Fire to the Rain…

Supporting Multimedia Links

Contents & Themes

Soundtrack & Sermons

Referenced Bible Verses

Video Messages


 

SOULFUL CHICAGO BOOK FAIR

Sunday, July 15, 2018

10:00-8:00pm

Vendor and Presenter

image-9

HARLEM BOOK FAIR

10:00-6:00pm

Saturday, July 21, 2018

Vendor and Presenter


 

FOR SALE: EAST HARLEM CO-OP

(Please share!)

If you, or someone you know, is in the market for a one bedroom, one bath apartment with an attached terrace, please let me know.

My apartment is on the first floor of a twelve story building on 111th Street between Park and Madison Avenues. It faces the back of the building (south) and looks out onto the building’s community terrace, which is enclosed on all sides and has no street access. The terrace attached to the apartment is fenced within a larger community terrace. There are oversized windows in the living/dining area and the bedroom which allows for amazing light throughout the day all year round. These two rooms also have high ceilings (nearly 10 feet) which make the space feel extremely spacious. Wide plank, honey oak floors throughout, except for the tiled kitchen and bathroom.

There is an income limit on the unit, 130% AMI, however there is no asset limit. Board approval is not required, but financial elements will be verified by the management company.  The maintenance fee is low, and should remain affordable (with modest increases) for the next ten years due to special status of the building.

Stats:

Apartment: 750 sq ft, 1 bedroom, 1 bath, wheelchair accessible
Terrace: 150 sq ft (pictured)
Amenities: Laundry, Gym, Bike Storage and Community Room on the same floor.
Trains: 2, 3, 6
Buses: M1, M2, M3, M4


Indie Author, Publisher, Photographer

About LaShawnda Jones

LaShawnda Jones eagerly embraces the process of her personal evolution and the results of her choices. She is the independent author and publisher of Spirit Harvest Publishing Company. She maintains several blogs which focus on spiritual growth, social justice, women and photography. She speaks nationally on self-image, self-esteem, identity in Christ and living the life you envision for yourself. Prior publications are Love & ForgivenessMy God and MeClichés: A Life in Verse and Go, Tell Michelle (State University of New York Press). She holds degrees in Marketing Management and Political Science as well as a MA in International Affairs.

Thanks for reading! All my best,

LaShawnda

Shawnda@Spirit-Harvest.com

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Photo Challenge, Weeks 19-22: Mother Nature, Stairway, Macro, Geometry

2015 Photo Challenge, Week 19: Outdoor Photography – Mother Nature | “Graduation Bouquet”| Photo by LaShawnda Jones for Spirit-Harvest.com
2015 Photo Challenge, Week 20: Architecture – Stariwell | Montreal Museum of Fine Arts Entry | http://www.mbam.qc.ca/en/ | Photo by LaShawnda Jones for http://www.Spirit-Harvest.com
2015-06-13 12.17.16
2015 Photo Challenge, Week 21: Macro – Write | Overlooking Montreal from Mont Royal| Photo by LaShawnda Jones for http://www.Spirit-Harvest.com
2015-06-13 12.35.23
2015 Photo Challenge, Week 22: Numbers – Geometry | “Trump on Fifth” | Photo by LaShawnda Jones for http://www.Spirit-Harvest.com
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Panoramas of Israel

Here are some panoramic photos taken on my March 2012 trip to Israel. We started off in Haifa (northern Israel) where we stayed for eight days and made day trips to surrounding locales.

On the slopes of the Carmel Mountains lies Haifa, capital of North Israel. Haifa is a special city due to its diversity of landscapes and culture. Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Druze and Bahai, are actively practiced in Haifa and the surrounding area: creating a multi-cultural social fabric. Haifa also has breathtaking scenery. From itse beaches and curved bay to the forested range of the Carmel Mountains, Haifa is delightful to look at. Haifa is located about an hour away from Tel-Aviv. Haifa is a good starting point for exploring the North Western part of Israel.

Sunrise over Haifa BayThe view from my hotel room - over-looking at Haifa Bay. Haifa sits on the Mediterranean Sea at the edge of the Carmel Mountain range.The Bahá’í World Centre, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, 2012The Shrine of the Báb, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel.In the center of the Sea of Galilee

 

The Bahá’í World Centre, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, 2012
The Bahá’í World Centre, Mount Carmel, Haifa, Israel, 2012

Looking across to a Galilean town from the water

Looking across to a Galilean town from the water

View of the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives
Looking across to the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

Looking across to the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

View from Tel Dan. Looking across valley towards Lebanon and the town, Ghajar.

Ghajar is an Alawite village on the Hasbani River on the border between Lebanon and the Israeli-occupied portion of the Golan Heights. Dan, is a city mentioned in the Bible, described as the northernmost city of the Kingdom of Israel, belonging to the Tribe of Dan. The city is identified with the tel known as Tel Dan (Mound of Dan), or Tel el-Qadi (Mound of the Judge {“Dan” meaning “judge”, or “one who judges”}) in Israel.

Hazor, mustard plants in the foreground, Jordan valley in the background

Standing on Tel Hazor, looking at the surrounding landscape. Tel Hazor is the site of an ancient fortified city in the Upper Galilee, among the most important Caananite towns, and the largest ancient ruin in modern Israel. The bible gave it the title: “the head of all those kingdoms”.

Hazor, looking towards the Lower City

Standing on Tel Hazor, looking at the surrounding hills. Tel Hazor is the site of an ancient fortified city in the Upper Galilee, among the most important Caananite towns, and the largest ancient ruin in modern Israel. The bible gave it the title: “the head of all those kingdoms”.

Caesarea, israel (2012)

Caesarea, israel (2012)

The last four days of the trip were spent in Jerusalem.

Overlooking the full model of Jerusalem (late second temple period) at The Israel Museum, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

City of Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

View of the whole city (new and old) from Abraham’s Ridge, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

Mount of Olives, Jerusalem (2012)

Looking down the hillside of the Mount of Olives, the most expensive burial site in Israel, Jerusalem (2012)

Looking across to the Mount of Olives from the Southern Wall of Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

Looking across to the Mount of Olives from the Southern Wall of Temple Mount, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

Looking at the western retaining wall of Temple Mount. There is a makeshift wall in the middle that separates men and women who come to pray. Jerusalem, Israel (2012)

At the Masada Fortress in the Judean Desert, Israel (2012)

At the Masada Fortress in the Judean Desert, Israel (2012)