Giving Thanks!

Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters.One person’s faith allows them to eat anything, but another, whose faith is weak, eats only vegetables. The one who eats everything must not treat with contempt the one who does not, and the one who does not eat everything must not judge the one who does, for God has accepted them.Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand. One person considers one day more sacred than another; another considers every day alike. Each of them should be fully convinced in their own mind. Whoever regards one day as special does so to the Lord. Whoever eats meat does so to the Lord, for they give thanks to God; and whoever abstains does so to the Lord and gives thanks to God.For none of us lives for ourselves alone, and none of us dies for ourselves alone. Romans 14:1-7 NIV

Today--encourage all to enjoy the day--giving thanks for all we have, all we didn't get when we wanted it and for all the miss-steps we've taken in life in order for God to get us where we are. I love me--just the way I am--but didn't always for the way, I used to be. But now, I have a reason to give thanks--daily--the grace of God that has sustained me through trials and wrong directions for over 65 years.

Listen, I've been there and done that--facing all the challenges and struggles I know many have and are facing. I know what it's like to be a single mother raising two children in the depths of the ghetto, always praying for their safety as well as my own.

But I'm a big girl and I learned to take life's knocks with a spring-back attitude. I never let one failure or disappointment keep me down. That doesn't mean I wasn't discouraged from time to time, but I refused to allow discouragement and discontent keep me from my destination even when I wasn't sure where I was headed.

I had a dream and I put a lot of credence in dreams. For years, I dreamed that I was running through a school, trying to get to class and though I always started out fully dressed in the dream, I always ended up naked--wondering why people were staring at me. When I got a chance to go back to school in my forties, I stopped having the dream. Not only did I complete my BA in Sociology and English, I kept going until I finished a MA in English and Speech and then completed all the coursework for a Ph.D in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration in English and Special Education.

During a lay-off in which I didn't have a full time job for two years, I had an opportunity to really look at where I was headed. I realized that teaching was no longer a viable career and I couldn't/wouldn't attempt to encourage anyone to go into a field that did not offer a wage comparable to other professions and one in which very few people respected teachers. When I finished the coursework, I stopped--no longer interested in completing that particular path for it no longer had meaning for me and my passion subsided. Don't get me wrong--I still love teaching--it is my passion, but I could not look another person in the eye and encourage them to get into that field.

At any rate, I retired and am working seven hours a week--teaching college courses. But then came the 2016 election and Hillary lost (with Russia's help). I, along with millions of others railed against the rigged election, and started working social media to vent. On the night #TraitorDon launched missiles into Syria just to flex his muscles, I dreamed I had a conversation with him. In the dream, I told him I was running for president and he told me, I couldn't because I wasn't qualified. I told him I was more qualified than he was and then I woke up. I was attending a tax march and watching others and listening to their concerns, I reflected upon the dream and here I am, months later, preparing my run for president in 2020.

Not everyone understands what's driving me to do this--especially since I have no previous political experience--but I have a passion to represent all Everyday Americans and to make sure they have a voice in the White House. People I've talked to are more concerned about Republicans digging up dirt than I am. I'm not afraid of any discoveries since my life is outlined on the Internet in various mediums.

No matter what others say, I will not be deterred; especially if Democrats are successful in flipping the House in 2018. If I lose, I lose, but no one will ever say I didn't try. After all, I'm planning to win and I'll never know what I can do, unless I try.

I may not be the perfect candidate, but there are none. So, here's what I have--a desire to serve, considering all and not supporting or promoting any policies that cause harm to people, planet or economy. We do not need to build a wall to keep immigrants out; we need to build relationships that solidify positive forward movement. We need to provide accessible, affordable healthcare to every American. We need to focus our attention on making sure our children have access to a quality, free college education. We need to make sure our senior citizens never have to worry about where or how they're going to live because of their limited incomes. We need to shore up our justice system so justice is equitable and fair no matter a person's income, gender or race. We need to secure our standing on the global stage by being #1 again in the eyes of other world leaders and doing all we can to make sure the world can live in peace and we can keep our planet sustaining life, not destroying life.

My ancestors were not immigrants, they were imported to make life better for those who migrated from Europe to live in this land. There are groups of hate-filled, bigoted people who desire to deport every person who is not white in order to "preserve their race" with white privilege. I'm not a hater, don't understand hate and don't want to understand hate. But I will not stand by and silently allow any group of people to attempt to silence or denigrate others. I'm a known rebel and I won't stop when I know there's something I can do to help others.

If you care to read more about my plans to serve as president of the United States of America, please check out my facebook.com/YesIAm2020 page and let me know what you think. It matters a great deal to me since I want to address those issues that matter to all. Thank you for taking the time to engage in the process of making America truly safe again.