I Have a Dream

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In observance of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, I would like to share some of my dreams with you …

Martin Luther King, Jr. Monument

I have a dream…

1. To personally lead at least 100 individuals to financial independence.

2. To lead more people to Christ than I do to financial independence.

3. That my career, calling, and creative expressions will empower and encourage others to be all that God created them to be.

4. That Martin Luther King Day will not be reduced to just another day off.

5. That “white” folks will acknowledge racism still exists in America and work to dismantle the stronghold it’s had over our educational, medical, environmental, financial, political, and capitalistic systems since 1619.

6. That Black folks will be able to live and thrive and feel and heal in the fullness of their humanity. #BLM

7. That inter-racial relationships will truly become a TABOO of the past. Seriously. Stop putting others down because of your own prejudices and/or insecurities. And stop limiting yourself! 😉

8. That we all become the change we wish to see in the world. If you’re not a part of the solution then you’re part of the problem.

9. That I will live to see the 1st woman president (and she’ll be fabulous!).

10. That quality healthcare and quality education will be the norm for every U.S. citizen.

11. That parents will take more responsibility for their children. TV, social media, and “smart” devices are poor babysitters. Parenting is a hands-on job. Take an active role in your child’s life. Listen to them. Learn from them. Spend quality time with them. Help them with their homework. Say “I’m sorry.” Celebrate their accomplishments. Encourage them in moments of defeat. Take heed to what their teachers are saying about them (’cause no one is an angel 100% of the time…. no matter how cute they look or “act”). Wake up. Wise up! And if your kids are always on punishment, then, perhaps, you’re the one doing something wrong (GASP!).

12. That I’ll leave a legacy that blesses generations.

13. That Americans will place more importance on financial independence than on credit dependence.

14. That Christians will start practicing Christian discipleship instead of misquoting Scripture to justify oppressive systems (slavery, patriarchy, etc.) and harmful behaviors (“Spare the rod and spoil the child”? Spare me!). Jesus modeled a life of faith, love, and liberty for all. Anything we do outside of His example is self-serving at best. And incompatible with The Gospel.

15. That the sanctity of life is prioritized over the senselessness of gun violence.

16. That we’ll accept our fellow human beings for who they are instead of rejecting/neglecting/abandoning/oppressing them for not abiding by “mainstream” expectations.

17. That therapy will be the norm for everyone. Mental health and wellness should be prioritized not stigmatized.

18. That women will have autonomy over their own bodies- worldwide.

19. That men will be free to express their emotions without ridicule.

20. That we will all make every effort to be at peace with one another and to be holy (Hebrews 12:14).

21. That every African American and African Descendants of Slavery and Jim Crowe in the U.S. will receive adequate, inflation-adjusted financial reparations.

23. That our history books are re-written to preserve the reality of our past instead of the white-washed version of it. When we don’t know our history, we’re destined to repeat and be destroyed by it.

24. That we’ll all learn and live our God-given purpose.

25. That there will be more emphasis on building marriages than on planning weddings.

26. That the gender gap is socially, politically, and financially eradicated.

27. That we start living and stop existing.

28. That one day we all spend more time with Jesus than we do on social media.

29. That we all commit to breaking our family’s generational curses.

30. That everyone reading this will accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior.

What are your dreams?

(Originally written 1/18/2010. Updated 1/16/2023.)

The Climb of My Life

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On January 7, 2005, at the age of 80, my father died of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS). This was brought on by pneumonia. He spent the last few days of his life on a ventilator. My father also suffered from Parkinson’s Disease which unfortunately hindered his ability to walk for the last few years of his life. Soooo…. I have officially registered for the Philadelphia Fight For Air Climb! I’ll be climbing 50 flights of stairs to raise money and awareness for lung disease. Yes, you read that correctly- 50 FLIGHTS of stairs. Clearly, I don’t have enough excitement in my life. Clearly. But I’m exercising my lungs and my legs in memory of my Dad. 🙂

Here’s a clip from the 2011 Climb:

I haven’t committed to doing any physically demanding feats since I finished the Philly Marathon back in 2004. That was brutal! But I’m ready to get back into the swing of things (a little). This Climb should whip me back into shape (and prayerfully, it will be far less damaging to my knees than the Marathon, and it certainly shouldn’t take me a lifetime to finish)! The competition is on Saturday, 3/24/2012 which gives me exactly 11 weeks to get my butt (and legs and lungs) prepared. And I must say, I’m more excited about running up 50 flights of stairs than I am about training to run up 50 flights of stairs. Check out the training program I got from Coach Reymond of The Healthy Push:

“Begin every workout with a hip mobility drill and a dynamic warmup… Switch days in/out of the gym by spending 2-3 days working that lower half with weighted lunges, air squats, and presses at a high intensity effort for 20 minutes non-stop. Back it up on a steep treadmill climb/walk/run or stair-master for another 20 minutes. Spend the other 2-3 days running stadiums, climbing stairs, and doing fast paced hill sprints (all exercises with a weighted backpack) for 20-30 minute sessions at a 175 bpm heart rate effort (hard effort).”

Heaven help me.

I’m no math major, but that’s 4-6 days of training per week! Have I mentioned that I don’t work out in the Winter? I freeze my gym membership from November through March. Yes, I plan my slackability. 😛

I did manage to run up the Art Museum steps this morning as a kick off to my climbing endeavor. Had myself a little Rocky moment. 😀

According to Coach, I’ll have buns of steel and legs like a stallion when all is said and done. So, that of course makes the preparation worth the pain. 🙂

Aside from vain glory, and in memory of my Dad, I will climb:

    • To become a better steward of my Temple. When it comes to working out, I’m rather lazy. If I don’t have a goal to work towards, I’ll just hang out in my lazy little comfort zone- neglecting to properly care for the body God entrusted to me. Have I mentioned that I hate working out? With a passion, I might add. So, this Stair Climb is a great way for me to get in shape, take better care of myself, and be proactive about my personal fitness.
    • To raise money and awareness for really good causes: lung disease (lung cancer, asthma, COPD, ARDS, etc.), fight against pollution, smoking cessation programs,etc.
    • Because a dear friend of mine died last year of lung cancer- at the age of 36.
    • For those who can’t breathe on their own.
    • Because I can.

Lung health and awareness is so incredibly important because:

    • Lung disease is the 3rd leading cause of death in the U.S. and it’s responsible for one in seven deaths.
    • Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S.
    • COPD currently affects 10.2 million Americans.
    • Air Pollution poisons the lungs of over 60% of Americans each day. How scary is that?
    • ARDS affects approximately 190,000 Americans annually and up to 30% of cases can be fatal (like my Dad’s).

That’s why this is the climb of my life- and maybe even yours. The fundraising goal for the  2012 Philadelphia Fight for Air Climb is $135,000. Each participant is required to raise at least $100. I want to raise at least $500. If you would like to help me reach my goal and join the fight for air, please make your tax-deductible donation via my personal page on The American Lung Association’s website. I’m listed under Daddy’s Girl. Anything you give is greatly appreciated. Together, we can help others breathe a little easier. 🙂

Practically Yours,

~ The Practical Chick

P.S. Call (800) LUNG-USA or check out www.lungusa.org for great resources to help you quit smoking, understand the warning signs of lung disease, learn how to protect your lungs, and more! And hey, why not check to see if there’s a Stair Climb in your area? 😉