Counting Down To 50!

Today Marks 50 days until I turn 50 years old! I NEVER thought that I would have made it! Like #ForReal #ForReal! I've been living with HIV for 29 years. Just think about it, HIV is only 31 years old. That means that I've lived almost the entire AIDS pandemic with this disease and over half of my life!

I've lived with "full blown" AIDS for 20 years. That's a term we don't use anymore, but it's a real term. At one point my T-Cell count was 8 and I had 3 bouts of PCP. I saw death staring me in the face. I was a size 0 and there was no hope for my survival. The life expectancy for someone with AIDS back then was 3 years. I remember when I did the Oprah Show on AIDS Long Term Survivors, I had been living with AIDS then for 7 years. Look at God!

The way I see my life is simple, at least to me. God kept me here long enough to benefit from the advance treatment for HIV/AIDS. I had a doctor that knew what the heck she was doing and I did EVERYTHING I was supposed to do, no matter how sick the medications made me, no matter how tired I got. I just kept on living, taking it all one day at a time. Now here I am! In 50 days, I'm turning 50!

I'm grateful and humbled that God turned my mess into a ministry. I've been doing this work for a long time and I've touched a lot of lives. Thanks Be To God. In many ways I think my survival is connected to my ministry. God has blessed me out of my obedience. The Bible says, obedience is better than sacrifice.

As I count down these next 50 days, I ask that you count down with me. I will be blogging everyday for the next 50 days. Not sure about what, well like usual, however God leads me.  I hope to give more reflection and insight into my life.

I also ask that you support me. I've never been one to beg. LOL I've never had a fundraiser. I don't get grants or have some big pharmaceutical
 Company sponsoring me. I've been a one woman show on this hump.

So I'm asking that you sow a seed into my ministry and life.  The Bible also says, we have not because we ask not. So I'm asking. Support me no matter how big or small.

My bracelets are one way you can support me and they are FAB!  I would be honored if you sported my bracelets! My website is http://www.rltcollection.com 

Another way you can support me is to make a donation. There is a donate button on this blog. Even if it's $5.00, it's a seed that can grow.

Cover of Washington Post 1998 After Speaking!

Other ways you can support me, is to share my blog with others. The more traffic I get, the better position I will be in to get sponsors. Lastly, keep me in your prayers.

I seem to keep it all together, but this life is hard. AIDS is not cute or easy, but Thanks be to God, that I understand my life is worth living, so I keep it moving, as best as I can.

I thank everyone, who come to my blog, buy my bracelets, follow me on Twitter and Facebook,  share my work through social media and yes, for all of your prayers and encouragement, through a Facebook post, a tweet and your private emails; They help to keep me going, especially on those dark days

We are counting Down!!!

Post Script: I've been asked where cards can be sent... my mailing address is  Rae Lewis-Thornton, 47 W. Division, #412, Chicago, IL 60610

Blessings Come in Many Ways...

Everyone knows that I simply love chocolate. So I was elated when I saw the Kilwin's sign go up in Old Town, not too far from my house. I waited patiently for them to open but it seemed like forever. They started construction that summer but didn't open until October 3rd.

But OMG the first time I bit into the caramel chocolate dipped marshmallow on a stick I knew my tummy had been blessed. But who would have thought this shop would render more blessings to me then I could have ever imagined.

Jacqueline Stepping Up Her Twitter Game!

After my second visit I discovered that the owners were African-American. I felt a sense of pride to learn that an African-American couple had opened a shop on the Gold Coast. They were so cool, and Jacqueline knew my story. She knew who I was and was excited to meet me. We bonded over small talk and samples of fudge.

 As the fall left and the winter came I would drop in for my chocolate fix. The store was holding it's own but there didn't seem to be a mad rush for ice cream and homemade chocolates. I'm sure that some of the neighbor folk who were not familiar with the Kilwin's chain clung to the historic Fudge Pot down the street. They opened so late in the season that it seemed to be affecting their business. But the tasty delights, the wonderful owners, and a desire to support them kept me coming back. And each time I dropped in I talked to Jacqueline about Twitter. You all know the Twitter addict I am thinks it's the 21st century solution to just about everything.

She was listening to me. She opened an account and I think I saw maybe one tweet a week. LOL! So last week I had had enough. I marched right in and told her husband we should do a tweet-up. Let people know that you are here and alive. My girlfriend, fellow blogger and Tweeter Dwana, and I had been talking about doing something together since forever and it seemed like the perfect fit.

Me and Dwana at #RLTEvent

The next day I went over there and Jacqueline and I sat down to make it happen. She was delighted to host a Tweet-up for National African-American HIV/AIDS Awareness Day. It was settled in 10 minutes! Carmel corn, fudge, brittle, hot chocolate and ice cream. Heart to Heart For HIV (#Heart2Heart4HIV). People could come and tweet to bring awareness to HIV/AIDS on this important day and have some wonderful treats at the same time. That's the perfect Tweet-up, something to munch on, tweeting, and conversing all at the same time and no one thinks you're being rude. But my sense of pride about the partnership is strong. People are always talking about what Black people ain't doing about HIV and never about what they are doing. Dwana nor Jacqueline are obligated but they feel it's necessary and important!

Jacqueline  Setting up her Twitter

On that day Jacqueline and I sat and talked for the next couple of hours. I had some delicious hot chocolate and gave her pointers to step up her Twitter game. We downloaded Twitter onto her iPhone and got busy.

Then, as it goes for women who connect, we shared our life stories. LOL! I told her about my lack of speaking engagements and holding on by a thread finical; And she shared with me the struggles of being a businesswomen. We also talked about Twitter and how I was using it for HIV/AIDS education and prevention. I also talked about the need to have the iPhone 4 so I could step up my Twitter game.  But with no speaking engagements in site, I didn't see it in my future anytime soon.

But in these last few years I've learned to live with what I got, not with what I want. But I've also learned you never know how God will bless you. I tell people all the time not to box God in. God's dreams for your life is much larger than your dreams could ever be. Be patient. #ForReal. God's time is not our time. I also say, it's just nice to be nice, you never know how, when, or why a person, even a stranger, will enrich your life.

The next day, Jacqueline tweeted me that she had a surprise for me. Yep, you guessed it! Her husband took me straight to the Apple Store to get me my new iPhone 4. I think I'm still in shock. It's been so hard for me in these last years. And many people who I thought would have helped me, punched out. But it's clear to me that God always fills the void.

Who would  have thought that this woman, basically a stranger to me would be such a blessing to me in so many ways. She blesses my tummy with those delightful creations in her shop, she's sponsoring our Heart To Heart For HIV Tweet-up for National Black HIV/AIDS Awareness Day, and she sowed a personal seed into my ministry with my new iPhone 4. Now I can tweet and never leave my bed on those days that I'm not feeling well. Yep... It's true, Blessings Come in Many Ways... Don't box God in, you may miss your blessing looking in the wrong direction.

Note: Next week a review of  Kilwins wonderful delights... In the meantime we hope that you will join us on Feb. 7th... Don't forget to RSVP.