Birthday/Holy Week

HAPPY 25TH BIRTHDAY TO ME!

It's my real 25th. This year means alot to me.

When I was a young child, 25 was the fantasy age. I used to imagine myself at the age of 25 living a good life. A life much better than the one I was currently in. I grew up depressed and with VERY VERY VERY low self esteem. I wanted out of my life so badly that at times I contemplated suicide. Most people couldn't see that because on the outside I was happy, loud,. jovial Meghan. At the age of 25, I imagined myself with a house, a few cars, a perfect highly paying job, great friends, like 10 boyfriends, a fish named Chester and and I would be beautiful. STUNNINGLY, stopping people in the street beautiful... Then my doubt creeped in and I would see a 25 year old version of myself as still depressed, sad, alone, horrendously unattractive and desperate and dependent. What a life...

Neither of these versions are what my life looks like at the moment, but that is because I serve a God who does exceedingly and abundantly more than we can ask or even imagine. (Ephesians 3:20) MY  LIFE IS GREATER than I could have imagined! I don't have a perfect high paying job, I don't have my own place, I drive a used Nissan Versa... but I do have GOD! I have friends (I call them brothers and sisters) my relationships have gotten better. I am on the path to purpose, I hear God clearly, I have a deeper relationship with God and I'm HAPPY. I'm really happy!

Here are some pics...

My birthday started with being able to compose and deliver a lecture about Child Abuse (my passion).

My Favorite picture of the whole day

Shrimp Scampi and Mashed Potatoes and Strip Steak at the Cheesecake Factory 

Yes GOD!

Birthday Blue :) 

My friend said something crazy, and she got the signature Meghan stank face...

Wished for greatness..

More to come soon

Skin

I have spoken on this before, but the past 15 days or so have afforded me the opportunity to educate people because I have heard some of the most ignorant, offensive and just plain nonsensical racially motivated remarks ever. (Racism, colorism, prejudice, stereotypes etc. are all tricks of the devil! There is no difference of people, we're all made by THE SAME God) I truly thought that by this age I would be done hearing these things (for the most part I am) and I CERTAINLY thought adults wouldn't open their mouths to say such. I honestly did not think people held these beliefs in their minds and hearts...

If you ever THINK you know what type of music I like, food I eat, schools I attended, sources of income, churches I attended, family life I had, places I went, area I grew up in, clothing I like to purchase, styles I wear my hair in, who I voted for (really? this is none of your business), products I use, causes I believe in, people I identify with etc... based of the brown tone of my skin, you are absolutely out of your mind. How dare you think these things, much less express that.

DO NOT assume I know every rap song that comes on the radio because I don't, do not ask me if my hair is weave, do not ask me "how wild my black churches" have been, do not assume my parents were never married. DO NOT create a difference between me and you.

Yes I can use the same hair gel as you, its freaking gel. Yes I can swim (I just hate being outside so you are not gonna see me doing it). Yes I listen to all types of music. Yes I wear sunscreen, I don't like skin cancer.

My heart pumps red blood like yours. I breathe with a set of lungs God gave me like he gave you. I have feelings, just like you do.  I am a PERSON, a human being with thoughts, strengths, faults, feelings and emotions. Aren't we all?

I'm passionate about this because most of you know that my dream is to have ALL people treated the same. I try to live this out daily by treating people well and apologizing when I don't. I am certainly not perfect, as none of us are but I WOULD hate for my future children to grow up hearing the commentary that I hear. We are all the same and everyone wants respect. Lets give it....

M