24 Things About 24 Year Old Me

Enough about the serious and deep stuff already!

I am switching this up a little bit, this is a simple and chilled blogpost about me. 

Who is Mwape, you may ask. She is the girl in the picture below. As for the rest guess you have to read on and find out. 

1.    My full names are Mwape Mbewe. I know, no middle name. Ive been getting on to my parents about that. 

2.    I was named after my fathers older sister. She is Dr Mwape Kabole. She has to be one of the sweetest and most generous people on this earth.

3.    My favourite thing about myself is my childlike heart. I see the world innocently. I like it that way.

4.    I was born in my parents bedroom. I think that’s why I’m a home girl.

5.    One of my gifts is that I see an entrepreneurial opportunity in almost everything I lay my eyes on.

6.    I gave my life to Christ in 2009. Has not been the smoothest journey but absolutely worth it.

7.    I am a sucker for love. Love is so deep and beautiful. Shame on people who take its beauty away from it. 

8.    I love DIY projects. I believe if someone can do it, so can I. Lord knows how many things I choose to do for myself, it keeps life exciting though.

9.    The worst grade I ever got in a test is 6%. In university! Haha! Funny story, my friend and I were both sure we had failed the test after we wrote it but we both did not believe the other was being honest about how bad it was. We agreed that the one who got the highest grade would buy the other a drink. Results came out and I got 6%, she got 4%. When my roommate heard us arguing about buying the drink she couldn’t believe we made an argument over such poor grades. 

10.  I wish I could sing. Why didn’t God give me that talent? Because he knew if I could sing I would not have a blog but a YouTube channel and would unnecessarily sing everything I say.

11.  I spent most of my 17^thbirthday crying and sad because I woke up to no birthday messages and throughout my day I generally felt so unloved. I am that extra. You'd be proud to know that since then I made some changes.

12.  My mummy has left the most impact on my life. Thinking about my mother makes me want to cry. Although like normal human beings we sometimes drive each other crazy, I love her so much. She has always been there for me. She is such a strong woman, even when I don’t think its necessary Lol. She is amazing and I love her.

13.  I can’t ride a bike and neither can I swim. The science of a human being floating and balancing on two wheels just doesn’t add up for me and stands in the way of me being able to do both activities. Let’s not even talk about how I’m not okay with my hair getting wet.

14.  I have only been to 5 Countries; Zambia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, the United Kingdom and Italy. Just chill, I am working on it, guys.

15.  When I was a lot younger I wanted to be a primary school teacher. I loved teaching my teddy bears and dolls using my little chalk board when I got home from school.

16.  My first job was as a merchandiser. Another funny story. One time in high school the phone bill came out and my father discovered I had been using the home landline to make calls to my boyfriend. As a way of teaching me a lesson he organized for me to work during my school holidays in order to make some money to pay for the bill Haha! Well, by the time I got paid I forgot why I was working and I think he forgot too cause I ended up using it to spoil myself J

17.  One of my weaknesses is that I care so much what people think about me. It is such a stressful life to live and I am working on being better in that area. Baby steps.

18.  I love dogs! Most people who know me know this. I will do whatever is in my power to make sure my dogs are well, comfortable and happy. Grateful God made them. They make the world a brighter place.

19.  I am such a procrastinator. It’s so sad.

20.  I am all about living a fulfilled life. I really struggle with doing things I don’t love or believe in. I would “settle” for a job other people would look down on that makes my life full, than be miserable doing one that looks good. Life is too short to not do what you love.

21.  If I get my hands on something I will do it to the best of my ability. It’s got to be the best, unless I’m just done, then I will be too tired to care.

22.  Unlike most females, I am not a chocolate person. I just don’t get the fuss.

23.  Some of my pet peeves include; when people can’t whisper, when people are unruly or inconsiderate, when skid marks are left in the toilet bowl, know-it-alls, two people walking on the sidewalk and expecting you to fly over them (like person 2, can you just walk behind person 1 for a second? Please and thanks). I'll end here.

24. I love to write. Wish I was disciplined enough to do it more often.

Who would have thought coming up with 24 facts about myself would be quite the exercise. 

Such an achievement.

*Whispering* 25. I love Gifs.

Choosing Gratitude

                                     

                                                                                                                     

You know what has been on my mind the last couple of days? Gratitude. 

I am not sure how many of you remember the first couple of times you heard the Bible story of the ten lepers in Luke 17:11-19. For me, the times I remember hearing it when I was a lot younger, I really looked down on the nine who did not come back to Jesus to say thank you. I am not sure if you can relate. I’ll be nice enough to give you a second; just think about it. See!

One thing that I often do is try to put myself in the shoes of someone and think of whether I would do what they did or make the same decision they did. Just to go off track a little, this started some time back when someone asked me to imagine if I was born during the years Jesus walked on this earth and think about whether I would have actually been among those who believed in him or wanted him crucified. And when I thought of that it opened my mind and soon became a thing that I adopted; learning to walk in others shoes.

Okay, back to the track. When I heard about the ten lepers and the one who came back saying thank you, I definitely felt confident that if I was one of the lepers I would definitely not be among the ungrateful nine. But let me tell you something, it has been a number of years and I cannot count how many times I have done as the nine did.

You know how life on earth gets, there’s almost always something I believe I am lacking and desperately need God to come through and intervene. Some needs are so important, a matter of life and death, so much is at stake. Much like the ten lepers. Their lives were on the line. I am not sure how much y’all know about leprosy but from my research it is really bad. Fingers falling, skin looking cray and you are deprived of living a normal life. Imagine being healed from such a dreadful disease. Amazing. 

How many times do we face situations where we desperately need a miracle? When the miracle comes through do we actually return to the God who we so desperately pleaded with. Or do we sometimes get carried away with the gift that we immediately forget the giver. 

Remember that terrible final semester that you didn’t think you would pull through and thought you would not graduate? Or is it that season of heartbreak during which you thought your heart would never smile again? Was it the time when you lacked the finances for something important? Maybe it was even your health or that of a loved one. It could even be the small things like asking him to protect you during a short trip and not saying thank you for the safe arrival, praying that a test goes well or asking for a good day ahead. Sometimes it is the things or relationships we pray for and God mercifully blesses us, and we quickly kick him off the throne and place that idol above him- loving the gift more than the giver.

I don’t know about you, but I am terribly guilty of many of these examples. Judging the ungrateful nine lepers when I am a 21^stcentury version of them. I have been convicted of the fact that I mirror the very same behaviour more often than not. 

However, as always, despite my flaws, God’s grace and unmerited favour and mercy is new each and every morning. I am glad he has opened my mind to this realisation that I MUST remember to go back to him, my father, with praise and gratitude for his continued undeserved goodness in my life. I hope this encourages you to do the same. 

Here’s to being the grateful one!

Image: versiondaily.com