What today means.

Today is Martin Luther King Junior day. A day we celebrate and honor the life of a man who peacefully sought the reconciliation of blacks and whites. He stood up for what the Bible says about people...we are neither slave nor free, male nor female, gentile nor Jew (black nor white) when we are in Christ. We are all one body. He made an incredible impact on America along with people who walked along side him in peacefully protesting the oppression that was taking place.
For this reason we live in a nation that although is not free from racism, has come a long way from separate bathrooms, restaurants, and schools. So far that my husband and I who are both white were able to adopt a beautiful black little girl without anyone in the legal process batting an eye. This may not be specifically what Martin Luther King was working towards, but it is something that can take place because of his work.

It is amazing to me what it has done for me as a person as well. Although I have never been intentionally racist, like everyone, there were things I though about different groups of people that I probably didn't even realize were there. We did not adopt Abigail to prove anything or to try to save her. We adopted her because she is the baby God brought us. It's funny though how quickly God showed me things I believed; and how quickly he proved them wrong. Having a child of another race means realizing the true person hood of everyone. There is no longer this people group who all do the same things like I was taught. Abigail is an individual.
I am grateful that God didn't leave me where I was in my thoughts. It has helped me to love in a new and fuller way. Although I knew my neighbors before, I have a whole new perspective on J and P who live diagonal from us. They have always been good neighbors. However the day they met Abigail our relationship changed. I can speculate as to why and that things may have changed in them. I can also honestly admit that something changed in me.
So yes there are still tons of things that need to change as far as race relationships in America. There is still a group people who either believe horrible things or dismiss that there is even an issue. However there are also people from lots of different races, backgrounds, and situations in life all working together to make a lasting change.

So thank you Martin Luther King Junior for your life, and the sacrifice you made by standing up, not just for what you believed in, but what was right. Thank you that my daughter lives in a nation that is much closer to judging people on the content of their character instead of the color of their skin. And thank you for beginning a movement that is still moving.

"Let us be dissatisfied until men and women...will be judged on the basis of the content of their character and not on the basis of the color of their skin."
"Let us be dissatisfied until from every city hall, justice will roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream."
-Martin Luther King Junior

Let us all be still so dissatisfied that we continue the movement.