How to be like StephaNIE

I have been reading Stephanie Nielson's blog the past few days. A few years worth, in fact. She is so inspiring. She has so much faith and hope and love for life. With burns over 83% of her body from the airplane crash, she is happier and more at peace with her life than I am. This is not something that came with the crash--she had it before, too. Looking back at her older posts, she was filled with love for her husband, she took time to enjoy the little moments; she was so creative. She had a love for herself and her life and everything around her that was real. I want that. I am constantly comparing myself to other people, wishing that a part of their life was mine, longing to be different than I am. But as I look at my life, it is so, so good. It is me who needs to change, and I want it desperately. I am my own person. I have been so afraid of living life 'wrong' (and, shamefully, judging others for doing so), that I have kept myself from enjoying life. God wants me to be happy. In fact, he has commanded me to be. Of course I must do so within the laws He has set, but I am starting to realize that the things I thought were His laws are really limitations I have put on myself.

I am ready to find me. Inside there is a beautiful, powerful, creative, loving goddess that is aching to be free. I am ready to begin that quest. There are people who need me. There are roles that I can fill better than anyone else. I am ready to recognize and be comfortable with my talents. I am going to let the 'laundry list' go sometimes and enjoy the beauties of life. I am going to take pictures of the mister and I kissing. And darn it, I'm going to be happy!

Here are some things I am going to do to be more like Nie Nie:

-Stop comparing myself to other people

-Stop incessantly worrying about what anyone but God thinks of me

-Add more color (literally) to my life

Go me.

SBB