Heaven is Here

“It's a beautiful heart, not a perfect body, that leads to a beautiful life.” 

A couple weeks ago I finished reading Heaven is Here. I remember seeing Stephanie Nielson on Oprah years ago. She talked about the hardships of taking care of her children after recovering from 80% of her body being burned. There was another woman on the show that day, another stay-at-home mom. She told of her struggles in that role. She had a hard time enjoying her children. She spent a day with Stephanie and saw the struggles Stephanie had. Because her skin was so sensitive at that time, she couldn't do the simplest things for her children, such as holding them. I remember one of her kids crying because he wanted to be held by her.

Often times I wonder, when the time comes, if I will struggle with enjoying my kids. Motherhood is such a daunting task. It'll change everything in my world. Seeing Stephanie show her struggles in the simplest things made this other mom grateful that she was able to take care of her kids, although it's not always easy. I think Stephanie taught a lot of women to learn to enjoy each moment, and be grateful for what they have.

In the book, Stephanie tells of her life growing up, getting married, and having children. She grew up in Provo, Utah and is LDS. It was neat to be able to relate to her in that way. She tells of the airplane crash she was in with her husband and their friend, and tells of their recovery. It's an inspiring story. It made me grateful for the simplest things I am able to do. I can get out of bed on my own. I can feed myself. I could zip up my nephew's jacket if he needed me to. I can buckle my seat belt. I can lift my hands above my head. Can you imagine not being able to do these things? These are things we don't even think about being grateful for. This book taught me to be thankful for the tiniest things in my life, to enjoy each little moment of joy I have, and to trust God in his plan for all of us.

“Your heart matters most, so be gentler and more patient with yourself, and their hearts matter most, too, so be kinder and more compassionate to others.”