I save a couple of my best reads for Sundays -
It's a day that I need to be a little different in my life to take a break from the things that seem to be on my mind every day of the week (and my life) and pause and focus on what matters most.
Paul Cardall:
I follow his blog not only because I went to high school with his wife and knew Paul from a distance, but his struggles resonate with me. Paul is waiting for a heart transplant and lost his brother this last year. I went to Jr.High and high school with his brother. He was brilliant and he also suffered from mental illness before he passed away. I lost my sister this last year, who had a heart transplant when she was 8 and struggled with mental illness for too much of her life. Paul's story, his brother's story and his family's heartache is somehow a my sister's story all wrapped up into one. Paul is currently in the hospital, waiting for his heart transplant. And last but not the least - he plays some BEAUTIFUL piano. If anything, his blogs playlist is one of the biggest reasons you should pull up his blog on a Sunday (or anyday for that matter).
Stephanie Nielson - Nie Nie Dialogues
If you don't all ready know her blog, well, where have you been? ;) Stephanie was involved in a near fatal plane crash last year, about the same time my sister was diagnosed with cancer. I checked her blog from Heather's hospital room for updates on her condition posted by her sister "C Jane". I, as many others, have followed her blog over the past year shedding tears at her struggles and triumphs. I had the opportunity to meet Stephanie a couple of weeks ago. She's beautiful, resilient and amazing.
By nature, we are human, and we complain. At least I complain. A lot. I've had 3 kids, sometimes I feel like my nose is still swollen from pregnancy (or the many breaks it has endured), I have small eyes, am trying to banish my muffin top and I hate taking pictures. So of course, by nature, when people started taking pictures I was the last one to jump in. And it hit me how insanely superficial so many of my "complaints" are. (don't worry I've got some good hard core ones too). But there I was talking about how I hated pictures next to this amazing woman who is in the process of recovering and rediscovering her outward appearance. And she jumped right in for pictures. It's hard to see anything but beautiful to look at her. She's amazing, and I yet have more to learn from her.
