Friday, December 24, 2010

Merry Christmas



Miracle Mason and his family want to wish you a very Merry Christmas! With hopes that your holiday season is filled with love, hope, joy, faith, miracles, memories, and many prayers of gratitude.


Here is the card that will take some extra magic this Christmas to make it to your mailbox this year.


(Click on the card to enlarge.)




I recently came across this song and wanted to share it with you:

"A child is born tonight in Bethlehem,

His mother holds him close and sings a sweet lullaby,

All the world lay sleeping, unaware that God himself has come in the night.

The shepherds tremble as the angels sing, and in their song the voice of God speaks peace to the world,

A miracle has happened: God has come and God has spoken...but the miracle has only just begun.

And the God who spoke is speaking still,

And the God who came still comes,

And the miracle that happened still happens in the heart that will believe,

And we see the miracle of Christmas.

So come to Bethlehem again and see the one who's come to rescue us: our saviour and king,

Bring your past, the joy, the sorrow, all your hope to find tomorrow,

And hear the words again: "Fear not and know that God is near."

For the God who spoke is speaking still,

And the God who came still comes,

And the miracle that happened still happens in the heart that will believe, and receive the miracle of Christmas.

The miracle.

And the God who spoke is speaking still,

And the God who came still comes,

And the miracle that happened still happens in the heart that will believe, and receive the miracle of Christmas.

Believe the miracle of Christmas,

Will you believe?"

("The Miracle Of Christmas" lyrics by Steven Curtis Chapman)


These lyrics bring tears to my eyes each time I read them. The Miracle of Christmas is what makes miracles possible in our lives today. The Miracle of Christmas is what has made Mason's miracles all possible.


May you all feel the love and gift of our Savior this Christmas and all year long. We want to send a special "Merry Christmas" and "thank you" to Mason's donor family. It has been 8 1/2 months since Mason received his Angel Heart and not one day has gone by that I haven't thanked them in Prayer to my Father Above. I truly hope someday we can meet.


It has also been 8 1/2 months since Mason surpassed all medical hope. He is the youngest patient known to receive a heart transplant having just one healthy lung. He is doing so well! We feel so BLESSED! Having Mason still with us and thriving this Christmas was certainly a far of hope and dream last year. The medical world had given us very little belief that this would be possible. And here we are together as a family with all our special and amazing 5 children. I couldn't ask for a better Christmas gift!!! (Okay now i just made my self cry! But at least they are tears of extreme gratitude and joy!)



I need to wish a very Merry Christmas to someone very special to our family! To Sammi who I call an "Angel" and "an answer to prayers" (while I was at Stanford with Mason she also earned the title "Super Nanny" by all our friends and family who saw her in action) I want to tell you how much we love you and appreciate all you've done for our family. All the hours you've donated to us this year out of pure LOVE will never be forgotten!!! (She went home to Vegas to spend 5 days with her parents. She's only been gone 2 days and we all ready miss her smiling face.)

(Sammi and our 5 kiddos)



One more quote I love:

What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace. - Agnes M. Pharo



And last, but not least, I leave you with this video:



Merry Christmas from our home to yours!


6 comments:

Lolly Sneed said...

Thank you for those sweet words about our Sammi, she is a wonderful young woman and so happy to have her home for a few day.. Merry Christmas to your sweet family. Love Lolly

The Simmons Family said...

Merry Christmas Strickland Family!! You have definetly had a Blessed year!!!

Julie Shaw said...

MERRY Christmas

Melanie said...

Summer! How long did it take me to add Mason to my "stalking" sidebar list! Now I'll see your updates automatically, and I'm getting more on my feet with the baby, so PLEASE call me for any last minute pick-ups, drop-offs, anything. Also Miranda babysits now, so if you need her, just call over. Seriously, I have that big van now, and I'm dropping & picking up later-gators every day. love ya.

Katie said...

Hi,
My name is Katie and I have spent all morning crying over your blog and your sweet Mason.
We are waiting on a heart for my sweet baby girl Leah. Thank you for sharing your journey and preparing those out there for the road ahead.
I will be praying for your son and family and if it is o.k. with you I would like to follow Mason from now on. Have a blessed day
Katie P

Keri Bryant said...

Oh Sum, what a beautiful video. So so perfect for this time of year. The emotion on their faces is beautiful and so perfect for what you and Mark must feel whenever you hold Miracle Mason and know that he is thriving. Thank you for sharing.
Hope your holidays were sweet and crazy and memorable and fun all rolled into one. I miss you and love you and love seeing how well you are doing with all that you have on your plate. You are and always will be an inspiration to so many.
Happy 2011. May your baby continue to grow... and sleep MORE!