A special month and a special cause

February is CHD awareness month.

February is also considered a "Daniel month" in our home. In 2010, we celebrated his 2nd birthday together in China. We welcomed him home to his new surroundings. We celebrated Valentine's Day together. And our son was baptized in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

It was pure bliss.

It's really been on my heart to do something special this month with my book proceeds. So what a perfect opportunity--and the perfect month--to give to a special heart cause.

I have thought about all of the awesome charities that we could give to, but one in particular stands out this time. It's the "Love you More" heart home, in memory of Teresa Bartlinski, who went to Heaven last July after her heart transplant. We all loved and prayed for Teresa, but Jesus loves her more and took her Home.

I reached out, last month, to Teresa's mom and asked if it would be possible to, basically, purchase a room for Daniel in Teresa's special house. She loved the idea, and now I'd really like to make it happen.

This month, I am donating 100% of the book proceeds to this cause. The only way that I can keep track of the sales is if the book is purchased through the PayPal link located in the right column of this blog. It doesn't matter which cause you choose from the drop-down menu, I'll just give all of it this month to this special project. Okay?  Okay.

Here's some information about the "Love you More" Heart Home, and in case you'd like to directly donate, here's the link for Little Hearts Medical. Would you please earmark your donation for "Daniel's Room?"

What a meaningful way to pay tribute to these precious angels and, in their memories, help other children receive the life-saving surgeries they need. Thank you, in advance, for your support.

May your heart be blessed.

Change is Good.

Last night, I received one of the most powerful statements about With an Open Heart ever:

"I just finished your book today.  Let me tell you, it changed my life."

That solitary comment made me want to collapse on the floor into a big, sloppy heap of tears...not tears of sadness, but tears of joy...of praise and thanksgiving to God, our Almighty Father.

It might sound a little dramatic, but it's true.

Because He did this.

It was He who gave us our precious son.

It was He who gave me the strength and fortitude to share Daniel's story, and HE who sent his Holy Spirit to help me.

It is He who has changed my life.

That's what God does, isn't it? He takes the painful, the gut-wrenching, and the heartache and when we turn to Him, He can transform it all into JOY and into HOPE.

He changes lives.

He gives us thorns, but he also gives us the rose. And with pruning, and watering, and sunlight, all the intricate layers of beauty are exposed. Like the rose, our lives with all their twists and turns--and thorns--are made beautiful with the Light of His Son; they are made new with the watering of His mercy and grace.

May He be glorified for that beauty.

Change is good God.

As a side note, I desperately want to reach out to the person who posted that comment, but I cannot figure out who you are (sorry)! Please email me at lisa.michelle.murphy@gmail.com. I want to hear your story!

Happy birthday in Heaven!

Today is Daniel's birthday. Our son would have been six years old! Oh to imagine who he'd be on earth, and what would now pique his interest!

But there is such peace and beauty in his angelic state of  "forever 2 1/2." He will always be remembered as the extraordinarily special child he was.

He is perfection in our eyes.

We learned something new at Mass this morning, which made Daniel's birthday even more meaningful! Today, in the Catholic faith, the Church celebrates the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord commemorating when Joseph and Mary brought the infant Jesus to the Temple to perform the ritual of purification. It was forty days after his birth. 

So today we realize that both Daniel's birth day and the anniversary of his death (Trinity Sunday) are two very sacred and significant days in which we honor Jesus and our faith!

Our son was such a precious gift from God, and everything about his life just emphasizes our blessings from above. 

Which reminds me of one of those recent church sign postings I love...

Wanna get rich?  Count your blessings.

Amen. Except there's just too many to count.  Happy birthday our precious son.  

We love you more every day.