What a gift!!

Colorado Couple, who Lost 3 Sons, Receives Gift of Triplets on Christmas Eve

by Aimee Herd : Dec 28, 2007 : News Staff – Channel3000.com
http://www.channel3000.com/family/14924127/detail.html

"With these blessings, I hope that it's over. I hope our bad luck has changed, and we're going to have this miracle for the rest of our lives"

(Colorado)—When it came to being parents, Chris and Susan Spiegel of Eagle, Colorado, knew mostly tragedy. They had three sons, and lost each one to different tragedies. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome claimed Scotty at the tender age of 2 months, sixteen-year-old Skylar was killed in a car accident on his way to homecoming, and three years ago, their 7-year-old, CJ, was hit by a car and killed. (Photo: Channel3000.com)

"Every morning, I'd get up to go to work and I didn't know why I was doing it," lamented Chris, on the disparaging sorrow of their loss. The couple had all but given up on Christmas, not wanting to even hear the carols.

Still longing for children, however, the two decided to try parenting once more, and enlisted the aid of a surrogate mother, as Susan had been left unable to carry a child due to a previous procedure.

Months later, they found out the surrogate mother was pregnant with triplets. On Christmas Eve, Caden Scott, Shelby Sky, and Billy CJ Spiegel were born—each baby carrying the name of one of their siblings who’d gone before, as a middle name.

The couple looks ahead to better days—albeit cautiously—as Susan remarked, "With these blessings, I hope that it's over. I hope our bad luck has changed and we're going to have this miracle for the rest of our lives."

December 25, 2007

Susan, I thought of you as I was reading this.

The Gift of Peace

by Teresa Neumann : Dec 25, 2007 : BreakingChristianNews

"In God's economy, there's no such thing as coincidence."

(Albany, Oregon)—Christmas 1987 brought a gift of peace to our family that truly surpassed all understanding. It brought hope, faith and trust as well. For all you readers out there struggling with unresolved fears, regrets, and the temptation to give-up, this story is for you.

At the age of 36, having already given birth to two beautiful children, I found myself desperately wanting another one. Never mind that at my age, after several years of trying and having a miscarriage, I should have resigned myself to contentment with my two. But hormones aren't rational; neither is faith.

The miscarriage I suffered was devastating. I had blamed myself for not resting at first, but the doctor had assured me nothing I would have done could have prevented it. For months I was angry at God. So angry, that I couldn't even worship Him. In the fall of 1986, my husband talked me into going to a church play. The theme was faith, and God powerfully used the main character in the play—a woman robbed of everything she owned but her tiny gift of faith—to speak directly to me.

He whispered to me, "Do you believe I am real?"

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and whispered back, "Beyond a shadow of a doubt, God, I KNOW you're real."

We were jump-starting our relationship again, God and I. Back to square one. One month later, two weeks before Christmas, I found out I was pregnant again. A coincidence? I don't think so.

But, on Christmas Eve I began to have symptoms of another miscarriage. This time, instead of panicking, I prayed. And this time God told me to rest, despite what the doctors had said. It's hard for a mom to rest on Christmas, but I did. My family prayed for me, and I experienced an indescribable, saturating peace that day. I KNEW I was in God's hands and that nothing would ever separate us. You can't put a price-tag on that kind of peace. Nothing the world offers can come close.

The symptoms of a miscarriage continued for a few more days as I continued to rest. One elderly and Godly prophetic man in our church prayed for me. He said, "You will have this baby and it will be a perfect 10." Within 24 hours the cramping stopped and almost 8 months later I gave birth—via C-section—to a healthy, beautiful baby girl.

C-section babies generally score lower on the newborn Apgar test, of which 10 is the highest (perfect) score. Imagine my reaction when the nurse took my baby and exclaimed to the doctor, "Wow. This baby is a perfect 10!"

A coincidence? I don't think so.

Have a blessed, miraculous Christmas one and all!

December 21, 2007

16-Year Old Student Saves Referee's Life

by Teresa Neumann : Dec 21, 2007 : Dana Thiede - KARE 11 News
http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=490085

Says referee: "God sent her to be at that place, at that time, for a reason. So many things had to happen for me to be alive, and they all fell into place."

(Minneapolis, Minnesota)—49-year old Dale Wakasugi was refereeing a game last week at Fridley High School when he suddenly fell to the floor. He was having a serious heart attack.

In the stands was 16-year old student, Lindsey Paradise, who had recently completed a CPR and Automated External Defibrillator course in health class. She didn't hesitate. Rushing out on to the basketball court to help Wakasugi, Paradise was reportedly soon joined by two nurses who were in the crowd, and another adult.

According to a report on KARE 11 News, after CPR did not produce a pulse, Paradise sent someone to quickly get one of the school's A-E-D machines.

Said Paradise, "I pushed it [the button], it shocked him, I'm like, ‘oh my gosh, it's amazing, it actually worked.’"

Subsequently, Wakasugi had a stent implanted in his heart and was discharged from an area hospital. He is anxious to meet the student who saved his life.

"God sent her to be at that place, at that time, for a reason," he said. "So many things had to happen for me to be alive, and they all fell into place."