Choosing to SEE - Mary Beth Chapman [102]
T:
Travel for Steven, me, and our two little people, heading to Ireland after Christmas. Emily and Tanner have a bit of a break, and we decided for a Christmas present we would cash in some frequent flyer miles, head to the Irish coast, treat Emily and Tanner to a quick visit to London and Paris, and then head back to Dublin and then home. Phew!
M:
Maria’s Big House of Hope (MBHOH) officially opened this past summer. Our entire family, along with some close friends, all traveled to China to be a part of the dedication ceremony. It was really, really great, and really, really hard . . . one of those places that God has you walk.
When I left there, I begged God to let me SEE Maria.
I did! I’m convinced that I saw her in every giggle, cry, and child that was being given life-saving medical care there. I heard her in the nannies’ voices and I smelled her in the air.
I pray that God would allow me to keep walking in faith to know that His ways are higher! Trust, trust, trust! What else do I have?
Believe me, easier said than done. Many days you can find me curled up in my La-Z-Boy crying my eyes out, wishing with everything that she were going to be here to open up Christmas presents with the rest of us this year! I still think I’m dreaming sometimes! Oh, to kiss that little neck of hers!
A:
Answers to all my questions: there have been none. If I had answers . . . then I guess there would be no use for faith and hope! I’m hoping in the unseen. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not SEE. But one day, my sweet friends . . . we will SEE! I wonder why that was the word she left? Maybe that’s an answer!
S:
Speaking. Many of you have asked, so now is the time to address a few things coming up. After much prayer and a huge confirmation from God, we as a family have decided to do some different things next year. Steven will continue to do the Women of Faith conferences, which have been such a blessing to him and the boys.
The wonderful staff of WOF has asked me to be a part of their team and to do a speaking segment at the conference. Yikes!
Do you know what this means? The three things I said I would never do:
1. Adopt
2. Homeschool
3. Speak in public
Well, it looks like during the next school year, I’ll be taking my adopted children out on the road with Steven to homeschool them. This is so that I can speak to many of you at Women of Faith conferences all over the country!
One thing I’ve learned, don’t tell God what you won’t do!
Well, in the Spirit of Maria (who loved to rock out), the Chap-mans wish you a rockin’ Christmas!
February 1, 2010
It doesn’t get much better than about five inches of good sledding snow in Tennessee. A rare thing indeed! It has given us a four-day weekend to enjoy the cold, the snow, and some yummy hot chocolate with friends!
Yesterday we ventured onto our neighbors’ property (with permission, of course) to find the perfect hill for the little ones, plus some added dangers for the bigger kids in the group!
Our little Maria used to say all the time, “I love it when my whole family is together!”
Without Emily and Tanner, who are still studying in Belfast, and of course without that little infectious nugget of a girl who knew how to laugh at all things, while snot and slobber dripped out of every open spot on her face. . . . She must have known in her short time here on earth the importance of that statement – “I love it when our whole family is together.” I would venture to say that idea isn’t just in the physical sense, but in the emotional and spiritual sense as well.
Since May 21, 2008, our whole family being together has been a challenge of the greatest proportions. I’m here to say that this journey is just plain hard. But what do we do?
Just like the silence you hear (or don