Choosing to SEE - Mary Beth Chapman [69]
Thank you all for being here. . . . We know God has told us He is revealing Himself here in a profound way. [Inviting family members up to the podium.] You guys just share your heart. I’m going to let you tell how you knew Maria.
Melissa Northup
I had the privilege of taking care of the Chapmans’ beautiful daughters.
Maria had an amazing spirit. She was love itself. She was laughter, silliness, passion, beauty, sweetness, and a determined little soul, a super funny soul and a little Curious George, so full of questions. She was so full of wonder, happiness, desire, detail, creativity. She was a giving, caring, cuddle bug who would snuggle for hours if you would let her. Sometimes at our little slumber parties, I would wake up with her as close as possible to me with her little hand somehow in mine, not knowing how it got there.
I know it is true there is a time for sadness, but Maria would want us to be happy again, living with fullness of life like she did. Maria loved things that little girls do. She loved dressing up for princess balls, being a ballerina, being a bride in a pretend wedding, dancing and singing with Shaoey and Stevey in their Chapman sister band, and just playing pretend. She would always say, “Let’s pretend such and such . . . ’K?”
Maria always asked me what was pretend and what was real. When talking about Jesus with her, it always made sense to her that Jesus was real. The greatest peace I have today, what helps me take one step at a time, is knowing where Maria is. This place called heaven is real, and Maria is there with her real King Jesus!
Maria loved God’s creation. She loved smelling His flowers and picking bundles of them. She always loved God’s flying creatures. She loved ladybugs, and she loved God’s little birds. Sometimes when swinging – she loved to swing – she would pretend she was a birdie and ask if I could make her fly higher and higher.
She noticed every butterfly that flew by, every dandelion that needed to be picked and blown so she could watch the fuzzy white pieces fly away.
And if you knew Maria, it would be no surprise to see her running around with a pair of fairy wings on. And her funny Buzz Lightyear costume with his big ol’ wings.
Now I have come to realize that Maria was created with a pair of wings on her heart. God had a plan to have her fly home to Him. Just like the plans He has for us to fly home one day too.
Maria would want us to remember the verse Jesus spoke, “Let the little children come.” And she would want us to carry on her childlike faith, living this life as if we all had wings, longing to fly to Jesus.
We are not home yet, and if we trust in Jesus like Maria did, we will find deep within our hearts a pair of wings He has waiting for us too. It makes me smile to think that Maria is getting to see those mighty angels’ wings . . . and I can hear her now asking if she can touch them.
Megan Thompson
Maria once told me that her favorite songs that Daddy sang were “Dive,” “The Great Adventure,” “Children of God,” and “Cinderella.” I can honestly say that Maria dove into life, learned what it’s like to be a child of God, felt like a Cinderella, and has lived the great adventure!
Emily Chapman (now Richards)
May 13th, just a few weeks ago, Maria turned five. Two days later, on May 15th, she graduated from preschool. And then two more days later, on May 17th – a week ago today – Tanner and I got engaged. We got engaged on an airplane; I couldn’t wait to call my family when I got off. I talked to the girls one by one, Shaoey, then Stevey, then precious Maria. And Maria asked me a question that the other two girls didn’t ask.
She said, “Ooooh, yay, you’re getting married!” And then she asked, “What did you say?”
And I told her, “I said ‘yes,’ you silly girl!”
When we got home, Maria was the first to run up to me and she handed me this little happy engagement card that was done backwards, of course, with way too much glue, and she gave me a really big hug, and she said again, “What did you say when Tanner asked you to marry him?” I didn’t understand