Maria Sue Chapman (2003-2008)Maria Sue Chapman, adopted and youngest daughter to Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, was killed Wednesday night in a tragic accident in the family driveway on Wednesday evening. She was LifeFlighted to Vanderbilt Children's Hospital but for only reasons God can explain she went home to Him... not to Franklin as we all so desperately wanted.Your prayers are needed for all in the Chapman family. This is a family who has so generously loved and given to so many. Just hours before this close knit family was celebrating the engagement of the oldest daughter Emily Chapman, and were just hours away from a graduation party marking Caleb Chapman's completion of high school. Now, they are preparing to bury a child who blew out 5 candles on a birthday cake less than 10 days ago. These words are unthinkable to type. - Jim Houser (Manager)

Our family, the adoption community and so many other supporters of the Chapman Family, humbly pray ! Maria was adopted from The Philip Hayden Foundation (PHF) where we will be headed next month.

We are not guaranteed one more day, but the reality of that kind of a loss is overwhelming. I cannot fathom loosing a child. Even as we tredge though a tough week and month with our kids and discipline and tantrums, we are blessed to have, Just One More Day with them! Steven Curtis Chapman had recently written a song, inspired by his two youngest daughters, Stevey Joy and Maria (5), both adopted from China.

It is called, "Cinderella" and its lyrics are as follows and are so appropriate:

She spins and she sways

To whatever song plays

Without a care in the world

And I'm sitting here wearing

The weight of the world on my shoulders

It's been a long day

And there's still work to do

She's pulling at me

Saying "Dad, I need you

There's a ball at the castle

And I've been invited

And I need to practice my dancing

Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella

While she is here in my arms

'Cause I know something the prince never knew

Oh, I will dance with Cinderella

I don't want to miss even one song

'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight

And she'll be gone...

She says he's a nice guy and I'd be impressed

She wants to know if I approve of the dress

She says, "Dad, the prom is just one week away

And I need to practice my dancing

Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella

While she is here in my arms

'Cause I know something the prince never knew

Oh, I will dance with Cinderella

I don't want to miss even one song

'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight

And she'll be gone

She will be gone

Well, she came home today with a ring on her hand

Just glowing and telling us all they had planned

She says, "Dad, the wedding's still six months away

But I need to practice my dancing

Oh, please, Daddy, please?"

So I will dance with Cinderella

While she is here in my arms

'Cause I know something the prince never knew

Oh, I will dance with Cinderella

I don't want to miss even one song

'Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight

And she'll be gone

China Quake

"The death toll from the quake rose to 41,353 by noon on Wednesday, and 274,683 were injured, according to the Information Office of the State Council. The number of missing has been put at 32,666." ~As reported by China Daily.com

Fun-Run??

Today, at the kids' school, the race was on! Here are our two handsome boys!
After a long morning in the sun, we went out to "The State Line," in Post Falls, ID, where our final fundraiser for our trip to China was held. "Cruisers" is a biker bar, that was offered to our group to host a Spaghetti feed. It is a drive thru bar, where bikers can come to hang out and show off their motorcycle. It was quite out of our element, an adventure for sure. Pictures to come, of the spaghetti fundraiser!

China Earthquake

CHENGDU, China - "A powerful earthquake toppled buildings, schools and chemical plants Monday in central China, killing about 10,000 people and trapping untold numbers in mounds of concrete, steel and earth in the country's worst quake in three decades. Although initially measured at 7.8 magnitude, the U.S. Geological Survey later revised its assessment of the quake to 7.9. Its depth — about six miles below the surface, according to the USGS — gave the tremor such wide impact, geologists said."

By WILLIAM FOREMAN, Associated Press Writer

Please be praying for the families who lost so much.

"Saving Levi," The Conclusion

I finished the book, "Saving Levi," by Lisa Misraje Bentley, today. I wanted to share a few of the impactful moments for me, in this book. The book is a compilation of miracles by God to bring this little, burned, and near death boy, to a "Forever Family." Beyond the odds, this story shares how each step of the process to rescue him and save him from sure and certain death, was each orchestrated by God, though prayer and people being led and moving in obedience, through compassion to help this child. Without giving the details, Levi was transferred to Shiners Hospital in Boston for the best possible care. He made many trips back and forth from China to the States to continue a regimen of surgeries, as each time he would grow, his skin would bleed because scar tissue does not stretch. How can we equate this to our lives? God stretches us, and we ache, not able to take the pain from this stretching. This I know well!

Lisa shares a powerful story from a famous missionary, George Mueller. Mueller, who helped thousands of orphans, but was in constant financial need, would pray for God's provision. "He prayed, and milk would miraculously show up at his door right before he needed it." Each answer to prayer was "milk on the doorstep."

"Saw the face of Jesus in a little orphan girl. She was standing in the corner on the other side of the world. And I heard the voice of Jesus gently whisper to my heart. Didn't you say you wanted to find me? Well here I am, here you are.
So, What now? What will you do now that you found Me? What now? What will you do with this treasure you've found? I know I may not look like what you expected. But if you remember this is right where I said I would be. You've found me. What now?"

~written by Steven Curtis Chapman, after seeing the face of Miao Miao/Orly, an orphan who's adoptions fell through three times.

Orly was adopted by John & Lisa! The adoption of Levi, was also completed in September 2006 and Lisa states, "Levi may have been left in a field to die, but through God's providence, this boy was destined to live."

You were shown these things so that you might know that the Lord is God, besides him there is no other. -Deuteronomy 4:35

Lisa, and her husband, John, founded Harmony Outreach http://www.harmonyoutreach.org/, to continue in their desire to help orphans and match them to adoptive families.

Say what you think, Live what you believe!

The Lead Vocalist from "Casting Crowns," one of my most favorite groups, stated at a concert, several years ago: "People say what they think, but live what they believe." (Mark Hall) www.castingcrowns.com This statement stuck with me because as we go through life, it is not the things we say that leave the biggest impact on others, but what we do. I am seeing the truth in this statement, more and more, both through how I view and experience others, and how people must view and experience me. "Under promise and over deliver" was a motto that Brian heard at a Mortgage Seminar, many years ago. Even when my heart is true, but I don't follow through, it reveals my priorities in life. Am I prepared to stand and answer for my decisions on what I choose to make priorities each day? Are the things I do, in line with the values I claim? This is something I'm pondering, as I evaluate my life.

"To one person, you just might be the world."

"To the world you might be just one person, but to one person, you just might be the world." Author Unknown, from the book "Saving Levi," by Lisa Misraje Bentley. I began reading this book, written by an adoptive Mother of a child taken in by The Philip Hayden Foundation. It is about a little boy, abandoned in a field, found by a man in a small village, who bicycled to a nearby city and left him at the doorstep of the Langfang Civil Affairs Ministry building to be found. This six-week old baby had been burned, disfigured by the severity of the burns, most likely, the biological parents were unable to care for or financially afford the costs to save him. Once under the care of PHF, baby Levi was moved from a small hospital to a Children's hospital in Beijing where he would have the best care possible. This is a short version of chapters 1-3, I'll share more as I read!