What a book!!!

Last time I wrote, I told you about a book that I had just ordered called, "Choosing to SEE, by Mary Beth Chapman." Well I finished it last night and WOW, what a book. There were so many things that really hit me in this book but I am going to tell you about one of the most striking to me. We have had quite the go with our adoption journey. There have been many ups and downs, tears, asking the question why more times than I can count, anger, and understanding. We have gone thru many cycles of all of the above mentioned items. "Choosing to SEE" talks about Mary Beth Chapman's her struggle with life, choices, depression, and the death of their daughter. Mary Beth is very open about her struggle with God throughout all of it. In one part of the book, she talks about the Chapman's first Christmas without their little girl. Mary Beth came to a realization that Christmas didn't end at the manger. Christmas doesn't end until Easter after Christ was crucified and then rose again on the third day. She describes the realization the Mary had found favor with God and that he choose her to be the mother of Jesus. She would bear the the shame of being pregnant out of wedlock, the horrible pain of labor, giving birth in a disgusting barn with animals, knowing that she was raising the Son of God and trying to raise him in the way she was supposed to, and then watching the pain of her son being crucified on the cross. She was chosen by God to endure the shame and pain of it all because she found favor with God. Why should I expect less from my journey? God is truly in control of it all. Caleb Chapman explain grief as a piece of art work, a mosaic. Up close it looks like a complete mess, nothing looks pretty, it's just a bunch of blogs. But when we can get far enough away, it is a beautiful work of art that God has created just for us. Once this whole process has come to an end, we will get to see the beautiful piece of art that God has given us. Our wonderfully crazy journey that is uniquely ours and so special.

Thank you all for being a part of our art work journey. You all make up a part of our painting. Thank you for the support and prayers. Please keep it up. We appreciate you all.