Friday, May 23, 2008
Steven Curtis Chapman loss
Heard such sad news of an accidental death of one of their daughters, adopted from China...
West Michigan Christian music fans are expressing their sympathy for Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman after the death of his 5-year-old daughter in an accident Wednesday in the family's driveway.
"We opened up the phone lines and people called in and wanted to pray right over the air," said Troy West, morning show co-host on contemporary Christian music radio station WJQK-FM (99).
Maria Sue Chapman was struck by a car driven by one of her teenage brothers, according to authorities in Franklin, Tenn., who added they believe no charges will result from what they termed "a tragic accident."
The child died 10 days after her fifth birthday. Chapman's manager, Jim Houser, also noted in a Web site posting the family had been hours away from hosting a high school graduation party for their son Caleb when the accident occurred.
Maria was the youngest of three Chinese girls the family had adopted, two of them through the the Nashville, Tenn., office of Bethany Christian Services. Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, also have three biological children -- two teenage sons and a 21-year-old daughter.
"They are loving and wonderful parents and a great family -- they must be devastated," said Brian De Vos, manager of Michigan operations for Bethany Christian Services. "He's been such an advocate for adoption -- I know their commitment to kids."
DeVos has known the Chapmans for eight years and worked with them on Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation the couple named for one of their adopted daughters and established to help families through the often expensive adoption process.
During Chapman's most recent concert tour -- which included a stop at Sunshine Community Church last September -- the singer raised $340,000 for the foundation. While here, he awarded a grant of about $3,000 to a local family for adoption expenses.
He also has raised funds for construction of an orphanage in China for special-needs children who likely will never be adopted.
Chapman, 45, has sold more than 10 million albums, has had dozens of No. 1 Christian radio hits, and has won more than 50 Dove Awards -- exceeding any other individual artist.
Yet he would much rather talk about his family or his work with adoptions and orphans.
"I have sung a lot of his songs," said local Christian singer Marty Miller, of Belmont, posting comments on an area Christian musicians' Web site. "Please be in prayer for the family."
Chapman's current hit song on Christian radio is "Cinderella," a ballad about precious times spent together by father and daughter. It was inspired by a real family moment.
Video from his current album...
West Michigan Christian music fans are expressing their sympathy for Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman after the death of his 5-year-old daughter in an accident Wednesday in the family's driveway.
"We opened up the phone lines and people called in and wanted to pray right over the air," said Troy West, morning show co-host on contemporary Christian music radio station WJQK-FM (99).
Maria Sue Chapman was struck by a car driven by one of her teenage brothers, according to authorities in Franklin, Tenn., who added they believe no charges will result from what they termed "a tragic accident."
The child died 10 days after her fifth birthday. Chapman's manager, Jim Houser, also noted in a Web site posting the family had been hours away from hosting a high school graduation party for their son Caleb when the accident occurred.
Maria was the youngest of three Chinese girls the family had adopted, two of them through the the Nashville, Tenn., office of Bethany Christian Services. Chapman and his wife, Mary Beth, also have three biological children -- two teenage sons and a 21-year-old daughter.
"They are loving and wonderful parents and a great family -- they must be devastated," said Brian De Vos, manager of Michigan operations for Bethany Christian Services. "He's been such an advocate for adoption -- I know their commitment to kids."
DeVos has known the Chapmans for eight years and worked with them on Shaohannah's Hope, a foundation the couple named for one of their adopted daughters and established to help families through the often expensive adoption process.
During Chapman's most recent concert tour -- which included a stop at Sunshine Community Church last September -- the singer raised $340,000 for the foundation. While here, he awarded a grant of about $3,000 to a local family for adoption expenses.
He also has raised funds for construction of an orphanage in China for special-needs children who likely will never be adopted.
Chapman, 45, has sold more than 10 million albums, has had dozens of No. 1 Christian radio hits, and has won more than 50 Dove Awards -- exceeding any other individual artist.
Yet he would much rather talk about his family or his work with adoptions and orphans.
"I have sung a lot of his songs," said local Christian singer Marty Miller, of Belmont, posting comments on an area Christian musicians' Web site. "Please be in prayer for the family."
Chapman's current hit song on Christian radio is "Cinderella," a ballad about precious times spent together by father and daughter. It was inspired by a real family moment.
Video from his current album...
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Room update
The room is painted and 99% decorated...pics forthcoming. Cara bought a new digital camera but it didn't load onto our computer,so this post is being done on a laptop we purchased. Once I get all the necessary things going on it, we will get pictures up. We are really pleased with how the room turned out.
The earthquakes in China are major, and we have no idea what that could mean to the time lines etc. I know most, if not all the orphanges in the area were okay, but the school disasters were major, so a lot of loss of young life.
No new news on the US adoption front, we continue to wait and pray a birth mom will pick us so that we can run with that connection...
Cara's sister and baby boy are visiting for a few days so that is fun...
Well, my windows update is done... time to reboot...I sure hope Windows Vista isn't as bad as what the Mac ads say!
The earthquakes in China are major, and we have no idea what that could mean to the time lines etc. I know most, if not all the orphanges in the area were okay, but the school disasters were major, so a lot of loss of young life.
No new news on the US adoption front, we continue to wait and pray a birth mom will pick us so that we can run with that connection...
Cara's sister and baby boy are visiting for a few days so that is fun...
Well, my windows update is done... time to reboot...I sure hope Windows Vista isn't as bad as what the Mac ads say!
Thursday, May 08, 2008
SC baby names
Well the discussions have been intense and long, much thought, discernment, battling it out in the trenches to come up with names...okay, actually it was a pretty fun and enjoyable ride...
The "pet name" at this point is "our little bean".
Because we don't know if we will get a boy or a girl from South Carolina we have come up with a name for each gender...
For a boy- Stephen James. Stephen is my middle name... James... we just like the ring of it, plus the book of James is one of my favorite New Testament books. :)
For a girl- LilyKate ...middle name still in progress. We went with names that just sounded right to us, we didn't research out meanings or anything this time.
And, hope you are all seated for this amazing news....Cara has FINALLY decided on a paint color for the baby room. I know, I know, miracles still do occur ;). We will pick it up this week and my goals is that before the May long weekend is done, it will be painted.
What color is it? Well we will leave that a secret, as I am sure she will be snapping pictures to chronicle the event, so we will post some of those soon.
We also went shopping for baby essentials today, monitor, baby bath, fingernail clippers, bath towel(hooded duck) and face cloths, some bedding...when we bought our car seat months ago, we bought it thinking we would start with an 8 month old or so...fortunately there is something made which you can use in an existing seat that maes it work for newborns, so that was a relief, so we snagged that!
It was REALLY nice to do something that made things feel real, it has been a while due to the China wait.
Our home study is now sitting on Anne Scully's desk awaiting official approval, but we are saying we are open to be matched now, and IF we get a match and the paperwork isn't signed there, we will just be firing a call to that office on the way to the airport telling her to move that thing to the top of the pile and sign it already! :)
I am also sooo jazzed on the prospect of a new senior pastor coming on board. We voted 100% to invite him, we will know later in the week if he accepts. I am excited!! I think the potential to be a great team with him is big and the possibilities are exciting!
Been busy, busy, busy and looking forward to a few extended days off soon to catch up on the rest of life, and so in a nutshell there we have the latest!
The "pet name" at this point is "our little bean".
Because we don't know if we will get a boy or a girl from South Carolina we have come up with a name for each gender...
For a boy- Stephen James. Stephen is my middle name... James... we just like the ring of it, plus the book of James is one of my favorite New Testament books. :)
For a girl- LilyKate ...middle name still in progress. We went with names that just sounded right to us, we didn't research out meanings or anything this time.
And, hope you are all seated for this amazing news....Cara has FINALLY decided on a paint color for the baby room. I know, I know, miracles still do occur ;). We will pick it up this week and my goals is that before the May long weekend is done, it will be painted.
What color is it? Well we will leave that a secret, as I am sure she will be snapping pictures to chronicle the event, so we will post some of those soon.
We also went shopping for baby essentials today, monitor, baby bath, fingernail clippers, bath towel(hooded duck) and face cloths, some bedding...when we bought our car seat months ago, we bought it thinking we would start with an 8 month old or so...fortunately there is something made which you can use in an existing seat that maes it work for newborns, so that was a relief, so we snagged that!
It was REALLY nice to do something that made things feel real, it has been a while due to the China wait.
Our home study is now sitting on Anne Scully's desk awaiting official approval, but we are saying we are open to be matched now, and IF we get a match and the paperwork isn't signed there, we will just be firing a call to that office on the way to the airport telling her to move that thing to the top of the pile and sign it already! :)
I am also sooo jazzed on the prospect of a new senior pastor coming on board. We voted 100% to invite him, we will know later in the week if he accepts. I am excited!! I think the potential to be a great team with him is big and the possibilities are exciting!
Been busy, busy, busy and looking forward to a few extended days off soon to catch up on the rest of life, and so in a nutshell there we have the latest!
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