Empathy

As some of you know the death of Steven Curtis Chapman's daughter Maria really got to me. I know that part of it is probably because they had so much to do with our own decision to adopt, part of it is having little ones from China, part of it is being a mom and trying to put myself in their shoes, and part of it is that every time I see pictures of Maria they make me think of Kara.

Over the last 14 years we have experienced the death of some people very close to us ... 3 very dear friends, my Granny, Keith's dad, and then his Grandpa. The morning after I would always wake up feeling like it was wrong for the sun to shine that day. It felt weird to be out and about and see that life, at least for other people, had not changed. Somehow it seemed like the world should stop and everyone should acknowledge the pain that we were feeling.

If you've never experienced that feeling, I pray that you never have to. But reality suggests that at some point you will know exactly what I mean. I can't imagine how people grieve without the hope of Christ.

I went to Steven Curtis Chapman's website the other day to read about Maria's memorial service and I came across a blog entry written by Kerry Hasenbalg. Kerry's husband, Scott, is the Executive Director of Shaohannah's Hope, the organization started by the Chapmans to help others with the financial hardships of the adoption process. The Hasenbalgs and the Chapmans are very close friends.

Kerry gave birth to a stillborn baby girl in January of this year so she is intimately acquainted with the grieving process and has spent a lot of time with the Chapmans in these early days of their own grief.

I hope you will take a minute or two to read what she wrote about being softened by suffering. You can find her blog entry here. It touched my heart and has really made me look at people differently when I am out and about these days. There is so much suffering in our world and we never know what's going on behind the masks that others wear to cover their own hurt and sorrow.

I share this with you in the hope that we will all show each other a little more compassion. When your smile is not returned by someone you encounter, instead of being offended, pray for them. It's easy to get our feathers ruffled but if we really knew what was going on in the lives of others I think we would be a much kinder people. At least, I hope so.

Please continue to pray for the Chapman family. The services are over and most people have gone back to their normal lives. The Chapmans' lives have been forever changed and their grief will be fresh for some time to come.