The Chapman Life

What's Happening at 1,000 Miles for Albania. com

The green green blue was my personal blog before this year.  I have chosen to use only my 1,000 Miles for Albania blog at this time.  You can see what is happening with this ministry by going to

www.1000milesforalbania.com

 

How You Can Sponsor Me Link

1,000 Miles for Albania- the details

During the last several months, God has placed something new in my heart.  He has given me a passion and a vision to see lives changed and rescued in the country of Albania.  
 
Last year, I discovered that I really enjoy running. It started as an escape, but became such an extended part of my Spiritual life.  It became a place for me to have time alone with God, for dreams to be birthed, and doors of opportunity began to open.  
 
One of those dreams is what I want to share with you.  Coming out of our first sermon series this year was the idea and pursuit of Audacious Faith. I had been in a boot due to a stress fracture and it was one of those times of trial and deep conversation with God. I feel so strongly out of those moments that He has called me to be audacious in my faith by joining my passion for running with His passion for the lost in Albania.
 
I wish that I had time to explain in detail the journey that God has brought me through to give me this vision and dream and maybe someday we will be able to sit in person to do that, but what I am writing to ask you for is your help
 
I want to run 1,000 miles from March through December of 2011.  I am asking for you to consider sponsoring me monthly throughout this journey.  I will be running 25 miles each week/100 each month to finish the year with 1,000 miles total.  All of the money raised this year will go directly to Pastor Hervin and Sedika Fushekati and allow them to advance the Gospel with the work that they are already doing in Albania.
 
Please click here to let me know if you would like to become one of my sponsors this year and I will email you all of the information.
 
Thank you so much.  I look forward to sharing this journey with you throughout the year.
 
Mande Chapman

1,000 Miles For Albania

Excited about Albania in 2011. There is something happening full of audacious faith for Albania this year. Details coming soon- you can be a part of it- and it has the potential to advance the Gospel of Christ in Albania in an incredible way! 

seeing the everyday while waiting...

This was something I had written for one of our Ethos ladies events last year.  It was just something I found again today and thought I would post.  It's a good reminder no matter what we are waiting for.

When I think about the moments unplanned and out of my control, I will not focus on the when, what, and where.  I will breathe a fresh breath that God gives every moment to sustain my physical body and thank Him for His faithfulness and His peace as I await the future He has planned for me.  I will live my life Seeing The Everyday.

Let Your Joy Be Contagious

Chloe has been a bit sick this week and to be honest it just reminds me of the several weeks of sickness our family had before the holidays this past year.  I find myself becoming very afraid that the rest of our family will catch what she has and pass the germs around once again.

She was pitiful this morning and just needing to be held and taken care of.  Shannon took the boys to Upward and I stayed home to be with Chloe.  She was restless and need a good nap and really just wanted to be in her room.  I took her upstairs and while I was rocking her, I began praying for her.  Of course I had already been doing this but for some reason it was different today.  It was like my heart couldn't pour out to God fast enough.  I found myself rocking her and weeping as I prayed and sang in the Spirit.  I began revealing to God all my fears and frustrations with our past sickness, my broken foot, Chloe's stomach bug, school and work schedules, and so many other things that are weighing our family down.

I cried out to Him how this survival mode is not the life I desire to live for Him.  Our family, much like many other Christ followers, has found itself in times of survival and we long to be full of life.

I want to raise world changers in my four children, but how can this happen if we are not being world changers daily as their parents.  I remember how I am begging God to not allow this sickness to spread to the rest of our family and yet I don't remember ever begging Him to allow the joy or the courage or the faith of my children to become contagious and spread to one another.

This is what a life in God is all about.  Yes, there will be hard times, times of struggle and pain, times of fear and concern, but they are not the times that should stand out to a family that has Christ at the center.  It should be our times of hope, our times of peace, our times of faith and joy that should be the highlighted discoveries of our journey on this earth.

I pray that our family would become just that-- that we would be people that do change the world daily with our joy, our faith, and our hope.  I don't want to spread sickness among the people that God brings our way.  I want to spread healing that can only come from a true God and a life lived through His plans and purpose.

Broken

I have to admit this has been harder for me to accept than I thought it would be.  Finding out I basically have a broken bone in my foot and I'm stuck in this boot for 6 weeks was ok at first when we were at the doctor, but now it's had some time to sink in and show the reality of what things will be like until February 28.  I admit I've been kinda grumpy about the whole deal.  I am trying to allow God to use this 6 weeks (as I should be for every day) for whatever His plans are and not my plans.  It's a process- boot or no boot for all of us. 

One thing that I keep thinking about is something the doctor said to me yesterday.  I was basically asking every sport and exercise I could think of to see what he would allow for me and what he wouldn't.  I got a yes on stationary biking and swimming but a no on everything else and then he stopped me in my tracks with one of his answers.

He said, "It's probably a no if it's something you can be proud of".  Wow, what a humbling statement for me to think about.  I have been able to accomplish so many of my goals this last year with running and even though I never have thought I am great or have figured it out- I have been proud of myself a lot this last year.  I still believe in celebrating accomplishments but really my life has become all about running lately.  When I talk with people I see it's usually running related and when my kids see anything with running they say something like, "that's what you do, mom".  

I have really found something I love, but I don't want a hobby to become who I am either.  Whether it's running or anything else in my life- I always want the glory to go to God.  I want Him to use me in whatever way He chooses.  It's just a good reminder for me right now that "It's probably a no if it's something I can be proud of".  We can always celebrate the good things and the accomplishments in life but when it becomes more about us than about God- we might need a boot to help stabilize the injury and take a few weeks to refocus and heal so we can be more effective when we're ready.

 

10-10-10

Today is a huge day for me. It's my half marathon but more importantly my Granny's 85th birthday! My entire life is about heritage that is from my faith, that has been passed down to me, and what I will pass down to my own children. This race is for my Granny. She is so much of the strong woman that I've become. I know you will never read this Granny but thank you for your strength, love, and grace you freely give to all around you.

Motivation

Something inside me just clicked.   I don't know how else to explain it.  I saw a show on tv one night, started thinking about running a half marathon, asked for some workout clothes for Christmas, and put one foot in front of the other to start the journey I'm on.  Very little of my motivation is from other people, the encouragement is wonderful and the pats on the back are too, but the hard, cold, fact of achieving this is it is really up to me to make it happen this year.  It's difficult to go down to the basement and get on an elliptical after putting four kids to bed and completing whatever has to be finished at the house each time.  Once I get down there, I'm in it and I love it, but the actual changing into workout clothes, strapping on my tennis shoes, and filling up the water bottle is really tough at 10:00 each night.

So, what do I do to keep my motivation?  I have several crazy things that keep me going.  I listen to country music while I run.  It reminds me that I want to do the half marathon in Nashville and helps me keep my eyes on the prize so to speak.  I have the gift tag that Shannon wrote on with the workout clothes he got me for Christmas.  I have the Olympic metal the boys and I made for our family during the games. I have the count down and number I wore from my first race.  And my favorite right now, I have started a bit of a graffiti wall on the concrete block walls in the basement (with sidewalk chalk).  I put sayings that help me focus and inspirational quotes.  I write the dates of my races and milestone accomplishments like what date I completed my first 100 miles.  I had the boys write and draw a little something for me to see as well.

The main thing I wanted was to keep inspiration in front of me.  I want to be able to look at that wall and have it speak to me to give me what I need at that time to push through and accomplish my goal.  It's taken and will take even more discipline for me to reach it for the fall, but I really want it.  I want it for me, I want to inspire others and give back, but most of all, I want it to be something that my family sees and remembers when they face something tough and remember my accomplishment and know that if mom can do it- they can too.  I hope it gives them the motivation they need to dream big dreams and reach for the stars!  I can't wait to see what they accomplish and celebrate with them just like they are doing with me each day!

The Race

Today was the big day!  I have only been training for about 5 or 6 weeks now, but decided to give the Scenic City 5K a go and registered with a friend about a month ago.  It was very exciting!  Seeing all of the runners and seeing the very serious ones there as well that you knew had done this sort of thing many times before was inspiring to say the least.  A few funny moments with a guy with a British accent warning me that a porter potty didn't lock, seeing guys ready to run the half in nothing but tanks and tiny shorts no one should be wearing unless they were friends with Richard Simmons years ago, and seeing a guy with a stride almost as tall as me and 4 times as long run right by me. 

Today was a day I had planned for, trained for, and anticipated for weeks now, but the lessons that God has taught me today were something I never knew was part of my first 5K.

On the way to the race this morning, I was surrounded by His presence and a renewed knowledge of the good things in my life.  I had two beautiful phone calls, several text messages, poster from my family, and three friends- all showing me how much they support my goals and care about the little things that I dream to do.

We all run a race.  We all dare to journey.  We all have started with small goals and achievements. We all dream to finish strong.  

Life is so difficult sometimes, stressful, harsh, but sometimes we are so consumed with conquering the next hill, we forget the path that has already been laid for us.  The age old hymn, Amazing Grace, played on the radio on my way in this morning.  I've heard that song my whole life and yet today it really took on such a new fresh meaning for my journey.  

So much has been paid for our journey.  So much was given for us to run this race of life.  We have two ways to view every day, we can see it as a "rat race" every moment spent trying to cross another hurdle, trying to beat out what is around us or we can see it as our journey.  Each step preparing us for the next, each lesson learned avoiding the same hurts in the future, each start and finish spurring us to rise to run the next day's race.

If we can see things the way our Father sees them, our view would probably be much deeper and satisfying.  

I think the MSG says it best in 2 Corinthians 4:18, So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever.

The race today was incredible.  I think it is something I will do many more of and really enjoy this new found piece of my life.  The lessons God showed me through my race today are ones that I treasure and I think will be highlights of His voice for me in 2010.  

"What Can I Have To Eat?"

I'm not sure if it's the same for you, but the question of the day is usually: "What Can I Have To Eat?"  My kids are constantly hungry and want snacks to eat from one moment to the next.  I can be cleaning up from one meal and someone walks in the kitchen saying they're hungry and wanting to know what their next meal or snack can be.  Sometimes they are bored and sometimes they are growing and really want to eat all the time.

I thought it would be fun to post some recipes each week and hear from all of you what tricks of food you may have up your sleeve to keep the little ones (and the hubby) tummies full and satisfied.

First off, I try really hard to keep the snacks to a limited amount- due to money and then of course to health as well.  I limit their snacks to three a day in addition to the mealtime sides/snacks and then they are welcome to have as many fruit and veggie snacks as long as we have them in the house.

Yogurt is big for my kids, they love it- I try to buy the low sugar, still kid friendly kind but again with money- that one adds up pretty fast.

One thing my kids love to have are little pizzas.  I use English muffins and top with a chunky salsa and shredded cheese.  They love it and are eating tomatoes, peppers, and onions too!

Here's my recipe for today, you can comment below to share some of yours:

Apple Pecan Bread 

1c. oil

3 eggs

2c. sugar

1t. vanilla

4c. apples, diced

3c. flour

2t. cinnamon

1t. nutmeg

1t. baking soda

1t. salt

1c. pecans, chopped 

Combine:  oil, eggs, sugar, and vanilla

Sift:  flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, baking soda

Add:  dry mixture to oil mixture, gradually

Mix together and add apples and pecans until combined.

Bake at 350 degrees for 70 min.  Cool completely before cutting.  Makes 2 large loaves.