The Japanese cherish the cherry tree for one simple fact; its blossoms last for very brief moments each year. It is the brevity of the blossom that is celebrated. Some years the blossoms only last an hour or two because of wind or rain or because they are too fragile. Yet often the glorious blossoms will last for up to six days. Families gather together under the cherry trees to bask in the delicate beauty. The blossoms, like all of life, will not last. Their time is brief. The beauty, grace, and the joy they bring will soon be a cherished memory; one to celebrate with each passing year. Selah Noelle Chupp December 12, 2007 – April 25, 2008
Selah For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62: 5-8
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us; Selah that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations.” ~Psalm 67:1-3
Thoughts from Selah's Memorial Service... To Our Sweet Little Selah, Before we even knew you, we knew your name. My friend Anne-Marie suggested it and when I read Psalm 67 later that week, I knew in my heart it was perfect for you. Daddy liked it very much and so we printed out those verses and put them in your picture frame on the wall, right next to the photos of Laura, Colson & Cavan. Every day we would pray for you and wonder who you would be and what you would look like. When we first heard that your birthmom chose our family to love you and raise you, my heart filled with love for her. With God’s nudging, she specifically picked us for you and you for us. We waited anxiously to hear about your birth and her social worker called from the hospital because she wanted us to choose your name. I told them we wanted to name you “Selah” which means “to pause and value”. And I could feel God’s face shining on us, graciously blessing us, just as the Psalm said. During the 10 day waiting period before we could fly and pick you up…I felt like I never drew a complete breath. Over and over I told God in my heart…”I need to trust you Father. Help me to trust you. If Selah is meant to be our baby, please confirm this adoption” and at 9pm on Christmas Eve, 12am Georgia time, Daddy and I rejoiced together because God gave you to us. We flew to Georgia on Christmas night to pick you up and I will never forget the first time I held you. I saw your sweet black curls, creamy brown skin, perfect full lips. I cradled you in my arms for the first time and God put an unquestionable love for you in my heart. From that moment forward, you were simply our fourth child….our fourth blessing…fully loved…fully wanted…so purposely chosen and sought out. It was so fun to watch you with your brothers and sister. I saw a tenderness in Colson and Cavan that I’d never seen before and Laura wanted to be with you every moment she could. I can’t count the times that they would run and tell me, “Mom!!! Mom!!! Selah said “Oooh” or “Mom! Selah smiled at me!” God gave you such a sweet spirit Little Selah and I will always thank Him for that. We all wanted to be with you…to hold you…to make you smile…to watch you relax in the warms baths that you loved so much. We loved the way you smelled and your ringlets when your hair was wet. I can still see the little pink bow we put in your hair. I will always remember our family dinners, with you as the centerpiece…lying on a placemat in the center of the table so we all could talk to you and the squeals and happy grins that added so much joy to our family. I long for our Saturday mornings with the whole family together drinking coffee on our bed, you snuggled in the middle of the big kids. You made me absolutely love having four children. I said that to Daddy last week on the way home from the hospital. I loved having four children. I loved seeing your seat filled in our car. I loved holding you while I read to the other kids. I loved pushing the stroller while they rode bikes ahead of me. Nothing about you felt like work or trouble. I mean that honestly. I loved every minute and over and over Daddy and I talked about how adopting you was clearly one of the best choices we ever made. Our friends and family loved you. They welcomed you with open arms and hearts. You quickly became just another Chupp kiddo. Every once in a while, when we were out and around strangers, it would dawn on me that it must look different to see this white mommy with a beautiful black baby. But so quickly, in our eyes and theirs, there was no distinction. I forgot about the visual differences because my love for you was so deep and so real. Because of your life, Daddy and I have experienced love from others in a whole new way. We saw those around us pray while we waited for you, rejoice when you arrived…and they have truly wept with us during these past two weeks. They have been the physical presence of God’s love. Your life caused this, Baby Girl. I want you to know how much your life mattered. At the hospital I thought over and over: This is not just a tragic accident. This is not just some random mistake. You were meant for us. You were sent to us. And we were chosen for you. We have no regrets and even welcome the sadness because it shows us the depth of our love for you. We want you to know that you truly were a blessed pause in our lives. You caused our faith in God to deepen and you are evidence of His love for us. At the hospital Daddy and I said to each other: “This must mean that we are going to need God in a deeper way, that we are going to somehow know His love in a deeper way through this.” I pleaded with Him to make that true…and He has. Your short life brought that about, Selah. You were a good gift from Him and even now, knowing how much this hurts, we would do it all over again because the time we had with you was so precious. My sweet baby girl…you showed me that opening my heart to love is worth the risk of possible pain. An hour before you died, when by God’s grace and our lawyer’s intervention, we received your finalized adoption papers, you officially became Selah Noelle Chupp…but you were our baby long before that. And I know where you are Selah. I have confidence that you are in Heaven with Jesus, that you are no longer suffering, and that someday we will be with you again. Right now my arms ache with an emptiness that comes from missing you. But I firmly believe that God is holding you right now in the same arms that are carrying us through this pain. We will always love you Selah. Love, Mama
The Japanese cherish the cherry tree for one simple fact; its blossoms last for very brief moments each year. It is the brevity of the blossom that is celebrated. Some years the blossoms only last an hour or two because of wind or rain or because they are too fragile. Yet often the glorious blossoms will last for up to six days. Families gather together under the cherry trees to bask in the delicate beauty. The blossoms, like all of life, will not last. Their time is brief. The beauty, grace, and the joy they bring will soon be a cherished memory; one to celebrate with each passing year. Selah Noelle Chupp December 12, 2007 – April 25, 2008 
Selah For God alone, O my soul, wait in silence, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be shaken. On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; Pour out your heart before Him. God is a refuge for us. Selah Psalm 62: 5-8 
“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us; Selah that Your way may be known on earth, Your saving power among all nations.” ~Psalm 67:1-3 
Thoughts from Selah's Memorial Service... To Our Sweet Little Selah, Before we even knew you, we knew your name. My friend Anne-Marie suggested it and when I read Psalm 67 later that week, I knew in my heart it was perfect for you. Daddy liked it very much and so we printed out those verses and put them in your picture frame on the wall, right next to the photos of Laura, Colson & Cavan. Every day we would pray for you and wonder who you would be and what you would look like. When we first heard that your birthmom chose our family to love you and raise you, my heart filled with love for her. With God’s nudging, she specifically picked us for you and you for us. We waited anxiously to hear about your birth and her social worker called from the hospital because she wanted us to choose your name. I told them we wanted to name you “Selah” which means “to pause and value”. And I could feel God’s face shining on us, graciously blessing us, just as the Psalm said. During the 10 day waiting period before we could fly and pick you up…I felt like I never drew a complete breath. Over and over I told God in my heart…”I need to trust you Father. Help me to trust you. If Selah is meant to be our baby, please confirm this adoption” and at 9pm on Christmas Eve, 12am Georgia time, Daddy and I rejoiced together because God gave you to us. We flew to Georgia on Christmas night to pick you up and I will never forget the first time I held you. I saw your sweet black curls, creamy brown skin, perfect full lips. I cradled you in my arms for the first time and God put an unquestionable love for you in my heart. From that moment forward, you were simply our fourth child….our fourth blessing…fully loved…fully wanted…so purposely chosen and sought out. It was so fun to watch you with your brothers and sister. I saw a tenderness in Colson and Cavan that I’d never seen before and Laura wanted to be with you every moment she could. I can’t count the times that they would run and tell me, “Mom!!! Mom!!! Selah said “Oooh” or “Mom! Selah smiled at me!” God gave you such a sweet spirit Little Selah and I will always thank Him for that. We all wanted to be with you…to hold you…to make you smile…to watch you relax in the warms baths that you loved so much. We loved the way you smelled and your ringlets when your hair was wet. I can still see the little pink bow we put in your hair. I will always remember our family dinners, with you as the centerpiece…lying on a placemat in the center of the table so we all could talk to you and the squeals and happy grins that added so much joy to our family. I long for our Saturday mornings with the whole family together drinking coffee on our bed, you snuggled in the middle of the big kids. You made me absolutely love having four children. I said that to Daddy last week on the way home from the hospital. I loved having four children. I loved seeing your seat filled in our car. I loved holding you while I read to the other kids. I loved pushing the stroller while they rode bikes ahead of me. Nothing about you felt like work or trouble. I mean that honestly. I loved every minute and over and over Daddy and I talked about how adopting you was clearly one of the best choices we ever made. Our friends and family loved you. They welcomed you with open arms and hearts. You quickly became just another Chupp kiddo. Every once in a while, when we were out and around strangers, it would dawn on me that it must look different to see this white mommy with a beautiful black baby. But so quickly, in our eyes and theirs, there was no distinction. I forgot about the visual differences because my love for you was so deep and so real. Because of your life, Daddy and I have experienced love from others in a whole new way. We saw those around us pray while we waited for you, rejoice when you arrived…and they have truly wept with us during these past two weeks. They have been the physical presence of God’s love. Your life caused this, Baby Girl. I want you to know how much your life mattered. At the hospital I thought over and over: This is not just a tragic accident. This is not just some random mistake. You were meant for us. You were sent to us. And we were chosen for you. We have no regrets and even welcome the sadness because it shows us the depth of our love for you. We want you to know that you truly were a blessed pause in our lives. You caused our faith in God to deepen and you are evidence of His love for us. At the hospital Daddy and I said to each other: “This must mean that we are going to need God in a deeper way, that we are going to somehow know His love in a deeper way through this.” I pleaded with Him to make that true…and He has. Your short life brought that about, Selah. You were a good gift from Him and even now, knowing how much this hurts, we would do it all over again because the time we had with you was so precious. My sweet baby girl…you showed me that opening my heart to love is worth the risk of possible pain. An hour before you died, when by God’s grace and our lawyer’s intervention, we received your finalized adoption papers, you officially became Selah Noelle Chupp…but you were our baby long before that. And I know where you are Selah. I have confidence that you are in Heaven with Jesus, that you are no longer suffering, and that someday we will be with you again. Right now my arms ache with an emptiness that comes from missing you. But I firmly believe that God is holding you right now in the same arms that are carrying us through this pain. We will always love you Selah. Love, Mama
