Tell Me A Story: HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2014: MY CUP RUNNETH OVER

Marcia Norwood
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2014

My Cup Runneth Over

Thou preparest a table before me

in the presence of mine enemies:

Thou has anointed my head with oil;

My cup runneth over.

Psalm 23:5

The Holy Bible

American Standard Version

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://biblehub.com/psalms/23-5.htm

Sometimes I'm speechless --

not often -- but sometimes

God gives me a "Holy Hush"

so I will listen to Him.

This week He's speaking to my heart

in waves of memories

of the past ten years with my chosen children,

my daughters from China.

It's playing in my mind like a movie.

First my daughters were pictures I held in my hand.

I was 50 years old,

a grandmother, and a mother of two adult,

homemade (biological) kids:

Kristin (born in 1972),and Benjamin (born in 1976),

AND pregnant with (adoption) paperwork

for nine months with each girl.

Sarah Zheng-Kang and Faith Fu Ju

walked into my life at hotels in China:

Sarah in 1999, and Faith in 2002.

God gave me the amazing opportunity

to teach them how to speak, read and write English,

and more importantly how to love and be loved,

and how to be a part of a family.

CLICK on each image to ENLARGE.

May 17, 2014,

Sarah Zheng-Kang and Faith Fu Ju

will walk across a stage, and hand me a rose.

I will hand them their high school diploma.

They taught me just as much as I taught them.

We needed each other.

FEARLESS FAITH. Faith pets the crocodile! All the children (boys and girls) from the orphanage are dressed alike.

There are so many people out there who will tell you that you can't.

What you've got to do is turn around and say, "Watch me."

http://fhe-mo.org/

Faith and Sarah are no longer orphans. They are beautiful young women of faith.

"You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people, and members of God's household."

Ephesians 2:19

The Holy Bible

We needed each other.

"God sets the lonely in families, He brings out those which are bound with chains..."

Psalm 68:6

The Holy Bible

God taught us how to widen our embrace to love each other.

My cup runneth over.

Faith's GOLD Honor Sash and GOLD Cord for Academic Honor Roll All Semesters in High School; Red/White/Blue Cord for USA Swim Team; Gold/Blue Cord for Kansas City Blazers Swim Team; Red Cord for American RED CROSS. Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Sarahs GOLD Honor Sash and GOLD Cord for Academic Honor Roll All Semesters in High School; Blue Cord for Business Award; Light Blue Cord for Christian Character (Generosity).
Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Are we there yet?

Graduation Rehearsal

Preview of Slideshow:

Each FHE graduate

(Families for Home Education)

is featured in three photos.

http://fhe-mo.org/

Faith was chosen

to be one of two student speakers at graduation.

God gave Faith a vision when she was a little girl that she would speak at her high school graduation. She began preparing the speech when she was eight years old, and added to it as she grew.

Here's a preview:

"Good afternoon, fellow graduates and honored guests. God is great...but sometimes life ain't good. When I pray...it doesn't always turn out like I think it should."

These are the words to Martina McBride's song, "Anyway."

I know it's poor grammar to say, "ain't" - but I agree with Martina. Sometimes...life ain't good!

I'm Faith.

I was born in China. I lived at an orphanage for the first eight years of my life. I had no parents, nothing of my own. Children at the orphanage shared clothes: whatever was available. There was never enough food.

I was abandoned, abused, and neglected. I was taken to the top of a mountain in Northern China, and dedicated to Buddha.

I was eight years old when I was adopted, by my American parents, and came to the United States.

I didn't speak English.

I didn't know anything about the American culture or food.

I didn't know what a family was.

I didn't know any God but Buddha.

I learned about Jesus from my American parents, and at Sunday School. I asked Jesus into my heart, and accepted Him as my Savior.

I was prepared to be killed for my belief in Jesus, because I knew some people in China, who were killed for their faith.

Mom homeschooled my sister, Sarah, my niece, Megan, and me. It only took me three months to learn to speak English. It took me longer to learn to read and write English.

I'm grateful we have freedom in Missouri, to homeschool. Homeschool gave me time to learn about love, and how to be a part of a family. I had time to recover from multiple surgeries, and time to pursue my passion for competitive swimming.

I was also able to take college courses like Quantum Physics, Advanced Calculus, and Psychology.

I am no longer an orphan. I refuse to let my past define who I am, or who I will become.

I have big dreams to be an Olympian, and a cardiologist.

I want to inspire people.

I want someone to look at me and say, "Because of you I didn't give up."

Remember Martina's song?

"God is great...but sometimes life ain't good."

Here's more of Martina's song:

"You can chase a dream
that seems so out of reach...
and you know
it might not every come your way...
DREAM it anyway."

God promises:

"I will pour out my Spirit
on every kind of people:
Your sons will prophesy,
and also your daughters.
Your old men will dream,
your young men will see visions.
I'll even pour out my Spirit on the servants,
men and women both."

Joel 2:28-29
The Message Bible

Chase your dreams.

Do it - anyway!

Martina McBride: "Anyway"

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QZjTBW-raGw

Faith Fu Ju Norwood

"FU" means blessing or great reward after much hard work.

"Faith" is the substance of things hoped for,
the evidence of things unseen. Hebrews 11:1

"Someday - they will make a movie about your life,"

my granddaughter, (Faith's niece) Megan said.

My cup runneth over.

Daughters Faith & Sarah, Grandsons Caleb and Joshua; Granddaughters Megan Jewell and Emily Grace

Happy Mother's Day!

Marcia Norwood
Mom to Sarah, Faith, Kristin and Benjamin
Grandmother to Joshua, Megan, Emily and Caleb

America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

Beautiful SONG for Mothers on Mother's Day!

A Mother's Prayer

CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re5EIUIXbhc

Tell Me A Story

TELL ME A STORY

Saturday, May 10, 2014

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY 2014: MY CUP RUNNETH OVER

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AMERICA'S STORYTELLER, Marcia Norwood