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Saturday, May 10, 2014

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
 
 
Sarah ZK and Faith Fu Ju, China 2002.  Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood    


 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


Sarah Aheng-Kang.  Copyright 1999  Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2000 Marcia Norwood

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. 

MEAL AT THE ORPHANAGE:  Changsha, Hunan Province, China, Orphanage.  Sarah ZK is second from the right, holding up a spoon.  Copyright 1999  Marcia Norwood




Sarah ZK.  American Citizenship Celebration.  Copyright 2004 Marcia Norwood

 
American Citizenship Celebration.  Copyright 2004 Marcia Norwood



Sarah ZK.  American Citizenship Celebration.  Copyright 2004 Marcia Norwood

 
Baby Fu Ju.  Copyright 1994 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood

Faith eats a meal at the orphanage in Benxi, Liaoning Province, China. Copyright 2002Marcia Norwood

Faith at the orphanage in Benxi, Liaoning Province, China. Copyright 2002Marcia Norwood

Sarah & Faith, in Guangzhou, China. Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood

Faith's photos from the orphanage in China. Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood

Faith in Mattel's playroom at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, China. Copyright 2002Marcia Norwood

Faith's photos from the orphanage in China. Copyright 2002Marcia Norwood

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.
 
 
First Meeting:  Marcia & Sarah Zheng-Kang.  China 1999.  Copyright 1999 Marcia Norwood

American Consulate in Guangzhou, China 1999.  Copyright 1999 Marcia Norwood
 
 Mother & Daughter:  Sarah ZK & Marcia.  Copyright 2000 Marcia Norwood

God made them sisters through the miracle of adoption!  Faith and Sarah.  Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood

God made them sisters through the miracle of adoption!  Faith and Sarah:  White Swan Hotel, Guangzhou, China. Copyright 1999Marcia Norwood

Both photos taken in 1999, (Faith on left and Sarah on right) before we adopted Faith  --  yet they are dressed alike!  Copyright 1999 Marcia Norwood

God made them sisters through the miracle of adoption!  Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood

Faith's 11th Birthday!  Sarah and Faith (in pink) and friend, Mariah (white shirt and blue pants) will graduate together through FHE on May 17, 2014.   Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood


Faith (in pink) and Sarah (in blue) carry their Bibles to Sunday School and church.  Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood

God made them sisters through the miracle of adoption!  Copyright 2004 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
Sarah Zheng-Kang Norwood.  Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood
 
SISTERS!  Sarah (left) and Faith (right) Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

SISTERS!  Sarah (left) and Faith (right) Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
Faith holds Minnie Mouse - in the Mattel Playroom at the White Swan Hotel in Guangzhou, China.  Copyright 2002 Marcia Norwood
 
I created sterling silver necklaces with an antique rhinestone buttons as graduation gifts for  Sarah (left) and Faith (right). Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

I created sterling silver necklaces with an antique rhinestone buttons as graduation gifts for  Sarah (left) and Faith (right). Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 
Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 
Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Faith Fu Ju Norwood.  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood


Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

I took the girls to Bass Pro Shop for our Graduation Photo Shoot!  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 

Faith Fu Ju Norwood.  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 

Sarah Zheng-Kang Norwood.  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

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

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 

Oh!  Yes, she did.  Faith jumped on - wearing her beautiful gown.  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

GLAMPING!  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Are we there yet?

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Graduation Rehearsal
Preview of Slideshow:  
Each FHE graduate
(Families for Home Education) 
is featured in three photos.

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
http://fhe-mo.org/

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood



Faith was chosen 

to be one of two student speakers at graduation.

Faith is 5 foot 2 inches tall!  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 
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

Faith Fu Ju Norwood was awarded an academic scholarship to the University of Nebraska to study pre-med.   Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood
 

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood


"Someday - they will make a movie about your life,"
my granddaughter, (Faith's niece) Megan said.

Faith and Megan.  Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood



 My cup runneth over.


HOMEMADE KIDS:  Daughter, Kristin and Son, Benjamin.  1976.  Copyright 1976 Marcia Norwood

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:

 

Copyright 2014 Marcia Norwood

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