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 |
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 |
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."
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
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
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.
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
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 |
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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