Tell Me A Story: Missouri

Showing posts with label Missouri. Show all posts

Monday, December 19, 2016

THE CHRISTMAS STORY

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

Link: http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2016/12/the-christmas-story.html

THE CHRISTMAS STORY

Copyright 2011 Marcia Norwood

CLICK on each image to ENLARGE.

Did you memorize The Christmas story from the Holy Bible as a child? My classmates and I memorized most of the second chapter of the book of Luke, in Mrs. Ballew's 3rd grade class at Franklin Elementary in Liberty, Missouri, in 1958.

1955: First Day of School at Franklin Elementary: Friend Joy, Marcia, Cousin Tandra. Copyright 1955 Marcia Norwood. (Liberty Public Schools integrated in 1959. I'm the dark skinned girl in the middle...thanks to my suntan and my American Indian heritage.)

What a treasure to have this scripture hidden in my heart all these years.

I can still recite most of the Christmas story...although there are times I can't remember where I put my keys, or even my children's names. In a rush - I'm known to go through the list of all their names, and have on occasion even called my children one of the dog's names.

"Kristin, Dave, Ben, Sarah, Faith, Sheba, Cotton Candi, Rascal, Izzy Belle, Pearl Ming Zhu, Daisy Duke, Tilly, Joshua, Megan, Emily, Caleb - whatever your name is - it's time for the Christmas story!"

Our Puppy Pack, Rescued and Adopted: Daisy, Izzy Belle, Pearl Ming-Zhu and Tilly

Christmas Eve we gather on the floor (before we open our gifts) to read the cards we have received throughout the season, and then we read the Christmas story from the Bible in the book of Luke, Chapter 2.

"And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed..."

Often in the hustle and bustle of the holidays, I forget the Christmas story is about real people who paid taxes just like you and me, in a real place, the city of Bethlehem.

I stood on the rolling hills of Bethlehem in 1997, and actually saw shepherds abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks. Bethlehem is just a few miles outside Jerusalem, Israel.

Bethlehem looks much the same now - as it did over 2,000 years ago when Jesus was born.

Bethlehem means "City of Bread."

Jesus is called "The Bread of Life."

The Bread of Life was born in the City of Bread!

The leader of our tour group, Dr. Bob Collins, asked me to lead a devotional at The Shepherd's Field, Terra Santa, in Bethlehem. I began to recite Luke 2, the chapter of the Bible that I learned in Mrs. Ballew's 3rd grade class nearly 40 years before.

Others had memorized it, too.

Imagine! God could have announced Jesus' birth to the richest, most prominent people in their mansions, or to political leaders in palaces. Instead God chose to send the angel of the Lord to the lowly shepherds, common men, going about their ordinary tasks with sheep on a hillside.

Sheep are cute, but they can be stinky and stubborn.

The Good Shepherd continues to interrupt ordinary lives and brings His light and love to stubborn, stinky sheep like you and me.

We all have a reason to celebrate this Christmas.

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often, and invite a friend!

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

My girls are holding letters that I help them create

using scrapbook paper, Mod Podge, and miniature decorations.

LINK: https://www.plaidonline.com/mod-podge/brand/home.htm

My 2016 Christmas Card (Front and Back)

My 2016 Christmas Card

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

GIVE THANKS UNTO GOD

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

Link: http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2016/11/give-thanks-unto-god.html

GIVE THANKS UNTO GOD

While organizing and sorting through boxes in my home, I discovered a treasure: a box filled with nursery class stories and photos on Sunday School handouts from 1938 through 1942!

The images were copyrighted by Providence Lithograph Co. and printed by the Southern Baptist Convention as a part of their NURSERY CLASS STORIES.

My mother-in-law, Marie Norwood, must have treasured the cards almost 80 years ago, because she saved the cards her five boys brought home from Beaumont Baptist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, and she wrote the boy's names and dates on most of the cards.

Marie and her husband, Doyle and four of their five boys are now in heaven.

CLICK on image to enlarge. Doyle and Marie Norwood and their five boys: Jim, Fred, David, Michael, and Ed (1949).

As families gather to celebrate Thanksgiving 2016, I pray we remember to bow our heads, and give thanks to GOD.

We have this rare opportunity to look back in time through my brother-in-law, David Paul Norwood's church nursery card handouts from November 1942, and see how children were encouraged to give thanks to GOD 74 years ago.

Click on each image to enlarge.

CLICK on image to enlarge. November 22, 1942

GIVE THANKS TO GOD

The back of each card has a song, a story, or a note to parents.

CLICK on image to enlarge.
November 22, 1942

Song: In the Morning

In the morning I open my eyes;

I stretch myself and then I rise.

I go to breakfast

and bow my head,

and thank dear GOD for milk and bread.

CLICK on image to enlarge.
November 15, 1942

GIVE THANKS TO GOD

CLICK on image to enlarge.
November 15, 1942

CLICK on image to enlarge.
November 8, 1942

HE CARETH FOR YOU

CLICK on image to enlarge.
November 8, 1942

CLICK on image to enlarge.
November 1942

HE CARETH FOR YOU

CLICK on image to enlarge. November 1942

GOD CARES FOR YOU.

GIVE THANKS TO GOD.

A Thanksgiving Prayer

Help me, LORD,

To honor you

by the way I use the blessings

for which I give thanks.

Thanks for stopping by!

Come back often and invite a friend!

Mary Marcia

America's STORYTELLER

Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking

CLICK on image to enlarge.

Saturday, October 15, 2016

NATURE WALK

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

Link to NATURE WALK:
http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2016/10/nature-walk.html

Pack your water bottle, camera, binoculars, cell phone, pencil and little notebook...and come along with me on a Nature Walk.

Take note of our starting spot, so we don't forget where we parked.

HOW TO NATURE WALK

CLICK on the link, or

COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://www.ehow.com/how_4460547_nature-walk.html

Oops.

I forgot to bring a bag to collect things like acorns, leaves and pebbles.

Help me remember that next time.

If we see something (bird, tree or plant) that we don't recognize, we'll research it when we get home.

Maybe we'll see something we've never noticed before.

W a l k s l o w .

L o o k a r o u n d .

What is that?

Pelican? Crane?

It could be either one.

Both are found in Missouri!

Birds: Missouri Department of Conservation

CLICK on the link, or

COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:

http://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/types/birds

Are those ducks or geese?

What did you do with the binoculars?

Watch out.

Don't step in the goose poop.

Look up.

Know
what kind
of tree
that is?

Examine
the leaves.

I think it's a Sugar Maple.

What do you think?

Want to drive over to Lake Vista Trail in Blue Springs?

What did you do with the keys?

Oh, yeah.

           I've got them in my pocket.

                          Thanks.