Mary Marcia
America's STORYTELLER
Telling Untold Stories in Photographs, Prose and Public Speaking
W I T T Y
I'm
a girl with 65 years experience - who loves stories and happy endings.
I've been digging in the dirt, and telling stories since I was a little
girl.
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| Sister Gloria and Marcia. Copyright 1954 Marcia Norwood |
I was voted "Wittiest" by my LHS Senior classmates in the spring of 1967.
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| Witty? I may have been the silliest! 1967 Liberty High School Cheerleaders: Ann, Sally, Joan,Judy, and Marcia. |
Often people say, "You are so creative. Where do you get all your ideas?"
God made me this way. My mother and grandmother were both creative, out-of-the-box thinkers.
My
mother, Natalie Bush, brought hands-on activities to our Sunday School
class at the Liberty Methodist Church, when she was our teacher in the
1950's...long before the term "hands-on" was ever used.
Mom painted Flintstone characters on our family's go-cart helmets in the 60's, and on murals in our bedroom. (Yes! I raced go-carts as a teenager. So did my dad.) We watched The Flintstones as a family every Friday night.
"Yabba-dabba-doo!"
The Flintstones became the first cartoon
made for grown-ups
when it premiered in prime-time
on September 30, 1960 on ABC.
The Flintstones, Season 1 - Episode 1
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
https://search.yahoo.com/search?fr=mcafee&type=A111US0&p=the+flinstones
Edith
Dale said she and Mom wanted to crochet collars for baby dresses.
Edith bought the pattern, but Mom looked at the photo on the pattern,
and made the crochet collar before Edith finished reading the pattern.
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| From Left: Marcia's Mom (Natalie Bush) holds Marcia and Edith Dale (in polka dots) hold Debbie. Copyright 1949 Marcia Norwood |
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| Marcia's Mom and Granny Lucille. Copyright 1960 Marcia Norwood |
My
Granny Lucille was an excellent cook, seamstress, tailor, and
housekeeper. In a throw-down with Martha Stewart: my money would be on
Granny Lucille.
Granny also owned and operated a dance hall, restaurant, and apartments on her own.
She was a divorced, single mom who supported two daughters.
When she remarried, Granny Lucille still provided most of the income for the family.
My
mother and grandmother could do just about anything, and do it
well...with one exception: my mother was not a very good cook.
Everything she made tasted bland with a strong cigarette-flavor. (Mom
smoked three packs of Camel cigarettes a day.) I think Mom's mashed potatoes had more smoke in them that any other ingredient.
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| Granny Lucille. Copyright 1960 Marcia Norwood |
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| Mother & Daughter: Natalie and Marcia. Copyright 1970 Marcia Norwood |
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| FOUR
GENERATIONS: Natalie (in ruffles), Marcia (center back), Granny Lucille
(with pink rose), Kristin (Marcia's daughter - in front). Copyright
1976 Marcia Norwood |
I wanted
to be an artist. Art was my favorite class at Liberty High School, in
Liberty, Missouri. One of my favorite projects was helping other
students create a large, mosaic mural for the Liberty Education Building
in the 60's. I wonder if it's still there?
It's no surprise that my favorite class at the University of Missouri, in Columbia, Missouri, was art. I received the best although bittersweet
advise from my art professor at Mizzou. Freshman students were
assigned to paint a still life set up in class. Mine was the worst, and
I knew it.
I tucked my completed painting under my arm and walked out of class.
My professor must have noticed my disappointment. She walked out with me and said: "Talk to me."
"My painting is terrible." I said.
My entire dream of being an artist vanished in my first art class at Mizzou.
It
was as if she could read my mind: "Marcia, most of the people in this
class will make their living being artists. Their art will become their
income. You may not become an artist. You will make a living in
another way, but you are witty and creative. Your love of art
will remain just that - something you love - not your taskmaster. That
is a gift. Always be creative and have fun with it."
She gave me wisdom and encouragement.
Over
the years I've given myself permission to play with paints, colored
pencils, pastels, water color, crayons, and markers, paper, wood and
metal. I've played in dirt as a creative gardener; played with words as
an author and speaker; played with cameras as a photographer; and
played in the kitchen. I still would rather decorate the table than
prepare the meal.
I will try just about anything.
My life has been filled with creative adventures.
I took an "Art Therapy" class from Dr. Madeline Rugh (University of Oklahoma) in
the 90's, which made it possible for me to teach art therapy classes
to adults and children. Art can bring hope and healing when it ceases
to be a competition, and you just simply play with the mediums.
My
mom was confined to her home for most of one year of hospice care
before she went to Heaven. She filled her days reading voraciously.
Each week, she called in book requests to the Liberty Public Library.
Mom was a lifelong learner. She never stopped being witty and
creative.
Mom set up an art table in
her bedroom by her corner windows, and invited her grandchildren to
use her crayons, markers, and gel pens right along with her. My
children and grandchildren don't remember a dying room filled with
Mema's pills, oxygen tanks and lines. They remember coloring with
their Mema at an art table by a bright window. They have her pens as a
reminder.
I created
a coloring page for Mom (Mema)'s memorial service. I asked family to
write or draw something on it. We gently laid them in Mema's casket.
We all knew her spirit left that mortal body, but it's absolutely
possible that Mom saw it all from her balcony in Heaven.
God is our creator.
He gives creativity, and wisdom, and knowledge and witty inventions to anyone who asks!
Remember
my college still life painting? I took it home in the autumn of 1967.
Mom agreed it wasn't that great. She put it in the big trash can in the
back yard to be burned. My Nanny, Aunt Ann, (caring, witty and
creative) retrieved it from the trash can, and hung in in her bedroom
above her bed.
I was elated.
Sometimes it just takes one person to believe it you - to encourage you.
Let me be that person for you.
When was the last time you gave yourself permission to color with crayons or pastels or markers?
I encourage you!
Buy a color book or watercolor paper.
Color a picture.
Hallmark has a fantastic coloring book for adults!
CLICK on the link or COPY & PASTE the link in your browser:
http://shop.hallmark.com/gifts/books/coloring-books/the-art-of-hallmark-coloring-book-for-adults-1SHO3001.html
Plant a garden.
Write a song!
Sing a song!
Write a poem or short story.
Read a poem or story!
Write the book that is in your heart.
Read a book aloud to someone else!
Take a photograph or take one hundred photographs, or take one thousand photographs.
Paint on the sidewalk.
Write with shaving cream or pudding.
Create a new recipe.
God has never wasted any of my
experiences...especially my failures. He has given me jobs and opportunities beyond my talents and beyond my education. He supernaturally transforms my
MESS into a MESSAGE to a hurting world...and He will do the same for you.
I am a life long learner.
Before I begin anything I pray: "God teach me...."
Ask God to give you wisdom and witty inventions.
Have FUN!
Proverbs 8:12
I wisdom dwell with prudence,
and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The Holy Bible
King James Version
What is prudence?
- Good judgment
- The practical application of wisdom
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| CLICK on the image to ENLARGE. Copyright 2011 Marcia Norwood |
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| CLICK on the image to ENLARGE. Marcia served as Editor & Graphic Artist. Copyright 2011 Marcia Norwood |
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| CLICK on the image to ENLARGE. Marcia's songs. Copyright 2011 Marcia Norwood |
Marcia's MAGAZINE & NEWSPAPER ARTICLES
Marcia's writing and photographs have been published in CLUBHOUSE (Focus on the Family), Chosen Child, Adoption Today, and The Red Thread magazines. Marcia's photographs and articles have been published in The Kansas City Star; The Examiner, (Independence, Missouri) and a series in Mother & Child Reunion.
To view samples of Marcia’s articles online…click on the links:
"Under My Umbrella" (Adoption Today) April 2013: http://www.bluetoad.com/publication/?i=152974
“Are You Looking At Me?” (Adoption Today) http://library.adoption.com/reunions/are-you-looking-at-me/article/2795/1.html
BOOKS CONTAINING Marcia 's SHORT STORIES & PHOTOGRAPHS:
FLY AWAY
FINDING HOPE IN THE MIDST OF GRIEF
A STORYTELLER Gift Booklet
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| CLICK on the image to ENLARGE. Copyright 2003 Marcia Norwood |
Chicken Soup To Inspire The Body and Soul
Edited by Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen, Dan Millman, Diana von Welanetz Wentworth
ISBN # 0-7573-0141-X
Marcia's Story: The Beautiful Girl in the Mirror - Page 233
A Cup of Comfort
Adams Media Corporation
Edited by Colleen Sell
ISBN # 1-58062-524-X
Marcia's Story:
The Crying Chair - Page 16
What I Learned From God While Cooking
Barbour Publishing, Inc.
Edited by Cristine Bolley
ISBN # 1-59310-346-8
Marcia's Story: Love Never Fails - Page 209
Stories for the Spirit-Filled Believer
Starburst Publisher
Edited by Cristine Bolley
ISBN # 0-7394-2160-3 ISBN # 1-892016-54-0
Marcia's Story: Miracle on Peck Road - Page 225
The Ultimate Bird Lover
HCI Books
ISBN-13:978-0-7573-1438-4
ISBN-10:0-7573-1438-4
Two of Marcia's photographs are published in this book.
Proverbs 8:12
I wisdom dwell with prudence,
and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
The Holy Bible
King James Version
What is prudence?
- Good judgment
- The practical application of wisdom
http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/2013/09/where-are-we-going.html
Tell Me A Story: WHERE ARE WE GOING?
Sep 15, 2013
My
"A-ha! Moment" happened in 1999, when I was the Missouri and Kansas
Regional Coordinator for *Camp Invention, the HANDS-ON educational
outreach program of the National Inventor's Hall of Fame sponsored in
part ...
http://tellmeastory-marcia.blogspot.com/
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
