Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Micah Earns the Presidential Fitness Award

One of the meanings to the name "Micah" is "Messenger with beautiful feet"....and those feet have wings! I remember when we picked him up in Ethiopia I was told, "He runs kinda funny because of his feet being so bad." That night as I rubbed his feet with shea butter I saw the most beautiful feet I had ever seen. I couldn't see anything wrong with them....perfection. I wish they could see him run now...he's so fast and smiles the whole time he runs, but with a determination.
As Micah was taking the Presidential Fitness test, all I could think about was the day I had received his medical file forwarded from an orphanage in Addis Ababa. When Micah was first brought to the orphanage, 14 months ago, his feet were so damaged that they did not know whether they would ever be normal or even be saved. After months, even years without any shoes his feet were grossly infected, swollen and had open sores where eggs had been laid.
Just a few minutes after I read those words on his medical report my mother in law, Kathy, called me to share what she had found on the name we had picked for our son in Ethiopia. "Micah", she said, "means messenger with beautiful feet." There was no way she could've known what I had just found out, but God knew. He knew I needed to hear that.

So today as coach Lori announced who had earned the Presidential Fitness award I watched his face. He had no idea what he had just accomplished, but he loved the applause. He didn't know that he "couldn't" or "shouldn't have been able to".

To think that 14 months ago he was on the streets of a northern village in Ethiopia barely able to walk without pain. Now in America, he had just earned an award only the best of the best athletes get. He did it having fun. At one point he grabbed the measuring board one more time just to see if he could go a little farther than before.
Micah is also loving to play soccer. They have him on a 9-10 year old team! The boy can play...and loves to play.
Micah is learning to swim. His body is pure muscle so he sinks fast, but something tells me...it wont take long til he's swimming like a fish.
We went out and celebrated Micah and McKenzie (2 years in a row!) earning the Presidential award. Matthew also did amazing, but the boy has his father's flexibility!!! We all love to laugh about it. Hey, better than crying!

12 comments:

  1. It is a beautiful transformation God has completed on Micah's beautiful feet. Thank you for sharing his story and God's beauty.

    Yay for the awards :)
    Blessings,
    Amy

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  2. Oh, I love to hear stories about healing! He looks SO happy Missy. I had a big smile on my face as I read this post. I loved seeing all three M's with big smiles on their faces. I hope your whole family is doing well. Miss you guys,
    Bonnie

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  3. What a beautiful story of God's healing power through the love of a family. May they all experience the love of a family! Thanks for sharing!

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  4. Missy, that boy is SPECIAL! All children are, of course, but it is a joy to see glimpses of God's calling and purpose in a child's life so young. Clearly He has given Micah Shewit amazing physical abilities, but that smile absolutely melts my heart. Thank you for spending time at Tracy and Jimmy's this weekend so we could marvel at your family.

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  5. What a miracle, Missy. I LOVE to hear stories of God's fingerprints ALL over these children and their stories!! His name for us often does not match what we see--have to take so much of what He says over us in faith--more than we know to even ask or imagine at times!
    You all are precious beyond words.
    I had the privlege of seeing you all out on a run the other day in our neighborhood-- No wonder they are getting awards!!--you go girl!!
    Love, Gillian

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  6. oh, that made me cry...love that boy, kj

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  7. I just love reading about Micah and all that God is doing in your lives. I feel so priveleged to have met him and seen his gorgeous smile in Addis. We really need to get the KNoxville/Nashville groups together soon. So happy to see how happy your family is!

    Stacy

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  8. That's our boy!!! Only the beginning of the amazing things God has planned for this anointed one! He is a picture of God's redemptive love and so is your whole family!! love you all so much!!!

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  9. What a beautiful story, and what a beautiful boy! Thank you so much for this post...it just makes my heart sing!

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  10. What an amazing story. We met him in Ethiopia at HH, and I had no idea. You just never know how amazing someones story is or what it will be.
    Thank you for sharing. He is such a star!

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  11. LOVE IT!!!! What an amazing testimony to what God can do!!! I can't wait to see what else God has planned for Micah :)

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  12. I am writing to ask for your permission to include your posts on
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    directory. We would
    include a link back to your blog fully crediting you for your work
    along with a profile about you listed on AdoptionExperiences.com .
    Please let us
    know as soon as possible.

    Mike@adoptionexperiences.com

    Mike Thomas
    Editor-in-Chief
    AdoptionExperiences.com

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