Message from Oma, May 09, 2007

Date: Wed, 09 May 2007 23:02:31 +0000
Precious four,

Thanks so much for all the pictures you sent, Renee, what a treasure they are together with Vic's family blog! Seeing the kids growing up so beautifully and so completely surrounded by love and care, makes me nostalgically think of my 2 "poor" ones (as you already must have noticed). That's why I am so urgently desirous that all the little ones born into our family be "TRAINED in the way they should go, so that when they are old, they shall not depart from it."

In the latest News & Views appeared: WAYS TO MAKE PRAYER A NATURAL PART OF YOUR EVERYDAY FAMILY LIFE. How I wish and pray that you indeed will follow this admonition to prepare Maddie and Jacob for a future, to be lived hand-in-hand and step-by-step with our Lord.

1. HELP YOUR KIDS TO BECOME AWARE OF ANSWERED PRAYER. Tell them about the times in your life when God has answered your prayers.
2. HE LP YOUR KIDS TO SEE THE BEAUTY OF GOD'S CREATION AND THANK HIM FOR IT. Don't miss opportunities to appreciate His handiwork around you.
3. WHENEVER YOU SEE OR HEAR ABOUT SOMEONE IN NEED, TAKE TIME TO PRAY ABOUT IT WITH YOUR KIDS. It could be something on the news or in the paper, or a friend or member of the family. This could have a lasting influence not only on your kids, but on those who are prayed for.
4. WRAP FAMILY TRADITIONS OR EVENTS IN SPECIAL TIMES OF PRAYER. For example, lay hands on the person with a birthday and bless him or her. At Thanks giving, go around the table and have each family member pray about what he or she is most thankful for.
5. PRAY BLESSINGS OVER YOUR KIDS. Lay hands on them at bedtime or at another time when they are hurting in some way, and pray scriptural blessings over them.
6. TEACH YOUR KIDS TO PRAYERFULLY PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD (Eph. 6:10-18)
AT THE BEGINNING OF EACH NEW DAY. Each of us needs to be aware that we are in a spiritual battle, but that God has provided us with some very important equipment with which to protect ourselves and fight. (I would comment that you adjust prayers with the little ones to a level that they can understand, but the earlier their training in prayer begins, the better, so that it becomes 2nd nature to them.)

As both of you have an extensive circle of influence, among friends & young families in your age group, as well as in your ministry outreaches to adolescents, I would urge you to use that influence to encourage as many as possible to develop a discipline in earnest, regular prayer, and studying through the whole Bible. Anything less would result in a weak, inconsistent Christian walk, missing out on the perfect plan God has for each of His children. Tell everyone, and please remember that for yourself, that both your grandparents ( O & O) have learned this truth the hard way, the very hard way!!

As Vic has started a family blog, I will start writing to you what is most important in my soul to be hand ed down to the future generations that are to be born into our very privileged, blessed family. So I'll make copies of these emails for the Gerkens family archive and will continue to share tidbits of the family history that I can remember. I would encourage that Renee makes sure that there will be enough data from the Boveys side, whereas the Haveners history should also be documented thru Matt's Mom.

Families are the building blocks of society, and the fact that family life throughout the world is not anymore what it used to be, has resulted in a world gone mad! "Change the world, but begin with yourself" is a wise, old saying.

We love you, we pray for you and can't wait until our great celebrations of God's goodness and restoration in our family, in August! As always, all our love with all the usual crazy biting urges, from forever your O & O