Child Training
===============
“There is but one way to train up a child in the way that he
should go and that is...
to travel it yourself.”
~Abraham Lincoln~
Brag Book!
Thursday, May 31, 2007
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Our Journey
An introduction into the lives of Wes (hubby, Dad), Alanna (wife, Mom) and children:
Samantha, Mitchel, Chris, Brooke, Riley, and Nicole.
How can one begin to tell of the journey that God has brought us to present? It is so amazing and totally God.
Boy meets girl at her high school grad. Set up by a friend and engaged six months later. They were smitten with one another!! They were then married eight months later. Alanna personally has to admit that her heart just pumps when her hubby walks in the room. A good thing for being married almost 16 years she thinks.J Girl from Surrey (yes, really)
Boy born in Vancouver but, um, still lived in Surrey for part of his life.
Along came Mitchel, two years later, Brooke, 16 months later Riley and last but not least Nicole. In this time they lived in Abbotsford. Alanna longed to live closer to the mountains but also loved her house and did not want to leave it. Wes wanting to free up some money to invest in a business and the couple wanting a lower mortgage looked into the Chilliwack and Agassiz area.
They picked out a heritage home in Agassiz and Alanna just loved it, the Cheam Mountain was right outside the back door. Someone came and over bid the couples’s first initial offer and they could never bid higher for some mysterious reason. They tried to buy 2 more houses in Agassiz but the attempts fell thru again. Very, very mysterious!!!
In the meantime there was a house that was a really, really ugly house in Chilliwack that was a steal - anyone could have taken it but they didn’t for some reason? Who knows? Mybe it could possibly be that it looked like it should have been torn down. Alanna was sad that she would have to move into this home and struggled with the possibility that she would have to endure living in it. Yes, it did happen that she lives in that house and still does but would not trade it for any house on the block.
God lead and all they had to do was follow. A favourite verse from the Bible that they had lived many times over was “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Sometimes the path is not always clear to us; however we are to trust in Him.
The mountains that surrounded the Drews family was incredible.. Kind of like the journey they were on. Life was full and busy with Alanna home schooling and Wes traveling to Ontario and renovating as time permitted.
In these times Alanna enjoyed her children and felt so blessed by them but felt that she was still missing some more children in her life. She did not want to feel unhappy because God had blessed her so richly and having children was a blessing that many could not have and want so dearly. She was trying so hard to be thankful and to surrender her heart to God. She was praying so hard for God to change her husbands’ heart for more children and God told her to surrender her heart to Him. It was very hard to have this prayer time when Alanna did not want to surrender this area to God. Her ache for more children was a true test of her spiritual journey that she will never forget.. For you see in previous years as a child Alanna prayed every day as long as she could remember for the desire of her heart – children. God had indeed blessed her and she knew that to surrender every area of her life including her desires was pleasing to God. She also did not want to drive her husband nuts and be very; very disobedient (she is always trying to be a very good girl)
On the North end of Williams street… lived a lady that bred boxers; the
Drews family loved Boxer dogs and had one. He sadly passed away. They
eventually got 2 boxers from her. In the meantime they got to know a boy in whom she fostered and was eventually asked to take him last summer for relief care while she had surgery. Chris would come by several times in that year and had a connection with Mitchel right away. The Drews fell deeply in love with Chris and wanted to adopt him. Chris had a sister who they met
in that summer too. Guess what? The family fell in love with her too.
Samantha spent a lot of time with Chris that summer and the Drews Gang. Alanna especially had to surrender once more to God because God could see the big picture and He knew the perfect will for the lives that were intertwined in this life story. Through many prayers and workings that were truly miracles Sam and then Chris came into the Drews’ home. Alanna was jumping up and down for joy!! Brooke had prayed for a big sister for a long time and Alanna was not too sure how to tell her that she couldn’t have a big sister just like that. Well God was way bigger than all our thoughts and he provided for a small girl her prayers. The family has grown so well together. It is not always a perfect family .. especially Alanna cause she sometimes makes mistakes- well lots but man does she love her kids. Wes says he is pretty perfect. J Honestly,Alanna thinks he is pretty cool cause he is such a cool dad and has a great sense of humour. (And what is life without who more.) He also is quiet and thoughtful and takes time to speak not saying anything carelessly or hurting.
Much needs to be said about the fact that in this year Wes had mentioned to Alanna that he really wanted to go to Broadway church for a few Sundays. They had not found a church to call their home since moving from Abbotsford 3 years ago. In this church they found love and friendship and a pastor who cries (which the couple find so refreshing.) They also found that Sam and Chris had connections from previous years. Women who had been praying for them and Pastors who had helped them go through the loss of their mother. Broadway has deepened the walk of the Drews Gang and supplied them with friendships that will last forever!!
To tell it in short would have gone like this… Family moves into house that God leads them too. Not the house that some of them wanted to be in. On the north end of Williams is a boy who needed a family. On the South end was a family who needed another boy. The boy has a sister. The sister needs a family. The family needs another daughter. The whole family loves one another and God has provided for all. Obedience, Surrender, Obedience, Surrender – choices we make every day when serving God who sees things better than we ever will. Sometimes the journey is not always easy. Sometimes we make many mistakes. God is so perfect for us in every aspect of our every day living. Sometimes not walking with him daily can cause weak links in parenting for Alanna. She will find she is off track and doing things in her own strength again. She is not giving everything to Her Lord. Surrender and Obedience has been a worthy practice for her.
God is Good!!! This Journey has been worth it!!
An introduction into the lives of Wes (hubby, Dad), Alanna (wife, Mom) and children:
Samantha, Mitchel, Chris, Brooke, Riley, and Nicole.
How can one begin to tell of the journey that God has brought us to present? It is so amazing and totally God.
Boy meets girl at her high school grad. Set up by a friend and engaged six months later. They were smitten with one another!! They were then married eight months later. Alanna personally has to admit that her heart just pumps when her hubby walks in the room. A good thing for being married almost 16 years she thinks.J Girl from Surrey (yes, really)
Boy born in Vancouver but, um, still lived in Surrey for part of his life.
Along came Mitchel, two years later, Brooke, 16 months later Riley and last but not least Nicole. In this time they lived in Abbotsford. Alanna longed to live closer to the mountains but also loved her house and did not want to leave it. Wes wanting to free up some money to invest in a business and the couple wanting a lower mortgage looked into the Chilliwack and Agassiz area.
They picked out a heritage home in Agassiz and Alanna just loved it, the Cheam Mountain was right outside the back door. Someone came and over bid the couples’s first initial offer and they could never bid higher for some mysterious reason. They tried to buy 2 more houses in Agassiz but the attempts fell thru again. Very, very mysterious!!!
In the meantime there was a house that was a really, really ugly house in Chilliwack that was a steal - anyone could have taken it but they didn’t for some reason? Who knows? Mybe it could possibly be that it looked like it should have been torn down. Alanna was sad that she would have to move into this home and struggled with the possibility that she would have to endure living in it. Yes, it did happen that she lives in that house and still does but would not trade it for any house on the block.
God lead and all they had to do was follow. A favourite verse from the Bible that they had lived many times over was “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will direct your path.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Sometimes the path is not always clear to us; however we are to trust in Him.
The mountains that surrounded the Drews family was incredible.. Kind of like the journey they were on. Life was full and busy with Alanna home schooling and Wes traveling to Ontario and renovating as time permitted.
In these times Alanna enjoyed her children and felt so blessed by them but felt that she was still missing some more children in her life. She did not want to feel unhappy because God had blessed her so richly and having children was a blessing that many could not have and want so dearly. She was trying so hard to be thankful and to surrender her heart to God. She was praying so hard for God to change her husbands’ heart for more children and God told her to surrender her heart to Him. It was very hard to have this prayer time when Alanna did not want to surrender this area to God. Her ache for more children was a true test of her spiritual journey that she will never forget.. For you see in previous years as a child Alanna prayed every day as long as she could remember for the desire of her heart – children. God had indeed blessed her and she knew that to surrender every area of her life including her desires was pleasing to God. She also did not want to drive her husband nuts and be very; very disobedient (she is always trying to be a very good girl)
On the North end of Williams street… lived a lady that bred boxers; the
Drews family loved Boxer dogs and had one. He sadly passed away. They
eventually got 2 boxers from her. In the meantime they got to know a boy in whom she fostered and was eventually asked to take him last summer for relief care while she had surgery. Chris would come by several times in that year and had a connection with Mitchel right away. The Drews fell deeply in love with Chris and wanted to adopt him. Chris had a sister who they met
in that summer too. Guess what? The family fell in love with her too.
Samantha spent a lot of time with Chris that summer and the Drews Gang. Alanna especially had to surrender once more to God because God could see the big picture and He knew the perfect will for the lives that were intertwined in this life story. Through many prayers and workings that were truly miracles Sam and then Chris came into the Drews’ home. Alanna was jumping up and down for joy!! Brooke had prayed for a big sister for a long time and Alanna was not too sure how to tell her that she couldn’t have a big sister just like that. Well God was way bigger than all our thoughts and he provided for a small girl her prayers. The family has grown so well together. It is not always a perfect family .. especially Alanna cause she sometimes makes mistakes- well lots but man does she love her kids. Wes says he is pretty perfect. J Honestly,Alanna thinks he is pretty cool cause he is such a cool dad and has a great sense of humour. (And what is life without who more.) He also is quiet and thoughtful and takes time to speak not saying anything carelessly or hurting.
Much needs to be said about the fact that in this year Wes had mentioned to Alanna that he really wanted to go to Broadway church for a few Sundays. They had not found a church to call their home since moving from Abbotsford 3 years ago. In this church they found love and friendship and a pastor who cries (which the couple find so refreshing.) They also found that Sam and Chris had connections from previous years. Women who had been praying for them and Pastors who had helped them go through the loss of their mother. Broadway has deepened the walk of the Drews Gang and supplied them with friendships that will last forever!!
To tell it in short would have gone like this… Family moves into house that God leads them too. Not the house that some of them wanted to be in. On the north end of Williams is a boy who needed a family. On the South end was a family who needed another boy. The boy has a sister. The sister needs a family. The family needs another daughter. The whole family loves one another and God has provided for all. Obedience, Surrender, Obedience, Surrender – choices we make every day when serving God who sees things better than we ever will. Sometimes the journey is not always easy. Sometimes we make many mistakes. God is so perfect for us in every aspect of our every day living. Sometimes not walking with him daily can cause weak links in parenting for Alanna. She will find she is off track and doing things in her own strength again. She is not giving everything to Her Lord. Surrender and Obedience has been a worthy practice for her.
God is Good!!! This Journey has been worth it!!
Friday, May 18, 2007
Thursday, May 10, 2007
Nikki wants a sleepover. I just don't want to let her
go on on now. It is fine if it is my Dad and Moms house or Auntie Uli and Uncle Ray. I just feel that my kids are all growing up. I told her that mommy won't be there then. Nikki says" But there is another mommy there." What do you say to that. She is right. I feel like I give my children a lot of freedom in so many ways;
however it is hard for me to do sleepovers. Everyone can come here though. Just a reflection on my feelings as a mommy.
Sunday, May 6, 2007
Once upon a time a mommy and her friends and 3 daughters went to Hope. This mommy loved animals and her daughters had this love too. Off they went in the big, big truck and picked out two sweet kittens. They all lived happily ever after.... :)
p.s. The friend of this mommy and her daughter picked out a kitty too.
Friday, May 4, 2007
I was thinking as I was folding the laundry for my family how special it is that I get to do that. I mean sometimes life is so busy the last thing I want to do is laundry. There is something peaceful about it though... It is for my children and my husband. Instead of complaining about it like I have in the past I look at it all folded and think how cozy it looks. This folding is for the precious bodies that have worn the clothes. If I didn't have my children I wouldn't have the laundry. I think that laundry is special now. A moment to reflect on life itself and what the clothes represent! To my hubby and my children.. mom loves folding your laundry.... can you come downstairs and get it please :)
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