Subject: tc-list Re: The Fathers' articles

From: CleonLR <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 25 Dec 1997 08:20:37 EST

Dear Friends,

	Do you have a hurried life?  We do.  Four children have a way of  keeping us
moms and dads very busy.  I feel like a taxi driver most of the time (not only
for the kids, but also for my husband).  My children leave for school at
different times and come home at different times.  For example:  Hannah and
Cle leave everyday at 7:l5 (school starts at 8:00).  They get home at
different times.  Hannah gets home Mon.- Wed. at l:40 and Thurs. and Fri. at
l2:50.  This year Cle gets home at l:40 everyday.

	Nathaniel doesn't leave for school on Mon. and Wed. until 9:35 and gets home
at l:30.  Tues., Thurs. and Fri. he leaves at 7:40 and gets home on Tues. and
Thurs. at ll:45 and Fri. at l2:45.  Micah goes to kindergarten (which is
really pre-school in the States).  He leaves at 8:40 and gets home at l2:l5
everyday.  

	So as you can see, trying to keep up with their schedules can be very
confusing.  When we first moved to Germany I was so confused and frustrated, I
finally gave house keys to the kids.   Also, I never know when they might come
home early from school.  If one of their teachers is sick, the school does not
use substitute teachers.  So the kids are released from school and told to go
home.

	Hannah will be l6 the 30th of December.  I find that hard to believe.  It
seems like yesterday that we brought her home from Baylor Univ. Hospital on
New Year's Day, l982.  She is in the l0th grade.  Her courses in German school
consists of French, Latin, math, physics, chemistry, biology, English, German,
music, art and P.E.  She stays extremely busy with her studies.  German school
is a little more difficult than American school.  The math is very challenging
here.  There are no multiple choice or true and false tests.  They are essay
type tests looking for comprehension, interaction and evaluation of the
material learned.  On Tuesday afternoons she goes to a handbell group.  It is
led by an American Southern Baptist missionary.  Handbells are very new to
Germany.  The group plays at different groups that meet all around the city.
Hannah enjoys playing handbells very much and is very good at it.  

	Cle will be l4 the end of February  He is in the eighth grade.  His courses
at school consists of chemistry, physics, math, German, English, Latin,
biology, art, music and P.E.  He is very gifted intellectually.  He does not
have to study as much as Hannah and still makes very good grades.  Hannah gets
a little irritated when Cle spends so little time studying and she has to work
so much harder.  Cle enjoys soccer.  He has been playing since he was four
years old, so he is pretty good at the  sport.

	Nathaniel is l0 years old and is in the fourth grade.  His courses consist of
math, German, religion, music, art, P.E. and social studies.  He seems to
enjoy school and works hard to do his best  He also enjoys soccer and team
handball.  We just recently found out that Nathaniel has scoleosis of the
lower back.  He is undergoing physical therapy twice a week.  The therapy will
not make it go away but will help prevent it from getting worse.  Please pray
with us that in Jan. when he goes back for an x-ray, that there will be no
sign of scoleosis.  

	Micah is four years old and is now going to German kindergarten.  He seems to
enjoy going very much.  German kindergarten is different from American
kindergarten.  Here no academic subjects (reading etc) are  taught.  It is
only time for the kids to play, walk in the woods or have craft time.  It is
especialy good for Micah to go because he is learning German.  So by the time
he starts to first grade, he will have a good grasp of the German language.

	Buddy has an extremely busy schedule.  He has just returned from Hungary
teaching at the Word of Life Bible Institute.  He teaches at a Russian Bible
College on Tuesdays (starts at l0:00 in the morning and ends at l0:00 at
night).  He also teaches at a  Bible College on Wednesdays called Neues Leben
(New Life).  The rest of his time he is doing seminars on weekends and also
co-authoring a book, The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New
Testament, with his father.  It should be finished by the spring.

	As for me,  what can I say!  I recently told Buddy there would be no way for
me to work outside of the home.  I have to be home making sure everyone gets
to where they need to be on time.  With everyone coming and going at different
times, there needs to be someone home to keep the schedule running smoothly.
I consider it a privilege to stay at home and be here when the kids get back
from school.  They look forward to a hot lunch waiting on them after several
hours away from home.

	Christmas is here once again! Can you believe it?  As I shop in the German
stores, I look into the faces of so many who have never really understood why
Jesus came to  earth to born as a baby.  The German people think all they have
to do is be batptized as an infant, confirmed as a teenager, then their life
after death is secure with God.  How sad!  Pray that the people will not only
know Jesus was born, but that Jesus died for them.  We have two neighbors in
our village who have heard the gospel but cannot accept the fact Jesus died
for them and will accept them as they are.  Please pray for Ella and Heike.

	Merry Christmas to all and yours.  We love you and thank you for your
prayers.   I pray this holiday season will experience the real joy and true
meaning of Christmas in the midst of the hustle and bussle of your life. 

Love,

Kathy, for us all