Y'SHUA - Who do you say he is?

The break was wonderful, but now it's time to get back to work. Chris has a pretty full schedule,
which includes Biblical Hermeneutics (the science of interpreting the Bible correctly), History of the LCMS, Lutheran Worship as well as Lutheran Confessions and Theology of Missions. He is also taking Old Testament Lectionary reading (in Hebrew) as an elective, but the heavy load of having to study this language in detail has been lifted from his shoulders.

Chris also has been assigned to regularly visit an LCMS congregation that particularly ministers to Jewish people. It has been so interesting for all of us! And the people and their pastor are just wonderful (http://www.chaivshalom.com/ ). We love the experience of a Christian worship service in the Hebrew tradition - just as the first Christians had.

The picture at the left, by the way, depicts the Chapel of St. Timothy and Titus here at the Seminary.

One Seminary Quarter Down, Many To Go

What a blessing! We have our husband and father back!

Chris successfully finished his first quarter at the seminary. After so many hours of studying for final exams and papers, we really enjoy spending more time with him. Our most exciting first quarter celebration consisted of ordering pizza and watching 'Sound of Music' while eating. A rare treat at the Tiews house!

We also took family pictures in front of the old Bush stadium in downtown St. Louis, before it was torn down to make room for the new home of the Cardinals.

Exemplary Husbands

Chris has been successfully recruiting husbands to participate in small group bible study starting next quarter. The men want to investigate what God's word has to say about becoming a better husband and father. The wives don't have ANY problems with that kind of men's gathering ;), especially since Lula and some other ladies from the seminary had already started to look at the biblical principles for a Godly wife. May the Holy Spirit help us all!

"The Tiews Family Singers"

With the musical help of another homeschooling family at the seminary, the children gave a concert at Northview Nursing home on Kingshighway in St. Louis. During the quarter, Chris visited the people on the second floor as part of his field education. What a great blessing this afternoon was for everybody! 

Seminary Unit Celebration On a Budget

Chris has only two more weeks to go until his first quarter is over. He is doing so well and is already half a year ahead because he had tested out of the elementary Greek and Hebrew classes.

Carlotta, J.J. and MeMe already finished their first quarter of studies for this homeschool year. We were exploring the first part of the 20th century (1900-mid 1930). J.J. as Charlie Chaplin, MeMe as "The Kid" and Carlotta as the fancy presentation lady did a great job sharing their learning with the family and neighbors. And it was easy to prepare World War I food (Corn muffins, Mock Goose, Pop Corn, Honey Cakes and water) on a seminary budget!

A Shower for Baby

"For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb." Psalm 139:13

While the LORD is still knitting our new baby in Lula's womb, our wonderful neighbors already prepared a great baby shower. Now it becomes more "real" that we will have another precious child.

What a blessing this community is!

Stepping out tonight

Celebrating eleven years of marriage Lula and Chris got a chance to go out to dinner without children!

Thanks to the generous neighbors the Driskells we really enjoyed our meal at a very nice Thai restaurant in Clayton. It's hard to believe that it's already that long ago that we got married in Hamburg, Germany 

The Tiews' last piece of Texas soil was sold today. We have so many wonderful memories of friends visiting, horseback riding, piglet chasing and goat feeding. We wonder whether the radio in the barn is still turned on to Christian radio....that might be good news for our buyer.

Field Church Worker

Today was Chris' first day of 'active duty' in our field church Immanuel St. Charles. He did a wonderful job with the scripture readings and the communion service. We still have to get used to seeing him in a clerical robe ;)

It's hard to believe, but it has been a year now that we went to the Seminary to visit and find out what it would be like to live here. This year we hosted a wonderful young man from Nebraska, who is considering to enter the seminary. Carlotta and Lula sat also at the Homeschool table during the Information Fair for visiting prospective students and their families to help answer some questions they might have.


The Tiews in front of their fieldwork church St. Immanuel in St. Charles

"We are ALL going to college"

The Lone Moose Institute of Higher Education (Homeschool) is in full progress - at home, the zoo, the Science Center, in the library and the parks. We are all learning so many new things and it is so wonderful to have this time together! J.J. has mastered to write his bike without training wheels and already completed his first big tour to Forest Park and the zoo.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time"

Pretty Me-Me

Shalom!

What a suprise! Even future pastors don't just work one hour on Sundays. :)

Chris is working hard - even though he tested out of Hebrew, he's not out of the fire yet. Dr. Bartelt's Hebrew Reading class keeps him very busy. Especially since he has a couple of other assignments and classes to take care of. And the Lord has also blessed him with a job at the Concordia Historical Institute, where he translates old German LCMS documents.

Two more birthdays to celebrate! It's hard to believe that Carlotta is already nine years old and Mariam ("MeMe") turned 2.
"I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth." 3 John 1:4

Mens sana in corpore sano

On Saturday mornings the children are playing soccer now. What a wonderful community this is! Especially since professors, students, staff members of the seminary most likely are not given to fist fighting on the side lines....

Evacuation of Houston on Carlotta's birthday. We are so grateful that our friends and family are doing great and the hurricane left Houston, the Tomball area and the Rockport coast unharmed. It was really scary to see them prepare for a category 5 hurricane. Thank you, LORD!
Here a link to more great pictures of hurricane Rita: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pjphotos/sets/1000057/show/

J.J.'s birthday in the Lone Moose Cottage! He's five now and a brave warrior - fighting fever and a cold on this special day. But family, friends, brownies from the neighbors and gifts helped him tremendously to cope.
Praise be to God for this special little man!

Concordia Seminary, St. Louis ... The WOODS (where the families live)

The Lone Moose Cottage

We arrived, unpacked and settled in. With the help of our wonderful new neighbors. The seminary campus is beautiful! We are so blessed.

St. Louis - Gateway to the West, here we are. We feel a little like Lewis and Clark - going on an expedition that has many unkowns. But we know the good LORD is with us and will be our strenght and our fortress.

On the journey to a new home...