Stoner 2011 News

Our sincere Christmas greetings to you! This is indeed the most wonderful time of the year, because of the awesome, universal and eternal significance of our Savior’s birth.

Family Mark, Joy & family in Siloam Springs, AR. Mark is a web developer at DaySpring. Joy is event planner for John Brown University & a busy homemaker. Mia is 3 & Finn is 1.

Marcy, Rich, Ruthie & Ruby Nelson in Conway, AR. Rich is worship pastor at 2nd Baptist. Marcy is a dedicated homemaker & home schools Ruthie who is 5. Ruby is 2.

Matt, Missy, Luke (10), Jonah (7) & Cody (5) near Austin, TX. Matt is a research scientist in biotech & Missy is a busy mom & homemaker.

Charlie & Vivian enjoy their cozy home in Temple, TX. Charlie gardens, swims at indoor pool & attends writing class. Vivian helps her mom, exercises & visits with grandkids.

Crossworld(CW) January: gave missions seminar at men’s conference. February: spoke at missions conference, Austin. July: we visited new Crossworld campus in Kansas City, MO, enjoyed CW’s Family Conference & CW’s exciting new vision, There’s a Better Way. During same trip, participated in Global Focus weekend, Calvary Church, Lancaster, PA. October: Missions Emphasis Week at Mary Hardin Baylor University, Belton, TX.

Temple Bible Church(TBC) Throughout 2011 participated in The Examined Life class, Sunday AM's & Adams' small group, Sunday PM's. Attended Thursday AM men's Bible study. Taught four-month Bible study methods class. Helped coordinate bi-monthly men's mission prayer group. Charlie attended weekly TBC staff meetings & did hospital visitation and discipleship.

Brazil Connection Emailed monthly study charts to 100+ Portuguese speakers. Completed A Cup of Cold Water (eight stories of early experiences in Brazil, available as syllabus or PDF file online). Received invitation to teach module at seminary in Brazil, August 2012.

Have a wonderful Christmas & Happy New Year!

Garden & Thanksgiving

Putting in a fall garden is a new experience for me. Had freeze temps one night already, but it didn't hurt the collards, spinach, radishes, beets and bit of lettuce. Enjoyed our first bunch of collard greens for dinner and pulled half the radishes for salad. Radishes go a long way, I discovered, so strongly flavored! Our area got a good rain beginning of October but now back to watering the garden most of the time. Have been following the twice a week watering-yards and car-wash rationing schedule of our town.

Thanksgiving is family and reflection time. Still have the impressive list I made of things I was thankful for last Thanksgiving. Don't think it has changed much over the past year, just gotten better. Spiritual blessings just keep piling up: my eternal salvation in Christ, so undeserved yet mine; good Bible study alone and with others; experience of rich, growing biblical community. Material blessings? nem se fala, as we say in Portuguese! (very obvious!) Nice, comfortable home, car to drive, computer, mobile phones, HD TV (yes, even that!), sufficent income. And a great wife and family. Some near, some farther away, but all close enough to see periodically.

And, so there you have it for now. Grandkids and garden experiment. Gratefulness for all God's blessings. Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. James 1.17-18

Is There a Better Way?

Our road trip from Texas to Pennsylvania and back went very well, July 15 to August 13. We drove 3,900 miles, slept in ten different beds, and shared eight times in various settings: with Crossworld colleagues in MO; with three Sunday school class groups and a mid-week church prayer meeting in PA; with folks in a retirement village chapel service and in a country church Sunday worship service in VA; and with a home Bible study group in KY. All this in addition to the informal chats with many friends and family members too. Our purpose for this trip was to relate what we've seen God do, and is still doing, in the lives of folks in our sphere of influence.

During our excellent Crossworld Family Conference in Kansas City, we were challenged to adopt the newly-cast vision of Crossworld. It's stated clearly by Crossworld's president, Dale Losch: I dream of disciple-makers from all professions bringing God's love to life in the world's least-reached marketplaces. There is a better way to do missions these days, at least a different way, one that specifically engages committed disciple-makers from many secular professions, along with traditionally trained workers, to do effective, innovative, cross-cultural ministry around the world.

I wish sometimes that I could begin my missions 'career' again, doing discipleship better, and doing it more intentionally. That's what it's all about. May God use Crossworld's refocused vision to mobilize more to reach many of the unreached.

A Cup of Cold Water

Many years ago we did our missionary internship in a small town called Altamira in the rain forest of Brazil. One day an elderly street vendor came by our door, pushing an old wheelbarrow and barking his limited wares of garden produce. After Vivian made her purchase, the vendor asked for a cup of water. She gladly went to get it for him. When Vivian handed him the water, the vendor reached down and carefully poured the precious water onto the squeaky wheel of his wheelbarrow! She couldn’t believe her eyes! How could this insensitive man waste a whole cup of refreshing, cold water to lubricate his wheel? Didn’t he realize the costly effort that cup of water represented? It had been boiled on the stove, filtered through a porous stone in a clay water pot, and finally cooled in the refrigerator, now only to be poured out on a dirty, old wheelbarrow!

When we arrived in Altamira, we unconsciously assumed that our Biblical knowledge, ministry skills and dedication would be greatly appreciated by the needy people there. Surely they would be anxious to drink in our sincere teaching and preaching, even if our Portuguese needed minor corrections from time to time. Although some did come to appreciate us for these assets, we soon discovered there was another level where many folks needed encouragement and help. It was the reality level of the squeaky wheels, the immediate needs faced by our new friends carving out a living in town and along a road in the middle of the rain forest.

“Thank you, Sr. Carlos, for your Bible study this evening! Could you please give me a ride back to town tonight with my three sacks of pumpkins to sell at market tomorrow?” “We are from Km. 62 and the kids are sick with malaria. May I tie up my hammock in your living room to sleep at night after spending the days with them at the hospital?” “I work long hours at the bank, and even though I don’t attend your church, I sure would like to study inglês with you if you could teach me one evening a week”.

Two cups of cool, clear water offered in Jesus’ name. One to quench spiritual thirst; the other to toss on a squeaky wheel. Both equally important in graciously carrying out our internship assignment in Altamira for the glory of God.

“Thank you, street-vendor friend. You didn’t know it, but God used you to teach us an important lesson that day!”

Excavation team

It looked like the top of an old water meter box, left buried in our back yard when the subdivision lots were marked off. One corner visible but low enough not to be struck by the mower blade. Then one day I began to pry at the rocks around the object, only to discover it was definitely not a meter box. Our son from Arkansas came for a visit about that time and did some serious digging. Unfortunately, he didn't have enough time during his short visit to unearth the item completely and make a positive identification.



Yesterday the mystery was solved when our three young grandsons came from Austin for a visit. In no time flat, they had shovel and hoe in hand and much determination to assit them in the excavation project. The identity of the object became clearer as each stone was removed and the packed, dry dirt finally gave up its treasurer. Ah! It's an old car or truck door, complete with the winding mechanism for elevating the glass that's no longer there, and some old rubber gaskets. How did the door come to be buried there? No one knows just yet. Neither have we discovered from what model and year vehicle this door came from. Looks like a 50's something model to me. But there is some aluminum around the corroded fixtures, so how long ago was such material used in manufacturing?



So many questions and so few answers, but an interesting excavation project in Grandpa's back yard to fill some hours between cartoons, eating, sleeping and a visit to the indoor pool.

The Piano Move

What was that? I asked my brother-in-law, as we heard a thump from behind the truck cab. With others to help, we'd just pushed four heavy pianos up a ramp and inside a 16 ft. rental truck, tied them down, and set out to deliver them. The pianos were salvaged from a fire that destroyed the sanctuary of First Baptist in Temple over a year ago, given to four fortunate families who'd arranged to pick them up.

We discovered that indeed one of the straps securing our cargo had loosened, but so far, no damage. But then, coming away from the first delivery some ten miles away, I had to brake suddenly to avoid a collision. That's when we felt a second, heavier thump! But we continued driving along to keep up with the fellow who was leading us to the second piano delivery. Sure enough, the three remaining pianos had loosened again. Fortunately, the only damage back there was a broken piano bench! Soon the third piano, a nice Baldwin, was sitting in our living room, and the following day, the fourth and last piano, was rolled into our oldest son's living room down in Austin!

Next time you come by to visit, my good wife could play some hymns on our new piano, and you could join me in singing the songs of Zion!

More Family Nearer

It was surprising news that our son living in RI for over four years was interviewing for a new job in Austin, TX, only an hour's drive from where we live! That was back in December and now Matt and family are settling into their new location, enjoying friendly neighbors and school, and checking out churches.



Was good to have five of our seven grandkids and parents visit us during the holidays, making a full house but happy family gathering. Our large back yard was useful for kicking around a soccer ball. Bapoo (Grandpa) even got some help picking up more stones!



Ever notice, when one asks the Lord to provide one's offspring with a new job, He may choose to answer beyond one's expectation?