Pastor Jared's Blog

New Blog Home

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:15:00 +0000

Just a quick post to let you know I am blogging at a new site now. Please change your bookmarks or feed readers to my new address and check my new blog for updates on my trip to Kenya.

www.jaredstoner.org/blog

Transitions

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 03:01:00 +0000

Exodus 1:8 says, "Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt." That verse explains the historical catalyst God used to transition his people from Egypt to the land he promised their ancestor, Abraham. The transition from Egypt to Canaan stood as the defining transition for the Israelites—what the Bible refers to as the exodus.

I'm sure God didn't ask the Israelites to collaborate on his transition plan; they would never have agreed to the terms. A new Pharaoh, who did not know Joseph, ascended to the throne and things became very difficult for God's people. Here's how Exodus 1:11-13 describes it, "So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labor, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh. But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly."

Rather than making things easier, God allowed them to become much harder; the people labored to build cities under increasingly difficult standards. There are at least two parts to this story that deserve reflection:

God allowed the Israelites to endure increasingly difficult times, but he did not allow the difficulties to wear them down or thin them out. In fact, because of God's providential care for his people, the added difficulties caused them to increase in strength and thrive all the more. It's certainly not the way they would have chosen to thrive, but God used it nonetheless. And there's at least one reason I think God chose to prosper his people that way.
God used the difficult circumstances to prepare the people to leave Egypt. If the Israelites had prospered in Egypt, they would never have left. As it was they whined (what the Old Testament calls grumbling) about the favorable conditions in Egypt—as SLAVES!

Boy would I like to think things have changed since the Israelites left the land of the Pharaohs, but I know they haven't. Transitions are no easier for me than they were for those chosen slaves. As long as I'm comfortable, I'm content to stay right where I am. And as long as I stay right where I am, I will never get to the place God wants me to be—the place of his blessing.

What does that mean? It means as long as I know I'm where God wants me to be, I can trust that he will provide the added strength I need to prosper me through the difficulties. I can trust that He is using those difficulties to prepare for the journey to my next destination. I can rest in the knowledge that He has a plan and has the understanding, power, and patience to make it a reality.

Monsters?

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 14:28:00 +0000

My father-in-law recently discovered he had some monsters in his house. Thankfully he had his camera in hand.

Postscript: This is actually a recessive gene that run's in Keri's family. Please don't mention this as they are a bit sensitive about it.

Fearless Giving

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 13:59:00 +0000

Last Sunday I preached a sermon on fearless giving from 1Kings 17. One of the members of the congregation sent me the following sermon, which illustrates the point so well. Thanks, Don.

I was working the FDA in Dallas sometime in the late 1970s. I’d been sent to Hidalgo a little border crossing near Harlingen Texas. I was sampling strawberries during the day then bundling them up and putting them on a plane at the Harlingen airport. One night I got to the airport and I noticed two Mexican nationals at the Southwest ticket counter. The older Mexican was in a wheel chair. They were having a problem. I asked the counter clerk what the problem was. Turns out they had flown for Mexico City to Harlingen but didn’t have a ticket to finish their trip to Houston. They had money but it was pesos and no one would take their pesos. I was done working so I thought I’d try and help them. The guy in the wheel chair had polio. I had a mild case of polio when I was in 5th grade so I had real empathy for this guy. Neither Mexican spoke English and I didn’t speak Mexican. I had the counter clerk tell the younger Mexican that I would take him around and try and find someone that would exchange his pesos for US currency. I started right at the airport with Mexicana Airlines, the Mexican National Airline. They WOULDN’T take the pesos!! I was incredulous. At that time the peso was fluctuating a lot no one wanted those pesos. I took the guy into Harlingen to every business that I could find open. No one would take those pesos. At this point you are maybe thinking I was being some kind of saint – I wasn’t. All along I had the cash in my pocket. At that time the government gave us a cash advance for our room and board. I had the whole thing right there in my pocket. Finally I couldn’t stand it. I took the younger Mexican back to Mexicana Airlines. I told the lady behind the counter that I would make the exchange. I asked her to calculate the exchange rate based on today’s exchange rate pesos for dollars. I can clearly remember after I exchanged my dollars for his pesos that I had $8.00 American left. I gave them to the two Mexicans so they could get something to eat. Now I had a pocket full of pesos and I owed the motel. We didn’t have a credit card and I didn’t have a check. That night I didn’t sleep. I was at the Harlingen bank when they opened. I rushed in and handed over the pesos. All along I was praying that God would let me have enough money to pay for the motel room, I could eat when I got home. That particular day the peso’s value was up and I actually ended up with $20 more than I had given the two Mexicans. All along God was prompting me to make the exchange. I was too much of a coward to do it until there was no other option. You might think I am quicker to listen to God, I’m not. But I’m working on it.

The Patriarchs

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:50:00 +0000

This was a post I posted to our church's Bible-reading blog (here). I have been reflecting on the story of the Patriarchs and heard someone make a comment about how depressing it was to read the stories of these dysfunctional people. I realized that so many times the only way we know to read the stories of people's lives are as examples to either imitate or avoid. But the story of the Patriarchs is so much more than that.

Some times it's difficult to see the forest for the trees and the same is true when reading the Bible. Take the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), for instance. While each of them display some admirable qualities, they also display some qualities that are less than exemplary:) Among other things, all of them are truth-challenged and none of their families seem to be quite...functional. So let me offer you a bigger-picture way to look at the Patriarchs.

The story of the patriarchs is a story of providence. The Bible records the family line of God's promise, showing why some where chosen and others were not. Abraham's promise was passed on Isaac, not Ishmael, even though Ishmael was his first born son (according to ancient custom, if a man did not have an heir by his wife, he could take one of his son's through a concubine to pass on his family's inheritance--in other words, Ishmael was a legitimate option). Then Isaac has two sons, Esau and Jacob. Although Esau was the clear choice because he was older, God did not choose Esau (what sort of person sells his birth-right for the soup du jour?). And then Jacob has a passel of children, the oldest of which was Reuben (not the sandwich), then Simeon, Levi, Judah, and so on, down to Joseph and Benjamin. You might think the line of Levi would be chosen to continue God's promise, but no. Then you might think Joseph would be the line of God's promise. Wrong again. Judah was chosen, the fourth son and someone with his own issues.

But through the ups and downs of this family--through their brokeness and triumph--God raised up a family who eventually gave birth to King David, and then after King David, our Lord, Jesus (thus the phrase, "the Lion of Judah"). Yes, the story of the Patriarchs is a story of providence--God's ability and resolve to work out his plan of salvation in the midst of the drama of our lives. As you read the story of the Patriarchs, take comfort in the fact that God can and does work his redemptive plans in the midst of broken people, as long as those broken people are willing to put their trust in him.

Happy reading!

Savor The Day

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 03:03:00 +0000

We've all heard the Latin phrase, "Carpe Diem," which means, "seize the day" or something like that. I don't have anything in particular against the idea of seizing the day, but I think sometimes we talk about it in terms of getting things done, going for broke, pursuing our dreams, etc. Now I don't really have anything against that either, but sometimes the effort required to seize a day means that we have little strength left to savor the day. Seizing the day usually means that we're trying to get to another level or achieve another goal sot that we can savor some accomplishment out there in the future.

And then there's life, which throws a never-ending stream of curve-balls. And sometimes we get to savor the the things we have seized, but sometimes things turn our differently. Sometimes our plans change. Sometimes we are not able to seize quite what we thought we could. Sometimes we confront difficulties we could not have imagined. And when we get too busy seizing, we can often forget to savor the wonderful things God has given us right now. None of us are guaranteed another day, so it's important that we seize and savor all at the same time.

My children have helped me see this more clearly. There are things I want to do, things I'm trying to accomplish, dreams I have of savoring this milestone or that. But I will never get my kids again at this age, in this place, at this time. I will never have Keri again at this point in our lives. I will never be at this place, with these people, the way I am right now. And that means while I fully intend to seize what God has put before me, I also pray that He will bless me with the ability to savor what I have right here, right now.

My favorite service of the year...

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Thu, 25 Dec 2008 01:55:00 +0000

I love church. I'm not sure you could do what I do and not love church. I love to hear a sanctuary full of people raise their voices in worship. I love to see friends encouraging each other and praying for each other. But I think my favorite service of the year is the Christmas Eve service. Other than some lights on the platform for the choir and speakers to see by, the service takes place by candlelight. We sing some carols together, listen to some music by the choir and orchestra, read a prayer together, and join in the Advent reading. The service ends in candlelight with the song Silent Night.

There is something very special about this service, not just because it is done by candlelight. I think it's because of the anticipation Christmas Eve brings. Even though we've heard the story our whole lives, we cannot help but anticipate what we know will come in the morning--the birth of our Savior. And that anticipation strikes a chord not only because we are looking back at what happened more than 2000 years ago, but because we believe that God will again step into the pages of human history to finish rescuing his people. And so we wait...

Bible Reading Program

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:16:00 +0000

I'm very excited about our journey through God's Word this year and I want to encourage everyone to join us. Here's what we're asking: 1) choose a translation 2) choose a Bible reading program 3) sign up so we can encourage you and so you can share your experiences along the way. This post is designed to help you choose a translation and a Bible reading program that's right for you.

Choosing a translation is not difficult. It's really about personal preference (aside from a few colorful, ideologically driven translations). Here are five prominent ones that you might enjoy.

The NASB, or the New American Standard Bible, is the perfect Bible for you if you like your translation VERY literal. It preserves the original form of words as well as the original word order, including the times when the original word order is not English word order. For example, Matthew 28:18-20 reads, "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
The NIV, or the New International Version, is a good translation if you like a fairly straight forward English translation that prizes idiomatic English more than original literal translation and word order. For example, Matthew 28:18-20 reads, "Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
The ESV, or English Standard Version, is a good translation if you like something more literal than the NIV, less literal than the NASB, and also want a translation that preserves much of the literary beauty of the text. For example, Matthew 28:18-20 reads, "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority iin heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them oto observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
The MESSAGE translation, or more accurately, paraphrase, is a good version to read if you want to read a paraphrase. The Message attempts to stay faithful to the ideas of the text, but in no way attempts to translate the original words as does the NIV, NASB, ESV, or the NLT. For example, Matthew 28:18-20 reads, "Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”
The NLT, or the New Living Translation, is a good translation to read if you like very idiomatic English, but want a translation of the text instead of a paraphrase. The NLT is gaining popularity as an alternative landing somewhere between the NASB/NIV on the one side, and the Message on the other side. For example, Matthew 28:18-20 reads, "Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Choosing a Bible reading program is not difficult. Here are three popular options.

The chronological Bible reading program allows you to read through the Bible as any other, but it takes you through the Bible chronologically rather than in the order the books appear in the Bible (and there is a difference).
The one year Bible reading program allows you to read through the Bible by date. You simply open the Bible to the current date and it has the reading portions broken down for you. Every day you read a portion of the Old Testament, the Psalms, the New Testament, and a couple verses from Proverbs.
The God's Word for Today Bible reading program is available in the church foyer. It gives you a list of chapters to read each day and provides a devotional thought to go with them. The reading guide makes it easy for you to use whatever translation you prefer without buying a new Bible (such as the one year Bible mentioned above).

Finally, if you need to purchase a new Bible there are two main options. You can purchase them online or in a store. If you want to look online, try a site like www.christianbook.com. If you want to look in a store, you can try everything from Walmart to Cokesbury to Family Christian Stores.

I cannot think of any better way for us to grow in our love for God than to consistently read his word. Please prayerfully consider joining us in reading through the Bible this year.

A Cheeseburger For Christmas?

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Sun, 14 Dec 2008 05:11:00 +0000

Yesterday I had an interesting conversation with my kids about Christmas that reminded me of my relationship with God. Jake turns 4 on December 14th and he received a coupon from someone for a free cheeseburger from McDonald's. He relished getting a card addressed to "Jacob Stoner" in the mail, and when he saw the cheeseburger coupon, well that just sweetened the deal. But after a few moments he got quiet and said, "dad, do you like cheeseburgers?" I had no idea where he was going so I just took the question at face value and said, "yes, they're great." Then he gave held up his card and said, "you can have my cheeseburger coupon."

I melted inside, thanked him profusely and then told him that I thought he should keep it and enjoy it himself. He insisted I take the card and happily turned it over to me. I didn't want to refuse him so I took it and thanked him again. Later that night as I drove Katie and Jake home from their Christmas party (thanks, Pastor Tina:) Katie listened to Jake explain what he had done. Katie wasn't buying.

"Jake, dad has enough money to buy his own cheeseburger," she protested. He simply responded, "I want to give it to him because kids can give their stuff too so that moms and dads can have a nice Christmas." Katie was exactly right. I have enough to buy a cheeseburger at McDonald's. And yet Jake was so right, too. The fact that I had enough to buy one didn't lessen his joy in giving it or my joy in receiving it. And then I thought about my relationship with God and what I can give him this Christmas. My best gift is nothing more than a cheeseburger coupon to God, and yet the joy I think he finds in it is far beyond its actual value. It's my heart of love that makes the gift so precious, that makes him savor the memory of receiving it. This Christmas I want to give God a gift that will let him know how much I love him, even if it's something he can afford buy a million times over.

Date Night

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 05:42:00 +0000

Tonight was special...it was a family date night. Keri took Jacob to meet a friend and her little man so they could shop for their sisters. That left me free to spend the evening with Katie, and it was great. She wanted Chinese food, so we went to the Chesterfield Mall for some rice and veggies, did some Christmas shopping for mom (she reads this so I can't share any more), and went by Walmart for some browsing. Then we came home, hid the presents and finished the evening with a little Tom and Jerry. She's growing up so fast and I want to enjoy every minute I can with her. She's a beautiful person and I can't wait to see what she becomes.

Thanksgiving Part 3

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:43:00 +0000

Last one (not the last thing I'm thankful for, but the last one I'm writing about). I'm thankful for the church I have the privilege of serving. Case in point-on Sunday I did a baby dedication for Penelope who was distractingly cute, and then moments later listened to the Walker's talk about their memories of Christmas growing up in the Depression. Mr. Walker talked about never having a Christmas present or a Christmas tree and that if the snow was too deep to make it to church in the Model T (South Dakota) then they would hitch the sled to the horses and ride the five miles to service. I love that I get to be a part of the lives of a broad range of interesting people.

Thanksgiving Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 03:36:00 +0000

Well, now that Thanksgiving is over, let me tell you one of the other things I am thankful for, my family. I have a wonderful wife and two wonderful kids. They're not perfect, which is best, because if they were they would never put up with me. However, they're as good as families get.

I used to say that one thing I was very thankful for in my wife was that she was hardy, but then I realized that for most people the word "hardy" does not carry with it a real romantic feeling:) And although I won't share with you all my pet names for her, she is the fire in my fireplace. But not only has she been my sweetheart for 16 years, she has also been willing, again and again, to go with me anywhere that God has led us. Not only do I love her, but I respect her devotion to God and I could never have guessed how important that would be to our marriage and to God's call on our life.

Then there's the princess, whose smile and blue eyes thwart my sincerest attempts to be tough. She is so tender and considerate, thinking about how others feel and what she can do to make them feel better. And of course, what's a princess without a brave knight. He just as cute in his own way, although he creates a more pungent odor. He wants to be strong and brave and likes the opportunity to help Katie when she's afraid (or when I have captured her and hauled her off to the dungeon:)

I could go on and on--about my parents, about Keri's parents, and even my grandparents, but I think you get the idea. No family is perfect, but I think mine is as close as you can get. Thank you, Lord, for my family.

Thanksgiving Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 02:59:00 +0000

This is the week of Thanksgiving and so I'm going to be thankful, or at least share some of the reasons I have to be thankful. The first reason, and the one upon which all others are built, is that I am loved and surrounded by God. Psalm 139:5-10 says,

"You hem me in—behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me. 6Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. 7Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? 8If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. 9If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, 10even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast."

When you you serve in full-time ministry, such as a pastor, it's very easy to relate to God in terms of what He has called you to do or what you're trying to do on His behalf. And while serving Him in this way truly is a joy, it can also crowd out your personal relationship with Him if you're not careful--the time you spend just being His child. I am so thankful for scriptures like Psalm 139, which reminds me that I can come to Him, not in any official capacity, not with any responsibilities, but just as His child, to love and be loved.

The Definition Of Necessary Evil

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 04:59:00 +0000

You've heard the phrase before, necessary evil, but what does it really mean? I like to think of it as a euphemism for the more common word, budget. It's that time of year again when we crunch numbers and project income and expenses for 2009. It's been a while since I used an adding machine with any regularity and I could tell because I sometimes got more than one total for the same line of numbers added. The numbers were too big for my preferred method of fingers and toes, in case you were wondering.

But in the midst of the torture I call budgets, was the joy of realizing that the numbers I was adding could translate into changed lives (I was working on the missions budget). I think about the people who will hear the name of Jesus for this first time this year because there is a missionary we had a small part in sending. I think about the person in living in St. Louis who may see the love of Christ in a tangible way for the first time this year and take steps toward Him. The Bible says that God is a God of order and on a good day I can file accounting and budgets under the heading "order," but much more satisfying is the realization that the money we give and spend can make an eternal difference in the lives of people.

So, pass me the aspirin and an adding machine...

Missions Convention

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 03:05:00 +0000

We just finished a one week missions convention and I'm pooped--but what a great week. We had the Morton's, the Johnson's, the Godbout's, the Hausfeld's, and the Tucker's. This week we tried to give people a better chance to meet with the missionaries personally so we set up small group opportunities in people's home and in the church. I enjoyed hearing from two of the missionaries--what they were doing, where they were going, etc. We also had our second missions banquet on Friday night where we shared humorous stories from the field. Some of the stories were very funny and beg to be shared. Since not everyone could be there I'm posting two of them that were particularly funny.

Mark Hausfeld, area director of the Central Asian Republics shared this story:

Our family had been in Pakistan for a couple months. We went to a community celebration called a "Mela." A Mela has all kinds of foods, crafts and carnival like activities for adults and children. One of the favorite activities is when a snake charmer plays his flute and a cobra comes out of a basket. I had always wanted to see that so I went to the center of the Mela grounds to the snake charmers platform.

There on a platform two feet off the ground was a family whose lives were dedicated to charming cobras. As I stood looking at the baskets of cobras that surrounded the family of snake charmers and watched a little boy two years age at the most pulling baby cobras out of a basket and playing with them like strands of thick spaghetti. Soon there were several Pakistani men around me and in Punjabi, a language I did not know; they seemed to be negotiating a price for him to charm a cobra from a basket with a flute. The each put down 10 Rupees (about 33 cents). Thinking this is what I am about to see I laid down 10 Rupees too.

The father reached for a small straw basket and took off the lid. He reached in and pulled out a baby cobra that was the diameter of a dime and about two feet long. In one motion from the basket he took the head of the cobra and shoved it up his nose. As the head disappeared in his nostril he slides the rest of the cobra's body into his nose. Suddenly he opened his mouth and put his free hand into his mouth and pulled out the head of the cobra with his index finger and thumb.

With one hand he pulled the head of the cobra and with the other he held the tail. Then he began to pull the head and tail with each hand back and forth like some kind of nose floss! Then he concluded his act with pulling the head so that the remainder of the body and tail came out his mouth. Then he took out a handkerchief and wiped the cobra clean.

And I thought I was going to see a snake dance out of a basket...

Don Tucker, director of Africa Harvest shared this story:

In our first term, we shared an old mission station with a caretaker family. They were nice people but had some very invasive goats. One day, we looked up from lunch to see one of the goats butting through the screen door to come inside.

I could tell by the look on Deborah's face that this was a bit too much for a lovely, young, new missionary lady. So, I proceeded to run out the back door, looked for the closest thing I could find intending to chase away the goat. We lived rather close to the city refuse pile, and there, lying near our back door was an empty long-necked bottle. I picked it up and through it in the general direction of the goat, hoping to scare it away. Would you believe it? That bottle smacked the goat square between the eyes and he fell graveyard dead on the spot!

That event became the talk of the town for a few days. You see, Don is left handed. So I threw the bottle with my left hand. In that country there is significant superstition about left-handed people (which I didn't know at the time!). They used my dead-aim bullseye (or rather goats-eye!) to confirm their suspicions that left-handed people have special abilities!

Little did they know how surprised I myself was when the goat passed away so quickly and thoroughly!

Unfortunate Opportunities

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 03:03:00 +0000

This is a tough time for many businesses. I can say that without reservation despite my thorough lack of understanding of macroeconomics or the like. But there are some businesses that are at least partially insulated from downturns in the economy. The market may be down but people still need toilet paper, gasoline, heat, and other such things. They might be able to use less, but they can't cut them out altogether.

And then I thought about the church. What is the church's business? People. The economic downturn certainly effects the church because the church is supported by people who give according to what they get. But the church's business is NOT profit, it's pointing people to Christ. And so many times that happens by helping people in some of most difficult times in their lives. People are never more willing to listen to the hope found in Christ than when their hope has crumbled. To put it as simply as I can, uncertainty is good business for the church. The business of the church is to offer hope that is anchored in eternity, unchanging and unshaken by the ups and downs of our world. That means that although we may have to figure out how to do more with less in the mean time, the opportunities before us are endless, and the God among us is infinitely creative. I pray that he will help us to use this opportunity to share his love with those who are hurting around us.

Explaining Deniability

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 02:09:00 +0000

Have you ever gone into negotiations with your spouse in Walmart? The other night we were in Walmart for some things we needed, and out of the blue Katie and Keri conspired against me to buy a costume for our dog, Sadie. More out of my own issues than sympathy for my dog, I made a great case against a dog wearing a costume. However, they persisted in the madness and I gave in on the condition of complete deniability. Katie listened with interest to the negotiations and eventually wanted to know what "deniability" meant. I explained to her that I wanted to be able to deny having any knowledge of or participation in the pitiful sight of my dog looking like a bumble bee. She indicated she understood. But the truth is, I knew about it and was complicit in it's purchase (although I didn't tell the guy who checked us out).

Isaiah 53:6 says, "All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." God offers us no deniability for sin. Instead, he provided a substitute to take the shame and the punishment for our sin. This weekend is communion and I am struck once again by the peace there is in owning up to my own sin and yet being able to leave it with God and walk away clean. What an incredible gift!

Appreciating The Little Things

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0000

I just finished watching ABC's Extreme Home Makeover. This week they built a new house for Job McCully and his family. Job and his family spent more than a year in St. Louis waiting for and recovering from a double lung transplant. Watching the McCully's receive a beautiful new home was delightful.

Rob and Tina's bedroom contains a picture frame with a phrase that Ty heard Tina speak earlier in the show. She said, "you have to appreciate the little things that other people take for granted." I want to appreciate the little things. Tonight, before the show, I just sat and watched Katie and Jake run around the living room, carrying pillows, running smack into each other, and falling on the floor giggling uncontrollably. Now there is something worth appreciating.

Installation Service

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 02:05:00 +0000

I'm getting ready for the installation service this weekend and, not surprisingly, I've been thinking a lot about it. I don't really have anything to do other than be installed, but I still feel like I need to get ready. Here's some of what I've been pondering along the way:

I've always heard of and referred to God's sense of humor, but I've never felt quite so sure he was getting a good belly laugh because of me as I do now. "Come to St. Louis," I thought, "and do some school and ride off into the sunset on my shiny red scooter." Didn't quite work out that way.
I'm surprised at how nice it is to think about settling down somewhere and digging in for the long haul. Some day I'll know how to say "Interstate Farty Far" and sound like a local. I'll say things like, "I remember when 141 stopped at Olive, before it went through to Page." My son will grow up loving the Cardinals and maybe even the Rams (he will, however, be a Redwings fan if I have anything to say about it).
There are so many people who have invested so much in me, I feel incredibly grateful and want to honor their sacrifices.
My only hope at West County Assembly of God is what my only hope would have been anywhere else God might have called me--to trust Him to do what I cannot do on my own, to trust Him to move beyond my faults and failures and build His church in spite me.

Here we go...

Mary, Martha, David Allen, and Edgar Allen Poe

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 01:48:00 +0000

While packing some books the other day I couldn't help but chuckle. I packed the book Having Mary Heart In A Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God In The Busyness of Life. The very next book I packed was David Allen's book, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity. That is a picture of the tension I constantly struggle to balance, and I'm guessing the same is true of most people living and working these days. Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to be so efficient that we could do everything and still have plenty of extra time to spend with God? Yes, but God doesn't want our extra time; he wants our best time. Sometimes I think I struggle to spend undistracted time with God because I know that my to-do list is always there. It's like The Tell-Tale Heart (Poe); no matter what I'm doing I can hear it making noise and distracting me. But the time we spend with God cannot be shortened, compacted, or made to be of such "quality" that "quantity" no longer matters. There is no substitute for sitting down with God and simply being in his presence for an extended time.

Overheard From The Back Seat

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 01:44:00 +0000

Blog? What blog? Oh yeah, this one. It has obviously been a while since I've written and so I'm starting back slowly. Tonight we brought some things to our house, among them some plates and glasses and other fragile things. I set the box next to Jacob's seat and told him in no uncertain terms, that under no circumstances was he to step on, in, or near that box. I got in and buckled up and Katie continued my speech by telling Jacob, "if you break it, you buy it." I wasn't going so far as to demand payment in the event of damage, but I realized that at least Katie was paying attention.

Why I Use A Mac

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 04:10:00 +0000

I use a Mac because I can do things like this right out of the box:) Don't try this at home--I'm a trained professional with extensive experience.

Faust Park At Night

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 03:45:00 +0000

I talk about my motorcycle on occasions, but I've never posted a picture of it. This is a picture of the motorcycle I have, a 1998 Honda VFR Interceptor (this is a stock photography picture--mine is not nearly so clean:)

Sometimes I get the itch to ride late at night. Tonight I left the house about 8:30pm and set off on my bike for an unknown destination. As I rode down Olive I decided to pull in to Faust Park about 8:40pm. I had my iPod with me and fired up some worship music and sat on the bench in the darkness looking at the stars and just spending some time enjoying the presence of God without the barrier of a ceiling or lights. Earlier in the evening I had thought about seeing the new Batman movie--Faust Park At Night was better.

Pressing Through

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 02:53:00 +0000

This weekend I attended a men's ministry retreat at the Marionist Retreat Center, and it was a great retreat. The theme was Pressing Through, appropriately named given the incredible challenges some of the men are facing. It had what most good retreats have--times of silence, lots of laughter, prayer, games, worship, and straight talk about challenging issues. The final service was particularly moving; Mickey Davis spoke about the tragic loss of his wife in a car accident. What did I come away with? Several things, but let me share one.

I came away with a fresh realization that I cannot lead anyone to places I've never been. I can point to the far off country--I can describe what others have said it's like--but a large part of my responsibility as a spiritual leader is to go to the place where God is calling his people, to go there so I can lead others there as well. In the same way, men cannot lead their families to places they've never been. And so I pray that God will lead the men of our church so that we might lead those under our care.

If You Hear Drilling Sounds...

noreply@blogger.com (Jared Stoner) — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 03:47:00 +0000

If you hear drilling around the church, don't worry, we're just doing some fund-raising. Apparently the Barnett Shale is producing a lot of natural gas these days, and the oil companies have figured out how to harvest it right out of the middle of the city. And churches are cashing in too-like this one! And although I'm pretty sure the Barnett Shale doesn't run quite this far, you never know how far 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas might wander, and we're not taking chances. So if we strike it rich, we'll have the grandest pot luck St. Louis has ever seen:)