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8/14/2009
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PASS THE SALT
by
Rev. Don Rivers |
The season is in full swing and we are on the road for most of the month of
August. The championship races are shaping up and there is plenty of racing
left. Now we enter the time of the season where the heat is turned up. How
do we perform under the microscope? People will see our true character. When
they do will they see the love of Jesus? Greetings in the name of our Lord
and Savior, Jesus Christ.
Many times in life and racing we find ourselves in pressure packed
situations. We need to perform better to retain a sponsor or we need a good
finish to secure our point standings. There are many opportunities at this
time of the racing season to forget about everything and focus on our on
track performance. Crunch Time!
Sometimes when that pressure is put on us we do not represent God
well. We lose site of what we have been called to become in Christ. We
revert back to being self-focused and self-serving. We forget to look around
and see what others are going through. That is not the way we should live.
We should be looking around for the opportunities that God has for us. When
we turn our focus to ourselves we do not see or hear the voice of God. Jesus
encourages us to remember who we are called to be.
Matthew 5:13-16: "You are
the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be
made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out
and trampled by men. "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill
cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.
Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the
house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see
your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Jesus uses two analogies, salt and light. Let’s take a look at salt
first. Do you use salt? We use it for different things such as to season
food or melting ice. When we use it as a seasoning we do so to enhance the
flavor. Take a look around and see if you are enhancing those around you.
Are you making things better or worse?
We also use salt to change things. When we put salt on ice it melts
and makes it easier to get around. Salt can also be corrosive, when used in
the wrong way we can tear thing apart. We are encouraged by Jesus to use the
love of Christ that is in our hearts to improve the situation. Jesus
cautions that if we lose our focus and our “salt” is no longer affective we
become useless.
Let me stop here and explain. We have the opportunity each moment
we live to affect those around us, either for good or evil. We decide how we
will use our influence. When we choose to be destructive our ability to
claim the love of Christ and help others is gone. Our witness is no longer
respected. When we find ourselves under pressure we need to be aware of how
we are demonstrating our faith. We need to remember who is in control. We
need to avoid losing our saltiness, our credibility, our witness.
Think of it this way. You can be an egg, a carrot or coffee beans.
Let me explain, when we place each on of these in the heat of the moment,
boiling water, they react differently. An egg becomes hard-boiled. Its
insides change from liquid to solid. Our heart gets hard. Carrots on the
other hand get soft and mushy. They start off rigid and strong but end up
all mushy, no backbone, no firm foundation to stand on. Now coffee beans on
the other hand do not change, they remain the same. They do however change
the water. The water becomes aromatic and tasty. The water becomes
desirable. The coffee beans do not change but they improve the water. Which
one are we. When pressure comes do we harden our heart, loose our foundation
or add to the situation in a way that improves it? Don’t loose your
saltiness.
Jesus put in each one of us a light that will dispel the darkness.
Don’t hide your light, let it shine. Have you ever been in a cave and the
lights went out. You cannot see your hand in front of your face. Then you
light a match, a little flame and you are amazed at how much light it
provides. You are the same kind of light. We, as Christians, have the same
opportunity to light the darkness others are experiencing. When all hope is
gone the light of one who knows Jesus can bring hope to the world.
Have you ever tried to stumble around in the dark? Even in your own
home, you think you know where things are, but you still stub your toe and
stumble. When we hide our light we cause others to stumble around in the
darkness. When we keep the love of God to ourselves and do not share it we
leave others to find their own way in the darkness. Let you light shine! Put
it on a lamp stand and help others find their way.
Jesus used these two analogies to demonstrate two important
functions we have as Christians. We need to improve the lives of others and
shine our light to help them find their way. Have we improved the lives of
those around us or have we been an obstacle? The first lesson Jesus taught
us in this passage is that we have a responsibility to lead others. Whether
we realize it or not we are leading. Make sure you are leading people to
what is right. God Bless, Rev. Don
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD
ON A HOT SUMMER NIGHT - A true gem of a day was on tap
for us as the Whelen Modified Tour visited Stafford Motor Speedway. With
spectacular weather in place we were looking for a classic mid-summer race.
We were in for a few surprises.
First, local driver and sometimes tour driver Eric Berndt
decided to focus on his tour effort this night and it paid off with his
first career Whelen Modified Tour pole. In accomplishing the feat he had to
beat the winningest driver at Stafford , TC and the hottest driver this
August, Ryan Preece. It was great to see Eric’s enthusiasm as he collected
his award. I spoke with him about his lap and he said he had to burp the
throttle coming out of turn four and didn’t expect much from the lap. It
proved to be the best lap of the day.
I mentioned young Ryan Preece, he would prove the victory at
Riverhead was no fluke. He measured his laps as he waited to take his turn
at the point. He made the pass for the lead on lap 104 and led the rest of
the way to secure his second victory of the season. This win was special for
Ryan as Stafford was the place where he learned about racing, he grew up
around the sport there.
The Championship Race saw another change at the top with TC moving
back into the number one spot. August may prove to be the month that
solidifies a front runner but for now less than 100 points separate first
from forth. TC, Szegedy, Preece and Lia make up that foursome. Preece is the
only one without a championship to call his own. Maybe this will be the year
for the young gun to wrestle the title from the veterans.
EAST TO WEST - This week has us traveling from the far
eastern part of Connecticut to the far western part. We will be at Thompson
International Speedway Thursday night when the Whelen Modified tour joins
the Thursday Night Thunder series and then head to Lime Rock Park for the
annual visit by the Camping World East series. Although they are both in the
same state there is no easy way to get there from here. I can drive to Maine
easier and quicker than driving from Thompson to Lime Rock. No matter, we
will find our way.
Spending these last few weeks close to home have allowed us to get
some new folks involved in what we do. Friday night at Stafford we were
joined by Kathy Rottino and this weekend at Lime Rock Ray Pavkov will be
along side to help out. We are always looking for those who God has called
to this ministry. We have many opportunities to serve here in Connecticut
and around New England . If you think this might be something God has called
you to, drop us a line.
Be a witness for our
Lord with the ministry decals and apparel. See them at the Online Apparel
Store at www.RWJM.org.
Call us with your prayer and counseling needs and list all your prayer
needs, no matter what part of our racing family you are in, with the Racing
Family Prayer Request Page
www.rwjm.org/page/prayers.php also send your prayer request by mail.
Until next time, remember that God loves you, we love you and
Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing. GOD BLESS.
Mail reaches us at Racing with Jesus Ministries, PO Box 586,
Tolland, CT 06084. Check our weekly printed pages in "Area Auto Racing
News", the East Coast’s largest weekly racing paper" See our on-line Apparel
Store for subscription information. Check our home page
www.rwjm.org for past
articles. We invite you to input your thoughts as you sign our Guest Book.
Please remember, we can only do what we do because of your prayerful
financial support.
Numbers 6:24-26 "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord
make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face
toward you and give you peace."
May God always Bless you, everyday in everyway. Rev. Don
CHECKERED CHEERS
***WEDDING ANNIVERSARIES***
August 13
RON & GLORIA HANNA - This Amsterdam, NY Fonda Speedway fans have their
10th anniversary and were wed as an early birthday present for Ron who
celebrates on the 19th.
August 14
BOB & DEBBIE YURKO - This couple can be seen recording the action at
Seekonk and Thompson weekly have their special day. As I heard one announcer
put it "she must be a saint"
August 15
JOHN & DENISE DURLING - This Grandview Speedway Late Model driver and
wife from Reading . PA share their 7th anniversary.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
August 12
CRAIG Von DOHREN - BARTO, PA dirt Modified driver.
JERRY YOUNG - Plainfield , CT LM driver.
RICHIE GALLUP - Agawam, MA Modified driver.
RON HUMES - Islip, NY Modified driver.
LONNIE RUSH, JR. - Pickerington, OH CTS driver.
SCOTT GAYLORD - Lakewood , CO NASCAR West driver.
LENNY CHANDLER - Windham, CT fan and friend of Jimmy Broderick.
August 13
DAN COLEMAN - Griswold, CT former Modified championship owner and expert
carpenter.
LINDA BRADY - The wife of Stoughton , MA legendary NASCAR WMT 00
owner, Joe Brady.
WILLIAM WOOD - Son of Tammy and Steve. Woody works for Ray Evernham,
R & D Development. Tammy is the daughter of Doris Bradley, sister to Judy
and Sally.
August 14
RUSTY WALLACE - St. Louis, MO retired NSC driver now ABC commentator.
LAURA DENNIS - Ocean, NJ long-time Jamie Tomaino NASCAR WMT fan.
MERL BREHM - Mechanicsburg, PA Sr. Champ Kart driver.
August 15
JOHN DURLING - Reading, PA championship Grandview Speedway Late Model
driver.
A.J. ROMANO - Johnstown, NY dirt Modified driver.
SAM SCHMIDT - Las Vegas, NV part-time IRL driver.
MARIO FIORE- The famous Agawam , MA NASCAR Modified Team owner.
DICK CLARK - Long Island occasional NASCAR WMT driver.
MARCEL DUSSEAULT - Somerswoth, NH former NASCAR CWES Marc Motorsports
team owner.
GEORGE FOSSETT - Gray, ME fan.
KENNY HOLLIS - No. Easton , MA AARN race fan.
ADAM LEE O'BRIEN - Kyle Petty's biggest fan and son of Tammy from
Boyertown , PA is 7.
August 16
DR. JERRY PUNCH - Cornelius, NC much loved ESPN/ABC racing announcer,
but most importantly, Joni's husband.
ERIC BEERS - Northampton , PA WMT Modified driver.
LOU PRIOR - CT former ProStock driver.
BILL KISER - Concord , NC NNS writer.
MARK BOURCIER - CT based veteran racing writer.
DAWN SANSEVERINO - A daughter of Hillsborough , NC photographer Ed
and wife Linda.
MICHAEL JIVANELLI - A son of Hampton Bays , NY Riverhead Raceway
driver Dan is 18.
August 17
PHIL RONDEAU - Baltic, CT Hooters Cup/LM driver.
JIM MAVLOUGANES - CT based ProStock driver.
JIM ROSENFIELD - MA ProStock driver.
JIM TERWILLIGER - Bloomingburg, NY 1956 Sprint URC Rookie of the
Year, now retired.
CHRIS ROMANO - AARN's "Midget Magic" columnist, now down south.
SHERIL PERRY - She writes about Seekonk Speedway from Rehoboth , MA .
ARLENE HARD - Wife of Vill, race car fan since 1958 from Clifton , NJ
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RON HANNA - Amsterdam, NY Fonda Speedway fan.
August 18
DAVEY JOHNSON - Imperial, PA S.T.A.R.S. Late Model driver.
DOUG DIDERO - Oswego Speedway/ISMA SuperModified driver.
SAM STERN - MA ProStock driver.
BETH SEMINARA - Originally from Brewster , NY now Mt. Holly , NC ,
wife of "Area Auto RAcing News" Nextel Cup photographer Ted.
AMANDA VECCHIO - The daughter of Syracuse , NY former NASCAR CWES
team owners Tony and Debbie is 11.
*** NEW BEGINNINGS ***
DAN BETZ - Here is the address to send condolences to his wife and
family at; 1548 N 27th Street, Allentown , PA 18104
SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS WITH YOUR RACING FAMILY.
SEND THEM TO:
RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES
PO Box 586
Tolland, CT, 06084
TheChromeHorn RWJM Archives
Racing With Jesus Ministries Website
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Source: Rev
Don Rivers / Racing With Jesus Ministries
Posted: August
14, 2009 |
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