I was looking for something I lost recently and it occurred to me that I
have been doing that more and more as the years go by. How you ever lost
something? Maybe you didn’t lose it; you just can’t remember where you put
it. Have you been searching for something you lost? Greetings in the name of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I now know why everyone in racing has a tool box on wheels that
they take with them everywhere they go; that helps them remember where their
tools are! This past week I was on vacation up in Maine and I was helping my
father in law do some repairs. Every time we needed a tool I would offer to
go get it. His response was interesting; I’ll go, you won’t find it.
After hearing that response several times I asked him why he
thought I wouldn’t find it. He explained that it was where he used it last
and there is no way I could know where he had used it. The flaw in the
system is remembering where you used it last. I think we all could use a
toolbox on wheels!
Even when we know where most of our tools are, sometimes some of
them come up missing. What do we do? How do we respond? I know that to some
folks tools are like members of the family.
I have been reading in Luke’s Gospel chapter 15 about some things
that were lost. I wanted to spend a few weeks looking at how important lost
people are to God. We need to value the things that God values and search
and save the lost.
One of the important things to learn is the danger we face when we
are on our own. Many of us think we can make it on our own. We can be
independent. We do not need anyone else. Nothing could be further from the
truth. Isolation equals death, without others around us our lives will be
less than what they could have been.
The Lonely Ember
A member of a certain church, who previously had been attending
services regularly, stopped going.
After a few weeks, the pastor decided to visit him. It was a chilly evening.
The pastor found the man at home alone, sitting before a blazing fire.
Guessing the reason for his pastor's visit, the man welcomed him,
led him to a big chair near the fireplace and waited. The pastor made
himself comfortable but said nothing. In the grave silence, he contemplated
the play of the flames around the burning logs.
After some minutes, the pastor took the fire tongs, carefully
picked up a brightly burning ember and placed it to one side of the hearth
all alone. Then he sat back in his chair, still silent. The host watched all
this in quiet fascination.
As the one lone ember's flame diminished, there was a momentary
glow and then its fire was no more. Soon it was cold and "dead as a
doornail."
Not a word had been spoken since the initial greeting.
Just before the pastor was ready to leave, he picked up the cold,
dead ember and placed it back in the middle of the fire. Immediately it
began to glow once more with the light and warmth of the burning coals
around it.
As the pastor reached the door to leave, his host said, "Thank you
so much for your visit and especially for the fiery sermon. I shall be back
in church next Sunday.
Think about the things that tie us together as a racing family.
Think about how we are connected to one another. Think about how much we
rally around each other when one of us is in need. Whether we realize it or
not, we have surrounded ourselves with others.
Not only do we know those around us, we know when one of us is
missing or hurting. We search and ask and try to find out where they are and
what’s going on. God does the same thing.
Let’s jump off here; read this passage and think about someone you
haven’t seen in a while. Do you need to reach out to them? Do you need to go
and help them find their way back to God? Do they need someone to pick them
up and help them find their way?
Luke 15:3-7; NLT, So
Jesus told them this story: “If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them
gets lost,
what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and
go to search for the one
that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he will joyfully
carry it home on his shoulders.
When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying,
‘Rejoice with me because
I have found my lost sheep.’ In the same way, there is more joy in heaven
over one lost sinner
who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are
righteous and haven’t strayed away!
THOUGHTS
FROM THE ROAD
As I took some time
off last week, Booby and Vinetta Somers took my place traveling the highways
and byways. Join them as they share their adventures:
Last week Rev. Don talked about taking some time for R&R in Maine.
Prior to the July 4th holiday and with no racing on the schedule for Vinetta
and I; we headed to the Green Mountains of Vermont for some R&R ourselves.
We have been married just over a year and found some time to enjoy one of
our wedding gifts, a hot air balloon ride. Things look different from up
above, as we looked over the farm country and forest a Scripture came to
mind. When we arrived back home I looked it up.
Psalm 104:10-14(NIV)
“He makes springs pour water into the ravines; it flows between the
mountains.
They give water to all the beasts of the field; the wild donkeys quench
their thirst.
The birds of the air nest by the waters; they sing among the branches.
He waters the mountains from his upper chambers; the earth is satisfied by
the fruit of his work.
He makes grass grow for the cattle, and plants for man to cultivate-bringing
forth food from the earth.”
Taking the time to look at things
from a different perspective was a blessing. To see our Savior’s work in
creation from high above was a contrast to when we are just driving along
the highway in a hurry to make it to the next track!
With the end of our visit to Vermont Vinetta and I set out to
handle three tracks after the holiday. Our first stop is always the
thrilling 5/8 mile, high banks of Thompson Speedway. The Vintage cars were
on hand and I am amazed to see the Mods of yesteryear and the current
Modifieds and how they have changed. It is a great treat for every race fan.
The Sunoco Modified’s were running twin features this night and the
crowd seemed larger than most times as when I have visited this season and
the car count seemed decent after the holiday. After the Vintage cars took
some laps on the track the features were on. The twin Mod features being the
headliner, they started things off. But it was the second feature that
turned this into another head scratcher.
With some of the many top names up front to start the race you
figured a lot of great passing and battling for position. Malone and Perry
led the field to the green flag with Preece and TC next in line. There was
certainly lot of passing with TC using his many years of skills driving
around the 5/8 mile oval. Throughout the race it seemed that some drivers
thought they had full bodied cars and not open wheel Modifieds. At different
moments of the race it looked like some decided just to sit back as things
unfolded while others followed the racing philosophy of Mr. Excitement and
hit everything in sight. On the final lap in turn 2 it was #00 pushing #13
TC high to take the lead and dropping TC back to 3rd place. With #31 Preece
in second and Pitkat taking the checkered it only lasted a few moments and
the win was giving to Preece as the #00 of Pitkat was DQ’d for aggressive
driving, Once again the drivers held their tempers and let the officials
handle the final outcome.
On Friday night it was off to Lee USA Speedway. It didn’t take long
for the crowd to make its way in to take in the 100 Lap Late Model Race that
headlined the schedule. The Friday Night under the Lights crowd was getting
back to a good size. With temps in the high 90’s there wasn’t as many Late
Models as anticipated for the big feature. Some drivers instead of racing,
decided to take out drivers once they became noncompetitive throughout the
race. It caused a great deal of cautions and with temperatures already hot
outside the car that just made it worse inside the car. On the final lap it
was the #92 of Grant Aither taking the checkered flag. His patience paid off
as many teams used up their tires in the early laps.
The Modified race saw another red flag as the #22 of Sparky McIver
hit turn one hard tearing up the right side of the car. He did walk to the
ambulance under his own power. Proving that early season car troubles are
behind them, back to back feature wins for the #98 of Tommy Tombarello has
them headed in the right direction.
Well the final race of our weekend trip and the Valenti Modified
Racing Series was in town, Winchester, NH that is! Once again an excellent
car count of 30 cars registered at Monadnock Speedway. This Series is surely
growing each week; is it possible to see 50 cars at one track at anytime
this season?
The excitement of the fans was energizing during the driver
introductions anticipating the call to start the engines. John Spence Sr
invited the crowd to countdown along with him! Holdridge and Mechalides led
the field to the green. Holdridge held down the lead until lap 49. After a
couple restarts with these two challenging each other for position they both
ended up on the outside looking in. Pasteryak moved to the point and held
the lead for 11 laps before a challenge from Szegedy. With Szegedy making
Pasteryak work for the lead it didn’t take long before Pasteryak got loose
on the back straightaway and Szegedy taking the checkered flag. This was the
second event for Szegedy running with the VMRS and it looks like we may see
more of him as the season goes on.
Thanks Bobby and Vinetta.
NHMS AND PENNSYLVANIA ON THE SCHEDULE - For the first
time in many years the K&N will not make the trip to NHMS for the first of
two Sprint Cup races. Instead they are headed to CNS Bank Raceway Park in
Clearview, PA. I’ll miss having Dan by my side at NHMS but Scott will be
filling in.
I am looking forward to serving the folks at NHMS as they have
asked me to officiate a wedding in Victory Lane after the Nationwide Race on
Saturday. That will make us a little late getting over to Canaan for the
VMRS but we’ll get there..
Until next time, be a witness for our Lord with the ministry decals
and apparel. See them at the Show Your Faith Apparel Store at
http://www.rwjm.com/store. Send us your prayer and counseling needs no matter
what part of our racing family you are in, or give us a call. 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.
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Please remember, we can only do what we do because of your prayerful
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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***
July 11
BILL & PHYLLIS BALSER- The Norton, MA photographer and wife have their 61st
anniversary.
July 16
KEITH AND DEBBIE KRODEL- These former Jan Leaty NASCAR WMT team members now
living in Pensacola, FL have their 19th anniversary.
July 17
MARK & STELLA BURNS- This New Hampshire SuperModified team owners have their
28th anniversary.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
July 11
BOBBY DOTTER- Chicago, IL NCTS driver.
JOE BEAN- San Diego, CA NASCAR West driver.
DONNA LITTLE- Wife of former NSC driver now WMT director Chad.
KYLE BELMONT- Langhorne, PA ARCA driver Andy and wife Jennifer's youngest.
July 12
TOM CAREY- Former New Salem, MA NASCAR KNPSE driver/crew cheif.
KRISTA ROEHRIG- The lady is the best friend and wife of former Big Diamond
Speedway owner/promoter Fritz.
ED SPENCER II- Berwick, PA former Crew Chief for Jim Spencer in his Modified
days.
BILLY STEBBINS- Former Jim Broderick Modified Crew Chief, now living in NH.
TOM BALDWIN III- Grandson of the late NASCAR WMT driver Tom and son of NNC
Car owner Tommy Jr.
MENA FELTENBERGER- Wife of Grandview/Big Diamond flgamn/photographer Mike.
July 13
BOBBY BABB- Maine based LM driver.
JEAN DEBOIS- Mom of Pam Krause, wife of AARN Ass't Editor/Columnist, Earl.
July 14
RICH SENDZIK- NJ asphalt Modified driver.
BOB NORTHRUP- D.I.R.T. Modified driver.
MIKE EDDY- Veteran ASA driver.
BOBBY MASON- Former Riverhead Raceway Figure 8 driver.
KAREN TURBUSH- Long Island Hut Stricklin fan.
BILL HUNEKE- Auto Sports columnist for the New Brunswick, NJ "Home
News/Tribune."
MICHELE CONWAY- Newfoundland, PA Micro Sprint driver at Lake Moc-A-Tek
Speedway.
AUSTIN GLEN BREHIO- Son of NASCAR KNPSE driver Glen and wife Teri.
July 15
LARRY MURDOCK- "Urkel" is a crew member on the Later Model 14 Team, driven
by Mike Mortimer, at Riverhead Raceway.
JOHN GEORGIADES, JR.- CT based ProStock driver.
CARRIE SHUBA- From Syracuse, NY, she was the 1997 Ms Miller Motorsports.
ANTHONY MARVIN- son of Sunoco Modified driver Bert Marvin.
July 16
"BOOTS" TOMAINO- The mother of WMT career driver Jamie Tomaino.
MIKE FIELDS- From Long Beach, NY and close friend of the ministry has his
day.
WAYNE ANDERSON- Wildwood, FL NASCAR Modified driver.
July 17
DOUG WOLCOTT- NJ asphalt Modified driver.
BRANDON ASH- Umpqua, OR NASCAR West driver.
ERNIE COPE- Spanaway, WA NASCAR West driver.
MICHAEL LEATY- Mod Tour Jan's adult son.
SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS WITH YOUR RACING FAMILY.
SEND THEM TO:
RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES
PO Box 586
Tolland, CT, 06084
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Racing With Jesus Ministries Website
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