NASCAR & JESUS!

If any of you that read my blog truly know me than you can imagine the excitement going around our home and through our family right now, because ladies and gentlemen, the 4 most important words in my life are about to be spoken loudly and clearly & no, it isn't 'I love you babe,' from my hubby, it is: Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!
Anyone who knows me and my family, know that we are just a bit NASCAR crazy! How else would you account for living less than a mile from Phoenix International Raceway and spending two weeks out of the year camping there for the sake of racing?

I have even been accused of sitting in my living room holding an umbrella during the races when it is raining. Seriously, one of my co-workers swears I am so obsessed by NASCAR that I would do it in support of the rain! Whatever & for the record, no, I have not!

Being a fan of NASCAR is like owning a Harley, if you don't have one, you just can't understand it. Yes, there is more to NASCAR than cars that go round and round the track! It is the smell of bacon cooking on a campstove, hearing your fellow campers moving around in the mornings and everyone is happy, it is putting your hand out in the chilled air from your RV only to have it filled with a hot cup of coffee, it is forgetting for a few days that life can be boring sometimes!

We haven't always been that way, but one day my son met Kyle and Adam Petty and that was it, we were smitten with NASCAR because of the kindness of these two men towards our son who was working a trap & skeet club in Phoenix. Since then, I have had the chance to meet and talk to Kyle several times, I met his beautiful wife and his daughter and they are so down to earth and special people.

I guess that is what NASCAR is all about, the people! People that care for each other, not just the drivers, but each other and people who still care and love Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

I have never liked the term, 'Jesus is my co-pilot,' because doesn't that diminish who Jesus really is? After all, isn't a co-pilot an assistant, the one who isn't in control of the situation, but just there to step in when needed? I don't want Jesus as my co-pilot, I want Him as my pilot, the man in control of the plane, the captain in charge of the ship, the guiding force in my life and if I allow him to be in control, the rest falls into place.

Today however, I was trying to find a picture for my NASCAR post and ran across the one above and it says it all. By the way, a huge thanks goes to Joe McCaffrey over at Enloit Enterprises
for being such a wonderful person and giving me permission to use their trademark for a few NASCAR & JESUS posts. They not only have a great web-site, they have a wonderful story on how this all came about and even a song entitled the same that is amazing! Yes, I have found nirvana, someone that is also obsessed about Jesus and NASCAR.

So, to those of you that aren't NASCAR savvy, a spotter is the man or woman who is usually perched in the highest place they can be on the track so they can see the entire track for the drivers benefit. They are the ones who will tell the driver about a wreck, road hazards, etc. and where on the track it is and if they need to go high or low. They are the ones that are in charge of keeping drivers safe from the pitfalls on the track. They are basically the drivers eyes when all they can see is directly in front of them.

Spotters are used in many sports to ensure a player or individual is kept out of harms way. Spotters simply remove the bad spots in your way and place you in a better spot and isn't that what Jesus does? Doesn't Jesus remove our bad spots and put us in a much better spot with our lives?

To me, it makes sense. Jesus Is My Spotter! I didn't think of it, someone else did, but how wonderful to put it all into perspective! I am guilty of wanting to many things and much of my life has been done according to my ways, what I want, planning around my will and not seeking out Jesus will for my life. But looking at it as Jesus being my spotter, only wanting me to have the best place in the race for me and wanting me to win, WOW!

How powerful Jesus is when we allow Him to be the spotter in our life! How awesome our lives are when we allow Jesus to guide us daily from the minute we get out of bed until the time we crawl into bed. We should be rejoicing and singing His praises because He knows what is good for us and watches out for us!

What about trust? NASCAR drivers trust their spotters with their lives, just as we can trust Jesus with ours. Isn't that what Proverbs 29:25 is about, trust? 'The fear of man brings a snare, but he who trusts in the Lord will be exalted.' I want to know in my own life that I am protected by the blood of Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior and that He will always guide me in the right direction away from danger. I want Jesus to always be the spotter watching out for me.

This week-end, the race and pre-show will be taped while we attend church, but the little ones are already planning on what to have from popcorn to hotdogs, from juice to ice cream, whatever will make the race like really being there, it will and always does bring out the best in our family.

I gently reminded hubby that the basement stairwell was painted and ready to hang this sign up, so as you enter the stairs from the kitchen you will meet this sign. Which actually is the second one, because on top of the stair entry are wooden letters that spell out PITS.

Once down stairs you are met with a variety of race stuff to let you know you are entering our realm, our world of NASCAR, our basement, where for a few hours out of the week, you can sit down, relax and cheer for your favorite driver.

This year, Tony Stewart will be racing the Office Depot car as opposed to the Home Depot care and I guess that means going out and buying hubby some #14 race gear while he cheers on Tony. I will in spite of all the changes remaind a Team Petty Fan, because after all, without Kyle and Adam Petty, our family would have never become NASCAR fans and I would have never discovered the above logo.

God Bless and if you need prayers, let me know. If you are going to be in Daytona for the race, please remain safe, don't drink and drive, have a good time and remember to say a prayer for the drivers while they are out there and for their families.