Season Opener at Caraway Speedway...

This past weekend we headed east for the season opener with the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour at Caraway Speedway in Asheboro, NC.

It was an absolutely beautiful day to be outside enjoying God's creation...the mid-80's temperature was as unexpected as it was welcomed compared to the sub artic temperatures we faced this time last year. All I can say is it was a beautiful day to be outside.

Upon arriving at the track we checked in to receive our credentials and headed into the infield. For this event I prepared a letter for each team that included a short devotional for them to read. So after we found our way into the infield we worked our way down the row of haulers making contact with each team and posting the devotional on each team's war wagon (tool box) or hauler. I plan on continuing with these letters throughout the entire season, I hope it allows everybody the opportunity to 'quiet' their day and meditate on God's word for a few moments.

We exchanged pleasantries with a lot of people throughout the day, but we did not find ourselves in a lot of deep conversation. Being that it was the season opener, everyone was very busy during the day getting ready for the race. The reality of there being 31 teams attempting to make the 26 car field just pushed everyone to work that much harder.

Around 4:00 practice started, and all of the teams hit the track for the next hour. The deafening V8's rumbling around the tiny track eliminated any possibility of talking to anyone...so we settled into a couple of folding chairs in the shade and rested a bit. The drivers meeting was scheduled to follow practice, so once the red flag was dropped and all of the cars cleared the track we headed to the building the meeting would be held in. Following the meeting, I closed us in a short prayer.

Qualifying went smoothly, and after qualifying those who made the race lined their cars on the front stretch for a fan autograph session. I typically use the autograph session time to pray with drivers individually prior to the race...and due to the amount of fans at this event I had to wait in line to pray with most!! This is, however, the only fitting time in the schedule to pray individually with them since immediately after the autograph session they buckle into their rides and get rolling.

I was also asked by the Caraway officials to present the invocation prior to the race, so after some hustling back and forth we found our way up to the tower to offer up a prayer prior to the race.

The race wasn't as smooth and clean as they usually are, with a few more cars than normal finding the hook of the wrecker, however we are thankful to God that there were no injuries.

All in all it was a great weekend, and we are excited about our community making their debut appearance in Nashville this weekend!

Buckle Up...

You're a chaplain for who...???

I know a lot of people aren't overly familiar with the NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified Tour that we serve...so I wanted to get you "up close and personal" with the type of racing that the community we spend a lot of our time with does.

Check out the two videos below...

Random Ramblings...

For the past few months I have been in a ‘funk’ realizing that time marches on...and things aren’t the way they used to be. At 26 you would think I wouldn’t be having thoughts of getting old...I guess my mid-life crisis just came a little early. Call it fear, call it anxiety, call it nostalgia, call it what you will...I am just ready to be over it! Yes, Christians have emotions and experience ‘funks’ too. Whoever said following Jesus Christ was easy, obviously wasn’t following Him!

So I found myself feeling a little nostalgic tonight going through old pictures on my computer. As I was re-living memories that each picture conjured up I realized...isn’t God good? Okay, okay...we have been told that since we were little, “God is good, God is great”, but think about how good God really is. I may not be a millionaire (or a thousandaire....barely a hundredaire!) but I have everything I could ever need.

I have my salvation. No one can ever steal that from me.

I have my health. If I lose that, this body is only temporary.

I have a wife who is beautiful both inside and out. (I dare you to mess with her!)

I have a family who supports me and loves me regardless of what I do. Christian parents who have brought me up the way I am and in-laws who have accepted me as their family.

I have a shelter. I have food. I have transportation. I have a cat.

God is good. REAL good.

When I was young I wanted to be an artist when I grew up. Now I find myself doing graphic design for all kinds of people and organizations.

When I was young I wanted to work for Walt Disney World when I grew up, now our company helps find entertainment for WDW so in a round about way I do.

When I was young I wanted to be a race car driver when I grew up, now I travel as a chaplain with a NASCAR regional series.

When I was young I wanted to marry my “Cinderella” and live in a fairy tale...have you seen Michelle...goodness!

God is good. REAL good.

So Kyle, get out of your funk. Your past was bright, but your future is much brighter. It’s okay to remember the past, but for goodness sakes boy, don’t live in it! Sure, the things on this earth are temporal. But the things that matter, Jesus Christ, my beautiful wife, my loving family, my supportive friends, they will last an eternity. Because when the earth has faded away, we will still all be rejoicing together.

So am I better now? Not totally...but it sure does help to think about how good God is. Real good.

Kyle

Heading West to Memphis...

With only one week left until the 2007 race season gets started, we hopped in our black chevy and headed west to Memphis to visit with Michelle’s Mom, Sister, and her Sister’s fiance. It is always nice to get away knowing you will have zero responsibility for the next few days! Not to mention it is always great to spend time with family!

After this weekend we dive headlong into our race season, with four straight NASCAR Whelen Southern Modified races over the course of next four weekends. The tour will take us through North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee on our first stretch of races.

Weekly racing at the Motorplex starts in April as well. While we will be out of town for the season opening race, we are extremely excited to have our friend, and now co-Chaplain Raymond on hand for the event. Raymond is partnering with us at the Motorplex this year, and we are extremely excited to have him as a part of our team.

Beyond getting ready for the upcoming race season, we have also been very busy planning “The Ultimate NASCAR Tailgate Party” outreach event at Full Life Assembly of God in Franklin, TN. The outreach will be on July 1st, and is going to be a pretty awesome event! We will tell you more about it as it gets closer...

Seeing that we are all sitting around amidst an engaging game of Rook (I’m down by 15 points!), I better wrap this up. Check back next week for an update on how our first race went! Until next time...

In His Service,
Kyle and Michelle