Darrell Waltrip One-On-One

I just finished reading the book Darrell Waltrip One-on-One by Darrell Waltrip and Jay Carty. The book is a series of sixty short stories by Darrell that relate his faith to stories about his days as a NASCAR driver and now as a NASCAR announcer on Fox Sports.

Darrell Waltrip is one of the NASCAR greats, who has 84 NASCAR victories and in the 1980s was named the NASCAR Driver of the Decade. He also is a man of faith who leads a weekly Bible study for 75 men in his garage in Franklin, TN.

Jay Carty, a former NBA basketball player, turner minister, has a commentary for each of Darrell's stories that goes a little deeper into how Darrell's story relates to faith in God, the Bible and Jesus.

It's a great read and can be used for a 60 day devotional.

The book is personal to me because my wife is related to the Waltrips from Owensboro, KY. She is a distant cousin of Darrell. If fact, we visited Owensboro last week and were able to talk about Darrell and his brother Michael with people who know them well. We missed going to Wendell's Wonder Whip, that Darrell mentioned in the book, but we did get to enjoy Burgoo and mutton at another local restaurant. In fact, I enjoyed the mutton all night long.

My favorite stories in the book are about Darrell's relationship to Dale Earnhardt. They were friends off the track and enemies when racing against each other. Darrell called them "frienemies".

In the story titled "Duct Tape and the Word" Darrell and Stevie, Darrell's wife, tell of the day that Dale was killed in the Daytona 500. It was the first race that the two were not racing against each other. That day Darrell was new in the Fox Sports booth, announcing the race.

Near the end of the race just before Dale hit the wall, he was blocking for his teammates, Dale, Jr. and Darrell's brother Michael who eventually won the race - his first NASCAR Winston Cup victory.

When Dale and Darrell raced, Stevie would write out a Bible verse for both Dale and Darrell on duct tape. That day she wrote one for Dale.

"The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and our safe." - Proverbs 10:10 NKJV.

Darrell and Stevie knew that what once was a lucky charm for Dale, had become a symbol of Dale's true faith and love for Jesus - and that Dale is now in Heaven.

It is ironic twist that on that day I was watching the Daytona 500. I didn't usually watch NASCAR races. I heard Darrell's announcing, I saw Michael win the race and I watched in horror as a racing legend hit the wall and eventually died. Now I know the rest of the story.

Go get the book. It's for me and it's for you too.

The Mundane Matters of Eternity

The past month or two has been a very interesting time for us. God is good. He wants to be the focal point of our lives and He knows and cares about even the smallest of our concerns.

Recently, my wife and I were faced with a decision to stay in Ohio or relocate with work to Charlotte, NC. We wrestled with this choice, prayed about it considerably, and sought the counsel of trusted friends and family. It makes a lot of sense to move to a nice, growing area of the country, continue good Career growth with a Fortune 500 company, and trust God to provide new friends and a Church family. Ultimately, we decided the opposite made more sense to us, stay in Ohio, continue our friendships and Church involvement and trust God to provide a new career opportunity. This Leap of Faith felt freeing and like what God wanted us to do, however it certainly was a bit disconcerting. Within a week I had a job offer that represented everything I was looking for career-wise and nice financial growth.

During our relocation contemplation, a particular bible verse jumped out at me; Proverbs16:9, “In his heart, a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

This seems curious to me, man plans his course, implying long-term, but God is in charge of his steps, which to me implies short-term. I tend to approach God only with bigger, perhaps relocation types of concerns. But really, by submitting the little things in life to God (our steps) we are giving Him control over the entire course of our lives, His ultimate eternal plan for us.

I’ve heard some people say, I’m not going to bother God with my little day-to-day problems. He’s got bigger things to worry about. Perhaps this seems like a reasonable attempt at being responsible and putting others first. But in reality these statements imply that God can’t handle both the big eternal topics and the day-to-day seemingly mundane matters. This attitude also implies self-reliance by saying that we can handle the small stuff without God. God wants us to trust Him for everything, submit our lives and plans to Him everyday and eternally. The day-to-day is the eternal. There’s so much freedom in not having to worry about our eternal souls, even what happens 100 years from now, as we know that by trusting Jesus Christ as our savior we have eternal life in Him. His plan is perfect. Why not also trust Him with our monthly bills, our daily decisions in school/work/relationships, even how we spend each hour everyday?

1 Peter 5:6-7 says, “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

This contains a promise that we will be lifted up in His time if we humble ourselves by casting our concerns on Christ. All simply because He loves us. Its very freeing. Got a concern? Just cast it upon Christ, through prayer, bible study, and communication with our Christian brothers and sisters.

We can’t do it alone. Humility is vital. You probably know I can be a bit arrogant every now and then. But there’s nothing in self-reliance. With Christ and with each other we can learn and find the fullness of life that’s planned for us, both forever in eternity and at this very moment in our lives, today, right now in the mundane matters.

Don Imus Is Off The Air - Amazing

The Don Imus controversy amazes me. Read about it here.

First, I am no Don Imus fan. I confess that very early in the morning, before Fox and Friends, I have watched and listened to the "I-Man". His politics are too liberal for my taste, but he is funny and says outrageous things mixed with some serious political discussion. He has interesting guests, including many of the political power players. He has many loyal fans.

Imus insults most everybody. Compared to most "shock jocks", in my opinion, he is fairly mild. He was thrown off the air because of a few few offensive remarks. I don't doubt that they were offensive, nor do I defend Imus for them.

Back to my amazement. I am a Christian. I believe that God is the loving creator of the universe and that Jesus is His Son. Millions of Americans worship and love Jesus. To us, Jesus is very real. Yet, on a daily basis on radio and TV, God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit and Christians, are mocked. Christians are offended and hurt. I am offended and hurt.

If Christians complain, the answer is that "free speech" trumps our pain - and the hurt goes on.

But Don Imus is off the air for a few offensive remarks. Amazing.

Another Slap at Christianity - Easter Bunny Out

A school in Rhode Island has banned the Easter Bunny from a school event in an effort to be aware of "other people's backgrounds and traditions". The Easter Bunny will be replaced by Peter Rabbit.

Naturally, the head of the Rhode Island ACLU approves. In response, a Rhode Island legislator plans to offer a bill to save the Easter Bunny.

Secularists will not be happy till all vestiges of Christianity are swept out of the USA. This is reminiscent of the Communist attack on Christianity and the Bible.

The good news is that Jesus lives. A study of "His"story and the Bible shows that God has the last word.

When Jesus was baptised God declared: "This is My beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased". 2 Peter 1:17 NASB.

Read the story about this here. Read the Bible here.

Bush, Faith and Politics

I was browsing through past posts on my blog Getting Elected Blogline and I ran accross one that that I believe is appropriate to re-post here. Following is that post titled "Bush, Faith and Politics". (Please excuse the political tone, but the Christian message applies whether the subject is a Democrat or a Republican.)

Karen Armstrong, Monday July 31, 2006, in The Guardian foolishly attempted to link George Bush's Christian beliefs and his faith with the many problems at home and overseas. Read her article titled "Bush's fondness for fundamentalism is
courting disaster at home and abroad" here.

Armstrong sees a major part of the problem as a struggle between faith and science. She points to Thomas H Huxley, an advocate for the Origin of Species who concluded:

"One or the other (faith or science) would have to succumb after a struggle of
unknown duration."

As to the Bible believing Christians wanting Intelligent Design taught in schools, Armstrong exclaims, like Huxley: "The issue splits the nation down the middle: fundamentalists want to win a battle for God; liberals and secularists are fighting for truth and rationality." (As Jesus said: "What is truth?")

Armstrong sees George Bush's Christian views "courting disaster" in
the world.

She attacks the President for banning federal funding of stem cell research:

Bush: "This bill would support the taking of innocent human life in the
hope of finding medical benefits for others... It crosses a moral boundary that
our decent society needs to respect."

Armstrong even charges the President is ignoring civilian deaths in Lebanon because of his belief in the "end times" and Bible eschatology. She argues that fundamentalist Christians, like Bush believe:

"Christ cannot return, however, unless, in fulfillment of biblical prophecy, the
Jews are in possession of the Holy Land." (Does Armstrong know that Jesus said
that no one knows the time when He will return?)

Her ramblings on George Bush's faith go on and on to even include his failure to sign the Kyoto treaty.

Armstrong argues: why would Bush care about global warming "If the world is about to end?" (How about if Bush signs it, the US economy suffers? How about,
many scientists don't believe in global warming?)

Liberals and secularists, like Armstrong, have a worldview that lacks faith. So sad - and irrational. Isn't it irrational to believe that our world could come into existence and be so beautiful through mere chance? Their lack of knowledge of the Bible also feeds their irrationality.

I know. After accepting Christ I saw things very differently. Call me a fundamental Christian if you wish, but I call myself a Christian who believes the Bible and Jesus.

The truth is that George Bush, his faith or his politics will never be understood by the secularists until they stop being secularists. I will pray for Ms. Armstrong and other secularists.

Jesus Mocked

In the news:

• Barack Obama as Jesus. Read about it here.
• Chocolate Jesus. Read about it here.

Some think this mocking is funny. I think it very sad, but predictable.

Jude 1 17-20 (NIV)

17 But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. 18 They said to you, "In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires." 19 These are the men who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

20 But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit. 21 Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.