As the Christmas season gets into full swing, we are bombarded by planning and preparing. This is not unlike preparing for the racing season where the right preparation can make the difference between success and failure. What will make our Christmas season a success? What are the priorities we need to have so that we will understand the true meaning of Christmas? Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.
I want to thank my wife, Lynda, for filling in last week as I recovered from an injury. What a difference a week makes. I am on the mend but have a few more procedures that need to be done before everything is 100%. Thank you for your prayers.
Preparing is something that can become obsessive. I know, I am the one of those people who have to have everything all planned out. I struggle to relax and let things happen. My wife’s column was more for me than anyone else.
Have you ever noticed that you can be so caught up in planning and preparing that you miss the enjoyment and excitement of an event? Before you know it it’s over and you are wondering what happened. Christmas is too important to get caught up in all the trappings and miss the point; God sent His son to come and give His life for us. He would lay down his life so that we could live.
Sacrifice is not something racers are unfamiliar with; we all make sacrifices to do what we enjoy. How about making a sacrifice for someone else’s benefit? Many times, we rationalize whether they deserve it before we give. There in lies the gift of Christmas, while we were yet undeserving Christ came and gave his life for us. How do we prepare to receive such a gift? We don’t have to, there is so much love in this gift that we have trouble getting our hands around it. Instead we receive it, not because we deserve it but because it is offered to us.
In this gift we can find many things; we find hope, hope for tomorrow, hope for forgiveness of our shortcomings, hope for others. We find a peace that isn’t easy to understand, a confidence that we are cared for and nothing can defeat us. We receive a joy that doesn’t depend on the circumstances that surround us. We can be joyful whether we have everything or nothing at all. It all comes from the love that Jesus has for us, love that would allow him to give his life for you and me. I urge you to receive the gift that God offers, the life that comes from accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. That is the preparation that needs to be done to fully experience the true meaning of this Christmas season. Take the Christ out of Christmas and all you have left is a mess. Prepare properly this year, put Christ in your Christmas.
Let Christmas happen, sit back, relax and enjoy the Hope, Peace, Joy and Love found in the gift. Christ came so that we could have life and live it to its fullest. God Bless, Rev. Don.
THOUGHTS FROM THE ROAD
I checked out of the hospital on Monday night and checked into PRI, in Orlando on Thursday night. I received clearance to travel from the doctor so Lynda and I set out for some sunshine and 80 degree temperatures. We heard the reports from home about the snow and cold as we enjoyed wearing shorts and flip-flops. We are headed back to winter now. I have a hard time getting into the Christmas spirit when it is 85 and sunny. Christmas songs just sound different.
This was my first visit to PRI at the Orlando Convention Center. It was amazing. I was like a kid in a candy store. Everyone and anyone who had anything to do with any kind of racing was there. I was talking with Don King, his first year at the show also, and he was equally impressed. He said it took him the full three days just to walk through.
I want to thank James and Katie from Design 500 and Lady Eagle for making it possible for us to attend. James said it was a show that we needed to see and he was right. We met several folks from the Northeast. Among them, Eric Beers was getting an order in with ASI Racewear for his new driving suit. He will be replacing retiring Dick Houlihan in the #46 Tour Modified. I talked with him and Matt Hirschman about the additions to the Whelen Modified Tour schedule in upstate New York. They both have some experience at each track and are looking forward to visiting the new venues. Matt will be back with the same split sponsorship deal he had this year and will be a contender for the title.
I also had the chance to visit with Chuck Hossfeld and discuss his plans for 2008. He has plans to run his car for much of the season in various events but he is still looking for an opportunity to return to the Whelen Modified Tour.
I also met with some folks from a few churches in Florida and I am excited about what God has in store for us in the Sunshine State.
After some time indoors it was off to see the Mouse. Imagine standing in shorts, tee shirts and flip-flops at 10:30 at night watching a light parade down Main Street USA, in December! We had a great time, brought back the memories of when we brought the kids. We strolled around reliving our childhood and wondering if we could stay awake long enough to get back to our room before we turned into pumpkins.
We hoped to see the Shuttle take off while we were here but a fuel sensor had different plans. We are headed home, back to the frozen tundra, to prepare to celebrate the birth of our Savior.
Plans are coming together for Motorsports 2008, we have received a commitment from Woody Pitkat and have added him and his #52 Davidson Foods modified to the lineup. Woody will also be there to join Donny Lia and Joey Logano to sign autographs for the weekend. We have one commitment that we are waiting for, if we can get arrange it we can unite the North and South Modified Champions.
I am looking forward to attending the banquets for the Busch East and Whelen tours this week. I will have a steak or two up for auction, all offers will be considered. Have a great week we’ll see you at the Sun.
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***
December 12
ERNIE & MARILYN SAXTON- The legendary Grandview announcer, columnist, Motorsports Marketing Founder/President and Eastern Motorsports Press Association Pres. and the woman who has been by his side all the way have their 32nd anniversary.
BILL & CINDY ELLIOTT- Awesome Bill from Dawsonville, GA and wife have their 14th anniversary.
JIM & PATTY MAVLOUGANES- This Wethersfield, CT ProStock driver and wife share their 9th anniversary.
***BELATED HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
December 7
CHAD WARNER- Member of the Beers Motorsports team.
***HAPPY BIRTHDAYS***
December 12
ED LILLY- Retired PA/NJ asphalt Mod driver.
AMANDA & CHRISTEN WAUGH- The twin daughters of RWJM Western PA/Ohio Coordinator/ Challenger Raceway Chaplain Rev. Bill and wife Dawn.
BILL LADABOUCHE- Maine writer.
MARSHA MEANS- NNC Jimmy’s wife.
December 13
GARY SHACKFORD- Center Conway, NH Busch East Series driver/crew cheif.
TREY TOMAINO- This Wall Township Speedway Modified driver is a son of Howell, NJ NASCAR WMT driver/RWJM Rep. Jamie and wife Cheryl and CTS crew member.
CHERIE WIBBELSMAN- Wife of Dr. Chris, son of Dunwoody, GA RWJM advisor Dick and wife Judy.
December 14
HERSHELL McGRIFF- California’s ageless driver/owner.
CRAIG ORMSBY- D.I.R.T. Modified driver.
MARK BYRD- Lebanon Valley Modified driver.
MIKE SCHANTZENBACH- Mahoning Valley driver.
JOHNY CHAPMAN- Stony Point, NC LMSC/BGN driver.
STEVE HMIEL- NNC/BGN Crew Chief.
GEORGE HARRINGTON- Lebanon Valley fan.
ALLISON BELMONT- One of ARCA driver/East Windsor Promoter Andy and wife Jennifer children.
December 15
JAN LEATY- Williamson, NY NASCAR WMT driver.
TOMMY MARKHAM- Son of Fredricksburg, VA NNC/BGN driver Curtis is 15.
DANIELLE WAUGH- RWJM Challenger/Jennerstown Chaplain Bill and wife Dawn’s youngest child is 20.
JANAI WILSON- The daughter and fellow track crewman with her husbad and aslo dad RWJM Chaplain Bob Menschner at Wall Township Speedway.
BILL ROBINSON- Whiting, NJ NASCAR, Wall Township Speedway and New Egypt Speedway fan and the son-in-law of Doris Bradley, another WTS and Modified fan.
December 16
LISA JAMES- Canterbury, CT RWJM advisor and longtime assistant to Pat. Also the wife of RWJM advisor Scott.
TOM HAGER- West Easton, PA dirt Modified legendary driver.
TED DENSIESKI- Brother of Riverhead Raceway Mod driver Ed.
JUDY BRYANT- Wife of NC Modified driver Johnny.
LINDA VENEZIAN- Wife of Joe, Proprietor of Perth Amboy Springs.
TRAVERS CAMBRA- Former Wall Township Speedway photographer, now Sales Rep. for Overhead Doors.
December 17
JAY FOGLEMAN- Durham, NC LMSC/ProCup driver.
DARRYL BOBZIN- Holland and Spencer Speedways LM driver.
KEN MEISENHELDER- Springfield, MA KGM Video president.
MATTHEW MARTIN- One of Mark’s children is 15.
December 18
TED MUSGRAVE- Franklin, WI CTS driver.
B.J. MACKEY- Rock Hill, SC NASCAR driver.
DENNIS VITOLO- Massapequa, NY born Golden Beach, FL IRL driver.
ANGELINA PERKINS- The neice of JDM Chassis propreitor/LM driver Jay and wife Angelina of Preston, CT is 17.
SHARE YOUR SPECIAL OCCASIONS WITH YOUR RACING FAMILY. SEND THEM TO RACING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES AT PO BOX 586, Tolland, CT, 06084
Sources: Rev. Don Rivers/RWJM