Running the race

Last Saturday, Debbie and I drove over to Michigan International Speedway near Jackson Michigan, and met Art and Joan Minisky, Andrew and Christie and Fred and Sue. Our goal - to drive on the two mile oval track they have there.

Art, Andrew, Fred and I had a great time driving.

We showed up at 7:00 A.M. and registered. At 8:00 A.M., we had about an hour of instruction (the Mach 1 driving school) and then, "bam", we were driving the cars.

One of the hardest parts was climbing in and out of the car itself being that there are no doors (you have to climb through the window).

Once in, they buckle you in (you have a helmet on as well), put the steering wheel in (it always comes out when you shut down the car) and cinch the window - then away you go.

I drove a Rusty Wallace car.....first, second, third, fourth gear....at an average speed of between 140 and 150 miles an hour.

The six laps went quickly, I think they gave me one more because I got trapped behind a slow driver who wouldn't move over.

I was amazed at how tight the car held to the track, especially on the curves.

And yes, I survived.

Skydiving, and now driving a racing stock car. What's next on my bucket list? I will be revealing it later on...however, it might be dealing with the words "rapids" and "river".

Here's what I know: our Christian experience can be compared to a race. However, it's not a 100 meter dash and with a burst of speed we make heaven.

It's more like a marathon. A marathon that entails ups and downs, victories and defeats and times of extreme joy and sorrow.

The writer to the Hebrews writes, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us RUN WITH PERSEVERANCE THE RACE THAT IS MARKED OUT FOR US."

Sometimes the best thing that we can do is to persevere.