Let me ask a question; are we genuine or imitation? Many times people say the right things, act the right way and fool us into thinking they really care for us. When in fact they are only motivated by what is in it for them. It is difficult to recognize a wolf in sheep’s clothing. I wonder if we have fallen into the trap of Hollywood, making things appear to be something they are not and have fooled those around us.

I am pleased that for the most part the teams and officials we travel with are genuine and real. The racing family is made up of some pretty unique people, the kind you won’t find just anywhere. For the most part, aside from the creative rule of interpretation, racers are genuine; actual, real, true: not false or fake; sincere and honest. That doesn’t mean we will always agree, but you will always know where someone stands.

They feel for one another and care about each other, not only on the track but away from the track as well. I see this in their actions when the racing family has difficult times and needs support and encouragement to make it through; they are there; genuine friends to help in a time of need. I am reminded of a story in the Bible about some friends who demonstrated this.

Mark 2:1-12; A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves,”Why does this fellow talk like that? He’s blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, “Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, `Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, `Get up, take your mat and walk’? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . .” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!” 

Take a look at what these friends were willing to do; they knew their friend needed help. They also knew that Jesus was the one who could help. They carried their friend to Jesus. Regardless of what it cost them personally or financially, someone had to repair the roof, they wanted their friend to get what he needed. 

Jesus, seeing the faith of the friends, provided what the man truly needed, forgiveness of his sins. The problem came when others questioned if anything really happened, after all who can see forgiveness of sins. 

That wasn’t good enough for those who were watching, they didn’t have the faith to worship what had been done for this man. They didn’t understand the transaction that Jesus made in that man’s soul.  They challenged Jesus about his authority to forgive. Jesus responded in a way that left no doubt, Get up and walk and the crippled man stood up and walked.

Let’s take a closer look at the scene. Jesus was visiting this town and so many people wanted to see him they crowded into the room, they left no room. They weren’t concerned about who may need what Jesus had to offer. In reality, they all needed what Jesus offered. Their focus was on themselves and the questions they had. When someone was brought to Jesus that had a true need they were unable to get to him because of the crowd. 

We face obstacles that get in the way of bringing people to Jesus. How we handle them reveals our own faith. These friends had faith and knew they had to bring their friend to Jesus. So they did whatever they could to get him there. They cut a hole in the roof, lowered him down in front of the crowd at Jesus’ feet. 

Who were the genuine friends? Who were the ones willing to sacrifice for the benefit of someone else? Too many times we are crowded out, or we crowd others out of getting the help needed. We can be the crowd that blocks the way. We can be so focused on what we want we fail to look around and see what others need. 

Genuine friends are sensitive to the needs of others. Not only that but they are willing to set aside their own lives to help provide for a friend in need. Which one are we? Are we the crowd that obstructs others from finding Jesus or are we the ones who, at all cost, will carry those in need to Jesus? 

As we look back and reflect on this past racing season we need to honestly look at our actions. We need to determine if our actions brought people to Jesus or kept them away. Our actions reveal where our faith lies. My hope and prayer would be that we act in a way that reveals our hope is in Christ.

We are called to be the light that shows the way to Jesus, have we been lighting the proper path? Are we genuine or imitation?

Isaiah 40:3-5; Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God! Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten the curves, and smooth out the rough places. Then the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. The Lord has spoken!”

Isaiah reminds us there is work to be done, making a highway isn’t done overnight. We have to fill in some holes, smooth out the hills, straighten a few things out and smooth out the rough spots. We may even have to cut a hole in the roof! It is worth the effort.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support and donations helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

In racing we have a team surrounding us and when that team is working at its best, each member pulls their own weight. When one member becomes weak the other members can pick up the slack. However, that team will fail if the members refuse to give and take for the good of the team. Challenges in racing come and the team that is the most flexible has the best chance for overcoming those challenges.

In our lives we also face challenges. God did not intend for us to face them alone. He provides for each one of us a helpmate to walk by our side. I take great joy in helping a man and woman join together in Holy Marriage. The opportunity to help them navigate their relationship, build a family and make a home is one I take seriously. God created that provision and I am thankful for my helpmate.

Genesis 2:18ff, NLT; Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is just right for him.”…

The Lord God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep. While the man slept, the Lord God took out one of the man’s ribs and closed up the opening. Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib, and he brought her to the man.

“At last!” the man exclaimed.

“This one is bone from my bone,
    and flesh from my flesh!
She will be called ‘woman,’
    because she was taken from ‘man.’”

No one is immune to the challenges of life. We each have areas where we are weak. We all need held dealing with our weaknesses. One of my weakness is I struggle with is when things don’t follow the plan I have. Sometimes the way things are planned out and the way things happen don’t agree. I am analytical in nature and think things through in a logical order. That is good in some circumstances, but not well received in others. I don’t always see the big picture. Lynda helps me put things in perspective.

One of the great advantages to having someone standing by your side is that you have someone else to share the experience with. The hope is that one can pick the other up and vice-versa. Lynda and I have become such a team. We are thankful to the Lord for putting us together. When one of us starts to go in the wrong direction the other is there to guide them back. We remind each other not to get caught up in the trap that is set to snare us by the enemy.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10; Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!

God has a way of doing things that at times at difficult to see. Having someone to stand by our side helps us to see the things we are blinded to. We can help each other find God’s way in our daily life. We can encourage each other to refocus on the things that are right and ignore the things that drag us down. We can encourage each other to find God’s way.

Isaiah said this…

ISAIAH 55:6-9; Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Our thoughts and ways are not the thoughts and ways of God. We need to focus on what God wants us to do and what God wants us to think. I know from personal experience that this is not easy but, it is much easier when you have someone at alongside.

If you have that someone, let them know how thankful you are to have them at your side. If not, I would like to challenge you to find such a friend. It will help you maintain your focus where it should be, on God and His ways. When the trials and tribulations of life come, and they will, you will do well to have a friend that will stand beside you. We all need a friend to help you move in the right direction. I thank God for such a friend.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

The racing community is a pretty close-knit family and many times we come together to help one another. Sometimes though we don’t know the true needs of someone until it is brought to our attention. For the past few years a member of our community struggled to figure out how he could continue to be a part of the racing scene. He is wheelchair bound and his van was in need of replacement. The cost was staggering, especially considering his condition limited his ability to secure the resources needed.

Rick Raducha, you know the smiling guy in the wheelchair, has been a fixture at race tracks up and down the East Coast for many years. He also has been instrumental in securing sponsorship for many racers through his company Driver Connection. If you have never seen Rick in person you wouldn’t even know of his condition. He is not one to let his condition limit his ability to be a contributing member of society and the racing community. Osteogenesis Imperfecta, Brittle Bone Disease, has rendered his body into a twisted resemblance of what it should be. He has accomplished much more than many thought he could.

You can imagine the weight on his shoulders as he tried to figure out how he could replace his van. With much encouragement he shared his need with the racing community unsure if there might be enough help to replace his wheels. Many came forward, a little bit here and a little bit there. He saw the funds multiply and it allowed him to dream that it might just be possible. When enough funds were available he ordered a van and started the process of getting all the special equipment on order that would allow him to drive it.

The 2018 season started and there was a gap that needed to be filled. This is where friends came in. A Modified owner with a big heart decided to take a leading role in getting the final piece of funding in place to make Rick’s van a reality. True to his word he delivered the funding needed to pay the final invoices and Rick took delivery of his van in late October. This wouldn’t be possible without a little help from his friends!

Let me take a moment and share a little. We are created in such a way that if we are truly living, it involves being connected with others. A give and take is necessary. True fulfilment and satisfaction comes when we share our resources to meet the needs of others. There are those who see and meet the needs and unfortunately there are those who don’t. There are some that say they want to help and those that help. We need to rise up and move beyond ourselves. We need to not only be touched by the needs of others but actually do something about it. I encourage you to follow through on your words and actually do something.

Throughout this process many had the opportunity to spread the cost out so that the burden didn’t fall on a few. Some even made commitments to help. In the end there wasn’t enough. What could have been a celebration for the entire racing community fell to a few. I am thankful to those who followed through with their commitment and made this a reality for Rick. I am reminded of the passage from God’s Word;

2 Corinthians 8:10-15, (NLT); Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it.  Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have.  Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. As the Scriptures say,

“Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,
and those who gathered only a little had enough.”

We need to remember that life is worth living when we help those around us who are in need. That is how we build community. We lose so much when we focus our lives on ourselves. The end product of self-centered living is a vacancy in our hearts. We may have many things but there is still a void. We need to spend our lives filling the lives of others, only then will we be satisfied and fulfilled. Giving is more blessed than receiving.

There are so many individuals and companies that made this a reality. Take a look at the list that adorns the back window of

Rick’s new van, it lists the names of those who gave so generously. Underneath it the quote from a Beatles song, “With a little help from my friends”. The song reminds us that we will get by with a little help from our friends. Here are a few friends that had a big part in making this a reality.

First and foremost; Grandpa Blewett was instrumental in getting this over the finish line. I talked with him about why he felt so strongly about it. He said it is the right thing to do. He commented more than once about the smile Rick always has on his face. He would ask me “What does he have to smile about?” He wondered out loud many times how inspiring Rick, his smile and laugh were. What’s he got to be so happy about? I think the answer lies in the choice Rick made not to let his condition limit him.

This past weekend Rick visited Wall Stadium for part of the Turkey Derby. Although the cold was painful for a person with his condition he wanted to say thank you in person to Grandpa and the Blewett family. Rick has shared with me the overwhelming appreciation he has for everyone who made this a reality. He is overcome with the generosity of others. His heart is full of emotion and thankgiving.

We also need to recognize Valenti Ford in Mystic CT for getting the van spected out, ordered and delivered. They also helped get the van up to the next company w want to thank, Advanced Wheels, mobility for everyone, in Granby CT. They met the challenge of outfitting the van with a lift, driver’s seat and hand controls customized for Rick. As I understand it this was the first time that a van of this type was outfitted with the specialized equipment that folks like Rick need. As anyone who has every built anything the first time that presents all kinds of new challenges to overcome. Between the two they were able to figure it out and get the van equipped.

What would Rapid Rick’s Race Car Red Rocket Ship be without a little customizing? Don Derosier and the team at Connecticut Tire outfitted it with some sweet new wheels. Our friend Shawn Monahan and his team at Critical Signs provided the vinyl to say thank you to all those who had a part in bringing this from need to reality.  Whelen Engineering put the icing on the cake, emergency lighting. Whelen added flashing yellow lights when the lift is in operation, ground lighting around the van, and lighting to illuminate the lift for safety. Rick now has a state of the art, safe van to travel in for the next 20+ years.

Last weekend he headed south in his new van to the warmth of Florida. A stop in Jersey at Wall Stadium to meet the Blewett’s then off to Charlotte and Florida. We want to send our best to Rick and a sincere thank you to all who contributed to making this amazing gift a reality. I am thankful for those who cared enough about Rick to make this happen.

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.

Not only did we lose AJ but we also celebrated the life of Maynard Troyer up in Rochester last weekend. Couple that with Father’s Day, I lost my dad in 1975 and this has given me cause to reflect on the significance of the life we live.

AJ was bigger than life. You always knew when he was in the room. He enjoyed having fun, getting you to smile and laugh. His greatest gift was helping us not to be too serious. That is not to say he wasn’t safety minded. He was one of the best at making sure everything was being done for the safety of others. When it came down to being unsafe, he drew a line and didn’t cross it. He understood the challenges but helped others understand safety wasn’t something to compromise on.

Maynard Troyer was motivated to be the best, the one every one chased. He always strived to be ahead of the curve, developing the next big thing. But it wasn’t as much being on top but to have people chasing and pushing him. He would move on if there wasn’t someone trying to out think him.

He did many more things in life besides Modifieds but let’s just rest here for a moment. Think about what it takes in life to be known by one name, Troyer. We all know what a Troyer is. It one of the best. He was the man, the visionary, the creator, the driving force behind Troyer. His car was desired by his competitors so much, so they built a company around it. You can still hear a young racer “I want to drive a Troyer” Long after he stopped racing Modifieds the name lives on.

My dad was my hero, he wasn’t perfect, but he was the one I looked up to. He taught me many lessons. I am thankful to have been his son even if it was for just a short time. We can accomplish much if our focus on what is truly important.

I am not here trying to be a downer, instead, let us celebrate life! Let us celebrate those who have influenced us. Let’s celebrate the lives that have touched each one here in so many ways. Think about how one solitary life can impact so many. Each of us with a story to tell, each of us with a fond memory. Life is truly extraordinary.

The writer of Ecclesiastes 3:1-4 reminds us;

For everything there is a season,
a time for every activity under heaven.
A time to be born and a time to die.
A time to plant and a time to harvest.
A time to kill and a time to heal.
A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to cry and a time to laugh.
A time to grieve and a time to dance.

When we look back and remember how their life touched ours, how they influenced us. We remember because of the relationship we had. There was a bond, a connection, and time we shared.

Life is interesting in that we only have one to live and for each one the end is certain to come. We plan and dream, looking forward to the days ahead, when in fact, it is not the days ahead we need to focus on it is this day, this moment, this place.

A question comes to mind when concerning the life we live and whether we are good enough. We believe our value is found in the things we say and do. But the love of God knows doesn’t measure things that way. Each of us is as valuable to God as another. Our Savior Jesus Christ gave His life for everyone. No need to question if we deserve His sacrifice. We need only to receive it as it was intended, a gift. The Scripture reminds us that nothing can separate us from his Love.

 Romans 8:38-39, For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

That is in contrast to the world we live in. The world ties our value to the things we say and do. We only accept those who live up to our standards. We can be thankful that God does not use the same standard. God values each one the same, regardless of performance. He opens his arms to each one of us. The decision is in His hands. God chooses to show us mercy.

 Exodus 33:19b I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

We are fond of planning for tomorrow, looking ahead to the things we are going to do, the places we will go. Oh the plans we make. Truth be told it is in those moments when we lose sight of what is truly important, today, here, now.

We can get so caught up in life that we forget to live. We forget to look around and see the lives of others. We can be so focused on tomorrow that we forget that today is all we can count on and really it is just this moment in time. Again we are reminded; to everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.

Jesus determines our time, like a gardener that tends to the garden and determines which ones are ready. He may pluck the most fragrant flower. He may remove the choking weeds. We are only guaranteed this moment.  We do not know what tomorrow will bring and all our plans, hopes and dreams will not make its coming any more certain.

We expend so much effort trying to secure the future we overlook the opportunities we have to make a difference in the lives of those around us each day.  Maybe some adjustments is in order?

We need to go forward with a renewed effort to live and embrace the journey! All too often we focus on getting somewhere, when in fact there will always be a place to get to. No we must focus on here, now, embracing the journey, this time, this place, and this moment.

Let me encourage you to remember how others have influenced you, cherish those memories. Take the time to invest in someone else’s life. Chose to be together. One of our greatest gifts we can give is our time. Worrying about tomorrow isn’t something that is beneficial to living. We need to take the time we have today and use it, spend time with those you love.

As Hastings reminds us in his poem The Station; the milestones we set on the path of our life are meaningless, there will always be another one, something else to accomplish. What matters is the journey and who you spend it with.

“So, stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, go barefoot oftener, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. The station (the end) will come soon enough.”

Our lives need to reflect the character of the Holy Spirit, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Not the ways of the world; hatred, discord, jealousy, rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy. Those that live in the way of the world have no hope of seeing things through the eyes of God.

The choice is ours. As we remember those lives that influenced ours, we should reflect on how we are living our own life. How have our choices helped or hurt those around us? We can decide to live differently.

Don’t let this moment pass in vain, search your life, turn to God, He can and will have mercy, compassion and love for you regardless of your shortcomings. Remember, nothing can separate us from His love, the love that is in Christ Jesus. I encourage you to slow down, look around, let the lives of others touch your heart, and then touch theirs. Amen?

Until next time, remember God loves you and Jesus is Lord over Auto Racing! God Bless. Remember, that your prayerful support helps us continue this ministry. Thank You.