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10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar

In summary, the conversation revolves around the topic of NASCAR and the lessons that can be learned from it. The first lesson is that a circular life requires making the most of each moment, as each lap around the track counts for something and builds towards a larger goal. The second lesson is to "go slow to go fast," as seen in the methodical efforts made by NASCAR teams to ensure a faster car on race day. The conversation also includes some banter about favorite drivers and the movie "Talladega Nights."
pamperedpals
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I am a huge NASCAR fan and thought I would post this, because everyone can relate. Here are the first two. I will post the other's over the next few days.

1. Going in Circles Does Have Meaning
There's a joke among racing detractors that a race is just 40 cars each making a left turn, then another left turn, then another, then...well, you get the idea. But in NASCAR, each lap around the track counts for something and builds toward an eventual finale. Race fans notice the small changes and minor wins/losses with each lap. And drivers know that each lap is crucial because it determines the position for the next lap, and so on.

When we feel like each week is just like the last, we can lose sight of how our daily efforts lead us to the next thing, which will then lead us to the next thing, all accumulating into a life well lived. A circular life requires making the most of each moment because of how it fits into the larger scheme.

2. Go Slow to Go Fast
At first glance, NASCAR seems to be all about speed, with cars frequently exceeding 200 mph. But what's often missed is the methodical effort that goes into traveling at such incredible speeds. Between races, shops are full of mechanics and engineers who do lots of testing, pore over data, make myriad calibrations, and then test the adjustments before doing it all over again. They take the slow time to get things just right, which results in a much faster car come race day.

It's helpful to remember the motto "go slow to go fast." When we're tempted to rush from one opportunity to the next, recalling our values, considering our life goals and prayerfully discerning direction can feel like moving in slow motion. But these practices enhance our progress through life because they enable us to make choices that stick and that reap longterm rewards.
 
This is great...thanks for posting Laurie! I can't wait to read the others you will post!
 
love it. keep them coming.
 
Hey Laurie--That is really cool. Who is your favorite driver? My favorite #20 Tony Stewart!!
 
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  • #5
PamperedTammy said:
Hey Laurie--That is really cool. Who is your favorite driver? My favorite #20 Tony Stewart!!

My favorite is Jimmie Johnson. Second is our hometown boy - Kasey Kahne. Tony wasn't feelin' to hot on Saturday. That is one dedicated driver to get in and drive even if you feel like :yuck:. I was really upset that JJ Yeley ended up in the crash, or else he would have done really well for filling in for Tony.
 
THanks for posting these Laurie- My favorite Nascar driver is Ricky Bobby! ;)
 
Thanks for posting these tips!!
I don't watch NASCAR but my BF is a big Tony Stewart fan!!
 
Ha, Ha Kacey...Very Funny!!!!:D:D:D:D I love that movie Talladega Nights. Yea, poor Tony he had a rough weekend :) It was too bad JJ crashed. :yuck::yuck:
 
PamperedTammy said:
Ha, Ha Kacey...Very Funny!!!!:D:D:D:D I love that movie Talladega Nights. Yea, poor Tony he had a rough weekend :) It was too bad JJ crashed. :yuck::yuck:

It's a terrible movie, but it has some funny parts to it! I love how the French guy pronounces Rickeee Bo-bee's name! Too funny!!!

Okay, back to the regularly scheduled thread...
 
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Kitchen Diva said:
THanks for posting these Laurie- My favorite Nascar driver is Ricky Bobby! ;)

Kacey you are soooo funny!:) My DH absolutely loves :love: that movie.
 
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  • #11
PamperedTammy said:
Ha, Ha Kacey...Very Funny!!!!:D:D:D:D I love that movie Talladega Nights. Yea, poor Tony he had a rough weekend :) It was too bad JJ crashed. :yuck::yuck:

Yeah, there were alot of people who were out because of other drivers, my JJ was one of them. :cry: I don't know if I want to wear my new JJ house pants for the race on Saturday or not.

If I was going to go to conference this year, I wanted to come in on time for the race this Saturday at Chicagoland. That would have been a total blast. I guess I will have try again next year!
 
  • #12
Laurie~

THANKS!! My Dad is a huge NASCAR fan, and I pray for his salvation and spiritual life each day. I will be passing these along to him!!
 
  • #13
KellyTheChef said:
Laurie~

THANKS!! My Dad is a huge NASCAR fan, and I pray for his salvation and spiritual life each day. I will be passing these along to him!!

Oooo, I'll pray in agreement with you on your Dad's salvation! :D:angel:
 
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  • #14
3 & 4 Spiritual Lessons from NASCARHere are the next two. I will try and get more on when the boss leaves for a meeting in a couple of hours.;)

3. It's a Wide Open Field
A NASCAR race puts all competitors into one weekly event in one spot. Some fans pull for only one driver. Others have a favorite as well as other drivers whose victories will put a smile on the fan's face. And some fans pull hard against certain drivers. Part of the beauty of NASCAR is that having all drivers in one place at one time creates all sorts of possibilities.

When it comes to growing in faith, we live in a world where just about everything is available at once. With the internet and our shrinking globe, we can come in contact with spiritual practices and approaches like never before. In this wide open field, it's helpful to consider what your approach will be. Will you find meaning through loyalty to one tradition? Will you supplement with truth from other sources? Will your approach be to sample widely and frequently? Or something else?

4. There's a Driver Inside Each of Us
Face it, NASCAR drivers do something that each of us does every day: they drive. Granted their cars are much cooler, much faster, and much more expensive than ours. Still anyone over 15 knows how to drive, and the NASCAR drivers do on a grander scale something we do on our trips to market or to soccer practice. Much of the appeal of the sport has to do with how common it seems. In fact, companies like The Richard Petty Driving School will teach ordinary people how to operate a NASCAR vehicle before letting students take a few laps around the track at very high speeds.

Faith is not for just some people, it's for all people. We may look at high-profile preachers, teachers, sages, and saints with admiration, but let's not forget that we have our own opportunities to exercise faith where we are. And it's the ordinary practice of faith that truly makes the world go 'round.
 
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  • #15
Re: 5 - 10 of the 10 Spiritual Lesson's from NASCAROkay here are the last of them. Enjoy!

5. Success Takes a Team
When the evening sports news reports the finishing order for a NASCAR event, they list the names of individual drivers. But anyone around the sport knows that no driver can win (or even start) a race without a team. In fact, each NASCAR driver is part of an army of effort. A NASCAR team has a driver, mechanics, merchandising experts, truck drivers who haul the cars from one race to the next, pilots, accountants, and the list goes on. Success involves lots of people, lots of relationships, and lots of teamwork.

It's good to remember that life is not a solo sport. We each have an army of supporters behind us: parents, friends, spouse, children, neighbors, relatives, and the list goes on. Not only that, but each of us is also enlisted in the support army for many other people. We all help each other succeed.

6. Races Are Won or Lost in the Pits
The animated movie Cars is about a silly car named Lightning McQueen who fails to win an important race because he wouldn't pit long enough to take on new tires. He chose to just "gas and go" as his tires wore down before finally blowing on the last lap.

NASCAR drivers know the importance of timely pit stops--opportunities to take on fuel, refresh their tires, and make adjustments. Many races are won or lost in the pits. Like smart drivers who take pit stops, we need to take regular time for rest and recreation. But while NASCAR pit stops are a frenzy of action, real Sabbath is time to focus not on doing, but on being. The book of Genesis says that God gave humans six days to work and the seventh as a Sabbath. When we take a day a week to just be, we can go for the long haul with faith and fullness.

7. Stay in Touch
In recent years, serious race fans have discovered the fun of listening in on the radio communication between a driver and his crew chief. Instead of listening to the second-hand comments from an announcer, these fans want to hear what those involved in the race are saying to one another. The conversations between driver and crew chief involve two different perspectives, each from people who want desperately to win. The driver is in the thick of the field and has access to the smallest details, while the crew chief has the wider angle and can take in the activity of the whole track.

Staying in touch spiritually means communicating our day-to-day details with God while listening for God's voice and perspective on our lives. This kind of communication encourages us, keeps us from getting tangled up in the mundane and provides a perspective of larger purpose for our lives.

8. Expect a Few Bumps
Some of the most exciting moments of racing come when one car touches another. Sometimes a stiff bumper tap goes barely noticed; other times a slight nudge between two cars sends both cars spinning and can lead to all-out mayhem. NASCAR drivers know bumps, nudges, and taps are to be expected and that anticipating those hits helps avoid an all-out crash. While even experienced drivers cannot avoid every crash, their expectation of contact minimizes the negative consequences of contact.

While most people would like life to be a smooth ride, the truth is that life is full of bumps and bruises. When our spirituality leaves no room for disappointment, we can find ourselves spinning in despair. But life's bumps don't have to send us into the wall. By factoring in the possibility (probability!) of encountering trouble, we can be on the lookout for it, avoid it if possible, or at least adjust when we do get hit. This is what the Hebrew book of Job is about: sometimes bad things happen to even the best of people. If we think the aim of life is to just be happy, then we'll be disappointed when we get bumped. But if our outlook is that life is about growth and development, bumps become great opportunities to deepen our character and craft us into the kind of person we truly want to be.

9. Sometimes It Just Comes Down to Luck
A fascinating and sometimes frustrating aspect of NASCAR is the role of luck. A driver can be leading almost the entire race and have what is obviously the strongest car that day and still not win. A wreck at the rear of the field can bring out an untimely caution flag, a tire can blow, or any number of misfortunes can mix things up at just the right or wrong moment. While no driver wins without skill and preparation, luck plays an incredibly strong role in the outcome. Luck can cause a strong car to suffer a poor finish and luck can propel a mediocre car to a strong finish, or even a victory.

In our spiritual lives, we need to make room for luck--both good and bad. Attributing our success to some element of good luck keeps us humble by reminding us that we really are not in control. When bad luck comes our way, we needn't blame God for misfortune. Instead, we can use those times as moments to learn more about ourselves and to develop empathy for others who will encounter misfortune.

10. There's Room for Everybody

NASCAR has a reputation as the sport of rednecks. But it's also the sport of CEOs, housewives, movie stars, software engineers, and blue bloods. With the Goodyear blimp vantage point, you can see how various classes, cultures, and customs mesh into one event. The grandstands are filled with all kinds of average joes who enjoy experiencing the race from a deafening proximity. Luxury boxes are home to wealthy socialites who want to talk, do business, or catch up on the latest gossip from their soundproofed confines. But the real multicultural milieu can be found in the infield. This is where RVs, pickup trucks, and motor coaches form one giant tailgate party to which anyone who likes racing is invited. It's where people of different stripes and different strokes get to know and appreciate each other.

If all kinds of people can enjoy a car race, it makes sense that all kinds of people can enjoy the world in which we live. Spiritually sensitive people focus attention more on what we have in common than our differences. Differences can divide, but when we give ourselves permission to spend time with and get to know people who are different, we usually find that we really aren't all that different on the matters most important. Being in community with folks who are different than us doesn't require we become like them or they become like us--it means that we talk with, learn from, and grow in appreciation for one another.
 
  • #16
Thanks, Laurie- these are great!!! :)

Now I'm in the mood to watch Nascar! I LOVE Cars!!!
 
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  • #17
Kitchen Diva said:
Thanks, Laurie- these are great!!! :)

Now I'm in the mood to watch Nascar! I LOVE Cars!!!

NASCAR is the tradition in our house. I turned my DH on to it as, he has tried with football with me.;)

My oldest DS is playing fantasy NASCAR with us this year and he loves:love: it. My two younger DS' (4 & 2) will sit and watch it with us also. They also can pretty much name the drives. Sometimes, better than me.:)
 
  • #18
Thanks Laurie these are great me and hubby watches it all the time he likes tony and i like jr. thanks for posting :)
 

What is "10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar"?

"10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar" is a book written by renowned author and motivational speaker, Dr. Bill Patterson. It explores the connections between the principles of Nascar racing and spirituality, providing readers with valuable insights and lessons for personal growth and development.

Who is the target audience for this book?

The target audience for "10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar" is anyone who is interested in personal growth, spirituality, and Nascar racing. It is a great read for both fans of Nascar and those looking for inspiration and guidance in their spiritual journey.

How does this book relate to the products sold by Pampered Chef?

While "10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar" is not directly related to the products sold by Pampered Chef, it aligns with our company's values of personal growth and development. We believe that this book can provide valuable insights and lessons for our consultants and customers, helping them to grow both personally and professionally.

Is this book only for Christians?

No, "10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar" is not only for Christians. While the author is a Christian, the book offers universal principles that can be applied by individuals of all faiths or even those who do not identify with a specific religion. It is a book for anyone seeking to deepen their spiritual understanding and growth.

What makes "10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar" different from other self-help books?

What sets "10 Spiritual Lesson's From Nascar" apart is its unique approach of using Nascar racing as a metaphor for spiritual growth. It offers a fresh perspective and practical lessons that readers can easily apply to their daily lives. Additionally, the book is written by a well-respected author and speaker, making it a trustworthy source for personal development.

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