One summer, Terry Brotherton, of the East Lincoln Motor Speedway – a dirt track in Denver, N.C. – came up with a great idea to raise funds for the East Lincoln Christian Ministries.
Between races at the track, local clergy would race against each other in the dynamic “Clash of the Clergy.” Each church sold tickets and all the funds were generously given to East Lincoln Christian Ministries.
Working with Mr. Brotherton, we had a number of churches participating and lots of tickets sold. As a child, I had attended races at the old Antioch Speedway, so I knew some about dirt track racing. At practice, I found a racer that I could fit into and get the steering wheel locked in.
The night of the event, the stands were full and I was nervous. I won the pole – which sounds impressive, but it was decided by which church sold the most tickets. I elected to start last in my race to take off some of the pressure and not get bumped out of the way or end up in the wall and be embarrassed.
As we followed the lead car, I lifted the visor of my helmet because I wanted to see better. When the green flag dropped, “Rocket” Reece roared down the stretch and headed toward the first curve. You may know dirt tracks are wet to keep the dust down. The track was real muddy.
One of my members had tried to teach me how to hit the first curve, gun it, cut right and the car will whip around the track. I gunned it, cut right, almost ran into the wall but finally, I straightened out the car. Just when I took a breath, the car in front of me hit the gas on the straightaway and mud flew everywhere. These cars do not have windshields and with my visor up, a ton of mud spattered me in the face. I was spitting mud, wiping my eyes and trying to remember words I had forgotten.
If I had kept my visor down, I would have never had a faceful of mud.
“Here’s mud in your eyes” is an expression used to wish one well. You may know it is from the New Testament, John 9. Jesus answered the disciples’ question by letting them know no one sinned that caused this man’s blindness. Jesus made mud and coated the man’s eyes and asked him to “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam.”
The man did as Jesus asked, he washed his eyes and for the first time in his life he could see. Was it the mud made with spit, the washing, the pool or faith that gave the man sight?
The man said, “One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.”
When you are indoors with people, please consider wearing a mask. If you have not had a vaccine and are able, please consider it.
If not for you, for your family and neighbors.
Eric Reece is the faith columnist for The Graham Star. He can be reached via email, ereece@wnccumc.net.