Random Thoughts with Will

          This weekend, NASCAR returns to one of my favorite tracks on the schedule: the Charlotte Roval (Road Course + Oval). This race has become a personal favorite of mine for multiple reasons - and not just because it utilizes chicanes . One, Charlotte Motor Speedway holds a special place in my heart given that it's a few miles away from family members, and that it is a track my Dad and I have been to for races before (in the "normal" track layout). Two, while the Roval is fairly new to the NASCAR schedule, the races run there have been memorable ones and fun to watch. With that in mind, I wanted to reminisce about the finish of the inaugual race in 2018, one of the most memorable race finishes for me as a NASCAR fan.          To set the stage, the 2018 race was a part of NASCAR's postseason and was an "elimination" race, meaning that the 4 lowest drivers in points would be eliminated from racing for the championship. Going in to  the final lap of the r

          Although 2021 has been an improvement from the odd, unpredictable year that was 2020, this year has had its share of ups and downs, particularly given the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of the Delta Variant. As I look at the ups and downs for me personally, I know of them has been this: I haven't published a blog post in over 8 months. In fact, I didn't even due a "Life Lessons Learned" post at year's end -- and 2020 certainly had many of those.            A lot has (obviously) been going on, and there were times that I started to write a post, but never finished or published it. In my life, I've often found that writing truly is a muscle - the more you use it, the stronger you'll get. Conversely, when you get out of the habit of doing it, you "lose" that muscle and it becomes harder to do. Another thing that I have found is that over time, one's priorities can change. While my Saturday mornings still do include trips to the

     At the end of the 2000 movie Cast Away , Chuck Noland (portrayed by Tom Hanks), finds himself at a crossroads. For over 4 years, he was stranded on an island and presumed dead by his family and friends. As he returns to civilization, he returns the last unopened FedEx package he has (imagine having a package returned to you 4 years later!). After returning the package, he ends up at a crossroads - figuratively and literally. Where does he go from here in his life? Which road should he take? Which road will he choose? While the movie ends before he goes down a path, it does hint at a particular path that he'll take.      Sometimes in life, we find ourselves at a crossroads like Chuck Noland did. We may have finished one journey or task, but aren't exactly sure where to go next or how to move forward. Crossroads can be a critical juncture in our lives because they offer multiple paths with completely different destinations. The choice is up to us with how we move forward. Wi

      One Sunday afternoon fifteen and a half years ago, I stumbled across a NASCAR race on television. I'm not sure what it was, but there was just something about watching that race that got me hooked and interested in the sport. Not too long after, I settled on Rusty Wallace as the driver that I'd root for. My Mom and I even got to meet him at an autograph signing a few months later (thanks Mom!). That being said, as I started following NASCAR, little did I know that the sport was about to dominated by one driver: Jimmie Johnson.     Tomorrow, the 2020 NASCAR season will come to an end at Phoenix Raceway in Arizona. While 4 drivers will be battling for the championship, tomorrow will also be Jimmie Johnson's final race. As a NASCAR fan, it's bittersweet to say goodbye to Jimmie Johnson. Johnson's career in NASCAR has spanned 20 years, over 600 starts, 83 wins, and 7 championships. Johnson's 7 NASCAR Cup Series championships are tied for first all-time with NA

      This past Friday, I celebrated my 26th birthday. While I wish some of the circumstances surrounding it had been different (you know, being in a pandemic), it was a nice day filled with typical Will-things such as walking, good food, good friends, and of course cake. When I turned 25 last year, I wrote a blog post with quarter century reflections. In honor of turning 26 this year, I thought I'd do a blog post with...26 reflections (this time in number form, as opposed to paragraph form). I'm all about being consistent with blog posts. Well, here we go! Speaking of consistency, that truly has been a lesson I've been learning; consistency is key. In all that we do, being consistent is one of the best attributes we can have. It provides a sense of stability to ourselves and for others. You can depend and rely on consistent, faithful people. We all need people like that in our lives, especially right now. Ecclesiastes 3:1 says that "For everything there is a season, a

    18 years ago, VeggieTales made the jump from direct-to-home videos to the big screen, releasing Jonah: A VeggieTales Movie. G iven that Jonah's story ends on a unique, not-so-uplifting note, it was interesting that  VeggieTales chose to make this Bible story into a full-length movie. That said, the movie  does end on a positive note with a musical number about Jonah's story and the lessons we can learn from it. Recently, I read through the Book of Jonah (both with friends at church and on my own) and I wanted to share my takeaways from reading through Jonah. Here we go: God Uses Us in Spite of Ourselves       Last year, I heard a sermon where the overall message was that God will use us in spite of ourselves and our actions. While the sermon itself focused on Samson and his life, Jonah is another good example of God using someone in spite of one's actions. When Jonah was instructed by the Lord to go to Ninevah, he went the exact opposite direction and set sail for Tarsh