04.06.08 Look What I Learnt Today In North Carolina

I spoke about the Good News this morning at East Side Baptist Church in Shelby, North Carolina.  Then the youth minister, children’s minister (married to each other) and two of their guy friends took me out to lunch.  Oh, what a snapshot of North Carolina “culture” it was too.

We talked about NASCAR.  Specifically, about a wreck in Texas recently, said to be “awesome”, and about Jeff Gordon, said to be “gay” because he’s said to have a ”rainbow” on his car.  Duh. Connect the dots, people.  Obviously.

I’d also like to pass on a lesson to my fellow non-NASCAR-fan readers out there: Don’t EVER, under any circumstances tell a NASCAR fan “all they’re doing is turning left.” This is frowned upon by the NASCAR community.  Frowned.  Upon.  As in your salvation will be questioned and your mama called names.

Also, and this is very important apparently, something my new NASCAR friends are quite passionate about, there are certain ne’er-do-wells out there bringing up the sport.  No, not bringing it down.  Bringing it up.  And this must be stopped, say my new NASCAR friends. Let me ‘splain it to you as best I understand it.

”Dale junior picks dirt from underneath his fingernails with a nail” or something like that.  “Jeff Gordon gets manicures” and this is evil, like from the pit stop of hell type evil.  And “some people in Las Vegas put a dadgum five star restaurant and a spa in the infield.” And this is also not good.  “Since when did people who like spas and junk watch NASCAR?  It ain’t right.” And that’s really all I could decipher.  My Redneck is a little rusty.  But believe you me this is stuff that Obama, Clinton and McCain should be addressing. Apparently. A real hot button issue.  Stuff that matters to the people of North Carolina.

I’m in the Charlotte airport continuing my observation of North Carolinians, getting my last moments of learnin’ in before I board the plane home.

Oh, and one more thing about North Carolina:  Folks here are generous.  250(ish) people sponsored 51 kids this morning.  Incredible kindness.  Thanks, y’all.  For everything.