The First (And Only) Race I Won

I'm going to tell you about a part of my life I don't talk about a lot. I used to race go-karts. And I don't mean the kind you might find outside a local arcade. I mean real racing go-karts. At the age of 10, I would race go-karts that would go interstate speeds. I both loved it and was terrified by it.
 
While we only went fast and turned left, believe it or not, it was extremely hard to keep that speedy little go-kart on the track. There was a real skill to setting up the kart and driving it. The first time I raced, I was less racing and more flying off the end of every turn. The race ended with me being sideswiped and twirling as I was thrown into the air.
 
As hard as it was, my dad and I eventually won a race! But there is a caveat: It was a holiday weekend, and no one else showed up to race. I was the only one on the track. Regardless, we still got the first-place trophy! It may seem like a cheap way to win, but, as they say, the best ability is availability. We were faster than all the racers who didn't show up.
 
I remember my dad being so happy. He held the trophy in the air and even kissed it. It was a core memory for me.
 
Tomorrow we're going to learn from Philippians 3:12-21, one of my favorite passages in the Scriptures. In this passage, Paul tells us to run our life's race with focus and purpose. If you want to win at life, Paul gives us the answers tomorrow. See you at worship!