Friday, October 28, 2016

reaction times



















It has been sad, and rightly so, that the first auto race occurred when two cars pulled up to a stop together, the driver’s eyes met, and the race was on.  Who was fastest, quickest, and who would get there first, wherever there happened to be.  How many times have you watched American Graffiti, knowing how the race will end, but still excited.  It is the short races, the drag races, that start in a millisecond and are over seconds later that we remember, where fastest doesn’t mean quickest, and the hole shot is everything.  I have a friend Richard who used to drag race Kawasakis back in the seventies, and has an AMA plaque showing his 0.0 reaction time. No over reaction, right on schedule, perfect.  How many times have you come up to a light and the guy next to you revs his engine, trying to impress or intimidate you?  And what do you do with the challenge....losers always have excuses.  Now I am no drag racer, and my reaction times can be measured in days not tenths of a second, but sometimes you just need to protect yourself, your ego, and your image.  And some races are over before they begin....
I had just picked up a Rocket 3 that Mickey had put a Carpenter head on, producing 220 rear wheel horsepower on the dyno.  The redline going from 6500 to 9000, big and scary fast.  Loud like a NASCAR racer on the street, and just as menacing.  I had driven less than a mile, when Mr. Loud Pipes Save Lives pulled up next to me at the light.  Revving his engine, proving his testosterone to be more than any mortal man, he looked me over, “let’s race!”  Until I revved up the Rocket, and the race was over.  It was loud, scary loud, and anything that made a noise like that had to be fast.  And as the light turned green, he putt putted away, race over, I had shut him down before I even left the line.  Later riding down the 22 I wondered why everyone was driving so slow in light traffic, and looked down and saw 120 on the speedo.  Later I would cruise at 125@8000 rpm, in third gear, this was stupid fast as someone would later hang a sign on.  I later found out its sister bike went 8.99@155 mph in the quarter.  And for the week I had it, I knew that anything that challenged me I could beat.  Bring on the challengers, let’s race.  If only in my mind...and for one brief shining moment I was fast, and a champion, never having to prove it. 
Blame it all on Jungle Jim Liberman, and his Funny Car at Raceway Park.  In the early seventies Wednesday night meant drag racing there, and the funny cars were new and exciting.  And Jungle Jim was the man to beat.  Against such foes as Dyno Don Nicholson, Fearless Fred Goeske, Don”the Snake” Prudhomme, and Connie Kalitta, he was the fastest.  And everyone loved him.  And his pit crew, Jungle Pam, she of hot pants, halter tops, and tall boots.  It was a show, and at show time Jungle Jim delivered.  Sitting at Row E, the starting line, we went home deaf from the noise, and smelling of rubber and bleach from the burnouts.  The Pinto we drove in was our race car on the way home, and every light a chance to prove how fast we weren’t, I was no Jungle Jim, and the Pinto was no funny car, although it was the butt of jokes.  And over the years I have had friends with fast cars, Jay and his 1969 SS396, Por Favor had a red one, Vinny with his 1969 Boss 302, O’Grady with a 1967 Chevelle four door sedan,with a hot engine in it, stolen from a professional race team, it always idled funny, and no one ever wanted a return race with it.  And at the local Mickey D’s,where they all hung out, they ruled, until we pulled in with our motorcycles, and suddenly they were fast, but not the fastest.  Never a race to prove it, but the fact was well known among guys who like to go fast.  It seemed we all worshipped at the altar of speed, just in different cars and motorcycles, but speed, going fast quickly was still our god, and many gave their life in it.  Never knowing the true God, the one who created and loved them. 
Today we have divided into many denominations, each choosing to worship God their way, thinking it the best.  They have established rules and classes, and how to worship God.  But often fall short, forgetting about the person, and emphasizing on the denomination.  But like in drag racing, you are on your own, and the relationship between you and God comes down to you and God.  But when led by the spirit you can escape the rules, still live within them, but in freedom.  We forget sometimes that it is all about Jesus, not our church, the programs, the pastor, his books, or the TV show.  We have become desensitized, and fall into a rut, thinking this is all there is.  And then we find we can go deeper, faster and quicker in Christ than we ever thought, and soon we leave the pack behind.  Jesus has made it personal, and our reaction times change.  We see things his way, and soon find ourselves closer to him, and exhibiting the things of Christ.  We see his character in us via his fruits, the love and joy, along with peace and patience.  We don’t have to be the first or fastest, and when we follow the spirit have wisdom we never knew was there.  We see things clearly, clearer than before, for now we see things through God’s eyes, who see everything.  And when the competition comes via temptation or a trial, we know we have all the power we need, and in meekness can apply it.  No burnouts, but power fully under control, burnouts look cool, but when your wheels are spinning the power is not getting to the ground.  But when that perfect power gains contact, we then go forward, in control.  That is meekness, and just like a wheelie looks cool, you need both wheels on the ground to handle correctly.  Don’t let your show be more than your go.
That morning at the light, Mr. Loud Pipes kept revving his motor, real racers don’t, they know a launch rpm and maintain it. What happens if while revving your engine you back off and the flag drops?  You stall.  That morning I opened it up full and held it there.  Only a few seconds, but the message was sent.  And the response appropriate...
How we respond to the power of God will show in the power of our love he gives to us.  When his love agape shows through us, that love that puts all above us, who makes their concerns more important than ours, when we can act with the other persons best interest in mind, then we see that kind of love in action.  But it must be and can only be spirit based, as we can never love that way on our own.  We may rev our engines louder, louder than anyone else, but when the flag drops and we need to show that love, we need Jesus.  And that supernatural love is available from God, it is not difficult, all you need to do is become aware of it, and call on him.  Trust him.  Follow him.  And when you begin to see how much he loves you, you will begin to love others as he has loved and forgiven you. 
Meekness is nothing more than power under control, not losing traction, knowing the friction zone, and employing it.  It works in racing, and it works in love too.  Your actions may be important, but never as important as your reactions.  React in love, never lose traction in the spirit, and live in meekness.  No substitute for cubic inches other than love, no replacement for displacement other than Jesus.  We run the race to win, to gain the prize, but first you must finish, what is your reaction to that?  Better yet, who?
love with compassion,
Mike
matthew25biker.blogspot.com