Daniel J. Summers » Charter Member of the VRWC

Scott Kalitta was a Top Fuel and NHRA champion. Today, during a qualifying run, his car exploded and lost control, then exploded further when it struck the end of the drag strip. I was associated with that family (and their other business) a few years ago, and while I never met any of them, I heard from their employees and acquaintances that they were good people and good employers. ESPN has a limited report now; I’m sure they’ll have more information as soon as they can pull it together.

Pray for the family in this time of loss.

The above is paraphrased from 2 Corinthians 12:9. It’s also the title of a song written in 1988 by Steven Curtis Chapman, a young up-and-coming Christian music artist. Over the past twenty years, many Christians have been comforted and encouraged by this song. Now, it’s his turn to be comforted. Yesterday, Steven Curtis Chapman’s 5-year-old daughter was struck and killed by one of her teenage brothers, who was driving an SUV and didn’t see her. From the response posted on his site and his radio interview following it, it sounds like he is handling this very well. However, it’s got to be difficult to go through something like this. Let’s pray that the Lord will comfort he and his family.

His strength is perfect when our strength is gone;
He’ll carry us when we can’t carry on.
Raised in His power, the weak become strong;
His strength is perfect, His strength is perfect.

“His Strength is Perfect” © 1998 Sparrow Song / BMG

UPDATE: Michelle Malkin has a very informative, touching post about this (and lots more).

This Sunday, April 27th, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition will be featuring the Martinez family from Albuquerque, New Mexico. This is the build that we saw happening, and the genesis for the idea of the Not So Extreme Makeover: Community Edition (NSX) that we took part in last month. Gerald Martinez is the pastor at Joshua’s Vineyard, an outreach church in one of the least-desired areas of Albuquerque. Through NSX, we became acquainted with him, and, while I can’t vouch for the other families that have received these, I can say that he is very deserving of the home he received. He has been working in that area for years, and when he wasn’t ministering to the people, he was trying to figure out how to get others in the community involved and engaged. This did it - it was truly an answer to prayer unfolding before our eyes.

On a personal note, our family was lining the street as Ty and Gerald walked around the corner to see another building they had built. They were talking, but who knows what will stay in or be left on the cutting room floor. We were standing just before the people in blue shirts - I can’t remember what I’m wearing, but I do know I was wearing Jameson on my head. Michelle was wearing a green shirt, and was right behind me. Our other two boys were standing in front of me. Who knows - you may see us if you watch closely!

Another exciting turn is that, according to popular local rumors, ABC has requested footage from NSX, so they may be showing some people who participated in that as well.

It will come on early this week - 6pm EDT/PDT, 7pm CDT/MDT - and it’ll run for two hours. Be sure to catch it!

From our house to yours - Merry Christmas!

(And, if you think that’s funny, you ought to see the blooper reel.  Our two-year-old was in rare form while we were trying to record this!)

Sig94, linked in the “Daily Reads” section, has an ill father-in-law. (I’ll own up to using “daily” as a loose term…) Rather than try to explain the situation, I’ll let him do it. Here is the original post, followed by an update last Saturday, another this past Tuesday, and an update yesterday. Stay tuned to his blog for more updates.

Update 25 Oct 07 - His father-in-law has passed on. Be in prayer for their family.

I’ve received a final update from Charles and Judith regarding their baby girl. (Previous updates here)

Our baby Mary Florence was born around 5:35 A.M. August 28, 2007. She was alive when born, but sadly she died in my arms a very few minutes later. Even though we were expecting it, we were not prepared for the hard reality of it.

Physically Judith is doing well. She had a fever for a time but her temperature is now back to normal. Of course there is pain after childbirth, but Georgetown University Hospital has been great.

Once again our grateful thanks to all of you for all of your kind words, thoughts and prayers.

Although the outcome of this is not what any parent would hope when they here of their soon-to-arrive baby - but, we know that we can trust God, and that He knows why the outcome was the way it was. Continue to keep Charles and Judith in your prayers, as well as the rest of their family; their oldest son has just been deployed to Iraq.

A week ago Saturday, the boys and I went to the Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument in Pueblo de Cochiti, New Mexico (between Albuquerque and Santa Fe). I created a Webshots gallery of some of the views we saw - enjoy!