Notes from Experiences at Car Shows 2001

The Restoration of a 1955 Chevy and a life!

Christmas 2007

Our family My Testimony Our 1955 Chevy Notes From Shows Our Tract

Vacation 2003 Australia 2002 Blue Ribbon Chassic Chevy Car Club

March 22, 2002

It’s hard to believe that the winter is almost over and that the car show season will begin again very soon! As we look back over the car shows we attended last summer we realize that God was encouraging and reassuring us every step of the way! We tried to keep a journal to help us remember some of the high points of each car show.

Notes From Car Shows we attended the 2001 Car show Season

The first car show we attended was in West Allis, Wisconsin. The weather was very questionable in the morning. The sun did shine. A member of the host club was looking at our car. Brian mentioned that it turned out to be a nice day. He shared that earlier in the day some of the other club members were worried about the weather. He said he told them that God was smiling on the day. He then said that the discussion then turned to what kind of car did they think God would bring to a car show. He said they agreed that they thought it would be about a 1953 Chevy. He paused and said, “We were a couple years off!” This reassured us that what we were trying to portray was accomplished.

The next show was on Mother’s Day in Milton. We were not sure if we should put the tract out that we had made up. We were unsure how to display them, etc. We just decided to put them out and see if people took them and if there was any reaction. While we were there we talked to many people. One woman came back to our car because the first time she was there we were not there. She came back to tell us that she thought the car and the message it portrayed was beautiful. A man also stopped and said that he thought it was great that we were using the car to witness. Two of the tracts were taken that day. Later in that week, we received an encouraging email from a fellow Christian who had taken one of the tracts! It was then that we decided to redo the tract and have them available to who ever wanted to take one. We also make business cards with a picture of the car and the Christian fish on the back of it!

Belvedere car show. This was Destiny’s first car show! She showed us that she loved to touch bright red, especially if it was on a nearly perfect 1957 Chevy! There was a family with 5 children. The children loved the business cards with the “Jesus fish” on them. It was very warm that day. We did not sit right by the car because of the heat and Destiny. We watched from a short distance. Many tracts were taken that day.

Memorial Day weekend we went to Manitowoc. We spoke to people from Kansas that we have talked in years past, but had never discussed being Christians with them. We then found out that her father is a minister. We asked them to look over the rough draft copy of Brian’s testimony and give us their opinion! They shared information with us about Christian Street Rod Association.

Unique’s Street rod club put on a car show on June 3. A man was selling raffle tickets for a church. After looking at our car, he took out a flier for a car show sponsored by a church in Rockford. He was not handing fliers out to everyone, but felt it would be appropriate for us to bring our car. The pastor of the church had a car in the show! He came after church! Brian had a nice discussion with a man about why Brian chose to put the fish symbol in the car. We put out 6 tracts and 20 business cards. All the tracts were taken and 15 business cards were taken.

On June 16 we went to Burlington to a car show that was in conjunction with the Strawberry Festival. When we arrived there were only 4 other cars in the parking lot. I laughed and looked at Brian and said, “I wonder what God has planned for us today?” After cleaning the car I was sitting in back of the car. I noticed Brian was talking to a man for 20-30 minutes. When Brian came back and sat next to me he smiled and said, “I think I know what God’s plan was for today!” The young man Brian talked to was angry, confused, and very depressed. Brian said he was going through a situation that was similar to something he had gone through himself many years ago. He had been going to church, but was overwhelmed and confused by it. Brian suggested that he pray about his situation and to take things one-step at a time. He came back and visited us several times during the day. Brian felt that this day was the first time that he was able to witness to someone and not feel like he was going to do or say something wrong!

We prayed for that young man and continue to do so when we are reviewing our car show experiences.

Father’s Day was spent at another car show in Belvedere. We met the people that we had been exchanging emails with since Mother’s Day! A man came over and asked us if we would watch his car while he went to church!

July 1 we went to Allenton, Wisconsin. We talked to lots of people that day. A newspaper reporter interviewed Brian and me. Lots of tracts and business cards were taken. It is getting easier for Brian to talk to people and to explain his beliefs and why he did the car the way he did! We were parked on the pitcher’s mound and there was tons of dust!

We drove to Stockton, IL on July 15. We saw a beautiful log church on the way and took a picture of the car in front of it. The show was an all Chevy show. We met twin brothers there. One had a 1955 Chevy and the other had a 1956 Chevy. They have been in contact with Brian about technical changes on their cars.

On July 28 we drove to Naperville, IL to a car show at a church. It was the first year for the car show. The church has 11 ministers. We had Brian’s testimony out as well as tracts and business cards. One man read the entire testimony and then came to where we were sitting behind the car. He was holding one of the tracts and asked if he could take it. He explained that he was one of the ministers for the church. He said that there were people who opposed having a car show. They did not want to have people that worship their cars to be on the church grounds! He said that he wanted to be able to show them that we use our car to witness to others.

We spent that night at the non Red Roof Inn in Naperville! The next day we drove to Sycamore, IL. It was a beautiful day. We were parked in a perfect spot! Lots of tracts taken that day! We met a lady who owned a 1966 Mustang! We ate breakfast with her while sitting on the median in the drive through for a bank!

On August 4 we went to Wisconsin Rapids. It was a very hot day. Lots of tracts were taken that day. Lance and Garrett’s dad looked at one of the tracts!

By this time we were becoming tired of going to car shows. If we did not feel that we were going to the car shows for more than just going to the car show, we would have stayed home that Sunday and went to church which we were missing being able to do. But we discussed it between the two of us and we felt that we needed to go to a car show. We had pre-registered to go to Burlington, but Josh, Destiny and Little Brian were going to the Machesney Park Mall car show so we went there instead. We met up with the lady in the 1966 Mustang again. Lots of tracts were taken that day. Brian saw a man take one out of his trunk and show it to someone. That person then went over and got one as well! The next day we go a very encouraging email from a fellow Christian!

On August 8 it started to rain on our way to the church in Rockford that we had received the personal invitation to go to. When we pulled up, the people in the registration tent cheered! It stopped raining and turned out to be a nice day. Talked to lots of people. Lots of tracts were taken.

Some of Brian’s friends from his roller skating days let us know about a car show in South Beloit. It was a beautiful day. An older couple stopped and talked to us about how we are using our car to witness. They were very encouraging! We were shocked when they called Brian’s name when they were awarding Best of Show!

On September 9 we went to Edgerton. It poored rain all day! Brian talked to people about 348 and 409 motors. Destiny was with us. She insisted on going out in the pooring rain to vote on a car. She and Brian had an argument over which car looked best. Destiny loved the bright red corvette. On the way home the windows were fogged up. Destiny drew pictures on the windows and announced, “OOOOO pretty!”

The Beloit Autorama on September 16 was a very unique show. The weather was absolutely beautiful. Because of the 9-11 incident, there were no sports events on television that afternoon. Lots of people were there. A young couple sought Brian out to question him about why he did the car the way he did. They then revealed that they were Christians and shared that they thought it was great that we were using the car as a means of witnessing. Two men with their two little boys talked with Brian about the car. He shared a little of the history of the car and then explained why he chose to do it the way he did. One man commented that this conversation started out about history and evolved to His Story!

On October 5 we went to Nakoosa. Spent the weekend with Garrett. We went on a cruise on Friday night.

The final show we attended for the 2001 car show season was at the Wisconsin Aviation Academy pancake breakfast/car show. Some tracts were taken. Talked to people when we weren’t directing cars! It turned out to be a nice fundraiser for WAA. We were happy to help support this event since Lance is learning to fly through WAA.

Janesville Relay For Life

Created by Anne Marie Reece
12/10/2007