Monday, November 24, 2008

Season Finale

Week 8, 20/11/08
4, 3, 2, 1: PAT IS THE SOLE SURVIVOR!
After 11 weeks of game play it came down to the final 2 Pat and Krista. These 2 people made it as far as anyone can in the game beating out 12 other contestants. However only one could win and in a 6-3 vote pat walked away as the winner of Survivor: Summit Avenue "the other side."
In the first immunity challenge of the night, the remaining 4 survivors were put to the physical and mental test. each person had a bucket of ice containing a key. Smashing through the ice, they would get the key and unlock a bag containing a puzzle. Pat and Alex, both lead the competition getting there keys early. Knowing that one of the puzzle pieces would be missing, Pat had solved his puzzle but had to find the missing piece in the back yard. Kerri and Krista finally joined the 2 in the puzzle but Pat came back with the correct piece and won the immunity. At the tribal council, tension was high for the 3 remaining girls. But in the end Krista, Kerri and Pat all voted against Alex and she became the 11th Jury member.
In the final 3 Immunity Pat, Kerri and Krista had to hold together blocks off the ground, if the blocks dropped out of their hands they were out. Pat was the first out, leaving Kerri and Krista to fight it out. By this time both girls were holding 10 blocks and it became harder and harder. But when Kerri dropped the blocks the competition was over and Krista had one the most crucial immunity if the game. At tribal Krista chose to take Pat with her to the final 2 sending Kerri to the Jury.
At the Final Tribal Council, the game shifted to the Jury who would vote for a winner. After receiving some very tough questions it would have looked as though it was anyones game. A lot of the Jury was mad at Krista because of the game she chose to play. As much as she tried to convince them, it did no good, the Jury was on Pats side, and they awarded him the grand prize. (a TV, $25 to walmart, $10 to the movies, $10 to McDonald's, and a box of chocolate)
Thanks to all who played, and made this season so memorable.


FINAL RESULTS
1. Pat- Winner
2. Krista- Runner Up
3. Kerri- 7th Juror
4. Alex- 6th Juror
5. Dustin- 5th Juror
6. Becky- 4th Juror
7. Travis- 3rd Juror
8. Shelley- 2nd Juror
9. Todd- 1st Juror
10. Nate- 10th place
11. Josh- 11th place
12. Greg- 12th place
13. Heather- 13th place
14. Chyan- 14th place

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Spring Cleaning

We have had a lot going through our minds lately. God had been showing us some crazy stuff and leading us in a different direction. Either of us could go on for hours about how He has been moving in our lives. The following is something I wrote which shows just a snapshot of what's been going on. It's a little rough and I know some thoughts could be developed more, but I will give you an idea of what we've been thinking.

The church as we know it needs a total overhaul. It’s time for spring cleaning. The rooms need to be emptied and reorganized. No one can deny that the church in North America is dying. More people are leaving church and less people are finding church. Why? Because we have strayed so far from our roots. It’s like this. Back in the New Testament, the church was this nice little clean room. Over the years we’ve accumulated boxes of junk. At one point in time that junk was brand new and did what it was supposed to. However, over time we realized it really had no purpose and it was tossed aside for the latest thing that would also eventually end up becoming junk. Those boxes of junk have piled up and up and up. Most are used, but they are never gotten rid of. There’s always that one person that wants to keep that piece of junk around “just in case.” What does this junk look like? Ministry philosophies. Styles of worship. Building styles. Preaching techniques. Traditions. And on and on.

It’s time the church goes through some good old-fashioned spring cleaning. What happens during spring cleaning? Does someone go into that room and rearrange the boxes? No. All the boxes get taken out. Each one is emptied and the contents examined. What’s junk is recognized as junk and gets thrown out—never to be seen again. It’s not easy. In fact, the mess usually grows before any real results are seen. Getting rid of all the non-essentials of our churches (including buildings being called churches when the church is a living organism) is going to be messy. It will not be quick and smooth. There will probably be pain. Someone will probably get offended.

But we need to examine the Bible with fresh eyes. We need to stop looking through our boxes of junk and into the Bible. We need to remove the boxes of junk and study the life of Jesus and the early church with sincerity and without our own agendas in mind (no matter how noble they may seem). If we are honest with ourselves and hold each box of junk up to the light of Scripture, and get rid of all the junk that has accumulated in the church over the years that does not line up with Scriptures, we’ll get back to that clean room of the New Testament church. That’s right, we might actually start resembling the church in the New Testament. The church as the church was meant to be. We will no longer have to read our boxes of junk into the Bible, because all that will be left of the church is the people of God, coming together to love one another, serve others, and worship Him. I’m mean, that’s really what it’s all about anyway, right?

Monday, November 17, 2008

Two Weeks in One

Survivor was cancelled two weeks ago, so this last Thursday crammed two weeks into one. . This week is the two-hour season finale. Should be good.

Week 7, 13/11/08 Prt. 1
TOO LITTLE TOO LATE: BECKY VOTED OUT
As the Survivors came together for the reward, they had no idea what was in store for them. They knew that this was the family visit challenge where loved ones would come and compete with them, but they were wrong. Instead six staff members came to play along side them. Alex was pared with Sarah Canney, Pat with Janet Starks, Krista with Troy Carruthers, Dustin with Ben Canney, Kerri and Dana Butler, and Becky with Richard Starks. In the Challenge each survivor was blindfolded and had to get 3 clues that were scattered around, once they had the clue they could search for the reward. Dustin won the challenge and a $5 gift card. At the immunity challenge players had to stand on squares and flip them over as they moved, systematically eliminating each other. Dustin again dominated and won his first individual immunity. At Tribal Council, the votes were split between Pat, Kerri and Becky, but it was Becky who received the most and she was sent to the Jury.

Week 7, 13/11/08 Prt. 2
DUSTIN IS GONE: 4 ARE LEFT
After Becky's departure from the game the survivors were underway on another Immunity challenge. A history of Russia was read to the remaining 5 and the looks on their faces were of shock. The story proved to be confusing for the 5. After the story was read, each survivor had to answer 8 questions. 4 stations were set up and only one person was allowed in at a time. Kerri came in first followed by Pat, Dustin, Krista and then Alex. Kerri was the first up to find out her score, and she led the way through the rest of the scores with 5 winning her first Immunity. At Tribal council Dustin found himself for the first time on the outs. And with all 4 votes cast against him, he became the 5th member of the Jury.

Saturday, November 01, 2008

Down to Six

Week 6, 30/10/08
TRAVIS BLINDSIDED BY THE IDOL
For the last 5 weeks, the survivors have been competing in challenges and voting each other off, but now it was time to test their memory in the reward challenge. They were asked several questions pertaining to past events during survivor. the first person to get 5 won the reward, which was a tray of apples and caramel dip. Becky ultimately won, and took Alex and Krista with her. Before she left though, she also sent Dustin to Exile, leaving Kerri, Travis and Pat with nothing. At the immunity challenge the survivors learned that they would be running an obstacle course and it would prove to be the toughest challenge in Survivor history. In the beginning Travis had the lead, but after one heat became tired, as well as everyone else. Pat did well the entire time and collected all 4 flags before anyone else, and won immunity saving him from being voted out this week. At tribal council it would have seemed that the ever strong alliance or 5 would remain strong and Kerri would be voted out, but when she revealed that she had the hidden immunity idol, everyone was in shock. By the end Travis had received the two votes from Pat and Kerri and it was enough to send him to the Jury.
Only 6 remain and the competition is only going to get harder, who will be voted off next?