'Survivor'ing in this World

My last post is gone. Say what????? I posted a looooong writing called "Footprints" on Thursday and it's gone. Turns out that Blogger (the company(?) that hosts blogspot and all these free blogs) deleted everybody's posts from Thursday because something was wrong with the site. They made an announcement that it would all be back, but mine ain't come back yet. And I'm bummed. I kinda liked my "Footprints" post and I don't have a copy of it anywhere. I think I could kindof redo it but it wouldn't be exactly the same. I guess I'll have to start making a backup copy of my posts. I'm gonna hold off trying to redo it for now in hopes that it will come back, but if not, I'll try to recreate it towards the end of this week.

I ran 10 miles yesterday morning. Yay. My longest run in a few weeks. It felt great. Very cool (53 degrees) and a little misty to help cool me off even more. It was pretty much perfect running weather. I ran to GG and back (that's Griffin's grave in cast you're wondering). Exactly 5 miles from our house. Ran there. Talked to God a little. Felt Him there once again. I don't know why but I always feel God so much stronger when I'm there. It's just so beautiful and peaceful there. It's like I'm one step closer to God when I'm there and I like it. I know a lot of parents who lost children would be uncomfortable or sad to be at their child's grave, but for some reason, not me. I need to be there. I need to talk to my boy and my God and it's just easier there. Is that weird or strange? Should I be sad there instead? Maybe so, but since it's working for me now, I'm planning to keep it up unless it changes. Anyways, I ran 27 miles last week. 7 more than the week before. Running is starting to feel normal and good again. I'm getting it back which makes me very happy.

So did anyone else catch Survivor last night? Season finale. I've watched every episode of this show for 11 years. Excessive? Probably. But it's my show. I remember hearing about it on the radio about 6 months before it began (I even remember where I was when I heard it - how creepy is that?) and I thought 'that sounds like a good idea. I think I'll watch that show'. So from season 1 and Richard Hatch (didn't like him) to season 22 and Boston Rob (I do like him), I've seen them all. Even if you don't watch or didn't watch, keep reading because I'd like to make a couple of points from the show.

First of all, a point that some may disagree with. Rob definitely deserved to win last night. He did play the best game I've probably ever seen. Was he deceiving, back-stabbing, lying, etc.? Absolutely. But IT'S A GAME. I honestly don't find anything wrong with that since it's a game. It's not real life. There's a stinkin' camera in front of them at all time for crying out loud. Rob said it best on the reunion last night when he said something to the effect of...."when you get back to real life off the island, then it changes and that's who you really are, but on the island it's a game and sometimes you have to play that way." Did I want Rob to win? No. I wanted Matt to win. More about him later. But when Matt lost his chance, I was for Rob. He came in with a strategy and played it brilliantly. It's a game. It's not real life and I'll always see it that way. And anyone who complains about people having no morals on the show and not playing fair....I would just remind them that what matters about those people is how they act off the island and until you know how they really are, you don't know them. Feel free to disagree. I'm not perfect and not always right and I could be off on this one. But that's how I feel.

Ok, now to the main point. The above is just for some heated discussion (if I get any). I really really wanted Matt Elrod to win. And not just because I taught him and know him. Even if he was from another state and I had no idea who he was, I would've been for him. Why? I have never seen someone so openly profess their faith in front of a national audience. I am shocked (but pleasantly delighted) that CBS and the Survivor producers allowed so much to be shown and highlighted. But Survivor this season slightly turned into a part-time plug for Christianity and I loved every minute of it. I am so proud, impressed and humbled by what Matt did out there. He is a true hero in my book. And for that, for doing what all of us as Christians should do, I wanted him to be rewarded. (I do think Rob should've been disqualified from winning fan favorite since he won the whole thing. I was very disappointed that Matt didn't win that.) From the first season of Survivor when Dirk (I think) proclaimed his faith and it ultimately meant his ouster, I have often thought how I would act if I was on Survivor. I am very ashamed once again to say that a few months ago, I would've decided to hide my faith thinking that the game has nothing to do with that (like this blog a few months ago). I wouldn't have wanted to offend anyone and would've probably kept my prayers and belief in God private. But like I said a few posts back 'shame on me'. Matt did absolutely the right thing. He kept God first in his game. He gave the game to God which is what we as Christians should do every day.

We are not all playing the TV game of Survivor, but we are all trying to Surviv(or) in this world. Satan makes this life a game. We have to play it right or we don't win the ultimate prize of Heaven. And it's a hard game, much harder than the TV version of Survivor. It's a constant challenge to stay on that narrow path to Heaven. And Satan knows how to make us throw in the towel, give up, and settle for a much easier life sitting on the beach around a fire. But don't lose your motivation. Get up and play the game like Matt. Give the game to God. Keep Him first in your strategy to win. That's what I'm trying to do. One of the reasons Matt went so far was not only his faith, but the fact that he was alone on Redemption Island for several days. He was away from the "evils of the game (world)" and was able to survive with just God and himself. We need to all realize that while this world seems fun and happy (and it often is), it is also Satan's territory and so it's evil. It's not home. We need to all spend alone time with God and ask him to protect us from the world. And we need to encourage as many others as possible to do the same.

One final Survivor lesson - did you notice that everyone in the vase challenge last night lost when they took their eyes off it, even Matt. If you take your eyes off what's important (God), you will lose too. But that's another lesson......and I think you can figure it out for yourself.

I want my boys to be happy and to have a good, successful life. But I want more for them to realize that life is so short. What happens here is really not important as long as you know God and believe in the reality of his son, Jesus Christ. I want my boys to be one of the few on the narrow path to Heaven (Matt 7:14). One of my boys already made it.

I love Griffin and I love God.

Keep runnin'. The PRIZE awaits. (Php. 3:14)

-Albert