***SPOILERS***

1. I’m going to defend the Weavers – prepare yourselves. For those who really dislike them, I understand. I really do. I find them annoying and a bad witness for the Christian faith. However, I have sympathy for them and not just because they’re still dealing with Dad’s death. No, I have sympathy and some empathy as a fellow sinner saved by God’s grace. Sure, they’re not the perfect picture of what a Christian should be, but neither am I. Sure, they say hateful things about the other teams, but so do I. Sure, they seem to come across as “convenient Christians” as one has called them, but so do I at times.

I watched them last night with a bit of mercy and I saw myself. I have little doubt that if I were in their shoes, I would not come across on TV one whit better than they. When I’m under stress I can be a very unpleasant person – just ask my family and closest friends. When I’m under stress, I find myself having to apologize to those whom I love a lot. If you were in a competition with me then you would be subject to my own brand of verbal cattiness. I can be quite witchy when I’m in full-on pressure.

In addition, when you consider that all of the teams treat them rather rudely and have from the beginning, it’s easy to feel persecuted. Think about how you act when you feel ganged up on by those around you. Add the pressure of the Race and I don’t think most of us would behave the best. So I cut the Weaver family a little slack – more than most of you, I guess. That’s fine.

One thing I truly admire about them is how they interact with one another. For the most part, they are always encouraging of one another. They rarely bicker and they work as a team in all tasks. The persecution by the other teams has served to draw this family closer together, which I think is the best thing the Weavers will take away from the experience. And when you consider it all, that is the most important thing for them, imho. If they win the $1M, then it’s merely a side benefit. They’ll already have won by taking home a stronger family bond.

2. All that said, I’m hoping Wally and the Girls win.

3. Gadzookskis annoy me more than the Weavers, frankly. Shrill shrieking has a tendancy to do that more than anything else. Really, I’m surprised my ears aren’t bleeding.

4. Linzes – I know a lot of you love them. I don’t. I don’t know why, I just don’t like them that much. I don’t hate them, I just don’t have any reason to want them to win. However, the one who figured out that there might not be a Pit Stop was using his noggin. Also, it was weird that they edited out the car snafu all together – usually they leave that kind of drama in the show. I did wonder how they got so far behind the other teams.

5. Detour – sweaty, dirty work at the railroad. I may have chosen the coal – the Weavers did that task really well and faster than I would have expected. Of course, they were highly motivated since everyone else was hammering the ties down.

6. Roadblock – Very City Slickers as a Racer said. I was amused at the editing when the Girls were told to choose a wrangler and they chose the young, good-looking dude. Of course!