The first Challies Dot Com contest has ended and I am now ready to announce the winners. First, though, thanks to all of those who took the time to enter – this contest was a lot of fun. So here we go:
Most Original:
My name is Chris Roth, here’s a short introduction:
I met Tim Challies by way of church function.
For over two years, on Tuesdays we’d meet,
To study the Bible, sing songs, eat a treat.
I thought it was fitting and about time,
That I posted a note, so here’s one with rhyme.
I’m a sucker for contests, what can I say?
I was born a Menno and am to this day.
Just what is a Menno? I hear you entreat,
It means I pinch pennies, I’m exceedingly cheap.
My forefathers are farmers, and good ones at that,
But they hadn’t much extra, nor were they fat
So when something is free, I can’t pass up the offer,
Especially a book, to add to my coffer.
I’ve seen many a website, both large and small,
But Challies.com is the best of them all.
His humour, musing and reasoned critiques,
could keep many web browsers reading for weeks.
Discussions on various topics abound,
The Passion and Rick Warren are a few to be found.
With scripture in hand Tim cuts straight to the end,
And for that helpful work, he’s a good trusted friend.
As for this poem, it’s time for its close
I hope you’ve enjoyed my witty prose,
Will my entry win? Only Tim knows.
Chris Roth is our first winner.
Most Pathetic:
It is necessary that I win this contest. If I fail I may likely lose my sanity and head down a path of destruction. My reasoning is closely related to Pascal’s Wager, amplified in his follow-up book to PENSEES titled JOUEUR. A person has only so many lucky “strikes” in life, and each person has a different number. I play the lotto all the time. Should I win millions, I will certainly fall prey to the allure of “lifestyles of the rich and famous.” I may only have a few lucky “strikes” allotted to me. If I win this contest, that number will decrease by one, thereby lessening my chance to win millions which would bring my destruction. Entering this contest is perilous in itself, for if I lose I may hasten my big win. Exacerbating the situation is the fact that I enter raffles all the time, trying to win a “set of kitchen doilies” here, or an “automatic potato peeler” there in order to use up my “wins.” Only I never win. I have gotten myself into a fine mess. One might say “Why don’t you just quit playing the lotto?” If I do that, I surely will never own an 88 inch XRT plasma television with surround sound decoders. I guess I really don’t know if I want to win this contest or not so I’ll just employ a variation of Ockman’s Razor and let you decide. Bob P.S. If I win, you may give the book to another lucky fellow, thereby decreasing his chances of ruination.
Our second winner is Bob Wakefield.
Funniest:
I do not normally enter contests, as I am not really a “competitive ” type. Well, I used to be, somewhat, before I lost the use of both my arms in a typing accident. That really put an end to my contest-entering, pretty much…I used to enter a whole lot of contests back before I lost the use of both my legs in an aerobics mishap. Aerobics can be pretty dangerous, especially to people who really don’t have the use of their necks, as was the case with me, due to a rubber-necking incident on the interstate a while back. (I now firmly discourage rubber-necking to those who have previously lost the use of their sense of smell.) Anyway, I find your contest very intriguing… I would really love to have a copy of Mr. Perkins’ wonderful new book, as I believe it would be very beneficial for my elderly, forgetful husband and for my chronically immature son, who, by the way, is typing this for me. I’ll have to give some serious thought to entering this contest of yours…or maybe, since I have to go now to somehow accompany my fragile and ailing mother to the doctor (again) you would consider this e-mail an entry. Either way, I am Very Carefully Yours, Jeri Tanner.
So our third winner is Jeri Tanner.
Congratulations to Chris, Bob and Jeri. Send a follow-up email with your address and how you would like the book to be signed and they will be sent your way pronto. As for the rest of you…I hope to have another contest in the future!
