Category: CHOP

Doce Dias De Navidad

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Date: 12/12/19

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE.

QIC: Quattro – Warm-up VQ & Fireplex on Q

Warm up

12) Side Straddle Hops

11) Chinooks

10) Cherry Pickers

9) Alabama Ass-Kickers

8) Windmills

7) Mountain Climbers

6) Goofballs (ladder climbers)

5) Golden Merkins

4) Copperheads

3) Mountain Man Poopers

2) Annie’s

1) Lap… keeping cadence

The Thang – 12 Days of Christmas or Doce dias de Navidad to keep with the “Quattro” theme…..:)…. Exercise set courtesy of Quattro’s M….

Each exercise was completed and repeated in descending order just as the Twelve days of Christmas Song would be sung. You get the idea. After reaching the eighth exercise, we took a break for the third F provided by Quattro….see F3 Message below…. Once the beatdown resumed, we jumped to the twelfth exercise and worked our way down to #1 after-which we jogged our block back to the pile.

1– 30 sec Plank with a run around the Church before adding the next exercise on the list of twelve.

2 – 4 count Mountain Climbers

3 – Overhead block presses

4 – Glute Bridges

5 – Burpees

6 – Donkey kicks

7 – Split jacks

8 – 4 count SSH

9 – Curtsy lunges

10 – Block swings

11 – Full motion squats

12 – Block dead-lifts

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Prayers were offered for multiple needs within the attending PAX, but please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.   

 F3 Message – Quattro

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Prayers were offered for multiple needs within the attending PAX, but please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.   

The Twelve Days of Christmas – True Meaning Behind the Lyrics

Ace Collins – from crosswalk.com

To many people, the lyrics of the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” seem strange beyond belief. The odd carol’s words might make one think it is a novelty song, in the vein of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or “My Favorite Things.” Though a host of modern internet sites and some magazine articles have tried to reduce “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to a little more than a silly Christmas carol, most scholars of the Catholic Church deem it a very important surviving example of a time when that denomination used codes to disguise their teachings. Originally a poem written by Catholic clerics, this song was transformed into a carol at a time when celebrating the twelve days of Christmas was one of the most important holiday customs. By understanding the meaning the clerics chose the twelve days as wrapping for their poem, the full impact of the tradition of the twelve days of Christmas can be understood.
 

The 12 Days of Christmas – True Meaning

On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . a partridge in a pear tree.

The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, the only bird that will die to protect its young.


 On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . two turtledoves.

These twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments. So in this gift, the singer finds the complete story of Judeo-Christian faith and God’s plan for the world. The doves are the biblical roadmap that is available to everyone.

On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . three French hens.

These birds represent faith, hope, and love. This gift hearkens back to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter written by the apostle Paul.


 On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . four calling birds.

One of the easiest facets of the song’s code to figure out, these fowl are the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
 

On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . five gold rings.

The gift of the rings represents the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch.
 

On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . six geese a-laying.

These lyrics can be traced back to the first story found in the Bible. Each egg is a day in creation, a time when the world was “hatched” or formed by God.
 

On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . seven swans a-swimming.

It would take someone quite familiar with the Bible to identify this gift. Hidden in the code are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion. As swans are one of the most beautiful and graceful creatures on earth, they would seem to be a perfect symbol for the spiritual gifts.
 

On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . eight maids a-milking.

As Christ came to save even the lowest of the low, this gift represents the ones who would receive his word and accept his grace. Being a milkmaid was about the worst job one could have in England during this period; this code conveyed that Jesus cared as much about servants as he did those of royal blood. The eight who were blessed included the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake.
 

On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . nine ladies dancing.

These nine dancers were really the gifts known as the fruit of the Spirit. The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
 

On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . ten lords a-leaping.

This is probably the easiest gift to understand. As lords were judges and in charge of the law, this code for the Ten Commandments was fairly straightforward to Catholics.
 

On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . eleven pipers piping.

This is almost a trick question, as most think of the disciples in terms of a dozen. But when Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, there were only eleven men who carried out the gospel message.
 

On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . twelve drummers drumming.

The final gift is tied directly to the Catholic Church. The drummers are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed. “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”

The Context & History Behind “The 12 Days of Christmas”

Teaching the Catholic faith was outlawed in sixteenth-century England. Those who instructed their children in Catholicism could be drawn and quartered. Thus, the church went underground. To hide the important and illegal elements of their teaching, clerics composed poems that seemed sill to most people. But these verses were veiled works that taught the church’s most important tenets. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is said to be one of these teaching tools.

Most people today believe that the twelve days of Christmas start on December 12th or 13th and run through Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But in fact, the first day of Christmas is December 25th and the final day is January 5th. Thus, for hundreds of years the Christmas holidays didn’t begin until Christmas Eve and didn’t end until Epiphany.

Why were these twelve days important? These dozen days were tied to more than just the teaching of the Catholic Church. A host of other denominations also celebrated the twelve days of Christmas. Some denominations celebrated Christmas in January and began to count the twelve days then. But whenever they began, the counting of the days became an important facet of each holiday season. Even in the Dark Ages, in some Eastern European churches, the twelve days of Christmas meant attending daily church services. For Christians who lived during this extremely difficult age, the twelve days were a time of rededication and renewal. It was also a period when small, simple, and usually symbolic gifts of faith were given to children. Thus, in both coded poems and public worship, the twelve days were considered a holy period.

For many Christians today, even the recognition of the twelve days of Christmas has been lost . . . for two reasons. The first is that when Epiphany lost out to Christmas as the day of giving gifts, many simply quit celebrating the twelve-day observance. The other reason is based more on the change in the fabric of culture than on overlooking the Christian holiday of Epiphany.

In ancient times, when most societies were rural, few people worked in the dead of winter. It was a time when many were spending long, dark days inside their homes, looking forward to winter’s chill giving way to the spring thaw. So devoting a dozen days to prayer, reflection, and attending church was not a huge undertaking. Yet with the coming of the Industrial Age and the regular year-round work schedules it brought, finding time to continue the activities that had been traditionally associated with the twelve days of Christmas became all but impossible for most people.

So the passing of the twelve-days custom probably had as much to do with “progress” as with anything else. As fewer and fewer churches and families participated in the tradition, it was all but lost. Yet in the obscure poem that was later turned into a popular carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” live on. And the twelve days described are actually a wonderful and complete picture of the Christian faith.

The “true love” mentioned in the song is not a sweetheart but the Catholic Church’s code for God. The person who receives the gifts represents anyone who has accepted Christ as the Son of God and as Savior. And each of the gifts portrays an important facet of the story of true faith.

So, just a silly song? On the surface maybe, but in reality, a refreshing reminder of the essential elements of Christian faith. The twelve days of Christmas may no longer be a widely recognized holiday tradition, but the days were an important bridge that connected persecuted believers of the past with the whole story of God’s plan. In the complicated world of today, a trip back to the not-so-distant past when Christians celebrated the twelve days of Christmas would only enhance the meaning of Christmas for everyone.

Ace Collins is the writer of more than sixty books, including several bestsellers: Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, The Cathedrals, and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, he continues to publish several new titles each year. Ace has appeared on scores of television shows, including CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.

This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!

Respectfully Submitted,

Quattro & Fireplex

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Sand Bear, Sand Bear, What Do You See?

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DATE: 12/10/19

QIC: Chappie

A dirty dozen PAX won THAT FIRST BATTLE, gave their fartsack a beatdown, and posted for the first beatdown of the week on an amazing 63 degree day in December!

If you can’t figure out the beatdown from the title, then read on. If you have children at home, you get the reference. If you were 1 of the 12 HIM who posted, then you know…

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Disclaimer given
  • SSH – 18 IC (Because many men are 18″ from life eternal)
  • Swartzjacks – 10 IC (Because, well, it’s the 10th of December)
  • Sealjacks – 10 IC
  • Crab Flippers – 10 IC…Nice and slow for full effect
  • Patty Cake Merkins – 10 OYO (w/partner)
  • Bolt 45 – No complaint breaks in between – Squats: 15 – Top to half, 15 – Half to bottom, 15 – Top to bottom

THE THANG:

PAX stayed paired up, each pair retrieved a 40# sandbag and lined up at the edge of the Grace Church field. Approximately 150 yards in length, PAX alternated between doing 10 Burpees & the Sand Bear Drag (planked over the sandbag, PAX Bearcrawled and pulled the sandbag forward) while advancing the entire length of the field. “Sand Bear, Sand Bear, what do you see? I see the opposite end of the field looking at me.”

  • Partner 1: 10 Burpees
  • Partner 2: Sand Bear Drag
    • Swap, rinse & repeat as necessary

To return from opposite end of the field, PAX swapped out from 10 Apollo Ohno’s to Burpees while advancing the length of the field in return. “Sand Bear, Sand Bear, what do you see? I see the opposite end of the field looking at me.”

  • Partner 1: 10 Apollo Ohno’s
  • Partner 2: Sand Bear Drag
    • Swap, rinse & repeat as necessary

————————-

Back in the AO parking lot, PAX circled up for the day’s 3rd F Message:

(Source: Adapted from F3 Nation QSource Nov. 20)

COMMITMENT – Unwavering Loyalty To The Group And Unflinching Determination To Accomplish It’s Mission

Loyalty requires abandonment of self

How important is commitment to you?

Are you someone who values loyalty and follow-through? When things get tough, are you in the habit of standing firm? Or do you have a tendency to compromise your level of commitment or even quit? More specifically, how committed are you to your team? Is your support solid? Is your dedication undeniable?

WAYS to improve your level of commitment . . .

1) TIE COMMITMENTS TO YOUR VALUES.
Because your values and your ability to fulfill your commitments are closely related, take some time to reflect on them.

First, make a list of your personal and professional commitments. Then try to articulate your core values.

Once you have both lists, compare them. You will probably find that you have commitments unrelated to your values. Reevaluate them. You will also find that you have values that you are not living out. Commit yourself to them.

2) TAKE A RISK
Being committed involves risk. You may fail. Your teammates may let you down. You may discover that fulfilling your goals doesn’t give you the results you desire. But take the risk of committing anyway. George Halas, former owner of the NFL Chicago Bears, asserted, “Nobody who ever gave his best regretted it.”

3) EVALUATE TEAMMATES’ COMMITMENT
If you find it difficult to commit in particular relationships and you cannot find a reason for it in yourself, consider this: you cannot make a commitment to uncommitted people and expect to receive a commitment from them (Emphasis added). Examine the relationship(s), team, group to see whether YOU are reluctant because the potential recipient is uncommitted (maybe even untrustworthy).

4) INCREASE YOUR LEVEL OF COMMITMENT AND STAND FIRM ON MATTERS RELATED TO YOUR VALUES
Loyalty is firm, and constant support and allegiance manifested, through the subordination of one’s own well-being to the Prosperity of the Group. A Loyal person puts the interest of his Group and the needs of its Members before his own. In his decision making, he is concerned first with the impact a course of action will have on the Group and only secondarily upon himself. His relationship with his Group and its Members is that of a fiduciary, in that he is charged with a special duty of Trust that obligates him to safeguard the groups Prosperity in everything he does.

DAILY SCRIPTURE

Psalm 37:5
Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act.

Proverbs 16:3
Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

1 Kings 8:61
Let your heart therefore be wholly true to the Lord our God, walking in his statutes and keeping his commandments, as at this day

Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men

————————-

Next PAX circled up with sandbags & bricks: 1 PAX on Sandbag, 1 PAX on a brick, sandbag, brick, sandbag, brick, etc. (you get the idea). PAX rotated counter-clockwise around the circle alternating between Sandbags & Bricks:

  • Sandbags = 10 Sandbag Squats
  • Bricks = 10 Merkins (touch chest to the brick to work on full form)
  • Final stops of bags & bricks = 20 reps each
  • Total = 70 reps Sandbag Squats, 70 reps Merkins

One final COP: Al Gore for a couple of 10 Counts

With that, it was a wrap! Sand Bear, Sand Bear, what do you see? I see the end of the workout looking at me!

COT/BOM:

  • Announcements: Plan B has been activated for this year’s F3 first State Christmas Party – We’re moving to Irish Eyes, Friday, Dec. 13 @ 7 pm. Come one, come all. Thanks to Chairman for taking the lead on making the reservations call! Dec. 21-22 Crossroad Christmas (See Quattro for the skinny on the times)
  • Prayers: Streudel’s M, Lisa, biopsy today. Danielle, continued prayers thru her battle. Aaron, Chappie’s nephew deployed. Vanilla, continued prayers for health for entire family recovering from colds and flu. Prayers for all PAX to check their commitment levels.

Always an honor and painful pleasure to Q. Shout out to the Dirty Dozen who posted, and, as Chattahoochee’s shirt said, “Embrace the Suck.” Way to embrace it men!

~Chappie, out!

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Pre-Blast F3 First State Christmas Party

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First State Christmas Party

  • When: Friday 12/13/19
  • Time: 7 p.m.
  • QIC: Ruxpin & Shawna

Who: PAX, M’s, & 2.0’s of F3 First State

What: Annual Christmas Party

When: Friday, December 13th — 7 pm…until we get kicked out

Where: Teddy McNamara’s (Ruxpin) — 20306 Applewood Drive | Lincoln, DE 19960

Why: Why not? You’ll regret not being there if you miss it.

Q&A:

Q: How much does it cost?

A: Not a dime. But each PAX/M is asked to bring a pasta dish of your choice, salad, & dessert (just bring something to share)

Q: BYOB?

A: Drinks will be provided. But booze…I think is BYOB. Check with Ruxpin

Q: When should I RSVP?

A: Yesterday. Since you can’t do that hit up Ruxpin on the GroupMe or DM him so that he and Shawna can start to get a headcount.

Q: What if I have any additional questions not covered here?

A: Reach out to Ruxpin or Chappie in the Gloom or on F# First State FB or IG.

Thanks ahead of time to Ruxpin and his M, Shawna, for hosting this always-a-fun-time event. Let’s get together, celebrate Christmas and another year of F3, and enjoy some 2ndF beyond a morning workout (i.e. lets introduce our families to each other…)

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PRE-GOBBLE WOBBLE

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QIC: CHATTAHOOCHEE

8 PAX posted on this cool breezy morning for a pre thanksgiving beatdown to work up an appetite followed up by a little fellowship and coffeteria plenty of laughs and oh the stories that were .

WARM UP– 25 SSH, 20 WINDMILLS, 20 IMPERIAL WALKERS, 20 CHERRY PICKERS ALL IN CADENCE 15 BIG ARM CIRCLES FOWARD 15 BIG ARM CIRCLES BACKWARDS OYO.

THE THANG– THE Q TRIED SOMETHING A LITTLE DIFFERENT THIS MORNING AND ANNOUNCED THAT ANYTIME DURING A MOSEY ANY PAX CAN YELL DROP AND GIVE ME 5, 10 OR 15 MERKINS. THIS STARTED OUT PRETTY STRONG DURING THE FIRST MOSEY BUT SLACKED OFF A LITTLE AFTER THE FIRST PAIN STATION. I DID LOSE COUNT BUT PLENTY OF MERKINS WERE DONE.

MOSEY TO THE FISHING PIER,

1st PAIN STATION BEAR CRAWL THE LENGTH OF PARKING SPACES EXCLUDING THE HANDICAP SPOTS, 25 DIPS ON BULKHEAD, 25 DERKINS ON SAME BULKHEAD, TOY SOLDIER SET 35 (LBCs) 25 (E2Ks) EACH SIDE, 15 (BIGBOYS), 25 SQUATS

MOSEY TO STRAWBERRY ALLEY,

2ND PAIN STATION HEY THERE’S A WALL WE HAVE NOT USED YET ALL PAX HAVE A SEAT AGAINST THE WALL WHILE PAX INDIVIDUALLY PERFORMED 5 TEXT BOOK BURPEES SOME OF US MAY HAVE BEEN GLAD THERE WERE ONLY 8 PAX A SHORT BREAK FOR A LITTLE 3RD F.

MOSEY TO THE PARK

3RD PAIN STATION 15 STEP UPS EACH LEG ON BENCH, PAX WORK CAPT. THOR WHILE 2 PAX AT A TIME MEET DO A MAX SET OF PULL-UPS ON THE HUMBLING RINGS.

MOSEY UP THE HILL AND BACK TO THE CHOP JUST IN TIME FOR 4 MINUTES OF MARY.

THE FIRST THANKSGIVING WAS A 3 DAY FEAST FOLLOWING A SUCCESSFUL HARVEST. NATIVE AMERICANS AND PILGRIMS FROM THE MAYFLOWER COME TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE HEALTH AND HARVEST. WHEN WE SAY THANKSGIVING WE ARE SAYING THANK YOU TO ALL THE PEOPLE THAT HELPED MAKE AMERICA THE PLACE IT IS TODAY. KEEPING WITH THAT I WOULD TO SAY THANK YOU TO ALL THE SERVICE MEN AND WOMAN, POLICE FIRE AND EMS THAT CONTINUE TO MAKE AMERICA WHAT IT IS TODAY.

AS YOU ANTICIPATE TIME WITH YOUR LOVED ONES AND A DELICIOUS THANKSGIVING MEAL TAKE TIME TO REFLECT ON THE HOLIDAY AND HOW YOU CAN MAKE IT MEANINGFUL. THANKSGIVING IS FULL OF WAYS TO NURTURE GRATEFULNESS, EXPRESS GRATITUDE TOWARD GOD AND CELEBRATE A MEMORIAL HOLIDAY. DISCOVER HOW TO GO BEYOND FOOD AND FOOTBALL AND GLORIFY GOD ON THIS THANKSGIVING DAY. BE CAREFUL THAT YOU DO NOT TAKE THE DAY AND LEAVE OUT THE GRATITUDE, GRATITUDE UNLOCKS THE FULLNESS IN LIFE. IF THE ONLY PRAYER YOU SAY IS THANK YOU THEN IT WILL BE ENOUGH AND REMEMBER THANKSGIVING IS A TIME OF TOGETHERNESS AND GRATITUDE.

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Muppet Legs

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Date: 11/21/19

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Mosey .48 miles to Food Lion Shopping Center

The Thang

Pax performed a quick Mike Tyson set of 7’s in the alley between Walgreens and Dollar Tree utilizing a bear crawl to traverse the distance between the walls.  Once complete Pax went right at a set of Doracides which is identified in the Exicon as follows:  Two Pax worked together to reach exercise reps of 100, 200, 300, & 400 of 4 different exercises.  One Pax worked on the exercises while the second Pax completed suicides to three designated waypoints.  The extra twist is at the waypoint of each suicide run; the Pax completed 1 burpee, then 2 burpees, and finally 3 burpees before returning to the starting point.  Once all three suicide sprints were completed, the Pax switched stations until all reps of each exercise were completed.  The exercises completed are as follows:  100 American Hammers, 200 Merkins, 300 LBC’s, & 400 squats.   

Mosey .48 miles back to CHOP

F3 Message

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers. Specific prayers were lifted up for Lisa, Doubtfire, Briggs Family, and Aaron.  

TEMPLE TREASURE – #5193

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

“I only had 24 hours in Athens, Greece. Well, what am I going to do? Well, I knew what I wanted to see – the Acropolis, and there it is. It’s on this hill that dominates the city, and it’s there that the ancient Greeks built this incredible temple to their goddess Athena. Even after 20 centuries, I have to tell you, it’s still an impressive, imposing structure and it still dominates the city. The Acropolis was the most sacred, most protected, most honored place in all of Athens. In fact, it was a serious crime to violate that temple, as it was in many ancient cultures. Hey, everybody knew the temple got first class treatment because the gods live there.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Temple Treasure.”

Now, those ancient worshippers had the wrong God, but in a way they had the right idea about His temple. It was in the time of those temples and ancient deities that Paul wrote our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Corinthians 6:19- 20.

Here’s what he says, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.” Now Paul is presenting here one of Christianity’s most revolutionary and most shocking ideas. If you belong to Jesus Christ, you are the building God lives in!

And even pagan people knew that the way you take care of your god’s dwelling place tells a lot about how you feel about your god. If you know Christ, you are God’s two-legged temple! You don’t have to go to Greece to see a temple – all you have to do is look in the mirror! So everything you do with that body of yours, God is part of. Everything you do to that body, in a sense, you do to God.

So the question is: Are you treating your body like the temple treasure that it is? If you really care about the God you say you love, you won’t let His temple run down, get overweight, get abused by an eating disorder, or get all out of shape. Ancient pagans knew you had to keep the temple in good condition because your temple advertises what your god is like. That’s what you and I do with the body that His Holy Spirit has come to live in. Maybe you’re devaluing that temple God lives in with the junk you put in it, or by playing around sexually, using His temple to satisfy your glands or your curiosity. Do you know who lives in the body you’re doing that with? The Holy Spirit of God.

It isn’t smart to junk up God’s temple. It isn’t smart to misuse God’s temple. That’s what the moneychangers found out when they were abusing God’s temple in Jesus’ day – when His temple was a building. It’s one of the few places in the Bible where Jesus is really angry. He physically, angrily goes after those who have messed up the place that is God’s dwelling. Today, that’s your body, and Jesus doesn’t like it when you junk up His temple.

It matters what you do with His temple; what you put into it, how you treat it. The reason it matters to Jesus so much – what you do with that body of yours – with that temple of yours – is that He paid for you with His blood. You were, remember, “bought at a price.” And that price was Jesus’ life. He has a right to expect that the body His Spirit has moved into will be kept very special for Him.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

MUPPET LEGS – Compliments of Bolt 45’s, Mike Tyson’s, & Doracides !
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Go to Hill – Again

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Date: 11/12/19

AO: CHOP, Milton DE.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Mosey .5 miles to that darn hill again….:)…

The Thang

Q revisited the beatdown that could not be completed on last Q opportunity.  We started with the exercises originally slated for the descending evolutions of the hill climbing portion of the beatdown….but we decided to start back at 10 instead of 5 where we had left off last time….:)……PAX completed 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big Boys.  Dragon Crawl up & mosey down and complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 7 Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys.  Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6 Merkins & 6 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 5 Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big Boys.

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.

F3 Message 11/12/19

LAST-SECOND VICTORIES
They’re usually some of the most exciting moments in sports: the touchdown or field goal that wins the game with no time left on the clock, that game-winning basket as the final buzzer sounds, or the game-winning home run with two out in the bottom of the ninth inning. Whatever the sport, there is nothing like a sudden victory when victory seems out of reach. It makes the fans go ballistic.

It can be really nerve-wracking when you’re behind and time is running out, but it’s really thrilling when a hero pulls it out at the last minute. The longer someone walks with God, the more they come to appreciate Him as the God of the last-second victory, the God of the eleventh hour.

The Bible reveals many names by which God wants us to know Him. One that has meant so much to so many for so long is the name Jehovah-jireh. It means, “The Lord will provide.” You may be facing a need or situation right now where that is literally your only hope – that the Lord will provide. Maybe it’s a job, a friend, the funds, the person, the answer, the house, the healing, or the breakthrough you need.

There is a rock-solid promise in Philippians 4:19 that “God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus.” God’s supply has nothing to do with what’s happening in the economy, in the news, at work, or in what your resources can do. It’s all about His unlimited “Jesus-account” in heaven, which transcends every limitation earth has.

God sometimes waits a while to meet that need. That’s when we tend to panic, to come up with some desperate way to meet the need on our own, or to abandon our trust in God because we think He’s taking too long. That takes us right out of the will of God and aborts what God was going to do.

It’s in Genesis 22 that God is known as Jehovah-jireh for the very first time. We can learn a lot from how He worked that day for Abraham. Abraham had, by faith, obeyed God’s direction to take the son God had once promised to him, climb Mt. Moriah with him, and sacrifice his son – as God Himself would do one day when Jesus died on the cross.

Believing that God will somehow provide something Abraham can’t imagine, Abraham promises his servants that both he and his son Isaac will return from the mountain. Genesis 22:10 says his faith and obedience went so far that “he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.” At the very last moment, God stopped him and showed Abraham a ram, stuck in a thicket, who would be sacrificed instead of his son. The Bible says, “So Abraham called that place, ‘The Lord Will Provide.'” Jehovah-jireh made His move when there was no time left.

Now, about your need. God loves to come through for us when there is absolutely no place else that answer could come from, and there is no time left on the clock. It’s 11:59 and the buzzer is about to sound. God shows up with His provision at a time and in a way that will blow you away, that will give Him all the glory, that will show the people around you the greatness of God, and that will take you to a whole new level of faith and worship.

Have faith in God. God’s last-minute victories are some of the most awesome moments of your life. The greater the need and the later the hour, the more amazing God’s work on your behalf is going to be. Hang in there until the end of the game, because that is when God really does His stuff!

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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CHOP Crunchville

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Date: November 14, 2019

QIC: Wildwing

Lovely 22 degree morning greeted HIMs at the CHOP. Little known fact (since she never told anyone her age): Wildwing’s Mom would be 100 years old today.

WARM-O-RAMA: Side Straddle Hop, Imperial Walker, Windhills, Cherry Picker, Morrocan Night Club (IC x 20)

Stage I: CHOP circuit run

Stage II: Thirty and Ten Workout: Intense exercise for 30 seconds followed by 10 second recovery

  • Firefighter, Knee Crunch, Glute Bridge, Bike Crunch, High Knees, Reverse Crunch, Mountain Climber, Windshield Wiper, One Leg Bridge Crunch, Spiderman Crunch Standing Side Crunch

Stage III: Lt. Dan’s with blocks

Stage 4: Thirty and Ten Workout Repeated

Third F: The theme was Leadership and Elections. Once upon a time, the President faced dismal reelection prospects because the country had largely lost faith in his Administration. Losses in the Wilderness and in the Crater Massacre outside Petersburg were astounding. Lincoln met quietly with Grant and warned that he should expect McClelland to be elected President within months. A few weeks later, Sherman entered Atlanta and Lincoln was reelected.

Query: How often do Presidents (or any leader) display the following qualities that help define an ethical leader?

  • Justice
  • Respect for others
  • Honesty
  • Humane treatment of others
  • Commitment to team building
  • Value driven decision making
  • Intolerance of unethical behaviors

These are not the easiest standards to uphold and Lincoln, like all HIMs, certainly missed here and there. Nonetheless, it is still worth aiming high even when we fall short.

NUMBER-RAMA, NAME-O-RAMA

COT – BOT

Friends facing medical diagnoses and nephews on deployment along with any number of requests that were unspoken over the years.

Respectfully, Wildwing

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HOB Playground

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QIC: Semi

WARM-A-RAMA

20 All i/c
Seal jack
Plank jack
Windmill
Ssh
Seal wave
Cherry picker

THANG

Mosey to HOB entrance

Bear crawl to first light pole
Nur to next light pole
Lt. Dan to next light pole
Dragon crawl to next light pole

Mosey to playground

Split into groups
3 rounds of 15
Swerkins
Hanging knee raises
Merkins
Sumo squats
Step ups – each leg
Bulgarian split squats – each leg

20 big boys

Mosey back to CHOP

14 HIM showed today; semi, Chappie, summit, Vanilla, Chairman, Gump, Ruxpin, Waterfall, bovine, toad, Chattahoochee, Fireplex, quattro, FNG gore

Number Rama
Name rama
Cot

Difference Makers Devotional Plan • Devotional
https://bible.com/reading-plans/14159/day/6?segment=0

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Triangulation Scars

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Date: 10/29/19

QIC: Chappie

Those who stayed cozy got lapped! Especially those new young guys. What the what? Get upppp! Sorry, not sorry! Nonetheless a dirty dozen HIM started the week by winning THAT FIRST BATTLE and posting for an ad hoc beatdown by YHC. Doubtfire had to back out of his scheduled Q due to his back being tied in knots. Here’s to a recovery day for our brother and a quick return to the rotation. We have so many on the Q rotation that it sometimes feels like you don’t get to Q enough; that’s a good problem to have. YHC was excited to step in.

Never really JUST a standby, YHC went to the Exicon toolbox, pulled out the Bearmuda Triangle, and used it on the PAX. It lived up to its name…we mysteriously lost a PAX along the way (oh, wait, that was only a modification?). Here’s the skinny on the workout:

Warm-O-Rama:

  • SSH – 18 IC
  • Crab Flippers (Cherry Pickers on Delmarva) – 18 IC
  • Swartz Jacks – 18 IC (Uno, dos, tres, QUATTRO!)
  • Moroccan Night Clubs – 18 IC
  • Merkins – 18 IC

Patriot Run around the block – nice pace!

3rdF Message shared here – Content posted below

The Thang:

THE Bearmuda Triangle – 3 cones set up in a triangle pattern, 90 feet apart. PAX Bearcrawl from cone to cone, adding 1 Burpee at each cone. 3x around the cone triangle = 45 total Burpees

Two 10-counts later, PAX found themselves on the side wall of the church:

  • People’s Chair – 10 Count
  • 5 Mexican Jumping Beans, OYO
  • BTTW – 10 Count
  • 10 Mexican Jumping Beans
  • People’s Chair – 10 Count, 2x
  • 15 Mexican Jumping Beans

The Jack Webb Finale: (Always a crowd pleaser)

  • Ratio: 1 Merkin/4 OH Claps all the way up to 10 Merkins/40 OH Claps
  • Though Leatherman tried to stop us, and stop the pain, we went…a WHOLE 30 secs over :-)’ Nice try brother, nice try!

Count-O-Rama:

  • COT/BOM:
    • Announcements: Nuh’in (at least not that YHC remembers)
    • Prayers: For family of Fireplex’s friend who passed from ALS, Chappie’s nephew (Aaron) who is deployed, for our bro Doubtfire on several different fronts

That was about it. Again, honored by the opportunity to lead. Always enjoy Q’ing. Humbled by it all. Get back soon, Doubtfire.

~Chappie, out!

Scars – 3rdF Content:

The theme of SCARS seems to keep coming up an awful lot in the last few weeks. Scars are often a kind of credential. Each of them has a story.

Kyle Carpenter (MOH recipient) bears some serious scars for jumping on a grenade to save the life of a fellow Marine. He devoted an entire chapter of his book YOU ARE WORTH IT to scars (cf. Ch.13, Don’t Hide Your Scars). In it, he wrote that “scars are a kind of credential”(210). Kyle added this story: “There is a greeter at my local Walmart, an elderly gentleman who always has a cheerful hello for everyone who comes through the door. One day, as I was walking in, he spotted me, flashed his huge grin, and then did finger pistols at me as he playfully asked, ‘Motorcycle wreck?'” I did finger pistols right back at him and replied, ‘Taliban!'”

Later he continued, “I would never encourage anyone to share something they aren’t comfortable sharing. But there are some scars that are so obvious, so apparent, that it is impossible to hide or ignore them. Instead of being ashamed of them, I think there is power in embracing these ‘stories’ that leave their marks on our bodies and souls” (211).

Scars are a kind of credential. They have tremendous power for creating bonds. “Wear them proudly. Wear them for yourself, to honor what you’ve been through. And wear them for others, to connect with them and inspire them to keep on fighting. They reassure others they’re not alone. They give hope that someday, their wounds will become nothing but scars, too” (215).

In 2 Cor. 11, the Apostle Paul shared quite a list of experiences which undoubtedly left him with serious scars. The context of the list was that he was facing off with false teachers who were trying to lead the Corinthians away from the truth. Paul shared the list not to brag about personal experiences, but to express that his heaviest burden of all was for the churches. The best scars are always the ones left from a cause that is bigger than we are! Listen to these verses from 2 Cor. 11:22-29…   

22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I.    23 Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death.     24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes.   25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep.     26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren;     27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure.     28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches.     29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?

Had Paul NOT been a true follower of Christ, had he NOT been truly concerned for the church, he would not have experienced (willingly endured) those trials — he would not have borne the scars which those trials inevitably produced — especially the 39 lashes x5! (Btw…that’s 195!).

Scars are a kind of credential. The nail-scarred hands of our Savior are credentials of His unconditional love. Proof that He paid our penalty in the cross. They are further proof that He is alive! Add to that, sometimes some else’s scars remind us we’re living, we’re ALIVE!

This past week you heard about the death of Toby Mac’s (and his wife, Amanda’s) oldest son, Truett, age 21. Toby Mac’s Facebook post was nothing short of phenomenal. In the midst of feeling exceptional pain that will leave exceptional scars, he and his wife, Amanda, were able to inspire others. Here’s how/why: (This is the last paragraph of their post)

Scars in the lives of HIM are a kind of credential. They’re credentials that we ARE unquestionably ALL IN, whether it be in relationship with God, in our families, our churches, our workplaces, or the communities in which we serve. Scars heal and tell a story BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE; scars mark you as resilient, tough, and as a survivor! They mark you as a HIM!

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The Hill You Say

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Date: 10/24/19

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 25 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down.  15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats.

Windmills – 15 IC

Mosey .5 miles to “Holy Freaking Hill”

The Thang

The Super Sheldon Cooper on a “freaking hill” with a few of my friendly animals – Complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big Boys.  Crawl Bear up & mosey down and complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 7 Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys.  Inch worm up the hill and mosey down and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6 Merkins & 6 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 5 Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big Boys.

Time did not allow us to finish, but below are the remaining evolutions as planned.

Dragon Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 4 Burpees, 4 Squats, 4 Merkins, & 4 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 3 Burpees, 3 Squats, 3 Merkins, & 3 Big Boys.  Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 2 Burpees, 2 Squats, 2 Merkins, & 2 Big Boys.  Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 1 Burpee, 1 Squat, 1 Merkin, & 1 Big Boy.

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Welcome to FNG Thomas Bunting a.k.a. Radar.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.  

F3 Message 10/24/19

UCG.org / Beyond Today / Climb Every Mountain

Climb Every Mountain

Posted on Jan 2, 2006 by Robert H Berendt

Robert H Berendt

Pastor, United Church of God

Ambassador grad 1970. Pastor in Canada and Germany retired in 2017. On the Council of UCG-Canada and COE of UCGIA. Wife Valerie is British. Four adult children, 14 grandchildren and 7 great.

Give me mountains to climb and the strength to climb them” was a line I once read. I grew up in the mountains, and although we did not climb in the technical sense of using ropes, pins and other devices, we did spend many hours walking the hills and mountains. The majesty of the peaks makes clear the concept of the grandeur of God the Creator. It is humbling.

Climbing produces many benefits that I’ve found to be helpful: strong legs, building confidence in tackling heights, considering where to place your foot for each step. They are all lessons of good planning and enable the body to become stronger and more physically fit. The sheer exuberance of completing the task makes one want to stand on top of the peak and shout with all of your might.

One of the most important benefits of hiking is pushing yourself beyond what you think are your limits.

In the past, I have taken teenagers and young children for longer hikes in the mountains. I find resistance comes when they get tired and weary. That is normal. One of the most important benefits of hiking is pushing yourself beyond what you think are your limits. Human beings are able to go beyond what they think they can do. The body may be putting a great deal of pressure on the mind to stop, but the mind is able to override the complaints of the body and complete the task. There are lessons learned and character built that will keep you in good stead for a lifetime. One lesson you can learn is knowing when to rest or pause and when to proceed.

The safest place for a ship is a harbor, but ships were not designed for staying in a harbor. You do not become a great sailor by staying in quiet waters. Great sailors learn to be great by facing and conquering the most severe storms and conditions that the sea can give. No one would advocate that a sea captain start his career in the most severe storm. Usually, a person starts out as a helper and assistant. He gains experience during smaller storms and slowly develops the qualities needed to tackle problems with expertise and competence. The same applies to the mountains that we climb in life—whether they are real mountains or the challenges of daily life, physical struggles, emotional or spiritual issues.

A hard trail

Almighty God is very careful about inviting humans to become part of the first fruits and first resurrection. We read in John 6:44 that only God the Father decides whose mind to open. It is not the great of the world that He chooses (1 Corinthians 1:26-27), but those chosen definitely must be able to embark on a hard trail. It is surprising how some seemingly unlikely people have great inner strength. Those chosen will have great rewards that will make the struggle worth every difficult step. It will take all the strength, determination and effort that they are able to put forth along with God’s help to reach the summit. God is a strong helper during all of the struggles, and Jesus Christ intercedes on our behalf.

People who are new to the mountains do not always appreciate the dangers hidden there. They will learn through experience that there is a proper way to climb a mountain.

In Matthew11:12 we are told that forceful men lay hold of the kingdom God offers. Jesus called them “overcomers” in several places in Scripture. The obvious conclusion is that a person will have to look forward and glimpse the wonderful future with such conviction that nothing will deter them from achieving the goal. Hebrews 11 records the suffering of many. In Hebrews 12:3-9 Paul explains that we need to endure hardship as discipline; God is treating us as sons. Hardships are the mountains God has given us to climb. We need to rely on God’s Holy Spirit and use our minds and concentration skills for this daunting task. God will supply what we need, with His only request being that we appreciate what is happening and learn to love His ways. Age and physical abilities are not factors in this spiritual expedition.

Luke 14:28-33 reveals the need to count the cost before embarking on an adventure. We need to know we are able to complete the task. It is certain that no person, by themselves can accomplish this task. They neither know the way nor have the strength. God gives us what we need.

It’s worth the climb

Mountains are climbed one step at a time. There are periods of rest, traversing and planning. Our spiritual mountain gives us similar challenges. In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul stated that God only gives us that which we can bear and helps when temptations or hardship come. It is comforting to realize that we are not alone and have a thoughtful Creator who will lift us up.

People who are new to the mountains do not always appreciate the dangers hidden there. They will learn through experience that there is a proper way to climb a mountain. They will find out that the view from the top is breathtaking. This spiritual climb is the only way that leads to eternal life, and it is worth every ounce of expended energy.

It is probably true that most people would rather avoid the strenuous and demanding task of climbing mountains (real or spiritual). Most people avoid pain and suffering. The way God chose for His people is a difficult and narrow path. Jesus Christ felt the loss of many disciples when the way was too difficult (John 6:66). Even His close followers fled in panic when they saw that Jesus was not resisting arrest and torture (Matthew 26:56).

In the end, the reward will be more than worth the struggle. This life is short and full of troubles, whether we choose to follow Jesus Christ or not. This life is physical and temporary. The life we hope for, pray for and suffer for is eternal. God places this hope into the hearts of all people.

Climbing mountains is a great source of joy and satisfaction. How much greater and joyful are God’s mountains when He walks at our side. So then we can pray, “Give me mountains to climb and the strength to climb them.”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

October 24, 2019
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