Tag: Chappie

What Thunderstorms??

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4 HIM braved the storm this morning for what turned into a ‘nice’ hour of no rain.   But of course two men started their mornings early with a Ruck from Milton…. interrupted by a few flashes of lighting and some thunder, but still managed to get in 5+ miles??  Chappie and Leatherman setting the pace and a higher standard…. well done. 

Warm-UP                                                                                                                    SSH – 25   Cherry picker- 20 Moroccan NC- 15 Bolt 45s   IC  Standing to 1/2- 15  Half to full- 15   Full Deep Squats – 15 Moroccan NC – 10. Cherry picker – 15 SSH -20                                                                                                                              
Mosey to courthouse lot                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          4 corners –                                                                                                                    1st corner- 10 burpees    Nur to 2nd corner    2nd corner- 50 merkins (20 reg, 15 diamond, 15 wide )   Lt Dan to 3rd corner                                                                                                                         3rd corner- 100 lbc – nice steady pace         NUR To corner 4   4th corner- 50 dips   Bear Crawl Back to starting point                                                                               
Mosey to field by ballpark                                                                                            
Toy soldier set – IN Cadence                                                                          Shoulder taps -20  In Cadence                                                                            Merk and rolls – 20 oyo                                                                                                              
Mosey back to courthouse lot 
3rd F-       Consistency- in growth and counsel.                                                                                                                            
Set of 11s  11 deep squats Burpee broad jump to line 11 big boy  Lunge Walk back 10 deep squats. Burpee broad jump to line   10 Big Boys Lunge Walk Back Repeat to 1 squat and 1 big ol boy            
Mosey to circle 
NAME-A-RAMA                                                                                                        COT   

3rd F-  HIM are consistent. Consistency comes from a desire for growth and staying in counsel. Growth- you’ve never arrived. I’ve heard it said you are either growing or dying. In this world there is no such thing as stagnant. You’re moving forward or backwards.  HIM focus on doing the daily things that move them forward.  Yes, there are setbacks-  but identifying them , rectifying them properly and pressing on, chisels you more and more Into the man you are meant to be.  Ways to grow- Read. Listen. Study. Allow yourself to be stretched. Associate with other men who are in life where you want to be or committed to getting there with you. 
Counsel- I’ll never follow a man who isn’t being lead.  Every one of us needs to be in some form of transparent counsel.  Someone who can offer us a 30000 ft view and help us with our blind spots. This can be at work, in your business, within the community , church or home. All areas of life will benefit from proper counsel.  I’m not talking about Social media opinions or break room water cooler talk- this is one on one man to man counsel. Iron sharpening iron. 
These are just two areas – but effect every aspect of who we are as HIM. 
If you are not consistent- you will not be loyal, you will not be trusted, you will not be counted on , and maybe most of all you will not be performing at the high level a true leader should be. I didn’t even like writing that last paragraph that way because I like to focus on the positive , so I’ll end it like this- When you are consistent – you will be a loyal friend, co-worker, business owner,  husband , father , grandfather, son and member of the community. A trusted go-to man who because you have prepared, you are ready for any situation- a man that can be counted on.  Most of all you’ll be and continue  to become the leader of your life and in your home  – which is where we are needed most.

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1

Dora “Not” the Explorer

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Date: 09/01/18

AO: Aegis at Georgetown, De.

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

Windmills – 25 IC

Cherry pickers – 20 IC

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

Happy Jacks – 5 SSH IC followed by 2 bomb jacks.  5 evolutions completed in succession.

Merkin Mile – each ¼ mile Pax stopped and completed 25 merkins.  Pax completed half a mile on the way to the site of the “Thang” completing two sets of Merkins.  Pax completed the second half of the merkin mile with two sets of merkins in returning to the Aegis.

Chappie rolled in hot after Rucking around nine miles to the Aegis.  The man is a beast.

The Thang

From the Exicon – Doracides – 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.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Continue to pray for Chappie’s family, the Savini family, the Draper family, Vanilla’s co-worker, and for our Nation as we approach another anniversary of 911.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.  

F3 Message – Q shared the Third F before returning to the Aegis.

I was thinking hard about the upcoming anniversary of the death of my boss, my friend, and my mentor Thomas H. Draper.  He died on September 08, 2017 after suffering injuries sustained from a motor vehicle hitting him while riding his bicycle.  There is no easy way to handle the passing of those close to you, especially when you want to understand why God allows such tragedies to happen.  We are fast approaching the 17th anniversary of 911 where many lost their lives in such a horrific act of terrorism.  Why does God allow this?  I found this article by John Hawkins on Townhall.com that he had written after the Sandy Hook mass shooting that offers wisdom and insight as to why God allows tragedies.  I hope you find the same comfort and peace as I did when I read Mr. Hawkins words.

5 Reasons God Allows Tragedies Like the Sandy Hook Massacre To Occur by John Hawkins as written on Townhall.com

Posted: Jan 01, 2013 12:01 AM

“As a Christian, it can be difficult to reconcile all the evil that happens in the world with an all knowing, all powerful loving God who could stop it if He wants, but chooses not to do so. If our hearts break for the innocent children who were senselessly murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary, how can a God who loves us not feel the same way? If any of us had known what Adam Lanza was going to do, we would have done anything in our power to stop him, so why didn’t God? All too often we tend to quote some arcane scripture, chalk it up to God “moving in mysterious ways” and shrug our shoulders. While none of us have the authority to speak for God, there are plausible explanations for why God would choose not to intervene to prevent a tragedy.

1) He gives us free will: God didn’t make robots who were designed to execute His will. Instead He gave us the freedom to make our own decisions. He lets us choose between being right and wrong, good and evil or wise and foolish. We can follow Him or scorn Him. We can obey Him or ignore Him. We can take His advice or go our own way. It’s our choice…and sometimes choices have terrible consequences. But, of course, how could it be otherwise and still be a choice?

2) It’s a necessity for faith: “If God wanted to remove all doubt about his existence, He could do so — but, He doesn’t because the cornerstone of Christianity is faith. Imagine what would happen if bad things DIDN’T happen to good people. What if when an airline crashes, only the non-Christians die while all the believers walk away unscathed? What if the moment someone becomes an atheist, he is immediately struck by lightning and killed? What if every rape, murder, robbery, and painful illness only happens to non-believers? If that were the case, then no faith would be required to be a Christian.” 

3) He has a different perspective: Our God gave “His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Imagine being in his place as Jesus was jeered, whipped and had to suffer and die in agony on the cross. What would run through your mind as your Son was crucified and uttered the words, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” when you had the power to free Him, heal His wounds and strike down His tormentors at will. Our God made that sacrifice for each and every one of us so that we could be saved. That’s how much He cares for us. Yet and still, God has known the hopes, hurts, loves and secret dreams of all of us who’ve come into this world, lived our lives and passed on. After watching billions of people He cares for die and shouldering responsibilities we can’t even begin to fathom, God doesn’t see the world through the same eyes as we do.

4) We often turn to God in times of tragedy: One of the sad truths of human nature is that when we’re happy, healthy, loved, secure and our pockets are full, most of us think we already have all the answers and don’t turn to God. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” It’s not that God wants us to ache, causes it, or wishes for it to happen, but He realizes that’s often what spurs us in His direction. A long pleasant existence full of leisure, contentment and pleasure that ends with a trip to Hell because there was never a need to reach for God is a failed life.

5) Ultimately it’s about Heaven, not earth: What we do with our lives is no small matter. We should try to make the most of our talents, do what we can for others and make the most of what we have. But, it’s worth remembering that Billy Graham was right when he said, “My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.” Our lives seem long and crucially important because it’s all we can see, hear, and touch, but God knows there’s an eternity that stretches beyond our time here. It can be incredibly painful when our time here ends with those we care about, but God gets to see the reunions in the next lifetime.”

John 16:33 New International Version (NIV) –  33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV) – 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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2

Head & Chest Crud — Why Not a Trip to the Hospital?

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QIC: Chappie

Date: 8/29/18

YHC was pumped to Q 2x in less than a week, though he wasn’t 100% sure he was even going to be able to make after battling head & chest crud since Friday evening. Skipped what sounds like a serious beatdown at the hands Leatherman who Q’d at CHOP yesterday. The goal was to try to rest up and stay/get healthy for today. #summercoldsuck

Seven awesome PAX posted in Lewes, DE at the Primis AO for a trip to the hospital. Well, actually there were only 6 of us til deer slayer himself, Chairman, rolled in after bringing the gavel down on Bambi. She did a job on your ride, man! Here’s what YHC’s ride looked like when he showed up at the Aegis AO one Saturday morning right after the AO was planted…

Have to get a shot of your ride and post it for posterity purposes. Looks like we’ve got a special way of initiating new AO’s; don’t say anything to the insurance companies! Chairman, we’re all glad you’re okay brother. …and this just in…

Of course, anytime you’re in an accident they say its best to go to the hospital to get checked out. So, here’s how that developed…

Warm-O-Rama:

  • Disclaimer…uh, thought about…kinda. It’s hard to think when you have a cloud raining down snot inside your head.
  • SSH – 10 IC
  • Nipple Scraper Merkins – 10 IC
  • Hello Dolly – 20 IC
  • Windmill – (we heard him coming — enter the deer slayer, so YHC forgot the rep count)

Omaha’d the Weinke due to time constraints: Also had planned to do Peter Parkers, Merican Hammers, Shell Picker/Crab Flippers, and Delmarva Drydocks. It’s not a bad trip to the hospital from the AO, but last time YHC ran out of time and had to make a withdrawal from PPB (the PAX Patience Bank) to get the job done. So off we go with a steady  mosey to Beebe Hospital’s parking garage.

The Thang:

  • Swift Mosey up Level 1
    • 25 Merkins
    • 25 Gas Pumpers
  • Swift Mosey up Level 2
    • 50 Merkins
    • 50 Gas Pumpers
  • Swift Mosey up Level 3
    • 10 Burpees
  • Double Decker Mosey up Level 4 & 5
    • 100 LBC’s
  • Double Decker Mosey up Level 6 & 7
    • 10 Burpees
  • Swift Mosey up Level 8
    • 50 E2K’s

Top-O-The-Garage, great location for 3rd F:  Did you know that at the age of 67, Thomas Edison watched a fire destroy much of his work and equipment? Time to retire? Time to hang up the old lab coat? No way! “All our mistakes are burned up,” the inventor said, “now we can start anew.” There is a time to retire but Edison knew this time had not come. The fire that consumed his work didn’t destroy the fire that burned within him to continue his work. Edison’s commitment remained.

People tend to associate commitment with emotions. If they feel the right way they can follow through on their commitments. But true commitment doesn’t work that way. Commitment is not an emotion. It is a character quality that enables us to reach our goals. Emotions go up and down all the time, but commitment must remain rock solid. A solid team, whether it is in sports, business, workplace, marriage, or ministry, must have team members who are solidly committed.

3 things we need to know about being committed:
1. Commitment is usually discovered in the midst of adversity. You never know the level of your commitment until things get tough. Commitment is revealed, not necessarily built, by adversity.
2. Commitment is revealed in choices, not conditions.
3. Commitment lasts when it is based on values. Establishing commitment from a team is a critical piece of leadership. The only way to sustain commitment is to link it with personal values. Values drive your choices and they stand up to the test of adversity.
(Adapted: TFC President’s letter, D.O. Young)

  • Psalm 37:5 ESV
    Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act.
  • Proverbs 16:3 ESV
    Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.
  • 2 Timothy 4:7 ESV
    I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there’s a man, along with our Savior, Jesus Christ, who was committed regardless of conditions!

Commitment. One character trait of leaders leading leaders—of HIM!

As they say, what goes up must come back down; here goes on the descent back to Level 1:

  • Lt. Dan (1 of YHC’s favorites, especially descending…hits the muscles a little differently)
  • Nur to Level 5, waiting for the six, we realized we were in a motorcycle parking spot. So…
    • 20 Four-Count Freddies IC (get on your bike and ride!)
    • 20 Derkins (high wall created some chatter from Chattahoochee. Hmm…name change? Chatterhoochee? Oops! Didn’t mean to poke the bear, he’s on Q in the Gloom.)
  • Lt. Dan once more
  • Bearcrawl (Whoa! watch the traffic! The PAX definitely created some chatter as the shift change was nearing and people were racing to their parking spots and trying to kill the bears. Hey, YHC thought this was deer season. Chairman?)

We made it! Kind of funny to hear hospital employees talking about what they saw as they arrived for work at the hospital. Parking Garage Playa’s! Aye!

Mosey back to the AO.

Great group of HIM to workout with today. YHC was pushed and pulled (mostly pulled) on this Gloom. Ruxpin you’re a beast brother! You jumped right in to the crazy amazing thing called F3 and nothing has stopped you. Seriously, that’s commitment! Think about where you’ll be a few months from now. Vanilla, thanks for posting even while you’re battling the same kind of head & chest crud–Site Q leadership! Summit, what can be said? If YHC’s not mistaken you led the mosey all the way back to the AO. You against you, better and faster! Not to mention, Chairman who was right up there with you — it’s like he was looking for deer or something. Leatherman, you’re bringing beatdowns that leave the PAX chattering, and then you post for another Q’s serving the next day. Way to step it up, keep raising the bar brother (brothers)! Chattahoochee, always appreciate you “picking up the 6” — you never fail. Never leave a man behind, but never leave him where you found him.

After a little trip to the hospital, we made it back on time.

COT/BOM:

Announcements:

  • Run, White, & Blue 5k, next Thursday, Sep 6 at Del-Tech
  • Monday, Sep 3, First State F3 Annual Labor-Day Beach Day Beatdown Convergence: 7 am north end of the boardwalk. See the Pre-blast. (Site Q’s bring your AO Shovel-flag)

Prayers:

  • Troopers involved in shooting yesterday at Harbison
  • YHC and his M as they’re raising teenagers — tough times (but praise God anyway!)

Saboutit!

Honored to lead again. Thanks for the op!

~Chappie, out

 

And, oh, who was that doing 60 catch-up Squats? LEA-THER-MAAAAN!

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6

Staying Power

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QIC: Chappie

DATE: Aug. 25 2018

6 HIM posted for a beatdown in perfect weather. It’s still August but several mentioned the temptation to wear long sleeves or turn on the heat in vehicles on the way in. It’s been cooler than normal, Chappie still wants Summer!

Let’s talk about staying power. YHC announced that today’s workout would tag-team with Vanilla’s 3rd F message from Wednesday (See “Finishing Strong” Backblast from 8/22). Vanilla’s message spoke of 3 ambushes which most men will face at one point or another (maybe even repeatedly) throughout their life:

  • the ambush of another woman
  • the ambush of money
  • the ambush of neglected family

These were written about in the book Finishing Strong by Steve Farrar. Great book and a recommended read for all men! Today’s workout (based on the book as well) was designed to complement what Vanilla shared on Wednesday, and revolved around how to avoid or overcome the aforementioned (that sounds sophisticated, ain’t?) ambushes—the workout itself will be offered as today’s 3rd F.

So here’s how it went down:

Chatter about the wet grass? OMAHA! To stay out of the wet grass, PAX moseyed to parking lot in front of Justice the Peace Court.

Disclaimer given. Made it official, even though no FNG’s were present. Practice makes perfect.

Warm-O-Rama:

  • SSH – 20 IC
  • Imperial Walker – 18 IC
  • Windmill – 18 IC
  • Shell Pickers – 15 IC
  • Calf Raises – 30 OYO (toes in)
  • Calf Raises – 30 OYO (toes out)
  • FULL Squats – 10 OYO (not that we don’t always do full squats)
  • GoFMerkins (Good Form Merkins) – 10 (single count cadence on YHC’s d/u – not that we don’t always use good form)

Mosey down Pine St. to ARNG Armory…

The Thang:

How do you avoid the 3 ambushes of another woman, money, & neglect of family?

By STAYING in the Scriptures (each exercise begins with S for Scriptures)

PAX were asked by YHC at each pain station to pick the number of rep counts prior to each exercised being announced. Fun! (generally we did 20 reps, but Chattahoochee did call out 22 to keep us mindful of the avg. number of veterans who take their own life every day)

  • Seal Jacks
  • Stagger Merkins
  • Squat Jacks w/cross
  • Sphinx Merkins (Do Not do these on asphalt! Lol. We switched to the grass at the half)

Mosey to side lot of Georgetown Middle School… Same question about the ambushes:

By STAYING close to a Friend – (someone you can share your challenges with and who will ask you the tough questions – F is for friend)

  • Fiddler Crab to cone, switch at the half
  • Finger-tip Merkins
  • Flying Squirrel
  • Flutter Kick

Mosey to Wall 2.0 on the opposite side of the school…

By STAYING away from other Women – (set up protective hedges to keep yourself from the ambush of another Woman)

  • Wall Plank (interesting, kinda)
  • Windmill
  • Wheel of Merkin (5 rotations)
  • Wall of Fire: PAX hold Air Chair, while in turn each does 10 Merkins, 10 LBCs, & 10 Burpees

Mosey back toward AO to lot behind building on the corner of W Market & N. Front Streets…

By STAYING Alert to the tactics of the enemy (A is for Alert – “Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” 1 Peter 5:8)

  • ATM’s: 10 Alternating Shoulder Taps, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Merkins Fast)
  • Air Squared
  • American Hammer
  • Aiken Legs: 20 Squats, 20 Box Jumps (skipped), 20 Lunges, & 20 Split-Jacks, all OYO)

Mosey back to AO…

COT/BOM:

Announcements: Labor Day Beach Day Beatdown. Rehoboth Beach, North end of the boardwalk near Henlopen Hotel. Start Time: 7 a.m.

Prayer:

  • Those taking 2.0’s to school
  • Waterfall/Felicia and newborn bay girl 2.0
  • Meg & Rachel (Vanilla & Stretch’s M’s) – both due to deliver 2.0’s in Nov
  • Prayers for all PAX to have STAYING POWER and avoid the ambushes of other women, money, and neglect of family by STAYING in the Scriptures, STAYING close to a Friend, STAYING away from other Women, and STAYING Alert to the tactics of the enemy. After all, it’s what HIM do!
  • Prayer for YHC, who has a sore throat and is preaching a funeral message later in the morning

Honored to lead the 6 HIM who posted at the Aegis on a beautiful (perfect weather for a workout) Saturday morning. Thanks for the push, men!

~Chappie, out!

The book:

 

 

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5

Finishing Strong

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8/22/2018

QIC: Vanilla

AO: Primis: Lewes, DE

PAX: Chappie, Canvas, Chairman, Ruxpin, Vanilla

Warm-O-Rama

SSH – 20 IC

Seal Jacks – 20 IC

Smurf Jacks – 20IC

Plank Jacks – 20IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Windmill -20 IC

Mosey to Shipcarpenters Square

The Thang: Four Corners

PAX Completed 20 Powerjacks OYO at the first corner, Nur to 2nd corner for 20 Lunge Jumps, Bear Crawl to 3rd Corner for 20 Star Jumps, Karaoke (Switch half way) to 4th Corner for 20 Skater Lunges, Crawl Bear back to first corner to complete.

Mosey to George HP Smith Park playground

The Thang 2: Colonel Trautman

PAX split into two groups. First Group ran  20 yards, completed 3 pull ups, ran back to relieve group 2. Group 2 completed 10 Merkins and then held plank until group 1 returned. Groups rotated for 5 rounds.

Break for Third F: Finishing Strong

QIC is currently reading “Finishing Strong” by Steve Farrar, a book for men on how to Finish this life well. Statistically, only 1 in 10 men will finish well in their lifetime, meaning 9 out of 10 will experience moral failure in some category. Farrar shares that this is predominately due to Men not being able to “Survive the Ambushes” of life when they come. There are three primary ambushes that men will face:

  1. The Ambush of another woman
  2. The Ambush of Money
  3. The Ambush of neglected family

Farrar shares that in a study of nearly 250 Christian men who fell for the ambush of another woman, there were 4 key components that nearly all of them had in common. First, none of the men had regular accountability. Second, all had ceased to spend time daily in prayer & scripture. Third, 80% of them became sexually involved from counseling a woman other than their wife. Fourth, all 250 were convinced that moral failure would NEVER happen to them.

We can learn from these men who did not finish well and again we see that F3 can provide a barrier of protection to assure that all of us can finish well. F3 assures that a man is surrounded by other men who are glad to hold them accountable in all areas of life, not just fitness. F3’s COT provides a time of daily prayer and the Third F often provides biblical insight to speak life and truth into all PAX who post. F3 is for men only, so the nonsense relationships with women other than our wives that too often can come from “the gym” are never gonna happen with this group. F3 keeps us on our toes. Sure, it keeps us in shape physically. But I believe that the greater value of F3 is the shield of protection that we men provide for one another to assure that we all have the best shot to Finish Strong.

Mosey back to AO

Ended with the “Little Baby Flutter Crunch (LBFC)” – PAX are on their six doing flutter kicks while simultaneously completed crunches. Don’t count the flutter kicks, count only the crunches. Completed 20 OYO.

Ended with Number-Rama, Name-O-Rama, & COT/BOM

Humbly Your QIC,

Vanilla

 

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5

Super 21 – “Rump Skin” or Ruxpin

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Date: 08/14/18

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 21 IC

Cherry Pickers – 21 IC

Prisoner Squats – 21 IC

Windmills – 21 IC

Patriot Run around the block – .48 mile

The Thang

The Super 21 as it appears in the Exicon.  1 Merkin to 1 Big Boy Sit up.  2 Merkins to 2 Big Boy Sit-ups.  3 Merkins to 3 Big Boy Sit-ups, etc., etc., etc.  But wait there is a twist….after each set completed of #1 though #5 complete 21 Imperial Walkers.  After each set completed of #6 through #10 complete 21 Mountain Climbers.  After each set completed of # 11 through #15 complete 21 Monkey Humpers.  After each completed set of #16 through #20 complete 21 Prisoner Squats.  After the final set of 21 Merkins & 21 Big Boys then finish strong with 21 Burpees.

Q received multiple reports of the loss of “Rump Skin” due to PAX choice of completing the set on the asphalt instead of the available wet grass that was just steps away.  I think our FNG dodged the bullet on this one when he received his F3 name…:)…Welcome Ruxpin…..

F3 Message

Q spoke about several characteristics of leadership as gleaned from an article by Thomas A. Merrill as it appears on fireengineering.com.  “Mr. Merill  is a 35-year fire department veteran and a former chief of the Snyder Fire Department in Amherst, New York. He is a fire commissioner for the Snyder Fire District. He served 26 years as a department officer including 15 years in the chief officer ranks. Merrill recently completed five years as chief of department. He has conducted various fire service presentations throughout the Western New York area as well as at FDIC. He also is a fire dispatcher for the Amherst (NY) Fire Alarm Office.”  Mr. Merrill stated that ” it is important for leaders to exercise good judgement and strive to lead their department in a positive manner; otherwise, so much of what I call wasted energy is invested in leadership quandaries that can truly bog down an organization and prevent good work from getting done.  It can also cause good people to leave.”  This observation can be applied to any business, group or organization.  Mr. Merrill went on to identify 8 “must have” traits that all leaders should possess.  The first is ownership and responsibility for any success or failure.  The ability to admit mistakes, be accountable, and move forward.  The second is consistency.  “A good leader will do jobs for which he is responsible in a consistent and regular manner, all while maintaining a positive attitude.  The third is being tired.   “All leaders should expect to be tired.  Simply, if you are doing your job as a leader, you will be tired.”  You may need to put in the extra time and effort to accomplish tasks with excellence.  The fourth is a positive example.  “All great leaders have learned to lead by their own personal example.  “Learn to lead by the power of your example, not by examples of your power.”  The fifth trait is organization.  “All leaders need to develop an organizational plan that works for them.  Find a system that works for you and strive to be as organized as possible.”  The sixth is Integrity.  “People are watching you all the time; they pay attention to what you say and how you handle yourself.  Once it’s lost you may never get it back.  A leader without integrity is certainly not a professional in any organization.”   The seventh identified trait of a great leader is honesty.  “Coupled with integrity, honesty is equally as important. Don’t ever think your people won’t know if you lie to them. Similar to losing integrity, once you are branded a liar, it sticks to you forever and your people will lose all trust and confidence in you. It’s okay to not have an answer to a question. It’s okay to not know how to do something. It’s not okay to make up answers and pretend to be something you are not. Be upfront and honest with your membership at all times, and don’t ever lie to them.”  The last trait identified by Mr. Merill is trust.  “All good leaders are trustworthy. Your members must know that you have their backs at all times. They need to know that when you tell them you will do something or get an answer for them, you will follow through and do it.  Learn to gain your members trust, and more importantly, work hard to maintain it.”

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, possessed all of the traits identified by Mr. Merill and so many more.   As a leader and teacher he was judged and scrutinized mercilessly.  He humbly served and provided the ultimate sacrifice in laying down his life so that we might have the opportunity to choose everlasting life.  Is he your President, Chief, Chairman, CEO…..??

James 3:1 New King James Version (NKJV)  1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.

James 4:10 New King James Version (NKJV)  10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.

Matthew 20:26 New King James Version (NKJV)  26 Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant.

Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust.  Welcome to FNG (Ruxpin).  Prayers the Savini Family, Betts Family, and Sanders.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers as we go about the business of being HIM.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

https://www.facebook.com/F3FirstState/videos/515858145502708/?t=62

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Yea, Though I [Mosey to] the Valley…

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Date: 8/7/18

QIC: Chappie

What happens when you buy sidewalk chalk at Family Dollar (not a commercial) and pick up a prescription next door at Walgreen’s (not a commercial)? You discover a yet-to-be-minted F3 pain station. YHC couldn’t believe these two walls separated by about a 20′ alley-way had somehow been overlooked for the past 2+ years, even after working out in and around the parking lot so many times. How’d we miss this grand station of a beatdown location? Who knows! YHC noticed it a few weeks ago and could hardly wait to get his Q on and personally introduce it (like a new found friend) to the rest of the PAX from the Milton Mustard Seed CHOP AO – Semper anticus! Well, this little “canyon” or “valley” IS ON THE MAP NOW! YHC will tell you all about it. In meantime, what say ye, men? Shall we call it The Valley of the Shadow of Death (even though there really was no “walk” through it) or Death Valley (because it was so doggone hot and there was no air)? The place will live up to its name either way. Here’s what it looked like after the Gloom — YHC had to go back and get a shot for this post:

Well, call it what you will…here’s how it all went down:

Warm-O-Rama:

SSH – 18 IC

MNC – 15 IC

Shell Picker, Crab Flipper, Cherry Picker – 10 IC

Hillbillies – 18 IC

Flying Squirrel – 10 OYO

Calf Raise (toes in) – 20 OYO

Calf Raises (toes out) – 20 OYO

The Thang:

Mosey to the new station (The Valley of the Shadow of Death  or Death Valley): Steady Mosey interchanged with a Picked-Up Mosey, switching between power poles/light poles all the way to Food Lion parking lot, ending in front of Walgreens:

Between the Walls (in the valley) – all OYO

5 Mike Tysons on one wall

10 Bombjacks in middle of alley

5 Mike Tysons on other wall

15 Burpees in middle, and so on…

5 Mike Tysons

20 MJB’s

5 Mike Tysons

10  Count/Breather (PAX had to get out of the valley because it contained no air!)

Back between the walls…

BTTW – 10 Count

People’s Chair – 10 Count

BTTW – 10 Count

PC, Leg Up (L) – 10 Count

PC, Leg Up (R) – 10 Count

YHC  forgot all who counted, but some counts were brutally slow. But, hey, it was in the valley of the shadow…

3rd F Message – a Brief Shared By YHC:

One leadership principle I’ve been pondering lately is this: “OUR REFERENCE POINT IS CRITICAL.”

Years ago I heard someone say that “if the whole world stinks, check your mustache.” The idea being that if there’s some old moldy cheese or other leftover food in your stache and that’s all that you’re able to smell, then from THAT reference point the whole world is going to stink. The metaphor is clear. It may not be the whole world at all; it might be your perspective, the reference point from which you “smell” [see] the world.

HOW WE SEE ANYTHING DEPENDS ON OUR REFERENCE POINT. I shared that thought in a recent sermon, but I think it’s just as applicable here, in F3. In fact, part of what we do here at O-GAWD-THIRTY (the Gloom) just about every day of the week, in some measure gives us a reference point for leadership. We get up very early; that’s the hard thing to do. We Q and prepare workouts and 3rd F messages hoping to inspire one another in spiritually, mentally, and physically in leadership; that’s the hard thing to do. We push ourselves and each other past self-imposed limits; that’s the hard thing to do! And we do all this and more, not just because of the fitness but because it does make us better leaders.

How does all this make us better leaders?

I believe one of the ways it makes us better leaders is that doing the hard stuff gives us a reference point. Let me explain, Mark Batterson mentions that psychologists refer to this as the contrast effect: If you lift a really heavy weight, then lift a lesser weight, it will seem lighter. We do this simply enough by doing really hard workouts. We do this with sandbags and cinderblocks. We do this with our rucks especially — we carry around 40lbs and then when we carry around 30lbs or less and everything else seems lighter. The reference point is the 40lbs or its the hard workout before anything else in the day comes along. Having that reference point is to help us to see things from a different perspective, one that is meant — in terms of leadership — to give us the reference point that just about everything else that follows throughout the day will not seem all that tough or difficult because we’ve already done something incredibly harder by comparison. This, again, is called the “contrast effect.”

The practice of Q’ing a workout also leads to the same outcome: We practice that leadership here regularly, and, in part, that practice carries over where it ought to most (it’s supposed to) — at home, in the workplace, and in the communities in which we serve.

In real life, it might bring about a different reference point after going through difficult circumstances. We are to see them differently after God carries us through them. (Point being that He is the One, then, who actually carried the weight…POINT BEING that Christ must be our reference point.) That’s why we cling to verses like Romans 8:28, “AND WE KNOW THAT GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS TO WORK TOGETHER FOR GOOD TO THOSE WHO LOVE GOD…”

Those words of Scripture and the experience or fulfillment of them train us and give us perspective — and how you see anything depends on your reference point. When we’ve been through something, tough circumstances, and we can see how God turned them around for our good, it gives us a new critical reference point. Doing the hard thing here, carrying the extra weight here (in the Gloom) trains our bodies and our minds with the reality of these truths.

Back to work:

YHC’s failed attempt at the Hands of Time (one of his favorites, but its been awhile and he forgot how to do it. Oh well, still got in some ab-burn)

Steady mosey return to the AO.

Meanwhile, back at the AO…

GFerkins (Good Form Merkins) – 10 OYO

Mary, all 9 PAX got in a round but YHC can’t recall all that was chosen

Time’s up, only thing we missed on YHC’s Weinke was a round of Partner Push; next time. It’s all good, the Valley of the Shadow of Death (a.k.a. Death Valley) took a good bit out of us.

Great push by all the PAX.

COT:

Announcements:

Everyone is welcome to join Grace Church’s Warriors for Him men’s ministry for a hot dog cookout at The Home of the Brave this evening at 6. Home of the Brave is a homeless shelter for our veteran’s. Join us for some dogs and a few rounds of cornhole as we serve those who’ve served us.

Thursday Gloom we’ll have a guest Q – Nunchuk will be here serving up the beatdown and getting his F3 Passport stamped; let’s make a good showing in support of our brother from York, SC!

Prayers: Prayed for the substance abuse blanket to be lifted from Sussex County; prayer for others…

BOM

Welcome back Ying Ying, we’ve missed you brother! Good to see you. It was a privilege to lead all the fine HIM who broke the hold of the Fartsack and posted! Humbled and honored to lead the way.

~Chappie, out!

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Shipcarpenter Square

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8/8/18 Work out. Lewes, DE.

Warm up. 20 SSH. 15 cherry pickers. 15 windmills. Start on baseline, high knees to half, butt kick to end. Start on opposite baseline, right shuffle to half, switch and left shuffle to start. Warm up basketball. First team to 5 wins. After every point, opposing team does 5 burpees. Losing team does suicide. 

Run to ship carpenter square. 

While going clockwise,complete 2 rotations of square. Starting at bottom left corner you run to first station and do 25 merkins. Right shuffle to second and do 25 big boys. Nur to 3rd and do 25 shoulder taps. Left shuffle to 4th and do 25 mountain climbers. 

3rd F is on utterly obsessed vs uninterested.

 Have the right priorities. Be more all in with things that matter like your relationships, especially with wife and kids & with God. Be utterly obsessed with things that matter in your life but also turn away from things that don’t move you and your family, and your relationship with God forward.

Run back to AO. Quick game of knock out as cool-down. End in COT. Excited for guest Q tomorrow! Continue to be HIM!

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Monkeying Around

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6/23/2018

QIC: Vanilla

AO: CHOP: Milton, DE

PAX: Chappie, Chattahoochee, Fireplex, Hideous, Skipper, Summit, Vanilla,

Warm-O-Rama

SSH – 20 IC

Seal Jacks – 20 IC

Smurf Jacks – 20IC

Plank Jacks – 20IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Windmill -20 IC

A “Friendly” Patriot Run to Milton Memorial Park

The Thang: Monkeying Around

PAX rotated between 5 stations doing as many reps as possible for as many rounds as possible. Rotation happened when PAX running at station 5 completed their loop.

  1. Pull Ups
  2. Swerkins w/ Tuck (Complete a merkin with feet in swing then pull feet in for a tuck – BRUTAL!)
  3. Box Jump to Incline Merkin
  4. Forearm Plank
  5. Run loop around gazebo

3rd F Message: Extreme Ownership

“On any team, in any organization, all responsibility for success and failure rests with the leader. The leader must own everything in his or her world. There is no one else to blame. The leader must acknowledge mistakes and admit failures, take ownership of them and develop a plan to win. The best leaders don’t just take responsibility for their job, they take Extreme Ownership of everything that impacts their mission.” – Jocko & Leif, Extreme Ownership

“As individuals, we often attribute the success of others to luck or circumstances and make excuses for our own failures and the failures of our team…Total responsibility for failure is a difficult thing to accept, and taking ownership when things go wrong requires extraordinary humility and courage. But doing just that is an absolute necessity to learning, growing as a leader, and improving a teams performance.” -Jocko & Leif, Extreme Ownership

“You can’t make people listen to you. You can’t make them execute. That might be a temporary solution to a simple task. But to implement real change, to drive people to accomplish something truly complex or difficult or dangerous you can’t make people do those things. You have to lead them.” -Jocko & Leif, Extreme Ownership

Thoughts from QIC: Extreme Ownership is a man in the mirror mentality. In every and all situation, regardless of “fault,” the only thing we as leaders can control is our attitude and actions. Taking extreme ownership sets an example that will trickle down into your team, family, subordinates, etc. As a byproduct those that look to you for leadership will start to apply extreme ownership to their own selves. If you want to see change in those around  you, as a leader, they need to see change in you. This means 100% extreme ownership in all situations.

Patriot Run back to AO

Site Q Handoff from Chappie to Chattahoochee (See Video Attached)

Ended with Number-Rama, Name-O-Rama, & COT/BOM

Humbly Your QIC,

Vanilla

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Circle station

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QIC: Nugget

Date: 7/28

AO: The Aegis

Warmup. SSH, Cherry Pickers, High Knees, Butt Kicks & left and right Karaoke.

Run to first station, do 33 big boys, 50 American hammers & 50 Heal Touches x2. Mosey back to circle.

Run to second station and do ladder of 9’s. With Scraper Merkins and BTTW Derkins (45°). With Lt. Dans in between. Mosey back to circle.

Run to third station and do quick core workout: Mt. Climbers & Shoulder Taps. Mosey to fourth and last station.

Do Inch Worms. Dragon Crawl. And Bear Crawl. Mosey back to circle.

End in COT! Ran 2+ miles and had a nice full body workout! Thanks for joining HIM!

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