18 PAX found themselves exactly where they were meant to be FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS on Saturday, and found a beatdown as well.
QIC: Cowbell
Date: 9/18/21
Warm-O-Rama
SSH – 21 IC
Cherry Picker: 21 IC
Bat Wings: sets of 21 IC
Angle Grinder: 14 IC
The Thang
Mosey to the school, closest sidewalk to the AO for The Texas 3-Step!
Step 1 Jailbreak to sidewalk 1 for a 4×4 (4 Mountain Climbers, 4 Merkins, 4 Squat Jumps); Jailbreak to farthest sidewalk; recovery mosey back to beginning; plank for 6
Step 2 Jailbreak to sidewalk 1 for 7 sets of 4×4’s; Jailbreak to sidewalk 2 for a set of Bolt 42’s; Jailbreak to farthest sidewalk; recovery mosey back to beginning; plank for 6
Step 3 Jailbreak to sidewalk 1 for 7 sets of 4×4’s; Jailbreak to sidewalk 2 for a set of Bolt 42’s; Jailbreak to sidewalk 3 for a set of 21 American Hammers IC count; Jailbreak to farthest sidewalk; recovery mosey back to beginning; plank for 6
3rd F Esther is an Old Testament story of a young lady who becomes Queen. Early in her time as Queen, her adoptive father, Mordecai, uncovers a heinous plot by a man named Haman who wanted to wipe out all Jews…only no one knew Esther was Jewish. Mordecai sends a message to Esther, asking her to step in and speak to the King. But she responds with fear, stating that if she were to approach the King he might kill her. Mordecai responds back with this message –
“Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” Mordecai’s message gave Esther the courage to approach the King, bring the evil plot in to the light, and Haman was executed for his actions.
Gentlemen, don’t ever think for a second that you are in your position by mistake – your job, your family, your situations; as a man, as a husband, a father, a brother, a son, a HIM, a friend – you are strategically placed by God for a purpose. If you choose not to step up, God will raise another. But don’t ever let another take your job! You were put in your place for SUCH A TIME AS THIS. Stand firm, take courage, step up and do your job. Accomplish your purpose. You’re here for such a time as this.
Back to The Thang
3 full rounds of The Texas 3-Step, OYO Mosey back to AO
COT
Number-Rama
Name-O-Rama
FNG Naming – welcome to the newest HIM: False Start
Announcements: Movie night at Chauffer’s on Wednesday 9/22. Deets to follow on GroupMe.
Prayers: Chattahoochee running a 5K tomorrow in full gear – prayers for safety. Chauffer’s buddy stranded when rig broke down – prayers he uses the time down to rest & recoup, and gets his rig up and running soon to finish his route.
20 i/c Plank jacks Seal jacks Cherry picker Seal wave Windmill
The Thang
Mosey to tequila real
Decline Bolt 45 – feet 6 inches apart
Ranger merkin 15 Wide merkin 15 Merkin 15
Decline Bolt 45 – feet wide, toes pointing out
Diamond merkins 15 Wide merkins, hands out 15 Merkin 15
Mosey back to CHOP
3rd F Referenced the lame man being lowered down through the roof in front of Jesus by his friends so he could be healed. F3 is the friends lowering their friend down in front of Jesus. Remember to open up in the COT and on group me about struggles you are going through.
Soldier Toy 20 big boys 20 e2ks 60 lbcs
Number-A-Rama NAME-A-RAMA COT
17 HIM showed today: Semi, Ying Ying, Gump, Chattahoochee, Chappie, Quarto, Toy Soldier, Fireplex, Cabana, Whirlybird, Flatbottom, Looney Toons, Chauffer, Drago, MacDaddy, Drop Kick, FNG(Clipt)
Week #2 of the August Burp to SchoolChallenge began with, well, Burpees. Simple: Bring school supplies, do Burpees that correlate to the Burpee values in school supplies, and withdraw that number from your Burpee account (everyone’s account contained 500 Burpees at the start of the month). Bring school supplies to contribute to the Delaware State Police “We Got Your Backpack” community fundraiser AND get stronger by doing Burpees = PAX supporting our community AND getting stronger. That’s a win, win! Caveat: FNG’s are worth 100 (free) and Unicorns/Kotter’s are valued at 50 (free).
14 PAX won THAT FIRST BATTLE and posted, regardless of the high potential for Burpees. Shout out to 2 PAX who joined us from downrange: Dora from F3 Philly and Drop Kick from F3 Cape Fear, and a special welcome back, welcome back, welcome back…to Beeker (50 Burpee Bounty secured by YHC).
And, now, for the highly anticipated workout:
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
Italian Night Clubs – 52 IC (had to go til we could feel ’em)
Cherry Pickers – 15 IC
Windmill – 15 IC
Mosey to entrance of H.O.B. Elementary
PAX paired up to do “Burp Back Mountain” – PAX #1 runs to bottom of hill, then Nurs back to top, while PAX #2 does Burpees. Swap, rinse and repeat until 100 Burpees are completed (cumulative = 100 Burpees per group).
Q called for a break for the 3rdF at mid-point (see below)
Burp Back Mountain was completed and followed by a brief round of Mary:
????
Flutter Kicks
Dying Cockroaches
Scissor Kicks
Four-Count Freddies
Mosey back to AO, with a JailBreak from beginning of drive to AO
10 Burpees just for fun (60 Burpees in all). If PAX brought school supplies, they could withdraw the earned amount from their accounts; otherwise they’re just plain old Burpees.
Still time: PAX tackled a 1/4 round of Jack Webb. 1 Merkin/4 Overhead claps. 2 Merkins/8 Overhead claps…all the way up to 10 Merkins/40 Overhead Claps. Call 911, there’s a massive shoulder fire at the CHOP AO at @f3firststate !
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Keep bringing school supplies; welcome to the guys from downrange; F3 First State Family picnic at Doubtfire’s, Sep 5 @ 4pm; F3 Nation 10 Year Anniversary celebration at Cape Fear, Oct 8-10…HC today!
Prayers: Prayers for kids and teachers getting back to school, that they’d be able to get back to some sense of normalcy; prayers for Beeker and “unmentioned” request concerning his unmentionables; prayers for Streudel…tests and answers.
Always a privilege to Q, even when bringing MORE Burpees. Well done to all those who posted knowing full well that Burpees would be expected.
Aye,
Chappie, out!
Review of the #rdF shared earlier at the 50 Burpee mark:
The Bible says in 1 Peter 2:23-24 that Jesus “…while being reviled, He did not revile in return; while he suffered, He uttered no threats, but kept entrusting Himself to Him [God] who judges righteously; and He bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.”
Many years ago I saw this Christ-like character trait—of being reviled and accused and NOT responding—lived out by a friend of mine. One of the hardest things we will ever do is take to the hits for someone else and say nothing! It happened while we were in Basic Training at Ft. Sill, OK, and it humbled me! In basic training we learned ALOT: Basic infantry skills, teamwork, self-discipline, marksmanship, bayonet fighting, hand-to-hand combat, physical fitness, and many other things. One of my favorites was Drill & Ceremony. This is when troops align and march in various formations and carry out commands with uniform precision. In practicality it is meant for moving large numbers of troops, quickly from Point A to Point B. Drill & Ceremony is still taught and used in Army ceremonies to instill honor, promote camaraderie and preserve tradition.
In Basic Training we practiced and practiced and practiced until it was time for an elaborate demonstration before a handful of Army evaluators. We became a well-oiled machine! We’d be evaluated based on Army standards AND in comparison to other platoons. After doing our entire Drill & Ceremony routine our platoon retreated to our laundry room to await the results, when all of a sudden DS McCutchen burst through the door looking for Pvt. Bean!!! (YHC) You see, for a small portion of our routine, Pvt. Bean was half-stepping where he shouldn’t have been half-stepping. So DS McCutchen came cussing and carrying-on through the door to tear Bean a new “Bombjacks”! Problem was my buddy Pvt. Grove and I, along with Pvt. Beals looked identical. DS McCutchen went right up to Grove and let him have it. Right there in front of the whole platoon, and right there in front if me (Pvt. Bean), thinking the whole time he had the right guy. Grove never said a word. He never said, “But DS, I’m not Pvt. Bean, I’m Pvt. Grove.” HE stood there and took it. And he took it for me, in my place, and covered over my half-stepping bafoonery.
My buddy didn’t know it then, but that instance was a small, albeit grand, in-person picture of what it looked like when Christ was arrested and whipped and beaten and reviled; He never said a word. And He took our punishment! Peter goes on to say Jesus went even further: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” (1 Peter 2:24)
The main role of the Old Testament high priest was to offer sacrifices for his own sins and the sins of the people. The problem was that those sacrifices were only temporary. The Jewish people would have to offer sacrifices again and again for their continued sins. The priests, being no less human, were prone to the same sins such as pride, selfishness, anger, and disobedience. Because they were merely men, they eventually died, and the next priest continued the sacrifices.
Yet Hebrews 7:24-27 says, “But because Jesus lives forever, his priesthood lasts forever. 25 Therefore He is able, once and forever to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf. 26 He is the kind of high priest we need because He is holy and blameless, unstained by sin. He has been set apart from sinners and has been given the highest honor in heaven. 27 Unlike those other high priests He does not need to offer sacrifices every day. They did this for their own sins first and then for the sins of the people. But Jesus did this once for all when He offered himself as a sacrifice for the people’s sins.” (emphasis added…because Jesus is Risen!)
Jesus is the ultimate High Priest! The final High Priest! He really understands us and He knows what we go through in our flesh. He was God, but He came down to the world as a human being. He faced many of the same challenges we do, yet He did not sin. Even when He was reviled, He did not revile in return. He did not fight back–even when He was accused!
One if the hardest things we will ever do as HIM is take the hit(s) for someone else and never say a word! There is certainly a time and a place for it.
—————————-
Side-note: Btw, our Drill & Ceremony demonstration was nearly flawless that day. Nearly, except for that dude who was half-stepping. And we won the competition and hung the banner on our guide-on flag for the rest of Basic Training.
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Windmills – 20 IC
Mosey to Ball Park @.5 miles. While enroute, PAX were held up by a Gazillion car freight train. All PAX completed burpees until the train passed by.
The Thang
The Super 21 Cycle. 1 Merkin to 1 Big Boy Sit up. 2 Merkins to 2 Big Boy Situps. 3 Merkins to 3 Big Boy Situps, etc., etc., etc. But wait there is a twist….after each completed set of #1 though #5 PAX will complete 21 Imperial Walkers. Bear Crawl to 1st base. After each completed set of #6 through #10 PAX will complete 21 Mountain Climbers. Bear Crawl to 2nd base. After each completed set of # 11 through #15, PAX will complete 21 Monkey Humpers. Bear crawl to 3rd base. After each completed set of #16 through #20 PAX will complete 21 Prisoner Squats. Bear Crawl to Homeplate and PAX will complete the final set of #21 Merkins to #21 Big Boys then finish strong with 21 Burpees.
NOTE: Because of the train and the reduction of time, the third base cycle had to be skipped and the evolution at home plate was modified to the 21 burpees only!!
Mosey back to Aegis @ .5 miles.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
Not long after we moved to this area, we had a chance to explore a beautiful cave that really has some breathtaking views. Most of the caves you tour in America were discovered some time in the 1800s. Not this one. It was just discovered in 1969. Actually it was discovered because of a giant sinkhole that opened up. Some adventurous young men decided to crawl down into that sinkhole and see where it led. The cave guide showed us the little hole in the rocks that they crawled through and then out into this huge room, decorated with spectacular rock formations. I don’t suppose the big lights and sidewalks and the railings were there when they first looked in, but they must have been amazed at what they saw, and what millions have been able to discover because they did. And it was all because of a sinkhole.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Deep Holes, Beautiful Discoveries.”
I’ll bet a lot of folks weren’t very happy about that big hole in the ground opening up. It was probably a pain for some people; potentially dangerous for others. But the “problem” of that sinkhole turned out to be the access route to beauty like those folks had never seen before.
That’s happened to a lot of us when a big hole opened up in our life – when things collapsed. And it may be that God is wanting you to look beyond that big hole to see the undiscovered beauty that’s underneath it.
In our word for today from the Word of God, He talks about folks who had some major sinkholes open up in their lives. In Isaiah 61:1: “The Lord has sent Me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners…to comfort all who mourn, and provide for all those who grieve in Zion.” Then He goes on to show what beauty He hopes we will discover in our grief, “To bestow on them a crown of beauty for ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.” Beauty in the middle of ashes, gladness in the middle of mourning, and praise in the middle of despair.
When things collapse in our life, we are keenly aware of what we’ve lost. Unless we go deeper, unless we go looking, we will miss what He’s wanting us to gain from this loss; the things He wants us to see that we would never see without that collapse.
It’s in our hurting times that we can see in the person we married some beautiful strengths that maybe we forgot or never noticed. If you let the cave-in drive you closer to your children or your parents, you may see in them a beauty that you’ve missed before. If you look in the right direction, a time of loss can actually be a time of finally seeing the everyday blessings in your life that you’ve been taking for granted. The hole that’s opened up may provide an opportunity for people to really show you how much they love you, for you to appreciate your Christian friends in a new way, for you to tell people that you’ve prayed about, about your Jesus. And they’ll listen to you now because of what you’ve been through.
Most of all, when things collapse you can see the faithfulness and love and power of your Lord in ways that we can only see when we’re desperate and when we’re beyond what we can fix, what we can handle, what we can control. This season that you’re in maybe, when things are caving in, can be a season, also, of life-changing discovery. You can’t make the hole in your life go away, but you can go through it to discover beauty that you might never see any other way.
No, that title is not a shout out to Britney Spears; rather, it’s actually a shout out to Roger Sparks. His book, Warrior’s Creed is where YHC got the idea of running with water in your mouth. The PAX who won THAT FIRST BATTLE and posted at the Aegis in Georgetown, DE for a Chappie-led workout were treated once again to this practice–a total mental exercise! We did it before. Last time 4 of 12 PAX (33.3%) made the 0.5 distance. The other 8 were peeved with themselves and YHC could sense they wanted another shot at it, so, Oops! We did it again. This time we raised the percentage of finishers (71.4%). That is 15 of 21 PAX were able to Mosey 0.5 miles without spitting out or swallowing the water they swigged at the starting point. This is a difficult challenge. It forces runners to breath through their nose, and it actually has some incredible physiological benefits to the heart-rate (a worthwhile study to do on your own, but a good place to start is Warrior’s Creed); the Apaches used the practice to identify whether young men were ready to be trained as warriors—however, they would run an entire day, up to 50 or 60 miles. A half-mile has been quite the test, we’re going to have to up our game. Oops! We’re going to have to do it again. In the meantime, here’s how it fit into today’s workout:
WARM-O-RAMA
SSH – 17 IC
High Knees – 76 (single count IC)
Swartzjack – 17 IC
Calf Raises – 76 (single count OYO)
Smurfjack – 17 IC
Windmill – 17 IC
Wosey to the darkside of he shrubbery planter. Lo and behold…bottles of water! Instructions to the PAX: Take a swig of water and keep it in your mouth without swallowing or spitting it out for the duration of 0.5 mile run. Nice easy mosey down W. Market Street, right onto Robinson Street, then to the end at the corner of Robinson St. and Edward St. Job well-done to the 15 PAX who completed this [mental] challenge and were rewarded with 17 Burpees. Shout out to Sink-O and Fireplex: Word on the street is that Sink-O repeated the challenge on the return to the AO and Fireplex is said to have made his first successful attempt.
After the water challenge PAX were treated to a public reading of The Declaration of Independence. (Read it, or if your familiar with it, scroll down to the Thang below) :
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should DECLARE the causes which impel them to separation.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the CONSENT of the governed,—That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinced a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their Former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.
He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.
He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be attained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.
He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.
He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.
He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.
He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.
He has endeavored to prevent the population of these states; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.
He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.
He has made Judges dependent upon his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.
He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out of their substance.
He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.
He has affected to render the Military independent and superior to the Civil power.
He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:
For Quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:
For protecting them, by a mock Trial, from punishment for any Murders, which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these states:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For Imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases, of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offenses:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighboring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws, and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging war against us.
He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.
He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation and Tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.
He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.
He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages sexes and conditions.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which, would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.
We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and DECLARE, That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. And for the support of this DECLARATION, with a firm reliance on the protection of divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor. (ALL CAPS: Emphasis added. Names of signers listed as well.)
Oh, look! A rather conspicuously placed stack of sandbags! WITH a Workout Deck secretly lurking within. Here’s how it went from there…
THE THANG
17’s – Merkins & Gas Pumpers (Plus, draw 3 cards from the workout deck in middle of the field along the way.) AND never pass a sandbag (unless you just placed it in the middle or at the end). Started with 16 Merkins at one end and 1 Gas Pumper at the other…all the way down to 1 Merkin and 16 Gas Pumpers. lots of 17’s and 76’s on this fine July 3rd, but we ran out of time before being able to pair up for cumulative 76 Burpees.
Mosey back to the AO:
COT:
Name-O-Rama – special shout out welcome to Breakfast Club from downrange Lexington, SC!
Announcements: Cabana will post Spartan workout on Groupme for a Sunday morning up-for-grabs workout in Milton.
Prayers: Semi’s M, traveling; prayers for the Winske family who lost 59-yr-old father to pancreatic cancer; prayers for Streudel; prayers for Bean family and YHC’s son, Zeke; etc. (Whatever YHC has forgotten, God hasn’t. He’s got it!
Coffeeteria followed at Dunkin. Good crowd of PAX! YHC was on vacation over the last week and so it was not only good to be back in the Q saddle, but it was good to be back around the coffeeteria table. Ribbing and all, the fellowship is always glue!
15 HIM posted in the gloom for a little Chattahoochee beatdown. You couldn’t ask for a better morning to be out and about during sunrise
Warmup- 30 SSH, 25 CHERRY PICKERS, 20 MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS, 20 WINDMILLS all IC then OYO 15 arm circles forward 15 backwards
THE THANG- Mosey down to firehouse parking lot where mysteriously there happen to be 2 cones set up approximately 70 feet apart. PAX partnered up while PAX 1 bearcrawled to cone and back PAX 2 performed the excercises then switch off for total of 100 merkins, 200 LBCs and 300 Squats.
Then all PAX moved over to side of the fire house and lined up along this pretty wall just waiting for the HIM to put the all to use. At the wall BTTW for 10 Alternating shoulder taps in cadence followed by a wall sit with 20 o erhead claps in cadence
Mosey back to the CHOP arrived with 2 minutes to spare so on the 6 for 30 flutterkicks IC.
Finished up with Woodstock presenting Chappie with a patch for posting for 100 workouts in 2021
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Mountain Climbers – 20 IC
Windmills – 20 IC
Chairman Lap
The Thang
Pax completed the Hindenburg BLIMPS routine from the Exicon at the CHOP. We modified the sprint portion to a straight line across the CHOP Parking lot approx. .02 miles apart. Sprint from the Church to the field behind CHOP and perform 1st exercise, sprint back to Church and perform 1st exercise, sprint back to the field and perform 1st exercise. Sprint back to the Church and perform 1st exercise. Plank it up until all PAX are in. That completes one round. Rinse and repeat until all 6 Rounds are complete. Round # 1 – 10 Burpees, Round #2 – 20 Lunges (10 each leg). Round #3 – 30 Imperial Walkers. Round #4 – 40 Merkins. Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks. Round #6 – 60 Squats.
Years ago there was a cowboy hero, and a young boy who thought he was a big deal. The boy was me. And my parents bought me this plate with my hero’s picture on it and an inscription that said, “That a boy! You cleaned your plate.” I wanted his approval very much, so I just kept cleaning my plate – and filling it so I could clean it again. By the time I was in high school, I was 210 pounds. And whose fault was it that I was so heavy? I’ve told many people – it was the fault of that cowboy hero, of course. At least, I wish I could have blamed him.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “Someone Else’s Fault.”
I’ve always been joking, of course, when I blamed my “clean your plate” hero for my teenage weight problems. But it is no joke that blaming someone else is, for most of us, one of our favorite ways to account for something in our life that shouldn’t be there – whether it’s a bad attitude, a bad habit, a bad situation, or a bad relationship.
This attempt to dodge the responsibility for our actions is nothing new. Centuries ago, the prophet Nathan was sent by God to confront King David with his sins of adultery and conspiracy to commit murder. David had slept with Bathsheba, the wife of one of his most loyal soldiers, and then arranged for that man’s death in battle. When David learned that Bathsheba was pregnant, well, he knew he had a serious problem on his hands and he tried to cover it up. But Nathan approached David with the parable of a rich man who had owned many sheep and a poor man who owned one little lamb. When a traveler came for dinner at the rich man’s house, the rich man killed the poor man’s one little lamb for dinner. David was enraged at this rich man’s outrageous crime, and he angrily said, “The man who did this deserves to die!”
Then Nathan said these four chilling words to the king, “You are the man!” And in 2 Samuel 12:13, our word for today from the Word of God, “David said to Nathan, ‘I have sinned against the Lord.'” That moment of painful honesty was the beginning of David’s deep repentance and the restoration of his shattered relationship with God. It took a while, but David finally accepted the responsibility for what he had done. And the healing began that moment.
That’s how it will begin for someone who’s listening right now. As you look at that bad situation, the mess, the problems, you have two choices – blame someone else or accept your part of the responsibility for that broken or strained relationship, for that negativity, for the conflict, the mess, or the trouble. Many of us hide from taking responsibility for our situation with a victim copout.
Maybe you’ve honestly been hurt or wronged, and you can’t do anything about the other person taking responsibility for what they’ve done. But you can accept the responsibility for the way you’ve handled it, for the wrong things you may have tried to excuse by the wrong things someone else did. Those who have been victims – and those who’ve been victimizers – never get free until they realize that they are now the victims of their own choices, not someone else’s.
There is an old spiritual that goes something like this, “Not my brother, not my sister, but it’s me, O Lord, standing in the need of prayer.” That’s a great place to start – looking in the mirror, asking, “Lord, what do I need to change?” Taking responsibility: that’s the price of healing, and it’s the price of greatness.
PAX came out on a beautiful morning for a modified Cooper routine. PAX ran 1 big lap (roughly .6 miles) followed by 10 burpees 10 merkins 10 Big boy situps and 10 squats followed by another lap. Rinse and repeat we finished up running 3.3 miles!!! Way to get after it HIM!!
3rd F message
Then, the same day at evening, being the first day of the week,
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst, and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. So Jesus said to them again, “Peace to you! As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” If I were to sum up what Jesus is saying here it would be this. “I send you” In a world of chaos, “I send you” in a world full of hatred “I send you” in a world that doesn’t accept Jesus as their savior” I send you”. To the lowly and lost in spirit “I send
you” to the friend or family member who has lost their way “I send you”. We are called to be a light in the darkness, but you can’t overcome darkness with more darkness. We have to be the light and it starts with you, it starts with I. You see we can’t wait on others to bring the light, the darkness is already here, we have to bring the light, Jesus said “I send you”. The greatest wildfires are started with the smallest spark. We can be that spark that improves the world. But it starts at home. So remember this when the world around you seems dark and full of hatred, searching for hope, and looking for a sign of kindness.
A dirty dozen (12 PAX) jumped their Fartsacks in the back alley of the Gloom and won THAT FIRST BATTLE. They’re a step ahead of most, all because of the highly anticipated Warm-O-Rama VQ by Looney Tunes. Great job on your first go ’round brother! All PAX would agree that’s not all folks–now it’s time to get rolled into the regular Q rotation. Stay tuned, there’s a new month right around the corner!
WARM-O-RAMA:
Disclaimer given
SSH – 21 IC
Windmill – 20 IC
Cherry Pickers – 21 IC
Imperial Walkers – 20 IC
Moroccan Night Clubs – 21 IC
Turned it over to Q, Chappie…
THE THANGITY THANG: (A few comments were suggestive of “not showing had they known what we were in for.” He! He! He! He! He….)
PAX lined up for an Indian Run as YHC gave the following Pre-Instructions:
The plan: Indian Run to hill at the base of the tower. Nice easy pace, stick together, man in back goes to front. Rinse and repeat til we reach destination TOGETHER (an Indian run is just like the Patriot Run but without the shovel-flag).
Our route: Left on Bay, Right on Behringer and take it all the way to the end. (Half-mile to destination)
THE CATCH: It’s going to be a quiet Indian Run. Everyone grab a bottle of water and will fill their mouth with water and keep it there. This is about DISCIPLINE. You have to FOCUS. Those who spit out their water or swallow it on the way, will have to watch the others do 18 Burpees once we reach the hill. If no one swallows or spits the water = no Burpees. Focus and think of your team! DO NOT spit it out or swallow it until you receive permission at the bottom of the hill. (i.e. breath through your nose) Ready…Fill ‘er up!
Only 4 of 12 PAX were able to make the half-mile mosey while keeping the water in their mouths. Those who completed the run as planned were rewarded with 18 Burpees, those who spat out or swallowed their mouthful of water along the way had to watch. A few tried to participate in the Burpees but were stopped by the Q – no reward! Like Seinfeld’s soup Nazi, only instead the Burpee Nazi…none for you! It was an interesting activity to say the least. OBSERVATION: Those who didn’t keep the water in their mouth the entire run appeared to be a bit upset with themselves, while those who succeeded and were rewarded with Burpees seemed to do them with a sense of renewed vigor. PREDICTION: The number of PAX who successfully complete this exercise WILL BE HIGHER the next time (if there is a next time). Kudos and T-Claps to the finishers: Drago, Toy Soldier, Quattro & Chappie…18 Burpees never felt so good!
At this point YHC shared the following 3rdF Message:
In his book Warriors Creed Roger Sparks tells of being a Marine Recon instructor. He said, “I was always peeling the onion with the guys. An old story I recalled spoke about the Apache spirit runners. Apache boys learned early that running went hand in hand with becoming a warrior. The young boys would have to fill their mouths with water and go for a long run, in the scorching Summer heat of what is now New Mexico, and when they got back, they would spit out the water. Only the ones who spat out the water could be trusted and trained. Those who swallowed or spit it out during the run couldn’t be trained because they didn’t have discipline. Holding water in the mouth forced rhythmic breathing through the nose, and kept the young future warriors from panting and drying out their mouths and throats. Carrying the water also required deep focus.”
Sparks wrote: “I really liked that particular approach to training, so I used it religiously. If guys spat the water out or swallowed it, then I would have them fill their mouths with gravel. Not fine, clean gravel; I’m talking the dirt on the side of the road. I’d point and say, “Fill your mouth with that gravel. You have no discipline. Those around you will suffer because of your lack of character. If you fall out of the run, I’m going to condition everyone while you watch. You’re going to keep your boots on, and your team will finish the run barefoot.”
“We’d go on a ten-mile run with the water in our mouths. I really got behind the water in the mouth, especially after I read John Douillard’s Body, Mind and Sport. That book was about principles of human performance. If you breath through your nose when you exercise, you generally will not go beyond 50% of your max threshold for your heart rate. When I read that there was no benefit from training endurance that went past 50% of the maximum heart rate, I thought, those Apache had it all figured out. The idea that the Apache could run sixty miles a day like that only added to the allure.” (Roger Sparks, Warrior’s Creed 91-92)
I love some of the phrases Sparks uses in reference to suffering and how it trains us to be disciplined and focused; and, by the way, he wrote in terms of life, not just training in Marine Recon, the French Foreign Legion, or as a Pararescueman:
It inoculates against sensitivities/feelings of misery. YHC’s addition: Even Jesus taught that suffering pays dividends. We’re talking about chosen suffering or suffering for doing what is right (as opposed to suffering for doing stupid things –though that has the reward of learning in the school of hard knocks, if we learn from it). James teaches in James 1:2-4, that we are to, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete [mature], lacking in nothing.” Suffering always pays dividends!
Suffering produces strength of mind
Suffering brings you to a place of functioning out of virtue
Suffering teaches you to constantly embracing risk
Suffering trains you to pay attention to details
Suffering reminds you that you’re more often only an agent of something bigger
Suffering brings us to our humanity
And…that life without struggle is meaningless
Roger Sparks went on to quote a fitting samurai mantra: “If you have to choose between suffering and not suffering, always suffer.”
THE THANG, PART DEUX:11’s on aptly named Merlot Hill (Yes, there’s a story behind that. The hill may or may not have been at one time a catalyst for a previous “Splash”)
LBC’s at the bottom – Starting with 1 up to 10
Merkins at the top – Starting with 10 down to 1
Transitions up and down the hill included variations of: LT. Dans, Mosey, Nur
All PAX completed a full set of 11’s
Once completed, PAX lined up again for an Indian Run back to the AO (no water in the mouth). Round trip run = 1 mile.
COT:
Announcements:
Paintball shenanigans this Saturday @ 3 in Georgetown. Still room for more. Sign up online. Don’t forget to complete your waiver online if you haven’t done so already. Come, get “inoculated” (shot) by other PAX!
Sponsors. Keep hitting up your friends and family to sponsor you for the Roving RuckF3st for Gavin fundraiser. Let’s see how much we can raise for this great cause! Ruck will take place on Sunday, May 16th. Stepping off at NLT 12 from CHOP and Rucking to the community Gather and Give for Gavin event at Hudson Fields.
Prayers:
For the Morris family as they continue to work through the grief of losing little Beau.
For Semi as he travels
For Gavin as he prepares to return home then continue rehab and for God to do a miracle in this young man’s spine and body
For all the PAX of F3 First State to embrace suffering to learn to endure well in order to reap its dividends. To be examples of those who endure and mature so that we are more effective leaders in our homes, workplaces, and in the communities in which we serve.
Disclaimer: As the PAX circled up YHC reiterated that this exercise (success of keeping the water or lack thereof) was not the same as what Roger Sparks was teaching his Marine Recon candidates–this was an entirely different context and situation. And its results were not a statement concerning PAX’s character, per se, but merely a challenge to discipline and mental toughness in our context. We embraced the suck. And suck it did! YHC was honored to lead and bring such a challenge, but he is also ever grateful to the other HIM who bring challenges that push us all beyond our self-imposed limits. This one was definitely new…and cerebral!
Honor to lead, challenge, and suffer along side the men of F3 First State,
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 @ .5 miles to the hill by the boat docks
The Thang
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 approx. 30 yards apart by way of a NUR up the hill. Another 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. Each Pax will make every attempt to complete their half of the total exercises.
Mosey @ .5 miles back to CHOP
F3 Message – See Below
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message 04/15/21 – Gleaned from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries
My first hint that things were changing was the Storm Troopers suddenly patrolling the parking lot. Then I saw the man with the floor-length wolf tail. Followed by seeing X-Men in the hotel lobby.
And that was just the beginning. Batman, Superman, Darth Vader, Wonder Woman – and, of course, all the insects. Spiderman, Wasp, Bumblebee, The Tick. I fully expected Arnold Scharzenegger to arrive any minute as the ExTerminator. The growing invasion included all kinds of superhero movie characters and science fiction types that were from outside my universe.
The annual convention of National Religious Broadcasters was just moving out. You know, guys in suits. With briefcases.
And the annual convention of comic book, movie and science fiction folks was moving in. You know, characters in capes and masks and Spandex.
Standing in the lobby, waiting for my ride to the airport, was outrageously amusing. Two worlds colliding. Two polar opposite worlds!
Here’s the crazy part. Standing around in my jeans, shirt and sneakers, I had the strangest feeling. All of a sudden, I was the weird one. Not long before, I had been normal. But now I was surrounded by – well, what would be considered weird in most settings.
That’s when my mind started wandering into the whole culture I live in. Where the guard is changing at eye-blurring speed. Where the values and moral consensus that used to define our lives is rapidly receding.
And where it’s becoming increasingly “weird” to believe that God’s Word is the final word. Where those who are trying to follow in Jesus’ footsteps find themselves increasingly out of step with the cadence of the culture. Sometimes, even out of step with the folks at church.
It was easier to be faithful Jesus-followers when that was respected. When it was, in a sense, “normal.” But now it’s increasingly “intolerant” … “narrow-minded” … “hateful” – judgments that at times we bring on ourselves. Because, instead of holding the truth in love, we come across with anger, self-righteousness and judgment.
And while I must be against what my God is against, I want to be known more for what I’m for. I’m for love without scars, selflessness in relationships, respect for every life, compassion for the broken. I want to be the guy who is quick to listen, ready to forgive and known for integrity. That’s not “weird.” That’s rare! And what’s rare is valuable.
But even with a positive brand of purity, it’s still getting lonelier to be God’s guy or gal in an increasingly God-“dissing” world. We shouldn’t be surprised.
The Bible forecasts a day when “normal” will be a world where people “will consider nothing sacred. Evil people and impostors will flourish. They will deceive others and will themselves be deceived…People will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them what their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths” (2 Timothy 3:1, 12; 4:3-4).
God’s word for His people in that world where untruths will be revered as truth is clear: “But you must remain faithful in the things you have been taught … the holy Scriptures … All Scripture is inspired by God” (2 Timothy 3:14-16).
I really can’t afford to begin my day without first being with my Jesus. Letting the unchanging truth of His Word rekindle my love for Him so once again He’s the only One I care about pleasing. And so I can download His perspective on what I will see, hear and experience today in a God-denying culture with its pretty packages and powerful magnets.
A world that is constantly trying to get you to be like them desperately needs you to be like Jesus. You are hope with skin on – hope that there is another way to be. “Blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation. Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life” (Philippians 2:15-16).
If it seems to be getting darker where you are, remember – stars show most brightly against the backdrop of a very dark sky.
