A Cause For A.L.A.R.M.

Date: 09/17/2020

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 25 IC

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

Monkey Humpers – 25 IC – Special Welcome Party For Quattro Who Was Rolling In Hot (RIH)

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Moroccan Night Clubs – 25 IC

The Thang

Three Alarm Fire – Arms, Legs, Abs, “R” Exercise, and “M” Exercise

First Alarm

A – Overhead press with Coupon (Block) – 20 OYO

L – Lt. Dan’s – Half of Parking Lot

A – LBC’s – 50 OYO

R– Run 1 Lap around the Block .25 miles

M – Monkey Humpers – 20 OYO x 4 Count

        Plank until 6 is in

Second Alarm

A – Curls with Coupon (Block) – 20 OYO

L – Bobby Hurley’s – 20 OYO

A – American Hammers – 30 OYO x 4 Count

R – Run 2 Laps around the Block .50 miles

M – Mountain Climbers – 15 OYO x 4 count

        Plank until 6 is in

Thanks to all HIM for Understanding and Finishing the Exercise Set as I Responded to a Real Alarm – MVC on Coastal Highway. Thank the Good Lord, the Injuries were Minor. I did Return and Finish the Set On My Own….:)…

Third Alarm

A – Triceps Curls with Coupon (Block) – 20 OYO

L – Smurf Jacks – 20 OYO x 4 Count

A – Toy Soldier Set – 100 LBC’s, 50 Y2K’s, & 25 Big Boy Sit Ups

R – Run 3 Laps around the Block .75 miles

M – Merkins – 30 OYO

        Plank until 6 is in

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

F3 Message09/17/2020 Constitution Day

How Did the Bible Influence the U.S. Constitution?

By Tamara Christine Van Hooser – Updated May 10, 2019

Christians and critics hotly debate how the Bible influenced the U.S. Constitution. Secularists argue that contrary to popular opinion, the Founding Fathers were “deists” at best and never intended any religious influence in matters of government. Many Christians counter that while there were certainly theological differences and variations in the level of Christian commitment between the men who framed the Constitution, the principles upon which it is founded reveal foundational assumptions of a Christian worldview, even though the document does not explicitly refer to God nor the Bible. A look at the words of the Constitutional Convention delegates themselves provides insight into how their thinking was influenced by the Bible and Christian principles when framing the laws of the new nation.

Founding Fathers’ Worldview

The laws set forth in the U.S. Constitution did not emerge out of a moral vacuum unrelated to the writers’ own beliefs, but rather are the product of the reasonings of those who created it. By their own words, the Founding Fathers were not neutral on the question of religion as the basis of government and society.

For example, in a letter to the Officers of the First Brigade of the Third Division of the Militia of Massachusetts, John Adams writes, “Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”

Noah Webster stated, “The moral principles and precepts contained in the scriptures ought to form the basis of all our civil constitutions and laws. All the miseries and evils which men suffer from vice, crime, ambition, injustice, oppression, slavery, and war, proceed from their despising or neglecting the precepts contained in the Bible.”

Delegate Governor Morris of Pennsylvania forthrightly professed, “I believe that religion is the only solid base of morals, and that morals are the only possible support of free governments. Therefore education should teach the precepts of religion and the duties of man towards God.”

Origins of Constitutional Law

While the Constitution does not explicitly refer to God, the concepts of law which it contains stem from the cultural assumptions of basic biblical truths widely held by the people of that time regardless of their actual piety towards God. In other words, it is an inarguable fact that not all Americans of that era actually held to the Christian faith, yet they held to the commonly accepted morals, ethics and standards of behavior derived from English Common Law, which drew from biblical law given to the Hebrews by God.

Underlying Biblical Principles

The rule of law laid out in the Constitution descends from the Ten Commandments. As they suffered at the hands of corrupt human authorities, the Constitutional delegates were aware of the flawed nature of human beings as shown in Genesis 3 and Jeremiah 17:9. Thus, they designed a system of checks and balances and separation of powers to prevent one individual or group from abusing the citizens through self-serving power ploys.

The three branches of government are reminiscent of the roles of God as described in Isaiah 33:22. The exception for Sundays in the time limit for the president to sign a bill into law in Article VII, Section 2 hints at the assumption that Sunday was a day of rest as set forth in Exodus 20.

Exodus 18 reveals that before Israel demanded that God give them a king, the Hebrews had a representative form of republican government, not unlike the system created in the Constitution.

Both Leviticus 19:34 and Article 1, Section 8 of the Constitution require uniform treatment of immigrants. Deuteronomy 17:15 warns the Hebrews not to let a foreigner rule over them just as the Constitution requires the president to be a natural born citizen of the U.S.

The requirement in Article III Section 3 to establish guilt in cases of treason by the testimony of at least two witnesses recalls the biblical instruction in Deuteronomy 17:6 to have the testimony of two or three witnesses before putting a man to death.

Separation of Church and State

Contrary to the popular conception of many, the words “separation of church and state” do not actually appear in the U.S. Constitution. The sole reference to religion in the Constitution is Article VI, Section 3, “…no religious Test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States.”

The Bill of Rights was added later to include First Amendment protections, “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” Critics argue that these words indicate the Founding Fathers wanted to establish an entirely secular form of government, wholly uninfluenced by religion of any stripe.

Christians point out, however, that the many writings of the early Americans in the era of the birth of the Constitution contain numerous quotations and ideas which can be traced back to a biblical source. They assert that the Constitutional delegates so took for granted the necessity of a biblical foundation for government that they would not have conceived of conducting government completely removed from any influence of religion. Rather, they wanted to make sure that government could never again interfere with or oppress religious freedoms or establish one Christian denomination over another as the religion of state to the detriment of all others.

About the Author

Tamara Christine has written more than 900 articles for a variety of clients since 2010. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in applied linguistics and an elementary teaching license. Additionally, she completed a course in digital journalism in 2014. She has more than 10 years experience teaching and gardening.

Selected Quotes of the Founding Fathers About Christianity

“God who gave us life gave us liberty. And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath? Indeed, I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that His justice cannot sleep forever.” Thomas Jefferson, 1781.

“We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel.” Benjamin Franklin, a statement he made at the Constitutional Convention, on June 28, 1787.

“I have tender reliance on the mercy of the Almighty; through the merits of the Lord Jesus Christ. I am a sinner. I look to Him for mercy; pray for me.” Alexander Hamilton’s last dying words, July 12, 1804.

“This is all the inheritance I give to my dear family. The religion of Christ will give them one which will make them rich indeed.” Patrick Henry in Last Will and Testament, November 20, 1798.

“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We have staked the future of all our political institutions upon the capacity of mankind for self-government; upon the capacity of each and all of us to govern ourselves, to control ourselves, to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” James Madison The Father of the U.S. Constitution.

“It is the duty of all nations to acknowledge THE Providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and to humbly implore His protection and favor.” George Washington October 3, 1789 Proclaiming a National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving.

“Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible for their only Law Book, and every member should regulate his conduct by the precepts there exhibited… What a paradise would this region be!” John Adams, 1756.

“An appeal to arms and the God of hosts is all that is left us. But we shall not fight our battle alone. There is a just God that presides over the destinies of nations. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone. Is life so dear or peace so sweet as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it almighty God. I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death.” Patrick Henry, 1775.

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great Nation was founded not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religious, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ. For that reason alone, people of other faiths have been afforded freedom of worship here.” Patrick Henry, 1776.

“I am a real Christian, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus. I have little doubt that our whole country will soon be rallied to the unity of our Creator and, I hope, to the pure doctrine of Jesus also.” Thomas Jefferson, Written on the cover of his personal Bible.

“It is impossible to govern the world without God and the Bible. Of all the dispositions and habits that lead to political prosperity, our religion and morality are the indispensable supporters. Let us with caution indulge the supposition that morality can be maintained without religion. Reason and experience both forbid us to expect that our national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle.” George Washington, Farewell Speech, Sept. 19, 1796.

“Oh, eternal and everlasting God, direct my thoughts, words and work. Wash away my sins in the immaculate blood of the Lamb and purge my heart by thy Holy Spirit. Daily, frame me more and more in the likeness of thy son, Jesus Christ, that living in thy fear, and dying in thy favor, I may in thy appointed time obtain the resurrection of the justified unto eternal life. Bless, O Lord, the whole race of mankind and let the world be filled with the knowledge of thee and thy son, Jesus Christ.” George Washington, written in his personal prayer book.

“We have no government armed with the power capable of contending with human passions, unbridled by morality and true religion. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams, 2nd US President.

“The highest glory of the American Revolution was this: it connected in one indissoluble bond the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.” John Quincy Adams, 6th US President.

“The Congress of the United States recommends and approves the Holy Bible for use in all schools.” US Congress, 1782.

Respectfully, Submitted,

Fireplex

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Body builder

QIC Chattahoochee

15 HIM posted on this nice cool fall like morning for a warmup VQ from Woodstock and a Chattahoochee beatdown

Woodstock Warm up at the CHOP my old memory cant recall exactly what we done anyway the beatdown as follows

Mosey to historical society lot

10 OYO 8 count body builders followed by a round of Capt. Thor 1:4 ratio bigboy situps / american hammers all the way up to 10/40

Mosey down the governor’s walk to fishing pier parking lot

Aiken legs 20 squats, 20 boxjumps, 20 lunges, 20 split Jack’s

Bear crawl length of parking lot

Mosey to HOB entrance for a few merkins

15 merkins, 15 wide arm, 10 diamond, 10 ranger, 5 hand release

Mosey back to CHOP just in time for numerama, nameorama and COT

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[Very] Active Recovery

Date: 9/8/20

QIC: Chappie

9 PAX won THAT FIRST BATTLE and reported for a Chappie led [Very] Active Recovery workout–necessary after yesterday’s 4th Annual Labor Day Beach Day Beatdown. The sand, the water, the passing of the baton all called for some recovery today. Some took the route of fartsacking, others took to awakening the dawn at the CHOP AO in Milton, DE. Here’s how it went down:

WARM-O-RAMA

  • SSH – 18 IC
  • Seal Jacks – 18 IC
  • Swartzjacks – 18 IC
  • Smurf Jacks – 18 IC
  • IW – 20 IC
  • Plank Jack – 18 IC

THE THANG:

PAX stayed on the reservation and ran around the cones, doing Burpees at the start point each round:

  • 12 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 11 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 10 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 09 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 08 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
    • 3rdF Message breather here (Read below)
  • 07 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 06 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 05 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 04 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 03 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 02 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run
  • 01 Burpees followed by 0.18 mile run

Total = 78 Burpees, 2.16 miles

3rdF shared between rounds 8 and 7:

Winston Churchill is quoted as having given one of the shortest and one of the most profound speeches ever with the words: “Never, never, never, never give up.” The infamous speech, given on October 29, 1941 to the boys at Harrow School in London, was actually longer; as was the quote itself.

Still as powerful, Churchill said, “This is the lesson: Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never, — in nothing, great or small, large or petty–never give in except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to force; never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” It’s men like that who win wars!

This is a message boys need to hear and men need to hear. Those around us who are benefactors of our influence need to hear this message. Never, never, never, never give in. Never give up. Never quit. DFQ! (Regardless of how you feel!)

If I can share an honest moment with you, as I got involved in sports, or anything for that matter, when I was a kid…I quit! I quit everything! Literally! Why? First, because I could. Second, because  I never had any influence in my life to tell me not to [quit].

I was a really good baseball player. I quit! I played football, wrestled, ran track, was a Boy Scout, all between 7th – 11th grade and I ended up quitting every last one of those activities. As a grew up other factors were involved, but the one key factor in all of my quitting was my influencer, or lack thereof, — my Dad! I can count on one hand the number of times he came to watch my games, encourage me, and route for me. No joke! In fact, I was never encouraged to stick with anything.

I’m not looking for sympathy here, my Dad and I had some hard discussions and resolved the issues behind this long ago. What I AM DOING INSTEAD is offering you words I needed to hear, but didn’t until I was an adult; words that perhaps you’ve heard but maybe need to hear them again. And words that you perhaps need to share with someone else…a son, a daughter, a friend, a co-worker, etc.: “Never, never, never, never give in!” Never quit!

As a man and then as a father, I became the antithesis of my own Dad concerning this mindset; and that’s exactly what it is! I won’t give up. I won’t quit on anything! And I’ve never allowed my sons to quit on anything (and probably to a fault, I can count on about 2 or 3 fingers, the number of times I’ve missed any of their games or activities).

There are times, whether in a workout, a job, a relationship, a marriage or any other number of things which bring trials, when you’ll want to quit. Never, never, never, never give in! Your group needs you. Your team needs you. Your workplace may need you. And most importantly, your spouse and your family needs you. Never quit! Harken back to Churchill’s words! Furthermore, be the influencer who tells those around you the same thing!

The Apostle Paul said it this way: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 3:14) High Impact Men: “Never give up what you want most for what you want in the moment.”

Well, an [Active] recovery it was indeed, but all the PAX kept at it and kept working. As always it was a privilege for YHC to Q, even on the heals of a beachday beatdown. Shout out to the PAX who posted back-to-back!

COT/BOM:

  • Announcements: 1) Grit Mill moved to a Wednesday workout, starts tomorrow. 2) Serving the community this Saturday in Lewes. See Quattro for details.
  • Prayers: 1) For Allen Chorman (|Woodstock’s dad) facing heart surgery. 2) For marriages among the PAX. 3) For YHC’s M, who fell and hurt her right arm yesterday. 4) Etc. What YHC forgot, God’s got!

Chappie, out!

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Plan B

Warm o rama

20 ssh

20 windmills

20 crab flippers

20 grady corn

The Thang

We started this morning off with a Patirot Run to church. PAX lined up behind 2 shovel flags and we took off in a friendly manner to the back field at the church. We posted flag in the middle of the church field and completed bear crawl ring of fire

Bear Crawl Ring of Fire

Combines exercises we have all come to love/hate. Circle up around shovel flag. Begin by bear crawling around in circle until Q says stop. Upon stopping, first Pax completes 10 merkins while other Pax plank, then next pax in line completes 10 merkins while other pax plank. Keep going around until all pax have completed the 10 merkins. The suck factor greatly increases the more pax you have (longer planks). PAX circled up and we bear crawled in a cirlcle until Q shouted HALT. We then planked it up while each HIM (19 of us uggg) completed the merkins. in between sets we recovered to our 6 to complete an ab exercise.

1st round _10 merkins, DR W AB exercise-
Dr. W is a sufferable 8-count ab exercise that combines Dolly, Rosalita, and the W; often within the 6MOM. Always a #CrowdPleaser. 1 is legs apart like a Low Dolly, 2 is legs together, 3 is raise the legs to Rosalita position (45-60 degrees-ish), 4 is spread ‘em, 5 is The W (hands together and stretching forward between your legs), 6 is the return to your back (legs still up), 7 is legs together, 8 is legs down. 5-8 Dr. W’s is a good start to get the pax coordinated with the counting. 10 is a magic # that most build up to 15 is just dumb and torture #FetalPositionMaker Qtip – We always emphasize that the W is on the 5 count. Kinda breaks down the motions and gives a 2nd starting point.

2nd round 10 diamond merkins, 10 IC Seated Flutter Kicks with hands raised in Hallelujahs. Move immediately to hands behind you. 10 IC slightly reclined flutterkicks. Move immediately 10 IC normal flutter kicks.

3rd round 10 werkins, Toy soldier set, 60 LBC, 30 E2K each leg, and 15 BBSU

F3 message was inserted here, it will be at the end of the backblast

4th round hand release merkins, 2 BBSU 10 overhead press, 4 BBSU 20 OHP, 6 BBSU 30 OHP, 8 BBSU 40 OHP, 10 BBSU 50 OHP.

FInal Round- 10 ranger merkins. We recovered to our feet once we finished the Bear crawl ring of fire, and lined back up to head back to the AO.

once we got back to AO the real final round was 15 burpees to wrap things up.

Number o rama- 19 HIM beat the fartsack and faced the Gloom.

Name o rama- we welcomed 2 FNGs to the group and named them Waterboy, and Cowbell

Circle of trust- we ended like we always do in strength we circled up and offered prayers to JESUS.

Third F message

A  few weeks ago it was RovingRuckfest and it was at broadkill Beach.  Just so happens Chappie was on vacation so naturally I was alone for this trip.  I kept thinking,  im going to go home and go back to sleep,  but I didn’t.  I decided to pray ruck.  I hit the beach with 20 lbs in my ruck and a 40 lb sandbag, and I’m praying, and rucking. It was fabulous. The moon lit the sky and the tide had recently passed for the night leaving the beach entirely deserted.. There wasn’t a single foot indentation on the whole beach. I reminisced as if in a daydream about a poem. I’m sure we have all heard the poem, footprints in the sand”. I chuckled to myself as I turned around to my surprise, there was but 1 set of footprints in the sand. I said “Lord I see 1 set of footprints here and this Ruck is getting heavy. His reply to me was, how do you think I feel, these footprints you see behind you are my footprints. You see we tend to carry on our shoulders, to much weight. We cary stress, worries, failures, disappointments, and it weighs us down and restrains us from doing what God has truly called us to do. When we carry these things, just like the Ruck it slows us down, it holds us back, it weighs on us heavily and God already paid the price.  I reluctantly carried on,  with a new appreciation about my day.  We are not alone,  Life may seem hard at times but with faith in Jesus we will endure the race that has been set before us.  And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up,  that whoever believes in Him should not perish but  have eternal life.  For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.  For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.  But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

John 3:14-21 NKJV

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We Dropped Some B.O.M.B.S.

Date: 08/11/2020

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Streudel (VQ) & Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 25 IC

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

Mountain Climbers – 25 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Moroccan Night Clubs – 25 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 B.O.M.B.S. which consist of 50 Burpees, 100 Overhead Claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Big Boy Sit-ups, 250 Squats.  PAX partnered up and worked on the set while their partner ran a lap around the Walgreens approximately .11 miles switching off after each lap.  Each PAX were asked to try to complete their half of the listed exercises.  Q suggested that any unfinished exercises be completed as homework.

Mosey .48 miles back to CHOP

F3 Message 08/11/20 – From Ron Hutchcraft Ministries

STUBBORN DIRT AND A STRONG SHOWER – #2993
Years ago, I was at a youth conference where we needed to raise some money for a camp scholarship fund. So we challenged the kids to buy their counselor into this Friday night food fight. Oh, well, the kids found the money all right! So Friday night all of us leaders showed up on the field of battle with the campers watching like these sadistic spectators at the Roman Coliseum. Now, for starters, we got hosed down so everything would cling to us. I’m embarrassed about the food we wasted, frankly, but I’m at least glad we paid for a few kids to get to camp.

Well, Round 1 was flour. The campers got their money’s worth as we redecorated each other with this blizzard of flour, followed by eggs, then fudge sauce – you get the idea? The last round was the worst – lard. From our hair to our toes, we were totally gross by the end of this massacre. Our only satisfaction was at the end when we went after those kids to give them a big, gooey hug. I couldn’t wait to get to a shower. And I was there a long time, especially with my new coat of lard. I’ve never felt dirtier – but clean has never felt better!

Well, I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about “Stubborn Dirt And A Strong Shower.”

If you’ve ever felt real dirty, you know how much you enjoyed that shower that made you clean again. If only there was a shower that could make us clean on the inside – where we carry the guilt, and the regrets, and the dirt of the things we wish we’d never done – or the things we should have done and didn’t. Unfortunately, there is no medication, no therapist, not even a religion that seems to be powerful enough to remove the dirt on our soul.

That’s why our word for today from the Word of God is such good news. Acts 3:19 – “Repent and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.” Now look at this, all the sins of your life can be wiped out – erased from God’s records. God says you can be clean – that you can have a new beginning. He’s offering a cleansing spiritual shower for those who repent and turn to Him. Now, that means you acknowledge the wrongness of what you’ve done and that you’re ready to turn from your sin-choices – and to Him for a new beginning.

We all have things we’re ashamed of – there are things we’re not proud of – things that make us afraid of what God will do when we meet Him on Judgment Day. According to the Bible, the sins of our life will, in fact, make it impossible for us to ever enter God’s Heaven because there’s no sin there. Our only hope is if somehow God will forgive a lifetime of choices that have left Him out.

And there’s only one place where a spiritual shower like that is available – at Jesus’ cross – the place where every sin of yours was paid for. You carry all the garbage of your life up that hill – you give yourself in total trust to the One who paid for your sin on that cross – and you leave your sin at that cross forever. You may have started this day guilty – but you may go to sleep tonight forgiven and finally clean. God’s promise: “Everyone who believes in Jesus receives forgiveness of sins through His Name” Acts 10:43. There is nothing you’ve done that is so bad that Jesus didn’t pay for it on His cross.

Today can be the day you are finally clean. If you’ve never trusted Jesus to be your own Savior from your own sin, would you tell Him you’re doing that right now? Your sins will be erased – and you will never carry them again – or face them when you meet God. And the only thing that would keep you from heaven will be gone.

That day I felt so gross, it was an awesome feeling to stand in that shower and have all that accumulated junk get washed away. That’s what Jesus wants to do for your heart, right now. It is an incredible feeling to finally be clean.

Respectfully Submitted,

Streudel & Fireplex

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Black Jack +

Date: 8/1/20

QIC: Chappie

10 HIM got better, faster, stronger and a little fatter (thanks to YHC’s Coffeeteria, complements of Dunkin. Hey, the coffee was good!). No worries, PAX got fatter in fellowship too! Bonus: The impromptu car show was cool! Big welcome to FNG’s Timmy Rogers (n.k.a. F3 Biddie) and Luke Maloney (n.k.a. F3 Bolt). Among 16 PAX on our Q list YHC was super excited to be able to Q 2x in less than a week. Here’s the break down from a very muggy Saturday morning:

WARM-O-RAMA

• SSH – 18 IC

• Sealjacks – 30 IC

• Crabflippers – 18 IC

• High knees (in place) – 18 IC

• Compass Squats – Jump Squat & turn N, E, S, W (1 rotation = 1 rep) – 10 OYO (a new crowd-pleaser for sure, based on the mumble chatter

• MNC – 10 IC

PATRIOT RUN to North Bedford Street Park

THE THANGBlackjack 21’s – Merkins/Reverse LBC’s

• “Hit me!” option from the F3 Workout Deck – 5x deal/per PAX

  • (21/Blackjack = a pass)
  • (Other draws = #of exercise on the cards)
  • (Sandbags = 4 sandbags/10 PAX. Never pass 1 by, carry to middle or end)
  • Keep track of your rounds. YHC was able to get to 9 Merkins/12 Reverse LBC’s/Gas Pumpers before time ran out

PATRIOT RUN – Return to AO

3rdF shared about mid-workout:

SUA SPONTE LEADERSHIP
YHC first heard of Sua Sponte leadership years ago from an illustration shared by Greg Laurie, making the point that Christ himself was a Sua Sponte leader.

Many, following the movie The Passion of the Christ, were claiming the film was anti-semetic. People were pointing fingers faulting the Jews, the Greeks and Romans, and everyone but themselves for the death of Christ. Fact is, he died for each of us as sinners and I’ve heard people say that if you were the only person who needed saved, Christ still would’ve died for you. In fact, 1 Timothy 2:4 says, “God…desires all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.”

He died in our place on the cross. He was arrested, beaten, tried and killed ALL FOR US and FOR ALL OF US. In reality, it was all my fault that he died! But as we bear the guilt or lay the blame on others (It was the Jews! It was the Romans! It was the Greeks!) the sinless Savior Himself was practicing Sua Sponte leadership, as He stated in John 10:18 – “No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from the Father.”

He chose to die for you and for me…of His own accord!

The book, QSource, by one of F3’s founders, Dredd, says, “Sua sponte is Latin for of his own accord. [A man] acts Sua sponte when…he takes the initiative to act on his own accord. Sua sponte is also the motto of the U.S. Army’s 75th Ranger Reg. It is a recognition that to become a Ranger a man must be a triple volunteer: first the Army, then Airborne School and finally the Ranger Regiment. Rangers aren’t drafted, they must make the choice themselves–3x! The Rangers are elite because every man there is taught to be a Leader and every leader is directed to take the initiative to do what is necessary to accomplish the unit’s mission. (I.e. “I got this!”)

In F3, a Sua sponte leader is a man who has been freed to Lead. He is a Leader who exercises Individual Initiative (I2) by taking action in furtherance of his group’s articulated purpose WITHOUT SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS. He initiates movement toward advantage for his group in the absence of explicit authority because he is the rare man who will Lead with or without another Leader to direct him. He is That Somebody.

F3 could not function without HIMs willing to be That Somebody.”

F3 is an organization that was created in order to invigorate male community leadership. THAT is our mission. Carrying out that mission, whether it be communication, Site-Q’ing, organizing a 2ndF or 3rdF outreach opportunity, just plain old Q’ing, keeping each other accountable, stepping up to take someone’s place to Q, planting, growing, serving, etc., means each of us must be That Somebody, it means we must practice Sua sponte leadership…just like the Rangers, like many others before us, like Jesus Christ himself! (Quotes adapted from: Qsource, 189)

Tools of the Trade

A shameless plug for the tools of the trade in the above pic: Both are available at F3nation.com where you can click on the Gear button to pick up your own.

BOM/COT:

  • Announcements: Q schedule is out and includes a leadership Pow-Wow scheduled for Wednesday evening 9/2 @ 6:30 pm. Summit volunteered to host, details TBA. All invited!
  • Naming of FNG’s: Welcome again to Bolt & Biddie
  • Prayer: Prayer offered for a few PAX’s marriages. For Brineball, having a doc look at a nerve issue. For Chattahoochee. And a few others which slip YHC’s mind as of this writing, but they never slip God’s mind.

Lawn Chair Coffeeteria: YHC invited all PAX to stick around the circle after the COT for coffee/munchkins. Good times. Camaraderie.

Lawn Chair Coffeeteria
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Paver Rinse & Repeat

Name-O-Rama
Paver Aftermath… +9 more just like ’em

Date: 7/28/20

QIC: Chappie

YHC had the privilege to stand in the gap for Chattahoochee while he’s following quarantine protocol after he kissed a girl and he liked it. Got you covered brother…”I got this” if you know what I mean Quattro.

Today’s workout called for pulling out the stack of pavers in YHC’s shed–they haven’t been out since WBOC posted and did a Delmarva Life story on F3 First State, so YHC dusted them off, chalked them up with some new motivational messages, and put ’em to work again in the hands of 11 strong PAX.

Remember when…

WARM-O-RAMA:
• SSH – 18 IC
• Swartzjacks – 18 IC
• IW – 10 IC
• Prisoner Squats – 15 IC
• Shoulder Tap Merkins – 10 OYO

Patriot Run (around short block)

THE THANG:

(Partner Up)
Paver Pass
American Hammers/Plank & switch (til each team does sandbag transfer – 2 sandbags opposite ends of parking lot, partners run and switch bags to other ends all while everyone else is doing AH’s or in Plank)


Paver Drive
• 1 PAX drives paver, other runs cones/ switch (4 rotations)
Cone 3 to 4:
Dragon Crawl,
Bearcrawl,
Crawlbear,
Inchworm Merkin

Shout-out to Fireplex (who bowed out to respond to the fire call, but gave us a good piece from the Night Train as they were going by). Monkey Humpers…next time! To all the men and women of Milton Fire 85, thank you for all that you do to keep our community safe.

Paver Overhead Squat Press
• 1 PAX POSP, partner runs to Cone 3
8, 6, 4, 2 Burpees per round …great push on the extra credit Burpees Waterfall!

Paver Sunday Drive – Done as bonus (not punishment) by teams who finished early — it pays to win!
• PAX Wosey “Drive” w/paver

3rd F shared mid-workout – First, PAX took the time to read the motivational message on each paver, then…

Thomas Edison said, “If we did all the things we are capable of, we would literally astound ourselves.”

Back in May YHC watched an episode of one of the ESPN E60’s. It was titled Cliff Diving, but it wasn’t about cliff-diving at all. Instead it was about a man named Cliff Devries, diving.

Cliff is the diving coach at Rochester Institute of Technology. He says in the documentary, “You might see me walking down the road and think ‘Man, he’s got it rough,’ but there’s more…which is a little beyond what you think right now.”

In high school Cliff was the Empire State Games diving champion and selected as an All-American in his junior and senior years. That led to a scholarship to dive for the University of Kentucky with Olympic dreams.

As a diver he was always pushing himself to get better and to do harder, more complicated, dives. He was a competitor! But then he noticed his movements were getting worse. I’ve seen some of the videos of this highly skilled diver, flopping on his back. Something was going wrong.

An MRI revealed that a 6″ tumor in his spinal column was the cause of the loss of movement in his shoulder and arm. At 21-yrs-of-age, complications during surgery to remove the tumor, left him with severe trauma to his spinal chord. Totally paralyzed on his right side, he was told he’d be in a wheelchair the rest of his life.

Cliff grew tired of hearing that and determined he’d walk again.

His walk would leave you with some impressions, but he does walk. He has been coaching at RIT since 1999 and has always longed to get back on the diving board. A few years ago Cliff Devries did just that, and it has now became his annual tradition to dive on his birthday. He slowly climbs the 10M ladder, shuffles to the end of the spring board and dives in to the applause of his family, his team, and the crowd watching.

Such an inspiration, as he’s telling his story he states:
• “There’s always more to you; there’s always more to what YOU CAN do.”
He reiterates, “You might see me walking down the road and think, ‘he’s got it rough,’ but when you look beyond what’s on the surface, there’s always more!”

Hw says, “You’re not gonna find alot of beauty in what I do; it’s alot of hard work, alot of emotion, all balled up into a half-second fall into the water.

But then he asks a series of inspiring questions: “When you see my dive, what else can YOU do? What can you find in yourself? And this question is even more key: What can you find in others? When you look in the mirror, what else is there? What more can you bring out–which is a little beyond what you think right now?

All of this brings to mind the familiar verse from Philippians 4:13, which says, “I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me.” That verse is meant to inspire us in a variety of life’s situations where we cannot seem to find strength to go on, or to do what we need to do; it’s meant to carry us through in stating that we can, in fact, find whatever strength is necessary, both in highs and lows, by trusting in Jesus Christ.

I think as leaders, as High Impact Men (HIM), husbands, fathers, and brothers we ought to be asking ourselves (and those around us) the same questions: When we look in the mirror we have to be inspired to ask: What else is there? What else do you have? What more can you bring out…which is a little beyond what you think right now?

COT:

  • Announcements:
    • All PAX invited to join YHC & Gump this evening in Georgetown for RuckingChallenges “Scav Ruck”. Friday Gloom will be the “Suns Out Guns Out” ruck, all PAX also invited to join the fun: Step off @ 2 a.m. for first 7 miles at Primis in Lewes, final 3 miles will be part of Roving RuckF3st Friday.
    • YHC reiterated that the COT is just that, a Circle Of Trust and that the GroupMe is an extension of that. Just a maintenance issue to continue to build our trust with one-another and to lock shields.
  • Prayers: YHC prayed for PAX to be able to live out the inspiration heard from Cliff Devries. Prayed for Chattahoochee. Prayed for Semi’s family traveling to and from GA. And Praised for Fireplex and others who serve as VF in our communities.

Special thanks to Chattahoochee for the opportunity to stand in the gap. Honored to Q. Humbled to lead. Always grateful for those who won that first battle (over the fartsack) and posted to get better and get stronger and there’s never any regrets for doing that! Well..almost never. You lapped those who slept.

~Chappie, out!

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Hill Fire

Date: 07/21/2020

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 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.

Windmills – 20 IC

Mountain Climbers – 20 IC

Mosey .5 miles to Holy Hill

The Thang

The Super Sheldon Cooper on a “freaking hill” – 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.  Nur up the hill & 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.  Nur 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. Break for the 3rd F.

F3 Message – See below

Right back at it for another round or two before returning to CHOP.

Nur 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. Nur 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.  Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.

F3 Message 07/21/20 – From Ron Hutchcraft Ministries Posted 09/15/2016

A BUCKET OF WATER, OR A THREE-ALARM FIRE – #7744

Thursday, September 15, 2016

I’m a tornado and hurricane kind of guy. I mean I don’t like them but, I’ve lived where you learn about those things. I’m not an earthquake kind of guy. I’ve never lived where those mattered much. But when I was in San Francisco, I was where earthquakes are a big deal! Most people there still have dramatic stories to tell about what happened during that big quake in 1989, the one that interrupted the 3rd game of the World Series. Some of the heaviest damage and injury was in the Marina District of San Francisco.

Well, actually, I was doing a youth radio program back then, and we went there to record part of it. In fact, we were right on the comer of Beach Street and Divisadero where several buildings collapsed or burned, including one that had been totally consumed by fire. One of the neighbors described the scene for us, one very different from this quiet neighborhood with beautiful rebuilt homes. The night of the quake was total chaos. This neighbor described that awful fire with the unbearable heat that had destroyed the building on the other comer. He said, “The fire started out with a gas leak. It was small. If I could have gotten over there, I literally could have put it out with a bucket of water. But then it started to spread and pretty soon there was no way to stop it.”

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “A Bucket of Water, or a Three-Alarm Fire.”

God believes in fighting fires when they’re small, when you can still put them out with a bucket of water. He talks about it in Ephesians 4:26-27, our word for today from the Word of God, and some of the most insightful verses in the Bible for preserving relationships. Here’s what God says, “In your anger, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” Could it be that you have let a fire smolder in some relationship in your life? Let it go, let it grow and you will have a blaze on your hands you cannot control.

Maybe there is a strained relationship in your life right now, between you and your mate, or you and a child, you and a co-worker, you and your parent, you and a spiritual brother or sister. Maybe there’s trouble in your marriage and so often, honestly, it’s the guy who’s the last to admit that anything’s wrong. Men – let’s face it – tend to be postponers when it comes to dealing with relationship difficulties. But I’m telling you, the fire isn’t going to stay the same size. Relationships of all kinds burn down when someone lets the small fire just go, until it becomes this uncontrollable inferno that can do so much damage.

In fact, the Bible says that when you let conflict or strain or anger go longer than a day, you literally give the devil himself a place to get into your relationship. Four verses later, in Ephesians 4:31, God lists the kind of ugly things that come from letting relationship fires go unaddressed: “All bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, every form of malice.” Look, can you see some of those flames maybe right now growing in a relationship of yours.

Don’t wait another day to do something about the fire. It’s as small now as it’s ever going to be. Gently confront what you have to confront, forgive what you have to forgive, apologize for what you need to apologize for, and overlook what you have to overlook, but deal with whatever is between you, whatever is breaking or broken.

Because I’ll tell you this, the devil is standing there with his gasoline can ready to pour gasoline on that fire so everyone involved will get burned. You need to come running with whatever water it will take to put it out now. A bucket of water now is a whole lot better than a 3-alarm fire later.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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The Fourth Times Four

Date: 07/04/2020

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm Up

SSH – 30IC

Cherry Pickers – 20IC

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

Windmills – 20IC

Toy Soldier Set – 50 LBC’s, 25 E2K’s (each side), 15 Big Boys

Mosey (Patriot Run) approx. .47 miles to the school

The Thang

PAX completed the Hindenburg BLIMPS routine from the exicon. We modified the sprint portion to a straight line between FOUR light poles that were approx. .02 miles apart. Sprint to pole#1 and perform an exercise at pole #1, sprint to pole#2 & perform exercise, sprint to pole#3 & perform exercise & lastly to pole #4 & perform exercise. Plank it up until all PAX are in. That completes Round #1. Reverse directions and perform the second exercise working back to the pole where it all started. Rinse and repeat until all 6 Rounds are complete. Round # 1 – 10 Burpees, Round #2 – 20 Lunges (10 each leg). Round #3 – 30 Merkins. Round #4 – 40 Imperial Walkers. Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks. Round #6 – 60 Squats. Chattahoochee caught the planned spelling error on the reversal of the imperial walkers and the merkin sets. So…we completed 40 merkins to make up the difference when we returned to Aegis.

F3 Message – The 3rd F was shared after completing Round #4.

Mosey (Patriot Run) approx. .47 miles back to Aegis

PAX finished the beatdown strong with 40 merkins OYO.

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

Welcome to FNG – Yukon.

F3 Message – 07/04/2020 – Excepts from Tony Cooke Ministries

Quotes, Stories, and Illustrations for the 4th of July

Two web-sites that are very helpful with patriotic information are www.amerisearch.net (William J. Federer) and www.wallbuilders.com (David Barton).

“Do not let anyone claim tribute of American patriotism if they even attempt to remove religion from politics.”
– George Washington’s Farewell Address to Nation

“Sure I wave the American flag. Do you know a better flag to wave? Sure I love my country with all her faults. I’m not ashamed of that, never have been, never will be.”
– John Wayne

“America was established not to create wealth but to realize a vision, to realize an ideal – to discover and maintain liberty among men.”
– Woodrow Wilson

General Omar Bradley said, “America today is running on the momentum of a godly ancestry, and when that momentum runs down, God help America.”
Bradley also said, “We have grasped the mystery of the atom and rejected the Sermon on the Mount… The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants.”

“It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded not but religionists but by Christians, not on religion but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
– Patrick Henry

“We have been assured, Sir, in the Sacred Writings, that ‘except the Lord build the House, they labor in vain that build it.’ I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without his concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel.”
– Benjamin Franklin (From the debates at the Constitutional Convention, June of 1787)

2 Chronicles 7:14 – if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Proverbs 14:34 – Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.

“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Our constitution was made for a moral and religious people… it is wholly inadequate to the government of any other…”
– John Quincy Adams

Only in America

1. Only in America can a pizza get to your house faster than an ambulance.
2. Only in America are there handicap parking places in front of a skating rink.
3. Only in America do drugstores make the sick walk all the way to the back of the store to get their prescriptions, while healthy people can buy cigarettes at the front.
4. Only in America do people order double cheeseburgers, large fries and a DIET coke.
5. Only in America do we leave cars worth thousands of dollars in the driveway and put our junk in the garage. Hello.
6. Only in America do we use answering machines to screen calls and have call-waiting so we won’t miss a call from someone we didn’t want to talk to in the first place.
7. Only in America do we buy hot dogs in packages of ten and buns in packages of eight.

The Inscription on the Statue of Liberty, written by Emma Lazarus
Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore,
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me;
I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

No King But Jesus!
The Colonists grew in their resilience and confidence in God, to the point where one Crown-appointed Governor wrote of the condition to the Board of Trade back in England: “If you ask an American who is his master? He will tell you he has none, nor any governor but Jesus Christ.”

The Committees of Correspondence soon began sounding the cry across the Colonies: “No King but King Jesus!”

From America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, William J. Federer, Fame Publishing.

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and the Bible.”
– George Washington

1 Timothy 2:1-4

1. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men,
2. for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence.
3. for this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior,
4. who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

“In reading over the Constitutions of all fifty of our states, I discovered something which some of you may not know: there is in all fifty, without exception, an appeal or a prayer to the Almighty God of the universe…. Through all fifty state Constitutions, without exception, there runs this same appeal and reference to God who is the Creator of our liberties and the preserver of our freedoms.”
– D. James Kennedy

“History fails to record a single precedent in which nations subject to moral decay have not passed into political and economic decline. There has been either a spiritual awakening to overcome the moral lapse, or a progressive deterioration leading to ultimate national disaster.”
– General Douglas MacArthur

“I speak as a man of the world to men of the world; and I say to you, Search the Scriptures! The Bible is the book of all others, to be read at all ages, and in all conditions of human life; not to be read once or twice or thrice through, and then laid aside, but to be read in small portions of one of two chapters every day, and never to be intermitted, unless by some overruling necessity.”
– John Quincy Adams

“Under God” and the Pledge of Allegiance
The words “under God were taken from Abraham Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address, “…that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth…” and were added to the Pledge of Allegiance on June 14, 1954 by a joint resolution of Congress, 243 (Public Law 83-396). (The Pledge was initially adopted by the 79th Congress on December 28, 1945, as Public Law 287.) On June 14, 1954, President Eisenhower signed into law the pledge:

“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which is stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.”

President Eisenhower gave his support to the Congressional Act, which added the phrase, “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance, saying:

“In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”

President Eisenhower then stood on the steps of the Capitol Building and recited the Pledge of Allegiance for the first time with the phrase, “one nation under God.”

From America’s God and Country Encyclopedia of Quotations, William J. Federer, Fame Publishing.

“In America, nobody says you have to keep the circumstances somebody else gave you.”
– Amy Tan

“My County, ‘Tis of Thee” was written by a Baptist minister, Samuel Francis Smith.
“The Pledge of Allegience” was written in 1892 by a Baptist minister, Francis Bellamy.
The words “In God We Trust” are traced to the efforts of Rev. W.R. Watkinson.
Rev. John Witherspoon, a Presbyterian minister was a signer of the Declaration of Independence.

“The choice before us is plain: Christ or chaos, conviction or compromise, discipline or disintegration. I am rather tired of hearing about our rights and privileges as American citizens. The time is come – it is now – when we ought to hear about the duties and responsibilities of our citizenship. America’s future depends upon her accepting and demonstrating God’s government.”
– Peter Marshall

“Every generation of Americans needs to know that freedom consists not in doing what we like, but in having the right to do what we ought.”
– Pope John Paul II

“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide.”
– John Adams

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
– Edmund Burke

“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.”
– Thomas Jefferson, The Declaration of Independence

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we will pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of Liberty.”
– President John F. Kennedy, Inaugural Address, Friday, January 20, 1961

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility — I welcome it.”
– John F. Kennedy

“Freedom is the last, best hope of earth.”
– Abraham Lincoln

“…I say to you today, my friends, that in spite of the difficulties and frustrations of the moment, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’”
– Martin Luther King, Jr. (From his “I Have a Dream speech, delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington D.C. on August 28, 1963)

“Patriotism is not so much protecting the land of our fathers as preserving the land of our children.”
– Jose Ortega Y Gasset

A teacher went into her classroom about fifteen minutes before the class was supposed to begin and caught a bunch of boys in a huddle on their knees in the corner of the room. She asked what they were doing, and one of them shouted back, “We are shooting craps.” She replied, “That’s all right. I was afraid you were praying.”

During the dark days of the American Revolution, when the Continental Army had experienced several setbacks, a farmer who lived near the battlefield approached Washington’s camp unheard. Suddenly his ears caught an earnest voice raised in agonizing prayer. On coming nearer he saw it was the great General, down on his knees in the snow, his cheeks wet with tears. He was asking God for assistance and guidance. The farmer crept away and returned home. He said to his family, “Its going to be all right. We are going to win!” “What makes you think so?” his wife asked. “Well,” said the farmer, “I heard General Washington pray out in the woods today—such fervent prayer I have never heard. And God will surely hear and answer that kind of praying.” And the farmer was right! It happened because Washington put his hope in God.

“The harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly; it is dearness only that gives everything its value. I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death.” – Thomas Paine

“I know not what course others may take, but as for me, give me liberty or give me death.”
– Patrick Henry

“The U. S. Constitution doesn’t guarantee happiness, only the pursuit of it. You have to catch up with it yourself.”
– Benjamin Franklin

In June of 1863, just weeks before the battle of Gettysburg, a college president asked Abraham Lincoln if he thought the country would survive. President Lincoln replied: “I do not doubt that our country will finally come through safe and undivided. But do not misunderstand me… I do not rely on the patriotism of our people… the bravery and devotion of the boys in blue… (or) the loyalty and skill of our generals… But the God of our Fathers, Who raised up this country to be the refuge and asylum of the oppressed and the downtrodden of all nations will not let it perish now. I may not live to see it… I do not expect to see it, but God will bring us through safe.”

“Finally, let us not forget the religious character of our origin. Our fathers were brought hither by their high veneration for the Christian religion. They journeyed by its light, and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate its principles with the elements of their society, and to diffuse its influence through all their institutions, civil, political, or literary. Let us cherish these sentiments, and extend this influence still more widely; in full conviction that that is the happiest society which partakes in the highest degree of the mild and peaceful spirit of Christianity.”
– Daniel Webster.

The United States of America is 226 years old today (July 4, 2002). That’s a long time for a nation to remain free. But, when you take the long, historical view, America is just a CHILD among the nations. Egypt, China, Japan, Rome, or Greece all make America’s history seem so short. Consider what a brief time we’ve really been here as a nation: When Thomas Jefferson died, Abraham Lincoln was a young man of 17. When Lincoln was assassinated, Woodrow Wilson was a boy of 8. By the time the nation mourned the death of President Wilson, Ronald Reagan was a boy of 12.

Edward Gibbon, author of The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, has attributed the fall of the Empire to:

1. The rapid increase of divorce; the undermining of the dignity and sanctity of the home, which is the basis of human society.
2. Higher and higher taxes and the spending of public monies for free bread and circuses for the populace.
3. The mad craze for pleasure; sports becoming every year more exciting and more brutal.
4. The building of gigantic armaments when the real enemy was within, the decadence of the people.
5. The decay of religion–faith fading into mere form, losing touch with life and becoming impotent to warn and guide the people.

Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address, Delivered November 19, 1863
Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here.

It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

“I therefore beg leave to move that henceforth prayers imploring the assistance of Heaven, and its blessing on our deliberations, be held in the Assembly every morning…”
– Benjamin Franklin, 1787 Constitutional Convention

TRIBUTE TO THE UNITED STATES
This, from a Canadian newspaper, is worth sharing.
America: The Good Neighbor.

Widespread but only partial news coverage was given recently to a remarkable editorial broadcast from Toronto by Gordon Sinclair, a Canadian television Commentator. What follows is the full text of his trenchant remarks as printed in the Congressional Record:

“This Canadian thinks it is time to speak up for the Americans as the most generous and possibly the least appreciated people on all the earth. Germany, Japan and, to a lesser extent, Britain and Italy were lifted out of the debris of war by the Americans who poured in billions of dollars and forgave other billions in debts.

None of these countries is today paying even the interest on its remaining debts to the United States. When France was in danger of collapsing in 1956, it was the Americans who propped it up, and their reward was to be insulted and swindled on the streets of Paris. I was there. I saw it.

When earthquakes hit distant cities, it is the United States that hurries in to help. This spring, 59 American communities were flattened by tornadoes. Nobody helped. The Marshall Plan and the Truman Policy pumped billions of dollars into discouraged countries. Now newspapers in those countries are writing about the decadent, warmongering Americans.

I’d like to see just one of those countries that is gloating over the erosion of the United States dollar build its own airplane. Does any other country in the world have a plane to equal the Boeing Jumbo Jet, the Lockheed Tri-Star, or the Douglas DC10?

If so, why don’t they fly them? Why do all the International lines except Russia fly American Planes? Why does no other land on earth even consider putting a man or woman on the moon? You talk about Japanese technocracy, and you get radios. You talk about German technocracy, and you get automobiles. You talk about American technocracy, and you find men on the moon – not once, but several times – and safely home again.

You talk about scandals, and the Americans put theirs right in the store window for everybody to look at. Even their draft-dodgers are not pursued and hounded. They are here on our streets, and most of them, unless they are breaking Canadian laws, are getting American dollars from ma and pa at home to spend here.

When the railways of France, Germany and India were breaking down through age, it was the Americans who rebuilt them. When the Pennsylvania Railroad and the New York Central went broke, nobody loaned them an old caboose. Both are still broke.

I can name you 5000 times when the Americans raced to the help of other people in trouble. Can you name me even one time when someone else raced to the Americans in trouble? I don’t think there was outside help even during the San Francisco earthquake.

Our neighbors have faced it alone, and I’m one Canadian who is tired of hearing them get kicked around. They will come out of this thing with their flag high. And when they do, they are entitled to thumb their nose at the lands that are gloating over their present troubles. I hope Canada is not one of those.”

Stand proud, America! Wear it proudly!

Quotes by Ronald Reagan
“I believe this blessed land was set apart in a very special way, a country created by men and women who came here not in the search of gold, but in search of God. They would be free people, living under the law with faith in their Maker and their future.”

“Our liberty springs from and depends upon an abiding faith in God.”

“The truth is, politics and morality are inseparable, and as morality’s foundation is religion, religion and politics are necessarily related. We need religion as a guide.”

“If we lived by the Golden Rule, there would be no need for other laws.”

“I believe with all my heart that standing up for America means standing up for the God who has so blessed our land. We need God’s help to guide our nation through stormy seas. But we can’t expect Him to protect America in a crisis if we just leave Him over on the shelf in our day-to-day living.”

“My fellow citizens, those of you here in this hall, and those of you at home. I want you to know that I have always had the highest respect for you, for your common sense and intelligence and for your decency. I have always believed in you and in what you could accomplish for yourselves and others.

And whatever else history may say about me when I’m gone, I hope it will record that I appealed to your best hopes, not your worst fears; to your confidence rather than your doubts. My dream is that you will travel the road ahead with liberty’s lamp guiding your steps and opportunity’s arm steadying your way.

My fondest hope for each one of you, and especially for the young people here, is that you will love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism. May each of you have the heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, and the hand to execute works that will make the world a little better for your having been here.

May all of you as Americans never forget your heroic origins, never fail to seek Divine guidance, and never lose your natural God-given optimism.

And finally, my fellow Americans, may every dawn be a great new beginning for America and every evening bring us closer to that shining city upon a hill…My fellow Americans, on behalf of both of us, goodbye, and God bless each and every one of you and God bless this country we love.”

Respectfully, Submitted,

Fireplex

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Ace ain’t the place…

QIC- Summit

Warm up- 

SSH- 25 

Arm circles forward – 15

Arm circles reverse- 15

Cherry pickers – 15

Mosey lap around block. Back to AO

Prisoner squats – 15

Wind Mill – 15


Mosey to Ace Parking Lot. 

Line up on one end of lot. 

25 ssh –

Nur to 3/4 point 

25 ssh. Bear crawl  to end of lot. 

25ssh. Mosey back to start. Plank for 6

Round 2

25 merkins 

Sprint  to 3/4 

25 merkins 

Lt Dan to end 

25 merkins 

Let Dan back to 3/4 point.
Mosey back to start. Plank 

Toy soldier set 


Round 3

25 ssh

Nur to 3/4 

25 ssh

Bear crawl to end  

25 ssh 

Mosey back to start. Plank 


Round 4

25 Big Boys 

Sprint to 3/4 

25 big boys 

Side shuffle to end

25 Big Boys 
side shuffle to 3/4

Mosey back to start. Plank. 


Mosey back to AO. 

Flutter kicks IC 

count off, Name-a-rama

COT

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