21 PAX posted at the CHOP on 15 Sept. 2022 for a little fun in the gloom.
Warm-up 30SSH, 20 CHERRY PICKERS,15 TOY SOLDIERS and 15 Windmills all IC
The Thang consisted of a mosey out the rear entrance and around to the front meeting back in the center of parking lot for 12 reps of 3 excercises most in cadence
12 merkins, 12 squats, 12 hello dollys
repeat mosey
12 diamond merkins, Bobby Hurleys, 12 dying cockroaches
QIC: Probe with the Warm-up VQ with Assistant QIC Fireplex
Probe worked hard on his Warm-up VQ. I may not have all the exercises identified or have the count exactly right as Probe directed us this morning…but then again…his count may have been a bit different anyway…..:)….Either way, I appreciate Probe and am thankful that he is willing to step up and lead.
Warm up
SSH – 20 IC
Moroccan Night Clubs – 20 IC
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Cherry Pickers – 15 IC
Mosey @ .25 miles to the main entrance to H.O.B. Elementary when we completed Hydraulic Squats – 10 IC (6 Count) before continuing the Mosey @ .25 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 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 – QIC shared a confidential personal story with excerpts from the Ron Hutchcraft Word of the Day as documented below.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
Well, this is one of the busiest travel days in the year; people packing into airports and airplanes. Maybe not as much this year, but maybe you’re still heading out for whoever they like to be with over Thanksgiving. But you know what? A lot of air travelers are having to make that choice again: Do I want the scanner, or do I want the pat down? Yeah! Hum…
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “A Personal Thanksgiving.”
So, I have sat and listened at times to all the opinions you hear on the news about Thanksgiving travelers’ privacy, and something in the Bible popped into my mind.
It’s our word for today from the Word of God, Hebrews 4:13. “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” Wow! God sees what we don’t want anybody else to see. The previous verse tells us that God sees and judges “the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12).
We’re talking all the dark stuff. The dirty thoughts, the adulterous desires, the seething jealousy, that volcanic anger, the endless lies, the backstabbing words, that hateful prejudice, the hurtful selfishness. He sees the egocentric pride we’ve got, and He knows about that long-harbored bitterness. “Everything is uncovered and laid bare” the Bible says.
Oh, we could try to rationalize it or minimize it or call it by a nice name, but it is what it is. It’s sin against God; sin against another person. Rotting trash is rotting trash, no matter how pretty the paper you wrap it in. And with God, it’s all unwrapped. No secrets. We think, “Hey, well, no one’s caught me.” If God knows, you’re caught. And He knows.
Our secrets are not only exposed to God, but they become the basis for us to be judged by God. Hear what God says again: “God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ” (Romans 2:16). King David said in one of his psalms, “O Lord, You have searched me and You know me…You are familiar with all my ways” (Psalm 139:1, 3).
My first reaction: “Uh-oh.” Second reaction: “Good. One person I don’t need to hide anything from…I can’t hide anything from.” In fact, the first step to being free from the darkness inside is to say what the Prodigal Son said when he came home to his father: “Father, I have sinned against heaven and against You” (Luke 15:18). there’s just something liberating about being brutally honest about your sin as you bring it into God’s pure light. Jesus said, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).
And then comes the release that we desperately need but we don’t deserve. In God’s words, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins” (1 John 1:9). God stands ready to give us a spiritual shower called “forgiven” – and there’s no better feeling than knowing that you are finally clean.
That forgiveness is no cheap thing though. Revelation 1:5 says, “He loves us and freed us from our sins by His blood.” It took the shedding of the blood of God’s only Son, Jesus, to pay the penalty for all my junk. A cross He did not deserve; an excruciating death. God’s Son being cut off from God the Father because Jesus was carrying my sin, going through my hell so I could go to His heaven.
But our bill was paid. All we have to do is take for ourselves what He died for, turning from the sin-darkness that has poisoned our life. So, as I see recurring pictures this season of body scanners and hand searches, I’m thinking God doesn’t need any of that. He sees it all. He knew that what was hidden in the dark places would blow up my life and my eternity. So He acted to defuse it with the most extreme act of sacrificial love in history. He absorbed the “blast” Himself so I could board the flight to His heaven and be with Him forever.
Do you want to get started with Him? You want to experience this? Tell Him that today. Go to our website and find out there how to be sure you belong to Him. That’s ANewStory.com.
It is wonderful to live without fear of discovery, with a clean heart, and with nothing to hide.
Warm-up • The SSH – 20 IC 4 • Mountain Man Pooper 15 – IC • Hairy Rocketts – 20 IC • Imperial Squat Walker – 20 IC • Moroccan Night Club 40 – IC • Low Lateral Skater – 10 IC • Burpees – 10 OYO
The Thang: Mosey to HOB • Burpees – 10 OYO • Lt. Dan to first light pole, NUR to pick up the six until everyone finishes • Mosey to next pole • High knees • Butt kickers • Carioca • Mosey • Jail break Circular Bench on playground • Burpees – 10 OYO • Balance lunges – 25 each leg • Plyo Merkins – 25 • Mosey aroung playground • The American Hammer – 26 IC • Burpees – 10 OYO 3rd F: Being the person I ought to be • Single leg squats – 10 each leg • Dips – 50 • Burpees – 10 OYO Mosey to CHOP • Number-rama • Name-a-rama • COT
Message: Excerpt from Bob Richards A Heart of a Champion book Being the person I ought to be
We need a method, a technique, a means to help us accomplish our goal. People want to be great, they want to be successful, they want to accomplish great things, but the tragedy is that they stress what they want to be so much more that they forget the how technique. You’ve got to go out on the field and hurt, and take the bruises, the bumps. The sports world is a realistic world of tough competition. You’ve got to analyze yourself, recognize your weaknesses and work on them. Some of the greatest stories are stories where men have recognized their weaknesses, dealt positively with them, overcome them and gone on to tremendous heights.
You’ve got to welcome competition. There is a tendency within us to level off, to accept a certain standard as being good enough. The idea of competition is being criticized today, but you cannot escape it, you cannot avoid it, it is indispensable to progress. Competition is someone setting a standard for you that you ought to set for yourself; it is that outside stimulus or impetus that forces you to set your own standards higher and to achieve a higher mark. It pulls out the best there is in a man and the best in those around him. Competition forces you to re-evaluate your own ability, to set your standards higher, to lift your horizons so that you can accomplish greater things. If anyone is going to become great in life he has to welcome competition. Most people do not compete enough, they give up too easily. You need to be willing to put out a little more. The more I watch great men, the more I see the processes by which men achieve their goals, the more I am convinced that it is the willingness to put out just a little bit more that makes the difference. There isn’t a gigantic difference between victory and defeat, it is usually by the smallest margin. It’s that extra chin-up everyday and that extra push up, its that extra lap around the track, that extra 5 minutes a person puts into his workout, into his schoolwork or into his home life or business that makes the difference in his life. In the good creative things, you need to put out a little more, and in the negative things that tear you down, you’ve got to be willing to indulge a little bit less. This is what makes greatness in living.
Message: Excerpt from Bob Richards A Heart of a Champion book
A Philosophy for Winning
We all want to win, but what are the characteristics of winning. Number one: you’ve got to have the will to win. It’s a will to win, and not just a wish to win. I know a lot of people who have what I would call a wish to win. They’d like to go to the top. They daydream about the position they’d like to hold in life. They tell you their potential, about the heights they could soar to, or the distances they could run, the times they could perform if they would only get out and train. I think the greatest thing in life is to be able to dream, to have great aspirations, but I think it equally important that you have a will that can turn that dream into a reality.
Second you need to have inspiration. I’ve been amazed to see mediocre athletes, fellows drifting along with great potential but never really realizing their full abilities, suddenly inspired by a great coach, or some great ideal something that will lift them up and they would do the impossible. Inspired people: It’s when the see themselves not as they are but as they can become. It’s when they see themselves, not in terms of their weaknesses and shortcomings; their failures and inadequacies, but in terms of what they can be, when they begin to believe they can be what their vision tells them—-that’s when they’re inspired.
Lastly, take God with you. It’s the greatest ingredient in what I call a winning philosophy. These athletes believe that they have a power greater than their own. Nothing can thwart them, with God they do great and tremendous things.
The Heart of a Champion
Every man or woman needs the heart of a champion. It’s a quality of mind, a mental resolve, an attitude that turns a man or woman beyond the normal and the mediocre to accomplishing great things in all walks of life. The difference between a champion and a mediocre athlete is the difference between one who gives up and one who doesn’t. This is the basic philosophy that has made America great. It’s a philosophy of freedom, of liberty, of the great ideals we cherish. The spirt of America is the spirit of greatness; it’s the heart of a champion.
The champions I’ve seen have had another great quality. They dared to believe the impossible. What is the story behind athletics? It’s the story of young men and women who come along and say, “no matter what others say, I believe the record can be broken.” These young men and women, with faith and courage and vision in their hearts, daring to believe the impossible and training themselves to a peak perfection, have broken every record in the books.
The America system and way of life is perhaps more beautifully expressed in athletics than in any other field of endeavor? All the competitive element, all the drive, all the pressure, all the fire that makes America great is found in our athletic programs. The Bible says: “All things are possible to him who believes”
Life has its hurts, its setbacks, its defeats, its heartaches. No man can meet life in all of its fullness, but he must at one time or another meet hurt and pain and suffering—not only physical but mental pain, spiritual pain, financial pain. The champion is the one who can meet it with a stiff upper lip, with faith in God, and somehow, even with that hurt and pain in his heart, he keeps on going to achieve greatness.
Grab a block and mosey to the dentist office. Pax completed 20 Merkins each side with one hand on the block. Pax utilized the block and a parking bumper to complete 20 abyss merkins. Pax completed a Lt Dan for approx. 50 yards utilizing the block before moseying to Shipbuilder’s entrance for American Hammers with the blocks (IC) as well as 20 Big Boy Sit-ups. Leaving that pain station each Pax completed a 50 Yard bear crawl with the block before moseying to the next pain station. At that station each Pax completed a Bolt 45 set with the block all in IC. All Pax woseyed down Willow Street with the block and then moseyed at the halfway point. When reaching the end of the street or the final pain station, each Pax completed 15 Blockees. Pax moseyed back to CHOP with their block.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
Maybe it’s a guy thing. Maybe it’s just a Ron thing. But I hate to waste time or waste effort. You know? Here’s what that it looks like when I’ve just returned from the grocery store to restock our empty refrigerator and shelves. I basically look like a mule – yeah, with bags all over my body, carried on almost every appendage. I don’t want to make any more trips to the car than absolutely necessary, oh no, no! So I’m willing to try whatever calisthenics, to tolerate whatever overload will enable me to get everything in the house in one trip. This approach has been known to have its problems. Sometimes I drop a bag or two or one of them rips open; thus, making more work. And I’ve got this shoulder. Yeah, wrecked it pretty well. You think it might be traceable to carrying too much too many times?
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Why Your Load Seems So Heavy.”
There’s a price to pay for carrying too much at once. You might be paying some of that price right now; the stress, the anxiety, the fatigue, the frustration of those who carry more than they’re supposed to. I’m one of those. I know.
I also know how my Savior says I’m supposed to live. His instructions are very clear in our word for today from the Word of God in Matthew 6, beginning with verse 25. He says, “Do not worry about your life…look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them…Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?…Why do you worry?…Do not worry…your Heavenly Father knows what you need…Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
First of all, you don’t have to be a Biblical scholar to pick up Jesus’ message here. He basically says it four times, “Do not worry.” If you looked at us stressed out, freaked out, worn out warriors, you might conclude this is one of the most disobeyed commands Jesus ever gave. We do worry – a lot. And in so doing, we carry a heavier load than we’re designed and equipped to carry. God has promised to give us what we need to carry today: daily bread, strength equal to your day, mercies new every morning, a cross to bear one day at a time, the renewing of our spirit day by day. But there’s no promise about carrying your tomorrow while it’s still today.
John Newton, the writer of “Amazing Grace” said, “Sometimes I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of a year to a great bundle of sticks – far too large to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole bundle at once. He mercifully unties the bundle and gives us one stick that we are to carry today and then another that we are to carry tomorrow, and so on. We might easily manage it, if we would take only the burden appointed for each new day. But we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday’s stick over again today and by adding tomorrow’s burden to our load before we are required to bear it.” That’s great stuff!
John Newton nailed it. See, we add baggage from yesterday and the potential burdens of tomorrow to what we’re carrying today, and we start dropping things, and stumbling, and even hurting ourselves. So much of what we worry about tomorrow never happens. And you won’t have God’s promised resources to handle tomorrow until tomorrow. So no wonder you’re overwhelmed and discouraged! Dwelling on yesterday or tomorrow takes your focus off today so you don’t even do today very well!
So approach your load God’s way – take your busy life one day at a time, or maybe one stick at a time. That’s how you do a massive load. And about tomorrow? Take advantage of God’s awesome invitation, “Cast all your care upon Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Windmills – 20 IC
Mosey .5 miles to Oh Hill No !
The Thang
Pax completed the modified “HILL”denburg BLIMPS routine at Oh Hill No. We modified the sprint portion to a NUR up and run down Oh Hill No and perform 1st exercise, NUR back up Oh Hill No and run down and perform 1st exercise again. Plank it up until all PAX are in. That completes one round. Rinse and repeat until all 6 Rounds with the exercises as identified below 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. Round #5 and Round #6 were completed back at the CHOP by those that had extra time.
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.
John and Becky were gone when this huge windstorm hit their neighborhood recently. Although no one could be sure a tornado was involved, the winds were clocked at 70 miles an hour. John and Becky told me that when they returned later that day, their street was closed. A huge pine tree had been blown down, and it fell right across the road. Now other kinds of trees had lost some branches, but the wind had actually totally uprooted this evergreen. Well, a neighbor explained to John that it really isn’t that hard to uproot a pine tree – no matter how big it is. Because even though it’s a big tree, it has shallow roots – so it’s relatively easy to bring it down.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Strong Storms And Shallow Roots.”
Now, there are a lot of “pine-tree-Christians”–some even big and beautiful Christians–who have shallow roots. And that’s why they keep falling.
Jesus talked about vulnerable believers in our word for today from the Word of God, Luke 6:46-49. He says, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock (or developed deep roots). When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation (or had shallow roots). The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”
Now, that’s two kinds of Christians–just like two kinds of trees: one with deep roots that can withstand a storm and one with shallow roots that gets felled by the storm. With the times we’re living in becoming more stressful and more uncertain–and even dangerous–it’s pretty important to be sure that your commitment to Jesus is deeply rooted.
Shallow spiritual roots come in several varieties. There’s environmental faith–the kind that is strong when you’re in your Christian world but caves in when you’re not. And then there’s second-hand faith. That’s a faith that isn’t really yours firsthand–it’s rooted in your parent’s Christianity, or your church’s faith, or your pastor’s faith, or your Christian friends. There isn’t much really going on directly between you and Jesus. That will never survive a storm.
Stagnant faith–that’s another form of shallow roots. Not much new has happened between you and Jesus for a long time, and consequently, He seems farther–He seems less real than He used to. And when a test or temptation hits, it won’t be enough to keep you standing. And one other kind of “shallow-roots-Christianity”–event faith–the kind that depends on the next spiritual event, the next high, the next big, Christian experience to keep you going. In between, you go into a deep valley. That kind of relationship with Christ is going down eventually.
Jesus’ parable about the two houses is a call to a strong foundation – to deep roots. And He tells us the difference between storm-proof and storm-wrecked faith. It’s not whether or not you know what He says. Both the man whose house stood and the man whose house fell, “heard” what Jesus said. The difference was putting what Jesus said into practice.
The question is, are you regularly getting into God’s word on you own–and then immediately going out and acting on what you read? It’s immediate assimilation of God’s words into real life situations that makes you a little stronger each day. So you read or listen to God’s Word asking these two questions: “What did God just say to me?” and “What am I going to do differently today because of what He said?”
And every time you do that, your roots go a little deeper into Jesus. Meetings won’t do it, theology won’t do it, a great Christian environment won’t do it. It comes from letting Jesus change you through His Word a little bit each day. That is spiritual reality. That is deep roots. The kind that will leave you standing strong no matter how fierce the storm.
14 PAX hit THE button to win that first battle and posted for something Postal. Here’s how QIC Chappie broke it down…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
IW – 18 IC
Windmill – 18 IC
Crab Flippers – 18 IC (a local favorite)
Low Slow Squat – 18 IC
MOSEY/WOSEY TO POST OFFICE: Litter-Carry the Sandbags – 1 40lb & 1 20lb (60lbs total per littler). PAX have to work together…tiny synchronized steps fellas, tiny synchronized [double-time] steps.
Stations
THE THANG: (Count off by 4’s = 4 teams, 3 PAX each, with 2 remaining PAX to start in the middle)
2 PAX at a time will rotate into middle: 10 Sandbag Burpees
Other PAX located around the circle at 4 STATIONS:
Curb-side Shoulder Tap Merkins 5/5 (Rinse & Repeat, AMRAP)
20lb Jump Squats (feet in/feet out) AMRAP Word on the street: This one was an unexpected killer!
Each time 2 PAX IN MIDDLE COMPLETED SANDBAG BURPEES, TEAMS ROTATED WITH FULL LAP TO NEXT STATION (New PAX goes to middle)
GOAL: Get all PAX thru SB Burpees at least once. (goal accomplished)
Mosey/Wosey back to AO, litter-carrying the sandbags (free-loaders!)
Good Problems: More Q’s equal less QIC opportunities, so YHC was glad to get back in the saddle at the CHOP AO. Always eager, Aye!
COT:
Announcements: Watch the horizon for a leadership pow-wow. Planting locations to be discussed. Planning for Memorial Day mini CSAUP, etc.
Prayers: YHC lifted up several requests: Fireplex’s dad; Nugget’s aunt’s family; employee and friend of Woodstock, Rob, recovery and healing from brain surgery. Most of all that God would allow us and empower to be HIM, superior to our younger self, in our homes, workplaces and the communities in which we serve. (For more details check out the 3rdF below – conspicuously shared after our 3rd round.)
Chappie, out!
3rdF Shared After the 3rd Round:
Earnest Hemingway said, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
For anyone who’s got a competitive nature, which is just about every man I know, that might sound bit counter-intuitive (my favorite words this week for some reason). I mean, who doesn’t strive to run farther and faster than the other guy? Who doesn’t want to have their hand raised in the center of the ring/mat as victor after a hard-fought battle for superiority? Who doesn’t want to blow their competition out of the proverbial water? Yet Hemingway says, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
I think we might understand better what Hemingway was getting at if we rephrase his statement using F3 terminology: “It’s you against you!”
Now if we tend to think about that only in terms of physical superiority, eventually we’re going to come up short. I’d like to think at age 54, I can still kick the tail of the younger version of myself–shoot, that’s part of what motivates me to workout with you guys and why I’m thankful for F3! But truth be told, eventually I’m going to age-out of being able to do that physically. I don’t know where that line is or when I’ll cross it, but eventually I know I will.
The same is true whether we’re talking about superiority over others or ourselves. And, again, just in terms of physicality there will always be some other competitor who is superior. Yes, we can (and should) engage in healthy competition, it sharpens us. But in terms of being superior to your former self, and, it being “you against you,” the superiority must also (and even more so) include your character and your nature. It must include superiority over yourself in terms of mind, will, emotions AND SPIRITUALITY!
Are you stronger than your former self?
Are you better at handling your finances than your former self?
…better at raising your kids than your former self?
…better at loving others than your former self?
…a better husband than your former self?
…a better employee or employer than your former self?
Are you better at handling your anger or other emotions than your former self?
Are you wiser than your former self?
…more patient than your former self?
…more faithful/faith-filled than your former self?
…more enduring than your former self?
Are you a better leader than your former self?
And the list goes on…
You see, the comparison between you and others is more often than not out-of-place, and it’s utterly misguided and misguiding! The real competition is within. We CANNOT compare ourselves with others. The comparison is actually more personal. “True nobility is being superior to your former self.”
Galatians 6:4 says “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”
Today, in your home, in your workplace, and in the community in which you serve, work on being superior to your former self. It’s you against you!
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Prayers were offered for multiple needs within the attending PAX, but please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message 12/16/2021 – Rinse and Repeat from Quattro’s Warmup VQ with Fireplex on 12/12/19
The Twelve Days of Christmas – True Meaning Behind the Lyrics
Ace Collins – From Crosswalk.com
To many people, the lyrics of the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” seem strange beyond belief. The odd carol’s words might make one think it is a novelty song, in the vein of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or “My Favorite Things.” Though a host of modern internet sites and some magazine articles have tried to reduce “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to a little more than a silly Christmas carol, most scholars of the Catholic Church deem it a very important surviving example of a time when that denomination used codes to disguise their teachings. Originally a poem written by Catholic clerics, this song was transformed into a carol at a time when celebrating the twelve days of Christmas was one of the most important holiday customs. By understanding the meaning the clerics chose the twelve days as wrapping for their poem, the full impact of the tradition of the twelve days of Christmas can be understood.
The 12 Days of Christmas – True Meaning
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . a partridge in a pear tree.
The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, the only bird that will die to protect its young. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . two turtledoves.
These twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments. So in this gift, the singer finds the complete story of Judeo-Christian faith and God’s plan for the world. The doves are the biblical roadmap that is available to everyone. On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . three French hens.
These birds represent faith, hope, and love. This gift hearkens back to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter written by the apostle Paul. On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . four calling birds.
One of the easiest facets of the song’s code to figure out, these fowl are the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . five gold rings.
The gift of the rings represents the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch. On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . six geese a-laying.
These lyrics can be traced back to the first story found in the Bible. Each egg is a day in creation, a time when the world was “hatched” or formed by God. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . seven swans a-swimming.
It would take someone quite familiar with the Bible to identify this gift. Hidden in the code are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion. As swans are one of the most beautiful and graceful creatures on earth, they would seem to be a perfect symbol for the spiritual gifts. On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . eight maids a-milking.
As Christ came to save even the lowest of the low, this gift represents the ones who would receive his word and accept his grace. Being a milkmaid was about the worst job one could have in England during this period; this code conveyed that Jesus cared as much about servants as he did those of royal blood. The eight who were blessed included the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . nine ladies dancing.
These nine dancers were really the gifts known as the fruit of the Spirit. The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . ten lords a-leaping.
This is probably the easiest gift to understand. As lords were judges and in charge of the law, this code for the Ten Commandments was fairly straightforward to Catholics. On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . eleven pipers piping.
This is almost a trick question, as most think of the disciples in terms of a dozen. But when Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, there were only eleven men who carried out the gospel message. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . twelve drummers drumming.
The final gift is tied directly to the Catholic Church. The drummers are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed. “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”
The Context & History Behind “The 12 Days of Christmas”
Teaching the Catholic faith was outlawed in sixteenth-century England. Those who instructed their children in Catholicism could be drawn and quartered. Thus, the church went underground. To hide the important and illegal elements of their teaching, clerics composed poems that seemed sill to most people. But these verses were veiled works that taught the church’s most important tenets. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is said to be one of these teaching tools.
Most people today believe that the twelve days of Christmas start on December 12th or 13th and run through Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But in fact, the first day of Christmas is December 25th and the final day is January 5th. Thus, for hundreds of years the Christmas holidays didn’t begin until Christmas Eve and didn’t end until Epiphany.
Why were these twelve days important? These dozen days were tied to more than just the teaching of the Catholic Church. A host of other denominations also celebrated the twelve days of Christmas. Some denominations celebrated Christmas in January and began to count the twelve days then. But whenever they began, the counting of the days became an important facet of each holiday season. Even in the Dark Ages, in some Eastern European churches, the twelve days of Christmas meant attending daily church services. For Christians who lived during this extremely difficult age, the twelve days were a time of rededication and renewal. It was also a period when small, simple, and usually symbolic gifts of faith were given to children. Thus, in both coded poems and public worship, the twelve days were considered a holy period.
For many Christians today, even the recognition of the twelve days of Christmas has been lost . . . for two reasons. The first is that when Epiphany lost out to Christmas as the day of giving gifts, many simply quit celebrating the twelve-day observance. The other reason is based more on the change in the fabric of culture than on overlooking the Christian holiday of Epiphany.
In ancient times, when most societies were rural, few people worked in the dead of winter. It was a time when many were spending long, dark days inside their homes, looking forward to winter’s chill giving way to the spring thaw. So devoting a dozen days to prayer, reflection, and attending church was not a huge undertaking. Yet with the coming of the Industrial Age and the regular year-round work schedules it brought, finding time to continue the activities that had been traditionally associated with the twelve days of Christmas became all but impossible for most people.
So the passing of the twelve-days custom probably had as much to do with “progress” as with anything else. As fewer and fewer churches and families participated in the tradition, it was all but lost. Yet in the obscure poem that was later turned into a popular carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” live on. And the twelve days described are actually a wonderful and complete picture of the Christian faith.
The “true love” mentioned in the song is not a sweetheart but the Catholic Church’s code for God. The person who receives the gifts represents anyone who has accepted Christ as the Son of God and as Savior. And each of the gifts portrays an important facet of the story of true faith.
So, just a silly song? On the surface maybe, but in reality, a refreshing reminder of the essential elements of Christian faith. The twelve days of Christmas may no longer be a widely recognized holiday tradition, but the days were an important bridge that connected persecuted believers of the past with the whole story of God’s plan. In the complicated world of today, a trip back to the not-so-distant past when Christians celebrated the twelve days of Christmas would only enhance the meaning of Christmas for everyone.
Ace Collins is the writer of more than sixty books, including several bestsellers: Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, The Cathedrals, and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, he continues to publish several new titles each year. Ace has appeared on scores of television shows, including CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!
7 December 2021- 17 HIM BEAT THE FARTSACK for a mathematical beatdown.
WARMUP- 20 SSH,20 WINDMILLS,15 SMURFJACKS,20 CHERRYPICKERS,15 MOUNTAINCLIMBERS ALL IN CADENCE
THE THANG- STARTED OFF THE BEATDOWN WITH A LITTLE BILL MURRAY
1 lap around all the middle parking spots at the CHOP followed by 10 mekins, 10 squats,10 bigboys, 10 burpees rinse and repeat 5 times then 1 extra lap just because
After Bill Murray the real fun started with Dan Taylor
1 squat 4 alternating lunges 1:4 ratio all the way to 10 squats 40 alternating lunges
after the leg beatdown it was time just a little arm and shoulders with Mr Jack Webb
1 merkin then up on knees for 4 overhead hand claps again 1:4 ratio all the way to 10:40.
ran out of time before we could get to cpt. Thor so that will be added in the future o. A Saturday when we have a little more time.
The last day of November brought a nice chill that needed to be worked off with some heat. 18 PAX won that first battle and posted. including FNG Fudd. (There were some “no questions asked” nicknames being thrown around so we settled on the more innocent “Fudd” instead.) Welcome to F3 brother!
We started the day with an excellent VQ Warm-O-Rama by Sherlock. It went something like this:
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 20 IC
Squats – 20 IC
Spidey Reaches – 10 each side OYO
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
At this point YHC took over the Q, and here’s how it went down…
THE THANG:
First, some more warm-up:
Partner Leg Throws – 18 each PAX
Partner Ruck Pass – 10 each PAX (partners interlock heals in Sit-Up position, pass ruck, do American Hammer w/ruck, then all the way back w/ruck overhead, then Sit-Up passing ruck to partner. Rinse & repeat til each PAX completes 10 reps)
Now…the Thang: Everyone grab a ruck (for those without, grab cindy)
2 Sets:
10 Walking Ruck Lunges (Ruck OH)
10 Plank Pull Throughs
10 OH Press
(Rinse & Repeat 2x)
Mosey the short block: Prison Break to Willow St., Mosey to Union St., Prison Break back to the AO. Gassed! 10-count by TRex and another followed by Semi. Whew!
F3 3rdF shared at the break (See below)
2 Sets:
10 Ruck Squats
10 Ruck Merkins
10 Ruck high Pulls
(Rinse & Repeat 2x)
Ruck SuitcaseCarry around the short block, switching as necessary, back to the AO.
Time expired, time for the COT. Good work by everybody. TRex committed to posting at every workout this week, have at it brother. Who else is in?
COT:
Number-Rama: 18 very cool PAX
Name-O-Rama
Naming of FNG: Welcome again to Fudd! (Still, your Hospital Name, Blayze, has to be one of the coolest out there!)
Announcements: YHC invited PAX to consider joining the protest Saturday at Beebe Hospital, protesting the vax mandate being forced upon all healthcare workers by Dec 24th (or they will be terminated. Those we were gathering to pray for and calling heroes for sacrificially fulfilling their duties in 2020, now need our support as they are being made into villains. Let’s show up Saturday at Beebe, from 9-11am, and demonstrate our support for them.
Prayers: Safe travels for Sherlock on his hog hunt; for Woodstock helping to clean out a perished friend’s home, etc.; for Quattro, facing some business/family decisions this week; for YHC traveling to Frederick for an executive committee meeting (self-retracted as of this writing) and for YHC’s sister, Tonia, facing devastating, life-altering surgery. Others…the Lord knows and never forgets. Finally, prayers that all PAX would be mindful this Christmas that the birth of Jesus Christ tells us that God desires that we have a relationship with Him–it’s NOT about religion, but relationship. We know this because He came to common man, not kings. (Again, see 3rdF below.)
Humbled and excited to Q, aye!
Chappie, out!
SHEPHERDS & FISHERMEN
This past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent—I love this season because in it we recall and celebrate the Birth of Christ (Coming/Advent). It was foretold by the OT prophets 900, 700, 500 years before it happened. I love this time of year also because it reminds me of the only 2 times a year we went to church when I was a kid (Easter & Christmas). I remember the ambiance of the Christmas Eve candle light service at First Moravian Church in my hometown like it was yesterday.
In the four verses of great Christmas hymn Angels We Have Heard On High, we sing of the angels visiting lowly shepherds and the shepherds’ response.
Here’s what I think is one of the most incredible things about God: He wants us to know Him through relationship, not religion. This is evident in the song, but it was evident first in the Scriptures.
“The angels coming to men who worked menial [lowly] jobs in the fields and informing THEM of the birth of the Son of God symbolizes that Christ came for all people, rich or poor, humble or powerful. The angels’ words as recorded in Luke 2, “Fear not: For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,” paired with Jesus’ own parables concerning shepherds and their flocks, symbolizes that it would be the common man and not kings or religious leaders who would first carry the story of Jesus’ life to the masses.”
It has been the Called man, not the Cleric, and really always has been, who has spread the message of Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Think of who it was to whom Jesus first said “follow Me“: Was it not to Fishermen? Common men? As you hear and sing this song for Christmas, keep this one thing in mind: It is the common man, not kings who carry the story of Jesus’ life. For you and I to be HIM, the story of Jesus in our own lives, OUR own transformation by trusting in Jesus Christ, must not only be heard but it must be seen, especially by our children (not to mention those around us). When mom tells the story, the kids will be more prone to go to church and become followers of Christ. But when we as dads—common men, not kings—tell the story of Jesus Christ, the statistics make a significant leap, they actually go through the roof! I.e. When you and I share this story of the incredible, special relationship available between God and man with our own children, we—common men—are acting/behaving like HIM.
