The cold hit us hard for a chilly game of Captain Thor poker. We warmed up with a mosey around the block, some cherry pickers, and windmills.
Next was The Thang. Here are the rules. We divided into 4 teams. Each team started with 3 cards. The goal is to get the best poker hand. There were 2 decks of cards to draw from. We did a modified Captain Thor while working our hands in between. We started with 15 big boys and ran to the center of the parking lot. In order to draw a card, you have to roll the ball of suck (a dice with a bunch of exercises on it). After doing the exercise you rolled, you can draw a card for your hand. Next you run to the other end of the parking lot for 60 American hammers single count. You run back and forth doing the captain Thor descending while rolling the ball of suck and working our hands. Vanilla and summit won the game and the losers had to do 20 jump lunges. The fastest team got down to 4 big boys and 16 American hammers.
The F3 message was about parenting. Ephesians 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.
Warmup: 20 SSH, 15 Cherry Pickers, 10 Finkle Swings each leg, 10 Nancy Kerrigans each leg.
The Thang 1: Mosey up Union Street to 16 and back Mulberry Street to Shipbuilders field. William Wallace: 4 Corners with Teams of 2 with Q jumping in as a 3rd wheel! Round 1: Corner does LBCs while teammate sprints to middle of field and does 25 Burpees and sprints back; Round 2:Corner Plank & Middle Field 25 Merkins; Round 3: Corner American Hammers & Middle Field 50 Squats; Round 4: Corner Plank & Middle Field 25 Hand release Merkins. 10 Count and break for F3 message.
F3 Message: Friendship. We all have friends but do you know your true friends? Proverbs 12:26 The godly give good advice to their friends; the wicked lead them astray. Proverbs 16:28 A troublemaker plants seeds of strife; gossip separates the best of friends. Proverbs 17:17 A friend is always loyal, and a brother is born to help in time of need. Ecclesiates 4:9-12 Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed. If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But someone who falls alone is in real trouble. Likewise, two people lying close together can keep each other warm. But how can one be warm alone? A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.
We have a lot of aquaintaices but we need to know who are true friends are.
The Thang 2: Mosey back up Mulberry, cut over to Union with jail break at end. 10 Count. Super Toy Soldier Set 50 LBCs-30 E2Ks-20 Big Boys. 15 Ranger Merkins 15 Diamond Merkins 15 Wide Armed Merkins 25 Flutter Kicks. Toy Soldier led ABCs lower case and Hideous led 4 Count Freddie.
Count off followed by Name-O-Rama. Circle up. Thanks to all those that posted and be with those who didnt post. Prayers and thanks for Toy Soldiers friends Dad Sandy pulling through coma and continue to be with him and his famiy, continued prayers for Qs mom, prayers for healing of Hideous’s ankle and Chappie’s chest, and prayers for all those in harms way on daily basis whether our troops or 1st responders.
Patriot run to two pain stations. We didn’t make it to the Toy Soldier or the Captain Thor stations as time became a factor. Q will save the second two stations for a future beat-down.
Patriot Run .4 tenths of a mile to Food Lion. Bear Crawl across parking spaces (@82 ft.) and complete ATM’s – 15 alternating shoulder taps (4 count), 10 tempo Merkins, and 10 fast merkins. Crawl Bear back (@82 ft.) and complete another evolution of said ATM’s.
Patriot Run .4 tenths of a mile to Ace Hardware. Completed a round of Super 21 without any recovery exercises between the rounds. 1 merkin, 1 big boy. 2 merkins, two big boys, etc. ascending to 21. Brutal….a lot of grunting and wind breaking.
Patriot Run .3 tenths of a mile back to the AO
Total: 1.1 mile overall patriot run
F3 Message
Several excerpts below from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries, Courage for the Unknown #8180
“Our word for today from the Word of God in 1 Thessalonians 5:24. “The One who calls you is faithful and He will do it.” Your Heavenly Father says, “Look, I got you onto this road. Take hold of My hand because I’m going to lead you and I’m going to take care of you all the way.” Listen to Moses’ summary of what God does for us when He is leading us into the unknown. “Do not be terrified…the Lord your God, who is going before you, will fight for you. In the desert you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries His son…He went ahead of you on your journey…to show you the way you should go” (Deuteronomy 1:29-32). Well, there’s your guarantee. You can keep walking confidently into the unknown because your Father is committed to coach you as to where to step next, to carry you when you can’t go any farther, to cover you with His protection from harm, and to care for you, providing every need. He’s called you. He’ll do it! So no matter how dark the road ahead looks, no matter how many bears there are, no matter how scared you feel, would you just grab hold of your Father’s hand and just keep walking in the direction that He is leading. ”
Q also shared a favorite poem along the same lines that reminds us that our Lord never leaves us or forsakes us even when we think we are going about things on our own…very comforting !
Footprints
“One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.
After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.
This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me.”
He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”
By Mary Stevenson
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Continue to lift up Chappie, Chairman’s Mom, and Chattahoochee as they face various medical issues and procedures. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers. Also, keep those in the path of Hurricane Michael lifted up.
Warm up. 20 each. SSH. Plank jack. Cherry picker. Windmill. Tempo merkins. Tempo squats. Tempo big boys. (Kinda).
Ultimate football! Like ultimate frisbee. Can only take two steps once caught. If team with possession drops they have to do 2 burpees while opposing team can move down field. When team scores they call out exercise all PAX do BUT the team that got scored on does double the reps! Play for 30 minutes! 3rd F. On the platform we have and I used the Eagles as an example for when they won the Super Bowl and glorified all the glory to God rather than beating their chest.
Bolt 45’s – IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats. Actually this was BOLT 46’s as Q lost count…:)…
Mosey Indian Run Style .14 miles to the Wesleyan Church Parking Lot to complete Happy Jacks which were completed as 5 SSH IC followed by 2 Bomb Jacks. Pax completed 4 evolutions completed in succession.
Bataan Death March – Indian run with a twist to the hill by the water tower around .4 miles. The last person in line drops and completes five Burpees, then runs to catch up to the front of the line tapping the last person in line on his way by. The last person drops and completes five Burpees, etc. etc. until reaching the hill by the water tower.
The Thang
At the base of “Oh, Hill No”, PAX teamed up to complete 100 merkins, 200 LBC’s & 300 squats. One team member will crawl bear up the hill and bear crawl down while the other works on the exercises. The hill is approx. .02 miles up and .02 miles down. Here is the twist, each PAX must complete half of the designated exercises. Once you have reached 50 merkins, 100 LBC’s and 150 squat’s, you will plank until your partner has completed his ascent and descent of the hill. Continue the rotation until your team has completed the full amount of exercises.
Mosey .5 miles back to the AO for the Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please continue to keep Chairman’s Mom in your thoughts and prayers and all those affected by Hurricane Florence. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message
We don’t always understand why God allows things to happen a certain way, or why our prayers are not always answered in a manner that is the most convenient for our earthly lifestyle. We must always trust that God’s plan for our lives far exceeds anything that we could ever begin to imagine. I found this poem by an unknown author that speaks to the fact that in all things God gives us everything that we actually need.
I asked for strength and God gave me difficulties to make me strong.
I asked for wisdom and God gave me problems to solve.
I asked for prosperity and God gave me a brain and brawn to work.
I asked for courage and God gave me danger to overcome.
I asked for love and God gave me troubled people to help.
I asked for favors and God gave me opportunities.
I received nothing I wanted and I received everything I needed.
Proverbs 3:5-6 New King James version (NKJV) – 5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall [a]direct your paths.
Philippians 4:19 New King James version (NKJV) – 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
6 HIM showed up in the foggy gloom for an all around beat down. We stayed in the park, But hey, there is always fun to be had in the park!
Warm up -IC
SSH 20 Windmills-
10Moroccan NC- 20
Mountain climbers – 10
Cherry pickers – 20
Imperial Walkers – 10
Mosey around Park and back to basketball courts
PAX will do AMRAP of exercises until someone reaches 100. Once 100 is reached by one man, other men finish off to the next closest increment of 10. Each exercise is interrupted by a run around the park.
Exercises –
1.LBC
2. SSH
3. Flutter kicks
4. Merkins
5. Split jacks
Break for 3rd F
6. Squats
7. Hello dolly
8. Shoulder Taps
9. American Hammer
10. Burpees…… We each did 10.
Name-A-Rama
COT –
Remember Chairman’s mother as she endured another surgery and in recovery awaiting more test results.
3rd F- shared about emotions of 9/12 after 9/11. And how HIM need to live daily with intentional heightened emotion and passion.
We all remember exactly where we were when he heard of the 9/11 attacks. Some were near by, some working, some sleeping , but most of us remember watching as the the day unfolded , with all sorts of emotions, uncertainty, anger , speculation , fear , concern and helplessness. I know where I was. But do you remember the feeling on the morning of the 12th? Some of us couldn’t sleep. Some of us just wanted to be able to call a friend , family member or just go home. I was in college. I went to an all male, trade school outside of Philly. Close enough to the airport that is was eerily quiet when you stepped outside and didn’t hear planes. Campus was near a train station and multiple times many of us tried to get on , to head north and help. Do whatever we could. But were denied every Time. I watched people sneak on, do whatever they could to get closer to help. Some wanted to get to the city to check on family, friends , etc. some just wanted to help. Some how. I had one instructor who was a previous employee of the railroad… he got on with his badge and after two days was able to get up to ground zero. He helped on a bucket line, he helped feed people, he helped anyway he could. I already respected this man immensely. Fought in two wars, seen what most of us will never see, overcame obstacles in life that many of us couldn’t imagine…. but when he came home weeks later. He was a different man. It took him 6 months to be able to talk about it. You see, up there he saw horror, things nightmares are made of, carried body parts, carried people, peoples belongings, even found people that he knew … just not in a condition that you would want to. Ever. But… he also saw pride, unity, respect, love , passion, vigor, relentlessness, and so much more he couldn’t put into words. He saw America At its best just days after what seems it’s worst. It is these emotions that people felt on 9/12. I know we raised our flag on 9/12 with pride, stood at attention a little taller and even though it didn’t go up as high as is usually did. She went up. And flags went up all across the country. On overpasses , in front yards , on cars , at work, on desks and seemingly everywhere you looked. UNITY. PRIDE. Also on 9/12 , many left their homes differently than before. Maybe a longer hug, a meaningful kiss and ‘I love you’. A vivid reminder that no day is promised. And the future is unpredictable. As HIM , we need to be sure we are living out daily lives , especially every morning intentionally and with passion and vigor. Loving those closest to us and making sure they know. Through tragedy , we often see things differently …. but how long does it last? That is up to you and me. We need to be the men who cherish life daily and live it to its fullest. Never forgot what’s closest to you on any day. Your God. Your country. Your family.
4 HIM braved the storm this morning for what turned into a ‘nice’ hour of no rain. But of course two men started their mornings early with a Ruck from Milton…. interrupted by a few flashes of lighting and some thunder, but still managed to get in 5+ miles?? Chappie and Leatherman setting the pace and a higher standard…. well done.
Warm-UP SSH – 25 Cherry picker- 20 Moroccan NC- 15 Bolt 45s IC Standing to 1/2- 15 Half to full- 15 Full Deep Squats – 15 Moroccan NC – 10. Cherry picker – 15 SSH -20 Mosey to courthouse lot 4 corners – 1st corner- 10 burpees Nur to 2nd corner 2nd corner- 50 merkins (20 reg, 15 diamond, 15 wide ) Lt Dan to 3rd corner 3rd corner- 100 lbc – nice steady pace NUR To corner 4 4th corner- 50 dips Bear Crawl Back to starting point Mosey to field by ballpark Toy soldier set – IN Cadence Shoulder taps -20 In Cadence Merk and rolls – 20 oyo Mosey back to courthouse lot 3rd F- Consistency- in growth and counsel. Set of 11s 11 deep squats Burpee broad jump to line 11 big boy Lunge Walk back 10 deep squats. Burpee broad jump to line 10 Big Boys Lunge Walk Back Repeat to 1 squat and 1 big ol boy Mosey to circle NAME-A-RAMA COT
3rd F- HIM are consistent. Consistency comes from a desire for growth and staying in counsel. Growth- you’ve never arrived. I’ve heard it said you are either growing or dying. In this world there is no such thing as stagnant. You’re moving forward or backwards. HIM focus on doing the daily things that move them forward. Yes, there are setbacks- but identifying them , rectifying them properly and pressing on, chisels you more and more Into the man you are meant to be. Ways to grow- Read. Listen. Study. Allow yourself to be stretched. Associate with other men who are in life where you want to be or committed to getting there with you. Counsel- I’ll never follow a man who isn’t being lead. Every one of us needs to be in some form of transparent counsel. Someone who can offer us a 30000 ft view and help us with our blind spots. This can be at work, in your business, within the community , church or home. All areas of life will benefit from proper counsel. I’m not talking about Social media opinions or break room water cooler talk- this is one on one man to man counsel. Iron sharpening iron. These are just two areas – but effect every aspect of who we are as HIM. If you are not consistent- you will not be loyal, you will not be trusted, you will not be counted on , and maybe most of all you will not be performing at the high level a true leader should be. I didn’t even like writing that last paragraph that way because I like to focus on the positive , so I’ll end it like this- When you are consistent – you will be a loyal friend, co-worker, business owner, husband , father , grandfather, son and member of the community. A trusted go-to man who because you have prepared, you are ready for any situation- a man that can be counted on. Most of all you’ll be and continue to become the leader of your life and in your home – which is where we are needed most.
9/6/2018. Nugget on Q. 7 HIM posted for a beat down in Milton, DE.
Warm up.
20 SSH.
15 cherry pickers.
15 windmills.
Patriot run with the flag ((for election today) with last man doing 1 burpee before he runs to front of line), to Spruce St. for first of 3 ‘story time chats’.
***Instead of one third F message I broke it up into 3 story time chats where i gave some personal background and thoughts on how we can be HIM in our home, businesses, community etc, while we all held a squat.
Patriot run plus burpee to baseball field for 2nd story time chat/squat.
Patriot run to water tower hill for pain station on hill.
All IC. Bear crawl up hill. At top do 10-4ct big boys while declined. Then do 10–4 ct flutter kicks while inclined. Do 10–4 ct inclined merkins. Then 10–4 ct declined merkins. Crawl bear down hill.
Patriot run to fire hall for final story time chat/squat.
Bolt 45’s – IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Happy Jacks – 5 SSH IC followed by 2 bomb jacks. 5 evolutions completed in succession.
Merkin Mile – each ¼ mile Pax stopped and completed 25 merkins. Pax completed half a mile on the way to the site of the “Thang” completing two sets of Merkins. Pax completed the second half of the merkin mile with two sets of merkins in returning to the Aegis.
Chappie rolled in hot after Rucking around nine miles to the Aegis. The man is a beast.
The Thang
From the Exicon – Doracides – Two Pax worked together to reach exercise reps of 100, 200, 300, & 400 of 4 different exercises. One Pax worked on the exercises while the second Pax completed suicides to three designated waypoints. The extra twist is at the waypoint of each suicide run; the Pax completed 1 burpee, then 2 burpees, and finally 3 burpees before returning to the starting point. Once all three suicide sprints were completed, the Pax switched stations until all reps of each exercise were completed. The exercises completed are as follows: 100 American Hammers, 200 Merkins, 300 LBC’s, & 400 squats.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Continue to pray for Chappie’s family, the Savini family, the Draper family, Vanilla’s co-worker, and for our Nation as we approach another anniversary of 911. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message – Q shared the Third F before returning to the Aegis.
I was thinking hard about the upcoming anniversary of the death of my boss, my friend, and my mentor Thomas H. Draper. He died on September 08, 2017 after suffering injuries sustained from a motor vehicle hitting him while riding his bicycle. There is no easy way to handle the passing of those close to you, especially when you want to understand why God allows such tragedies to happen. We are fast approaching the 17th anniversary of 911 where many lost their lives in such a horrific act of terrorism. Why does God allow this? I found this article by John Hawkins on Townhall.com that he had written after the Sandy Hook mass shooting that offers wisdom and insight as to why God allows tragedies. I hope you find the same comfort and peace as I did when I read Mr. Hawkins words.
5 Reasons God Allows Tragedies Like the Sandy Hook Massacre To Occur by John Hawkins as written on Townhall.com
Posted: Jan 01, 2013 12:01 AM
“As a Christian, it can be difficult to reconcile all the evil that happens in the world with an all knowing, all powerful loving God who could stop it if He wants, but chooses not to do so. If our hearts break for the innocent children who were senselessly murdered at Sandy Hook Elementary, how can a God who loves us not feel the same way? If any of us had known what Adam Lanza was going to do, we would have done anything in our power to stop him, so why didn’t God? All too often we tend to quote some arcane scripture, chalk it up to God “moving in mysterious ways” and shrug our shoulders. While none of us have the authority to speak for God, there are plausible explanations for why God would choose not to intervene to prevent a tragedy.
1) He gives us free will: God didn’t make robots who were designed to execute His will. Instead He gave us the freedom to make our own decisions. He lets us choose between being right and wrong, good and evil or wise and foolish. We can follow Him or scorn Him. We can obey Him or ignore Him. We can take His advice or go our own way. It’s our choice…and sometimes choices have terrible consequences. But, of course, how could it be otherwise and still be a choice?
2) It’s a necessity for faith:“If God wanted to remove all doubt about his existence, He could do so — but, He doesn’t because the cornerstone of Christianity is faith. Imagine what would happen if bad things DIDN’T happen to good people. What if when an airline crashes, only the non-Christians die while all the believers walk away unscathed? What if the moment someone becomes an atheist, he is immediately struck by lightning and killed? What if every rape, murder, robbery, and painful illness only happens to non-believers? If that were the case, then no faith would be required to be a Christian.”
3) He has a different perspective: Our God gave “His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” Imagine being in his place as Jesus was jeered, whipped and had to suffer and die in agony on the cross. What would run through your mind as your Son was crucified and uttered the words, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” when you had the power to free Him, heal His wounds and strike down His tormentors at will. Our God made that sacrifice for each and every one of us so that we could be saved. That’s how much He cares for us. Yet and still, God has known the hopes, hurts, loves and secret dreams of all of us who’ve come into this world, lived our lives and passed on. After watching billions of people He cares for die and shouldering responsibilities we can’t even begin to fathom, God doesn’t see the world through the same eyes as we do.
4) We often turn to God in times of tragedy: One of the sad truths of human nature is that when we’re happy, healthy, loved, secure and our pockets are full, most of us think we already have all the answers and don’t turn to God. As C.S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts in our pains: It is His megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” It’s not that God wants us to ache, causes it, or wishes for it to happen, but He realizes that’s often what spurs us in His direction. A long pleasant existence full of leisure, contentment and pleasure that ends with a trip to Hell because there was never a need to reach for God is a failed life.
5) Ultimately it’s about Heaven, not earth: What we do with our lives is no small matter. We should try to make the most of our talents, do what we can for others and make the most of what we have. But, it’s worth remembering that Billy Graham was right when he said, “My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world.” Our lives seem long and crucially important because it’s all we can see, hear, and touch, but God knows there’s an eternity that stretches beyond our time here. It can be incredibly painful when our time here ends with those we care about, but God gets to see the reunions in the next lifetime.”
John 16:33 New International Version (NIV) – 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
John 3:16 New International Version (NIV) – 16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.