4 PAX posted at the library in Milford for a recon at O-Gawd-Thirty this Gloom. Actually, it was the same time as usual, O-Gawd-Fifteen.
Here’s a first for F3 First State: We had 2 workouts going on at the same time–one at CHOP and one at Milford, DE. THAT IS COOL! After all, our mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups of men for the invigoration of male community leadership.
HOLLOW POINT TIP (killa tip): Make the sacrifice, win that first battle over the Fartsack, and post (especially on Thursdays) to support CHOP and keep the numbers up since a core group has parted off to recon and launch this a new AO in Milford. After all, our mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups of men for the invigoration of male community leadership.
YHC isn’t going to pretend to remember all that we did this morning. BUT, he will say this: We discovered an F3 gold mine, even though we barely scratched the surface with the amphitheater, steps, walls, steps, parking lots, steps, fields, elevation changes, many other features, and, oh, YHC can’t forget to mention steps. Seriously men, this place is a gold mine!
Get the word out if you know a Sadclown in or near Milford…after all, our mission is to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups of men for the invigoration of male community leadership. Recon is happening again next Thursday, Aug. 22 and the official launch will follow on Aug. 29th!
A dirty dozen PAX threw off the Fartsack and won THAT FIRST BATTLE to post for what turned out to be one of the workouts for GORUCK’s August rucking challenge. YHC had two options on his Weinke: On one side, the Bearmuda Triangle. On the reverse, the MACV-SOG workout put together by the cadre at GORUCK. The choice depended on whether YHC could get other PAX to bring rucks. Thanks to all who brought rucks! We had extras…which means we’ve got a good crew of ruckers. (Let’s get some of the GORUCK events under our collective belt.)
Here’s how we started the day:
WARM-O-RAMA
SSH – 18 IC
Apollo Ohno – 18 IC
Swartzjacks – 18 IC
Crabflippers – 18 IC
Superman/Pull! – 10 count/5 rounds
Shoulder-Tap Merkins – 10 IC
PAX counted off by 2’s then partnered up for the following MACV-SOG workout (YHC had a bunch of extras in case we fell short…who was “I” to doubt GORUCK?)
MACV stands for Military Assistance Command Vietnam
Between the 100 No Push-Up Burpees, what the F3 Exicon calls Flying Squirrels, (50 per partner) YHC shared this 3rdF message:
We need to constantly push ourselves to understand what we [PERCEIVE] to be our limits. Until we do, we haven’t reached, or begun to reach, our full potential. Often times, EXTREMES are required to push us past our limits, to make us stronger, better, or produce growth where we need it most.
â–ª We can push ourselves past our limits, this requires self-discipline. Or, at least the willingness to places ourselves in positions where we know we’ll be pushed past our limits. That’s the treasure of having different Q’s lead us through a workout! …
â–ª I.e. Others, who do not know OUR limits (or probably don’t care what our limits are) will push us past our limits… These situations are mostly in reference to the physical workouts or challenges we face, but they easily translate to the mental and spiritual aspects of life as well, because…
â–ª Lastly, and most importantly, Christ, who is the Author and Finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2), will push us past our limits. And this is often through our testing, which includes suffering (suffering ALWAYS pushes us past our limits) and in God’s economy He allows this for our good, like burning away the dross and purifying us like gold, and He does this for His glory. (Our good, His glory!) So…DEQ! (Don’t Ever Quit…cleaned up version of DFQ.)
BIBLICAL EXAMPLES:
ABRAHAM in Gen. 22 was tested by God to take his son, Isaac, and offer him as a burnt offering. Poor Isaac even had to chop and carry the wood. When he asked his dad about the offering, Abraham replied “God will provide for Himself a lamb...” And when Abe was about to plunge the knife into Isaac, God said “Do not stretch out your hand against the lad, and do nothing to harm him; for NOW I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, YOUR ONLY SON, from Me.” You can guarantee this extreme test pushed him past his limits!
JOSEPH, by the end of Gen. 42, was sold into slavery by his brothers! He ran from Potiphar’s house in his boxers after Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce him (he ran because he feared God), and ended up imprisoned. The story continued for numbers of years in Egypt where Joseph experienced the favor of God, rising to leadership where he was 2nd only to Pharaoh! Point being, his life was full of consistently being pushed beyond his limits, but he never once used his personal circumstances as an excuse NOT to live for God. As a result, he rose to power in Egypt. He knew God’s purposes were higher than his personal suffering. He not only reached the full potential of his faith, but as a result, the nation of Israel was preserved! There was a greater purpose to it all!
Peter referred to all of this when he wrote: “Brothers, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share in Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when His glory is revealed…” (1 Pet. 4:12-13)
So, we push ourselves to understand what we [perceive] to be our limits, others push us beyond our limits, AND God pushes us past our perceived limits. ALL for a purpose: For our GOOD but ultimately for God’s GLORY. So…DEQ!
PAX wrapped up the very last exercise at 5:59, which left no time for the extra’s YHC had planned: Wall work, Jack Webb, & Mary. With a minute spare shared a little further about the ruck workout carried out in honor of America’s Special Forces.
Time called.
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Chattahoochee working on method to collect school supplies.
Prayers: The family of Katie West, grieving her tragic death; Chattahoochee’s daughter, Taylor, having surgery on 8/7
That’s about it. Always honored to lead. And, yes, what a great way to start a day!
Great times! For this time of year as PAX rotate out on vacations it was awesome to have 11 HIM drop the DRP and post for the Field of Dreams [delirium] workout. It wasn’t always this way, so its exciting to still see double digits when others are out. Plant, Grow, and Serve small workout groups of men for the invigoration of male community leadership–on mission!
So here’s the skinny, it went a lil’ something like this:
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH’s – 18 IC
SwartzJack’s – 20 IC
Seal Jack’s – 18 IC
Plank Jacks – 18 IC
Merkins – 10 OYO
Crab Flippers – 18 IC
The Big Dice
THE THANG:
Upon returning to the AO following a nice brisk 0.5 mile Patriot Run around the block, PAX divided into 2 teams. Teams took turns rolling the 3 dice until reaching the opposite end of the field.
ROUTINE: Roll dice, both teams Bear Crawl to dice, execute the corresponding number of Burpees rolled (teams were to remember total number rolled. Team with highest number determined the punishment of lower scoring team at the end of the field).
Team 1 rolled 4x – Roll dice, Bear Crawl, Burpees. Rinse & Repeat…
Team 2 rolled 3x – Roll dice, Bear Crawl, Burpees. Rinse & Repeat…
Team 1 Rolled the highest number, though neither team remembers the exact number due to burpee delirium. Guestimates are as low as 77, but it was more likely closer to 100.
Da MATH: Neither team rolled less than 11 (77 Burpees would be the bare minimum), but there were rolls of 16, 14, 13, and 12. I.e. just know that the PAX executed ALOT OF BURPEES!
Rolling the highest accumulated number, Team 1 determined they would do 15 Merkins, while Team 2 was assigned 30 Merkins.
PAX took the long Mosey back to the AO, taking turns swapping out holding the dice overhead. They’re not heavy but THAT did create a different dynamic for the mosey.
Meanwhile back at the AO: 3rdF Message…
(The following thoughts adapted from R. Kent Hughes in Disciplines of a Godly Man)
Harry Blymires, in (The Christian Mind) said, “The Christian mind has succumbed to the secular drift with a degree of weakness and nervelessness unmatched in Christian history.” He sees our generation as suffering from religious anorexia (anorexia religiosa), a loss of appetite for Christ.
The bottom line is: this comes from a declining willingness to properly program the amazing instruments God has given us. Christians leave their 12 billion cells unguarded and unthinking—and undisciplined. When we turn to God’s Word, we’re aware that the Biblical writers understood the problem in a less technical way. “Above all else, guard your heart,” says Proverbs, “for it is the wellspring of life” (4:23). “For as a man thinks within his heart, so is he” (Prov. 23:7). The Scriptures tell us rightly that INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT — that our PROGRAMMING DETERMINES PRODUCTION.
The one thing that will always shape your life is the condition of your heart. The Apostle Paul told us in Philippians to think on explicitly positive things: The true. The noble. The right. The pure. The lovely. The admirable. This is more than the power of positive thinking. They all defy negative exposition. I.e. each is a matter of personal choice — and our choices make all the difference in the world. We all can CHOOSE a thought “program” which will produce a Christian mind.
2 AREAS OF PERSONAL APPLICATION:
#1 – I have great sympathy for those whose past has been a series of bad choices. I understand that if over the years one has chosen the impure and the illusory and the negative, it is very difficult to change. But as a biblical thinker I give no space to myself or to anyone else who rationalizes his present choices by the past. Brothers, as followers of Christ we are free to have a Christian mind/a biblical worldview. It IS within our reach, and it is our duty.
#2 – We should be aware of the wise warnings against using words like “all,” “every,” and “always” in what we say. Using absolutes is dangerous. But I’m going to do it anyway. Here it is: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANY FOLLOWER OF CHRIST WHO SPENDS THE BULK OF HIS EVENINGS, MONTH AFTER MONTH, WEEK UPON WEEK, DAY IN AND DAY OUT WATCHING THE TV AND WATCHING VIDEOS TO HAVE A CHRISTIAN MIND. This is ALWAYS true of ALL Christians in EVERY situation. A biblical mental program cannot exist with worldly programming. Again, INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT — PROGRAMMING DETERMINES PRODUCTION.
Where the Bible says “think about such things” (Phil 4:8), the word that is used is “logidzamai”, from which we get the mathematical computer-like word logarithm. It means a “deliberate and prolonged contemplation as if one is weighing a mathematical problem.” It’s like getting junk mail versus getting the new Shooters Magazine, Runners World, etc. Or like getting junk emails versus emails from F3 or GoRuck, etc. You throw out the junk after a brief scan, but you take deliberate and prolonged contemplation over the new items from your favorite sources.
Even more so, we are to think about the good and positive elements God wants us to put into our computers/minds. God calls HIM in His Word to a massive and positive discipline of the mind. You cannot be profoundly influenced by that which you do not know. I.e. INPUT DETERMINES OUTPUT — PROGRAMMING DETERMINES PRODUCTION.
“Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. I have more insight than all my teachers, For I meditate on Your statutes. I have more understanding than the elders, For I obey your precepts.” (Psalm 119:97-100)
Last but not least A Round of Mary:
Flutter Kicks – Courtesy of Chattahoochee
Box Cutters – Courtesy of Vanilla
Big Boys – Courtesy of Gump
LBC’s – Courtesy of Summit
American Hammers – Courtesy of Ying Ying
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Warm-Up VQ scheduled for Gump @ Primis. Be there!
Prayers: Chattahoochee, Bill Crouch, YHC, etc. Plus, as always prayers were lifted up for each PAX to be a HIM in his home, his workplace, and in his community in which he serves.
That’s a wrap. Lot’s of PAX on vacation but we still posted 11! Way cool to see the continued growth of this group and of each individual PAX getting stringer and better as they keep posting. YHC was once again honored to lead!
It was great to once again have a Cousin Eddie with us. We had 2 PAX from different regions in SC last week and today we extended a warm (very warm!), humid, and sandy welcome to JAX FL, Gecko. Nothing like getting that F3 Passport stamped! That made it a 12-pack for the beatdown.
This Gloom’s “gameful employment” brought to you by Nugget’s influence. Our brother has a reputation for bringing games into his Q’s, so YHC, looking for a fresh Q idea, decided to throw-down with a man-sized game of sandbag Tic-Tac-Toe. a.k.a. Tic-Tac-Gohhh! Of course, we started with the warmup…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
Swartz Jacks – 20 IC (just pay attention Leatherman, you’ll get ’em figured out)
Imperial Walkers – 20 IC
Hill Billy Walkers – 18 IC
Crab Flippers (a.k.a. Cherry Pickers) – 20 IC
Flying Squirrels – 10 OYO
Mosey down N. Bedford Street to the field on North Bedford Street Park, where PAX would find what pre-ruck rucker Ruxpin caught YHC red-handed setting up prior to the workout: A man-sized Tic-Tac-Toe painted on the field (shout-out to sprayable sidewalk chalk!) YHC should’ve taken a pic because, you have to admit, it did have a cool F3 symbol painted in the middle square.
PAX counted-off by 2’s…well, some of us did. Uh, hem, Doubtfire! It took a couple tries but we got it figured out. Nonetheless, 12 PAX beat the Fartsack to post for this highly excellent game! 12 PAX equals 2 teams of six. Y’all started your Saturday with 2 Six PAX! Here’s how it all went down:
THE THANG:
Teams were set up EXACTLY 100′ feet apart. Team X, with 5 40lb sandbags stacked at their cone marked with X’s. Team O, with 5 40lb sandbags stacked at their cone marked with O’s. On the count of 3, 2, 1 Gohhh! PAX took turns and had to carry a sandbag and carefully place it (like a baby, per Q’s instructions) into the tic-tac-toe design in the middle of the field trying to get 3-in-a-row-tic-tac-toe! Teams played to win the best of 7 rounds.
Round 1: O’s win! (wouldn’t you like to hear THAT more??)
Winners, Plank.
Losers, 25 Sandbag Squat Swings
(Yes kids, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose!)
Round 2: O’s win! (yep, you heard it here first, folks! O’s won 2 straight!)
Winners, Plank.
Losers, 25 Sandbag Squat Curls
Round 3: X’s win! O’s 2 – X’s 1
Winners, Plank
Losers, 25 OH Shoulder Press
Round 4: X’s win! O’s 2 – X’s 2
Winners, Plank
Losers, 25 Bulgarian Ball Busters
Round 5: X’s win! O’s 2 – X’s 3
Winners, Plank
Losers, 25 Sandbag Pulls (vertical…sack to your Bombjacks!)
Round 6: O’s win! O’s 3 – X’s 3
Winners, Plank
Losers, 25 Plank Pulls
CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND, Round 7: Teams compete with their best line-up
Jack Wins! SOG…Son Ofa Gun!
Losers, 18 Burpees (both teams)
Great competition, great fun! We all got stronger, so yep, it looks like everyone actually did win. Hmm…
3rd F Breather: YHC shared a rinse and repeat of a 3rd Word he shared from a life experience which really drove home the Word of God:
Exodus 33:13-15. Moses said to the Lord, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but You have not let me know whom you will send with me. you have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with Me.’ If you are pleased with me, teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You. Remember that this nation is Your people.” The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Verse 15 reads: Then Moses said to Him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not lead us up [to the Promised Land] from here.“
As leaders, what’s one thing we CANNOT do without? God’s presence!
Earlier in verse 2 it says that an angel would go with them, but NOT God’s presence.
In verse 3, going into the Promised Land, victory was promised
BUT…God’s presence WOULD NOT go with them. Before Moses pleaded with God later in the chapter, we read that God had planned to withhold His presence from His people.
Have you ever thought about why? This used to confound me until I was walking a trail in the woods across the parking lot from my church years ago, with 2 of my 3 boys. After playing with every stick (guns/swords) and every rock (grenades) it was time to start heading down through the woods, across the field and parking lot toward home. But the boys would not stay with me! After repeated urgings for them to stay with me, without their corresponding response to do so, I, slightly ahead of them on the trail just simply stepped behind a large tree. I literally hid or withheld my presence. I’m their father, so I didn’t do it to be mean or even to make them suffer. I didn’t go home and cruelly leave them in the woods to fend for their 2-yr-old and 3-yr-old selves. I stepped behind the tree to hide my presence for one reason: To hear the words “Daddy, where are you?” They cried out almost immediately and I responded almost immediately. That’s when it hit me! When God hides His presence from us it’s not because He’s mean, wants us to suffer, and it’s not that He is cruel. He simply wants us to recognize His absence and to call out to Him and say, Daddy, where are you? I need your presence in my life, my leadership! I need you God. That’s what Moses cried out on behalf of himself and the nation. And God answered and said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.”
As men, husbands, fathers, and leaders what’s one thing we cannot do without in order to be HIM? God’s presence! When you notice His absence, repent (turn) and cry out to Him.
The Thang 2:
10 Swerkins, run (kinda) across field – 20 Carolina Drydocks
10 Swerkins, run (kinda) across field – 15 Split Jacks (15 each leg)
10 Swerkins, run (kinda) across field – 10 Mtn. Man Poopers
10 Swerkins, run (kinda) across field – 05 Nipple Scraper Merkins
Prayers: Chappie’s teens; Gecko’s teens; Chattahoochee; etc. Thanx for taking the hand-off Vanilla!
Thanks for the opportunity to lead HIM! Thanks for your ear at Coffeeteria, Gecko. What are the odds that you show up in DE and post at exactly the same time we’re working through almost identical issues with sons? Perhaps Soul-Q might’ve had a hand in our schedules.
More great numbers for a Saturday, 11 PAX posted for a beatdown at the Aegis–including 1 FNG. Welcome shout out to Ox! Again, brother, remember it doesn’t get easier but you get better/stronger/faster. Keep posting. A few PAX got in some pre-ruck action: Shout out to Ruxpin, Leatherman, & Summit (bought a ruck, so he’s neck-deep now! 😉 )
Most of what was done and most of what YHC shared was captured in screenshots, so after the warmup info, those items will simply be posted. So here goes…
Warm-O-Rama:
SSH – 30 IC
Seal Jacks – 30 IC
Crab Flippers – 30 IC (a.k.a. Cherry Pickers)
Windmill – 15 IC
Sebif – 15 IC (Something Else But I Forgot)
All warmup repetitions were either 30-count or combined to be a 30-count, as esplained by YHC in recognition of his grandfather’s unit — the 508th PIR — which jumped into Normandy and subsequently fought for the next 33 days til getting a reprieve and being sent back to England to prep for their next mission. This day marked day 3 since jumping in…so the countdown was on at 30 reps.
508th PIR – “Red Devils”
PAX were informed through commo channels to bring a ruck if they owned one. A few extras were on hand, but 40# sandbags sufficed otherwise. The Thang, courtesy of GORUCK, would commence at Georgetown’s WWII Memorial since this past Thursday was the 75th Anniversary of D-Day.
The Skinny:
Ruck Q courtesy of GORUCK
PAX rucked 1 Mile to the field at the corner of W. North & Pleasant Streets, completed the above workout following YHC’s 3rdF, then rucked 1 Mile to return to the WWII Memorial at the Georgetown Circle. The excellent pace was set by the PAX doing a 30-steps shuffle during the ruck to and fro.
1 mile 2x
Here’s the 3rdF shared for a breather:
YHC took the PAX into a little OT, but no one’s feelings were hurt…at least he doesn’t think so.
Number-Rama: 11!
Name-O-Rama: Not sure what happened but Bovine got really confused; he thought he was Doubtfire! 🙂 FNG named Ox. Welcome to the tribe!
COT/BOM:
Announcements/Prayers
A few met up for coffeeteria at what America runs on, and had some great 2ndF.
Grateful for the opportunity to Q at the Aegis…more grateful for the opportunity to share about my Pappap and the 508th…and ever grateful for that greatest generation! Aye! Thanks for your ear, men! Awesome push by all.
WHAT: A “mini” Completely Stupid And Utterly Pointless workout. I.e. it’s not going to be anywhere near as long as most other CSAUP’s (hence “mini”), but it will, nonetheless, be a 2-hour beatdown to be remembered.
WHEN: Memorial Day — Monday, May 26 at 0500-0700 hrs.
WHERE: The Fishing Pier at Cape Henlopen State Park. We will launch from there and cover plenty of the park. ENDEX (ending exercise) will bring us to conclusion in the McBride parking lot near the Concessions/Bath-house)
This event is simply a great way to start our Memorial Day and honor all our fallen warriors. Our momentary light afflictions pale in comparison to the sacrifices they made throughout their military careers and the ultimate sacrifice each of them and their families have made.
Memorial Day CSAUP AO
IMPORTANT NOTES:
ALL PAX should bring a brief bio of a fallen service member. Perhaps someone you know or are familiar with. Or simply find one online. Print out or write it on a 5×7 card and place it in a Ziploc bag to keep it on your person. Bio’s will be read through the CSAUP on Monday. PAX without a BIO will be penalized a “21 Gun Salute”
Hydrate (drink plenty of fluids night before (a brief hydration break will be provided mid-workout)
Coffeeteria will be provided at the ENDEX finish line in the McBride parking lot (for those able to stick around for a little)
What to wear? Wear what you’d like, but keep in mind we WILL GET WET, we WILL GET SANDY, we WILL GET DIRTY (Hollow Point Tip for killin’ it: you might not want to wear your brand new running shoes if you still get upset when someone steps on the toes)
Bring a change of clothes or a towel to sit on so you can drive home without ruining your ride.
There are bathhouses at both the Fishing Pier parking area and the McBride parking areas
THIS IS A PEER-LED BATON PASS EVENT, but it will be 2-hours long. So, be thinking about what you’d like to add to the workout but lets not kill everyone right out of the gate–but then again it is supposed to be a CSAUP. Summit is going to launch us, and Chappie will lead the ENDEX. And each PAX will be given approx. 10 mins. in between. There will be plenty of workout features along the way! Woot, woot!
SITE-Q’s BRING ALL YOUR SHOVEL FLAGS
MOST IMPORTANT NOTE: Let’s embrace the suck and just have some fun!!!!!
*******Anyone’s M want to chase us around (in a car, of course) and snap a few pics for posterity?
First off, a super huge shout out to Leatherman who posted, even though his hand was shredded by a bus yesterday. Way to push through brother! A bridge workout seemed apropos since YHC wanted to design a workout to keep Troy Haynes in mind. People often say, “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.” Well, this young man has come to a bridge that he is crossing, with his family and the Woodbridge School District community by his side. Troy is an outstanding young man at his high school, a great student, and a senior quarterback for his state championship team. The bridge he is crossing, not by choice but because life has dictated that he cross it, is cancer. The community continues to rally around he and his family with the widely adopted mantra #fightlike4. 4 is his high school jersey number. We don’t have answers for why anyone faces these kinds of battles–bridges to cross–especially young, strong, and healthy. But we can certainly pray for them and rally around them as best we can when they’re crossing such bridges. That way they’re not crossing it alone. #fightlike4
So the workout included aspects of both “4” and of crossing the bridge and just plain old hard-stuff suffering. In the words of Summit,it was, “A great reminder that we are all fighting something, but sometimes what we are fighting pales in comparison to another’s battle. Stay positive and thankful.”
It went a ‘lil sum like this:
WARM-O-RAMA
SSH – 18 IC
CRAB FLIPPERS – 20 IC (It’s that season, flip ’em!)
CALF RAISES – 30 in/30 out OYO
MERKINS (selections by PAX)
Wide Arm – 4 IC #fightlike4
Diamond – 4 IC #fightlike4
Regular – 4 IC #fightlike4
Prison Cell – 4 IC #fightlike4
BUTT-KICKERS
TOY SOLDIERS
THE THANG:
Mosey to the far side of the canal bridge, i.e. the corner of Anglers Road & East Savannah Road. PAX ran past 2 deposits of sandbags. Ironic. However, as tempting as they were, they didn’t belong to F3. Yet, there was a fine stack of sandbags coupons to choose from at the aforementioned corner–deposited there by YHC. Each PAX grabbed a 40lb bag, and the beatdown commenced by performing a coupon exercise, then crossing that bridge:
Shoulder-to-shoulder – 20x
Lung/Mosey/Lung to other side of bridge (.1 mile)
Sandbag High Pulls – 20 x
Mosey to other side of bridge (.1 mile)
Brief Breather for 3rdF:
If I were to ask ‘What is the most famous prayer of all time?’ probably ALL of you guys would say it is the Lord’s Prayer. Most of you might even be able to recite it; and your only question might be whether to say trespasses, debts, or sins. It was the prayer pattern the Lord taught His disciples after they’d requested, “Lord, teach us to pray.”
It goes like this: OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME, THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD. AND FORGIVE US DEBTS, AS WE ALSO HAVE FORGIVEN OUR DEBTORS. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION, BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL. FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM, AND THE POWER, AND THE GLORY, FOREVER. AMEN. (Matt. 6:9-13)
Alot of people, men especially, struggle with prayer. But in its simplest form, prayer can be defined as talking with God. This one happens to give a pattern. It teaches: We are to start with worship, getting our minds on who He is. Acknowledging that He is above all things; that His will is our priority; that all things come from Him and we’re dependent upon Him. We acknowledge, again, the importance of keeping our relationships with others in order (forgiveness) so that we may have an unhindered relationship with Him (forgiven). It’s a prayer pattern that also expresses that we lean on Him daily as our best and only resource against the onslaught of temptation and evil in this world. And that even while in this world, we recognize we belong to another, over which He is Sovereign.
When it comes to prayer and God’s will, one illustration that is especially appropriate in this setting, is to understand that prayer is a boat hook. When we put out the boat hook, we’re not actually pulling the land/dock to us. Instead we’re using it to pull ourselves to the land/dock. I.e. we use prayer to align ourselves with God and His will.
Too often we call on God ONLY if we think we need Him or find ourselves in a tight spot (“foxhole faith”), but He wants us to call upon Him, He wants us to depend on Him, and He wants us to trust Him daily. The reason He’s given us this gift is that He wants each of us to have a relationship with Him. Personally. Not as Sky-Q but as Soul-Q.
When I joined the 28th I.D. of the PA ARNG, I was sent off to what they called “pre-basic.” While I lay in my rack after lights out on that first night wondering what I’d gotten myself into, it dawned on me to recite the Lord’s Prayer out-loud. I wanted to be a good witness to the men in my platoon, but I also went back and forth in my mind on whether I could do it. I doubted… What if I forget the words? What if nobody joins me? What if…? Finally, there in the dark barracks, I started…and from the way it sounded, EVERYONE FOLLOWED! And we all, in that moment of fear and uncertainty declared our dependence upon God; we declared that we trusted Him with the direction that each our enlistments would take us. And we found comfort both in knowing that we could call out to Him (and He’d hear), and in the esprit de corps of that experience of the Lord’s Prayer being recited in unison.
That moment also began to impress an important leadership principle into my heart and soul: “ALL IT TAKES IS FOR YOU TO LEAD.” And THAT is what HIM do. Lead!
Back at it…
Sandbag Thrusters – 20x
Lt. Dan to other side of bridge (.1 mile)
Sandbag Deadlifts – 20x
Leave sandbag on corner, prison break to start point and back, rubber legs and all! (Total = .4 miles #fightlike4)
Upon returning to the corner, each PAX grabbed his sandbag coupon for the final stretch: Wosey return to the AO, Sandbag had to be overhead. If sandbag was down, PAX had to stop. Sandbag back up overhead, PAX could keep moving. The idea was to move as far and as long as possible between breaks. Tried to go in the backdoor, but Chairman wouldn’t have it. Way to push us brother!
06:00 hrs., time!
Number-Rama/Name-O-Rama
COT:
Announcements: YHC is going to try to find some time to organize the Memorial Day Mini (CSAUP) and push thoughts on to Site-Q’s
Prayers: Troy, Zane, Wildwing’s friend, an another that YHC apparently forgets. No worries, however, our Father in Heaven remembers
BOM
Always love trying to get creative at this AO. Thanks to all the PAX who posted and got their fill of sandbags and sand. As always it was a privilege to Q! Btw, don’t forget #fightlike4
YHC is a little behind the ball on getting this BB posted, but its better late than never. Last Thursday workout was brought to you by Bo Derek…i.e. 10 HIM won the first battle, struck down the fartsack, and posted for a Chappie beatdown. First we got in the Warm-O-Rama, then we mosey’d to the Post Office. YHC figured a federal building would be a the best place to workout on our nation’s National Day of Prayer. Here’s how it all went down…
Warm-O-Rama:
Disclaimer stumbled through
SSH – 18 IC
Cherry Pickers – 18 IC
Nipple Scraper Merkins – 5 OYO (remain planked)
Merkins – 10 IC
Seal Jacks – 18 IC
Patriot Run to the “oval track” in front of the Post Office. You gotta love running with Old Glory!
The Thang:
Once reaching at the Post Office, PAX circled up while YHC stationed two 40# sandbags (restrictor plates) at each end of the oval. PAX paired up and completed the following exercises. One rule: No one could pass a sandbag. If there was a sandbag in your lane around the oval, you had to carry it half-way around (opposite end). 3rd F was introduced, then shared at the end of each round. Since it was the National Day of Prayer, each portion was contained in a letter that volunteers opened and read amongst the PAX
Intro:
Exercises: (Partners switched back and forth until the accumulated reps was accomplished)
100 Merkins
200 Squat Jumps (side-to-side)…YOWZA!!
300 American Hammers
Chattahoochee said something about Burpees, so…YHC shared the following, encouraging PAX to take some time to pray throughout the day. This was followed by the PAX doing Burpees while Chattahoochee ran the oval one last lap.
PAX collected the 2 sandbags, the shovel flag, and mosey’d back to the AO to return right on time – 0600hrs.
COT:
Announcements: Aegis closed Saturday, workout to be held at CHOP; Mystery Dinner at Milton Firehall Saturday evening 5-9, etc.
Prayers: Continued prayers for Brenda & Denny, Chairman’s mom & Dad; PRAYER FOR OUR NATION, not just today but especially today
BOM:
Great work by all the PAX, nothing but love expressed during those Jump Squats. Always appreciate the chatter! He, he! As always YHC was humbled and honored to lead.
Okay, as you can see by the BB title YHC has to come clean. True Confession: Tuesday’s workout, as quickly perceived by the astute Vanilla, had a hidden two-fold motive–1) YHC signed on to complete the GORUCK April #RuckingChallenge and needed to get in Day 1, so WE did, and, 2) A “ruck” workout without a ruck (sandbags instead) might just be a catalyst for someone to step into the circle and buy a ruck, and hence, get into rucking. Did it work? THAT is the question.
12 PAX won THAT FIRST BATTLE and got jump-started with a good Warmup VQ by Doubtfire, then those who did not have a ruck with them (ruckers were alerted night before) were directed to the shed to grab a sandbag coupon. Shout out to Leatherman, each bag NOW weighs 40lbs. PAX circled up again in the parking lot where YHC esplained the forthcoming routine…
Day 1 of the GORUCK Lucky 7 Rucking Challenge: 7 Ruck workouts 7 days during April.
PAX would carry either a 40lb ruck or a 40lb sandbag throughout the workout. PAX went 2x around the block to complete 1 mile by doing the Double-Deuce shuffle. That’s 22 shuffle/mosey steps to remember that the average of American Servicemen and women who take their own lives on a daily basis is 22. The average is said to have come down to 20, but even 1 is too many. So we shuffle 22 steps, with PAX taking turns to call a bit of a cadence, then we stepped for 22. Rinse and repeat for the entire mile.
While doing the Double-Deuce the PAX circled up for pain at corners #1 and #3:
Corner #1: PAX paired up and alternated back & forth to complete 10 sets x 10 Ruck/Sandbag Squats each…Double-deuce to corner 3.
Corner #3: PAX paired up and alternated back & forth to complete 10 sets x 10 Ruck/Sandbag Merkins each (#brutal!). Continue Double-Deuce shuffle around block to circle up again at corner 1…
Corner #1: PAX paired up and alternated back and forth to complete 10 sets x 10 Ruck/Sandbag American Hammers (a.k.a. Russian Twists) each. Continue Double-Deuce Shuffle all the way around the block, back to the AO to complete 1 mile.
Upon returning to the AO we circled to close it out with the following 3rdF:
At the beginning of March YHC posted a meme on our GroupMe that said: “THERE’S A FIGHT RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, JUST WAITING…” The idea is to get ready for whatever the fight might be. In the last couple of months, I’ve been walking through fights with people who never saw them coming. Health battles. Marriage battles. Financial battles. Emotional battles. Pornography battles. Anger battles. Etc. But my point is that I’ve NOT been in these battles with people JUST because I’m a pastor.
We tend to read or hear a statement like the above and respond individually. While it takes a personal response, that phrase was/is meant to move us into the arena of that fight corporately/together (whatever the fight may be). I.e. We are supposed to battle along side one another. After all isn’t that the 2ndF part of what of why we get together?
You can try to prove me wrong on this, but you’ll find it to be true: Did you know that almost ALL of the references to spiritual growth in the Bible are corporate/plural? That means you don’t have to read between the lines. It means that the best (if not, the only) way to grow, to fight, to gauge a victory is through/by way of the relationships we have with one another. As Maverick as we like to be, or think we should be, this means we were NEVER meant to fight alone.
Some of these thoughts were formulated from Friday’s 43 Feet Podcast (great one, listen to it). Practically speaking, we need about 3-4 other men to lock shields with. When our shields are locked together with other men beside us, we notice when they’re down. And they’ll notice when we are. So…who’s backed away, faded away, fallen aside and left a gap where once there was a shield? If you’re not sure how to answer or if you can answer that question, you may need to reevaluate your commitment to FELLOWSHIP–the 2ndF of F3.
To be honest, we don’t often see a fight coming either. Nonetheless WE CAN PREPARE. A phrase I heard on Friday’s 43 Feet podcast really caught my attention: “RELATIONAL ARRHYTHMIA” Think about that. It is TOTALLY DESCRIPTIVE! The question that follows is: Are you out of sync? In your relationships with your M, your 2.0’s, and your F3 brothers you’ve got to be in rhythm. If you’re out, it’s called relational arrhythmia. Your M will tell you when you’re out if rhythm. Your 2.0’s will tell you when you’re out of rhythm, but what about other guys? On the 43 Feet Podcast Dark Helmet said, “Without the 3 P’s you do not have a shield lock and you’re not ready/prepared for the fight. What are the 3 P’s? In short:
1) PROXIMITY: You gotta see each other, there’s gotta be physical contact (elbows, forearms touch in a shield lock). Proximity builds trust. Meeting together with a real purpose. Proximity is key because until you’re beside a man, you don’t know how he feels. You might not even notice he’s backed away from the line.
2) PURPOSE: Meet together for mutual benefit and mutual defense. Why? Because we’ve all got to have 3-4 brothers to get thru the flux of life (fights/mountains/valleys). This is the living out of Ecclesiastes 4:12, “A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.”
3) PERIODIC: The point the Dark Helmet was making here on the podcast was simply to lock down when you’re gathering, lock down EXACTLY when you’re going to get together and maintain a shield lock.
There’s a fight right around the corner, just waiting. Being prepared for it means being ready for the unexpected, while staying ready for the expected. The most important part of being ready for the fight is to be a part of a shield lock.
HIM shield lock with other men for mutual defense and mutual advantage.
YHC had a bunch of extras on his Weinke, like RR Tracks, Plank Pull Throughs, Ruck high Pulls, and, of course, Mary. However, time was called. Actually, we went into a little bit of OT; thanks for your patience, men. Great work today by all. The workout was harder than YHC thought it would be. But hey, we all completed 100 Ruck Squats, 100 Ruck Merkins, 100 Ruck American Hammers, & a 1 Mile Double-Deuce shuffle carrying 40 lbs.! Well done!
Once again we had double-digits. More often than not, that is happening and we’re no doubt on the verge of hitting some record numbers. So everybody KEEP POSTING. Awesome to see Ying Ying back out there again–he’s the only PAX in the Name-O-Rama that gets celebrated with onamonapia. Whaaat! Also, welcome Circuit, YHC was wondering if you were just a made-up “Unicorn” PAX who supposedly posted up when he was out. You’re real!
Number-Rama: Dirty Dozen
Name-O-Rama:
COT:
Announcements:
Fundraiser mentioned by Chairman, he will post it on the GroupMe.
PAX are to begin thinking through Memorial Day Mini, a bit of a CSAUP 2-hour workout at CHSP. Maps and recon suggested as each PAX is asked to bring a portion of the heat.
Prayers:
Jay, Bob, Brenda & Denny, Doubtfire’s friend/co-worker, and a few others were lifted up in prayer.
BOM
As always, it was an honor for YHC to Q it up. Site-Q’s don’t forget to add Doubtfire to your Q list for the cycle. Everyone, keep posting. Aye!
Another double-digit Saturday at the Aegis AO in Georgetown, DE. Hey, this is starting to look like a habit. Now, its time to start getting in some regular coffeeteria. YHC, along with Doubtfire and his 2.0 (FNG Fly Catcher) enjoyed some o’ that 2ndF following Saturday’s workout. Always well worth it!
11 PAX posted for what turned out to be a sunny Saturday at the Aegis–a rare sunny day, albeit rather breezy. It seems to rain more often than not at the Aegis, so we’ll take the sun any day. It went a little something like this:
DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
Moroccan Night Club’s – 18 IC
Italian Night Club’s – 18 IC
Cherry Picker, Crab Flipper, Hairy Chigger – 18 IC (CPCFHC’s)
Planks Jacks – 18 IC
Imperial Walker’s – 18 IC
THE THANG:
PAX led to YHC’s vehicle where each one received a paver & a frisbee (seriously, a frisbee).
Mosey to North Bedford Street Park carrying said coupons, holding paver OH every other block. Once arriving at the park, PAX placed pavers spread out along a line perpendicular to the swing set.
From the line of Pavers, PAX tossed their frisbee. Goal: Toss frisbee to distant picnic table in as few throws as possible (like in disc golf). Number of throws = the number of Swerkin Rounds per PAX. First 3 rounds = 25 Swerkins, subsequent rounds = 10 Swerkins (see video above for Swerkin demo). About half the PAX hit the picnic table in 3 throws (3 rounds), other half in 4 throws (4 rounds).
Frisbee Seal Crawl back to paver line.
Swerkin Round 1 – 25 Swerkins
Paver Drag to park bench, OH Press back to line.
Swerkin Round 2 – 25 Swerkins
*Frisbee Seal Crawl to picnic table was planned, but due to the number of broken frisbees from the first round YHC had to Omaha: Paver Drive to picnic table. *Apparently frisbees have a weight limit.
OH Lunge Press return to line.
Swerkin Round 3 – 25 Swerkins (those things carry some suck factor!)
Paver Drag to park bench, mosey return to line.
Subsequent Round – 10 Swerkins, while 3-Round PAX did a varied mosey around perimeter of field: Nur, Karaoke, mosey. Upon completion of Swerkins, other PAX caught up on perimeter mosey.
In midst of Swerkin rounds, PAX took a 3rd F breather. Because of sore throat and oncoming head-cold, YHC had to abbreviate his 3rdF. Here’s the full account of what was prepared/borrowed from the Q Source:
PAX stacked the pavers and frisbees for post-workout pick-up. Shout out thanks to Chattahoochee for the reload assistance!
Still time on the clock, so we circled up for a little introduction of Jack Webb (1/4 ratio).
Mosey return to AO
NUMBER-RAMA: 11 PAX, nice double-digits again! Let’s keep up the EH’ing; it’s that time of year when it’s a little easier to get new PAX to post. Hit ’em up men! Great push by all, especially Doubtfire’s 2.0 FNG!
NAME-O-RAMA: Welcome to Doubtfire’s 2.0, Harrison, now known as Fly Catcher. This young HIM is, in his own words, a “bird nerd.”
BOM:
Announcements
Prayers
Coffeeteria followed at Dunkin. Nor worries, we ate healthy and had some good fellowship between Doubtfire, Fly Catcher, and YHC.
