Author name: Johnny Hopkins

Who’s in Charge

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Date: 01/04/2024

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

Pax: Bunt, Quattro, Wood, T-Rex, Mr. Mom, Chattahoochee, Pooh, Probe, Fireplex, Streudel

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats full up to half way down, 15 squats half way down to full down, & 15 squats full motion.  All completed IC as a 4 count.

Monkey Humpers – 10 IC

SSH – 20 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

American Hammers – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Mosey @.1 miles to Holy Hill

The Thang

1st & 10 Routine per the Exicon…Well sort of….:)…..Perform 10 burpees and 1 merkin.  Nur up the hill and run down.  Perform 9 burpees and 2 merkins.  Nur up the hill and run down.  Perform 8 burpees and 3 merkins.  Nur up the hill and run down.  You recognize a pattern developing here.  Pax took a break for the 3rd F (see below) after completing the round of 5 burpees and 6 merkins.  After the break for the message, all HIM completed the rounds down through 1 burpee and 10 merkins with a final Nur up the hill and the run down.    

Mosey @.1 miles back to CHOP. 

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 01/04/2024

HOW NEW IS YOUR NEW YEAR? – #9386

January 2, 2023

There’s a reason so many of us grandparents are overcoming our technophobia and venturing into cyberspace. We get to see pictures of our grandkids as soon as they’re taken!

There’s that hilarious photo that our son sent me. It was a picture of our then one-year-old grandson sitting on the kitchen floor with a fork in his hand. Oh, yeah, with a lemon-meringue pie splatted on the floor next to him. He’s looking at the camera with an expression somewhere between “uh-oh” and “what’s the problem?”

Then came the story with the picture. Dad and big sis were outside, and Mom had to leave the room briefly. As she left, she said to our seven-year-old grandson, “You’re in charge.” Which apparently was interpreted as, “Keep playing your video game.” That’s when Terminator Toddler made his move to the pie on the counter above him. The law of gravity? Well, of course, that provided a very valuable assist.

That’s when Daddy – the event photographer – walked into the room. As he surveyed the mess on the floor, big brother made a proud announcement, “Guess what, Daddy? I’m in charge!” All Daddy could think was, “You sure you want to own this mess, son?” Strange as it may seem, I’m actually thinking about that little drama as a personal parable early in this new year.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “How New is Your New Year?”

I wonder how many times that would be a picture of imaginary conversations between God and me as He surveys that mess right in front of me? And there I am saying, “Guess what, Father? I’m in charge!” And He must be thinking as He looks at the damage, “Yeah, I could tell you’re in charge, Ron.”

So how new is any new year really going to be? Especially in the parts of our lives that are messy, confused, tense, and troubled? It may all depend on who’s in charge. I’ve found that the messes are usually in areas where I’ve hijacked the wheel from God and decided to take charge myself, often without even realizing it. Then I hear the echoes of a haunting question from God. It’s in our word for today from the Word of God in Galatians 3:3 – “After beginning with the Spirit” (that’s the Holy Spirit) “are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?”

When I’m facing something that I can’t fix or change or control, I desperately turn to Him and I say, “Jesus, take the wheel!” But somewhere along the way, Mr. Control takes it back. And that’s where the messes come from. A new year, a fresh start, usually makes us reflect a little on things that aren’t as they should be; in our marriage, our family, our finances, maybe our relationships. Maybe it’s our lifestyle, our love life, our walk with God.

If you see a mess in a part of your life that you’re looking at right now, consider whether you have moved Jesus to the margins and said, “I’m in charge” effectively making you “Lord” of that part of your life instead of Him. That’s when He asks that disturbing question, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” (Luke 6:46).

The realization that I was never meant to drive my life; that’s the first step to beginning a relationship with God; the very relationship you were made for. And when you realize that the mess of your life, the guilt of your life, the shame of your life, the hurt we’ve inflicted is because we’ve taken our life and done it our way instead of His. That’s called SIN in the bible.

And you’re ready at that point to say, “I need a Savior. I need a Rescuer from this sin.” Especially when you understand that the Bible says that sin carries an eternal death penalty, which Jesus loved you so much that He paid on the cross when He died for your sin. And He walked out of his grave; He’s alive. He can walk into your life this very day at your invitation and forgive that sin, and erase it forever.

If you’re ready for that next step that makes that possible – a new you – you can find some answers at our website ANewStory.com. I hope you’ll go there. Maybe this new year is time for new management.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Hair Of The Dog Or Maybe Just A Feather From Woodstock?

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Date: 12/05/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Pax: Bunt, Chauffer, Drago, Fireplex, Probe, Ruxpin & Streudel

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Windmills – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Moroccan Night Clubs – 30 IC

Hydraulic Squats -10 IC

The Thang

Grab a block and run around Strawberry alley back to the CHOP parking lot.  Pax will complete 20 Merkins each side with one hand on the block.  Pax will utilize the block and the curb to complete 20 abyss merkins.  Pax will complete a Lt Dan for approx. 50 yards up the hill toward Strawberry Alley utilizing the block before moseying around the block back to the CHOP parking lot for 20 American Hammers double count with the blocks followed by 20 Big Boy Sit-ups with the blocks.  Leaving that pain station each Pax will complete a 50 yard murder bunny up the hill toward the Strawberry Alley corner with the block before moseying around the block back to the CHOP parking lot.  A break was taken for the F3 Message.  All Pax will mosey up the hill to Mill Street stopping at the corner to complete a Bolt 45 set with the block in cadence.  Pax will continue the Mosey around the block from Mill Street back to CHOP parking lot where each Pax will complete 10 Alabama Ass Kickers and 10 Blockees.     

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

F3 Message – 12/05/2023

THE PAYOFF FOR THE PAIN – #3867

Tuesday, November 6, 2001

When our son was playing high school football, he looked like the tattooed man at the circus, with bruises all over his body. He always dreamed of playing football. And he had his dream, but he paid a price. As soon as practices started in August, the coaches had those players running ’til they almost dropped, and hitting, and tackling, and straining, and sweating. Some guys quit because it was just too much. Finally, the season began – and his team started winning – a lot. I remember one incredibly rowdy victory celebration on the bus home after they had managed this 20-0 shutout. He had weighed the pain of playing against the pleasure. What he concluded may help you weigh yours.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Payoff For The Pain.”

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Romans 8:17-18 – written by a man with plenty of bruises for taking his stand. But when he weighs the pain of his commitment against the pleasure of the payoff, there’s no comparison. Paul say, “We are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in His sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”

Now that was the conclusion of spiritual warrior Paul. Now here’s what our football player concluded when he weighed the pain against the payoff. He told me, “Dad, the feeling of victory is worth all those hours of practice. You didn’t think so when you’re slugging it out in practice, but it is.” Same conclusion. The victory more than makes the pain worth it. But there is one major difference between his equation of football-suffering and Paul’s equation of suffering for Christ.

Our son said, “Unfortunately, the pleasure of winning doesn’t last very long.” That was true–15 hours of practice a week for a few hours of joy. But when it comes to the pain-and-victory comparison in Christ, the opposite is true. Paul said any hurt we have here is like minutes compared to the forever celebration of victory we’re going to enjoy.

But right now you’re in practice, and you don’t feel very victorious. It hurts. You’re under a lot of pressure; you’re trying to do what’s right but it doesn’t seem to be working. And maybe God has trusted you with the assignment to show His joy and His love in the midst of physical suffering. Or perhaps you’re paying a price for the stand you’re taking. It’s tempting to compromise, to back off, maybe to give in to despair, or even to quit.

Remember, God will record your faithfulness so He can reward your faithfulness 100 times over! If you decide what to do based on comfort or convenience, you will never know the thrill of ultimate victory.

Our son said the suffering was “worth it all.” Those words make me think of the values-clarifying words of a great old hymn. “It will be worth it all when we see Jesus. One glimpse of His dear face, all sorrow will erase. So gladly run the race ’till we see Christ.”

That kind of outlook enabled the Apostle Paul to have a very different perspective on his hurts. He says in Romans 8:31, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” And then in verse 37, “In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us!”

So take the hits that you’re getting in practice right now. The victory will be so glorious you will soon forget the wounds. Don’t quit now. The practice is just a little while – the party is forever!

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Let’s Say Hill-O to Chet

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Date: 11/09/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

PAX: Bunt, Chattahoochee, Hoss, Probe, Struedel, Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Four Count Freddie’s – 30 IC

Bolt 49’s –  I lost count but it was supposed to be as follows… 15 squats full up to half way down, 15 squats half way down to full down, & 15 squats full motion.  All completed IC as a 4 count.

Windmills – 15 IC

EMT/Firefighter Chet Reynolds walked by our workout during our time at the Firehouse.  Everyone wanted to stop to say Hello to Chet.

Mosey to Oh Hill No

The Thang 

The Modified Slugger & Toy Soldier Routine.  Crawl Bear up the Hill and Bear Crawl down and complete 20 Diamond Merkins, 20 wide armed merkins and 20 Hand Release Merkins.  Nur up the Hill and mosey down and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg).    Inch worm up the hill and Nur down and complete a Toy Soldier Set 100 LBC’s, 50 E2K’s each side and 25 Big Boys. 

Mosey back to the CHOP. 

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 11/09/23

BELIEVING IN SPRING

Hope is hard to come by during the “winter” seasons of your life, like the loss of someone you love. Sometimes someone close to you dies suddenly, and the grief is almost unbearable. You are overwhelmed.

You are able to talk about the hope factor when your life is anchored to a personal relationship with the one who created you. You can know that death cannot ultimately win. Death is reduced to being a painful interruption. It can be very painful, but only an interruption.

In 1 Thessalonians 4:13 of the Word of God, it talks about those who have already died. It says, “We do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men,” listen to this, “who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him.” Verse 17 says, “We who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with those people in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.” Notice it says “…we do not grieve as others who have no hope.”

The winter will not last. The reunion in the spring is sure to come and will last forever. This is because Jesus died to remove the great separator of sin; the sin that separates us from God and from each other. Jesus conquered death the moment He walked out of His grave. He assures those who belong to Him that they will share His victory over death. Jesus is the living Savior who gives eternal life to those that are His.

So what is hope? It’s the confident expectation that there is something better than this. It’s what gets you through an otherwise depressing winter. There will be a spring. What you see isn’t what you get! Maybe it’s winter for you right now. The pain, the struggle, and the wounds are very real. If what you can see now is all there is, the outlook is bleak, but this is not all there is if you belong to Jesus.

The Bible describes it this way, “Christ in you, the hope of Glory” ( Colossians 1:27). Do those three words describe you in Jesus – Christ in you? Your relationship begins the day you do what the Bible says, “To all who received Him, to those who believed in His name He gave the right to become the children of God” ( John 1:12). As the Bible asks so beautifully, “If God is for us who could be against us?” ( Romans 8:21).

If you’re short of hope, there is Jesus. The very hopelessness of this winter you are in could be the very thing that drives you to His waiting arms and to the hope only this living Savior can give. With Jesus you can live in real hope. The confident expectation that there will be something better than this is guaranteed by the Son of God Himself. He will bring the spring.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

They Named A Corner After You

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Date: 10/03/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE 19968

QIC: Fireplex

PAX: Bunt, Chattahoochee, Drago, Fireplex, Probe, Ruxpin, Toad, Toy Soldier

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats

Windmills – 20 IC  

The Thang

Hindenburg BLIMPS from the Exicon

Modified version of Blimps. Perform exercise at corner #1, mosey to corner #2, perform exercise, mosey to corner #3, perform exercise.  Then mosey to corner #4, perform exercise, and then mosey back to corner #1.  Plank it up until all PAX are in.  That completes one round.  Round #1 – 10 Burpees. Round #2 – 20 Lunges each leg.  Round #3 – 30 Imperial Walkers.  Round #4 – 40 Merkins.  Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks.  Round #6 – 60 Squats.

Each round consists of @ .25 miles – Mill Street was the block of choice.  All Pax completed four rounds through the round of 40 Merkins at each corner. One evolution of the 50 Plankjacks and one evolution of 60 squats was completed in the COT to finish the morning strong.

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

F3 message 10/03/2023

THE HARVEST OF DOING GOOD – #9207

April 26, 2022

Our friend Mark grew up on the farm; actually on an Ozark Mountain farm. And that means rocks in your fields! One local grandfather used to say, “Every time it rains I grow rocks in my field.” Mark knows all about that. Over a period of time, his mother made him clear hundreds of rocks out of one of their fields when he was just a little guy. Well then, Mark bought some land from his mother as an adult. And as he started to work one of those fields, he was really pleasantly surprised by how amazingly rock-free it is. Then it dawned on him, this was the field he had made rock-free when he was a boy!

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Harvest of Doing Good.”

Mark was reaping the good work he did many years ago, enjoying the benefits of those efforts. That’s a reminder of one of the wisest laws in the Bible, “Whatsoever a man sows, that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). We usually think about that in terms of the bad consequences of the bad seed we sow, but there’s another side to that reaping equation.

In Galatians 6:8-9, our word for today from the Word of God, it says, “The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the spirit will reap eternal life.” So you don’t just reap the bad you sow; you reap the good you sow. Paul goes on to make a very practical application, “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”

Why do we sometimes give up on some of the good we’re trying to do? Well, because of the nature of harvesting. If a farmer plants corn on a Tuesday, he doesn’t go out and pick it on a Wednesday, or maybe for many, many Wednesdays after that. There’s a time lag between sowing and reaping, and so it can look like nothing’s going to come from it. So we quit sowing in the lives of our children, our church, our coworkers, our friends.

But we end up living today in the life we built yesterday – the relationships we built – good or bad, the reputation we built. We’re living in it today. The ways we’ve treated people. Well, you did some sowing today and you’ll ultimately get back the kinds of things you sowed. So spend the time that person needs from you. Consciously do random acts of kindness each day. Give a gift when there’s no occasion for your appreciation; just giving it for the person themself. Send those thank you notes. Give that compliment; that word of encouragement. Use the money God’s entrusted to you to lift people’s burdens and people’s spirits. Don’t be afraid to be generous. After all, Jesus said, “You lose your life by trying to hang onto it, but you find your life by giving it away” (Luke 9:24).

Scripture is full of encouragement to keep sowing good seed. “Cast your bread upon the waters, for after many days you will find it again” (Ecclesiastes 11:1). “With the measure you use, it will be measured to you – and even more” (Mark 4:24). “A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25). Don’t be afraid of what you’ll lose by giving. God has promised that you’re going to gain so much more. You don’t become richer by keeping what you’ve got. You become richer in your life in some way or another by giving it away.

So, keep scattering good seed wherever you go. Make it a daily thing, because when you do, somewhere down the road there’s an awesome harvest coming.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

“Streudel” Claps

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Flat-Bottom Gets a Flat-Top

WARM-UP

SSH – 20 IC

Moroccan Night Clubs – 20 IC

Bolt “60” – Yup 60 !!

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

“Streudel” Claps – 15 IC

Date: 09/21/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Streudel MANNINGTON

PAX: Bunt, Chattahoochee, Fireplex, Flatbottom, Probe, Streudel, Quattro, Toy Soldier, TRex, Wood

THE THANG

10 Mike Tysons against the Firehouse Wall, then to the parking lot for 10 squats with a coupon. Run up the stairs at the back of the firehouse and back to the wall. 9 Big Boys. then to the parking lot for 9 curls with the coupon. Run up the stairs at the back of the fire house and back to the wall for 8 Mike Tyson’s, then to the parking lot for 8 squats with the coupon. Rinse and repeat until completing all rounds down to 1. Streudel gave us a break when completed through the round of 5 for the third F. See message below. After which all Pax completed the evolution. A round of Mary with each Pax providing an exercise was completed before the Circle of Trust..

F3 Message – 09/21/2023

Matthew 5:1-12 New King James Version

The Beatitudes

5 And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 Blessed are those who mourn,
For they shall be comforted.
5 Blessed are the meek,
For they shall inherit the [a]earth.
6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.
7 Blessed are the merciful,
For they shall obtain mercy.
8 Blessed are the pure in heart,
For they shall see God.
9 Blessed are the peacemakers,
For they shall be called sons of God.
10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,
For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

Respectfully Submitted,

Streudel

Don’t Wear White After Labor Day

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Congrats to Chattahoochee for 100 Posts. You would have thought he would have stood up to accept the recognition.
Congrats to Sherlock for 100 Posts. Never know where he might be lurking.
Congrats to Probe on accepting the duty of Site Q at the CHOP. Please outlaw ranger panties.
Guest appearance by Hot Dawg to collect the school supplies. Great job everyone!! Hot Dawg promises to attend more.

Date: 09/05/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

Pax: Hot Dawg, Whirlybird, Sherlock, Toy Soldier, Chattahoochee, Probe, Fireplex

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

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

Imperial Walkers – 15 IC

Hydraulic Squats – 10 IC (6 Count)

Mosey .20 miles to “Oh Hill No”

The Thang

Nur up “Oh Hill No”, Bear Crawl down and complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Plank for the 6.  Crawl Bear up the hill, Bear Crawl down and complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys.  Plank for the 6. A break was taken for the F3 message (see message below). Last Round was a Dragon Crawl up the hill, Bear Crawl down and complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10 Merkins & 10 Big Boys

Mosey .20 miles back to CHOP.  A toy soldier set of 100 LBC’s, 50 E2K’s (Each Side), and 25 Big Boys completed the beatdown.

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

F3 Message 09/05/23

FREEING THE SLAVES – #6665

Friday, July 27, 2012

When someone in our house felt overworked or unfairly overloaded, sometimes you’d hear them say, kiddingly I think, “Hey, I thought Lincoln freed the slaves!” Well, actually, I think the members of our family might have been right about all of us. We do need an update on that Emancipation Proclamation. In fact, you might be surprised who the slaves are today, and the slave master. The slaves are nice people, successful people; maybe someone like you.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Freeing the Slaves.”

Now, our word for today from the Word of God is found in Deuteronomy 5:12. Now, this is the second time around to a new generation of Jews that the Ten Commandments are given. In the original Ten Commandments it said that you are to keep the Sabbath Day holy – a day of rest. But notice there is a new addition this time; I’ll read it to you.

“Observe the Sabbath day by keeping it holy as the Lord your God has commanded you.” Now, that’s pretty much the same as the first time around in Exodus 20. “Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a Sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your manservant, nor your maidservant…”

Now, this sort of closes up the loophole, saying, “Okay, I won’t work, I’ll just get the other guys to do it.” It goes on to say, “…no, nor your ox, your donkey or any of your animals.” Now, just in case you had a visitor in the house and you were going to have him mow the lawn for you, it says, “…not the alien within your gates, so that your manservant and maidservant may rest as you do. Remember that you were slaves in Egypt and that the Lord God brought you out of there with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. Therefore, the Lord your God has commanded you to observe the Sabbath day.”

Now, get this command here. He talks about our working life, he acknowledges that we are going to be working much or most of the time, but then He says, “It is my commandment that you get regular rest and regular worship during that time.” Then He goes back to the subject of slavery. He says, “There was a time, my people, when you had no choice about working all the time. You were slaves then. There was a time when you had to work without rest, but now you can choose, and I want you to choose regularly, on a weekly basis, to stop and rest and stop all the busyness around you and bring it to a halt.”

Now He’s saying, “Don’t lose your priorities now that you can choose to rest.” You know, in our world today we are like all accelerator and no brakes. We’re living lives without Sabbaths. They’re supposed to be part of the created order of God. Think about your own life; the rat race; the gerbil wheel you run on. Your times off maybe are getting farther apart, they’re shorter. Your family is beginning to feel your absence because you’ve been running to work so much. You’ve piled one commitment on top of another, so you can’t ever stop. And you’ve got so many competing commitments, there’s just no time to rest. There’s little time left just to crash, to play, to laugh, to think, to meet your Lord. You’re not doing your work; you are your work.

Stand back, would you? There’s a better way to live with regular rest as ordained by Almighty God. Otherwise, you’re a slave. You’re a slave to your work. Don’t live in violation of God’s command to rest. The alternative is slavery. And remember, Jesus freed the slaves.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

F3 A Burpee

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Date: 08/17/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 15 IC

Bolt 45’s – 15 squats to halfway down.   15 squats halfway to full down.  15 full squats

Imperial Walkers – 15 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

Mosey from CHOP .2 mile around Strawberry Alley and back to grass by the bank parking lot.

The Thang

 Q brought a modified Super 21 beatdown in descending order.  21 Burpees to 21 Big Boy Sit ups.  20 Burpees to 20 Big Boy Sit ups.  19 Burpees to 19 Big Boy Sit ups, etc., etc., etc.  An option was given to modify the evolution in ascending order.  A break was called for the 3rd F message at the Q’s discretion.  231 of each exercise would be completed if the evolution is completed in its entirety.  The best for the day was completed by Probe descending down through the round of 8.  

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

F3 Message 08/17/23

WHEN THINGS ARE OVERWHELMING – #9541

August 7, 2023

My wife always said I usually try to cram in one more thing before I leave for an appointment. No, she was right. Yeah, she’d say that I usually try to make it up on the road, and sometimes I do have to plead guilty I guess. And it usually works okay if the weather’s on my side. And then there are those very rainy days when it’s a little tougher to hurry. You know, you’re zipping down the highway at top speed, and suddenly you feel yourself losing control of the rear wheels. You ever had that happen to you? Yeah, it’s what they call hydroplaning. The water builds up under those tires so that well, you’re suddenly skiing. You’re skimming along on water rather than on the pavement and the rear of your car starts to go somewhere you don’t want it to go. Now, if that’s ever happened to you, you know it is a scary feeling to start hydroplaning because, well, you’re going so fast and you’re starting to start losing control.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “When Things Are Overwhelming.”

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 42. As we read this, the author (DAVID) is hydroplaning. Well, he didn’t have a car, he had a chariot. And I don’t know if chariots hydroplane or not, but things were moving so fast for him, he was beginning to lose control. In fact, listen to some of the descriptions he gives. He says, “My tears have been my food day and night.” Then as you read on later in this very personal Psalm, he uses words like this: “Why are you so downcast oh my soul? Why are you so disturbed within me?” Then he says, “My soul is downcast within me. All Your waves and breakers, Lord, have swept over me.” This guy’s in bad shape!

He says, “Man, things are just totally out of control.” I was there not too long ago feeling this way. I think it was accumulated over a period of several weeks. Challenges had just been getting much bigger than my resources. Personally I felt like my faith was kind of like a fitted sheet on a king sized bed and I couldn’t quite get it over that fourth corner. I couldn’t get it to reach far enough to cover the particular challenges and the pressures that were accumulating. And I’ll be honest with you, I was overwhelmed, I get there sometimes. I was pretty anxious, I was feeling like I would never catch up. And then I wandered into Psalm 42, where I was hit with a very probing question by a man who was feeling things out-of-control like I was. And as it turned out, that question turned out to be the answer.

Here’s our word for today from the Word of God. The question is in Psalm 42:2. It says this: “When can I go and meet with God?” So the writer says, “I’m losing control. It’s bigger than I am. When can I go and meet with God?” You know, just like the writer of that Psalm, I needed to stop the world and get away for 24 hours with my Bible and a notepad and meet with God. And I did.

That’s been repeated many times. Maybe that’s the prescription for you right now. You say, “Well, there’s too much for me to stop right now.” See, that’s why you need to. Set a time to stop. Stand back, and listen to your Lord for an extended, unhurried chunk of time – for hours, not just minutes. Write down what you’re feeling and what you’re thinking as you’re in His presence for that extended time. And ask Him for a fresh look at the people and the pressures so you can see the forest and not just the trees. Ask Him to help you see it through His eyes. Set some priorities while you’re in that away spot. Make plans. Weed out things that can go. You can trust what you get from God when you’re in an extended time in His presence. And those need to be scheduled on a pretty regular basis.

So, if you’re traveling at high speed, you feel yourself losing control, slow down, hit the brakes, carve out time away where your Lord can show you what He wants, and He can have your undivided attention.

The number one question you have to answer right now is this: “When can I go and meet with God?”

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

August 17, 2023 – F3 A Burpee

I Hate Burpees

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Date: 06/20/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Bolt 60’s – 20 squats to halfway down.   20 squats halfway to full down.  20 full squats. THANKS PROBE !!

Windmills – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Mosey .2 miles to “Oh Hill No”.   

The Thang

Burp Back Mountain….Pax pair up to complete 100 Burpees each or as many as possible.  One PAX Nurs up the hill and runs down 3 times while the other works on his burpees.  When all Pax reached 50 Burpees a break for the F3 message took place. One more complete round was completed before moving on to 50 Four-Count Freddie’s (IC) and finishing with a Toy Soldier set of 50 LBC’s. 25 E2K’s (each side), and 15 Big Boys.

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

Mosey .2 miles back to CHOP.  

F3 Message – 06/20/2023

UNUSED CAPABILITIES – #2736

So much of the furniture and equipment in our office is a God-story. He has miraculously provided so many things through His people – things we could never have been able to buy. One of those things is our telephone system. A Christian brother was upgrading the system at his company – and donated his old system to us. And that old system is great for us! Now our phones have this battery of buttons on them – most of which we have just been looking at or ignoring. We have had no idea what they do. Our Team has been so busy that no one has really had the time to read the manual! Finally, we assigned that research to Jeff – and the other day, he reported back to our Team. He showed us all kinds of sophisticated tricks our phones could do – and here we’ve been settling for just using a phone line and the “hold” button. These phones are amazing. They’ve been amazing all along. We’ve been slumming it – when we could have been going in style!

Well, I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Unused Capabilities.”

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Matthew 14:25. Jesus’ disciples were out in a boat and they’re being battered by a violent storm. “During the fourth watch of the night, Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw Him walking on the lake, they were terrified. ‘It’s a ghost,’ they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: ‘Take courage! It is I! Don’t be afraid.’ ‘Lord, if its You,’ Peter replied, ‘tell me to come to You on the water.’ ‘Come,’ He said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus.”

All the disciples were just trying to ride out the storm. But Peter suddenly got a glimpse of the power of his Master – and of something supernatural he could do if he risked everything on Jesus. And suddenly Peter was doing what people don’t do – he was walking on water!

The fact is that Jesus may be preparing you to step up to something far more supernatural than you’ve ever been or done before. In fact, He’s made your heart restless for more so you would get out of the boat and start walking toward Him in an exciting new way. Peter found out that day that if Jesus wants you to do it – no matter how beyond your capability it may be – He will give you whatever it takes to do it.

A lot of our Christian lives are like our Team and those multi-faceted phones. We’re settling for a level that is far below where we could be living. We’re looking at all those spiritual buttons. We may know some other people who have tapped into those capabilities. But we are settling for a powerless life when Christ in us wants to make our life really powerful. We’re settling for the mediocre when we’re wired for the miraculous. You have the Holy Spirit of Almighty God living in your body – you have backing you up the authority that Jesus has over everything in the universe – you have Jesus’ resurrection power in your life – are you living like it? Or are you settling for only pushing a couple of God’s buttons when there are so many more that could open up a whole new frontier for you?

You need to be reading the Manual – the Bible – every day. Not just for theology – but looking for the keys to powerful faith – and then using them. And tell the Lord you want the “something more” He’s been making your heart hungry for. Surrender yourself to Him – let go of those areas you have insisted on controlling – get out of the safe little boat and dare to walk where you’ve never walked before!

Your Lord is “able to do immeasurably more than all we could ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us” (Ephesians 3:21). Immeasurably more. Like our phone system, it’s all right there. You got it when you got Jesus. It’s time you began to be and do all you were created for.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Hydraulic What ? Hill No !

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Date: 04/04/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 25 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Hydraulic Bolt 45’s – 15 squats full up to half-way down, 15 squats half-way down to full down, & 15 hydraulic squats full motion (6 Count).  All completed IC.

Windmills – 15 IC

The Thang

Mosey to “Oh Hill No” and complete a round of Merkin Jax.  Merkin Jax are a 1:4 ratio of I merkin to 4 plank jacks followed by 2 merkins to 8 plank jacks continuing until reaching the 10:40 ratio.  Next all Pax lined up for a modified Spartan Run Routine – Nur up the hill and run down and drop and do 15 merkins. Nur up the hill and run down and drop and do 15 merkins. All Pax completed the evolution as many reps as possible (AMRAP) with the remainder of the time available before moseying back to CHOP.

F3 Message

Mosey back to CHOP

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 04/04/23

THE SURPRISING SECRET OF GREATNESS – #9292

August 23, 2022

The book is called Good to Great. It’s a thought-provoking book on management written by Jim Collins and a research team that he headed. They identified eleven of the most effective companies in the United States, and then they pursued this question: “What specifically makes these companies so different?” This research actually challenged many of the author’s preconceptions. There were actually lots of surprises. Interestingly, the first thing Collins and his team point to as common to every one of these consistently successful companies is this, and it is a surprise – the modesty of the various CEOs who led them. They suggest that the starting point of a great company is a humble leader – highly focused, sometimes driven people – but known for being gracious, self-effacing, understated. I guess in a word, humble.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Surprising Secret of Greatness.”

If you’ve listened much to what Jesus says about leadership, those recent “discoveries” shouldn’t be a great surprise to you. In Mark 10, beginning with verse 42, our word for today from the Word of God, Jesus presents what most people believe about being a leader – and then the truth according to Jesus.

He says: “You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them…not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all.” Then Jesus backs it up with the way He lived His own life: “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”

Jesus believes that you can earn your authority in people’s lives by serving them, by putting them first, by helping them succeed. And, sure enough, the most contemporary research only reinforces the importance of humility in leadership. The Good to Great authors illustrate their conclusions in this area with what they call windows and mirrors. When these successful CEOs do something right, they walk over to a window and point to all the reasons out there (especially all the other people) that are the reasons for their success. When they do something wrong, they walk to a mirror and they assume the blame themselves. Less effective leaders? Well, the authors say they do it just the other way around – when things go wrong they point out the window and point to excuses and explanations. When things are going right, they go to the mirror to admire the one who deserves the credit they think.

Whether you’re in a position to lead your children, or lead a business, or a staff, or a church, a class, a project, a ministry, don’t fall for the popular lies about leading people – that success means being pushy or punishing, pulling rank, playing politics, manipulating, promoting yourself. No, it’s humble servanthood that is the surprising secret of success. That’s humility as in always being teachable, and courteous, vulnerable, willing to accept responsibility rather than place blame; caring about the person, not just the project.

Former Attorney General John Ashcroft’s godly father tried to prepare him for life in the nation’s Capitol after his son had gotten elected to the United States Senate. Listen to what he said, “John, the culture of Washington is a culture of arrogance.” (By the way, most power-centers are.) He said, ” But the culture of Jesus is a culture of humility. Don’t get sucked into the culture of arrogance.”

That’s good advice for any of us who have someone to lead. Remember, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (1 Peter 5:5).

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

What the Hill Pooh

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Date: 03/23/2023

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Pooh VQ

Warmup

SSH – 20 IC

Moroccan Night Clubs – 30 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Bolt 45’s

The Thang

Moseyed to “Oh Hill No” where Pax completed a bear crawl up the hill and a crawl bear down. Then each Pax completed 10 burpees, 20 merkins, and 30 squats. Plank for the six. Pax Nur’d up the hill and ran down and completed 10 burpees, 20 merkins, and 30 squats. Plank for the six. Pax Nur’d up the hill and ran down and completed 25 LBC’s, 25 flutter kicks, and 25 squats. Plank for the six. A break was taken for the 3rd F Message. Then each Pax completed a bear crawl up the hill and a crawl bear back down and completed 5 of the 6 previously identified exercises at their discretion. Plank for the six. Pax mosey’d back to the AO for a round of Mary to finish the beatdown.

The beatdown ended with a COT with a name-o-rama, announcements, and a prayer.

F3 message 03/23/2023

God created humans in His image. We have the distinction of being designed on the model of our creator and Lord. As such, we are treasured by Him. We should take note that those around us are also made in the image of God. That person in line at the grocery store, that face on social media, that server at dinner — all are made in God’s image, and God cherishes them all. They are all human beings and creations of God. Knowing that we are all made in the image of God should prompt us to see value in others. God calls us to love one another. Seeing value in everyone is not the same as agreeing or being best friends with everyone. Instead, it means showing all people the love of Christ through what we do and how we treat them. Each person brings value to the world and to God’s kingdom. We all have purpose, and we should treat all people mindfully and with great respect because God has deemed them of value.

Respectfully, POOH

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