19 PAX won that first battle and posted at CHOP to take part in YHC’s 200th Post celebration with a good old fashioned stations workout. Truth be told YHC’s been working on this one for weeks, brainstorming and adding items to the 3×5 card on his desk as his Q crept closer. Here’s the 411, the skinny, the low-down…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 25 IC
Seal Jack – 21 IC (or, something like that; got rep-jacked by PAX who wets himself every time SSH’s are called)
Swartzjack – 18 IC
Crab Flippers – 16 IC
THE THANG:
YHC took a brief to explain the stations
Partner Up – Work through stations at each cone.
The WHOLE Idea: KEEP MOVING! thru the 10 STATIONS: (not necessarily in this order, follow instructions on paper at each cone)
20 Abyss Merkins
Firehose Pulls (partner resist, cone to cone) Safety brief: Resisting… DO NOT faceplant partner!!
20 Partner Big Boys (interlock/hold ankles)
Chairman Lap: 0.27 miles
10 Swerkins
40 Curls for the Girls (w/Cindy)
10 Compass Squats (THE crowd pleaser of the day)
20 Patty Cake Merkins
Sandbag Steps (single leg over parking blocks – down & back)
10 Sandbag Burpees
CHANGE IT UP! Big Dice, 3 Options…
+ ROLL SNAKE EYES: No Burpees/No run
+ ANYTHING but SNAKE EYES = 18 Burpees/Long Run (a 0.50 mile mosey around the block)
+ NO ROLL, JUST RUN: Choose the hard thing & do it. No gambles, no negotiations. Just a choice.
3rdF Shared Near End of Workout
TRex asked on Saturday how we did over the past year in achieving our goals. Not many of us responded. Unfortunately that’s probably more often the case than not. In fact, many won’t set goals because they know they’re not likely to keep them, and, therefore, won’t even take the time to seriously think through setting goals.
I can’t say that Ruxpin’s goal was to post for 200 workouts this year. Personally, it was in the back of my mind and perhaps a small’ish goal, but YHC’s real goal was simply to be consistent. Consistency meant working out after being all night helping 2.0’s with issues and dead tired, working out with a head full of snot, working out in the rain, the snow, the hot, the cold, or working out when I just didn’t feel like getting out of the Fartsack. I said it before, and I’ll say it again, I post because I know you guys will be here. I honestly wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for knowing you’re all going to be here. The patch for 100 workouts or 200 workouts isn’t the real reward, CONSISTENCY itself is the reward! I love that F3 is a community of consistency! I heard the quote recently that, “Commitment gets you started, but consistency takes you to the finish.”
So maybe last year you committed to some goals, but came up short because you lacked the consistency to follow through. Keep in mind we have to live out consistency exactly where God has placed us. Maybe things got changed up in the past year. Doesn’t matter, live it out where God placed you. That may mean sacrifice, serving others, or stepping in somewhere to make a difference. (Somewhere uncomfortable and unfamiliar, but nonetheless where you’re called to make a difference.)
Consistency isn’t a once-and-done thing; not once a month, not once a week, but everyday…and sometimes even hourly or moment by moment, depending on the curveball life throws at you. I’ve talked about consistency in posting for workouts, and while consistency here is great and you will benefit by it in Fitness, Fellowship, and Faith—you become stronger, gain endurance, and lose weight; you build deeper and lasting camaraderie; and your belief system/faith is shored-up on a firmer foundation—all of these are only a microcosm of what’s going on in the real world. So consistency, as we’re heading into a 2023 may require making some changes or taking some new steps. Maybe not New Year’s resolutions per se, but commitment to more attainable goals. Goals which are not “possible”, but are better labeled instead as “probable.”
Make changes and take steps that’ll help you live consistently for the Lord, your family, your workplace and for the communities in which you live and serve. That way when crisis comes, your consistency will trump its challenges, there will be no need to panic. You’ll stay committed to family, job, friends, to achieving your goals…especially if you’re first commitment is to the Lord and consistency in your daily walk with Him. Start 2023 by intentionally renewing your commitment to Him. But don’t forget: Commitment only gets you started, consistency takes you to the finish! Be HIM and be consistent.
Each group finished up their last station(s) and YHC called it a wrap: (All made it through the stations at least once)
COT:
Number-Rama – 19 PAX said, “There’s a heatwave; it’s back up to 24 degrees so I’m posting!”
Name-O-Rama
Announcements: SLT (Shared Leadership Team meeting scheduled for Thu. evening Jan. 12, 2023 for strategic planning, etc. Details/Location/Agenda TBD). YHC honored to be among the 2 @f3firstState PAX to earn the 200 Posts patch. #earnednevergiven
Prayer: No specific personal; requests offered up besides prayer for those in our Armed Forces away from home over the Holidays and for our first responders.
Always love Q’ing. Thanx to all the men who stuck around to help put gear away.
Blockbuster with his Swag – Proud of our Army Bound Young BrotherProud Dad20 Straight Workouts for Ruxpin – The man’s a beast on the verge of getting even more RESPECT
Date: 02/26/2022
AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE
QIC: Fireplex
Warm up
SSH – 25 IC
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
Monkey Humpers – 15 IC
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.
Windmills – 20 IC
The Thang
Mosey to Ruby Slippers home for a robust round of 20 monkey humpers followed by 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. It types easier than it really is…????..
F3 message before leaving the first pain station.
Mosey to the Georgetown Elementary School and completed a deconstructed toy soldier set that 50 LBC’s, 30 E2K’s each side, and 20 big boys. Nur to each sidewalk across the front completing the 50 lbc’s, then 30 E2K’s, then a second set of 30 E2K’s opposite side, and finally the 20 big boys. Rinse and repeat and return to the starting sidewalk.
Mosey to Georgetown Public Library where all PAX completed a round of Captain Thor – 1 Big Boy sit up to 4 American hammers in a ratio up to 10:40.
Mosey to the Armory steps and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 Iron Mike’s (10 each Leg). The twist is that each PAX will box jump up each step up of the armory and walk down each step before performing each individual exercise of Aiken Legs.
Mosey back to AEGIS for 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. Please keep Blockbuster in your thoughts and prayers as he leaves for Army boot camp. Congrats to Ruxpin for completing 20 straight workouts and joining the RESPECT crowd on 2/28/22.
They’re some of the best of the best in America’s military. They’re known as the Navy Seals. And when there’s a mission that’s almost impossible, they send the Seals behind enemy lines, or maybe it’s a highly sensitive covert mission, against enormous odds. They’re trained in just about any military skill you can think of. In fact, their training was the subject of a cover story in a national magazine a while back; especially that brutal final week that decides who will and will not be a Navy Seal.
Cold, and wet, and fatigued, there’s pain, there’s a pace that are more than most human beings could bear. And some might call it cruel and extreme. But the Navy is trying to prepare these men for heroism. They say they’re trying to build men who learn one mindset that is often the difference between a hero and a zero. Turn off the pain and focus on the mission.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “The Mission and the Pain.”
Here’s our word for today from the Word of God – 2 Timothy 2:1. God says, “You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.” See, God doesn’t need any more spiritual wimps. That’s why He’s calling for warriors here. And in verse 4 He says, “No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs. He wants to please his commanding officer.”
Well, what does that take? Verse 3: “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Endurance: staying with the mission even when you’re hurting. Those Navy Seals do it for their country. We do it for our Savior. Our mission is to be like Jesus so the people in our world can get a good look at what He’s like. And to be His personal representative to people who are lost and needy and have no hope for eternity without Him.
There’s one problem though. Instead of turning off the pain and focusing on the mission, our tendency is to focus on our pain and forget our mission, and put the work of the Lord at the mercy of how we’re feeling. When we’re hurting, let’s face it, we usually get pretty self-focused don’t we? We’re consumed with our survival, our needs, our hurt. And that’s natural. It’s understandable, but it’s unacceptable for a soldier of Jesus Christ.
No matter how great the pain was, He never abandoned His mission; not when His family turned against Him, not when the crowds turned against Him, not when His life was threatened, not when He was arrested or beaten or humiliated or nailed to a cross. Even when He was dying, Jesus was looking out for His mother. He was reaching out to a dying thief, He was forgiving His crucifiers.
We will never begin to face the pain that our leader did. But we do have our share of pain. Here’s the question: Do we retreat from what we’ve been doing for the Lord when it gets hard or when we’re hurting? Are we so full of our own agenda that we shut down to the needs of others? Do we quit when it’s dark?
If you forget your mission because of your pain, you can still belong to Jesus. His love for us is unconditional. This isn’t about His love for you. It’s about your love and service for Him. He wants to trust you with some heroic assignments for Him. He’s got so much to be done! He’s looking for heroes like the song says, “Jesus needs a few good men.” And I might say, “a few good women.”
In the rigors of your life right now the training and testing of Jesus are not to hurt you. They’re not to sink you. They’re His tools to make you a warrior. To strengthen you. to prepare you for a great work for Him. So be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.
14 PAX hit THE button to win that first battle and posted for something Postal. Here’s how QIC Chappie broke it down…
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 18 IC
IW – 18 IC
Windmill – 18 IC
Crab Flippers – 18 IC (a local favorite)
Low Slow Squat – 18 IC
MOSEY/WOSEY TO POST OFFICE: Litter-Carry the Sandbags – 1 40lb & 1 20lb (60lbs total per littler). PAX have to work together…tiny synchronized steps fellas, tiny synchronized [double-time] steps.
Stations
THE THANG: (Count off by 4’s = 4 teams, 3 PAX each, with 2 remaining PAX to start in the middle)
2 PAX at a time will rotate into middle: 10 Sandbag Burpees
Other PAX located around the circle at 4 STATIONS:
Curb-side Shoulder Tap Merkins 5/5 (Rinse & Repeat, AMRAP)
20lb Jump Squats (feet in/feet out) AMRAP Word on the street: This one was an unexpected killer!
Each time 2 PAX IN MIDDLE COMPLETED SANDBAG BURPEES, TEAMS ROTATED WITH FULL LAP TO NEXT STATION (New PAX goes to middle)
GOAL: Get all PAX thru SB Burpees at least once. (goal accomplished)
Mosey/Wosey back to AO, litter-carrying the sandbags (free-loaders!)
Good Problems: More Q’s equal less QIC opportunities, so YHC was glad to get back in the saddle at the CHOP AO. Always eager, Aye!
COT:
Announcements: Watch the horizon for a leadership pow-wow. Planting locations to be discussed. Planning for Memorial Day mini CSAUP, etc.
Prayers: YHC lifted up several requests: Fireplex’s dad; Nugget’s aunt’s family; employee and friend of Woodstock, Rob, recovery and healing from brain surgery. Most of all that God would allow us and empower to be HIM, superior to our younger self, in our homes, workplaces and the communities in which we serve. (For more details check out the 3rdF below – conspicuously shared after our 3rd round.)
Chappie, out!
3rdF Shared After the 3rd Round:
Earnest Hemingway said, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
For anyone who’s got a competitive nature, which is just about every man I know, that might sound bit counter-intuitive (my favorite words this week for some reason). I mean, who doesn’t strive to run farther and faster than the other guy? Who doesn’t want to have their hand raised in the center of the ring/mat as victor after a hard-fought battle for superiority? Who doesn’t want to blow their competition out of the proverbial water? Yet Hemingway says, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.”
I think we might understand better what Hemingway was getting at if we rephrase his statement using F3 terminology: “It’s you against you!”
Now if we tend to think about that only in terms of physical superiority, eventually we’re going to come up short. I’d like to think at age 54, I can still kick the tail of the younger version of myself–shoot, that’s part of what motivates me to workout with you guys and why I’m thankful for F3! But truth be told, eventually I’m going to age-out of being able to do that physically. I don’t know where that line is or when I’ll cross it, but eventually I know I will.
The same is true whether we’re talking about superiority over others or ourselves. And, again, just in terms of physicality there will always be some other competitor who is superior. Yes, we can (and should) engage in healthy competition, it sharpens us. But in terms of being superior to your former self, and, it being “you against you,” the superiority must also (and even more so) include your character and your nature. It must include superiority over yourself in terms of mind, will, emotions AND SPIRITUALITY!
Are you stronger than your former self?
Are you better at handling your finances than your former self?
…better at raising your kids than your former self?
…better at loving others than your former self?
…a better husband than your former self?
…a better employee or employer than your former self?
Are you better at handling your anger or other emotions than your former self?
Are you wiser than your former self?
…more patient than your former self?
…more faithful/faith-filled than your former self?
…more enduring than your former self?
Are you a better leader than your former self?
And the list goes on…
You see, the comparison between you and others is more often than not out-of-place, and it’s utterly misguided and misguiding! The real competition is within. We CANNOT compare ourselves with others. The comparison is actually more personal. “True nobility is being superior to your former self.”
Galatians 6:4 says “Pay careful attention to your own work, for then you will get the satisfaction of a job well done, and you won’t need to compare yourself to anyone else.”
Today, in your home, in your workplace, and in the community in which you serve, work on being superior to your former self. It’s you against you!
F3 is the place to be, for both you and me. Nobody here forces you to do what you do. We are here to help, not only when you yelp but also in our daily lives, for those things you can’t tell your wives. It’s time to get this show on the road, before our energy gets forever slowed.
Warm up
25 Cherrypickers, 25 Side straddle hops, 25 windmills
Mosey to ACE parking lot to do 25 merkins, 25 big boys, carry weights while others planked or bear crawled behind you, 25 jump squats, wall sit for 2 minutes, dead cockroach for 2 minutes, mosey to CHOP for Circle Burp and ended with 25 (3 count) flutterkicks.
15 seal jacks i/c 15 mountain man pooper i/c 10 hip circles oyo, each way 15 seal wave i/c 15 Windmill i/c
The Thang Every HIM grabs a coupon
25 blockeys, Chairman lap 50 lunges per leg, Chairman lap 100 curls, Chairman lap 200 lbcs, Chairman lap 100 curls, Chairman lap 50 lunges per leg, Chairman lap 25 burpees, Chairman lap
3rd F https://oneextraordinarymarriage.com/ 6 Pillars of Intimacy
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Prayers were offered for multiple needs within the attending PAX, but please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message 12/16/2021 – Rinse and Repeat from Quattro’s Warmup VQ with Fireplex on 12/12/19
The Twelve Days of Christmas – True Meaning Behind the Lyrics
Ace Collins – From Crosswalk.com
To many people, the lyrics of the song “The Twelve Days of Christmas” seem strange beyond belief. The odd carol’s words might make one think it is a novelty song, in the vein of “Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer” or “My Favorite Things.” Though a host of modern internet sites and some magazine articles have tried to reduce “The Twelve Days of Christmas” to a little more than a silly Christmas carol, most scholars of the Catholic Church deem it a very important surviving example of a time when that denomination used codes to disguise their teachings. Originally a poem written by Catholic clerics, this song was transformed into a carol at a time when celebrating the twelve days of Christmas was one of the most important holiday customs. By understanding the meaning the clerics chose the twelve days as wrapping for their poem, the full impact of the tradition of the twelve days of Christmas can be understood.
The 12 Days of Christmas – True Meaning
On the first day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . a partridge in a pear tree.
The partridge in a pear tree represents Jesus, the Son of God, whose birthday we celebrate on the first day of Christmas. Christ is symbolically presented as a mother partridge, the only bird that will die to protect its young. On the second day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . two turtledoves.
These twin birds represent the Old and New Testaments. So in this gift, the singer finds the complete story of Judeo-Christian faith and God’s plan for the world. The doves are the biblical roadmap that is available to everyone. On the third day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . three French hens.
These birds represent faith, hope, and love. This gift hearkens back to 1 Corinthians 13, the love chapter written by the apostle Paul. On the fourth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . four calling birds.
One of the easiest facets of the song’s code to figure out, these fowl are the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. On the fifth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . five gold rings.
The gift of the rings represents the first five books of the Old Testament, known as the Torah or the Pentateuch. On the sixth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . six geese a-laying.
These lyrics can be traced back to the first story found in the Bible. Each egg is a day in creation, a time when the world was “hatched” or formed by God. On the seventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . seven swans a-swimming.
It would take someone quite familiar with the Bible to identify this gift. Hidden in the code are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: prophecy, ministry, teaching, exhortation, giving, leading, and compassion. As swans are one of the most beautiful and graceful creatures on earth, they would seem to be a perfect symbol for the spiritual gifts. On the eighth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . eight maids a-milking.
As Christ came to save even the lowest of the low, this gift represents the ones who would receive his word and accept his grace. Being a milkmaid was about the worst job one could have in England during this period; this code conveyed that Jesus cared as much about servants as he did those of royal blood. The eight who were blessed included the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peacemakers, and those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. On the ninth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . nine ladies dancing.
These nine dancers were really the gifts known as the fruit of the Spirit. The fruits are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. On the tenth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . ten lords a-leaping.
This is probably the easiest gift to understand. As lords were judges and in charge of the law, this code for the Ten Commandments was fairly straightforward to Catholics. On the eleventh day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . eleven pipers piping.
This is almost a trick question, as most think of the disciples in terms of a dozen. But when Judas betrayed Jesus and committed suicide, there were only eleven men who carried out the gospel message. On the twelfth day of Christmas my true love gave to me . . . twelve drummers drumming.
The final gift is tied directly to the Catholic Church. The drummers are the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostles’ Creed. “I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting.”
The Context & History Behind “The 12 Days of Christmas”
Teaching the Catholic faith was outlawed in sixteenth-century England. Those who instructed their children in Catholicism could be drawn and quartered. Thus, the church went underground. To hide the important and illegal elements of their teaching, clerics composed poems that seemed sill to most people. But these verses were veiled works that taught the church’s most important tenets. “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is said to be one of these teaching tools.
Most people today believe that the twelve days of Christmas start on December 12th or 13th and run through Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. But in fact, the first day of Christmas is December 25th and the final day is January 5th. Thus, for hundreds of years the Christmas holidays didn’t begin until Christmas Eve and didn’t end until Epiphany.
Why were these twelve days important? These dozen days were tied to more than just the teaching of the Catholic Church. A host of other denominations also celebrated the twelve days of Christmas. Some denominations celebrated Christmas in January and began to count the twelve days then. But whenever they began, the counting of the days became an important facet of each holiday season. Even in the Dark Ages, in some Eastern European churches, the twelve days of Christmas meant attending daily church services. For Christians who lived during this extremely difficult age, the twelve days were a time of rededication and renewal. It was also a period when small, simple, and usually symbolic gifts of faith were given to children. Thus, in both coded poems and public worship, the twelve days were considered a holy period.
For many Christians today, even the recognition of the twelve days of Christmas has been lost . . . for two reasons. The first is that when Epiphany lost out to Christmas as the day of giving gifts, many simply quit celebrating the twelve-day observance. The other reason is based more on the change in the fabric of culture than on overlooking the Christian holiday of Epiphany.
In ancient times, when most societies were rural, few people worked in the dead of winter. It was a time when many were spending long, dark days inside their homes, looking forward to winter’s chill giving way to the spring thaw. So devoting a dozen days to prayer, reflection, and attending church was not a huge undertaking. Yet with the coming of the Industrial Age and the regular year-round work schedules it brought, finding time to continue the activities that had been traditionally associated with the twelve days of Christmas became all but impossible for most people.
So the passing of the twelve-days custom probably had as much to do with “progress” as with anything else. As fewer and fewer churches and families participated in the tradition, it was all but lost. Yet in the obscure poem that was later turned into a popular carol, “The Twelve Days of Christmas” live on. And the twelve days described are actually a wonderful and complete picture of the Christian faith.
The “true love” mentioned in the song is not a sweetheart but the Catholic Church’s code for God. The person who receives the gifts represents anyone who has accepted Christ as the Son of God and as Savior. And each of the gifts portrays an important facet of the story of true faith.
So, just a silly song? On the surface maybe, but in reality, a refreshing reminder of the essential elements of Christian faith. The twelve days of Christmas may no longer be a widely recognized holiday tradition, but the days were an important bridge that connected persecuted believers of the past with the whole story of God’s plan. In the complicated world of today, a trip back to the not-so-distant past when Christians celebrated the twelve days of Christmas would only enhance the meaning of Christmas for everyone.
Ace Collins is the writer of more than sixty books, including several bestsellers: Stories behind the Best-Loved Songs of Christmas, Stories behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, The Cathedrals, and Lassie: A Dog’s Life. Based in Arkadelphia, Arkansas, he continues to publish several new titles each year. Ace has appeared on scores of television shows, including CBS This Morning, NBC Nightly News, CNN, Good Morning America, MSNBC, and Entertainment Tonight.
This article is part of our larger Christmas and Advent resource library centered around the events leading up to the birth of Jesus Christ. We hope these articles help you understand the meaning and story behind important Christian holidays and dates and encourage you as you take time to reflect on all that God has done for us through his son Jesus Christ!
The last day of November brought a nice chill that needed to be worked off with some heat. 18 PAX won that first battle and posted. including FNG Fudd. (There were some “no questions asked” nicknames being thrown around so we settled on the more innocent “Fudd” instead.) Welcome to F3 brother!
We started the day with an excellent VQ Warm-O-Rama by Sherlock. It went something like this:
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 20 IC
Squats – 20 IC
Spidey Reaches – 10 each side OYO
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
At this point YHC took over the Q, and here’s how it went down…
THE THANG:
First, some more warm-up:
Partner Leg Throws – 18 each PAX
Partner Ruck Pass – 10 each PAX (partners interlock heals in Sit-Up position, pass ruck, do American Hammer w/ruck, then all the way back w/ruck overhead, then Sit-Up passing ruck to partner. Rinse & repeat til each PAX completes 10 reps)
Now…the Thang: Everyone grab a ruck (for those without, grab cindy)
2 Sets:
10 Walking Ruck Lunges (Ruck OH)
10 Plank Pull Throughs
10 OH Press
(Rinse & Repeat 2x)
Mosey the short block: Prison Break to Willow St., Mosey to Union St., Prison Break back to the AO. Gassed! 10-count by TRex and another followed by Semi. Whew!
F3 3rdF shared at the break (See below)
2 Sets:
10 Ruck Squats
10 Ruck Merkins
10 Ruck high Pulls
(Rinse & Repeat 2x)
Ruck SuitcaseCarry around the short block, switching as necessary, back to the AO.
Time expired, time for the COT. Good work by everybody. TRex committed to posting at every workout this week, have at it brother. Who else is in?
COT:
Number-Rama: 18 very cool PAX
Name-O-Rama
Naming of FNG: Welcome again to Fudd! (Still, your Hospital Name, Blayze, has to be one of the coolest out there!)
Announcements: YHC invited PAX to consider joining the protest Saturday at Beebe Hospital, protesting the vax mandate being forced upon all healthcare workers by Dec 24th (or they will be terminated. Those we were gathering to pray for and calling heroes for sacrificially fulfilling their duties in 2020, now need our support as they are being made into villains. Let’s show up Saturday at Beebe, from 9-11am, and demonstrate our support for them.
Prayers: Safe travels for Sherlock on his hog hunt; for Woodstock helping to clean out a perished friend’s home, etc.; for Quattro, facing some business/family decisions this week; for YHC traveling to Frederick for an executive committee meeting (self-retracted as of this writing) and for YHC’s sister, Tonia, facing devastating, life-altering surgery. Others…the Lord knows and never forgets. Finally, prayers that all PAX would be mindful this Christmas that the birth of Jesus Christ tells us that God desires that we have a relationship with Him–it’s NOT about religion, but relationship. We know this because He came to common man, not kings. (Again, see 3rdF below.)
Humbled and excited to Q, aye!
Chappie, out!
SHEPHERDS & FISHERMEN
This past Sunday was the first Sunday of Advent—I love this season because in it we recall and celebrate the Birth of Christ (Coming/Advent). It was foretold by the OT prophets 900, 700, 500 years before it happened. I love this time of year also because it reminds me of the only 2 times a year we went to church when I was a kid (Easter & Christmas). I remember the ambiance of the Christmas Eve candle light service at First Moravian Church in my hometown like it was yesterday.
In the four verses of great Christmas hymn Angels We Have Heard On High, we sing of the angels visiting lowly shepherds and the shepherds’ response.
Here’s what I think is one of the most incredible things about God: He wants us to know Him through relationship, not religion. This is evident in the song, but it was evident first in the Scriptures.
“The angels coming to men who worked menial [lowly] jobs in the fields and informing THEM of the birth of the Son of God symbolizes that Christ came for all people, rich or poor, humble or powerful. The angels’ words as recorded in Luke 2, “Fear not: For behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people,” paired with Jesus’ own parables concerning shepherds and their flocks, symbolizes that it would be the common man and not kings or religious leaders who would first carry the story of Jesus’ life to the masses.”
It has been the Called man, not the Cleric, and really always has been, who has spread the message of Jesus Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. Think of who it was to whom Jesus first said “follow Me“: Was it not to Fishermen? Common men? As you hear and sing this song for Christmas, keep this one thing in mind: It is the common man, not kings who carry the story of Jesus’ life. For you and I to be HIM, the story of Jesus in our own lives, OUR own transformation by trusting in Jesus Christ, must not only be heard but it must be seen, especially by our children (not to mention those around us). When mom tells the story, the kids will be more prone to go to church and become followers of Christ. But when we as dads—common men, not kings—tell the story of Jesus Christ, the statistics make a significant leap, they actually go through the roof! I.e. When you and I share this story of the incredible, special relationship available between God and man with our own children, we—common men—are acting/behaving like HIM.
My parents told me they were the “magic words.” But they would often have to remind me, “And what are the magic words again, Ronnie?”
I still need a reminder. “Please.” “Thank you.”
Actually, “thank you” can be almost magical. Because like valuable collectibles, those words are getting to be pretty rare.
We need a day called Thanksgiving. To remind us we should be thanksliving.
Just watch the reaction when you thank the Walmart checker for working on a weekend or a holiday. Or the custodian for keeping this a nice place to be. Or the housekeeping lady for being the angel who magically makes your hotel room a welcoming place to come back to. Or the teacher for all the time she invests in preparation and shaping young lives.
Don’t be surprised if they’re surprised. You may be one of the few – or the only – person who stops to say thank you. You’ve made their day. You’ve let them know they’re not taken for granted. That someone actually notices and values what they do. You’ve gotten them back in the ring for another round.
Because we’re in the Age of Entitlement. “The belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or special treatment.” Gratitude dies on the altar of entitlement. “I have this coming.”
As a Jesus-follower, I’m struck by this Bible description of what following Jesus looks like. “Let your lives be built on Him…and you will overflow with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6).
Unfortunately, we’re more likely to overflow with negativity. Seldom praising the people we live or work with – but faithfully pointing to what’s wrong with them. Which they already know all too well.
The Bible bluntly declares, “The tongue has the power of life and death” (Proverbs 18:21). We’ve all felt the pain of names called, putdowns fired, anger dumped. Things that killed our joy, our confidence, our sense of worth. And then there are those few, but not forgotten, comments that were like wind beneath our wings. Among them, the powerful uplift of “thank you.”
Like “thank you” to your son or daughter for strengths you see in their character – their generosity, their smile, their sensitivity to hurting people, their passion. Their sense of humor, their discipline, their ability to organize, their insight, their honesty. They’ll flourish with your compliments. They’ll wither with your criticism.
With my wife no longer here to thank, I know it’s important to ask how long has it been since your spouse heard “Thank you”? For the difference you’ve made in my life. For the sacrifices, for listening, for loving me enough to tell me things I didn’t want to hear. And it means affirming them for positive changes. So much better than a boatload of nagging. As my Karen often said, “Water what you want to grow.”
Thanking an employee for their attitude or effort is that kind of “watering.” Being appreciative, rather than defensive, when someone shows you a fault or a weakness models humility and teachability.
Wherever there’s a “thank you” deficit, Thanksgiving is a good time to catch up. By hug. By phone. By text. By letter.
Of course, Thanksgiving is originally and primarily about thanking the God who is ultimately the Giver of every gift in our life. “Every good and perfect gift comes down from above” (James 1:17).
When you consciously look for “God-sightings” throughout your day, your worst day can still be a good day. You’ll bring blessing into the room with you instead of burdens. God’s showing up in my day constantly – a beautiful sunrise, an encouraging text, a welcome smile, locating something I can’t find, a helpful insight, the accident that didn’t happen. One writer said, “The thankful heart is like a magnet, and it goes through life picking up all the beautiful things all day long.” I love that!
Surprisingly, ingratitude is at the very heart of a lot of the darkness in our world. In our culture. In my heart. God diagnoses the brokenness in this world this way: “They neither glorified God nor gave thanks to Him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened” (Romans 1:21).
When we rocket through life, marginalizing the One who gave us our life, we start thinking wrong is right and we are God. Failure to sincerely thank God starts us down a road of hurtful choices, dead-end streets and a growing deficit of hope and meaning.
I know there have been times someone gave me a gift or sacrificed to help me, and I failed to acknowledge it. That’s how I’ve made God feel so many times.
Because no one has given me more – beginning with life itself. And no one has sacrificed more for me. One Bible writer says this about it: “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!” (I Corinthians 9:15).
The gift? “He did not spare even His own Son for us, but gave Him up for us” (Romans 8:32). Because there was no hope of ever knowing God, of being forgiven, of going to heaven without the death penalty for all my junk being paid.
So my Thanksgiving – this week…every day, doesn’t begin at a dinner table. It begins at the foot of an old rugged cross.
Warm-a-Rama 15 seal jacks i/c 15 seal waves i/c 10 hip circles oyo, each way 30 moroccan night club i/c 10 mountain man pooper i/c
The Thang
Tabata, using small coupons 6 rounds of 6 excercises Curls – palms up, hammer, palms down Flys (shoulders on large coupon) – palms up, palms in, palms down Bench press (shoulders on large coupon) – elbows in, palms together, wide Clean and press move – palms down, palms in Holding chair chest squeeze – extended, close Abs – i/c, 4 count Freddie, gas pumpers, lbcs
Thank you for how your word changes us if we let it. I pray that we would love your word to the deepest parts of our being. Lord, make us into productive men. Not only for our homes and at work but also for your kingdom. Productive in our learning and understanding. productive in our growth in our marriages. Productive in our careers. Take away any laziness that is in us and give us energy to move forward. I pray that we would produce a crop of good fruit in our lives, fruit that would please you
In Jesus’ name, amen!
Mosey to light pole at end of back drive. Chappie run (water in mouth) around block. Wait for six. 15 blockeys with water if completed block with water. 10 blockeys with water if you did not.
Bolt 45’s – IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Hydraulic Squats – 10 IC (6 count)
Windmills – 15 IC
Jiminy Crickets – 10 OYO
Four Count Freddie’s – 20 IC
The Thang
Completed at CHOP (Chappie’s House Of Pain). All Pax completed Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg). All those completing early will start the evolutions over until all Pax are in. Mosey around the block and retuning for our six at three designated waypoints on the way back to CHOP. Then all Pax completed 20 Burpees, 20 Squats, 20 Merkins, 20 Big Boys. Mosey around the block and retuning for our six at three designated waypoints on the way back to CHOP. Pax closed out the workout with a Super Toy Soldier set of 100 LBC’s, 50 E2K’s (each side), and 25 Big Boy Sit up’s.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
I’ve traveled a lot. Of course, sometimes I drive, and time matters a lot. So over the years, I’ve learned a fundamental secret of making great time on the open road. Not speeding – just driving steady. Over and over, I’ve watched what I call a “spurter” come roaring up behind me. (You’ve seen them too.) He does everything but push you into the right lane. He’s obviously well into the State Trooper Zone as far as his speed’s concerned. So I move over…he roars past…but I catch up with him a few miles later without ever changing my speed. See, he’s settled back into the right lane, just cruising along. (Have you passed this guy, too?) He speeds in binges, he floors it one minute and then he’s just tapping the accelerator a few minutes later. I usually make excellent time driving places, and I’ve talked to other marathon drivers who are used to getting places fast. And we pretty much agree. How do you trim hours off a long trip? A steady foot. The fast way to get somewhere is not with big spurts, but with a consistent, steady speed.
I’m Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “Big Spurts and Steady Speed.”
No, I’m not opening a driving school. I brought this up because there are people who do their Christian life like those drivers who do a wild sprint, and then settle into a slow crawl. A lot of believers follow Jesus in spurts.
Spiritual bingers usually shift into high speed after a spiritual high of some kind – a great church service, a retreat, a conference, a concert, a recommitment, a special event – or just a season of great spiritual feelings. When you’re on one of your highs, oh, look out world! You’re coming on strong! Right? But then, a few miles later, there you are, back to mediocrity, back to business as usual, making little or no progress. A lot of us are really into what I call event Christianity. We live for the next spiritual event, we depend on the next spiritual event, and we start fading when there hasn’t been a spiritual event for a while.
A lot of believers live like this – but a lot of believers are getting tired of living like this. Maybe you’re tired of stop-and-go Christianity – the roller-coaster ride of real high highs and real low lows. Your heart’s hungry for something more satisfying than spiritual spurts. You’re hungry for spiritual consistency.
Which is why our word for today from the Word of God is so helpful. In Luke 9:23, Jesus issues a call to follow Him, but in a way that will get you more than a high. He tells you how to get a life. Listen for the all-important “D” word: “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny Himself and take up His cross daily and follow Me.” How do you follow Jesus? He said daily! One 24-hour slice of life at a time. You give Him your life, not in one big blob, but by consciously living His Lordship each new day.
Our problems come when we try to make some super-commitment that will change our life forever, or by needing an event to keep us going. What Jesus calls us to do is a brand new surrender on this particular Monday, focusing on what it means to take up His cross on this particular Monday, and then giving Him the specific Lordship issues of this specific Monday. Then, when you drive into your Tuesday, you give Him specific Lordship issues of that specific Tuesday. Pretty soon, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, you have lived a Jesus-week. Put a few of those together and you’ve got a Jesus-month. Keep going and you’ve got a Jesus-year, and then a Jesus-life. How? One day at a time.
The secret of spiritual success is not bigger and bigger highs or bigger and bigger commitments. It’s the daily enlarging of Jesus’ Lordship over the real stuff in your life for that day.
You won’t cover nearly as much ground in spurts as you will by keeping up a steady speed. Steady, consistent, daily progress. It may not be as exciting as the bursts of speed, but it will get you a lot farther, a lot faster.
