Chappie

A Tough Mother

Date: 05/08/2022

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 40 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

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

Imperial Walkers – 20 IC

Windmills – 20 IC

The Thang 

B.O.M.B.S. – 50 Burpees,  100 Overhead Claps, 150 Merkins, 200 Big Boy Sit-ups, 250 Squats.  PAX  will mosey @.08 miles around the circle after every 25 count of each exercise completed.  When all is completed you will have moseyed approximately 2.4 miles.

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 05/07/2022

 MOM EARS

May 3, 2017

Two words. But a valuable reminder just in time for Mother’s Day.

Recently, I had occasion to stay at my son and daughter-in-law’s house while I recovered from a painful injury.

They set me up with a wonderful little “apartment” in their basement – recliner, remotes (of course), kitchenette. And like all the babies in our family, a night monitor.

I needed some help in the middle of the night, but I hadn’t touched the pager. Suddenly, I hear my daughter-in-law’s feet coming down the stairs. In my 3 AM haze, I said, “But how did you know?”

She smiled and gave these two little words: “Mom ears.”

And that’s something a lot of us have to celebrate this Mother’s Day.

Those Mom-ears who heard our silent cries over the years.

Who heard our need when others would only see our deed.

Who heard the heart that our words could not express.

Who listened to our jabberings, our dumb jokes, our endless attention-getting antics.

Who heard the unspoken fears. Unspoken pain. And carried them to the throne of God.

Sadly, mom-ears have also heard mean words they didn’t deserve, angry words that left a scar, rebellious words because we didn’t want to hear what we now know was wisdom.

But somehow, a Mom heart could reach for some of God’s amazing grace, and forgive, though wounded.

As a dad, I learned early how important it was for me to seek and respect what my wife heard in our kids. Those times when I got home and was ready to drop a bomb on a disobedient child – while she intervened, with “actionable intel” of what was going on behind the scenes in their life.

I’m not sure Moms fully know their massive power to define their child’s life. For better or worse.

“She speaks with wisdom on her tongue” (Proverbs 31:26).

“The wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down” (Proverbs 14:1).

Sure, I know Moms who’ve turned their God-given Mom-ears to the seductive song of an “all about me” world. Whose children languish under the awful cloud of “I’m not worth much. Mom doesn’t think so.”

Deafened moms can’t hear themselves nagging, controlling, criticizing, diminishing – hoping to make a “super kid,” crushing them in the process.

The Mom-ears that have tended to miss their children’s cries are those who stopped listening to the One who gave her these children.

“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him” (Psalm 127:3).

It’s so easy to succumb to the selfie drumbeat of “my rights, my pleasure, my flourishing.” A sort of deafness can grow. Deaf to those quiet little cries in the night, the intuition to drop everything I love and listen, the Heavenly Father’s promptings as He “gently leads those that have young” (Isaiah 40:11).

But thank God many of us were blessed, not with a perfect mom, but a mother whose ears truly heard us.

If you have a mom with those wonderful “ears,” tell her how her finely-tuned heart shaped and changed your life. While you can.

If you’re a Mom who wants to have better ears for your children, just know there’s amazing power to do that. In the Jesus Whose relentless love led Him to die for our sins, the great relationship-wreckers.

There is no greater life-force on earth than a woman whose ears are always open to the voice of God and the voices of those she loves.

And for the one who approaches this Mother’s Day with little to celebrate – because their Mom really wasn’t one – there is a higher hope. Because God has said: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion for the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will never forget. See, I have engraved you on the palms of My hands” (Isaiah 49:15-16).

On the palms of His hands. With nail prints.

His ears listen all day, all night for the deepest cries of your heart.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Saturday Sandbags

DATE: 4/30/22

QIC: Chappie

18 PAX won that first battle and posted for “Sandbag Saturday” led by YHC. Shout out to TRex and Gump for adding to the collection of 9 GORUCK bags (varied weights) plus 10 good ol’ fashioned 40lb sandbags. The collection made everyone’s day. Here’s how it went down…

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH – 18 IC
  • Swartzjacks – 18 IC
  • Sealjacks – 54 IC (Since YHC is 54 years respect) *Too many quit! (See 3rdF shared: Slaughter in F3 Nation Newsletter)
  • Windmill – 10 IC

Mosey to the field beside the Presb. Church (where PAX found the beautiful stack of sandbags. PAX circled up for 3rdF. YHC played the audio from Slaughter’s message in the most recent F3 Nation Newsletter (Had planned a 3rdF “Habits Eat Willpower for Breakfast” but Slaughter’s message was too good NOT to share.) Then it was time for sandbag business…

THE THANG:

PAX were directed to split up with sandbags: 1/2 at cone #1 and 1/2 40 yards away at cone #2. THE PURPOSE: Keep moving! Run to next cone with sandbag, drop it, run back without. Carry bags at intervals but never pass a bag. Just keep carrying bags and KEEP MOVING. YHC also called out the following exercises throughout the durations:

  • OH Press – 25 OYO
  • Sandbag Squats – 25 (Get low! A2G!)
  • Sand Bears – Cone to cone
  • OH Shoulder Press – 25 OYO

Grand Finale:

  • PAX counted off by 2’s and separated into 2 teams for Sandbag Tic-Tac-Toe
  • Good ol’ fashioned sandbags painted with X’s & O’s (Tic-Tac-Toe painted on center of the field)
  • Teams 70′ apart. Each PAX (in-turn) must do 10 Chest-Bump Merkins on their sandbag before jumping up and carrying it to strategically place it in the Tic-Tac-Toe board. Must return to line before next PAX takes turn.
  • X’s went up 2-0 before the O’s made a come from behind run for the victory. Losers had to do 10 Sandbag Burpees as punishment.

Good fun and healthy competition won the day before we made our way back to the AO.

The only question is…what was Biddie doing? Lol

NUMBER-RAMA

NAME-O-RAMA

COT/BOM:

  • Announcements: Coffeeteria at Dunkin; Memorial Day Mini (CSAUP) coming up, invite everyone; Q Rotation coming out NLT than Sunday afternoon
  • Prayers: Fireplex’s dad – Battling cancer; Quattro’s feet?. YHC encouraged PAX to begin more regularly sharing requests in the COT (i.e. we tend to pray for those outside the circle–neighbors, friends, co-workers–those requests are important, but the idea is for us get real and personal by praying for each other as well).

As always YHC counts it a privilege and is thrilled by the opportunity to Q. Appreciate all the men who posted, to include the 2.0’s (they carried man-sized sandbags and never complained once – that’s fire!)

Aye!

Chappie, out!

Can’t Hurt Me

Warm-up
• The Cheerleader – 20 IC
• Bat Wings
o Arm Circles forward – 20 IC
o Arm Circles backward – 20 IC
o Seal Claps – 20 IC
o Overhead Claps – 20 IC
• Mountain Man Poopers 20 IC
• Hairy Rockets 20 IC

The Thang: Mosey to Ace Hardware
• Imperial Squat Walker-20 IC
• Bear Crawl parking spot to next parking spot
• Bobby Hurley 25 OYO
• Lt. Dan to next parking line
• 50 Merkins (10 diamond, 10 wide finger tips out, 10 Ranger, 10 wide tips forward, 10 plyo merkins)
• Crawl Bear to next parking line
• American Hammers – 25 IC
• Walking lunge to next parking line
• Double Shot Jackies – 25 OYO (burpee variation with plank jack and SSH)
• Crab Walk across stones
• Third F
• Mosey around building
• Iron Mikes – 12 IC
• Marionettes – 10 each direction OYO (big boy sit up to left, center and right of feet)
• Mosey to AO
• Number-rama
• Name-arama
• COT


Message:
Excerpt from David Goggins: Can’t Hurt Me
Truth Hurts
Call yourself out! Nobody likes to hear the hard truth. Individually and as a culture, we avoid what we need to hear most. Tell the truth about real reasons for your limitations and you will turn that negativity, which is real, into jet fuel. There is no more time to waste. Hours and days evaporate like creeks in the desert. That’s why it’s okay to be cruel to yourself as long as you realize you’re doing it to become better. We all need thicker skin to improve in life.

I brainwashed myself into craving discomfort. If it was raining. I would go run. Facing that mirror motivated me to fight through uncomfortable experiences.

In a society where mediocrity is too often the standard and too often rewarded, there is an intense fascination with men who detest mediocrity, who refuse to define themselves in conventional terms, and who seek to transcend traditionally recognized human capabilities. This is exactly the type of person they seek. The man who finds a way to complete each and every task to the best of his ability. The man who will adapt and overcome any and all obstacles.

Challenge 3
The first step in creating a calloused mind is stepping outside you comfort zone on a regular basis. Write down all the things you don’t like to do or that make you uncomfortable. Especially those things you know are good for you. Doing something that sucks every day. Doing things even small things that make you uncomfortable will make you strong. The more often you get uncomfortable the stronger you’ll become.

Like most battle we fight in life they are won or lost in our minds.
Until you experience hardships like abuse and bullying, failures and disappointments, your mind will remain soft and exposed. Remembering what you’ve been through and how that has strengthened your mind can lift you out of a negative brain loop and help you bypass those weak, one second impulses to give in so you can power through obstacles.

Block It Out

Date: 04/05/2022

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 31 IC

Windmills – 21 IC

Cherry Pickers – 21 IC

Imperial Walkers – 21 IC

Jiminy Crickets – 10 OYO

Hydraulic Squats -11 IC

The Thang

Grab a block and mosey to the dentist office.  Pax completed 20 Merkins each side with one hand on the block.  Pax utilized the block and a parking bumper to complete 20 abyss merkins.  Pax completed a Lt Dan for approx. 50 yards utilizing the block before moseying to Shipbuilder’s entrance for American Hammers with the blocks (IC) as well as 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  Leaving that pain station each Pax completed a 50 Yard bear crawl with the block before moseying to the next pain station.  At that station each Pax completed a Bolt 45 set with the block all in IC.  All Pax woseyed down Willow Street with the block and then moseyed at the halfway point.  When reaching the end of the street or the final pain station, each Pax completed 15 Blockees.  Pax moseyed back to CHOP with their block.     

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

F3 Message 04/05/22

WHY YOUR LOAD SEEMS SO HEAVY – #8338

Maybe it’s a guy thing. Maybe it’s just a Ron thing. But I hate to waste time or waste effort. You know? Here’s what that it looks like when I’ve just returned from the grocery store to restock our empty refrigerator and shelves. I basically look like a mule – yeah, with bags all over my body, carried on almost every appendage. I don’t want to make any more trips to the car than absolutely necessary, oh no, no! So I’m willing to try whatever calisthenics, to tolerate whatever overload will enable me to get everything in the house in one trip. This approach has been known to have its problems. Sometimes I drop a bag or two or one of them rips open; thus, making more work. And I’ve got this shoulder. Yeah, wrecked it pretty well. You think it might be traceable to carrying too much too many times?

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Why Your Load Seems So Heavy.” 

There’s a price to pay for carrying too much at once. You might be paying some of that price right now; the stress, the anxiety, the fatigue, the frustration of those who carry more than they’re supposed to. I’m one of those. I know.

I also know how my Savior says I’m supposed to live. His instructions are very clear in our word for today from the Word of God in Matthew 6, beginning with verse 25. He says, “Do not worry about your life…look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your Heavenly Father feeds them…Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?…Why do you worry?…Do not worry…your Heavenly Father knows what you need…Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”

First of all, you don’t have to be a Biblical scholar to pick up Jesus’ message here. He basically says it four times, “Do not worry.” If you looked at us stressed out, freaked out, worn out warriors, you might conclude this is one of the most disobeyed commands Jesus ever gave. We do worry – a lot. And in so doing, we carry a heavier load than we’re designed and equipped to carry. God has promised to give us what we need to carry today: daily bread, strength equal to your day, mercies new every morning, a cross to bear one day at a time, the renewing of our spirit day by day. But there’s no promise about carrying your tomorrow while it’s still today.

John Newton, the writer of “Amazing Grace” said, “Sometimes I compare the troubles which we have to undergo in the course of a year to a great bundle of sticks – far too large to lift. But God does not require us to carry the whole bundle at once. He mercifully unties the bundle and gives us one stick that we are to carry today and then another that we are to carry tomorrow, and so on. We might easily manage it, if we would take only the burden appointed for each new day. But we choose to increase our troubles by carrying yesterday’s stick over again today and by adding tomorrow’s burden to our load before we are required to bear it.” That’s great stuff!

John Newton nailed it. See, we add baggage from yesterday and the potential burdens of tomorrow to what we’re carrying today, and we start dropping things, and stumbling, and even hurting ourselves. So much of what we worry about tomorrow never happens. And you won’t have God’s promised resources to handle tomorrow until tomorrow. So no wonder you’re overwhelmed and discouraged! Dwelling on yesterday or tomorrow takes your focus off today so you don’t even do today very well!

So approach your load God’s way – take your busy life one day at a time, or maybe one stick at a time. That’s how you do a massive load. And about tomorrow? Take advantage of God’s awesome invitation, “Cast all your care upon Him because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

https://youtu.be/j8WbGSgL-0I

Lawnmower

QIC: Semi

Warm-a-Rama
20 seal jacks i/c
20 seal wave i/c
10 hip circles oyo
15 mountain man pooper i/c
15 Windmill i/c

The Thang

Each HIM grabs a coupon
Mosey to the old bank

10 chuck Norris merkin
5 kettle bell clean w/coupon per side
10 coupon merkin
5 kettle bell clean w/coupon per side
20 derkins
5 kettle bell clean w/coupon per side
30 urkins
5 kettle bell clean w/coupon per side

Capri lap around the parking lot

30 coupon flys, shoulders on the wall or curb
5 kettle bell clean w/coupon per side
30 coupon bench press, shoulders on the wall
5 kettle bell clean w/coupon per side
Bolt 45, heels on curb
20 gas pumpers, coupon between knees

3rd F

Told my story if how I got into F3

Mosey back to AO

Round of Mary
10 X n O’s, Waterfall
25 4 count Freddie, Woodstock

Number-Rama
NAME-A-RAMA
COT

8 HIM  showed today: Chappie, Ruxpin, Kwak, Woodstock, Waterfall, Sherlock, Looney Toons, Semi

“Hill”denburg Blimps

Date: 03/08/2022

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 30 IC

Cherry Pickers – 20 IC

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

Windmills – 20 IC

Mosey .5 miles to Oh Hill No !

The Thang

Pax completed the modified “HILL”denburg BLIMPS routine at Oh Hill No.  We modified the sprint portion to a NUR up and run down Oh Hill No and perform 1st exercise, NUR back up Oh Hill No and run down and perform 1st exercise again. Plank it up until all PAX are in.  That completes one round.  Rinse and repeat until all 6 Rounds with the exercises as identified below are complete. Round # 1 – 10 Burpees, Round #2 – 20 Lunges (10 each leg). Round #3 – 30 Imperial Walkers. Round #4 – 40 Merkins. Round #5 – 50 Plank Jacks. Round #6 – 60 Squats. Round #5 and Round #6 were completed back at the CHOP by those that had extra time.

Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP

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

F3 Message 03/08/22

STRONG STORMS AND SHALLOW ROOTS – #3857

Tuesday, October 23, 2001

John and Becky were gone when this huge windstorm hit their neighborhood recently. Although no one could be sure a tornado was involved, the winds were clocked at 70 miles an hour. John and Becky told me that when they returned later that day, their street was closed. A huge pine tree had been blown down, and it fell right across the road. Now other kinds of trees had lost some branches, but the wind had actually totally uprooted this evergreen. Well, a neighbor explained to John that it really isn’t that hard to uproot a pine tree – no matter how big it is. Because even though it’s a big tree, it has shallow roots – so it’s relatively easy to bring it down.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A WORD WITH YOU today about “Strong Storms And Shallow Roots.”

Now, there are a lot of “pine-tree-Christians”–some even big and beautiful Christians–who have shallow roots. And that’s why they keep falling.

Jesus talked about vulnerable believers in our word for today from the Word of God, Luke 6:46-49. He says, “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? I will show you what he is like who comes to Me and hears My words and puts them into practice. He is like a man building a house, who dug down deep and laid the foundation on rock (or developed deep roots). When a flood came, the torrent struck that house but could not shake it, because it was well built. But the one who hears My words and does not put them into practice is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation (or had shallow roots). The moment the torrent struck that house, it collapsed and its destruction was complete.”

Now, that’s two kinds of Christians–just like two kinds of trees: one with deep roots that can withstand a storm and one with shallow roots that gets felled by the storm. With the times we’re living in becoming more stressful and more uncertain–and even dangerous–it’s pretty important to be sure that your commitment to Jesus is deeply rooted.

Shallow spiritual roots come in several varieties. There’s environmental faith–the kind that is strong when you’re in your Christian world but caves in when you’re not. And then there’s second-hand faith. That’s a faith that isn’t really yours firsthand–it’s rooted in your parent’s Christianity, or your church’s faith, or your pastor’s faith, or your Christian friends. There isn’t much really going on directly between you and Jesus. That will never survive a storm.

Stagnant faith–that’s another form of shallow roots. Not much new has happened between you and Jesus for a long time, and consequently, He seems farther–He seems less real than He used to. And when a test or temptation hits, it won’t be enough to keep you standing. And one other kind of “shallow-roots-Christianity”–event faith–the kind that depends on the next spiritual event, the next high, the next big, Christian experience to keep you going. In between, you go into a deep valley. That kind of relationship with Christ is going down eventually.

Jesus’ parable about the two houses is a call to a strong foundation – to deep roots. And He tells us the difference between storm-proof and storm-wrecked faith. It’s not whether or not you know what He says. Both the man whose house stood and the man whose house fell, “heard” what Jesus said. The difference was putting what Jesus said into practice.

The question is, are you regularly getting into God’s word on you own–and then immediately going out and acting on what you read? It’s immediate assimilation of God’s words into real life situations that makes you a little stronger each day. So you read or listen to God’s Word asking these two questions: “What did God just say to me?” and “What am I going to do differently today because of what He said?”

And every time you do that, your roots go a little deeper into Jesus. Meetings won’t do it, theology won’t do it, a great Christian environment won’t do it. It comes from letting Jesus change you through His Word a little bit each day. That is spiritual reality. That is deep roots. The kind that will leave you standing strong no matter how fierce the storm.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Hairy Starfish

https://youtu.be/ny0cPhuxh_4

Date: 3/2/22

QIC: Chappie

Hairy Starfish? What’s with the title? Eh, nothing more than a reference to the typical “hair or the dog” (i.e. a revisit to some of yesterday’s March Merkin Madness with Ruxpin’s first respect! Q ) through YHC’s Starfish workout for today. Here’s how it went down…

First, PAX began with a lot of mumble chatter reflecting on yesterday’s brutality. But hey, they posted so YHC knows they’re up for more!

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH – 18 IC
  • Windmill – 18 IC
  • IW – 18 IC
  • OH Squat Press – 18 IC
  • Shoulder Tap Merkins – 10 IC (kinda hairy…)
  • Cherry Pickers – 18 IC (nice and slow, all the way up and clap)

Mosey to Arena’s parking lot…

THE THANG:

The Starfish: 5 cones set up around the parking lot like 5 legs of a starfish, with 1 in the middle. PAX will do specific exercise at each cone, returning to the center cone after each one to do 10 Burpees or 10 Burpjacks. Check it out:

  • Cone #1: 100 Merkins (Kinda hairy, do sets of 10, 20, 25 or whatever, til you get ’em done)
    • To center cone: 10 Burpees
  • Cone #2: 100 LBC’s
    • Center Cone: 10 Burpjacks
  • Cone #3: 100 Squats
    • Center Cone: 10 Burpees
      • Inserted 3rdF here (see write up below)
  • Cone #4: 100 Drydocks
    • Center Cone: 10 Burpjacks
  • Cone #5: 100 Dips
    • Center Cone: 10 Burpees

Mosey back to the AO, hitting a Prison Break from the corner…

Among other things, from warm-up to workout that’s a total of 220 Merkins & 50 Burpees

NUMBER-RAMA

COT:

Announcements: ShamRuck family ruck coming Fri. March 18 @ 6:17 pm (likely Georgetown, details TBA)

Prayers: For Bill Sammons and family, especially daughter Ira, fleeing Ukraine to Poland; for Blockbuster in Army Basic Training

Here’s your daily 3rdF:

I’ve been reminiscing a lot since Blockbuster left on Sunday to head to Basic Training at Ft. Jackson. Having served as well of course, I have lots of memories to reminisce about—1 in particular came to my mind as I thought of Blockbuster facing the unknowns and the fears that go along with them.

It had to do with the Lord’s Prayer: After lights-out on the very first night of Basic Training, the DS’s exited the barracks and we all laid there in the dark in total silence in our bunks, not sure what to do or whether to talk or not, etc. After a few minutes of a dark eternity I debated within my own head whether to say the Lord’s Prayer [out loud]. I feared whether anyone would join me. I feared forgetting the words and messing it up. Certainly this first day and night carried its own sort of fears too. Like, what the heck did I get myself into? Finally I just went for it:

Matthew 6:9-13

There in the dark barracks everyone else joined in the beautiful chorus of reciting the Lord’s Prayer together. It’s the Prayer that Jesus taught his disciples when they asked, “Lord, teach us to pray” (Mt.6).

He taught them a model of the structure of prayer which was never meant to be a repetitive recitation (used over and over). But that night I think we recited it as a way of not only acknowledging and confessing our fears [corporately], but also of crying out to God with one voice to say that we needed Him in that hour, in the weeks ahead, and in the season to come. And there was an Esprit de corps in that room! It was one of those moments that brought with it the peace and confidence which only God could provide.

We all seemed to know after that that God would carry us through BECAUSE we called out to Him. As men we tend to be self-made and self-reliant (but oftentimes as a result, self-destructive too). In times when we fear the unknown or we’re uncertain of what we’ve gotten ourselves into, or especially in times when God has led us in a specific direction, it is time to call out to Him, maybe even cry out to Him—depending on the circumstances.

God always answers. Isaiah 55:6-7 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.” The disciples wanted to learn how to pray, how to call on God, so they asked. Many men think that it’s less than manly to cry out to Jesus, but from what I read it’s one of the manliest things we can do. I don’t know about you, but I’ve discovered over the years that I can’t make it on my own. That’s why I’m grateful we have each other in this circle, but we also need to call on God. Lean one each other, yes! but more than that we must lean on the Lord. So man up and call on God; it’s what HIM do. He always answers.

Always grateful to bring the grit to the Grit Mill. Appreciate the PAX who posted for 2-in-a-row and downed a little hair of the dog–starfish style!

Chappie Out, Aye!

Stiff and Thor II

Blockbuster with his Swag – Proud of our Army Bound Young Brother
Proud Dad
20 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. 

THE MISSION AND THE PAIN – #9158

February 16, 2022

  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.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Going Postal

QIC: Chappie

DATE: 2/10/22

THE button

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:
  1. Curb-side Shoulder Tap Merkins 5/5 (Rinse & Repeat, AMRAP)
  2. 20lb Jump Squats (feet in/feet out) AMRAP Word on the street: This one was an unexpected killer!
  3. Ascending Curb Crawl – 1 Merkin, Bearcrawl to opposite curb, 2 Merkins, Bearcrawl back, 3 Merkins, etc. (Rinse & Repeat, AMRAP)
  4. Gas Pumpers (Rapido) AMRAP

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!

The Dead Cockroach Feb 3rd

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.

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