The Thang, nice friendly mosey to the fro t yard of Georgetown middle school and started off there with a round of BLIMPS
5 burpees (handrelease)
10 lunges each leg
15 imperial walkers (4 count)
20 Merkins
25plank Jack’s
30 squats
Then we near crawled to the first sidewalk for a super toy soldier set
50LBCs, 30E2Ks each side, 20 big boys
Lt. Dan to next sidewalk for 30 hand release merkins.
Crab walk to next sidewalk for 20 Bobby hurleys.
Mosey back to beginnings for a few capt thors 1:4 ratio big boys to american hammers only went to 5/20. After this we took a short break for a little 3rd F followed by another Mosey to Georgetown Armory steps for a round of Aiken legs 20 Squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges each leg, 20 split Jack’s, followed by another set of Capt. thor. Same as the last one followed up by by rinse and repeat on the Aiken Legs. From there we took a mosey to the front pad of Georgetown fire company for a round of Howling monkeys each Pax held their own ankles while we went around circle individually 10 monkey jumpers while all pax held start position. Since we were in front of camera fireplex requested something manly so we added 20 merkins in cadence. Then the one last mosey around the block just in time for 8 mins of mary. To old to remember what all that consisted of but we did get thru 7 pax each adding their own little bit to the ending of the beat down.
Finished up with count-o-rama, name-o-rama and COT.
Pulled the 3rd of from Q source
A man’s right relationship with himself, his fitness begins with his body because it is his most fundamental piece of physical equipment. A man must get it and keep it in the normal upright position at all times if he wants to be effective. In fact because preparedness requires him to be ready for the unexpected. ( not just to get ready for the expected) the him is focused on gradually but consistently accelerating his fitness level rather than merely staying in shape. Staying in shape is what amateurs try to do. These fragile bodies of ours are what we are given to house our souls. Life the thing so precious to each person that he will fight tooth and nail to preserve it. Is contained within this bag of muscle, flesh and bones we call the body. How can the soul prepare if the body withers and wither it will if we dont put it in motion against continually steeper hills and heavier rock. The body is made to be used. Let it fallow and it will not produce a good crop. But if it is well plowed and carefully tended the result will be a bounty of preparedness.
Those who stayed cozy got lapped! Especially those new young guys. What the what? Get upppp! Sorry, not sorry! Nonetheless a dirty dozen HIM started the week by winning THAT FIRST BATTLE and posting for an ad hoc beatdown by YHC. Doubtfire had to back out of his scheduled Q due to his back being tied in knots. Here’s to a recovery day for our brother and a quick return to the rotation. We have so many on the Q rotation that it sometimes feels like you don’t get to Q enough; that’s a good problem to have. YHC was excited to step in.
Never really JUST a standby, YHC went to the Exicon toolbox, pulled out the Bearmuda Triangle, and used it on the PAX. It lived up to its name…we mysteriously lost a PAX along the way (oh, wait, that was only a modification?). Here’s the skinny on the workout:
Warm-O-Rama:
SSH – 18 IC
Crab Flippers (Cherry Pickers on Delmarva) – 18 IC
Swartz Jacks – 18 IC (Uno, dos, tres, QUATTRO!)
Moroccan Night Clubs – 18 IC
Merkins – 18 IC
Patriot Run around the block – nice pace!
3rdF Message shared here – Content posted below
The Thang:
THE Bearmuda Triangle – 3 cones set up in a triangle pattern, 90 feet apart. PAX Bearcrawl from cone to cone, adding 1 Burpee at each cone. 3x around the cone triangle = 45 total Burpees
Two 10-counts later, PAX found themselves on the side wall of the church:
People’s Chair – 10 Count
5 Mexican Jumping Beans, OYO
BTTW – 10 Count
10 Mexican Jumping Beans
People’s Chair – 10 Count, 2x
15 Mexican Jumping Beans
The Jack Webb Finale: (Always a crowd pleaser)
Ratio: 1 Merkin/4 OH Claps all the way up to 10 Merkins/40 OH Claps
Though Leatherman tried to stop us, and stop the pain, we went…a WHOLE 30 secs over :-)’ Nice try brother, nice try!
Count-O-Rama:
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Nuh’in (at least not that YHC remembers)
Prayers: For family of Fireplex’s friend who passed from ALS, Chappie’s nephew (Aaron) who is deployed, for our bro Doubtfire on several different fronts
That was about it. Again, honored by the opportunity to lead. Always enjoy Q’ing. Humbled by it all. Get back soon, Doubtfire.
~Chappie, out!
Scars – 3rdF Content:
The theme of SCARS seems to keep coming up an awful lot in the last few weeks. Scars are often a kind of credential. Each of them has a story.
Kyle Carpenter (MOH recipient) bears some serious scars for jumping on a grenade to save the life of a fellow Marine. He devoted an entire chapter of his book YOU ARE WORTH IT to scars (cf. Ch.13, Don’t Hide Your Scars). In it, he wrote that “scars are a kind of credential”(210). Kyle added this story: “There is a greeter at my local Walmart, an elderly gentleman who always has a cheerful hello for everyone who comes through the door. One day, as I was walking in, he spotted me, flashed his huge grin, and then did finger pistols at me as he playfully asked, ‘Motorcycle wreck?'” I did finger pistols right back at him and replied, ‘Taliban!'”
Later he continued, “I would never encourage anyone to share something they aren’t comfortable sharing. But there are some scars that are so obvious, so apparent, that it is impossible to hide or ignore them. Instead of being ashamed of them, I think there is power in embracing these ‘stories’ that leave their marks on our bodies and souls” (211).
Scars are a kind of credential. They have tremendous power for creating bonds. “Wear them proudly. Wear them for yourself, to honor what you’ve been through. And wear them for others, to connect with them and inspire them to keep on fighting. They reassure others they’re not alone. They give hope that someday, their wounds will become nothing but scars, too” (215).
In 2 Cor. 11, the Apostle Paul shared quite a list of experiences which undoubtedly left him with serious scars. The context of the list was that he was facing off with false teachers who were trying to lead the Corinthians away from the truth. Paul shared the list not to brag about personal experiences, but to express that his heaviest burden of all was for the churches. The best scars are always the ones left from a cause that is bigger than we are! Listen to these verses from 2 Cor. 11:22-29…
22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ?—I speak as if insane—I more so; in far more labors, in far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, often in danger of death. 24 Five times I received from the Jews thirty-nine lashes. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent in the deep. 26 I have been on frequent journeys, in dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my countrymen, dangers from the Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers on the sea, dangers among false brethren; 27 I have been in labor and hardship, through many sleepless nights, in hunger and thirst, often without food, in cold and exposure. 28 Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?
Had Paul NOT been a true follower of Christ, had he NOT been truly concerned for the church, he would not have experienced (willingly endured) those trials — he would not have borne the scars which those trials inevitably produced — especially the 39 lashes x5! (Btw…that’s 195!).
Scars are a kind of credential. The nail-scarred hands of our Savior are credentials of His unconditional love. Proof that He paid our penalty in the cross. They are further proof that He is alive! Add to that, sometimes some else’s scars remind us we’re living, we’re ALIVE!
This past week you heard about the death of Toby Mac’s (and his wife, Amanda’s) oldest son, Truett, age 21. Toby Mac’s Facebook post was nothing short of phenomenal. In the midst of feeling exceptional pain that will leave exceptional scars, he and his wife, Amanda, were able to inspire others. Here’s how/why: (This is the last paragraph of their post)
Scars in the lives of HIM are a kind of credential. They’re credentials that we ARE unquestionably ALL IN, whether it be in relationship with God, in our families, our churches, our workplaces, or the communities in which we serve. Scars heal and tell a story BECAUSE YOU ARE ALIVE; scars mark you as resilient, tough, and as a survivor! They mark you as a HIM!
Bolt 45’s IC (4 Count) – 15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats halfway to full down. 15 full squats.
Windmills – 15 IC
Mosey .5 miles to “Holy Freaking Hill”
The Thang
The Super Sheldon Cooper on a “freaking
hill” with a few of my friendly animals – Complete 10 Burpees, 10 Squats, 10
Merkins & 10 Big Boys. Nur up the
hill and mosey down and complete 9 Burpees, 9 Squats, 9 Merkins, & 9 Big
Boys. Crawl Bear up & mosey down and
complete 8 Burpees, 8 Squats, 8 Merkins, & 8 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 7
Burpees, 7 Squats, 7 Merkins, & 7 Big Boys.
Inch worm up the hill and mosey down and complete 6 Burpees, 6 Squats, 6
Merkins & 6 Big Boys. Nur up the
hill and mosey down and complete 5 Burpees, 5 Squats, 5 Merkins, & 5 Big
Boys.
Time did not allow us to finish, but
below are the remaining evolutions as planned.
Dragon Crawl up the hill and mosey
down and complete 4 Burpees, 4 Squats, 4 Merkins, & 4 Big Boys. Nur up the hill and mosey down and complete 3
Burpees, 3 Squats, 3 Merkins, & 3 Big Boys.
Boo Boo Bear Crawl up the hill and mosey down and complete 2 Burpees, 2
Squats, 2 Merkins, & 2 Big Boys. Nur
up the hill and mosey down and complete 1 Burpee, 1 Squat, 1 Merkin, & 1
Big Boy.
Mosey .5 miles back to CHOP
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Welcome to FNG Thomas Bunting a.k.a. Radar. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
Ambassador
grad 1970. Pastor in Canada and Germany retired in 2017. On the Council
of UCG-Canada and COE of UCGIA. Wife Valerie is British. Four adult children, 14 grandchildren
and 7 great.
Give me mountains to climb
and the strength to climb them” was a line I once read. I grew up in the
mountains, and although we did not climb in the technical sense of using ropes,
pins and other devices, we did spend many hours walking the hills and
mountains. The majesty of the peaks makes clear the concept of the grandeur of
God the Creator. It is humbling.
Climbing produces many
benefits that I’ve found to be helpful: strong legs, building confidence in
tackling heights, considering where to place your foot for each step. They are
all lessons of good planning and enable the body to become stronger and more
physically fit. The sheer exuberance of completing the task makes one want to
stand on top of the peak and shout with all of your might.
One of the
most important benefits of hiking is pushing yourself beyond what you think are
your limits.
In the past, I have taken
teenagers and young children for longer hikes in the mountains. I find
resistance comes when they get tired and weary. That is normal. One of the most
important benefits of hiking is pushing yourself beyond what you think are your
limits. Human beings are able to go beyond what they think they can do. The
body may be putting a great deal of pressure on the mind to stop, but the mind
is able to override the complaints of the body and complete the task. There are
lessons learned and character built that will keep you in good stead for a
lifetime. One lesson you can learn is knowing when to rest or pause and when
to proceed.
The safest place for a ship
is a harbor, but ships were not designed for staying in a harbor. You do not
become a great sailor by staying in quiet waters. Great sailors learn to be
great by facing and conquering the most severe storms and conditions that the
sea can give. No one would advocate that a sea captain start his career in the
most severe storm. Usually, a person starts out as a helper and assistant. He
gains experience during smaller storms and slowly develops the qualities needed
to tackle problems with expertise and competence. The same applies to the
mountains that we climb in life—whether they are real mountains or the
challenges of daily life, physical struggles, emotional or
spiritual issues.
A hard trail
Almighty God is very careful
about inviting humans to become part of the first fruits and first
resurrection. We read in John 6:44 that only God the Father decides
whose mind to open. It is not the great of the world that He chooses (1
Corinthians 1:26-27), but those chosen definitely must be able to embark on a
hard trail. It is surprising how some seemingly unlikely people have great
inner strength. Those chosen will have great rewards that will make the
struggle worth every difficult step. It will take all the strength, determination
and effort that they are able to put forth along with God’s help to reach the
summit. God is a strong helper during all of the struggles, and Jesus Christ
intercedes on our behalf.
People who
are new to the mountains do not always appreciate the dangers hidden there.
They will learn through experience that there is a proper way to climb
a mountain.
In Matthew11:12 we are told
that forceful men lay hold of the kingdom God offers. Jesus called them
“overcomers” in several places in Scripture. The obvious conclusion is that a
person will have to look forward and glimpse the wonderful future with such
conviction that nothing will deter them from achieving the goal. Hebrews 11
records the suffering of many. In Hebrews 12:3-9 Paul explains that
we need to endure hardship as discipline; God is treating us as sons. Hardships
are the mountains God has given us to climb. We need to rely on God’s Holy
Spirit and use our minds and concentration skills for this daunting task. God
will supply what we need, with His only request being that we appreciate what
is happening and learn to love His ways. Age and physical abilities are not
factors in this spiritual expedition.
Luke 14:28-33 reveals
the need to count the cost before embarking on an adventure. We need to know we
are able to complete the task. It is certain that no person, by themselves can
accomplish this task. They neither know the way nor have the strength. God
gives us what we need.
It’s worth the climb
Mountains are climbed one
step at a time. There are periods of rest, traversing and planning. Our
spiritual mountain gives us similar challenges. In 1 Corinthians
10:13 Paul stated that God only gives us that which we can bear and helps
when temptations or hardship come. It is comforting to realize that we are not
alone and have a thoughtful Creator who will lift us up.
People who are new to the
mountains do not always appreciate the dangers hidden there. They will learn
through experience that there is a proper way to climb a mountain. They will
find out that the view from the top is breathtaking. This spiritual climb is
the only way that leads to eternal life, and it is worth every ounce of
expended energy.
It is probably true that most
people would rather avoid the strenuous and demanding task of climbing
mountains (real or spiritual). Most people avoid pain and suffering. The way
God chose for His people is a difficult and narrow path. Jesus Christ felt the
loss of many disciples when the way was too difficult (John 6:66). Even His
close followers fled in panic when they saw that Jesus was not resisting arrest
and torture (Matthew 26:56).
In the end, the reward will
be more than worth the struggle. This life is short and full of troubles,
whether we choose to follow Jesus Christ or not. This life is physical and
temporary. The life we hope for, pray for and suffer for is eternal. God places
this hope into the hearts of all people.
Climbing mountains is a great source of joy and satisfaction. How much greater and joyful are God’s mountains when He walks at our side. So then we can pray, “Give me mountains to climb and the strength to climb them.”
T.ALK-3RD F ON JAMES 1:22. WE TALKED ON HOW WE SHOULD DO THE GOOD WE ALREADY KNOW. AND TO LIKEWISE STEER AWAY FROM WHAT WE KNOW IS BAD…WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT APPRECIATION AND THAT NOBODY OWES US NOTHING.
MOSEY BACK TO CIRCLE FOR CIRCLE OF TRUST. GREAT JOB MEN!
Walking lunge to light post then mosey to Shipbuilders
20 Mountain Climber Twists IC
25 Big Boys
10 Pendulum Lunges each leg
Mosey to MES
30 Panther Shoulder Taps IC
20 Xs and Os IC
25 Bobby Hurleys
Mosey to HOB entrance
High knees, butt kickers, karaoke down driveway then return
with mosey prison break light post to light post
Mosey to Waters Edge
20 Hand release merkins
Not so Lazy Lazyboys
8 Iron Mikes IC
Mosey to AO
F3 Message
“This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be
glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24
What
Does a Good Day Look Like?
Waking up to a new day is the start
of a good day. For many of us, a good day includes having some alone time with
God during our day, getting our families ready for school and work, and then
doing whatever we need to do. Having a fulfilling day at work, being able to
help others, and knowing that our kids and spouses have had a good day at work
and school makes for a great day. Finally, spending time with your kids is a
common and great way to end your day. However, the most important (and best
part) of a good day is knowing that no matter what life throws at us, the Lord
is there for us.
Bolt 45’s –
15 squats to halfway down. 15 squats
halfway to full down. 15 full squats
Windmills – 20 IC
Dips – 20 IC
Mosey .47
miles to the School
The Thang
Super 21 Routine using the five
sidewalks at the front of the School – 1 Merkin & 1 Big Boy Sit up, mosey
to second sidewalk, 2 Merkins & 2 Big Boy’s mosey to third sidewalk, 3
Merkins & 3 Big Boy’s mosey to fourth sidewalk, 4 merkins & 4 Big Boy’s
mosey to fifth sidewalk, 5 merkins & 5 Big Boy’s, reverse sidewalks and repeat
until reaching 21 of both. Equals 231 of
each exercise.
Mosey .47 miles back to the Aegis
with the Armory as a waypoint.
Stop at the Armory steps and complete
Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks
(10 each Leg). The twist is that each
PAX will take each step up and each step down before performing each exercise.
Captain
Therkin – 1 big Boy to 4 American hammers; 5 Merkins . 2 Big Boys to 8 American Hammers; 5 Merkins
in ration to 10:40 with 5 Merkins.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.
F3 Message 10/12/19 – Q spoke about a recent meeting where he had not exercised the best patience and professionalism. In fact, it was quite a flashback to the “old man” that he thought he had left behind. The following word from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries was shared with all attending PAX, but was still ringing in Q’s ear from his recent “Volcanic Eruption”.
Volcano Scars
When you’re angry, you’re probably a lot like a volcano. You erupt, spew out your lava, and often blow away a piece of the other person, if not yourself.
Every one of us carries around parts of us that
have been mortally wounded by something someone said to us in anger. They may
have forgotten it, but we can’t ever forget it because those create volcano
scars. Why do we do this to other people and usually the people we love the
most?
Proverbs 12:18 says, “Reckless words pierce like a sword.”
That’s the awesome power of our angry, irresponsible words. Proverbs 18:21 says that “The tongue has the power of life and
death.” We can say things that make a person feel more alive or that make
them feel dead inside. You’ve had it happen to you, haven’t you?
The Bible pays a high tribute to a person who’s
under control. Proverbs 16:32 says, “Better a patient man than a warrior, a
man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.” That’s real
manhood.
If you’re tired of erupting and leaving volcano
scars on people, maybe it’s time to follow the steps to becoming an extinct
volcano:
Confess your anger and
your reckless words as the sin that they really are. Bring it to Jesus’ cross
and treat it as some of the ugly sin that literally killed our Savior. Then
confess it to the victims of your anger.
Don’t let the lava
build up; deal with issues right away.
Make yourself listen
and ask questions before you speak. James 1:19 says, “Be quick to listen, slow to speak and
slow to become angry.” If you listen, you’ll be slower to have anger.
Don’t say anything at
all until you’re under control.
Make Jesus Christ the
Lord of the raging animal inside you. We’ve all got one. That’s the
uncontrollable parts of us that are constant reminders that we need a Savior.
Give it to Him for this new day. If volcanoes could think, maybe they’d think twice about blowing their top. The volcano might reason, “You know, maybe I’ll feel better for a while, but is it worth blowing away a part of myself? Is it worth blowing away a part of a person I love?” Well, when we think about it, we know it’s not worth it. The tongue has the power of life and death and “reckless words pierce like a sword.” Haven’t we left enough volcano scars?
Warm-a-Rama 20 semi wave. i/c 20 ssh. I/c Nur around circle 20 plank Jack. i/c 20 seal Jacks. i/c Side shuffle around circle 20 should taps. I/c 20 Windmill. I/c Side shuffle (opposite side) around circle 20 mountain climbers i/c 20 Cherry pickers. I/c
Thang Mosey to church on Bradford street
10 swerkins, 30 lbcs 10 swerkins, 20 e2k 10 swerkins, 10 big boys
Mosey to Ruxpin’s distillery
Pax planks while one HIM goes up steps does 3 burpees on top then back in line. X2
Mosey to Domino’s
10 chicken peckers i/c 20 flutter kicks i/c
Wosey to parking lot by court house
Semi suicides Nur, side shuffle, jailbreak, bear crawl, lt Dan, crawl bear, mosey, and lt danger
15 per side Curb/bumper merkin (one hand on bumper/curb)
Mosey to circle
Toy soldier set 50 lbcs 30 e2k 20 big boys
9 HIM showed today: semi, summit, Chappie, doubtfire, quarto, toy soldier, bovine, Ruxpin, Vanilla
9 HIM posted for the first First State beatdown of the week and the month.
YHC pulled out what has become a standard of measure at the CHOP AO in Milton, DE: The 4 x 4! But the name was changed from 4 x 4 to 4 for #4 this time in honor of #4 Troy Haynes, star QB from Woodbridge High School, Class of 2019. This young-man was starting QB for 4 years, leading his high school football team to 2 State Championships. He was diagnosed in the Spring with kidney cancer. He’s been a strong tower through this battle, and his parents and family have been an amazing testimony of faith in Christ the whole time, hoping, praying for, and expecting the best. Sadly, Troy went home to be with the Lord on Sunday. He just turned 19-years-old!
The whole community of Woodbridge has stood by the Haynes family during this battle. YHC’s wife teaches in the Woodbridge School District and has been involved in rallies for #4 and kept YHC abreast of his situation. What a community! Everyone was praying. Everyone was wearing their shirts that said #fightlike4. Everyone was right there, on the sidelines, rooting for Troy through what turned out to be an insurmountable battle. Troy was apparently not accustomed to losing, but this one was out of his hands. If they could everyone around him, including Troy himself, would no doubt call some other play, any play, that would pull this one out for the win–whether it be a come from behind, after the 2-minute warning, last second, or an OT situation. Texas. In the end, there was no play call to beat this opponent. Cancer. Time ran out. Cancer sucks! A young man has been taken from his parents, family, friends, and this world. Too soon! Our hearts ache for the whole family, but for the parents, especially. Some of you have been there and done that, but most of us cannot imagine losing a child. They’re supposed to outlive us! There’s no understanding this side of heaven to be able to explain, more less fully accept such a loss. There are no easy answers. Presence. Yet, we know Christ who holds this family and the entire world in His hands. In situations like this we may not know the future, but we can find peace in Him who holds it. We pray this for Troy’s mom and dad, and for his siblings. As part of the community-at-large, we’ll continue to pray for and support and stand beside this family–their hopes were not seemingly satisfied. While there are no answers in all of this (yet), the family’s faith has been strong. We trust that it remains as such, and if not, where it is perhaps tested or maybe even broken, may God use this experience to rebuild their faith in due time.
This workout was themed in honor of Troy: 4 for #4: 4 corners [around the block, 0.5 miles] with 4 workouts, one on each corner. It went a little something like this:
Cherry Picker (Crab Flipper, Hairy Chigger) – 18 IC
Italian Night Club – 18 IC
B2G (Butt 2 Ground) Squats – 10 Count Hold (x3)
Brief review on the purpose of the Shovel-Flag, the Mission of F3 to plant, grow, and serve small workout groups of men for the invigoration of male community leadership, and the principles of F3: 1. All men 2. Always outdoors, rain or shine, hot or cold 3. Peer lead 4. Free, and 4. Always end with a COT.
Brief explanation of workout and how we were going to use it as a simple tribute to Troy Haynes. #4!
Transition to next corner: Mosey down Willow Ave. toward Union St. 50% mosey to 1st light pole, 75% mosey to 2nd light pole, Jail Break rest of the way to…
Corner #4: Body – Burpees – 10 OYO, Mt. Climbers – 10 OYO, Flying Squirrels – 10 OYO, and Mule Kicks – 10 OYO (YHC’s back still hurts! note to self: NEVER put these on the Weinke again!)
There you have it, 4 [corners] for #4.
Mosey return to the AO. And looky, looky, it’s 0600 hrs.
COT/BOM:
Announcements: Lots of chatter about some unheard of run. The Dogfish somethin’ or other? We’re going to check into this thing and see what it’s all about. Anybody know anything? (Seriously, great job to all the guys who ran it! Chairman, Chattahoochee, Leatherman.) Shout out to all those pushing not only to improve their wellness, but also their leadershipness. #F3FirstStateVisibility
Prayers: Haynes family, that God and His people would surround them during this time | Gump, recovery from possible stress fracture | A bunch of other requests that I’ve forgotten but Christ has not. All humbly lifted to our Lord.
Thanks to all the HIM who won That First Battle, overcame the draw of the fartsack (which has apparently been very strong as of late), and posted. You posted and that’s why YHC posted! Honored to lead this workout as a simple tribute to #4, and honored to lead the PAX of F3 First State! Aye!
Chappie, out!
3rd F Message shared prior to Corner 3 workout. The full version:
We’ve all inadvertently inflicted pain on someone else, we’ve all inadvertently been the source of someone else’s pain. I remember once when Zeke (our 20-yr-old) was a baby and I had just changed his diaper. As I was getting him dressed again, I began to snap the shoulder snaps on his onesie. One moment everything was fine, a split-second later, he was red-in-the-face screaming and crying. I had no idea what was wrong with my little guy, and I all I wanted to do was finish dressing him so I could pick him up to comfort him. I was having trouble with one of the snaps, so I hurried even more, pressing the snaps harder between my fingers. He screamed and cried louder. I became all the more determined to get the thing snapped, so I squeezed the snap harder still. The result was his escalating pain. At that moment I was horrified to realize he was being tortured by ME! He was screaming and crying because of ME! The snaps I’d kept squeezing harder together would not close because I had the skin of his left shoulder between them. I was the source of his pain! Inadvertently, yes! But I was inflicting severe pain upon someone I loved. (Not talking about discipline here, that’s very purposeful pain, but I’m talking about inadvertent infliction.)
Several pieces of this scene translate into tools we can use when discovering that we’re the source of someone else’s pain:
First: STOP DOING WHAT YOU’RE DOING. When I discovered I was causing my son pain I stopped. I realized I’d had some of his skin between the snaps and I was hurting him, so I stopped right away. When you and I realize that what we’re doing is a source of someone else’s pain — a loved one, a friend, a peer, an acquaintance, or even someone we may not know — we have to stop doing whatever it is that’s causing them pain. You might discover it on your own, they may tell you (depending on age, they might even scream or cry :-), or an outside voice might come from someone observing what’s going on and mention it to you. The point is that awareness should bring it’s end.
Second: COMFORT THE OTHER PERSON. When I discovered I was causing my son pain I comforted him. I immediately picked him up and I soothed his shoulder the best I could. I couldn’t believe what I’d done. Frankly, I’m surprised there’s no scar there today. Pain brings discomfort. The level of pain inflicted carries with it a corresponding level of discomfort. My son was only a baby at the time, and it was easier to comfort him in that moment than at other times in his adolescence, or since as a young adult when I’ve failed him and inadvertently inflicted pain upon him (or others). The same is true among all of us as adults; we can’t simply pick up another adult and soothe them from [physical/emotional/relational] pain we’ve caused. Oh, if it were only THAT easy! It’s going to be different when we’re dealing with each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. Yet, still, maybe it doesn’t have to be as complicated as we sometimes make it. After all, we’re “members one of another” according to Romans 12:5. And Romans 14:19 says, “So then let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” What it is that will provide comfort for someone when we’ve been the source of their pain? Our pursuit of making peace with them (no matter who it is).
Third: EXPRESS YOUR SORROW. When I discovered I was causing my son pain I pleaded my sorrow to him. As a baby, he had no clue what I was saying. But he did understand the action of my love. He knew my sorrow because it was expressed not just by my voice (words he didn’t understand) but by my affection and by my repentance (I stopped doing that which was his source of pain and I picked him up and held him til the pain subsided). God’s Word talks about a sorrow that leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). While that refers to salvation, I think we can apply it here. When we’re the source of someone else’s pain, its not enough to simply say we’re sorry. Our sorrow over hurting someone else has to lead us not only to stopping, but it has to lead to reconciling with them. Taking full responsibility for our words and/or actions is part of godly sorrow.
When Carol and I were first married we attended what was essentially a small group for Marriage Ministries International. Someone in the group quipped that there were 12 words that we’d have to get used to saying: “You were right. I was wrong. Please forgive me. I love you!” If I recall correctly, the husbands (especially) were taught we’d have to get used to saying them if we wanted a happy marriage. I jest, but there’s truth in those words that we’ve both actually kept handy for nearly 26 years now. Here’s some key advice for expressing your sorrow when you’ve been the source of someone else’s pain. DO NOT just say sorry! DO tell them you know exactly what you did that hurt them. Take full responsibility for it! Plead sorrow and use these words EVERY time: “Will you forgive me?” If you’re the one who’s been hurt, and someone is admitting their wrong and asking for your forgiveness, use these words EVERY time: “I forgive you.” Say it! You’ve probably noticed some who are utterly uncomfortable using these words. Well, make it your practice anyway! Who knows, maybe it’ll catch on. Remember, express genuine sorrow and take full responsibility for doing whatever it was that was the source of someone’s pain, and let the action that follows do the convincing: “…fervently love one another from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). In Matthew 5:23-24, Jesus said, “If therefore you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you [i.e. you probably hurt him], leave your offering there before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”
Also, in the next chapter, right after the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus taught this about forgiveness: “For if you forgive men for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men, then you Father will not forgive your transgressions” (Matt. 6:14-15). In summary, these verses say we are to treat others the way God has treated us.
Rest assured I was careful to never pinch my boy’s skin between the shoulder snaps of his onesie again. Nonetheless, I have been a source of pain to him in other ways. To be fair, he’s done the same. I’m human. He’s human. We’re all human, and there have been plenty of times when we’ve inadvertently been the source of someone else’s pain. And maybe they’ve been the source of ours. Yet, we have this God-driven love for one another, supernatural love, which not only prompts us in the Spirit of Christ to reconcile, but He’s also given us the above tools and many more to work through the pain and continue on in healthy relationships with one another. That’s what HIM men do!
Pax completed the Hindenburg BLIMPS routine from the Exicon. Q had brought this routine in the past during a weekly 45 minute workout, and time did not allow us to finish. So….we started all over….We modified the sprint portion to a straight line between four light poles that were approx. .02 miles apart. Sprint to pole #1, perform exercise at pole #1, sprint to pole #2, perform exercise, sprint to pole #3, perform exercise. Then to pole #4, perform exercise. Plank it up until all PAX are in. That completes one round. Reverse directions and perform the second exercise working back through the 4 poles. 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. We modified the merkin round down to 20 at each pole, but picked them back up at 4 waypoints as we moseyed the .47 miles back to the Aegis.
Excellent cherry pie and fellowship (2nd F) was enjoyed at the coffeteria at Baxter Farms immediately following the beatdown. We all love Quattro’s Grandmother, and hope that we get invited back…….Quattro isn’t so bad either as he cuts a very generous slice….:)….
F3 message 09/28/19 –The 3rd F was shared from Ron Hutchcraft Ministries after completing round #4.
Good Wood – #6657
Now,
if I said I was going to give you the great secrets of hitting a baseball, I
don’t think you’re going to go right out and try them. You’re going to be
skeptical, and you should be. But if one of the game’s greatest hitters were to
tell you the secret of hitting a baseball, well now you should pay attention.
Pete
Rose actually was one of those, and he was once interviewed for an article in
Sports Illustrated, and I like the title. It’s called Good Wood. And he said
that he liked a heat-treated bat. Now, I didn’t realize this, but he said that
you put the bat through an intense heat and that the heat would seal the pores
and it actually made the bat hit harder. Well, it worked for him! I guess it’s
true, heat-treated bats hit harder. Well, you know something? So do
heat-treated people.
I’m
Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Good
Wood.”
Now,
our word for today from the Word of God is found in Romans 5:3-4, and it talks about, well, heat treating. Here we go. “We,
also, rejoice in our sufferings because we know suffering produces
perseverance, perseverance character, and character hope.” Those are
curious words. “We rejoice in our suffering?” This doesn’t mean that
Christian suffering feels any better than non-Christian suffering. It doesn’t.
It feels about the same, whether you’re a Christian or not. But if you’re a
believer, pain is just as painful, unemployment is just as demoralizing, and
pressure is just as stressful.
But
you rejoice, not because it feels better, you rejoice because in Christ, pain
has a point. A minus can be made into a plus. Suffering can be made into
perseverance, character and hope. Just ask Pete Rose’s bat. He said that heat
heals up the holes in the bat and makes it more solid. Well, could it be that
the heat that you’re undergoing right now is heat-treating you and the holes in
your life are being healed up by it and you’re becoming more solid because of
it? The heat you’re feeling is not to burn you up, even though it feels like
you might not make it through it. It’s to make you strong; to build into you
great perseverance, great character, great hope.
Right
now you are in a position to learn more about the resources of God than any
person who’s in a comfortable setting. Sure you’d like to be comfortable again.
I hope you will be. Sure you’d like this insecurity, this pain to pass. But
right now you have a chance to know the resources, and the power, and the grace
of God more deeply than you and those around you perhaps have ever known. You
are learning, or you can learn, how to wait, how to overcome, how to really,
urgently, desperately pray.
Perhaps
you’re being forced to close up some of the holes in your life; weaknesses,
un-confessed sin, broken relationships that have been called to your attention
by this hard time. Things you might not have given attention to any other way.
And you can, because of the fire, be forced to deal with the weaknesses that
you might otherwise still tolerate. And when you do, you have added a new kind
of strength.
The
fire turns spiritual wimps into spiritual warriors. So, rejoice as you see what
you are becoming or can become through heat-treating, and only through
heat-treating. You are becoming a heavy hitter in the hands of Almighty God.
