Ruxpin

F3 A Merkin

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Date: 03/11/2025

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

PAX: Chattahoochee, Fireplex, Ruxpin, Streudel

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

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

Jiminy Crickets – 10 OYO

Windmills – 15 IC

Cardio Warm-up – Partial Spartan Run Routine at CHOP parking lot – Run/sprint @40 yards and drop and do 15 merkins. Wosey back to the start.  Run/sprint @40 yards and drop and do 15 merkins.  Pax completed 5 reps for 75 merkins for the exercise.

The Thang

The Super 21 Cycle.  1 Merkin to 1 Big Boy Sit up.  2 Merkins to 2 Big Boy Situps.  3 Merkins to 3 Big Boy Situps, etc., etc., etc.  But wait there is a twist….after each completed set of #1 though #5 PAX will complete 21 Imperial Walkers and then Bear Crawl @ 40 ft.  After each completed set of #6 through #10 PAX will complete 21 Mountain Climbers and then Bear Crawl @ 40 ft.  After each completed set of # 11 through #15, PAX will complete 21 Monkey Humpers and then Bear crawl @ 40 ft.  After each completed set of #16 through #21 PAX will complete 21 Prisoner Squats and then Bear Crawl @ 60 ft. to complete the Cycle.

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

F3 Message 03/11/2025

Fortifying Your Weak Spot – #9955

March 7, 2025

When our kids were growing up we occasionally had our own personal emergency room at our house! Our youngest son dislocated his ankle in football, so the doctor put an air cast on his ankle for about six weeks for support. Oh, and then the oldest son, yeah he had surgery for a knee injury that he got in sports. So they recommended that he wear a knee brace whenever he played a game where he had to pivot much. So, let’s see. You’ve got your ankle cast; you’ve got your knee brace. It’s all based on a simple principle that prevents further injury.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Fortifying Your Weak Spot.”

Okay, our word for today from the Word of God is from Luke 4 where Jesus is in the desert. “He ate nothing during those days and at the end of them He was hungry. The Devil said to Him, ‘If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written, man does not live on bread alone.'” And at that point He is quoting a Scripture that He has obviously memorized from Deuteronomy 8:3.

Okay, where was Jesus’ weak spot there in the wilderness? Well, obviously after 40 days, it was His need for food. Where did the Devil aim his temptation? Well, at Jesus’ need for food, of course. And you notice Jesus’ response – a verse that directly addresses the point where He was vulnerable. It’s about bread. It’s about food. Basically a verse that says, “Life is bigger than food.” Okay, I’ve got a feeling that wasn’t the first time Jesus said that verse. I have a feeling that during those days of fasting, He’d been drawing strength from that verse frequently. It’s like a brace on a weakened knee – He applied Scripture to the area where He would tend to be weak.

Now, unlike what the four spiritual laws say about God, “God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life,” the Devil hates you and has a terrible plan for your life. He’s sized up that vulnerable spot, and he’s going to try to bring you down with that. So it’s pretty important that you size it up, or you’re going to be easy prey. Jesus knew his vulnerable spot, and He braced it with Scripture; specific Scripture that dealt with that specific issue. If the Devil is going to bring you down, what weakness do you think he’ll use? Oh, you probably know. He’s pushed that button many times. It’s worked all too often. See, it’s important for you to find Scripture that gives you God’s view on your weak spot. Memorize it; repeat it to yourself frequently, not just when you’re under attack. I think that’s what Jesus did.

Re-program yourself by thinking Scripture where you usually think sin, and then hammer the Devil with God’s Word and a response that is biblical whenever temptation comes. Temptation comes to the door, God’s Word answers it. The Devil can’t stand a biblical response.

So, where is the hole in your armor; that weak spot? Is it an old bitterness, maybe the tendency to think you’re worthless, your sexual desires, maybe your thought life, tending to worry a lot, tending to run ahead of God. The need to be in control all the time. You know what it is. You’ve lived with that weakness for a long time; now it’s time to cover it, fortify it with Scripture.

You’re ready for the Devil when you keep covering your weak spot with God’s Word about it. That’s a strong spiritual brace that will help you avoid any further injury. So, support that weak spot with the strength of words from God.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Working the Bridge

, , , , / Leave a Comment / DE, Milford, The Grit Mill / By

QIC: Semi

Warm-a-Rama by Gringot
16 ssh
10 headcount circles each direction
10 arm circles, forward and backwards
Arm stretch both sides
Leg stretch both sides
Mosey around parking lot

The Thang

Grab 2 small coupons from Q’s truck and mosey to park bridge

5 blockees
Lt Dan across the bridge
5 blockees
Dan Lt across the bridge
25 lateral raises
Nur across the bridge
25 forward raises
Mosey across the bridge
At closest Bench 26 Bulgarian split
               Squats – 13 each side
Side shuffle across the bridge
5 pull ups on playground
Side shuffle across the bridge
26 screaming lunges – 13 each side
Karaoke across the bridge
5 pull ups
Karaoke across the bridge

3rd F

This was sent out to the coaches for Delmarva Christian from the athletic director.

https://mailchi.mp/7b535ebc21c0/humility-10130827?e=3891e45bdb

So today’s message I believe, comes straight from God. You see, God has really been pressing me these last several weeks. I keep hearing from him, “you need to go all in”. I knew that God was calling me to go all in as a Christian man and a Christian athletic director. But because of past experience and other roadblocks, the spirit of fear has been holding me back. Today I asked my pastor, Coach Hannah, if he had time to talk, and we worked through a couple things. Coach Hannah’s message to me today was about being a shepherd and taking care of the flock. He really helped connect the idea of shepherding and coaching! Then as I sat down to prepare this email, I happened to check my inbox and low and behold,  I read today’s message from FCA Coaches Ministry. Here is the verse.
“I will set shepherds over them who will care for them,
and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed,
Neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.”
– Jeremiah 23:4 (ESV)

WOW! Talk about a prophetic word! My heart is overflowing! 

I love the comparison of Sheppards and Coaches! Think about it. Who has been the most influential person in your athletic life. Who has guided you, protected you, motivated you and encouraged you? A COACH has! Just as a Shepherd attends to his flock, coaches are to attend to the needs of their athletes!  
You have been appointed by God to coach your athletes! Will you also shepherd them?

Mosey back to AO

10 burpees for wind blowing old glory off the the shovel

March merkin madness – 5 each

Abyss merkins
Irkin
Derkin
Ranger
Wide

Number Rama
Name Rama
COT

5 HIM Showed today: Semi, Ruxpin, Boxcar, Shutter, Gringot

Single Awareness

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QIC: Semi

Warm-a-Rama
15 seal jacks i/c
15 mountain man pooper i/c
15 seal waves i/c
10 hip circles each direction oyo
15 windmills i/c
15 harry rockets i/c
15 Michael Phelps i/c

The Thang
Mosey to Woodstock’s coupons

Single awareness
15 per side
L – lunge backwards
O – Overhead press, single arm
V – v up, single leg
E – E2K

S – single leg Squat to coupon
I – irkin
N – navy seal burpee
G – goblet Bulgarian Squat
L – lunge
E – E2K

Round 2
With 10 train burpees

Mosey back to AO

Number Rama
Name a Rama
COT

11 showed today: Semi, Probe, Yukon, Bunt, Pick, Ruxpin, Hideous, Reptile, Chauffer, Chattahoochee, Motown

Sidewalk Doracides

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Date: 12/28/2024

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

PAX: Box Car, Chattahoochee, Fireplex, Pickles (down range), Probe, Pusher, Quattro, Ruxpin, Woodstock, Yukon

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20IC

Windmills – 20 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

Jiminy Crickets – 10 OYO

Merkin Mile – each ¼ mile Pax stopped and completed 25 merkins.  Pax completed two sets on the way to the site of the “Thang”.  Pax completed the second half of the merkin mile with two sets of merkins in returning to the Aegis.

The Thang

From the Exicon – Doracides – Two Pax worked together to reach exercise reps of 100, 200, 300, & 400 of 4 different exercises EACH.  One Pax worked on the exercises while the second Pax completed suicides to three designated waypoints.  The extra twist is at the waypoint of each suicide run; the Pax completed 1 burpee, then 2 burpees, and finally 3 burpees before returning to the starting point.  Once all three suicide sprints were completed, the Pax switched stations until all reps of each exercise were completed.  The exercises completed are as follows:  100 Merkins, 200 American Hammers, 300 LBC’s, & 400 squats.    

F3 Message 12/28/24

When God’s Promises Turn Into Life Preservers – #9792

July 23, 2024

There’s bad plaque and there’s good plaque. The bad kind is that substance that builds up on your teeth that you see in all the toothpaste commercials. They’re going to help you get rid of that. Oh, and then there’s good plaque; that’s the kind we have hanging on walls all over our house.

They’re good plaques because they have different promises on them from God’s Word. Right as you come into our house there’s been a plaque on the wall that says, “All your children will be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of your children.” That’s Isaiah 54:13. And most homes have God’s promises on plaques on the wall, or churches do. But plaques like that are meant to do more than hang on walls; they’re actually meant to float.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “When God’s Promises Turn Into Life Preservers.”

Our word for today from the Word of God comes from Psalm 119. I’m going to read verse 50. David says, “My comfort in my suffering is this: ‘Your promise preserves my life.'” I love that. “Your promise preserves my life.”

Not long ago I was talking to some friends of ours who had lost a relative in a tragic auto accident. I said to them, “Was His grace enough?” You know, one of the great promises of God in 2 Corinthians 12:9 is, “His grace is sufficient.” There’ll always be enough grace.

And they said, “Oh yeah, it sure was.” And then together we began to remember some of those promises that make good wall plaques, like “Underneath are the everlasting arms.” And then it dawned on me, those promises of God are nice words, but when a storm hits and you’re sinking – like when a loved one dies for example – the promise of God becomes a lot more than a plaque. It becomes your life preserver, like someone drowning in the ocean, hanging on for dear life, and the promise is all you’ve got to hang onto.

David said, “My comfort in suffering is this, ‘Your promise preserves my life.'” All you’ve got to hang on to. And the more you hold on to that promise, the more you live as if the promise is true and the more you can handle. We’ve got to have those promises in our heart so we can rip them off the wall and hang onto them when that sudden storm hits.

I talked not long ago to a burned out Christian leader. He’s hanging on to a promise from the 23rd Psalm, “He restores my soul.” I talked to a family who was recently hit by five medical blows within as many weeks. They’re hanging on to Deuteronomy 33:25, “Your strength will equal your days.” When my wife got ill and was sick with hepatitis, in bed for nine months, I wondered, “How in the world am I going to do it without my partner?” I hung on to that verse. Every day I said, “Your strength will equal your days, Ron. Your strength will equal your days.” It did! It got me through.

So, learn those promises. They’re your source of strength. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” That means you’ll have everything you need. Maybe you need Philippians 4:19, “My God will supply all your needs.” Or maybe that plaque that becomes a life preserver is 1 Corinthians 10:13, “God is faithful. He will not allow you to be tempted more than you are able.” Or are you hanging onto Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” How many times have I hung onto Jeremiah 33:3, “Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know.”

Learn those promises, and then learn to lean on those promises. When your feelings are lying to you, when your world is upside down, grab a promise off the wall of your heart and rest all your weight on it. The promises of God are life preservers.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

“Lid” It Go

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Date: 11/02/2024

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

Pax: Bunt, Chattahoochee, Chauffeur, Fireplex, Motown, Pick, Probe, Pusher, Ruxpin, Semi, Yukon

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

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

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Hydraulic Squats – 10 (6 Count)   

The Thang

Round #1 – Karaoke around the circle switching directions at halfway and complete 10 hand release merkins.  Round #2 – Nur around the circle and complete 20 LBC’’s.  Round #3 – ass kickers around the circle and complete Aiken legs – 10 squats, 10 box jumps, 10 lunges (10 each Leg), 10 Iron Mike’s (5 each Leg).  Round #4 – high knees around the circle and complete ATM’s – 10 alternating “merkin” shoulder taps, 10 tempo merkins, and 10 fast merkins.  Round # 5 – Lieutenant Dan around the circle and complete 10 four count mountain climbers.  Round #6 – Toy Soldier march around the circle and complete a set of 11’s.  1 big boy to 1 merkin, two big boys to 2 merkins ascending to 11 of each.  Round #7 – mosey 10 laps around the circle and complete ascending Burp & Merks up to 10 merkins.  The twist is we are going to repeat each of the previous exercises before starting the next lap around the circle.

F3 Message 11/02/24

A Strong Sense of Season – #9721

April 15, 2024

On the first warm day of spring I can remember my son saying, “Ready for a little baseball, Dad?” Well, ’twas the season, although that early in the season we usually ended up stuck in the mud somewhere between home plate and first base. Now, he didn’t ask about playing baseball if it was fall or winter. Now, he always had a like a strong sense of season. By the same token, the first cool day of late summer, of course, that brought a predictable question, “Ready for a little football, Dad?” This is the same son, of course, that got upset when he saw Christmas items up before Thanksgiving, or phone calls when he was studying or homework that you had to do on weekends. See, this kid had and actually still does have for that matter, a strong sense of what season it is, and there’s actually a lot of sanity in living that way.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “A Strong Sense of Season.”

Now, our word for today from the Word of God comes from Ecclesiastes 3, and let me read some excerpts to you: “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.” It goes on with a list of life’s times, and then concludes in verse 11, “God has made everything beautiful in its time.”

Well, the message of Ecclesiastes 3 to me is this: Know what time it is. Know what season it is at this point in your life, or your month, or your week. And then really do what it’s time to do and don’t mix up your seasons. When it’s time to work, really work; when it’s time to fellowship, really fellowship. Just don’t mix everything up.

Now, I know some people who talk for half of their work day. Well, when it’s fellowship time, do that, but don’t mix that with your work and vice-versa. When it’s time to play, really play. When it’s time to be home, don’t bring your work home with you; really be home. When it’s time to be at work, don’t keep doing personal stuff. When it’s time to pray, block out everything else.

Maybe that’s why Jesus told us to go into a closet to do it. When it’s time to listen, drop everything else and focus on that person. If it’s time to finish something else before you listen, get that done and schedule a time when you really can listen. When it’s time to study, don’t talk. When it’s time to unwind, don’t study. Get the idea? It’s like the Bible says in Colossians 3, “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.”

I have a friend whose employees’ wives are on the warpath because their husbands are coming home forever late from work. Guess who they blame? The boss and the company for overworking their men. Well, the fact is what the wives don’t know is that these men are taking extended lunch hours for gym time and shooting the breeze much of the day. They waste as much time as they work, and then they have to work like crazy at the other end of the day. And then, guess what? They can’t be the fathers they need to be.

I like what the Bible says again, “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.” And I really like what Jim Elliott, the missionary martyr said, “Wherever you are, be all there.” See, things don’t work as well when you do them “out of season.” Each day, each week has seasons in your life. Well, do with all your heart what it’s time to do at that moment and then God makes everything beautiful in its time.

I’ll tell you, life is a lot more peaceful when you live with a strong sense of season.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Cr(Abs) & Shoulders

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Date: 10/01/2024

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE.

Pax: Deez, Whirlybird, Bunt, Ruxpin, Toy Soldier, Chattahoochee, Probe, Streudel, Fireplex

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

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

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Plank Jacks – 30 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

The Thang

Mosey around Mill Street and back to the M&T Bank parking lot.

Each Pax completed the Burp & Merk – Burpee with ascending merkins up to 10.  Each PAX will Bear Crawl to each parking space and complete a Burpee with a hand release merkin.  Bear Crawl to the next space and complete a Burpee with two hand release merkins.   Continue until completing a Burpee with ten hand release merkins.  Nur back to the start and plank for the six. 

Pax continued on over to “Oh Hill No” and completed the bottom feeder/deconstructed toy soldier set exercise.  Crab walk up the hill and complete 100 LBC’s.  Crab walk down the hill and complete 50 E2K’s to one side.  Crab walk back up the hill and complete 50 E2K’s to the other side.  Crab walk down the hill and complete 25 big boy sit-ups.

F3 Message – See below

Mosey back to CHOP by way of Strawberry Alley. A round of Mary was completed to finish out the beatdown.

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

F3 Message 10/01/24

When You Don’t Like What’s On Your Plate – #8160

Friday, April 20, 2018

One of our team members reminded me the other day of how I felt about junior high school lunches. He was talking about it in our team devotions. Few of us remember those 7th or 8th grade cafeteria lunches with great fondness. Friday wasn’t bad – that was French fry day. But most of the other days – who knows what some of that stuff was – mystery meat! We’d complain about the food, we’d trash the food sometimes, and sometimes we even had a food fight with it! Hey, it’s junior high; what do you want? There were many days I wasn’t too excited about what was on my plate. There still are.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft, and I want to have A Word With You today about “When You Don’t Like What’s On Your Plate.”

Okay, this has nothing to do with your diet. I know you have days when you don’t particularly like what’s on your plate though. Or you don’t like how much there is of it. As a parent, you may have to handle some things that really aren’t much fun these days. That’s what on your plate. As a son or daughter, or a student, you’ve been stuck with some jobs you really don’t want to do. At work, it’s getting pretty messy, or heavy, or boring. At church or in your ministry, you’re not particularly liking the way it’s going and what you’re trying to do for the Lord. But it’s just part of life – days, and sometimes lots of days, when we don’t like what’s on our plate.

So, how are you handling days and tasks you don’t care for? Do you complain about them? That would be the way we normally do. Do you worry about them? Freak out over them? Do you get negative or irritable because of what’s on your plate? Look, we’re not in junior high anymore. It’s time for a more grownup response. It’s time to see what’s on our plate from God’s perspective.

Here it is in our word for today from the Word of God in Psalm 16:5-6. David says, “Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup; You have made my lot secure.” So who decides what’s on the plate of a child of God? Your Heavenly Father who loves you totally and does everything perfectly! Sometimes God’s assignment is exciting and energizing, sometimes it just seems sort of humdrum and mundane, and other times God’s assignment is downright hard – like when He assigns you to a sickbed or an unappreciated, dirty-work job or working with someone who frustrates you or annoys you.

But there is a peace, there’s this lightness in your spirit – even a strange joy – that can come when you look at today’s plateful and say, “Lord, You have assigned me to this.” Which leads us to that powerful formula for being emotionally and spiritually on top of things, instead of things being on top of you. It’s in James 4:7 where the Lord says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” In other words, submit to the Lord’s greater plan, His greater wisdom – “OK, Lord, I’m going to handle what’s on my plate as if it came right from Your hand.” The result? Well, you have resisted the devil’s attempts to discourage or distract or detour you.

In fact, since the Lord assigns you your portion, you can actually thank Him for it, looking expectantly for what good things He wants to bring out of it. What’s God working on through this? Does He want you to be more of a servant? More patient? A better listener? A learner? More sensitive? 

See, whether or not you particularly like what’s on His menu for you today, you can be sure it is for your good – it’s part of His loving plan for you. What’s on your plate is OK – because the One who put it there loves you so much. Oh, by the way, knows exactly what you need.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Abs-so-posa-lutely

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Date: 09/03/2024

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

PAX: Deez, Whirlybird, Ruxpin, Chattahoochee, Probe, Streudel, Fireplex

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

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

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

Jiminy Crickets – 10 OYO

Windmills – 15 IC

Hydraulic Squats – 10 IC ( 6 Count)

The Thang

An Inclined Toy Soldier Set was completed on the grass hill behind the stone parking lot – 100 LBC’s, 50 E2K’s x2, 25 Big Boys OYO.

Pax completed one lap around Mill Street and back to the flag pole at the Firehouse.

Captain Therkin – 1 big Boy to 4 American hammers; 5 Merkins .  2 Big Boys to 8 American Hammers; 5 Merkins in ratio up through 10:40 with 5 Merkins.

Pax completed one lap around Mill Street and back to the flag pole at the Firehouse. A short break was taken for the F3 Message.

Pax finished with a modified Super 21 beatdown for the abs-so-posa-lutely kickoff beatdown. 1 Merkin to 1 Big Boy Sit up.  2 Merkins to 2 Big Boy Situps.  3 Merkins to 3 Big Boy Situps, etc., etc., etc.  Q elected to start at 21 in descending fashion.  All Pax completed the round of 21 descending through the round of 15 of each to complete the beatdown.

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

F3 Message 09/03/24

Only Two Days On Your Calendar – #4481

Monday, March 15, 2004

Some years ago, my wife got a very serious case of hepatitis. Later, the specialist told her that the battle for her liver was so acute he could hear the blood rushing to save it, “Just like Niagara Falls,” he said. Thank God, she recovered fully with no trace today of that disease or any of its effects. But it took a while – seven months of bed rest. That was an interesting time for Daddy – suddenly known as Mr. Mom – and for our three children. Thankfully, our church brought dinner to our home almost every night. God bless them! It’s a good thing. I mean, if it had been up to me to feed the kids, they probably would have been on the cover of something like World Vision magazine eventually. But as tough as it was, my wife said she had much to praise God for in her recovery from hepatitis. For one thing, no one could really look to her or count on her for seven months. Here’s what she said about it: “God gave me the gift of cleansing my schedule!” He weeded out a lot that didn’t matter after all and left only what did matter.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Only Two Days On Your Calendar.”

If you look at many of our calendars, they are packed to the edges. Some days the date book boxes are just too small to write everything in. Our life is congested with places to go and things to do, and we’re overdosing on stress. We could all use a priority check. We could all use a little schedule cleansing so we can focus our time on the things that really, really matter.

Now I’m no magician. I can’t make your responsibilities disappear, but I can give you a simple grid that may make your life a little more doable. And it’s not my idea. It’s actually Martin Luther’s idea. He said he had only two days on his calendar – one of those is Judgment Day. He tried to evaluate everything in light of the Judgment Day that’s coming for all of us. God talks about that great values-clarifier in 1 Corinthians 4, beginning with verse 2, our word for today from the Word of God. Paul writes: “It is required that those who have been given a trust” – and I just want to add, “we all have” – “must prove faithful. I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court … It is the Lord who judges me. Therefore, judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.”

If it’s not going to matter there, how much should it matter here? Earlier, Paul talked about things that are just “wood, hay, and straw” that will burn on that day. That’s a priority check.

Luther said he had only two days on his calendar: Judgment Day and this day. It’s the only day I can live right now. I don’t need to be weighed down with yesterday. It can’t be changed. I don’t need to be fretting about the future. I’m not there yet and I can’t control it.

What I have is today, one 24-hour slice of life in which to honor my Lord in everything I do. So this day will count on that day! Maybe that’s what Paul had in mind when he said, “Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:14). Keep your eyes on the prize, all day long and each new day.

God will take a life that you have lived for Him with His priorities, one day at a time and He will make a life out of those days that will fulfill you and glorify Him. It’s a great way to live – two days on your calendar: Judgment Day and this day.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Freakin’ Whirlybird 21

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Date: 08/03/2024

AO: Aegis, Georgetown, DE

PAX: Reptile, Shake & Bake, Ace, Whirlybird, Bunt, Ruxpin, Chattahoochee, Chauffeur, Probe, Fireplex

QIC: Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

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

Four Count Freddie’s – 30 IC

Mosey @.5 miles to the Armory

The Thang

All Pax worked on the descending Burpee and Big Boy evolution. 20 Burpees and 1 Big Boy Sit Up. Up the steps of the Armory hitting every step and back down.  19 Burpees and 2 Big Boy Sit Up’s.  Up the steps of the Armory hitting every step and back down.  18 Burpees and 3 Big Boy Sit Ups.  Up the steps of the armory and back down hitting every step and back down.  Continue the descending pattern until completing the round of 10 Burpees and 11 Big Boy Sit Ups. Break for the F3 Message before continuing the descending evolutions. Pax completed 210 of each exercise if completing the total evolution.

Mosey @.5 miles back to the Aegis. 

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

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

HOW YOUR FRIENDS CHANGE YOUR LIFE – #7380

Friday, April 24, 2015

Sometimes you see hitchhikers by the side of the road. What are they usually holding? A sign, usually crudely lettered, and it doesn’t have the name of the car they want to ride in. No, it has the name of a place on it; the place they want to go. On Indian reservations, hitchhiking is a way of life. I asked one of our Native American friends recently about her hitchhiking experiences. She told me she asked only one question before she got in a car. She didn’t care about the make of the car, the driver’s IQ, or where the driver was from. She had one question, “Where are you headed?”

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “How Your Friends Change Your Life.”

Hitchhikers have a simple basis for deciding who they will travel with: is this person going where I want to end up? That’s exactly the question we all should have in mind when we’re deciding who we’re going to travel with.

Our word for today from the Word of God is from Proverbs 13:20. This is God’s counsel concerning the people you hang out with, people you spend time with, make friends with, people you date, people you marry. “He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm.” You tend to become like the people you spend time with. Like a hitchhiker, you end up where the people you are traveling with end up. God reinforces that point in 1 Corinthians 15:33. He just simply says, “Bad company corrupts character.”

If you’re going to make good decisions about who to travel with at your school, at your workplace, in your social life, or even who you’ll marry, you first need to decide what kind of person you want to become; what kind of goals you want to achieve. I hope you want to end up being a positive person, not a negative person. Who needs any more of those? You probably want to end up being caring, not self-centered, encouraging, not tearing people down, living for what really matters instead of just some attractive, meaningless junk.

And if you’ve been to the cross of Jesus to have your sins forgiven; if you belong to Him, I hope you want to end up being someone that Jesus is proud of; someone who lives for the One who died for you – not for some little earth-stuff. Decide what kind of person you want to be; what kind of attitudes you want to have. And then look for some people who have the same “destination sign” as you do.

Your selection of friends, associates, romantic prospects may well be one of the most important choices you will ever make because you will probably end up on the same road as they do. If you’re with people who are spiritually careless, or just don’t care, you’ll probably end up there, too. If you’re with people who just simply settle for mediocrity as a Christian, you will live that grey life like they do. But if you are connected with some people who are going in the “make a difference” direction, the “live for other people” direction, the “live for Jesus” direction, chances are that’s where you’re going to end up – going the direction where your life can mean the most and matter the most, and count for something lasting.

You can ask any hitchhiker, it really does matter who you decide to travel with. You don’t decide who you’re going to go with on the basis of how cool they are, or how well-connected they are, or how exciting their lifestyle looks – or even how they treat you. You ask that all-important, deciding question about who you’re going to spend your time around, “Where are you headed?” You only travel with someone who’s going to a destination that you’re not ever going to regret.

It’s About The Fourth, Not Quattro

, , , , , , / Leave a Comment / CHOP, Milton, DE / By

Date: 07/09/2024

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

Pax: Deez, Bunt, Ruxpin, Toy Soldier, Probe, Streudel, Fireplex

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

The Thang

PAX completed the Hindenburg BLIMPS routine from the exicon. We modified the sprint portion to a straight line up the Chestnut Street Hill stopping at Mill Street for Stopping Points #1 & #3 of each round.  Sprint back down Chestnut Street to Front Street for Stopping Points #2 & #4 of each Round.  Plank it up until all PAX have completed the exercises at each stopping point.  Rinse and repeat until all 6 Rounds 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.  Pax completed the rounds through Round #5 as time was a factor.  We ended strong with 50 plank jacks and 60 squats.  

F3 message –The 3rd F was shared after completing round #4.

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

 F3 Message 07/09/24

DEPENDENCE DAY – #8474

July 4, 2019

They keep it under glass that seals out any air getting to it. And when it’s not on display, it’s kept underground in a vault – actually a bomb proof vault. It’s the most important document in the history of the United States. Yep, the Declaration of Independence.

The men who signed it on that hot July 4th in Philadelphia knew it was very important, but I wonder if they could have possibly conceived what a sacred piece of paper it would become to the nation that it birthed. Here were subjects of the English king, daring to declare their independence from their king. It changed their lives forever. It changed the world forever. And once a year, every Fourth of July, America stops to remember that Independence Day.

I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Dependence Day.”

Now, for America’s founding fathers, it was a Declaration of Independence from their king that changed everything. But for you, as a child of God, it’s your “Declaration of Dependence” on your King that changes everything.

Now, when it comes to God running our lives, you know what? We’ve all declared our independence. Even if our theology compels us to officially say we trust God, we are, for the most part, “Sinatra-ites.” Yeah, you know Frank Sinatra’s signature song? I’ll sing it for you. No, I won’t. “I did it my way.” Yeah, even for us Christians, that’s often how we really live, I’ll do it my way. We’ll figure this out by ourselves, we’ll find a way, we’ll make it happen, we won’t wait, we’ll get it done now. We tend to depend on our plans, our schemes, our cleverness, our talent, our experience, our persuasiveness, our hard work, our connections. We’ll count on our programs or our own strength.

That’s why we need to declare our dependence daily! It’s in our word for today from the Word of God, Jesus makes it very clear how anything that matters in our life really happens. In John 15:5, Jesus says, “I am the vine; you are the branches.” In other words, the fruit of your life doesn’t come from you, it comes from Jesus, through you, like the life of the vine comes through the branch.

Then He goes on to say, “If a man remains in Me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from Me, you can do nothing.” Or nothing that matters, nothing eternal, nothing that really works over the long haul – nothing. He doesn’t say, “Without Me, you can’t do much.” No, nothing! He says it all comes from Him.

So the size of your life depends on how big your dependency on God is, as opposed to cranking it out yourself. Joni Eareckson Tada once said that when she went to Africa, she was greeted by believers there who said, “Welcome to Africa, where our God is bigger. He is bigger because we need Him so much more!” Actually, we need Him every bit as much. We just have other things we can depend on. So our lives are smaller because our view of God is smaller, because we don’t depend on Him desperately for each day’s needs, each day’s choices, each day’s strength, and each day’s answers.

You know what the language of dependency is? Prayer. You can pretty much tell how dependent you are on God by how often you feel the need to cry out to Him in prayer. There is so much more waiting for you if you’ll only learn how powerful it is to recognize your powerlessness before God.

Look at the frequency and the fervency of your prayers in any given day, and you’ll be able to tell how dependant you really are on Him. Each new morning, in the presence of Almighty God, you need to sign it again – your Declaration of Dependence on your King, because that signature will make all the difference.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

Toasted By Streudel

, , , , , , / Leave a Comment / CHOP, Milton, DE / By

Date: 05/07/2024

AO: CHOP, Milton, DE

QIC: Fireplex

PAX: Deez, Bunt, Ruxpin, Toy Soldier, Chattahoochee, Probe, Fireplex

Warm up

SSH – 20 IC

Cherry Pickers – 15 IC

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

Streudel Claps – 15 IC

Windmills – 15 IC

The Thang

Beginning at CHOP, all Pax will mosey to Wharton Street and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg). Then Mosey to Federal Street and complete 20 Burpees, 20 Squats, 20 Merkins, 20 Big Boys.  Then mosey to Front Street by the PD and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg).  Finally, a short mosey to CHOP and complete 20 Burpees, 20 Squats, 20 Merkins, 20 Big Boys.  A break was taken for the F3 message. All Pax will mosey to Wharton Street and complete Aiken legs – 20 squats, 20 box jumps, 20 lunges (10 each Leg), 20 split Jacks (10 each Leg).  Mosey back to CHOP and complete 20 Burpees, 20 Squats, 20 Merkins, 20 Big Boys.  Approx. 1.03 miles were completed for the beatdown.

F3 Message – see below

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

F3 Message 05/07/24

LIGHTING UP AT THE END OF THE GAME – #3017

As a New York Knicks basketball fan, I’ve had some victories and some play-off games to cheer for. But I’ve had my share of disappointments, too. And too many of them have come at the hands of one particular opponent – a player named Reggie Miller. This man has done more to stop my team than just about anybody I can think of because something happens to this man in a close game, when there’s suddenly just a minute or two left. He’s on fire! He may or may not have had a lot of points earlier in the game, but somehow he seems to save his best for last. With time running out, Reggie suddenly becomes a scoring machine, making fantastic shots, often scoring enough points to send my team home for the season. Any player is a powerful force when he knows the end is near and lights up to makes a difference!

Well, I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You about “Lighting Up At The End Of The Game.”

You may be at a point in your “game of life” when you feel as if most of the game is behind you. You’ve scored just about all the points you’re going to score. You’re just sort of coasting from here to the end of the game. Well, that is no way to finish your game!

Consider Caleb from our word for today from the Word of God. He was one of those 12 scouts Moses sent ahead to check out the Promised Land before the Jews were to enter it. Ten came back saying, “Giants there! No way!” Two came back saying, “God is with us! Way!” But because of the unbelief of the people, a whole generation wandered in the wilderness for 40 more years until all the adults of that unbelieving generation were dead – except those two believers, Joshua and Caleb. Now, with the new generation taking the Promised Land, Caleb is 40 years older than his first visit there. But is he ready to hang up his sneakers and call it a game? No way!

Here it is. Joshua 14:10. “So here I am today, eighty-five years old! I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as He said.” Not bad for 85, huh?

Here is one of God’s players who is near the end of his game – but he wants to light up the scoreboard. He says, “Give me that mountain! I’ll take on those giants if they’re in the way of what God wants!” That’s the kind of fourth quarter players that God is looking for! Yes, your body may slow down some, your energy may not be what it once was, but you aren’t dead yet! God wouldn’t be leaving you here if He still didn’t have work for you to do, lives for you to touch, a difference for you to make! In the Holy Spirit’s great outpouring just before Jesus returns, God says in Acts 2:17, “Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, and your old men will dream dreams.”

Maybe you’ve allowed yourself to slip into a survival mentality, or maybe you’ve become self-absorbed or self-pitying. In the fourth quarter, some people just settle into a reward mindset. “Well, I’ve worked hard all these years. I’ll just settle back and relax now. It’s time just to reward myself for what I did in the first three quarters of the game.” Wait a minute! The game isn’t over yet! We’ll rest in heaven. We’ll get rewarded in heaven. But, for now, we can’t waste any of the all-too-few days we have to serve Christ. As the Apostle Paul neared his finish line, he said he was “poured out like a drink offering.” He wanted to cross the finish line having given so much for his Master that he had nothing left when he collapsed into Jesus’ arms! Don’t you want to do that?

That’s the kind of four-quarters heroes God is looking for. So make up your mind that you’re going to finish your game well. For, as Amy Carmichael said, “We will have all eternity to celebrate our victories, but only a few short hours to win them.” And we are in those few short hours.

Respectfully Submitted,

Fireplex

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