#1 – 100 Jump Squats-20 Merkins Lt Dan across parking lot – Plank til 6
#2 – 100 LBC-20 Merkins Standing long jump across parking lot- Al Gore til 6
#3 – 100 Lunges (50 each leg)-20 Merkins Duck walk across parking lot- Plank til 6
#4 – 100 Calf raises-20 Merkins Bear crawl across parking lot-Crab plank til 6
Mosey back to circle
#5 – 100 Crab jacks – 10 Burpees
COT:
Number Rama
Name O Rama
Name FNG (TRex pronounced T-Rex…welcome to F3 brother!)
Announcements, Prayer Request and Prayer
Greenhouse Effect Coffeeteria: IF you have to ask: The local “Blackwatering” watering hole is closed to indoor coffeeteria’ing, so we moved to one of Aegis Site-Q, Quattro’s, greenhouses. Perfect location
3rd F (between rounds #3 & #4):
Reputation and character have been recently discussed on group me. Reputation is what people think of us while character is what we really are, what we do when no one is looking. Listen to the following and think about them, do they reflect your character?
Trustworthy,
Loyal,
Helpful,
Friendly,
Courteous,
Kind,
Obedient,
Cheerful,
Thrifty,
Brave,
Clean, and
Reverent
On my honor, I will do my best to do my duty, to God and my country, and to obey the Scout Law; to help other people at all times; to keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight.
Be prepared
Many boys learned these, the Boy Scout Law, Oath and Motto. I recited them almost every Thursday from 6th grade to age 21. Though I didn’t realize it at the time, these words were becoming part of my character. At age 39 I can still say that these words help to guide me. As a parent I can’t help but think about what I am doing to instill values in my kids as they grow to shape them into good and productive people. Throughout the next day or two think about the words that help to guide you and make you who you are? What do they say about your character? Are you happy with that answer? If not, what are you going to do about it?
Congrats to Waler for pulling off an excellent VQ Warm-O-Rama! Glad to finally get you in the line-up; great job brother. PAX can’t wait for your official VQ. Kudos to the dirty dozen who won THAT FIRST BATTLE in the Gloom and posted in the rain to do a lot backwards, hence the title of this Backblast…
Warm-O-Rama: (YHC tried to remember the details, hope this is accurate)
SSH – 20 IC
Mt. Climbers – 20 IC
Imperial Walkers – 21 IC
Merkins – 10 IC
Cherry Pickers – 16 IC
The Thang: Waler handed it over to YHC and off we went…bass ackwards
Nur to Willow Street,
Mosey to Mulberry Street,
Nur toward new entrance for H.O.B. Elementary School,
Mosey to pick up the six,
Nur to entrance of H.O.B. Elementary
Wosey to other side of storm pond, partner up for a little trip to…
Burpback Mountain:
Partner 1 mosey’s to bottom of hill, then Nur back to the top,
Partner 2 does Burpees
Partners swap & rinse and repeat until Burpees are complete
Team Goal: Completed 100 Burpees cumulatively. Just keep moving! “I hate Burpees, let’s do Burpees” was the name of the game.
PAX got a breather at 50 Burpees for the 3rdF:
Andy Stanley shared a quote this past Sunday from Albert Speer which really caught my attention; so much so that I wrote it down right away.
First, if you don’t know who Albert Speer was, you’re not alone. He served as the Minister of Armaments and War Production in Nazi Germany during of World War II. He was convicted at the Nuremberg trials and sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Speer later died in 1981. And as a right hand man of Adolph Hitler, we’d not typically think of him, a Nazi, as a man worthy of quoting, moreless someone to learn something/anything from.
Still, there are lessons to be learned even from some who’ve gained them the hard way. In his memoirs titled: Inside the Third Reich, Speer gave this profound statement: “Resist the evolution of a court.”
When you begin to understand his statement, it is incredibly powerful and poignant. It means to resist the development of a group of people around you, so-called friends, who will tell you only what you want to hear.
The Bible refers to this in reference to the end times and sound doctrine, but I also want us to apply it today in terms of that big word: ACCOUNTABILITY.
Second Timothy 4:3 says, “For the time will come when they will not tolerate sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance with their own desires.”
In other words, men will not want to hear the truth and as a result they will hang around— they will gather a court of—those who tell them only what they want to hear and tickle their ears.
Truth is, there is no such thing as autonomy, there’s no such thing as a self-made man, there’s no such thing as a man who can fully hold himself accountable. Can you hold yourself accountable? No!
Accountability by definition requires a shield-lock with others who will speak truth to us. Accountability is about ideal relationships between men.
Here’s how Dredd started his chapter on accountability in his book F3 Q Source:
“The HIM seeks accountability because his life is not his own. No matter how dedicated or deliberate a HIM is in the building of his Guardrails, there will be some stretches of his road that he will not be able to protect through his own Bricklaying. These are a man’s Blind Spots, the hardwired gaps in his nature that he cannot protect without help.” (103)
“Because he is a servant who lives for the mission, the HIM treats his blind spots like any other obstacle in his life—as a problem that impedes movement. Because a problem can and must be remedied, the HIM does so by seeking accountability.” (104) The HIM does so by “resisting the evolution of a court.”
“Nobody likes being held accountable, held to a standard through enforcement and consequence. But accountability shines the light of hope into a man’s blindspots.” (104)
As HIM let’s strive to resist the evolution of a court; let’s strive to develop the F3 First State 2ndF (Fellowship), and let’s strive to stay out of the danger zone of [perceived] autonomy and, instead, develop ideal relationships between some of the guys in this group for mutual accountability! You’re in danger if you don’t have another man or two who can tell you the truth, brutal truth if need be.
RESIST THE EVOLUTION OF A COURT!
After completing Burpback Mountain, PAX returned to the AO…mostly bass ackwards.
Nur up Mulberry Street toward AO,
Moseyto pick up the six,
Mosey Left onto Clifton Street til PAX are together,
Prison Break for 10 secs.,
Mosey to Union Street,
Mosey up Union,
Prison Break for 10 secs.,
Nur rest of the way back to the AO
Round of [wet] Mary: (Must be in cadence)
Hello Dolly (sitting) – Compliments of Ruxpin
Flutter Kicks – Compliments of Chattahoochee
Big Boys – Compliments of Waterboy
Big Boys (Again!) – Complements of Woodstock
Crab Jacks – Compliments of Fireplex
“Reverse Plank” – Compliments of Quattro 😉
A Round of Mary
Time!
COT:
NUMBER-RAMA
NAME-O-RAMA
Announcements: PAX will be doing the Rucking Challenges “Love Your Ruck” rucking challenge for this week’s Roving RuckF3st Friday (2/12) in Georgetown. Join the fun and love your ruck!
Prayers: Praise for successful implant of Pacemaker in Chairman’s dad, Denny, expected to be released today. Continued prayers for Gavin. YHC’s son was able to visit with him for about 1 hr. on Friday. Gavin is overwhelmed at times by what the future holds, whether he will ever walk again or not. We’re continuing to pray for a miracle by the hand of the God for whom all things are possible. Prayers for all PAX that we’d make ourselves accountable to a few guys in the group so that we’re more successful at being HIM in our homes, workplaces, and the communities in which we serve. RESIST THE EVOLUTION OF A COURT!
Lots of Nur today. I.e. bass ackwards, legs will be feeling it tomorrow. But, hey, you can’t skip leg day…unless, of course, you do (shout out to the Fartsackers, you got lapped)!
Grateful for the opportunity to lead once again, and honored to introduce Waler into the Q rotation.
21 All i/c Seal Jacks Seal waves Imperial walkers Mountain climbers Ssh Windmill
The Thang
Mosey to the playground behind old HOB
2 Rounds
2 plankswerkins (hands in swing, merkin, extend arms out like superman, return to start) 4 pull ups 8 swerkins 12 hanging knee raises 16 big boys
3rd F Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him. But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Let the lowly brother boast in his exaltation, and the rich in his humiliation, because like a flower of the grass he will pass away. For the sun rises with its scorching heat and withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beauty perishes. So also will the rich man fade away from the midst of his pursuits. Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him. Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brothers. Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. James 1:2â€-‬18 ESV
2 rounds
2 hanging leg lifts 4 pull ups 8 swerkins 12 hanging knee raises 16 big boys
Mosey back to CHOP
Round of Mary 20 big boys 11 big boys i/c, 1 up, 2-3 down
Number Rama Name Rama COT
11 HIM showed today: Waterboy, Doubtfire, Fireplex, Chattahoochee, Chappie, Ruxpin, Strudel, Looney Tunes, Woodstock, Semi, Quarto
You: If you got whooped by your fartsack this morning
If your fartsack hit you as hard as Poirier hitting McGregor, if you’re reading this from a distance, or, if you sadistically enjoy recalling what you’ve been through in the Gloom, here’s how it went down:
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH – 10 IC
Swartzjacks – 10 IC
Windmill – 15 IC (via Woodstock)
Toy Soldier Squat Jumps (Toe touches [Toy Soldier], Jump w/hands to side & slightly out, down to Squat – Rinse & Repeat)
Single Arm Flying-Squirrels – 5 each arm, OYO
Seated Reverse Crunch – 15 IC (On six, hands to side/slightly back for stability, Feet 6″, knees together, bring up to chest, extend back out to 6″, knees slightly spread, bring to chest, extend back out to 6″, rinse & repeat)
WACH Merkins – 10 OYO, Wide-Arm to Close Hand (Wide-Arm down, on Up hands come off ground and go to Close Hand, back up, hands go to Wide-Arm, Rinse & Repeat)
TODAY, GOTTA KEEP MOVING! — We’re going to do a few sets of double-deuces as we go (22 double-time steps under ruck to increase pace and to remember the average veteran suicide rate is 22/per day).
THE THANG: *Rest position for each workout is Plank, if you stop moving plank it up!
RUCK UP – 30lbs • 10 – No Crawl Dragon (Stationary w/ruck)
Movement to dentist office: • 75 – Ruck Squats
Movement to Orchard St. • 75 – Shoulder to Shoulder
Movement to Mulberry St. • 75 – Ruck Swings
—————————————————————————
YHC took a brief moment to share the 3rd F:
Ephesians 5:25 says, “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also lovedthe church and gave Himself up for her.”
As I was laid up with Covid19 in early December I’d announced on the F3 First State Groupme that I was going to “make the best of my time” by watching every episode of Band of Brothers. I mean, really, who ever gets the time to do that? None of us! We’re hard-working family oriented HIM! I was licking my chops with anticipation of an uninterrupted block of quarantine so that I could watch the series without excuse. I assumed I’d be down for 3-4 days and then jump back into action (well, I did not expect to be out over a month!).
What I also did not anticipate was that Band of Brothers would have to wait. I tested positive, so that meant my wife (a school teacher) also had to quarantine and teach from home. Have you ever tried to watch Band of Brothers while your wife is teaching 4th graders remotely from the next room? It really doesn’t work…at all. Band of Brothers was out!
Another blissful thing I did not anticipate as I lay on the couch growing worse each day, was the joy I had watching and listening to my wife teach her students. While I initially fussed (under my breath, of course) about being unable to watch the B.O.B. series, I was met with the pleasure of hearing/seeing my M teach. I’d sacrifice B.O.B. again to hear/see her do what she does. I honestly believe she’s THE BEST teacher around! I always have. I’d say that even if she wasn’t my M. She is one of those rare people who is doing what she loves, so she loves what she’s doing. She is one of those rare people who is doing EXACTLY what they’re called to do–and it is most obvious not only in the way she teaches, but, as much, in the way she genuinely loves each of her students.
Band of Brothers you’ve got nothing on my M! I loved watching and hearing her in action. There’s no way I could’ve (or should’ve) demanded she teach elsewhere in our house just so that I could corner the market on watching an HBO series. I love the whole series; it’s excellent! I’ve watched it before…a few times, but I was blessed instead to follow the Biblical counsel of the Apostle Paul to the Ephesians: “Husbands love your wives, just as Christ also lovedthe church and gave Himself up for her” (5:25). As HIM let’s pursue sacrificial ways (great & small) to demonstrate our love for our wives–giving them our all as Christ gave His all for the church.
————————————————————————–
Movement to Shipbuilders • 75 – Ruck Deadlifts
Movement return to AO, Endex
NUMBER-RAMA
NAME-O-RAMA:
COT:
Announcements: Nuttin honey
Prayers: Rocky family lifted up during their time of grieving the loss of a loved one; our brother Streudel lifted up as he’s facing some tests/results today.
Ruck workout complete, to include many reps in honor of the 75th Ranger Regiment, four sets of double-deuces to be kept aware that there are an average of 22 American vets daily who take their own lives, and a total of .86 miles.
Shout out to Chattahoochee celebrating his 4-yr-Manniversary today. He was our longest serving Site-Q and is one of the most consistent PAX you will see. Follow him! Great to know you brother!
Always honored to lead. Thanks to all the PAX who won THAT FIRST BATTLE, dropped the DRP, and posted even knowing it was going to be a ruck beatdown. Let’s keep getting comfortable being uncomfortable. Aye?
Aye!
~Chappie, out!
Ran out of time. Here’s what we missed:
Movement to Pediatrician’s at Willow St. • 75 – Ruck Pulls
All i/c 21 Seal jacks 21 Plank jacks 21 Mountain man pooper 21 Cherry picker Capri lap – side shuffle across parking lot, nur, side shuffle, and mosey 21 SSH 21 Seal waves 21 Imperial walkers 21 Crab flippers
The Thang
Each HIM grabs 2 coupons.
Do 21 of the following exercises: Curls – bear crawl across parking lot, nur back Big boys – Lt. Dan across parking lot, nur back Abyss merkins – mosey across parking lot, Dan Lt. Back Rows (per arm) – side shuffle across parking lot, nur back High pull – side shuffle opposite direction across parking lot, nur back
3RD F Disciplines of a Godly Man A Great Friendship 1 Samuel 13-20
Man maker – muder bunny across parking lot Over head carry across parking lot
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.
American Hammers – 50 IC
Cherry Pickers – 20 IC
Mosey @.5 miles to Holy Hill
The Thang
1st & 10 Routine per the Exicon…Well sort of….:)…..Perform 10 merkins and 1 burpee. Nur up the hill and run down. Perform 9 merkins and 2 burpees. Nur up the hill and run down. Perform 8 merkins and 3 burpees. Nur up the hill and run down. You recognize a pattern developing here. Pax took a break for the 3rd F (see below) after completing the round starting with 5 merkins. After the break for the message, all HIM completed the rounds down through 1 merkin and 10 burpees with a final Nur up the hill and the run down.
Mosey @.5 miles back to CHOP.
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Prayers were offered for multiple needs within the attending PAX, but please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers.  Â
I heard a while back about a novelty company that made a lot of money on people having birthdays that they might not be real excited about. You know, like those milestone birthdays: 40, 50, 60. I’ll stop there. Of course, if you’re sad about how many birthdays this is, consider the alternative. That means you’ve stopped having birthdays, and that’s not good. This company actually produces a whole line of birthday products called “Over the Hill.” Maybe you’ve seen them. There are these black balloons with these words on them, black banners, cards; all kinds of dark little reminders that tap into the very things you don’t want this birthday to mean. A friend of mine was facing the classic Baby Boomer crossroads of turning 60 and was talking about it to an older man that he knew. And that man said something that made me laugh several times since then. He said, “Hey, how can I be over the hill when I’ve never even made it to the top yet?”
I’m Ron Hutchcraft and I want to have A Word With You today about “Time is Slipping Away.”
After I stopped laughing, I realized that’s how a lot of folks feel about their life. Where did it go? How can it be flying so fast? Especially when there’s so much I thought I would have or do by now and I haven’t. Job said it this way in the Bible, “My days are swifter than a runner” (Job 9:25).
I remember telling the quarterback of our high school’s freshman football team, “Hey, Chris, you’re going to blink your eyes and suddenly you’ll be a senior playing your last games.” He smiled, “Yeah, whatever.” One day in the senior locker room, he reminded me of what I had told him when he was just starting high school. He said, “Where did it all go so fast? Wasn’t I a freshman just yesterday?” I well know the feeling.
Our word for today from the Word of God, James 4:13-14 put our little journey on this planet into perspective. The Bible says, “Now listen you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this city or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”
And at that point, now I’m… this is me talking, “It’s all about eternity.” A friend of mine was at a class reunion where he was talking with a classmate who had become a very successful physician. As the conversation turned somehow to talking about God, the doctor just said very candidly, “Frankly, I’m nervous about eternity.”
You know what? We should be, if we’re not ready for the God we’re going to meet on the other side. Actually, the Bible tells us that we couldn’t be more “unready” to meet God. Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your sins have separated you from your God.” The Bible makes it clear that we’re all in deep trouble with God because as it says, “all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory” (Romans 3:23). We’ve been so busy pursuing the elusive goal of happiness and success that we have forgotten eternity.
And waiting to get ready for it is just foolhardy. As the Bible says, “Do not boast about tomorrow, for you do not know what a day may bring forth” (Proverbs 27:1). How many funerals have we been to of people who thought they had more time; maybe lots more time, and suddenly it was over.
We’re not ready for eternity unless every sin of our life has been erased from God’s book. And there’s only one person who can do that: the person who died to pay for that sin, and that is Jesus. In the words of the Bible, He “made peace (with God) through His blood, shed on the cross” (Colossians 1:20). The choice is simple. Either we put our trust in Jesus and His death for our sins, or we pay that death penalty ourselves – forever. Jesus came to give us heaven. Once you come to His cross and put your total trust in what He did there for you, death is no longer the end, it’s just the beginning! All death can do, then, is take you to heaven if you belong to Jesus.
If you don’t belong to Him, if you’re not sure you do, don’t risk another day without Him. The Bible says, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart” (Hebrews 4:7). I urge you as soon as you possibly can today to say, “Jesus, you died for my sins so I don’t have to. You’re my hope. I’m Yours.”
Listen, our website is there to help you cross that line. And I’d encourage you to go there today. It’s ANewStory.com.
The days, the years really do fly faster than we ever dreamed; each bringing us closer to our last day. There’s just such peace in knowing you’re ready for eternity whenever it comes.
The Super 21 “Streudel Special”. 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 set completed of #1 though #5 you will do 21 Imperial Walkers. After each set completed of #6 through #10 complete 21 Mountain Climbers. After each set completed of # 11 through #15 complete 21 Monkey Humpers. After each completed set of #16 through #20 complete 21 Prisoner Squats. After the final set of #21 Merkins to 21 Big Boys then finish strong with 21 Burpees.
F3 Message
Count-O-Rama, Name-O-Rama, and the Circle of Trust. Please keep all our HIM in your thoughts and prayers. Â
Health clubs and spas love January! Business skyrockets as December bulges turn to January workouts.
A “new year” sounds like a great time to work on a new you. Thus, the infamous New Year’s resolution. “A firm decision to do or not to do something.”
Sadly, research shows that about 88% of our resolutions won’t happen.
It’s not that we aren’t sincere about wanting to improve. We really do want to be healthier. Spend more time with the family. Get out of debt. Do better in school. Clean out the junk. In our house. Or in us.
So why do our great intentions so often end in failed commitments?
My work has put me in the middle of many folks’ efforts to change. From their experience – and too much of my own – I’ve seen four reasons we fail.
1. We’re not specific.
Goals have to be more than general intentions. “I’m going to be a better husband” … “I’m going to get in shape” … “I want to make more of a difference” – nice ideas. Not likely to succeed. “I’m going to give my wife all of my attention at least once a day” … “I’m not going to eat after 6 o’clock and I’ll spend 20 minutes on the treadmill each day” … “I’m going to volunteer at the shelter” – those are specific – and measurable – enough to give a person a decent shot at real change.
2. We’re not accountable.
A resolution between me, myself and I is just too easy to forget. But when you announce to several key people the commitment you’ve made, you’ve put yourself on the line to do it. Like the Bible says, “Two are better than one … if one falls down, his friend can help him up.”
3. We give up too soon.
Babies learn to walk by a process I call “step … boom!” They fall down, but they don’t stay down. They get up! Next time – “step, step, step … boom!” Until one day they’re rocketing across the room. Sadly, when we fall down in our effort to do better, we too often stay down. But one day’s failure is just that. One day. Keep it that way. Get up and keep walking!
4. We have a power shortage.
Especially when it comes to the changes that really matter. Breaking the cycle that’s hurting the people I love. Conquering the dark part of me that has brought me down again and again. Moving beyond the pain of my past. Attacking that fatal flaw that has cost me so much.
Every new year has the same last name. “A.D.” 2015. A.D. “Anno Domini.” The year of our Lord. Measured by how many years it is since Jesus Christ came.
My whole life has been “B.C./A.D.” The me I couldn’t change before Christ took the wheel of my life. And the changed life He’s made possible since I gave me to Him.
I thought I could only trust me to drive. But I drove into too many ditches. Ran over too many people. Crashed too often. I couldn’t get me to the man I want to be. I need to be. That the people I love need me to be.
Like one of the men who wrote the Bible. He said, “I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t … Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?”
I know that feeling. And I’ve found the power to change where that Bible-writer found it. “Thank God!” he said – “The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord.” It took the Man who died for my sin to give me the power to beat my sin.
My personal B.C. – a man I didn’t want to be. My personal A.D. – the man I could never have been without the great Life-Changer.
8 HIM beat the fartsack on this frosty morning for a little frosty fun. Q was thinking of introducing Lt. Michael Murphy to the PAX bit do to excessive Merkins at the grit mill yesterday we met Cpt. THOR instead.
Warmup – 25 SSH, 20 Windmills, 20 cherry pickers, 15 smurf Jack’s, 20 mou train climbers, all IC. 10 arm circles forward 10 backwards to.
Approximately 1 mile run threw town ending at the old HOB elementry.
Captain Thor. 1 big boy 4 american hammers. 1:4 ratio until 10 big boys 40 american hammers are complete.
Mosey the short way back to CHOP
Toysoldier set 40 LBC, 25 E2KS, 15 BIGBOYS followed by 20 flutter kicks IC.
For.the 3rd F I spoke a little about my experiences 30 years ago on Jan 16th president George H. W. Bush announced the start of what would be called operation Desert storm a military operation to expel occupying Iraqi forces from iraq.
