F3 Knoxville

Author: Kick-Flip

Hurl

THE SCENE:  65 and drizzle
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Skipped
WARM-O-RAMA:

Stretch and warm-up OYO

Mosey to the portico behind the senior center

THA THANG:

Do 7 sets of 10 – exercises were;

  1. 10 Blockees
  2. 10 CMU Swings
  3. 10 Single arm presses (10 each)
  4. 10 Goblet squats
  5. 10 Plyo merkins
  6. 10 single arm rows (10 each)
  7. 10 curls

15 ball slams between each round

Repeat for a total of 7 rounds

Then…

Do 7 sets of 10 – exercises were;

  1. 10 Tricep extensions
  2. 10 Thrusters
  3. 10 Alpos
  4. 10 kick-out curls
  5. 10 lunge with knee up (10 each)
  6. 10 good mornings
  7. 10 pullovers

Slam ball hurls between each round – down and back

Repeat for a total of 7 rounds

MARY:

No time

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The Word this morning was inspired by our never-was-named FNG from two weeks ago, Swayze, who sprinted like a rabbit then hurled like a drunk.  We hope to see that dude back soon…

June 3rd is National Repeat Day – the Word on my heart this morning is something that Jesus has told us to do over and over again.

In Matthew Chapter 18, Peter approaches Jesus and says, “Lord, how many times must I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? As many as seven times?”  Their culture was keen on defining and limiting moral obligations, as if they could be accurately prescribed by number.  Some rabbis had fixed a limit of “3 forgivenesses” – from their interpretation of the book of Amos.  Peter doubtless thought that he was being unusually liberal and generous in proposing such a measure of forgiveness – “Seven times…”.

Verse 22, “Jesus answered, “Not seven times, Peter, but seventy times seven times!”. Christ demolishes this attempt to quantify the measure of grace.  He commands us to forgive – and to be willing to live the forgive/offended/forgive cycle on repeat.  Whaaa???

Earlier, Jesus was teaching these same men and women to pray – Matthew Chapter 6, the Lord’s prayer,

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, a but deliver us from the evil one.”

I find it interesting that the first thing Jesus says after reciting the Lord’s prayer – as if this is the point that He needs to hammer home – is about how critical forgiveness is to your relationship with your Heavenly Father.  The very next verse after Jesus’s prayer (verse 14), “If you forgive those who sin against you, your heavenly Father will forgive you. But if you refuse to forgive others, your Father will not forgive your sins.”

How do we forgive those who have wronged us? What if they have offended over and over?

Two thoughts from the Lord’s prayer…

  1. The first word of the prayer may offer us a clue. Jesus does not start with “My Father…”, but with “Our Father…”.  We can work toward forgiveness by having an awareness that the offender is also a child of God, just as much as we are.  When my children are unkind to each other, nothing upsets me more – when they respect each other and build each other up, nothing brings me more joy.  Perhaps God feels the same about us as His children.
  2. The Greek word rendered “forgive” in this text is aphiemi (ah FEE ay mee). It does not mean to sweep it under the rug, or pretend like you were not hurt.  In the Greek, aphiemi can literally mean, “to HURL”.  Not in the way that our FNG did two weeks ago 😊 – but like we did to the slam ball this morning.  Throw it with all your might.  HURL away the offense.  Heave that poisonous resentment as far as you can (because, 99.9% of the time your unforgiveness hurts you more than anyone else!).  Aphiemi – hurl it!  That is how our Father forgives our trespasses – and it is how we are to forgive those who trespass against us. 

BB reader – if you are harboring unforgiveness in your heart, consider doing this symbolic gesture today. Get something that is unbreakable or that you don’t mind breaking (we used the slam ball) – pray about the offense and for the offender – ask for God’s help to give forgiveness – now APHIEMI…HURL that sucker as far as you can…

MOLESKIN:

Hat tip to the pulpit commentary for the historical context above. Hat tip to Craig Groeschel.

PRAYERS / ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Hills and Valleys

THE SCENE:  So nice.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry pickers
Al Gore
Squats
Michael Phelps
Down/up dog
Mountain climber
Projectivator

Mosey to the big lot.  Run across.  At each line, turn 90 degrees (i.e., sprint, side shuffle, bernie, side shuffle, etc.)

Dolly
Flutter kicks

THA THANG:

Mosey to the coupons.  Grab a block.  Walking 20 curls, 20 overhead presses, 20 tricep extensions

Line up at the cones in a low plank.  At “3-2-1, Go!”, get up and sprint to the top of the hill.  First person to touch leaves on a tree wins and gets to watch while everyone else does burpees at the top.

Back down the hill.  Winner starts 50’ further back.  Do one block exercise then hill sprint again.
Repeat the sequence – each time adding one more block exercise.

  • 5 plyo merkins
  • 10 block pullovers
  • 15 heavy LBCs
  • 20 lunges (10 each side)
  • 20 single arm thrusters (10 each side)
  • 10 CMU swings
  • 6 uneven merkin T planks (3 each side)

Murder bunny thrusters up the hill.

Walking 20 curls, 20 overhead presses, 20 tricep extensions

Twenty-ones on the steps.  CMU exercise (your choice) + pull ups.

Rack ‘em.

MARY:

Indian run in two lines.  PAX call out 3-2-1-Go!, last man in each line races up the middle of the lines.  Repeat until we are close to the flag.

Mountain climbers

Jailbreak!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

15 for bootcamp, 3 for rush

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

It was common in ancient pagan nations to perceive each god or goddess as having a particular domain or sphere of power on earth.  A goddess of fertility…  A god of the forests, or the river… Monotheism was unique and the idea that any god was supreme in all areas was unheard of.

In 1 Kings Chapter 20, we read about the Israelite city of Samaria under attack by the Syrians, a rival nation.  The Syrian king gathered 32 other kings – and brought a massive army to besiege the city.  Against all odds, and with their God’s intervention, the Israelites repel the attack.  The Syrians retreat and regroup to strategize.  Since the city of Samaria is in the hill country of Israel, they mistakenly think that the God of the Israelites must be a god of the hills.  So, they make a new plan, assemble another massive army, and attack Israel again – this time in the plains (where, presumably, the Israelite God does not dwell and has no authority).  Speaking on behalf of God, a prophet tells the Israelite king, “Because the Syrians have said, “The Lord is a god of the hills, but he is not a god of the valleys,” therefore I will give all this great multitude into your hand…” – and He does.  The Israelites rout their enemy in the valley, just as they did in the hills.  The one true God is sovereign over all – He is a God of both the hills and the valleys. 

For me, May 20 is a date unlike any other.

Five years ago, May 20th, my son Caleb was born.  He is a beautiful kid – he is everything that you would want in a son; wicked smart, good natured, daring, funny, creative, kind, loving – he is a great kid.  The day he was born into this world was joyful and exciting and amazing – it was heaven!  May 20th is the anniversary of one of the best days of my life!

But…

One year ago, May 20th, I was heartbroken.  My wife was pregnant again, but this time the pregnancy was not going well.  Several days before, we had been told that the baby had no heartbeat, and we would very likely have a miscarriage in the coming weeks.  We prayed that God would reveal his strength in a miraculous way and the baby would live…But short of that, if we had to walk that terrible road in the next few weeks, we prayed that the miscarriage would not happen on Caleb’s fourth birthday.  But it did.  The day we lost that baby was devastating and painful and raw – it was hell. May 20th is the anniversary of one of the worst days of my life. 

Life’s hills and valleys – the one true God is sovereign over them all.  Life is full of both wonder and wounds.  How does our faith stand up to them?  The “hills” of life can draw us closer to Him in joy and with grateful hearts – or they can arouse in us an arrogance which causes us to forget His presence.  The “valleys” of life can drive us into His arms and onto our knees – or can drive us to curse and blame our Creator with misplaced resentment.

We need to keep working toward having a faith that thrives in both the hills and valleys of life.

Closed with a pair of Pslams.

For when you go through a valley –

Psalm 4: God, you are my righteousness, my Champion Defender. Answer me when I cry for help! Whenever I was in distress, you enlarged me. I’m being squeezed again—I need your kindness right away! Grant me your grace, hear my prayer, and set me free!

For when you are on a hilltop –

Psalm 100: Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

MOLESKIN:

This workout and word was inspired by Monday’s great workout and word – offered up by the true HIM, Mailbox.

PRAYERS / ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Prayers for our good friend, Spotter, and for his family

Prayers for Stitch’s family relationships

Prayers for Jordon

Be All There

THE SCENE:  45 and cool
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Skipped for these bunch of veterans
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Fiddlefart around while we wait for Rocket to get moving
  • Overhead claps
  • Seal jacks
  • Knee Tap Merkins
  • Hillbilly Mountain climbers

THA THANG:

Grab a block and mosey to the benches by the fountain;

  • CMU plank rows – 10 each side
  • Heavy split squats – 10 each side
  • Uneven derkins – 10 each side

Mosey to the back of the municipal building.  Split into 2 teams. Each team has a list of exercises.  One extra-large size die with numbers 1,2,3.  One team rolls the die. That’s the number of laps up the stairs and back around.  While that team runs the laps, other team works through the exercises until laps are completed.  When entire team returns from laps, other team rolls.  When list is complete, knock down a cone and start again.  See how many times each team can work through the list.

Exercises:

  • 20 Curls
  • 15 Thrusters
  • 20 Heavy Lunges (10 each)
  • 20 Tricep extensions
  • 15 Goblet Squats
  • 20 single arm rows (10 each)
  • 15 CMU Swings
  • 10 burpee jump overs
  • 30 4-ct freddy mercury

MARY:

Mosey to the amphitheater
CMU pullovers x 20
Heavy LBCs
Heavy dolly IC

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

5 men

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The first words of the Christian and Hebrew Bible are a prologue to a story – to our story.  The section has a rhythm to it – some call it an ancient Hebrew poem.  It is from those words that I hope you’ll be inspired today.  For the sake of time, I truncated the scripture – but I’ll include a link to the full text below in the moleskin.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good…  And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.”…“Let the land sprout with vegetation…And that is what happened.  And God saw that it was good.  And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. And that is what happened….And God saw that it was good.  And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”… And God saw that it was good…And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal”…And that is what happened.  And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.  Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

Sometimes I struggle with looking forward to tomorrow – at the expense of enjoying today.  Planning for next year…instead of fully living in this year.  It can be so tempting to live for the next moment – when we’ve found the home…when we’re on vacation…when the kids are a little older…when the salary is a little higher.  For the last few days, I’ve been paying closer attention to my thoughts and words – and it is ridiculous how often I am thinking and talking about what-comes-next.  We were just camping over the weekend, a mini-vacation, and how often I was talking then about the next camping trips we have planned…instead of just enjoying where I was then and there.

I see wisdom in those Words from Genesis 1.

Being both omniscient and omnipotent – all knowing and all powerful – our Creator must have had a vivid image of the full glory of His Creation before He started to create – and He could have spoken everything into existence immediately.  Yet He didn’t.  He chose, instead, to create as a process – and intermittently throughout that process, He paused to reflect on the partially finished dream.  It is good.  Dirt and plants are only a small part of the full Creation that I have in mind – and the big picture is so much more awesome… but today, the partly completed dream – it is good.

We are each working on our own dreams.  To one day have that house, that job, that vacation… To have kids who are independent or enough money to retire.  Those big dreams are great – but where you are today, partly complete, it too is good.  So, don’t let this good day pass while dreaming only of tomorrow.  Be present and content with today.

Two quotes to finish us out…

One of my favorite authors of old western adventure novels, Louis L’Amour, said this;

“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.”

Christian missionary and martyr, Jim Elliot, said this;

“Wherever you are, be all there.”

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Jack, prayers for Emily

Next time, both teams need an Erector…

It is absolutely preposterous how many times the other team rolled a 1

This workout was inspired by one that Waxjob did several years ago at JUCO – Tip of the hat to you, sir!

Full text of Genesis 1…

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

Two Years

THE SCENE:   60 and calm.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Moroccan nightclub
  • Seal jacks
  • Abe Vagoda
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Mountain climbers
  • Merkins
  • Projectivator

THA THANG:

Short mosey to the Friendship Bell

  • Raccoon crawl around the perimeter
  • 11s – Chest tap irkins and box jumps

 

Mosey to K-25 Hill.  Pair up.

  • Partner 1:  Up the hill
    • 1st time – Sprint
    • 2nd time – bear crawl
    • 3rd time – Bernie
  • Partner 2 – Exercises
    • 45 burpees
    • 45 BBS
    • 45 lunges (2-ct)
    • 45 squats
    • 45 Merkins

Mosey back.

5 jump squats, 10 wall-ups, 5 jump squats, 15 inverted rows.  Repeato.

MARY:

Sprints – winner leads core exercise.  Repeato until we are all whipped.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

8 of the best men I know

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Two years…  Two years ago, I was the FNG when Snaggletooth led the incredible workout that we repeated this morning.  I am so thankful for this group and grateful to the men who come out day after day to challenge each other physically, spiritually, relationally – I’m a better father, husband, and friend because of F-3 Project.

The reflection that I had for us this morning is from 1 Corinthians 13 – The Love Chapter…

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

We zoomed in on those last few words, “…endures all things”.  In the original Greek, the word rendered in English as “endures” is hypomenei.  The word literally means, “remaining under the load” – but suggests something more like a military force that is being besieged and ordered to dig in! Defend the stronghold! Repel the enemy!  What are the enemies of love that we need to repel?  One is complacency.

Complacency is the subtle and silent enemy of your marriage.

There are outliers on either side – but experts say that, on average, it takes about 2 years for the “Honeymoon Phase” of a marriage to taper off.  In the beginning of our relationship, we are smitten with our spouse, wanting to always be around her, wanting to always please her and impress her.  Over time – around 2 years – that feeling tends to wane and a sense of complacency about our marriage can take hold.  What was once fascinating can become familiar.  Where we were once passionate, we can become passive.

Dr. Skip Moen, Academic Dean of Master’s International Divinity School, suggests that the word hypomenei could be understood as, “to stand firm…or to stay alive…”  So, the challenge issued this morning was to do something intentional today to keep alive (or breathe fresh life into) the spark in your marriage.  Don’t overcomplicate it.  It can be simple, like…

  • Ask her more questions
  • Be playful
  • Be spontaneous
  • Make room for quality time together
  • Play a game together
  • Schedule more sex
  • Put a flower on her pillow
  • Share a fantasy with her
  • Greet her with a bear hug after work today
  • Send her a text
  • Pray with her about her struggles
  • Laugh and make her laugh
  • Write her a note
  • Change your pattern of initiating sex
  • Express gratitude and show appreciation for her

Pick one…or a few…. Do it today!

“Love….endures…”

MOLESKIN:

Today was a repeat of the incredible workout Snaggletooth led two years ago.  Here’s his bb; https://f3knoxville.com/45-2/

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Collecting donated items for Safe Haven through the end of the month

A Waxjob Classic

THE SCENE:  50 and a little drizzly.  Perfect!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry pickers
Michael Phelps
Knee Tap Merkins x 10 IC
Mountain climbers

Quick mosey – stop for flutter kicks

Quick mosey – stop for Hello Dolly

THA THANG:

(Hat tip to Waxjob – he led this Q two years ago)

Mosey to the Tomo courtyard with a couple of stops along the way.

Split into 2 teams. Each team has an list of exercises.

One die with numbers 1,2,3.

One team rolls the die. That’s the number of laps up the stairs and back around.

While that team runs the laps, other team works through the exercises until laps are completed.

When entire team returns from laps, other team rolls.

When list is complete, set up a cone as a counter and start again.

See how many times each team can work through the list.

Exercises:

  • 15 Merkins
  • 15 4-ct Monkey Humpers
  • 15 Carolina Dry Docks
  • 10 Iron Mikes (each leg)
  • 20 Flutter Kicks
  • 10 Squat Jumps
  • 20 BBS
  • 10 Burpees
  • 20 4-ct Mtn Climbers

Mosey to the guardrail for 15 chest-tap merkins + 25 dips

Then to the big lot.  Sprint to 10 islands, stopping at each for a burpee

MARY:

Single file shuttle run back to the flag.  Every 10 seconds, front man falls off and does freddy mercury until the back of the line passes.  As you pass the man on the ground, shout out his F3 name.

Sleeping hillbillies L&R IC

Boat and canoe – Waxjob Classic

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

17 for the bootcamp + 2 rushers

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Almost 2 years ago, I came to my first JUCO F3 bootcamp and Waxjob led that awesome workout.  I was hooked – and JUCO has been a special part of my life ever since.  The Word this morning was about how unique and special this group is…

Early in the biblical story of Daniel, the nation of Babylon besieges Jerusalem – plundering the Temple of God and kidnapping some members of noble families.  Among the captives brought back to Babylon, where they would be taught to rule like Babylonians, were Daniel and his three friends; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.  Once in captivity, they were given Babylonian names in order to conform to the culture; Belteshazzar, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego – and they were placed into service of Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar.

Two years later, Nebuchadnezzar had a nightmare and issued a threat to his sorcerers and counselors (whom Daniel/Belteshazzar was then among), “Tell me what my dream was and what it means – or you’ll be torn limb from limb and your houses destroyed…”  Picking up in Daniel 2:17-18, “Then Daniel went home and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah what had happened.  He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon.” .  Daniel urged his friends to pray with him in his time of need.  Did you catch what Daniel called his friends?  When he needed true friends, Daniel found the men whom he knew in a special way.  He had a history with these men, and he called them by the names that few others in Babylon knew them as; Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

At JUCO, we call you by another name and we know you as few others do.  The only people who call you by your F3 name are the men who come out in the gloom with you…and they know you as a man who pushes himself to be better each day.  Those men do burpees in the rain with you…they sweat with you… they challenge you…they pray with you….  It is such a unique and special thing, and I don’t know of a better group of men out there.  Nowhere else do you see men doing what we do out here.

My challenge this morning was simple: To get all the benefits of F3, be engaged with this unique tribe.  It’s not about showing up for workouts, but about really having a community of men to live your life with.  If you’re not now, then how?  Start by sticking around after the photo to talk with another HIM about something besides the workout – family, life, struggles, victories, vacation plans – whatever…  Text some of these men throughout the week.  Post something on Slack for all of us to see.  Share a meal with another HIM – preferably including your families.  Live life together.

F3 JUCO is a special community of special men.  I’m grateful to know you all and want to you feel like part of a unique team.

Proverbs 27:17

Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Booster’s father and mother-in-law.  Prayers for Sty’s employee.

Cosmo is the Trivia King.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Keep the donations for Safe Haven coming through the end of the month!