F3 Knoxville

Author: Lillydipper

Young and Old

THE SCENE:  Cloudy, temps in low 50s.  This was actually a Co-Q by Steam and Lillydipper.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Steam got us warmed up with some 2fers for Tuesday.  We did 11 of each of the following but doubled it up with another 11:

  • Side Straddle Hops
  • Monkey Humpers
  • Merkins
  • Combo Rockettes/Windmills
    THA-THANG:

Steam continued with the following:  Mosey to AO pile.  Men split into teams of two each.  Partner 1 does squat while Partner 2 does 11 repetitions of exercise with CMU.  Then Partner 2 does squat while Partner 1 does repetitions.  Then the team sprints to the other side of the parking lot to do 11 repetitions (twice for 2fer Tuesday) of an exercise without CMUs.  The team will sprint back and forth across the parking lot to do the listed exercises.

With CMUs:

  • Overhead Presses
  • Rows
  • Burpees but pushing up on CMU
  • Pulls up to Chin
  • Incline Merkins on CMU

Without CMUs

  • Star Jumps
  • Merkins
  • Squats
  • Side Straddle Hops

Next, we will do Indian Walk across parking lot where man up front carries CMU, places it on ground after ten paces and walks to back of line.  After reaching each side of parking lot we will do 2fers of the following exercises:

  • 11 Smurf Jacks
  • 11 Side Straddle Hops
  • 11 Merkins
  • 11 Big Boy Situps

Next we will Grapevine Right to one side of parking lot and Grapevine Left back

Next we will Bernie Sanders to one side of parking lot and Bernie back.  Then, put CMUs back.

Next, Lillydipper moved us on with the following:  Mosey out of parking lot and onto roadway, going past the parking lot with the nice restrooms.  Turn right on the sidewalk and stay on sidewalk as it goes between the restrooms and parking lot.  Stop by light on sidewalk that is north of the parking lot.  We will do Route Sixty-Six up the Dragon Tail.  We will do this twice using the following exercises:

  • Smurf Jacks
  • Dive Bombers

Starting at the same point where we started Route 66, we will go up the Dragon Tail again but stop at each light and do 5 Hand Release Merkins and 10 Big Boy Sit-ups.  We will do this for six lights.

Mosey back to AO.  We will, next, sprint around the parking lot one time and Bernie Sanders around the parking lot one time.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Steam:  It is an honor, as a man in his twenties, to be a part of a group of men where most are older than I.  There have been times when I surely haven’t had my life together and I have been able to look to these older warriors for leadership and guidance.  It is nice to know that I can seek them out and it also a great thing to be able to look up to them as role models.

Lillydipper: It is an honor for me to lock shields with the type of young men we have in F3.  The zest and enthusiasm of these younger HIMs inspires me.  I know the world is going to be ok when I see leaders like these grabbing the steering wheel.  To have their respect amazes me.  And to know that they will circle back to pick me up leads me to respect them the more.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Thunderstruck’s mother and Pinto, who are battling cancer.  Prayers for Abscess, Pele and Fob who are overcoming injuries.  Praise to Iceman’s brother and sister-in-law who recently had a baby.

God In All Things

THE SCENE: Cloudy after rain showers, temps in upper 50s
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-Straddle Hops, 10 Pinto Twists, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Cherry Pickers.  Leg Stretch Right and Left.  10 Michael Phelps.

THE THANG:

Mosey to Parking Lot that is south of the northern ball fields.  There will be 8 cones set up around the parking lot.  We will take two trips around the parking lot.  Exercises will be listed and the method of getting to the next cone will also be listed.  The following are the exercises and means by which to get to the next cone.

  • Cone 1:  1. 10 Burpees.  2.  10 Shoulder Taps.  Sprint to next Cone 2.
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Merkins.  2.  20 Carolina Dry Docks.  Bernie Sanders to Cone 3.
  • Cone 3:  1. 20 Smurf Jacks.  2.  20 Star Jumps.  Grapevine Right to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4.  1. 20 Plank Jacks.  2. 20 Mountain Climbers (both legs = 1).  Bear Crawl to Cone 5
  • Cone 5.  1. 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  2. 40 Baby Crunches.  Sprint to Cone 6.
  • Cone 6.  1. 20 Squat Jumps.  2. 20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1). Bernie Sanders to Cone 7.
  • Cone 7.  1. 20 Hello Dollies (four count).  2. 20 Flutter Kicks (four count).  Grapevine Left to Cone 8
  • Cone 8.  1. 20 Imperial Walkers (both legs = 1).  2.  20 Squats.  Lunge to Cone 1.

Mosey to Pavilion.  We will do 20 Picnic Table Pull-ups, 20 Decline Merkins and 20 Bench Dips.  Then we will do 15 of each, then 10 of each and end with 5 of each.

Mosey to CMU pile.  We will mosey with CMU above head to one corner of parking lot.  After placing CMU down, we will run a lap around the parking lot.  We will then do 15 Overhead Presses with the CMUs.  Next, we mosey with CMU over head to second corner.  We put CMUs down and run another lap around parking lot.  We will then do 15 Curls with CMUs.  We will repeat the above pattern to 3rd and 4th corner, doing 15 Rows at Corner 3 and 15 Squats with CMUs at chest at Corner 4.   We will then put CMUs back.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
In plank position we will do reach each hand and each leg up to sky.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Ten men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Colossians 1:16-17 ESV 

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Job 12:10 ESV 

In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.

What a world God has given us.  He is the creator of all things and he is in all things.  All things are a manifestation of Him.  Sometimes we may feel distant from God.  He is up in heaven, over there, away, too big, too distant.  We feel as if He is not close and does not hear us.  At such times, remember that God is in all things.  Many of us go into the mountains to get closer to God.  There we can better see the heavens and feel his majesty.  But remember that God is in everything.  You can pick up a leaf and look at it closely.  Notice the veins in the leaf, the multi colors, the structure that is similar to other leaves that have fallen from the same tree – yet the leaf is unique.  And, it come from our creator.  Every little cell in that leaf comes from the Maker.  God is in that leaf.  The bugs that have nibbled on the leaf are also from God and are a manifestation of His creation.  Look closely and see God.  Know that His hand is in it.  Look at a stranger.  God created that person.  God is manifested in that person because that human is a part of God’s creation.  Every hair on that stranger’s head come from the Creator.

Christ wants us to see God in all things.  The next time God seems distant to you, just look at a leaf, a piece of grass, pick up a rock.  All of them are from God and God works in each and everything on earth. Our Creator is also in You.  Look close by, look within and see God.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for our brother, Pinto, and the Gentry and Buchanan families.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Ski trip for some of the F3 guys this weekend.

Every Vocation

THE SCENE: Partly cloudy, temp in low 50’s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, 10 Iron Mikes, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Rockettes, Michael Phelps
THA-THANG:
Mosey uphill to perimeter trail and continue moseying until we get to stop sign that is west of the upper parking lot.  We will do nickel dime quarters on the perimeter trail, going past the bottom of Mt. Everest and continuing on the perimeter trail until we hit the roadway at the Lyons Bend entrance to the park.  This is the exercises we will do with each nickel, dime, quarter (nickel, dime, quarter means run 1 light and do five of exercise, run 2 lights and do ten, run 5 lights and do 25):

  • Merkins
  • Squat Jumps
  • Big Boy Sit-ups
  • Smurf Jacks
  • Dive Bombers

Mosey east on roadway until we get to stop sign at intersection of roadway that goes to admin bldg.  We will stop here to do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to parking lot that at Southern Ball Fields.  We will start at southern end of parking lot.  We will run to light, do 20 Merkins, run to next light, do 20 Merkins, and continue sequence until end of parking lot.  We will then Bernie Sanders back to the other end of the parking lot, stopping at each light to do 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.

Mosey back to Roadway.  Stop to do 20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey to parking lot that is by roadway and south of the playground.  We will sprint from one end of the parking lot to the other, stopping at each inlet to do 20 Carolina Dry Docks.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
Sprint to each corner of parking lot and do 10 Smurf Jacks at each.  Then, lunge to each corner of parking lot and do 10 Star Jumps at each.  Finally, get on sixes and do 20 Flutter Kicks (four count).
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Ten men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
As men in F3, we each have different vocations.  If we were to go through the types of jobs each of us have, I am sure we would see quite a variety.  No matter what our job, each of us, in that job, have an opportunity to impact our world.

The words of the following song, which we sometimes sing in my church, are simple but compelling to me.  The song shows how each of us give to God’s kingdom through our vocations. The song is called Day by Day and is written by Lowana Wallace and Isaac Wardell.  Here are the words:

[Verse 1]
Server, you remind us of our Savior’s bowl and towel
Teacher, you are raising up a child to be kind
Lawyer, give us hope that justice one day will surround us[Chorus 1]
May God’s kingdom come
On earth, His will be done[Verse 2]
Farmer, you are working for a table full of bounty
Painter, with each color you are teaching us to see
Nurse, yours are the healing hands that touch the poor and broken[Chorus 2]
May God’s kingdom come
On earth, His will be done
Lord, be close to us
Lord, have mercy on us
Lord, please put Your hand on us
Day by day[Verse 3]
Carpenter, you frame a house for those who need protection
Laborer, you lift a heavy burden for the weak
Leaders, build a city that all children may rejoice in

[Chorus 3]
May God’s kingdom come
On earth, His will be done
Lord, be close to us
Lord, have mercy on us
Lord, please put Your hand on us
Day by day
Lord, be close to us
Lord, have mercy on us
Lord, please put Your hand on us
Day by day

My wife, Jan, visited a monastery years ago.  The monastery was a beautiful place and visitors like Jan could sleep overnight if they desired.  Jan watched in fascination as she saw the monks there performing various tasks and worshiping at all hours of the day.  She had a conversation with one of those monks in a little gift store in the monastery.  He was a very wise and loving man who had been at the monastery for many years.  One of his primary jobs at the monastery was washing dishes and cleaning meals.  The job seemed like one which would be messy, laborious and dull to Jan.  The monk told her that he found the job a means to be closer to God.  He told her how, with each dish, knife and fork he cleaned, he thought how that simple service contributed to the entire monastery.  He thought also about how people all over the world perform the same task.  By washing those dishes, he was a part of humanity, part of an activity that makes the world spin.  In performing this task he was contributing to God’s kingdom.

Whatever our vocation, our current job, if we can think, like the monk did, about us contributing to God’s kingdom . . . or think about, like the song says, of God placing His hand on us, each of us, as we perform our tasks . . . then I think we we will find much more meaning, value and happiness in the work we perform.  May God’s kingdom come.  On earth His will be done.  Day by day.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Pinto, for Abscess’s youngest son who broke his collar bone, for Ice Man’s sister-in-law whose baby is due next week but is currently in breech, for Squirtle’s friend, and for Brick when he gives his testimony at church this Tuesday.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Board Meeting!

Where Is Your Sting?

THE SCENE: Cloudy, mid thirties.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
25 Side Straddle Hops.  10 Burpees. 10 Iron Mikes.  10 Windmills.  10 Cherry Pickers.  7 Baby Arm Circles Forward and Backward.  7 Wide Arm Circles Forward and Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Stop Sign at Northeastern Corner of Admin Bldg.  We will have cones posted along the road that semicircles around the Admin Bldg.  Each cone will give directions regarding exercises and how to get to the next cone.

  • Cone 1:  20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  Bernie Sanders to Cone 2.
  • Cone 2:  20 Diamond Merkins.  Hop to Cone 3.
  • Cone 3.  20 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1).  Gravevine with left foot in lead to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4:  20 Star Jumps.  Grapevine with right foot in lead to Cone 5.
  • Cone 5:  20 Squat Jumps.  Sprint to Cone 6.
  • Cone 6:  20 Flutter Kicks (four count).  Bear Crawl to Cone 7.
  • Cone 7.  20 Smurf Jacks.  Bernie Sanders to Cone 8
  • Cone 8.  20 Merkins, 40 Baby Crunches, 20 Hello Dollies (four count), 20 American Hammers (four count), 20 Bicycle Kicks (four count), 20 Bottle Openers (both hands = 1).

Mosey back to stop sign at Northeastern Corner of Admin Bldg., picking up cones and signs along the way.  We will squat for one minute to quietly contemplate the beauty of the scenery toward the lake.

Mosey to CMU pile.  Men will split into pairs.  One partner from each pair will grab a CMU.  We will do Doras with partner one sprinting to other end of parking lot, doing 10 shin lifts, and sprinting back while partner two starts working on the exercises.  Partners will then switch positions.  These are the exercises that each pair will accomplish:

  • 100 Overhead Presses
  • 100 Curls
  • 100 Rows
  • 100 Bell Ringers
  • 100 Merkins with feet on CMU

Mosey through entrance way gate to northern ball fields.  We will go the ball field that is closest to the entryway and congregate at one end of the marked soccer field in the outfield.  We will throw frisbee three times and race to the frisbee.  We will then race to end of the soccer field and back.  Those men who got the frisbee on the three prior throws will be competing to see who gets a free breakfast from the Q leader. Next, we will split into two teams.  Men will split up to play frisbee football.  Every time the frisbee hits the ground, not only does the possession of the frisbee change to the other team but all team members must do five burpees.  I must give my brother, Waffle House, credit for being the originator of this frisbee/burpee rule.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
20 Flutter Kicks, Boat Canoe.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Seventeen men with one FNG, a friend of Toto’s named Marty Mason.  His F3 name is now Tinder.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’” (1 Corinthians 15:54-55)

Edward Abbey was a park ranger and writer.  As a park ranger for the National Park Service he worked in scarcely populated desert areas of Utah, including the Arches National Park and Canyonlands of Southeastern Utah.  In his book Desert Solitaire, he speaks in one chapter about being alone in a very rocky canyon area in Utah.  Although an experienced ranger, he got lost and was stuck on a rock precipice.  He could make a jump across the precipice to a cliff similar in height but which was in the direction he knew would get him home.  He didn’t know how to get back the way he came even though he had tried to track it.  He was running out of water.  His choice was to either die of thirst where he was or make a huge leap from the precipice to the cliff.  The fall if he failed to reach the cliff would be hundreds of feet and would certainly bring him to his death.  He made the choice to jump and, for some good minutes, started thinking about his life before he made the jump.

What would you think about if you were faced with such a situation?  You are about to make the jump that will either continue or end your life?  What thoughts run through your mind.  Would you think about family?  About things that brought you joy?  Actions or lack of action that you regretted?  Would you wish you could say or do some things you had not yet done in life?  Would you have faith that God would follow you through death if death were to occur?  And, on the chance that you might make the jump, would you see life in a different way afterwards?  Would there be things that you would want to accomplish or do that you had yet to attempt?

Abbey gave a very poignant description of his fear and grief before making the jump.  As a man who loved nature, he thought with appreciation yet longing about the beauty of the world all around him before making the death jump.  Obviously, he made it to the other side as he later wrote the book.

As a man I would have been very scared, just as Abbey was.  As a Christian, I hope I would take comfort in verses like the one in Corinthians above.  I hope I would appreciate my mortality and the gift that God has given us in our short lives here on Earth.  But, I also hope I would realize that my perishable body has been clothed with the imperishable armor of God, that my mortality has become immortality through Him.  Then, even knowing I might fall to my death, I could say, “Death, where is your victory, where is your sting?”

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Pele’s shoulder as he took a mean fall and hurt it during the frisbee football game.  Pusher, a physical therapist, said he didn’t dislocate.  Prayers for our brother, Pinto, who is suffering through treatment of multiple myeloma cancer.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
New pull up bars that we raised money for will be going up.  We will have an AO launch in Morristown on April 4.

Filling the void

THE SCENE: Partly cloudy skies, temp about 31 degrees.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Quick run around parking lot, 20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Burpees, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Windmills, Little of This and That, Michael Phelps.
THA-THANG:

Mosey to parking lot across the street that is by the entrance way to the Northern Ball Fields.  We will going around the parking lot four times, doing one per lap, the exercises listed in each corner.  In moving around the parking lot we will go from one corner to the next as directed by the sign.

  • Corner 1:  20 Hello Dollies, 20 Flutter Kicks, 20 Bicycle Kicks, 20 Box Cutters (four count each exercise).  Sprint to Corner 2.
  • Corner 2:  20 Squat Jumps, 20 Star Jumps, 20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1), 20 Mountain Climbers (both legs = 1).  Lunge to Corner 3.
  • Corner 3:  With CMUs – 25 Overhead Presses, 25 Curls, 25 Rows, 25 Squats.  Bernie Sanders to Corner 4.
  • Corner 4:  20 Merkins, 20 Bottle Openers (both hands = 1), 20 Carolina Dry Docks, 20 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1).  Hop to Corner 1.

Mosey to Flag Pole at Entrance Way to Northern Ball Fields.  We will run to following areas and do the following exercises:

  • Flag Pole:  20 American Hammers (4 count)
  • Benches at playground:  20 Bench Jumps
  • Dug out at ball field:  20 Seconds of Pull ups
  • Pavilion:  20 picnic table pull ups.
  • Rinse and repeat.

Mosey past batting cages to beginning of Cardiac.  We will go up Cardiac doing the following exercises at each of the following areas:

  • Curve 1:  10 Hand Release Merkins
  • Curve 2: 20 Dive Bombers
  • Curve 3:  20 Decline Merkins
  • Benches:  20 Bench Dips

Mosey back to AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

Twelve men, no FNGs.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
God created us in His image.  He also created us for relationship with Him.  If we are without God, there is a void within us.  We as humans try to fill that void with other things besides God:  riches, power, success, or finding that perfect person who can take care of our needs.  But those things don’t work.  Only God can fill the void.

I used a song by John Mellancamp in a former message I gave and I want to use it again.  It describes the narrator’s attempt to fill the “void in his heart” with things that just don’t work.  He claims, “I did everything like they said so that I could find happiness.”  The problem is that he “is running from eternity” and trying to fill the void with worldly versus Godly things.  Toward the end of the song, the narrator, frustrated and questioning why the void in his heart remains, exclaims “Hey, Lord, well you made me like I am.”  In other words, if you made me like I am why does this void remain?  The narrator is correct about the Lord making him like he is.  The Lord made each of us with a “void in our heart”.  And, He can heal the “restlessness” that the narrator suffers with.  We will all be unsatisfied until we fill the void with God.  We must look to God, fill our lives with what He gives us, to fill the void.  Listen to God.  What does God want for you?  What is He telling you.  What direction does He want you to go in with your life?  Focus on Him, read about Him, take His message in – there you will find the true stuff that fills the void in your heart.

John Cougar Mellencamp Lyrics
“Void In My Heart”
There’s a void in my heart
I can’t seem to fill.
Been a parent, had three children
And a big house on the hill.
Hundred dollar in my pocket
And it didn’t buy a thing.
Now there’s a void in my heart
And a hole in my dreams.
Well I poured miles of concrete
And strung wire for telephones,
Dug ditches when I was a young boy
When I first left my parents’ home.
Sang my songs for millions of people,
Sang good and bad news,
Now there’s a void in my heart
And a fire at my fuse.
Well I did everything just like they said
So I could find happiness.
Went to school and got a college degree
And at my job I did my best.
As I sit here alone tonight
I see a billion just like me
With a void in their hearts and running from eternity.
There’s a void in my heart I can’t seem to fill.
I do charity work when I believe in the cause
But in my soul it bothers me still.
Hey, Lord, well you made me like I am.
Can You heal this restlessness?
Will there be a void in my heart
When they carry me out to rest?

God, my prayer to you is that each of us will see the voids in our heart and turn to you to fill them.  If we seek you, we will find the strength, comfort and love that can fill the void.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for our brother, Pinto, who finished a recent bout of radiation treatment for cancer and will be also getting stem cell treatment along with chemotherapy.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
We will be launching in Morristown on April 4.  We have received enough donations for the pull up bars and will be putting them up in the future.