F3 Knoxville

Looking Up

THE SCENE: Perfect.  64°, dry
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Windmills, Cherry Pickers, Tempo Merkins, Maracan Night club, Overhead claps, Mountain Climbers
THA-THANG:
Black snake to the CMU pile where did 11’s with Incline Merkins (CMU on the curb) and Pull ups up top.

The “game” was 8 stations, 4 per team where you earned points (balls) from the other team.  Swapped half way through to get the other work outs in.  Curls, Triceps, OHP, American Hammer, Lunge, Skull Crusher, Bench and Bent over rows.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Welcome FNG, Half Life
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Out here, with Cinderblocks we know that how we hold a weight changes how hard it is.
That’s true about your head too. Your posture matters. The more you look down, the more weight of your head presses on your spine.
It’s called “Text Neck” and your 12 pound head can put 60 lbs of force on your cervical spine if you are looking down at your cell phone hours on end.
The same is true spiritually. The weight of the the things we are trying to carry on our own gets heavier than if we would just look up.

Psalm 123:1
To you I lift up my eyes, O you who are enthroned in the heavens!

Would we give up the convenience of our cell phone. And Look up – see the people around us hungry for conversation or a friend?
But it’s not about the phone. Would you look up from work, from your own ambition to see the needs of your family?
Can I take it one step further – Can you look up from your own emotions and do what you know you need to do?
(for the record, I’m not saying I know what that is, but deep down, I bet you do)
Turn your gaze to Jesus and do what you know you need to do. Worship, serve, Get to Church, get connected.

Remember, if you don’t look up the weight of your current circumstances you will feel more than the full weight of those things.
If you are carrying heavy weights, know: The chapter of your life that you are in, is not the whole story.
What are your conversations about? What is on the pedestal? What you talk about is where your heart is.
If you have found your hope in God – in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, talk about Him. Increasingly.
Do that at home. Do that here. If you have not, assess the things in your life and figure out what is on the throne and what should be on that throne.

With that said, what can we lift up to God in prayer now?
I challenge you to look up during this prayer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Escape from Haw Ridge is coming up!

Testing is Purifying

THE SCENE: A crisp, wet 50, Almost new moon
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Projectivators
  • Hairy Rockettes
  • LBACs
  • Tempo Squats

THA-THANG:
March Metric Workout

  • Mosey to the recruiting center
  • Everybody get a block and line up along the parking lot
  • 15 minutes of work, change exercises every minute, count total reps as you go, move a parking lot line every 50 (everything is with a CMU)
    • OHP
    • Goblet Squats
    • Bent over Rows
    • Big Boy Situps
    • Curls
    • Lunges
    • Derkins
    • LBCs
    • Tri extensions
    • Deadlifts
    • Thrusters x5
  • 3 minute rest, then DO THE WHOLE THING AGAIN
  • Put up the blocks and head back to the flag

MARY:
No time
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The prospect of being tested doesn’t usually make me excited. Thanks, I expect, to our public education culture, most of us associate testing primarily with being judged, usually based on a comparatively short and only vaguely representative sample of our performance. Too often, it seems that the circumstances of the test have more to do with the outcome than our preparation.

Consequently, most of us avoid tests when we can. Our experience says that we get better outcomes when we rely on more controlled vehicles like 1001 take home worksheets. We don’t like the risk if failing. But I am here to tell you that this perspective is a wound and scar that is crippling your growth, and it’s time to start stretching it out.

This model of testing is shallow and unhelpful. Perhaps unsurprisingly, I think the model presented by the bible provides insight. In the preblast, I quoted Psalm 66 v. 10 “For you, God, tested us; you refined us like silver.” Here and in many places, “test” is the Hebrew word is Tsaraph, which is directly related to the process by which impurities are removed from silver or gold, what we would call smelting. Through heat and pressure, the precious metal is separated from the dross and purified. So while evaluation is one aspect of testing, by its nature, it is also a means of purification. It is through repeated testing that gold becomes pure, and likewise, it is through repeated testing that we grow, develop, and become stronger. And, in truth, we want to be tested. From our youth, we seek out challenges. Easy is boring. It’s only under the weight of time with nagging fear and doubt that this inclination gets slowly crushed out of us.

Tsaraph – 1) to refine, try, smelt, test 2) to find out who is qualified for battle, as with Gideon in Judges 7:4 3) to smith, as in shaping metal (Jer 6:29-30, Is 40:19) 4) to refine by means of suffering (Ps 66:10-12)

Is 1:25 – “And I will turn my hand upon thee, and purely purge away thy dross, and take away all thy tin.”

Zec 13:9 – “And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on my name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is my people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.”

Mal 3:2-3 – “But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fuller’s soap: and he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto The LORD an offering in righteousness.”

Finally, I want to show how this directly connects to the F3 leadership process, Q4.5, here is an excerpt:

So where does Failure fit into the Leadership development equation? What does it add to a man’s Leadership Foundation? If he already knows what a Virtuous Leader does and is–and is able is able to do and be those things himself–why must a Leader also Fail?

The reason is that Failure is a crucible. It is the forge by which a Leader is purified through the burning away of his me-first self-regarding nature. It matures him. Without Failure (and lots of it), a Leader will retain too much of who he was and keep doing what he did, rather than being fully transformed into what a Virtuous Leader is and consistently do what a Virtuous Leader does.

MOLESKIN:
We were late getting back. In September (ouch…) probably gonna need to get right over to the recruiting center and warm up on the way.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Wild at Heart, Escape from Haw Ridge, Hardship Hill

Shamrock – Trivia

THE SCENE: 22F really dang cold
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER – Yup
WARM-O-RAMA:

Run in circles 

Side Straddle hop (IC) 4 CT x 10

Quad stretch 

Tie Fighters X10 

Cherry Pickers  x5

Toe Merkins 4-ct IC – 10

THA-THANG:

For the entire workout we are going to do merkins and play trivia. 

10 Merkins, then team 1 answers 1st question within 10 seconds as we walk.  Always on the slow move. 

Then we do 10 more Merkins, then team 2 takes the next question. 

We ended up with 480 Merkins per person.

MARY:
20 more Merkins to get us to 500 for the day thanks to Mermaid’s suggestion.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 men:  8-seconds, Slappy, Dumpster Dive, Betty, Nadia, Skid Mark, Hot Pants, Anchorman, Curry, Fabio, Kick-Flip, Mermaid, Voo Doo, Waxjob
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Listen to words from the Holy Spirit from songs, the Bible, sermons or just out from nowhere. 

A few weeks ago while running, the Lord’s Prayer popped into my head. I was searching for what I should pray for and the Holy Spirit prompted me to pray the Lord’s Prayer.  I got stuck on the “Thy Kingdom Come” 

I spent the rest of the time considering, “What did Jesus mean by this? What did he want his disciples and future Christians to take away from this? 

When I finished my run and got back to my hotel I opened a devotional book to the next section I was planning to read titled “Meditation”

It started out with this verse – The Kingdom of God is within you (or within your grasp) says the Lord. Luke 17:21

It goes on to say “Turn, then, to God with all your heart. Forsake this wretched world and your soul shall find rest. Learn to despise external things, to devote yourself to those that are within, and you will see the kingdom of God come unto you, that kingdom which is peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.”

I found an article that helped with 3 points about it:

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/erik-raymond/mean-pray-thy-kingdom-come/

I have pasted only parts of it below. 

Cry of Loyalty

When we pray, “Your kingdom come” there is a real sense of yearning and loyalty. We are anticipating the coming kingdom, on board with God’s agenda and that we love the King himself. Those who love the King eagerly yearn for his kingdom.

And through our prayers, it’s as if the Holy Spirit lifts our chins above our earthly horizon to see the fleet of God’s coming kingdom advancing on the open sea. And we cry, “Make haste! Come, O King and kingdom!”

Cry of Treason

When I talk about this prayer being a cry of treason I mean that Jesus is teaching his followers to pray for the overthrow of the kingdom of this world, the coup of its leader, and the establishment of a new king. This is a cry of dissatisfaction. It wants a chance.

But, please note, I am not talking about the overthrow of the U.S. government—or any other natural government. Instead, I’m talking about the spiritual government of this world, led by Satan. He is the spiritual king of this world. Scripture calls him the god of this world (2 Cor. 4:4). He has a ruling seat (Rev. 2:13). His kingdom is darkness (Col. 1:13). He planted his flag in the ground in Genesis 3. He has set up dominion by storming the castle of our minds and hearts (Eph. 2:1-3; 2 Cor. 4:1-4).

When we pray for the kingdom of God to come we are pleading for the kingdom of Satan to be toppled. Like is so often the case when a tyrant is displaced, we want his statues to be defaced, toppled, and dragged in open view. We want Satan and all of his demonic scheming, tactical assaults, deadly seduction, hissing lies, and destructive systems to be shattered!

Cry of Conquering

As we await the full realization of the inaugurated kingdom, we cry for the kingdom to come and conquer souls.

Ever since the garden of Eden, we have turned our hearts from upon God and towards ourselves and our pleasures. It is a spiritual ignorance, even a darkened ignorance. Thomas Watson observed,

Ignorance is a black veil drawn over the mind. Men by nature have a deep reach for the things of the world, and yet are ignorant of the things of God. In 1 Samuel 11.2 Nahash the Ammonite would make a covenant with Israel to thrust out their right eyes. Since the fall our left eye remains, a deep insight into worldly matters, but our right eye is thrust out, we have no saving knowledge of God. Ignorance draws the curtains around the soul so that we are blind and in darkness.

But, when God awakens a person to behold the glory of Christ, he conquers their rebellious hearts and makes them his. Those who formerly would not give Christ honor but pledged allegiance to another (John 19:14-15) are brought into the kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13-14).

When we pray for the kingdom of God to come we are praying that God would conquer souls! And that he would shine the kingdom of grace upon the hearts of men, women, and children so that they would see and savor the kingdom of glory!

So we pray: “Lord, your kingdom come, your will be done! Conquer hearts by your Holy Spirit to set up the administration of grace in their hearts! Let them see the beauty and worth of your glory! Like Narnia melt the ice of winter and give way to the buds of grace and the dawning day of the kingdom of glory! We know you can do this and delight to do it because you’ve done it to us!”

 

Pi and other Universal constants

THE SCENE: Cold for March. Actually, cold for anytime.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Projectivators
  • Tempo Squats
  • Grady Corn
  • Moroccan Nightclubs
  • Tempo Merkins
  • Mountain Climbers
  • Newton’s Cradle

THA-THANG:

  • Mosey to the bell
  • Pi = 3.14159265359
    • 3 burpees
    • 14 Merkins
    • 15 Squats
    • 92 LBCs
  • e = 2.71828 18284
    • 27 dips
    • 18 Merkins
    • 28 Lunges
    • 18 Wide Merkins
    • 28 Split Squats
    • 4 burpees
  • Mosey to the Pool wall
  • Golden Ratio = 1.618033988749
    • 16 Wall-ups and 18 Pull ups, divided as you think will be golden
  • Planck’s constant (J/Hz) = 6.62607015×10−34
    • 6 diamond merkins
    • 6 Catalina Wine Mixers
    • 26 shoulder taps
    • 34 seconds of PLANK
  • Gravitational constant (m3/kg s2) = 6.67430×10-11
    • Find another body, as a team do 66 BBS, 74 Squats, and 30 wall-ups
  • Avogadro’s Number (mol-1) = 6.02214076×1023
    • 60 LBCs, 22 Tie fighters
  • Speed of Light (m/s) = 299,792,458
    • Dash 299.792 meters, 1 millionth of a light second

MARY:
We did some.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money. – Luke 16:10-11

When I read this first, I was planning to talk about the first bit, the struggle that I have with being faithful in little things. And that’s a good thing to ponder, to be disciplined in the details of our lives because how we deal in these small things inevitably forms our response to the big things, i.e. you perform the way you practice.

But the middle verses struck me. Nestled between these two classically quotable lines, there are two strange questions. “If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?” This clearly implies that when Jesus says “a very little” he means wealth. Do I think of my wealth as “a very little”? NO, I don’t. A massive portion of my waking hours are consumed by my wealth: acquiring, distributing, and managing. Even if it doesn’t steal my allegiance, it still feels like a big responsibility. The follow up is no less baffling: “And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” This plainly indicates that my wealth is not my own, an idea which is oft floated from the pulpit but difficult to really embody. It leaves me wondering, What would it be like to have something that is actually my own? Because evidently, I have a twisted idea of what that even means. The sense in which my wealth is “not my own” seems to me the same sense in which everything else is given me by God. So again, what frame of reference do I even have for what might be “my own?”

MOLESKIN:
Timed out pretty well. Plan was on the complicated side, so I missed a couple things I had wanted to do.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Cardinal Widow House Painting, Escape from Haw Ridge April 14th, Hardship Hill Memorial Day, Wild at Heart Retreat.

College Graduation 2 – The Pukeless Sequel

THE SCENE: Mid 40’s, light/limited rain
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

In honor of my nearly four year anniversary, I decided to take on the second bootcamp I attended, which had me puking my brains out at during the BOM. I wanted to see where I stood in You vs. You fashion. Trolley’s words and workout are cut and pasted below:

WARM-O-RAMA:

  •  SSH x 20 (4 -count)
  • Cherry Pickers x 5 (4 -count)
  • Merkins x 10 (4 -count)
  • Squats x 10 (4 -count)

THA-THANG:

  • At the CMU (aka Freshman) wall,  harken back to when you were a freshman.  Just doing a pushup or finding a class was a challenge.  So for freshman we keep it simple.

    25 Merkins and run around wall.

    Recollect that when certain people would for the first time, spend a full year at the dorms, eating potatoes and carbs for three meals a day, their thighs ended up being a bit large..  So we did a larger (from bottom to top) hill and

    50 Squats + Sophomore Hill

    Then, as a junior you were more refined, you were getting the hang of classes, and getting through the “CORE” classes as well as some of your major classes.. so:

    Run the Junior Hill Stairs and do 75 (four count) Freddy Mercuries

    Then, in preparation for the real world your major courses were kicking your tail, it was and is a long grind, you did what you had to, to reach the graduation finish line.. so

    Run the Senior Stadium hill and follow it up with 100 Burpees.   Break-em up into sets of 15, then 10, and find a battle buddy to do whatever you can to graduate.

MARY:
In the spirit a of leave no man behind, we helped the 6 push through the last 25 burpees and made sure that everyone graduated. We still had some time so we did Imperial Walkers x 20 (4 count) and Tempo Squats x 10 (4 Count)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Just shy of 4 years ago (29 March 2019), I attended my first boot camp after seeing Erector’s post about The Project. Having not seriously worked out in nearly 10 years, Booster’s birthday Q was tough but manageable and had me wanting to come back for more after taking a week’s rest. My second boot camp was led by Trolley and he absolutely murdered me with the above. I remember thinking when he said that we were to do 100 burpees that my goal was to get to 30. I ended up getting to 60 and feeling so proud of myself. Back then, on that day at least, modify as necessary was not a thing. Trolley went down the line confirming each HIM reached his 100. I announced my 60 and he told me to keep going and had everyone else go too. I made it to 80 before we headed back to the flag, feeling spent but prouder still. For the Mary, Trolley asked me what number I got to…so it was more burpees for all. I know we were well past 6:15 but 5K, BOOSTER, ERECTOR, GUANO, KENJO, ROCKET, SNAGGLETOOTH, SPOTTER, TROLLEY, and WAXJOB racked up 100+ burpees to bring me up as the 6. I have no idea what Trolley said because my head was spinning and when he called us in to prayer, I stumbled over to the median and merlot’d the water in my belly. I am pretty sure everyone was thinking, “Well, he’s not coming back!”

Today was a different story. Four years later, I knocked out 100 burpees at the Stadium and another 21 bringing up the 6 and we still had time to do two Mary’s. We have seen a lot of HIMs come and go, including Trolley, but the men of F3, their talent, their character, their effort to be better continues to encourage me and it is the point I emphasize when I share what we do with sad clowns. You gentlemen make this quote easy to live out – “Every man I meet is my superior in some way, in that I learn from him.”

Today, I graduated college!