THE SCENE: Cloudy and cool, low 40s, but thankfully no rain!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Check
WARM-O-RAMA:
– Motivators (5-ct, descending) (was going to do 7-ct, but Steam guessed the exercise, so doing only 5 was the reward)
– 10 Windmills (4-ct, IC)
– 15 Steve Earls (4-ct, IC)
– 20 Moroccan Nightclub (4-ct, IC)
– Little of this and that
THA-THANG:
MOSEY to Pavilion
-20 Bench Dips, 20 Bench Pull-ups, 20 Bench Step Ups, RINSE AND REPEAT.
MOSEY to Circus Maximus
CANDY CANE:
- Run to four cones laid out in a “Candy Cane” pattern. Do 10 Reps of the exercise at the cone, then return to start, and run to next cone, etc. Rabbits sweep the six. Exercises:
- Hand-release Merkins
- Box Cutters
- Iron Mikes (2-ct) (Q called an audible and we only did every other cone for this one. Stopped at far cone, did 10 reps of Iron Mikes at every cone on the way back)
Mosey to Base of Cardiac
CARDIAC SUICIDES (Modified):
Run to first curve, do 20x Plank Jacks/Peter Parkers/Mountain Climbers, run to second curve, again do 20 of each exercise, run back to first curve, and then all the way to the top and do our last set of 20 of each exercise.
MOSEY to AO
MARY:
High Heels led some LBCs, then Q had the PAX do 30 second static leg raises, 20x Hello Dollies (4-ct, IC), and Homer/Marge to finish it off.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 strong, including one FNG, whom we named TMI
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
FAITH AND JAZZ: My church has recently brought in a small band to showcase in their streaming services, and last Sunday they played a variety of jazzy tunes, perhaps in part to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Over the years, I’ve never been a big fan of jazz music. Jazz can be kind of frustrating to those of us who like our music to be a little more structured. A typical jazz tune tends to lack that structure, and it can go off into unexpected directions, some of which you might appreciate, some of which you might not, like when there’s a jarring interruption by a trumpet, or the crash of a symbol that shakes you up. At times when I listen to jazz I feel a bit bewildered, like when the musicians all go off on a 10 minute segue on some random riff. Why are they doing that? Can’t they just stick to a melody and go from there? It seems chaotic and unplanned.
Another thing that frustrates me with jazz is that it tends not to have a definite end. Most songs seem to just ramble on for a while and then suddenly wrap up at a random part of the tune. This can be somewhat unsatisfying for those of us who just want to read the “cliff notes” version of music and be told the answer to what it’s all about. All the meanderings and lack of a satisfying conclusion can be irritating if you’re not really tuned into it.
But I’ve come to appreciate jazz more over the years if you listen carefully, with patience, and let yourself become immersed in it, something magical happens. All the pieces and disparate parts that seemed confusing at the time ultimately pay off as the players create a beautiful whole from the various individual pieces, almost like a quilt. And the more you invest in it, the more you give yourself in to it, the more rewarding it can be. There IS a structure to it, there IS a pattern. You just have to have the awareness and patience to tap into it and recognize it.
To me, that’s kind of like spirituality. We have to have faith that the song God is weaving in our lives will ultimately take us to a place of peace and beauty, even if at times it seems meandering and strange, even dark and frightening. Jazz players will tell you that one of the most important aspects of being a jazz musician is listening to what is going on around you, and tapping into that energy so that you’re in harmony with it, not fighting against it. So it is with being a spiritual person. The more carefully we listen to the song of faith that courses through us and the more we let ourselves be pulled into its melody, the more we are able to recognize the beautiful tapestry that the Lord is creating for each one of us.
As it is written in Exodus:
“The Lord is my strength and song,
And He has become my salvation;
This is my God, and I will praise Him;
My father’s God, and I will extol Him.”
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Boogaloo and his family as they cope with the loss of a family member to COVID. Prayers for the folks without power and water in Texas. Prayers for TMI that his dentist appointment won’t be difficult or painful.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
New Maryville AO opening on March 6, 7:00 am. Details to be announced.
