F3 Knoxville

Tag: Commission

The Prayer for Protection

THE SCENE:  75 and humid.  Goose crap eeeevvvveerryyywhere.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered 
WARM-O-RAMA:

Windmill – IC
Cherry Pickers – IC
Moroccan Nightclub – IC
Tempo Squats – IC

THA THANG:

Mosey to some grass…

  • Flutter kicks (4-count) 23 IC
  • Diamond Merkins 23 OYO
  • Pickle pointers (4-count) 23 IC
  • Werkins 23 OYO

Sprint to the pond, stopping at four parking lot islands to do 10 squats at each.

At the pond…  Cones spread out around the large jogging path (0.75 miles).  7 stations along the path.

Split into two teams.  Race around the circuit in opposite directions.

  1. Rosalita x 23
    Imperial Walkers x 23
    Guantanamo
  2. Hail Mary x 23
    Tempo Squats x 23
  3. Everest (run down to the pond, then lunge-squat-lunge-squat back up)
  4. Outlaw x 23 each way
    Up Straddle Hop x 23 (each leg)
  5. Scorpion Dry Dock x 23
    No Surrender x 23
  6. E2K x 23 (each side)
  7. Smurf Jacks x 23
    Squeaky Bed Dolly x 23

Mosey toward the shovelflag…stop to do 50 yards of crab walking.

MARY:
Ain’t nobody got time for that!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA: 
22 HIMs and 2 FNGs!  Welcome Gelato and Dos Años!

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
The Empire of Japan unconditionally surrendered to the US on August 15, 1945.  Because of the time difference, it was announced in the US on August 14 – and we celebrate that victory today – V-J Day – the final chapter of a war that lasted nearly six years and involved more than 100 million people.  It was the deadliest conflict in human history, marked by an estimated 65 million fatalities – the vast majority of which were civilians murdered in atrocities.  16 million Americans served in the Armed Forces during the War.  405,399 lost their lives – and nearly 700,000 others were wounded.

Try to imagine what it must have been like during that time.  Imagine yourself as a soldier in a trench, fighting day after day to gain miles of French territory back – or as a father waiting anxiously to hear from his sons who are away in the Pacific.  Imagine yourself preparing for a suicidal invasion of mainland Japan – and the ecstatic joy you experience on August 14, 1945 when you realize that the war is finally over.

James Freeman is a name worth knowing.  He was a minister and a poet – lived most of the 20th century – and is sometimes referred to as the “poet laureate to the moon” because his poems were twice brought to the moon (by Buzz Aldrin aboard Apollo 11, and by James Irwin on Apollo 15 – who left the poem on the moon).  James Freeman was commissioned to write a prayer for our nation during WWII.  A prayer for a nation that was experiencing anxiety and fear, but also joy and relief.  A prayer for the solider in battle – a prayer for the wife who lost her husband – and a prayer for the father whose son returns home safely.  A prayer to cover the full spectrum of emotions and experiences of our nation.

Interviewed years later, Freeman said that the 23rd Psalm was an inspiration for his prayer.

Psalm 23

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
Surely goodness and lovingkindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.”

This morning, we used Freeman’s 10 lines of poetry, inspired by the 23rd Psalm, in the way that it was intended to be used – as our prayer.  It was written to cover the full spectrum of emotions and experiences of a nation at war. Where does life have you right now?  Anxious, confused, worn out, joyful, grateful….?

I asked the HIMs to listen for one line – whichever one jumps out at you and describes where you are.  Cling to it and say it to yourself over and over throughout the day – make one of these lines of poetry your personal prayer throughout the day.  For example: If life is going well for you right now – you might cling to this line “The Joy of God uplifts me”.  If life has you worn down in the season that you are in, you might make this your prayer, “The Strength of God renews me.”.  10 lines – cling to one.

The Prayer for Protection, by James Freeman
“The Light of God surrounds me.
The Love of God enfolds me.
The Power of God protects me.
The Presence of God watches over me.
The Mind of God guides me.
The Life of God flows through me.
The Laws of God direct me.
The Power of God abides within me.
The Joy of God uplifts me.
The Strength of God renews me.
The Beauty of God inspires me.
Wherever I am, God is!”

Prayers for Judge Judy’s wife, Mandolin’s wife’s grandmother, Sty’s sister-in-law and her husband.

MOLESKIN:
T Claps for Archie for learning the exercises and knowing the planned route.  I couldn’t have done this Q without him!

I’d planned to do the pond circuit two times – we barely had time for one!  So good to have FNGs Gelato and Dos Años out there with us!  Glad to see the “new crop” showing up and pushing hard; Mandolin, Pool Boy, Nutmeg, Mermaid, Guardrail – you men are rockin’ it!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
None

The Long Haul

THE SCENE: Warm and sweaty
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: 

Welcome two new FNG’s Zack and Brandon!

WARM-O-RAMA:
10 SSH, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Twisters (Twisting Windmills)
THA-THANG:  The Long Haul

In Short: Pick up a CMU and mosey it to the top of JUCOMANJARO with some exercises along the way.

In detail:   Side Straddles (both sides), then a two burpee indian run to the CMU pile.

Pick up a CMU and do exercises (written on the ground) about every 100 yards until you get to the base of JUCOMANJARO.

The exercises were:

  • 25 Curls
  • 25 Push Presses
  • 25 Squats
  • 25 Triceps
  • 25 Right arm block elevated Merkins
  • 25 Left arm block elevated Merkins
  • 25 American Block Hammers
  • 25 Curls
  • 25 Push Presses
  • 25 Squats
  • 25 Triceps

Then at the base of JUCOMANJARO only stop at the two alcoves for exercises.

  1. 100 Single Count Freddy Mercuries (with CMU)
  2. 100 Single Count American Hammers (with CMU)

Once you get to the flat towards the top then lunge to the very end, about 50 lunges.

50 Flutter Kicks at the top, to pick up the six.  We ran out time to bring the cmu’s back, but brought them

down to the second alcove.

MARY:
Thank you Ribbed for leading the group in some more flutters as the group trickled back to the AO

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

I love it when the old testament writers write about new testament stuff and the new testament writers write about old testament stuff. In reading Acts 7 (Stephen’s confession) I’m amazed at the history he rattles off. In contrast, I’m amazed at King David’s testimony about the forgiveness that is found in God, which really sounds like new testament Gospel writters. We read Psalm 32 out loud.

Oh, what joy for those
whose disobedience is forgiven,
whose sin is put out of sight!
2 Yes, what joy for those
whose record the Lord has cleared of guilt,[b]
whose lives are lived in complete honesty!
3 When I refused to confess my sin,
my body wasted away,
and I groaned all day long.
4 Day and night your hand of discipline was heavy on me.
My strength evaporated like water in the summer heat. Interlude

5 Finally, I confessed all my sins to you
and stopped trying to hide my guilt.
I said to myself, “I will confess my rebellion to the Lord.”
And you forgave me! All my guilt is gone. Interlude

6 Therefore, let all the godly pray to you while there is still time,
that they may not drown in the floodwaters of judgment.
7 For you are my hiding place;
you protect me from trouble.
You surround me with songs of victory. Interlude

8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.
I will advise you and watch over you.
9 Do not be like a senseless horse or mule
that needs a bit and bridle to keep it under control.”

10 Many sorrows come to the wicked,
but unfailing love surrounds those who trust the Lord.
11 So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him!
Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!

Ladders!

THE SCENE: JUCO,
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
15 SSH, 15 mountain climber, 15 Moroccan night club, 10 Windmill
THA-THANG:
Mosey to middle to campus for the first round of ladders.  The ladder is performed by starting with 20 reps of an exercise and then running to a designated location.  Perform 19 reps and then return to the original location.  Repeat until you reach 1 rep.  There are 3 squarish areas.  The first corner and the opposite corner diagonal from the start of the second square will be the exercise locations.  Squats will be the first exercise.

Next, mosey to the stairs behind the maintenance building and grab a coupon.  Here we did a modified ladder and started with 20 curls at the bottom of the stairs and 18 merkins at the top, decrementing each exercise by 4.

Final stop is at the large parking lot southwest of campus.  We did a suicide style series here with 20 flutter kicks starting at the light pole.  When then ran to the next parking bay and back for 20 more flutter kicks.  Repeat to each parking bay down to the next light pole.

Mosey/jailbreak to the shovel flag.

MARY:  10 Freddie Mercury

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 HIMs today.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Phil. 2:3 – Being selfish is probably the biggest problem in the world. Take traffic for example.  If everyone was courteous and gave people more space to drive, I theorize that virtually all traffic problems would be non-existent.  We can accomplish this by being less selfish.  Put others before yourself and be part of the solution.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Convergence and 2nd F August 10th.  Convergence is at Big Ball, aka World’s Fair Park.  2nd F will follow convergence.

Boosters Last Stand

THE SCENE: 70 or so in the gloom
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Cherry Pickers (IC) 4 CT X 10
  • Baby Arm Circles (forwards) & Michael Phelps (OYO)
  • Baby Arm Circles (backwards) & Michael Phelps (OYO)
  • 5 burpees (OYO)
  • 10 Tempo Squats (IC)
  • 10 Hand release merkins (OYO)
  • 20 Side Straddle Hops (IC)
  • 50 Curb Calf Raises (OYO)
  • Karaokes & Sprints
  • Mosey – Double Wide Indian Run

THA-THANG:

Don’t Act Like A Sophomore on the Hill 

  • Get into groups of 3
  • Partner 1 does AMRAP merkins while Partner 2 runs up Sophomore Hill while partner 3 at the top does AMRAP squats
  • Rotate throughout each position; rinse & repeat
  • Mosey to the junkyard

Be a Junkyard Dog

  • Stay with your same partners, same structure
  • Partner 1 does 10 CMU reps Overhead Press, Triceps extension, Curls & bentover rows as many rounds of the lifts as possible until partner 3 gets down the stairs
  • Partner 2 runs up & replaces Partner 3 who has been doing Big Boy Situps
  • Rinse & Repeat
  • Mosey to big parking lot

Light Pole to Pole

  • 5 burpees & sprint to the next pole, 5 more burpees
  • mosey to AO

MARY:

Judge Judy led us in 75 (or 500) flutterkicks

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

26 HIMS and 1 FNG – Nutmeg

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Jeremiah 29:11 “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”

Joshua 1:9 “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

We know these words but do we always believe them or have doubts?  Sure we have doubts.  We’re human.  We have doubts, fears, etc.

I started at JUCO in October 2017.  I weighed about 270 and was out of shape physically and spiritually.  I’ve lost 40 pounds since that time and I’m much stronger physically and spiritually.  While I don’t and never will have all of the answers on this Earth, I know more about myself and how I should live my life because of each of you.  Your witness.  Your love for your families and each other is inspiring.  Your willingness to share, be open and vulnerable out here is awesome.

During my first time or two out here, Bartman had me out here in the pouring rain doing burpees and bear crawls down the stairs.  I thought “what the heck am I doing here.”  I don’t remember his closing BOM that day but I really liked it.  Me, him and Shooter circled up, put our hands on one another and prayed and I promise I felt closer to God in this parking lot than I had in a long time in a church pew.

As some of you know, today is my last day at my job as executive director of a cancer charity.  It’s been an honor to build that charity and help more than 7,000 families over the last 5 years.  But I felt it was a time for a change.  I prayed about it.  Shortly thereafter, a couple of consulting opportunities came up so I turned in a 3-month notice and it was the fastest 3 months of my life.  I’m sad, happy, relived and nervous.

I went to Oklahoma last weekend and had a hard time sleeping.  On Monday, I met Sarah McLean who was diagnosed with breast cancer at 25.  A couple of years later she felt like she should start a charity since she had learned so much and wanted to help others battling breast cancer.  She prayed and God told her no, not now so she continued to work at a church and had 2 kids. She then got breast cancer again.  After she healed, she prayed and God told her she was ready.  She shared her story, her faith journey and she wept as she told me about one of her board members dying in her arms.  I was ugly crying.  It wasn’t pretty.  We stood up and hugged.  At that moment, I knew God put me in the right place to help her charity in addition to the other one I will be leading in Oklahoma City.

While I don’t know exactly what will happen in my life, I know God has it under control and will lead me where I need to be.

Ecclesiastes 3

There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity under the heavens:

a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot    a time to kill and a time to heal,     a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5   a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

a time to search and a time to give up,   a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,    a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,     a time for war and a time for peace

There’s a time for everything and my time as executive director has come to an end.  When I started at JUCO, we were averaging 2-5 people.  We’ve grown so much but not because of me.  God brought you here for a reason.  I needed F3 and still do.  We all need F3 and there are men out there asleep that should be here right now.  There are men out there worried about their kids, their marriage, their job that could use us in his lives.

Today I’m stepping down as AO Q for JUCO.  I’m going to be travelling quite a bit.  So, I’m proud to say Judge Judy is taking over as AO Q.  He’s a great person, smart, funny, a leader, a lawyer, a husband and father, a great friend and has the coolest name out here.  Abscess is taking over next week as lead of all F3 Knoxville and he’s asked me to help him on some special projects so I’m not going anywhere.  I’ll actually be here all week next week so get ready to wagonwheel to get me at the back!

MOLESKIN:

It’s been an honor to lead JUCO for the last 19 months!  We’re in better hands now with Judge Judy.  Whether you are an FNG or been around for years, we’re all brothers and I want you to know I would do anything for any of you!  Thank each of you for helping me try to become a better person!  God bless each of you and your families!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Dunkin
  • Sign up to Q
  • 3rd F Convergence next Saturday on August 10th at 7:00 a.m. at the Big Ball followed by breakfast/testimonials at Redeemer Church

Deck of Pain III – The finale

THE SCENE: 77 clear skies.
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • 25 SSH
  • 25 Merkins
  • 25 LBC
  • 20 Merkins
  • 20 LBC
  • 15 Merkins
  • 15 LBC
  • 15 Windmills
  • 15 SSH

THA-THANG:  The Deck of Pain Conclusion

As before in V1 and V2 of the JUCO Deck of Pain, we had 6 more stations to visit.  They were

  • 5 Rec Center Stair assents with the CMU  (right next to the CMU pile – then Jailbreak sprint to)
  • 30 Railing Pull-ups (at the pull up stations – then Jailbreak sprint to)
  • 50 CMU Curls (at the CMU Pile – then jailbreak sprint to)
  • 30 Lake Lunges (single count lunges at the lake)
  • 30 Panther (top of Sophmore hill) Pickle Pounders
  • Jucomanjaro Asscent

MARY & BOM:
Appologies for running late.  “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding.” Proverbs 3:5.  I don’t know how it all works but I know the one who does.  Attempted to encourage the men to really “lean” into the Lord and trust him.  What is “leaning”?  It is active faith, active trust.  It’s betting on the Lord. It is putting stock in the Lord.  It is saying, I can’t but I know the one who can.  Jesus is my guide. It is doing stuff that outright says – this will fail if He doesn’t come through.