F3 Knoxville

Suffering is not the end

THE SCENE: Humid and 70, but we can see the stars.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Projectivators
  • Moroccan Nightclubs
  • Tempo squats – demo “in the basement”
  • Tempo Merkins
  • Mountain climbers
  • Hairy Rocketts
  • Lap with run warm-ups – skips, karaoke, slides

THA-THANG:

  • Grab 2 blocks each and farmer carry down to the square
  • 40 curls, murder bunny to NW corner
  • 40 OHP, sprint back to get block
  • 10 squats, 10 4c basement squats, rifle carry to NW corner
  • 20 bent over rows – both arms together, farmer carry to SW corner
  • 10 split irkins, 10 4c basement split irkins, block bear crawl to bell
  • 10 step-up w/ press, 10 dips, 10 4c basement dips, farmer carry to parallel bars
  • 20 curls, 20 inverse rows, farmer carry to pool wall
  • 10 wall-ups, farmer carry one block to senior center pavillion
  • 10 squats, 10 4c basement squats, hustle to parallel bars
  • 20 inverse rows, 20 merkins, sprint to pool wall
  • 10 wall-ups, rifle carry remaining block to senior center
  • Heavy core set – 20 freddies, 20 LBCs, 20 flutters – all 4c

MARY:
Kind just did the thang
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Faith is the art of holding onto things your reason has once accepted, in spite of your changing moods.
-Clive Staples Lewis

From “No man is an island” by Thomas Merton, Ch.5 Item 2

The Christian must not only accept suffering: he must make it holy. Nothing so easily becomes unholy as suffering.

Merely accepted, suffering does nothing for our souls except, perhaps, to harden them. Endurance alone is no consecration. True asceticism is not a mere cult of fortitude. We can deny ourselves rigorously for the wrong reason and end up by pleasing ourselves mightily with our self-denial.

Suffering is consecrated to God by faith – not by faith in suffering, but by faith in God. To accept suffering stoically, to receive the burden of fatal, unavoidable, and incomprehensible necessity and to bear it strongly, is no consecration.

Some men believe in the power and the value of suffering. But their belief is an illusion. Suffering has no power and no value of its own.

It is valuable only as a test of faith. What if our faith fails in the test? Is it good to suffer, then? What if we enter into suffering with a strong faith in suffering, and then discover that suffering destroys us?

To believe in suffering is pride: but to suffer, believing in God, is humility. For pride may tell us that we are strong enough to suffer, that suffering is good for us because we are good. Humility tells us that suffering is an evil which we must always expect to find in our lives because of the evil that is in ourselves. But faith also knows that the mercy of God is given to those who seek Him in suffering, and that by His grace we can overcome evil with good. Suffering, then, becomes good by accident, by the good that it enables us to receive more abundantly from the mercy of God. It does not make us good by itself, but it enables us to make ourselves better than we are. Thus, what we consecrate to God in suffering is not our suffering but our selves.

Does this mean that seeking out suffering (like here) is inherently prideful?

Suffering is unavoidable
Suffering well requires practice
To practice suffering well, it is better to pick a good environment (Merton was ascetic)
MOLESKIN:
I had planned to make it back to the recruiting center, but it was clear by the time we got to the bell we wouldn’t make it. That first leg of murder bunnies was longer than I thought…
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSAUP in two days, 2nd F – concert at Bissel 6:30 pm Saturday, IRON PAX is coming up in September

The Overlap

THE SCENE: 68 and 1/2″ of dew (humidity high)
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Reach for the sky — let it hang — reach for the sky — let it hang

cherry pickers — cherry splitters

down dog x6 — left leg forward — knee outs x6 — world’s greatest x6 — lil pickle twists x6

down dog x6 — right leg forward — knee outs x6 — world’s greatest x6 — lil pickle twists x6
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the rock pile behind strip mall

Small rock front raises x20 — empty can raises x20 — side raises x20

20 dips on guardrail

Mosey to coupon pile — 5 second count, leader drops off for 2 burpees

Partner up at coupon pile — while partner runs up to do 5+ pullups, partner does

  • 20 shrugs, 30 curl press, 40 weighted squats — when partner returns, help finish partner’s reps in a designed overlap.  Then start your own reps while other partner runs up.
  • Next set reduced reps to 25 curl press, 30 weighted squats, 20 shrugs
  • 3rd set 30 weight squats, 20 shrugs, 25 curl press

Mosey to the flag, along the way — 25x flutter kicks, 15x box cutters, 20 freddies

MARY:
Boat and Canoe x1 minute

Imperial Walkers x20

Pickle Pounders x20
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Last week, Wednesday 8/11 was 4 years since being diagnosed with Leukemia.

After my first round of Chemo in early September, we never saw another blast.

I believe I was healed, but I continue to long for God’s rescue.  If we all think about it, aren’t we all hoping and seeking God’s rescue, to know that He is coming through for us.  I assume you all pray on occasion when we think about it for Jesus to come again and rescue us.  And on occasion I’m reminded of the deep and horrible tragedy of the Garden when the union with God was severed, sin nature inherited, and Earth’s authority transferred to the kingdom of darkness.

The Good News of the Bible says God has come through for us by the work of Christ.  Doesn’t Jesus say that, “10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.”  Luke 19

So why is that not enough and that knowledge transforming us daily?  Life is hard, and it is true that we must gird ourselves like men as God told Job.  But what about my burden is light and yoke is easy and is freedom really available in this life?  I’ve listened to so many sermons over the years about the cross.  I heard one a couple years ago that was truly beautiful and exciting until the very end when the pastor said now all we can do is lather, rinse, repeat referring to sinning and returning to the cross for forgiveness over and over again.

Forgiveness is such a precious gift and is so widely touted as it should be; and now as true believers, we are dead to sin and alive in Christ.  This life allows the union with God to be restored, our sin nature circumcised and the ability to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to earth in this life.

Romans 5

10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.

17 For if, because of one man’s trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.

I’ve heard the catchy Christian statement that, “it takes more faith to believe what the world believes, than to believe in what we believe.”  I believe that is true only when we limit our focus to Jesus’s death on the cross, but let’s not forget to believe in Spirit with child-like faith in the first hand testimony of the disciples that it is the Resurrection power and Ascension of the one man Jesus that gives us life and the power over sin in this life.  Remember your identity as a beloved son of the King today and every day, and put these sins we are struggling with in the past and in the grave!

There is an overlap the Bible describes concerning the work of Christ — the cross and death, the resurrection life and the ascension where all authority over heaven and earth was transferred to Jesus.  We supported each other in an overlap today and we can support each other in the spiritual overlap as well.

MOLESKIN:

Work Of Christ

Christianity is the power of God to restore His originally glorious creation to all it was meant to be.

You see–there’s far more to the Christian life than just forgiveness, and there’s far more to the work of Christ than the Cross. Yes, Jesus came to die for us. It is an act of love unparalleled in the history of the world. But Jesus, also, rose from the dead. And the power of His resurrection is what most people are missing in their lives–the power of real Life.

The power of restoration and healing, the power to live as we were meant to live.

And there is more…

Christ also ascended to the throne. All authority in heaven and earth is His, … and He has shared it with us. That’s how we triumph over the Enemy. That’s how we bring His kingdom … in His Name.

Come and discover the power of the full work of Christ. The power to restore you–as a woman or a man whose life is filled with the radiance of God.

Approximately 2 hours, 39 minutes.

LEARN MORE ABOUT THIS SERIES

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Prayers for Spotters Uncle Scott, Guardrails wife Missy and Datas family this weekend.  Iron Pax starting soon, CSAUP Saturday.

Ab-O-Rama

THE SCENE: Low 70s, light rain
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  1. Projectivator
  2. Overhead clap
  3. Cherry picker
  4. Overhead arm pull
  5. Recumbent abdominal point

THA-THANG:

  1. Mosey to parallel bars
  2. 20 inverted rows
  3. 10 wallpees
  4. Death march to K25 hill
  5. Ab-O-Rama (sprint up the hill after each exercise + 1 burpee at the top)
    1. 30 Big Boys
    2. 60 LBCs
    3. 30 Hello Dolly’s
    4. 60 Flutter Kicks
    5. 30 Heels to Heaven
    6. 15 Basilisks
  6. Mosey to bell
  7. 10 single leg squats (each leg)
  8. Mosey to parallel bars
  9. 15 inverted rows
  10. 5 wallpees
  11. RTB

 

MARY:
One PAX would pick a category of exercise (arms, abs, or legs), another the exercise to do, and a third PAX would pick the number of reps.  We would then sprint the length of the parking lot.

After several sprints, we skipped and did side shuffles.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

1 Timothy 4:1-5 – Now the Spirit expressly says that in the later times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, though the insincerity of liars whose consciences are seared, who forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods that God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.  For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
CSOP on Saturday and snack donations for the Wesley House

3rd Annual Road Less Traveled

THE SCENE: Humid, warm, typical
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH
Tempo Squat
Tempo Merkin
Freddy Mercury
Burpees (OYO)

THA-THANG:

Mosey to the Greenway Path, doing 1 set of the following every 4 min
10 Burpees
20 Freddy Mercurys
30 Merkins
40 Squats
Leaders will wagon wheel after every set to get back to the 6, finish their reps, and start each new leg together
Continue to do 1 set of each of the above until we complete the nearly 3 miles course
Mosey back to the Flag

MARY:

Toe Merkins, Imperial Walkers

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Matthew 5:3-5 Blessed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth

MOLESKIN:

My time as a Christian has seen so several different phases in my spiritual growth.  Where I am now is not the person I was 27 years ago when I accepted Christ as my Lord and Savior.
I have become increasingly aware of my humanity and fallibility as a man, even though I desire to be a HIM.  Much of the Scriptures (especially the NT) stresses the need for the heart to be right before God.  Don’t get me wrong, doctrine is super important and very worthwhile to pursue, but without adding love and preparing the heart then I find those pursuits somewhat empty.  So I guess what I’m saying is as you pursue the things of God (which we should all do), I encourage you not to neglect the fact that we are to be poor (broken) in spirit, mourning our sin, and meek/malleable in our approach to the throne of God.

 

Trail of Tears

THE SCENE: Humid and gloomy
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  1. Projectivator
  2. Cherry picker
  3. Moroccan night club
  4. Run to track
  5. Overhead clap

THA-THANG:

During the course of this workout, we did exercises relating to events from President Andrew Jackson’s public life.

  1. Death march (Indian run w/ burpee before sprinting to the front of the line) 2 laps
  2. Battle of New Orleans
    1. Fought after the War of 1812 was over (Americans won)
    2. Despite a large British advantage in numbers, training, and experience, the American forces defeated a poorly executed assault in slightly more than 30 minutes. The Americans suffered roughly 60 casualties, while the British suffered roughly 2,000,
    3. 20 Big Boys, 40 LBCs (for the 60 American causalities)
  3. Death march 2 laps
  4. Dismantle 2nd Bank of the United States
    1. Chartered by James Madison in 1816
    2. 18 Hello Dollys
    3. 16 Heels to Heaven
    4. Liquidated in 1841
    5. 18 Big Boys
    6. 41 LBCs
  5. Death march 2 laps
  6. In 1835, Jackson became the only president to completely pay off the national debt
    1. 18 Basilisks
    2. 35 Big Boys
  7. Death march 2 lap
  8. Return To Base
  9. 1824 Presidential election
    1. Jackson won the plurality of the popular and electoral vote, but not a majority of the electoral vote.  He lost the contingent election in the House of Representatives.
    2. 99 squats (3 sets of 33 w/ 5 merkins in between each set) for his electoral votes.

MARY:
Bobbit led a set of 10 big boys.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Andrew Jackson was a very effective leader.  He was able to accomplish lots of initiatives and often in the face of huge opposition.  However, many of them seem to be made with a lack of human empathy.  It is important to remember as we seek our goals that everyone we encounter are also children of God and deserve our respect and love.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Service opportunity at Girls Inc on Thursday, August 12th.  CSOP on Saturday August 21st.