F3 Knoxville

Tag: Goose

Our Shield, Our Protector

THE SCENE:  Sunny and warm, mid-eighties.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Mountain Mans, Plank Stretches, 10 Cherry Pickers, 20 Quick Wing Claps
THA-THANG:
Mosey to shade of tree by stop sign at Northeast corner of Admin Bldg.  20 Box Cutters.

Mosey to shaded grassy area near driveway that goes to northern side of Admin Bldg.

Go to four cones that form large square in grassy area by long driveway.

  • Corner 1:  20 Big Boy Sit ups.  Then Bernie Sanders to Corner 2.
  • Corner 2:  20 Squat Jumps.  Then Bear Crawl to Corner 3.
  • Corner 3:  20 Dive Bombers.  Then Sprint to Corner 4.
  • Corner 4:  20 Star Jumps.  Then Lunge to Corner 1
  • Rinse and Repeat

Mosey back to the long driveway leading to northern side of Admin Bldg.

We will do suicides.  We will always Bear Crawl to first cone while doing the suicides and sprint to remaining three cones.  Each time we return back to the starting point, we will do 25 Little Baby Crunches.

Rinse and Repeat.

Next, do suicides without bear crawls and baby crunches, sprinting to first cone and back, second cone and back, third cone and back, fourth cone and back then continuing to third cone and back, second cone and back and first cone and back.

Mosey to roadway that is on east side of admin bldg.  Go down steps on east side of roadway opposite the sidewalk that goes to the admin bldg.  

We will do thirties, starting with 5 bench dips at the bottom of the steps.  We will run up the steps and then up the sidewalk to the steps of the admin bldg.  There we will do 25 decline merkins.  We then sprint back to the benches where we did the dips.  We do 10 bench dips, then sprint back to the admin bldg to do 20 decline merkins.  We continue this pattern until we have done 25 bench dips and 5 merkins.

Mosey to grassy area on east side of admin bldg.   Do 20 American Hammers

Mosey to AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Twelve men, no FNG’s.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

When you were young, did you have a father that you admired, that protected you, that you knew found favor in you and you knew would be there for you if in stress?  Did you see that father as big, powerful, strong and mighty when you were a little boy?  Did you like those special times when you got to sleep by him in his bed, just because he was awesome and big and you felt safer being close to him?  Some of us had that in our dads.  Some of us are fathers to children who look up to us and trust in us for protection.

As grown adults, we still have that need for the strength of a father who is big and powerful.  I would say we have that childlike need but the need is not childlike as all adults have that need.  We, as strong men, know that we cannot always go it alone.  We need someone more powerful than us, who will “kick ass” to get to us when we are in trouble, defying all odds to do so.  We have that in our God, our creator, our FATHER.  I love the following verses from Psalms 18 (verses 2 – 19) because they portray not only a wonderful image of just how strong our Father is but how strong his passion is for just one of his children.

2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer,
    my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge,
    my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.
3 I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised,
    and I am saved from my enemies.

4 The cords of death encompassed me;
    the torrents of destruction assailed me;[a]
5 the cords of Sheol entangled me;
    the snares of death confronted me.

6 In my distress I called upon the Lord;
    to my God I cried for help.
From his temple he heard my voice,
    and my cry to him reached his ears.

7 Then the earth reeled and rocked;
    the foundations also of the mountains trembled
    and quaked, because he was angry.
8 Smoke went up from his nostrils,[b]
    and devouring fire from his mouth;
    glowing coals flamed forth from him.
9 He bowed the heavens and came down;
    thick darkness was under his feet.
10 He rode on a cherub and flew;
    he came swiftly on the wings of the wind.
11 He made darkness his covering, his canopy around him,
    thick clouds dark with water.
12 Out of the brightness before him
    hailstones and coals of fire broke through his clouds.

13 The Lord also thundered in the heavens,
    and the Most High uttered his voice,
    hailstones and coals of fire.
14 And he sent out his arrows and scattered them;
    he flashed forth lightnings and routed them.
15 Then the channels of the sea were seen,
    and the foundations of the world were laid bare
at your rebuke, O Lord,
    at the blast of the breath of your nostrils.

16 He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
17 He rescued me from my strong enemy
    and from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.
18 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
19 He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

 

World Cup Redux

THE SCENE: Warm and muggy, 92 degrees, but thankfully not much sun!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Cherry Pickers x 10 (4-ct), Slow Windmills x10 (4-ct), Tempo Merkins x10 (4-ct), Motivators 5 reps decreasing, baby arm circles forward x10 (4-ct) and backward x10 (4-ct)

THA-THANG:
We recreated the World Cup Quaterfinals at the Asylum! Run the loop road around the administration 3 times.  8 Stations are located throughout the circuit, each station representing a team from the WC Quarterfinals.  We will do an exercise at each station named after the country represented for the first lap (quarterfinals), second lap (semi finals), and third lap (Finals).  The teams that were eliminated in each round of the playoffs will have their exercises replaced with 10 squats.

FIRST ROUND QUARTERFINALS

  1. French Flutter Kicks (x20, 4-ct) @ Bat house
  2. Brazilian Burpees (10 OYO) @ Big Tree
  3. Belgian Box Cutters (20, 4-ct) @ Corner
  4. Croatian Carolina Dry Docks (x 15) @ Circle Drive Split
  5. Russian Rocky Balboa (10, 4-ct) – then run up to top of stairs and do the victory dance @ Stairs
  6. Swedish Mountain Climbers (x 10, 4-ct) @Circle Drive Split
  7. English E2K oblique crunches (x 10 each knee) @ Turn on to Hilltop
  8. Uruguayan Upright Rows (need rocks, x30) @Rock Pile

SECOND ROUND  SEMIFINALS – Brazil, Russia, Sweden, Uruguay eliminated

  1. French Flutter Kicks (x20, 4-ct)
  2. Brazil Burpees (10 OYO)
  3. Belgian Box Cutters (20, 4-ct)
  4. Croatian Carolina Dry Docks (x 15)
  5. Russian Rocky Balboa (10, 4-ct) – then run up to top of stairs and do the victory dance
  6. Swedish Mountain Climbers (x 10, 4-ct)
  7. English E2K oblique crunches (x 10 each knee)
  8. Uruguay Upright Rows (need rocks, x30)

THIRD ROUND – Belgium and England eliminated

  1. French Flutter Kicks (x20, 4-ct)
  2. Brazil Burpees (10 OYO)
  3. Belgian Box Cutters (20, 4-ct)
  4. Croatian Carolina Dry Docks (x 15)
  5. Russian Rocky Balboa (10, 4-ct) – then run up to top of stairs and do the victory dance
  6. Swedish Mountain Climbers (x 10, 4-ct))
  7. English E2K oblique crunches (x 10 each knee)
  8. Uruguay Upright Rows (need rocks, x30)

FINAL ROUND CHAMPIONSHIP– Croatia eliminated

  1. French Flutter Kicks (x20, 4-ct)
  2. Brazil Burpees (10 OYO)
  3. Belgian Box Cutters (20, 4-ct)
  4. Russian Rocky Balboa (10, 4-ct) – then run up to top of stairs and do the victory dance
  5. Croatian Carolina Dry Docks (x 15)
  6. Swedish Mountain Climbers (x 10, 4-ct)
  7. English E2K oblique crunches (x 10 each knee)
  8. Uruguay Upright Rows (need rocks, x30)

MARY:
We did a mini-competition to determine who got the World Cup Trophy (which just so happened to be an F3 Pint Glass!).  Everyone did Imperial Walkers while each man in turn took a turn kicking a soccer ball as close as possible to the F3 Flag.  Congratulations to Bearcat for taking home the hardware!!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

RECOGNIZING GOD, a Personal story about recognizing God in my life.  A few years ago my mother was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and passed away 5 months later. She was only 75, and it was just 2 years after my father passed.  Everyone loves their mom, but she truly was a special person… Never had a harsh word to say about anyone, generous to a fault, loved her friends and family and church community, humble but talented, gregarious and kind.  When she became ill, I authored her Caring Bridge website which kept friends and family up to date on her situation.  I raced home to Chicago when I heard she had taken a downturn, and missed being able to say goodbye to her by about a half an hour.  I knew it was my responsibility to pass on the news.  As I was sitting at the computer, trembling with unbearable grief, trying to find the words to put into the final entry, I stared out the window and my anger turned towards God. Where was He?  Where was He for my mother?  Why did she have to get sick and suffer as she did? I sat there for a while, tears pouring down my face, my heart broken and hurting, and I felt a tingle run through my body. And I saw these images so clearly…

  • Her neighbor across the street who brought her over hot dinners twice a week
  • Her friend from her college days who drove 6 hours to visit with her when she heard she was sick
  • The waitress at a restaurant where we went to eat shortly before she passed away that brought her a bowl of chicken broth and vegetables when she learned my mom was sick and the original soup order was too spicy for her. The manager also picked up her bill.
  • The friends who kept our freezer stocked with more ice cream than an Army could eat because they knew that was her favorite treat.
  • The widow at church who drove her to several of her doctor’s appointments and was good company for her.
  • The surgeon who performed a near-perfect surgery in the early stages to give her a fighting chance and whose optimism and encouragement was so needed for all of us.
  • Her caregiver who lifted her spirits and was such a warm and comforting presence in the house.
  • Some friends of mine who drove 600 miles (!!) from Knoxville to attend her funeral.

Where was God? God was EVERYWHERE.  I was too blind and ignorant and selfish to see it.  He was all around me, I saw Him in these friends and neighbors, in the love these people showed my mother.

I encourage everyone to look for God in the kind acts of friends or strangers, and to be a vehicle for God’s love for others in the way you conduct your own lives.

MOLESKIN:
We prayed for the health and well being of several family members of the F3 community that have fallen sick or have been injured.

It was an incredible honor to lead my first Q for the Asylum PM group.  I was humbled and thankful by the opportunity.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Kickball tournament on Saturday.

Farva’s Highway Trooper Sendoff

THE SCENE: Partly cloudy, low 80’s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-straddle Hops, 10 Imperial Walkers, 10 Bottle Openers, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Baby to Wide Arm Circles Forward, 10 Baby to Wide Arm Circles Backward
THA-THANG:
Mosey toward stop sign on northeast side of Admin Bldg.  Stop at brick wall on left of road.  25 Bench raises.

Mosey to big coniferous tree just north of stop sign.  20 American Hammers.

Mosey on perimeter trail to area north of Roadshow Run.  20 Hello Dollies.  Then run to top of Roadshow Run and back.  Those who arrive back first do Baby Crunches until everyone is back.

Mosey to bottom of Mt. Everest.  20 Flutter Kicks.  Run to large tree half way up Mt. Everest and run back.  Those arriving first do baby crunches until everyone is back.

Mosey on perimeter trail to shaded area north of utilities bldg.  25 Carolina Dry Docks.

Mosey on perimeter trail to Northshore Entryway Gate.  Mosey east up road to shady area south of utilities building.  15 Tempo Merkins.

Mosey east on roadway to where there is downhill slope toward soccer fields.  Go down hill.  We will do sevens with Bicycle Kicks at bottom of hill and Burpees on top.

Mosey to stop sign on Southeast Corner of Admin Bldg.  25 Diamond Merkins.

Mosey to boulder pile.  Do 20 each of the following exercises:

  • Overhead Presses
  • Curls
  • Triceps
  • Rows
  • Squats

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
Standing stretches with legs together and legs apart; leg raises while lying down on six; arm and leg raises from plank position; Boat canoe.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Eleven men, no FNG’s.pi
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

THE DESCENDING GOD

In Philippians, Chapter 2: 6-8 we read about:  “Christ Jesus,a 6who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,b 7but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant,c being born in the likeness of men. 8And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross”

As Henri Nouwen states, our God is a descending God.  Jesus, who was born in a manger, chose the descending way continually.  He lived with his parents up to his 30th year in an disrespected town of Nazareth.  Although full of divine power, he equated power and popularity with temptation.  His disciples were simple men, not popular, wealthy, or religious leaders of the day.  His miracles were performed out of compassion, not to impress.  Often he even tells those whom he has cured not to tell others about it.  And, as he his life continues he becomes increasingly aware that he must fulfill his mission by sacrificing himself on a cross.  God is spat on and tortured, not lifted up in greatness.

Quoting Henri Nouwen in his “Letters to Mark” he states “God has willed to show his love for the world by descending more and more deeply into human frailty.”  And when Jesus reaches the utmost in poverty, pain lowliness and loneliness, nailed as a criminal to a cross, it is then that “we know how far God has gone to show us his love.  For it is then that Jesus has not only reached his utmost poverty, but also has shown God’s utmost love.”

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
3rd F at Outlook on August 11 at 8:30 am.  Talk to Pele or Lillydipper about signing up for the Fake Gloom Kickball team for a great tourney on Saturday, August 18.

Hot evening for Superocho

THE SCENE: Hot and humid, temps close to 90
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-Straddle Hops, 10 Burpees, 10 Bottle openers, 10 Windmills, Little of This, Little of That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to parking lot across the street and a little north of playground.  We will do the following exercises at each corner of the parking lot:

  • Southwest corner:  20 Merkins, then bear crawl to next corner.
  • Southeast corner:  20 Big Boys, then sprint to next corner.
  • Northeast corner:  20 Jump Squats, then bear crawl to next corner.
  • Northwest corner:  20 Squat, then sprint to next corner.

Rinse and repeat above but do Bernie Sanders instead of sprint.

Mosey to playground.  We will do the following exercises and run to the areas where exercises are to be performed:

  • Benches on playground:  20 Bench Jumps
  • Dugouts at ball field:  20 knees to chest while handing from overhead rafter in dugout.
  • Picnic tables in pavilion:  20 Picnic Table Pull-ups
  • Flag just north of pavilion:  20 Carolina Dry Docks

Mosey short distance to pavilion.  We will, with our backs to wall, do one minute squat.

Mosey to serpentine sidewalk that is south of parking lot located south of playground.  We will do “14’s” where we lunge to first light, run past next four lights, lung to next light, run past next four, etc. all the way to the perimeter trail.

Mosey to shaded area on perimeter trail just south of Cardiac Hill.  Do 20 American Hammers.  We will then run up Cardiac Hill, stopping to do the following exercises at the turns in the trail:

  • Turn one:  20 Flutter Kicks (four count)
  • Turn two:  20 Bicycle Kicks (four count)
  • Turn three:  20 Decline Merkins
  • Turn four:  20 Bench Lifts

Mosey to shaded area by stop sign at northeast corner of admin bldg.  20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
Boat Canoe.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 men.  We picked up a Flying EH who was our FNG.  He is Brian Pitstick whom we named “Sparkler.”
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
God made us.  We stand naked before God.  He knows every inch of us and knows everything about us.  So, why hide information from God?  When you pray, when you talk to God, reveal it all, everything.  He sees it anyway but wants a relationship with you and wants you to talk to Him about it.  He is there for you.  He understands you.  He loves you.  You need not hide from Him.

Steambath

THE SCENE: Hot and steamy, temp in mid-nineties.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-straddle hops, 10 Burpees, 20 Prayer Pulses (four count), 8 Twisties (four count), 10 Windmills
THA-THANG:

Mosey to road in front of Admin Bldg.  There will be cones placed on both sides of the road.  Go to each cone and do the exercises listed.

  • Cone 1:  20 Hello Dollies (four count).  Lunge to Cone 2.
  • Cone 2:  20 Bicycle Kicks (four count).  Run to Cone 3.
  • Cone 3:  Bernie Sanders up right sidewalk to Flag Pole.  Run back on other sidewalk.  Run to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4:  20 Dive Bombers.  Hop to Cone 5 which will be across the street and a number of yards to the north.
  • Cone 5:  40 Baby Crunches.  Run to Cone 6.
  • Cone 6:  Run down stairs and up stairs three times, staying to right side.  Run to Cone 7.
  • Cone 7:  20 American Hammers.  Bear Crawl to Cone 8.
  • Cone 8:  20 Squats.  Rinse and Repeat back at Cone 1

Mosey to Playground.  Elevens with Bench Hops and Decline Merkins.

Mosey to Pavilion.  90 seconds of picnic table pull-ups, as many as can in that amount of time.

Mosey to shade of large evergreen tree by stop sign on northeast corner of admin bldg.  20 Boxcutters

Mosey back to AO

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
13 men.  Two Flying EH’s became our FNG’s.  They are now members:  Joey Miller or “Rebound” and Matthew Harshey or “Duckers”.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
One of my favorite spiritual books is a daily bible verse devotion book created by Tim Branch her in Knoxville.  It is simply called “The Blue Book” because it has a blue cover.  There is a topic devoted to each week of the year and a daily reading from the bible for each week.  There are also excerpts from various writers about the topic if the week.  Last week in my reading the topic was “time.”  I was struck by an excerpt from John Ortberg’s book The Life You’ve Always Wanted.  He talked about his own discussion with a mentor at a very busy time in his life when he was a young man.  He asked this mentor what he needed to do to be spiritually healthy.  The mentor, sensing where John Ortberg was spiritually, replied after a long pause:  “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”  Ortberg jotted this down, in a hurry and wanting to cram as many pearls of wisdom into his notebook as he could in his limited amount of time.  He said, “OK, that is good one.  Now what else is there?”  The mentor replied, after a long pause, “There is nothing else.”

I feel that Americans need to hear this today.  We are such a fast paced moving society, rushing off to work each morning, fighting traffic to arrive on time, getting as much as we can done at the office, driving through “rush hour” traffic back home, throwing our dinners in the microwave, getting the kids to bed, finding a quick tv show to look at right before bed . . . we miss something.  I am guilty of this.  Often times, when at a store, if stopped by some old acquaintance to talk, I find myself thinking “Man, I gotta find a way to end this conversation so I can get on home.”

If we are truly to live a spiritual life, we must do battle with hurry.  If we do not, we miss out on so much.  We fail to truly enjoy what God has given us.  We fail to take time to listen to Him and miss out on the most important thing in our lives.  I need to listen to those same words that John Ortberg was given by such a wise sage:  “You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.”