F3 Knoxville

What goes up must come down

THE SCENE: Perfection including a beautiful sunrise
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER 
WARM-O-RAMA:

Eased Fingerfood back into it with a little reach for the sky and let it hang.   Threw in some baby arm circles forward and back.   Dropped for something new called countdown low plank or something like that.   Held plank and then dropped to 6” low plank hold for 10 count, back up then down for 9 count, etc.   Finished with some Windmills.  By that time Houndog had arrived and we knew it was time to get on with it.

THAT Thang:

Mosey across HV road stopping in front of AnytimeFitness for a few side plank dips, continued our journey over to Mt Juconte.   Started at bottom and gave it all she got to get to the top of the 13.3% grade.   At the top found a few transported coupons and did some curls into overhead presses.   On way back down did a little Route 66 with some Derkins at each tree.   Finished up with 20 Heels to Heaven at the bottom.

Rinse and repeat with Squat Thrusters up top, Squats on Route 66, and Box Cutters on round 2.   Round 3 was again back up…bench press / skull crusher combo, with SSH Route 66 back down and Big Boys to recover.   We were having to much fun at that point that not even Erector would join for Round 4.   But everyone else did as we finished back up top with coupons swings, Monkey Humpers on Route 66 and maybe some other AB work or maybe not..can’t quite remember.   Headed back to the “flag” and waited at the light for everyone in HV to drive by missing out on any extra Mary

MARY:
No Time…

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
14 HIMs…13 of who could remember their F3 name.   But we were glad to have FingerFood back even if we had to help him with his name.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Two biggest lies in America….the first one is by clicking this box I acknowledge that I have read and agree to the terms and conditions listed above and number two is our answer to the question “How are you?”  As men especially I think it is easy to hide and avoid sharing feelings, weakness, or hurt.   I am not good about it either, typically because I feel what I am going through is minuscule compared to the challenges of others.   But I do also think it is good to honestly answer that question too as it allows others to be open about their feelings too, especially when you know they are in a rough season.   But I specifically want to do a better job about reaching out to friends that I know are hurting.   Just as we remember birthdays…we also need to remember sad days / challenging times in our friends lives and acknowledge and reach out to them to let them know it’s okay to not be fine on those days too.   

Recently Facebook has reminded me about the anniversaries of loved ones lost and the continued grieving of those closest to them.   I want to be a better friend and family member that I don’t rely on Facebook to remember to reach out to my friends on their sad days.   Let’s remember and practice Romans 12:15 on a routine basis.

“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Prayers for DartGuns Uncle and Survivors friend who is recover from cancer treatments.

 

 

Be All There

THE SCENE:  45 and cool
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Skipped for these bunch of veterans
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Fiddlefart around while we wait for Rocket to get moving
  • Overhead claps
  • Seal jacks
  • Knee Tap Merkins
  • Hillbilly Mountain climbers

THA THANG:

Grab a block and mosey to the benches by the fountain;

  • CMU plank rows – 10 each side
  • Heavy split squats – 10 each side
  • Uneven derkins – 10 each side

Mosey to the back of the municipal building.  Split into 2 teams. Each team has a list of exercises.  One extra-large size die with numbers 1,2,3.  One team rolls the die. That’s the number of laps up the stairs and back around.  While that team runs the laps, other team works through the exercises until laps are completed.  When entire team returns from laps, other team rolls.  When list is complete, knock down a cone and start again.  See how many times each team can work through the list.

Exercises:

  • 20 Curls
  • 15 Thrusters
  • 20 Heavy Lunges (10 each)
  • 20 Tricep extensions
  • 15 Goblet Squats
  • 20 single arm rows (10 each)
  • 15 CMU Swings
  • 10 burpee jump overs
  • 30 4-ct freddy mercury

MARY:

Mosey to the amphitheater
CMU pullovers x 20
Heavy LBCs
Heavy dolly IC

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

5 men

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The first words of the Christian and Hebrew Bible are a prologue to a story – to our story.  The section has a rhythm to it – some call it an ancient Hebrew poem.  It is from those words that I hope you’ll be inspired today.  For the sake of time, I truncated the scripture – but I’ll include a link to the full text below in the moleskin.

Then God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. And God saw that the light was good…  And evening passed and morning came, marking the first day.

Then God said, “Let the waters beneath the sky flow together into one place, so dry ground may appear.”…“Let the land sprout with vegetation…And that is what happened.  And God saw that it was good.  And evening passed and morning came, marking the third day.

Then God said, “Let lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night. And that is what happened….And God saw that it was good.  And evening passed and morning came, marking the fourth day.

Then God said, “Let the waters swarm with fish and other life. Let the skies be filled with birds of every kind.”… And God saw that it was good…And evening passed and morning came, marking the fifth day.

Then God said, “Let the earth produce every sort of animal”…And that is what happened.  And God saw that it was good. Then God said, “Let us make human beings in our image, to be like us.  Then God looked over all he had made, and he saw that it was very good!

Sometimes I struggle with looking forward to tomorrow – at the expense of enjoying today.  Planning for next year…instead of fully living in this year.  It can be so tempting to live for the next moment – when we’ve found the home…when we’re on vacation…when the kids are a little older…when the salary is a little higher.  For the last few days, I’ve been paying closer attention to my thoughts and words – and it is ridiculous how often I am thinking and talking about what-comes-next.  We were just camping over the weekend, a mini-vacation, and how often I was talking then about the next camping trips we have planned…instead of just enjoying where I was then and there.

I see wisdom in those Words from Genesis 1.

Being both omniscient and omnipotent – all knowing and all powerful – our Creator must have had a vivid image of the full glory of His Creation before He started to create – and He could have spoken everything into existence immediately.  Yet He didn’t.  He chose, instead, to create as a process – and intermittently throughout that process, He paused to reflect on the partially finished dreamIt is goodDirt and plants are only a small part of the full Creation that I have in mind – and the big picture is so much more awesome… but today, the partly completed dream – it is good.

We are each working on our own dreams.  To one day have that house, that job, that vacation… To have kids who are independent or enough money to retire.  Those big dreams are great – but where you are today, partly complete, it too is good.  So, don’t let this good day pass while dreaming only of tomorrow.  Be present and content with today.

Two quotes to finish us out…

One of my favorite authors of old western adventure novels, Louis L’Amour, said this;

“Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.”

Christian missionary and martyr, Jim Elliot, said this;

“Wherever you are, be all there.”

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Jack, prayers for Emily

Next time, both teams need an Erector…

It is absolutely preposterous how many times the other team rolled a 1

This workout was inspired by one that Waxjob did several years ago at JUCO – Tip of the hat to you, sir!

Full text of Genesis 1…

ANNOUNCEMENTS: 

Remembering Scripture and Remembering Dung Beetle’s

THE SCENE: A nice, crisp 50 a clear.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry Pickers x 7, Little Baby Arm Circles x 10, Little Baby Arm Circles Backwards x 10, Apollo Ohno’s x 10, Tempo Merkins x 10, 10 BBS.

THA-THANG:
Mosey to the Big Parking Lot, do a moving workout to each line and do 20 calf raises at each line.

  • Walking Merkins (Alligator Merkins)
  • Lunges
  • Bear Crawl
  • Frog Jump
  • Frog Jump
  • Bear Crawl
  • Lunges
  • Walking Merkins

Mosey to the coupon pile, take the coupons to the parking lot and partner up

  • One partner does a coupon push to the opposite parking lot line and then dung beetle’s back.
  • The other partner runs up the hill, does 1 burpee and then runs back.
  • When they meet, they do 10 curls.

Put the coupons back and keep the same partners

  • One partner runs and does 3 pull ups.
  • The other partner holds a wall sit or plank.

Mosey back to the flag

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
James 1:22-25 says, “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.”

Unfortunately, as fallen humans, we forget things. We are told one thing and then minutes later we forget the thing we had been told. Not necessarily intentionally, we just tend to forget things. So, we do different things to help ourselves remember. We write things down, we put it on a calendar, we put it on a sticky note, we repeat it back to people. And I think we can do similar things with Scripture. Because so often, like James says, we hear the Word or read it and then instantly forget it and think about other things, therefore we cannot do what it says. So, I wrote down a few things that help me remember what I read. It’s not extensive, but I got 4 things that help me remember Scripture.

  1. Write it down and meditate on it throughout the day. Put it on a notecard and put it on your desk. Meditate on it, mumble it to yourself to remind yourself of what you read and how you can use it in your life.
  2. Memorize it. This is similar to number one, but the more we read a verse, then we can memorize it and hide it in our hearts.
  3. Sing it. This one is a little different and can be awkward, but it helps because remembering a tune is a lot easier than just remembering a sentence. So, my wife now has a song for Psalm 23 and sings it every now and then.
  4. Have a partner to talk to about Scripture and to encourage you in working to remember what you’ve read.

Stepping Up

THE SCENE: 45
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: DONE
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x15
Tempo Squat x10
Tempo Merk x10
Mtn Climber x10
Moroccan x10
OH Clap x10
Projectivator x8
Mosey to Parallel bars for 5 dips/5 lunges each leg
Mosey to Pool Wall for 5 wall-ups/5 squats
Mosey to Playground for 5 pull-ups
Mosey to Recruiting Center to pick up 1 CMU/pax
Mosey to Tinseltown Side Stairs

THA-THANG:

HEAVY STAIRS: 1 CMU/10 reps of each exercise, then top of stairs – WITH OR WITHOUT CMU
1. 10 Single-arm Rows each side
2. 10 Lunges each leg
3. 10 Good Mornings+10 BBS
4. 10 Uneven Merkins each side
5. 10 Kettle swings+10 Calf raises
6. 10 Incline merks+10 pliomerkins (single count)
7. 10 Thrusters+10 Squats
8. 10 Curls+10 Overhead Press
9. 10 V-ups+10 Flutterkicks (4-ct)
10. 10 Tri Ext+10 Basilisk

Return CMU to Recruiting Center
Mosey back to Shovel Flag

MARY:
PAX Choice: Hello Dolly, something else, and Row-Row-Row Your Boat

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
LUCKY 7: Biohack, Kickflip, Mathlete, Rocket, Waxjob, Snaggletooth, and FNG Cliche

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

I shared this morning about how I asked my work for a sabbatical leave. On the 10th anniversary of our senior pastor, I asked our Personnel Committee to grant him a sabbatical leave. On the 10th anniversary of our student minister, I asked our Personnel Committee again to consider granting the same to him. And so on my 10th anniversary last month, I also asked for myself.

What is a sabbatical and why is it important? It is an extended time of leave – mostly in academia – every 7 years for rest, but often for reading/studying/writing. For me, I’m connecting it to visiting family in Hawaii, but I also wanted time for reflection and reading, extended time in prayer and seeking counsel to look at the last 10 years of service, revisit my sense of calling, and to dream about what the next season may hold. This is for spiritual reflection and health.

2020-2021 has been one hell of a year for everyone: global pandemic, national violence, political turmoil, isolation, interrupted routine, and the list goes on for each person’s circumstances. My soul needs time and space.

Sabbatical leave was not granted necessarily but I informed my pastor that I was prepared to take my own PTO in addition to my vacation for extra time away from my post. And someone from my team is willing and able to fill in for me. Talk about “invigorating male community leadership” – a page right out of the F3 Mission.

Choose Your Partner for War Wisely

THE SCENE: The rain held off for a 65° windy perfect morning
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Delivered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Tempo Squats, High Knees, Let it Hang, Reach for the Sky, Cherry pickers, inch worm merkins and 2 SSH.
THA-THANG:
Indian run to the big parking lot dropping for 5 merkins.

  • Slalom each median in the big parking lot with a burpee every time your cross the “road”
  • 11’s in the pit by the far entrance with squats at the bottom and merkins on the road.
  • Mosey to the outer loop behind lake
    • 10 floor tricep dips, and 10 inch worms
    • run the loop
    • 20 flutter kicks and 20 pickle powders
    • run the loop
    • 30 lunges and 30 squats
    • run the loop.
    • on each loop is 5 burpees, 10 4 count hello dollies, and 15 bobby hurley’s
  • found a rope laying on the ground, so we played tug o war, of course

MARY:
Flutter kicks, Pickle pointers, Mountain Climbers, Freddie Mercury 

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Psalm 27 verse 4, it says “Though an army May encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.” 

David saying he has lot things against him, an Army, and a War, but David says “my heart shall not fear and, in this I will be confident”  in response.

How does he do that?  FAITH. David has outstanding faith. When David was fighting Goliath, King Saul giving David his armor; but David did not want it because he had faith that God would protect him. How do we get that faith that David has? 

James chapter 1 verse 2 Says “Count it all to Joy my brothers when you meet trials of various kinds for you know the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.”

David no doubt has had trials that tested his faith, like fighting Goliath, ruling nation, running from king Saul when Saul was trying kill him. The trials grow your faith. I bet none of us are going to fight a giant, rule a nation, or run from king trying to kill you, but I bet most of us will or has had trials like temptations, relationships, or even COVID.

Thinking about going into battle, if you get to choose 1 guy you guys wouldn’t choose me; not yet at least.  I’m going choose you big guys.  You’re all a lot bigger than me and I look up to you and I know you’d protect me. God is infinitely bigger, infinitely stronger.  One way we show this in our prayer life is to get our knees, like we do here, and say with our posture that we are small. 

I challenge you pray to Jesus privately on your knees and ask Him to grow your faith so you could be confident in trials, and even pray for trials so you could test your faith. David knows that his God can do the impossible. God wants us to believe that he can do impossible. All the big problems in our life are tiny to him. Our God is bigger than our understanding.