F3 Knoxville

Tag: Lillydipper

Patience of Unanswered Prayer

THE SCENE: Sunny, temp about 90 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Plank Jacks, Plank Stretches, 10 Rockettes, 10 Windmills, Little of This and That
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Stop Sign at Southeastern Corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to grassy area that is south of Area 51.  There will be four cones set up in a square pattern.  We will be going in a counter-clockwise route around the square four times, stopping to do an exercise at each cone.  By the end we will have done four exercises at each cone.  Following are the exercises at each cone and the method by which to get to the next cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 20 Side Straddle Hops (4 ct)  2. 15 Mountain Climbers (4 ct)  3. 20 Star Jumps  4.  20 Iron Mikes (both legs = 1)  (After exercise, Sprint to Cone 2)
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Merkins  2. 15 Shoulder Taps  3. 10 Hand Release Merkins  4. 20 Carolina Dry Docks  (After exercise, Skip to Cone 3)
  • Cone 3.  1. 20 Big Boy Sit-ups.  2. 20 Hello Dollies (4 ct).  3.  20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct.)  4. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 ct)  (After exercise, Bernie Sanders to Cone 4)
  • Cone 4.  1. 10 Burpees  2. 15 Imperial Walkers (both legs = 1)  3. 20 Bobby Hurleys  4. 20 Squat Jumps  (High Knees to Cone 1).

Mosey to Northshore Entrance to Park.  We will go south then east on the perimeter trail, doing Nickel Dime Quarters with the following exercises:

  • Squats
  • Dead Bugs
  • Diamond Merkins
  • Dive Bombers

We will be near the Southern Ball Fields when we have done the above.  Mosey to the parking lot at the Southern Ball Fields.  We will do 8 count Bear Crawls then 8 Count Lunges, repeating this pattern from one end of the parking lot to the other.  

Mosey to Outdoor Chapel.  Take 15 second breather.  Then mosey up hill all the way to the new built area near the Admin Bldg.  Take 30 second breather.  Mosey to AO.

MARY:
25 Hello Dollies
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
22 men with two FNGs whom we named Whistler (Brett Marshman) and Leo Turcas (Nadia).  Nadia was a Flying EH victim!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Asking with Patience

Matthew 7: 7-8

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened.

Romans 8:25

But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.

2 Peter 3:8

But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.

At last week’s internet streamed worship service at my church, a line struck me from one of the songs we sang.  The song is “Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart” by Croly and Digerness.  The line that struck me is “Teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”  That is certainly a line I need to hear during the time of this coronavirus and national unrest after the death of George Floyd.  I read the bible verse that says, “everyone who asks receives.”  I know that people all over Earth are asking that this coronavirus would end.  I ask, “God, when will you answer our prayer?”  Yet, I need to also ask, “God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.”

When I was a boy, my best friend, Neil, who lived next door, was the first family on our block to get a Color TV set.  Seven years later, most people had Color TV sets but I was still praying for our first one.  My mother was a single parent and a teacher – and, just like today, teachers don’t make enough money for all the work they do.  I remember getting excited when we went to a big store that had a television promo.  As part of the promo, people could bring in advertisements they received in the mail.  If your code number on the advertisement was one of the winning code numbers, you could get a free TV set.  My mother, of course, told me the odds were minuscule for us to have a winning number.  We went to the store and there were all these magnificent color television sets, sitting there for a kid like me to gawk at.  Needless to say we didn’t win a set.  “But, mom, can’t we even buy one of the smaller sets?”  I know my mother felt bad for me but with her lack of funds she was also teaching my about life – about limiting oneself to a budget; about not coveting; about appreciating what we have; about patience.

About six or seven months later I came home to find a portable television set sitting on a cabinet in our living room.  It was on, it was playing a television show, and the show was in living color!!!  My mother had saved for quite some time to get that portable but color TV set.  I was so happy!  It may have been small but it was a COLOR SET!

God, teach me the patience of unanswered prayer.  I think of people who have endured wars that last for many years.  Teach me to be grateful for what I do have.  I think of people who endured plagues like the Black Plague where cities of people were wiped out by the disease or indian tribes in America who were practically wiped out by diseases that Europeans brought from another continent.  God, teach me to have trust that you are there for me, for us, no matter what difficulties and even tragedies beset us.  For in You we have something that hardship, suffering, even death cannot take away.  As the famous poet, John Donne, said, in you Death Shall Die.

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for our nation at this time of unrest, prayers for Iceman’s father who will need surgery for his heart again, prayers for Thunderstruck’s mother and grandfather, prayers for Lillydipper’s wife.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
F3 Launch at Morristown this weekend.

Grateful

THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Motivators starting with seven, 10 Cherry Pickers, 10 Rockettes, 10 Windmills, 5 Baby Arm Circles Forward and Backward, 5 Wide Arm Circles Forward and Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the South Ball Fields Parking Lot.  We will be running from one end of the parking lot to the other.  There will be four cones set up along the run.  At each cone, stop to do ten of the first exercise listed.  Keep going in order from each end of the parking lot.  Here are the exercises:

Running south to north:

  1. Squat Jumps
  2. Merkins
  3. Big Boy Sit-ups
  4. Hello Dollies (4 ct.)

Running north to south:

  1. Flutter Kicks (4 ct)
  2. Plank Jacks
  3. Carolina Dry Docks
  4. Shoulder Taps (each shoulder)

Once done with all exercises, jog around the parking lot.

Next, starting from Cone 1 we will do a five parking lane bear crawl to 5 lane lunge all the way to Cone 4.

Next, we will mosey to soccer field.  We will do suicides on field going to first, second, and third cone and back.  Each time coming back men will do 20 Baby Crunches.  We will do a different type of run on each suicide.  They will be as follows:

  • Bernie Sanders.
  • Grapevine Left
  • Grapevine Right
  • Skip
  • High knees

Mosey to perimeter trail at the end of the parking lot.  We will head east and north on the trail doing Nickel Dime Quarters.  Here are the exercises for each stop.

  • Bobby Hurleys
  • Diamond Merkins
  • Bicycle Kicks
  • Iron Mikes (each leg = 1)
  • Dive Bombers
  • Box Cutters
  • Imperial Walkers
  • Squats

We will turn west at the Serpentine Sidewalk and continue to the Island Parking Lot.  At the parking lot we will have the Relay Race Around the Island.  Men divide up into teams with each team stationing men at an island.  The race starts with the first man running to second man, second to third, etc. until last man meets first man again (no touching, keep social distance).  The first man starts again.  The race isn’t over until the last man gets back to where he started.

Mosey to base of Mini Cardiac.  Do 20 Buzz Saws.  Next we will Bernie Sanders up Mini Cardiac to Park Sign, then sprint the rest of the way to the AO.

MARY:
Boat Canoe and ATMS
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Use the TAGS on right-side to record PAX (BE SURE TO INCLUDE YOURSELF) in attendance. Be sure to select the AO in CATEGORY above TAGS and then delete these notes!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

From John 15: 12-15.
12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. 
13 Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 
During this coronavirus epidemic I had to lay out from F3 as did you.  When F3 started meeting again, it hurt me not to be able to join with you brothers.  I was concerned about working out with you because, as you know, my wife, Jan, was diagnosed with breast cancer at about the same time the coronavirus epidemic was beginning to spread in the United States.  We hear that we can carry the coronavirus without even knowing it. I didn’t want to catch the virus by getting close to others, then unknowingly spread it to my wife.
I realized during the months away from you guys how much strength I get from just meeting with you.  I did work out alone and with my son, Bennett (aka Puddle in F3).  So, I kept in ok shape.  What I missed was the strength of the fellowship, of the encouragement we get from one another as men, of the message shared at the end of each workout, of the commitment to lock shields through the struggle, of the way we push each other forward not only in workouts but as HIMs, of the way we pray for each other, reach out to each other, hold each other in our hearts.  Man, I missed you guys.
On Thursday, May 21, Jan and I had a serious talk with her oncologist.  Jan has an aggressive breast cancer.  The chemotherapy weakens her immune system.  She can’t fight off Covid-19 the way you and I might be able to.  She was understandably scared about having me go to F3 workouts.  She doesn’t want to die and the odds would be significantly higher of that happening to her than to most if she did get Covid-19.  But, God bless her, she also saw how much as was missing F3.  On the way to chemotherapy, she said that we should talk to the oncologist about the safety of my working out with you guys.  The oncologist told me that she felt pretty good about the low risks of outdoor workouts, particularly if a social distance is kept from others.  She gave me the green light to come to F3 and so did Jan.  Sweat release!!  I can’t tell you how that felt to me.  I couldn’t believe it. With the news about the coronavirus sticking around all year long, I was wondering if I would ever to get to see you again.  And now, if I keep a distance from you, forgive me, it isn’t that I don’t want to be near you.  Heck, I want to give each of you a big ol bear hug.
Anyway, what I am saying is thank you.  Thank you for praying for me and for Jan.  Thank you for the encouraging words you have sent me. Thank you for praying for Jan and me.  And, thank you for being a greater source of strength than I even realized.

MOLESKIN:
Insert any personal comments, notes, devotion content, etc.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Insert information about upcoming events, 2nd or 3rd F opportunities, and any other announcements.

The Return of the Big Dipper!

THE SCENE: Awesome evening.  Partly sunny, low 70s, not much breeze
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to F3, Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. F3 is a free workout program designed to improve fitness, share some camaraderie, and foster male leadership in the community.  I’m Pele and I will be your Q today.  I am not a professional, and I do not know your fitness level or injury history.  Please push yourself, but modify the workout as necessary to avoid making any existing injuries worse.  The goal is to get better together!  Some additional COVID-19 considerations: keep your distance between you and other members of the PAX and any other folks that we pass during moseys, etc. to 6-10 feet.  We will be splitting up into groups smaller than 10 if necessary.  We need to set good examples and be good neighbors out here at this public park, especially with so many folks out and about.

WARM-O-RAMA:

-20 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), IC, 10 Cherry Pickers (4-ct), IC, 10 Steve Earles (4-ct), IC, 10 Grady Corns (4-ct), IC.  We also scattered in 30 “Marine Burpees” (burpee minus the Merkin at the bottom) in honor of Mandolin’s 35th b-day.  The Q was getting tired during the dang warmup, so we stopped there but added 5 more during the workout to make 35.

THA-THANG:

We split into two groups to be in compliance with local health guidelines.  Mr. Jinxy was Q2.

  • Mosey to the Grinch’s Hill. Do 3 sets of 7s, going up the hill a different way for each (always run down the hill):
    • First 7s. BERNIE SANDERS up the hill
      • Mountain Climbers (4-ct)
      • Burpees
    • Second 7s. EL CAPITAN up the hill
      • Star Jumps
      • Smurf Jacks
    • Third 7s. BEAR CRAWL up the hill
      • BBS
      • American Hammer (4-ct)
  • Mosey to Perimeter Trail near Area 51. Nickel-dime-quarters (run 1 light, do 5 of the exercise, run 2 lights do 10, run 5 lights do 25), with Carolina Dry Docks as the exercise.
  • Mosey a little ways up the base of EVEREST to get off the trail and out of people’s way. Do 10 of each exercise, run up 1/3 of hill and back down, then 20 of each exercise, run up 2/3 of hill, then 30 of each exercise, then run to base of summit.
    • Exercises: Big Boy Situps, LBCs, Flutter Kicks (4-ct; switched to 2-ct for the last set)
  • At BASE OF SUMMIT do 10 of each exercise, and then TAKE THE HILL!
    • 10 x Burpees, Bobby Hurleys, and SSH

MARY:
Q1 did X’s and O’s and Homer/Marge until Q2 finally decided to show up at the shovel flag.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
18 HIMs, including Clooney (couldn’t tag) and FNG Duck Hunt, who is Mandolin’s 2.0.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Jesus said that following his death, “You will know the Holy Spirit. It will be in you, and I will be in you, and you will never be alone.”  The Bible also says that God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. Ever since I was a little kid, I’ve wondered what the Holy Spirit looks like, and I’m still not 100% sure.  I thought it might look like a benevolent ghost, or a sparkling cloud with rainbows and unicorns or something that would fill you with wonder if you were to look upon it.

But these days, when it may appear that God is keeping His distance from us, I think the Holy Spirit looks a whole lot like the doctors that hold the hands of patients dying from the COVID-19 virus, who can’t have family members be with them during their final hours.  I think it looks like volunteers and loved ones who drive by and wave and hold pictures up at the windows to cheer up the residents of nursing homes.  Or parents who tirelessly help their children learn at home. Or people who contribute money or time to food pantries.  Or communities who gather outside and bang on pots at a certain time to congratulate the graduating high school class, like they did in my home town.  Or the local baker who baked a thousand cookies for the first responders at Beth Israel hospital in NYC.  At first glance, God and the Holy Spirit may seem to be distant from us these days.  But in truth, I think they are closer than ever.

“God will be with us, if we follow his commandment to love each other as Jesus loved us.” (John 13:34).

MOLESKIN:
It was just awesome to have our fearless leader Lilydipper join us again.  We prayed for him and his wife, who is undergoing treatment for cancer.  Prayers also for 3 classmates of Abscess who passed away last week.  Prayers of thanks for Pusher’s anniversary, and Thunderstruck’s mother, who is ill but felt well enough to do a short hike to a waterfall on Mother’s Day. And Happy 35th, Manilow!

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Some PAX are going to Morristown to assist with their launch on Saturday.  They will be leaving around 5:30 am. Contact Abscess or Steam for more details.

Attached

THE SCENE: Cloudy, about 50 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
25 Side-Straddle-Hops, 15 Second Squat, 10 Burpees, 30 Second Squat, 10 Imperial Walkers, 45 Second Squat, 10 Cherry Pickers, 60 Second Squat
THA-THANG:

Mosey to Stop Sign at Northeastern Corner of Administration Bldg.  Men will dive into teams of two.  We will do Doras.  While one partner runs to end of sidewalk, does 10 merkins, and runs back, the other partner will be working on exercises with a set of bricks.  The partners then switch positions.  Here are the exercises to do with the bricks:

  • 100 overhead presses
  • 100 curls
  • 100 triceps
  • 100 punches where both hands = 1
  • 100 rows with hands at each side
  • 100 wings up
  • 100 wings down
  • 100 winds out

Mosey to perimeter trail.  We will do 20 American Hammers at grassy area by the trail.

Mosey to foot of Mt. Everest.  We will do 20 Big Boy Sit-ups, 20 Hello Dollies, and 40 Baby Crunches in cadence.  Then we run up Mt. Everest.  At the top, men alternate between Squats and Baby Crunches until all men finish.

Mosey back to pile of bricks at the Northeastern Corner of Admin. Bldg.  We will do 20 Box Cutters.  Then, men grab bricks to take to my car at the AO.

Mosey to the parking lot with islands that is located south of the northern ball fields.  We will alternate between Bernie Sanders and Sprints between each cone of the parking lot.  There will be four cones places around the parking lot.  At each cone we will stop to do 15 Merkins.  Rinse and repeat.

Mosey to start of mini-cardiac.  We will Bernie to the Green Park Sign then sprint to the AO.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Fourteen men, no FNGs but we did have Gus visiting from Memphis to honor the birthday of four years of him being in F3 at the place where he got started.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.

— Albert Schweitzer

Infants and toddlers form an attachment to loving parents.  Studies have been conducted showing that young toddlers will show confidence when near their parents but be wary and even cry when a stranger approaches if the toddler is alone.  With secure attachment, the feeling of comfort that the toddler has with a loving parent allows the toddler to feel safe enough to then move from the parent and explore the outside world.  Have you ever watched a young toddler explore?  The toddler will move away from the parent, viewing objects and people with curiosity – but the toddler will also look back to the parent to make sure they are there – and, finally, the toddler will hurry back to the parent, just to be acknowledged, to get the parent’s affection, to be touched.  After that, the toddler will move away again to explore the world.  This pattern will occur again and again over the course of minutes.  Studies have indicated that toddlers who have this type of attachment, which shows their need for the parent in order to continue to explore, are more likely to be confident adolescents and adults.

Certainly, as adults we have gained autonomy and independence.  But, I feel that adults also have that same need for some type of attachment – just at a different level.  We need some type of human base.  As Bruce Springsteen says in his song called “Human Touch”:

You might need somethin’ to hold on to
When all the answers, they don’t amount to much
Somebody that you could just to talk to
And a little of that Human Touch.

As men, most of us have found or are looking for some kind of mate.  The marriage of two people not only provides us with love but it gives us a sense of security – a stronghold.  As men it is also important to have a group of others to connect to.  The 2nd F of F3, fellowship, is a strong influence for us.  For me, I find that having the socialization with you brothers in F3 actually helps me to get out and explore my world.  And it gives me comfort to also know that I can come back a few days each week to reconnect.  Just as a toddler reconnects with the parent, adults need to reconnect with caring adults.  That connection not only gives us energy, it gives us courage.  In F3, we talk of locking shields together.  But because we lock shields in workouts and fellowship, each of us are better equipped to carry on with the challenges we must face in other settings.  As Albert Schweitzer indicates, the connection with our fellow men ignites the spark within us that keeps are own flame going.

The Faith aspect of F3 is also important here.  Because the Faith aspect connects us to an even higher power, a sustaining light, a light that will not fail us.  It gives us purpose, direction and strength.  And there is something about knowing that our brothers are also uniting in this connection that makes it the more powerful.  Indeed, “each of us have cause to think with great gratitude” of what has “lighted the flame within us.”

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for the health of Choir Boy’s mother-in-law and Lillydipper’s wife with their thyroid surgery.  Prayers for Choir Boy’s mother who also has a problem thyroid or hypothyroid.  Prayer’s for Hooker’s daughter, Emerson Grace Gentry, who was born five weeks premature and is still in the hospital at this time.  Prayers for our nation and world at this time of the Coronavirus Pandemic.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Convergence and 3rd F at JUCO on March 28.

Rats and Kings

THE SCENE: The rain gods couldn’t figure out what to do.  Intermittent sprinkles, damp, but pretty darn mild! (~60 degrees)
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to F3, Fitness, Fellowship and Faith. F3 is a free workout program designed to improve fitness, share some camaraderie, and foster male leadership in the community.  I’m Pele and I will be your Q today.  I am not a professional, and I do not know your fitness level or injury history.  Please push yourself, but modify the workout as necessary to avoid making any existing injuries worse.  The goal is to get better together!

Welcome, FNG Shawn, who is a friend of Goober!


WARM-O-RAMA:

  • 20 SSH (4-ct), in cadence
  • 11 Cherry Pickers (4-ct), in cadence
  • High knees 30 sec, butt kickers 30 sec, in place.
  • 10 Steve Earls (4-ct), in cadence
  • 10 Windmills  (4-ct), in cadence
  • Little of this and that

THA-THANG:

MOSEY up Baby Cardiac and veer right towards Cardiac.  Going down Cardiac do Reverse Indian Run.  First in line Bernie Sanders’ back to end of line and yells GO, signaling next PAX to Bernie.  Continue to intersection with trail.

Do “47s” (made up exercise name based on my age.  I’m old… ) up the serpentine trail to the road.

    • Run 4 lights, then do 7 reps of the following 4 exercises: Big Boy Situps (the pavement was very wet… sorry/not sorry), Carolina Dry Docks, Mountain Climbers, and Bobby Hurleys

MOSEY to Pavillion by northern ball fields. More 47s.

    • 7 reps of bench pullups, dips, jump-ups, and decline merkins. RINSE AND REPEAT FOUR TIMES.  The first two sets of reps the Q called on the PAX to lead the cadence.  The second two reps were at your own pace.

MOSEY to parking lot where morning group meets.

CENTURY CLUB: Do 25 reps of four exercises consecutively, without stopping.  Every time you finish a corner, run up baby cardiac and move on to the next corner (counter clockwise) and do the next set of exercises.  One of the trips up the hill (PAX choice; most decided to get it out of the way first) must be a Bernie Sanders.

  • CORNER 1:
    • 25 x MERKINS/CAROLINA DRY DOCKS/DIVE BOMBERS/SHOULDER TAPS (4-ct)
  • CORNER 2:
    • 25 x BBS/AMERICAN HAMMER (4-ct)/LBCs/DEAD BUG (4-ct)
  • CORNER 3 (CMUs):
    • 25 x OVERHEAD PRESS/CURLS/ROWS/SQUATS
  • CORNER 4
    • 25 x ROCKY BALBOA (4-ct)/LUNGES/FROGGIE JUMPS/STAR JUMPS

When finished, run to center of parking lot and do 100 SSHs.

(Spoiler alert… we didn’t finish.  Most PAX got through 3 of the 4 corners.  Q called Recover, then we wrapped up the workout with a final run up baby cardiac together.)
MARY:
No time, and we were too out of breath to call out an exercise anyway.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
10 strong, including one FNG, Shawn, who we named Saguaro based on the fact that he hails from Arizona.  FUN FACT! “Saguaro” can be pronounced with a hard or silent/soft “g”! Who knew??  Goober.  Goober knew.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

As discussed in the book Wild at Heart by John Eldridge, Jesus gave us a simple test for taking the measure of something, when he says in MATTHEW Chapter 7 when he’s warning his disciples about false prophets.  He says, “They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.  By their fruit you will recognize them.  Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?  Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

I wanted to build on Lillydipper’s Word a few weeks ago about spreading seeds.  What fruit will you bear on this earth?  I’m not talking specifically about children, although they are included in this concept, but what will your legacy be?  Will it spread and multiply? Will it be good?

I’m a biologist and ecologist by training, so I started thinking about seeds.  What kind of seeds are we talking about here?  There are two reproductive strategies commonly found in nature that are known as R and K Strategists.

    • R Strategists (“Rodents”):  Organisms that are “R” strategists produce many seeds (plants) or offspring (animals).  They don’t invest much in their creation, they just fling them out in the world and hope that a few survive (e.g., milkweed, dandelion; rats). Good luck my weak little babies and seeds! Adios!  See you on the other side!
    • K Strategists (“Kings”): Organisms that are “K” strategists produce fewer seeds or offspring that are of higher quality, i.e., more resources are invested in a smaller number in the hopes of improving the survival rate to adulthood.  Plants that are K strategists have seeds with protective coatings and nutrients to help the seed establish and survive (e.g., oaks), while animals produce more complex and better developed offspring, and also spend energy and resources protecting them and nurturing them when they’re young and vulnerable (e.g., whales, humans).

I believe we can try to be BOTH when we “spread our seeds”.  We obviously can’t follow up and develop strong relationships with each and every person we give a smile to or hold the door for throughout the course of our lives.  But these acts of kindness can spread in the world.  And to ensure that the seeds closest to us grow and flourish, we CAN and SHOULD invest more into the seeds of kindness will that we sow with those we are close to, our friends, family, F3 brothers, etc.  The more we invest, the more likely those efforts will be to bear fruit.  Good fruit.  Not bad, ugly, prickly fruit.  Like those weird things you see in the grocery store with spikes on them.  Who eats that??

MOLESKIN:
Congrats to Hooker on the birth of his daughter! Very happy for the proud grandparents, Pinto and Mr. Jinxy.  Prayers that she remains healthy and gains strength (there is an interesting synergy here with the seed/fruit topic in the Word…). Prayers for some long-time employees that Sparkler had to lay off this week due to economic downturns. Appreciation to our FNG, Shawn “Saguaro”, who powered through a tough workout all the way to the end.  Merlot was disgorged. :-/

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Board meeting to discuss Hardship Hill obstacle construction immediately after the workout (the fact that there will be beer there is purely coincidental).  Hardship Hill is May 2.  F3 Convergence at JUCO is March 28, with breakfast and third F to follow.  Wesley House food drive ends this Wednesday.