F3 Knoxville

Check Your Hearing

THE SCENE:  35 and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Moroccan Nightclub
Overhead Claps
Tempo Squats
Up/Down Dog
Black snake to the back lot
Bernie the length of the lot
Lunge/broad jump/lunge the length of the lot

THA THANG:

Five Lines spaced ~50’ apart. 

  • Bear crawl to 1st line.  40 merkins.  Sprint to the 5th line and back to start.
  • Bear crawl to 2nd line.  30 merkins.  Sprint to the 5th line and back to start.
  • Bear crawl to 3rd line.  20 merkins.  Sprint to the 5th line and back to start.
  • Bear crawl to 4th line.  10 merkins.  Sprint back to start.

Lunge walk/mosey to the coupons

Diego

P1:  Up the steps – touch the wall – come back
P2: Exercise

100 – Uneven Merkins
150 – Overhead press
200 – Heavy LBC
250 – Curls
300 – Coupon Squat

Mosey to the benches – Bulgarian split squats x 20 each

Mosey home.

MARY:

PAX Choice with some Dolly, American hammer, heels to heaven, plank

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

9 + 5 Rushians

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Today is International Ear Care Day.  Last year’s theme for IECD was “Check Your Hearing” – and that’s what we are going to talk about this morning…checking our hearing

What do you think about when we talk of “listening for the voice of God”?  What does that look like?  What does God’s voice sound like?  Should we expect an audible voice? A flash of lightning? A vision in the clouds?  I’d love to hear an audible voice – but I don’t expect it.  Instead, I think about hearing God’s voice when I “listen” with my heart and my spirit.

In the book of Jerimiah…starting in Chapter 7 the prophet is standing at the gate of a city and relaying God’s words to the occupants.  As he reminisces on the Israelites experience after they left Egypt, Jeremiah says (speaking from God’s perspective), “I have spoken to you time and again, but you wouldn’t listen and I have called you but you wouldn’t answer” (vs 13). Later (vs 24), “(I gave) them this command, ‘Obey me, and then I will be your God, and you will be my people. Follow every way I command you so that it may go well with you”.  Then, “but they harkened not, nor inclined their ear.”

The Hebrew word from this passage which we translate as “inclined” is natah.  Traced to its Semitic root, you find it is a musician’ term, used for the tightening of strings on an instrument to tune it.  The Hebrew word for “ear” is ‘azan, which means ear – but also in the Semitic, it is a term used for a musical instrument.  So, the idea of “inclining one’s ear” is really a word picture of tuning a musical instrument so that it is in harmony with other instruments.  “Hearing the voice of God” might be a matter of tuning the strings of your spirit or heart…so that you are in harmony with His mind and heart.

How do we tune our hearts?

By doing many of the things that we talk about in this circle!

  • Through prayer and guided meditation (hat tip Spotter, Pool Boy, Erector, others…) we commune with His Spirit and, over time, become more in harmony.
  • Through reading and studying scripture (hat tip Guardrail, Wanderer, others…) we learn about His character.
  • Through living obediently (hat tip Archie, Hound Dog, others…).  Because disobedience is a sure sign of living out of tune.

Check your hearing!  Maybe the way you come to know God’s will is by tuning your heart to be in harmony with His heart.  Work at this by prayer, mediation, studying scripture, and living in obedience.

MOLESKIN:

Prayers for Wanderer’s family as they grieve a loss and make plans to travel.

Prayers for Butterknife’s wife as she courageously steps out to look for employment that she is passionate about.

Borrowed most of this from a Word that I did back in October – apologies to Snaggletooth, who heard it twice!

Hat tip to Chaim Bentorah for inspiring this Word.  Read more about natah ‘azan.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Another Lap

THE SCENE: 37°F  and an Amazing Moon set to watch
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Administered
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry Pickers, Hill Billy Walkers, Plank Dips 10 each side, Side Straddle Hops, 12 Clockwork Merkins
THA-THANG:

2 line indian run to Sophomore Hill, Bernie up the hill to Pull up bars.  6 stayed at the bars and did

  • 5 Pull Ups
  • 10 Leg Raises
  • 15 BB sit ups

Mosey down the stairs to where the first team started for

  • 5 4 count Australian Mountain Climbers
  • 10 Heavy Squats
  • 15 (or till the group finished) CPR (Curl, Press, Tricep ext)

2 Rounds of that.  Then everyone grabbed 2 CMU’s and headed to the bottom of the stadium hill

Hot lava across the street (stepping from one cmu to move the other and never touching the street)

Carry 1 CMU up the hill for 10 Diamond Merkins on the block. Run to the top corner of the stadium for 20 Squats

Crawl bear down the hill to run the curb:  Then do it in reverse, Bear Crawl, Squats, Diamond Merkins, Hot Lava over and back and then back as time allowed.

We made it farther than last time then ran to the big parking lot and did merkins on each line, leaders doing more till the PAX was all together.

This time we had time for guardrail dips OYO, then bear crawl together across the street and finished with 10 guardrail dips in cadence.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
20 HIMS (8 were rushing)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Repeated a Q from 2 weeks ago… because:

1) Leading doesn’t have to be hard – redo something you did or enjoyed doing, sign up and make it awesome
2) It’s also a picture of our spiritual walk
Consider the 3 main disciplines: Prayer, Reading the Bible and Worship
A) Prayer
Familiar (in a good way) or caught in a routine rut?   1 Thes 5 17 Pray without ceasing
Repeating yourself; been there done that attitude; or persevering, improving? Even if it feels like the same thing God wants to hear your heart. Consider the honor: You are communicating with God

2) Read God’s word: Psalm 119:16 I will delight in your statutes; I will not forget your word.
Is it life giving or If it’s routine or boring ? Move from discipline>Desire>Delight
You don’t stop because it’s hard and you didn’t always love doing this

3) Worship: Gal 5:25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
Personal and Corporate worship: are we being Spirit led?
Was it your favorite or was it not not what you wanted it to be?
Not seeing the growth you want? Maybe it isn’t about you. Phll 2 In Humility, consider others of greater importance than yourself.
For Jesus Christ to be the main thing you can’t be the main character. Get okay with that and love others well like He did

The best corporate worship is when individual worshipers come together and magnify the name of Jesus together. Bring your best to the Lord; prepare your heart John 4:24 God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and Truth

Don’t let Church be the only worship time of your week. If you only worked out once a week it’s not going to grow you. Likewise, find ways to worship God in Spirit and Truth all the time.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
New AO location in Maryville coming early March

Wacky Wednesday

THE SCENE: 44° clear calm and perfect
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

Cherry Pickers, Plank Left/Right, Merkins, Hill-billy walkers, Clockwork Merkins, Jumping without rope and Tempo Squats
THA-THANG:

12 Hims, 4 Pre-Ruckers, +5 Rushers.
2 line indian run to Sophomore Hill, Bernie up the hill to Pull up bars.  6 stayed at the bars and did

  • 5 Pull Ups
  • 10 Leg Raises
  • 15 BB situps

Mosey down the stairs to where the first team started for

  • 5 4 count Australian Mountain Climbers
  • 10 Heavy Squats
  • 15 (or till the group finished) CPR (Curl, Press, Tricep ext)

2 Rounds of that.  Then everyone grabbed 2 CMU’s and headed to the bottom of the stadium hill

Hot lava across the street (stepping from one cmu to move the other and never touching the street)

Carry 1 CMU up the hill for 10 Diamond Merkins on the block. Run to the top corner of the stadium for 20 Squats

Crawl bear down the hill to run the curb: 25 Ski jumps up and down the curb.  Then do it in reverse, Bear Crawl, Squats, Diamond Merkins, Hot Lava over and back and then back up to 10 Diamond Merkins and 20 squats as time allowed.

Fun run through the Courtyard.  Obstacles included a summersault roll, Jump off a pole, inverted handstand, Ski jumping the brick wall, crawling under a bench (thanks for the dirty knees Footsie), Stair bears and more)

Ran out of time for Mary or even a visit to the Guardrail.  Next time.

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

We talk a lot about Scripture as a guidebook to life and it is.  It is also so much more than this.  There is power and God’s promise in it and how He speaks to us.  But it is also this incredible opportunity for us as humans… sinful broken humans… to give back to God.

It is a song book and should stir emotions.  Take the gift of scripture, give it to God by reading it.  Don’t hesitate to shout out! Get Excited about it!

Take a listen to this video of an old friend reciting this Psalm: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCQ3ehcC15U

Psalm 96

Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth!

Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day.

Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples!

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods.

For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens.

Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength!

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name; bring an offering, and come into his courts!

Worship the Lord in the splendor of holiness; tremble before him, all the earth!

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns! Yes, the world is established; it shall never be moved; he will judge the peoples with equity.”

Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice; let the sea roar, and all that fills it; let the field exult, and everything in it!

Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes, for he comes to judge the earth.

He will judge the world in righteousness, and the peoples in his faithfulness.

If that last part about judgement seems like a change in tone that scares you, see Galatians 2 and 2 Cor 5:21 (below) that shows us that it isn’t our own righteousness but the Righteousness of Jesus

  He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him

My challenge to you is to speak scripture in your home this week.  Maybe it is out loud when you are alone, maybe it is to your whole family.  Speak scripture into your life!

MOLESKIN:
Continued prayers for Brian, Wanderer’s brother-in-law in the ICU with COVID

Let There Be Light

THE SCENE: Mostly moony, 40 degrees F
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to F3: Fitness/Fellowship/Faith

I am Survivor and will be on Q today.

  • This is a free workout.
  • I’m not a professional.
  • You’re here on your own volition.
  • Modify as needed.
  • I have a phone.

WARM-O-RAMA:

  • Reach for the Sky
  • Let it Hang
  • Roll Necks
  • Arm Circles Forward/Backward
  • Hip Circles (in cadence)
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Tempo Merkins
  • Side Straddle Hops

THA-THANG:
Let’s Rock – Shopping Mall West End:

  • Small Rocks – Arm Raises Forward, 45, Side, OH Clap x 25 each
  • Medium Rocks – Curls, Tricep Extensions x 25 each
  • Large Rocks – Shrugs/Calf Raises x 50

New Toboggan with LED (unsolicited Christmas present) must be used to Light the way up JUCOmanjaro:

  • Run to first white line, face right shuffle to next white line, burnie to next white line, face left shuffle to next white line, run to next white line and repeat to the top.
  • Stop 1/2 way for 25 LBCs in cadence
  • Resume run, shuffle, burnie, shuffle, run to top.
  • (No recollection of exercise at top of JUCOmanjaro)
  • Mosey back to 1/2 way for 10 Burpees
  • Mosey to bottom of the hill for 25 merkins and 25 mountain climbers (each leg)

Back to Let’s Rock – Shopping Mall West End:

  • Large Rocks – 30 Squats, 20 Shrugs/Calf Raises
  • Medium Rocks – Curls, Tricep Extensions x 25 each
  • Small Rocks – Arm Raises Forward, 45, Side, OH Clap x 15 each

MARY:
Partner up in Parking Lot – Pro-agility Shuttle while partner alternates Plank / Al Gore, then continue to switch for 3 minutes.

  • 25 Big Boys
  • 25 Supermans
  • 20 Heels to Heaven
  • 15 Pickle Pounders
  • 10 sec stargazers
  • 25 merkins

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Salvation spreads by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony.  I just came out of a spiritual fog last week where I experienced no clarity, nothing going right, and God feeling distant, which had lasted a few weeks.  I am proud (through Christ in me) to proclaim that during that time I made no agreements with the enemy, with those feelings of despair, no agreements about losing God’s favor and no giving in to old sins.  There are things I no longer struggle with through freedom granted by healing, truth, warfare and union with God.  I’ve shared my cancer survival story and about having a baby post cancer, and I decided to share my testimony of salvation today.  (Note that was not said today – I have not shared this story to more than a few friends outside of family.)

I was saved at age 6 when my grandfather took me to the front of a Billy Graham crusade.  I was baptized and believed, trusted and worshipped God, but over time, my sin, hate for my step-dad, and agreeing with the lies of the world choked out any evidence of salvation.  At age 23, I found myself in a one-bedroom apartment in St. Petersburg, Florida with my nearest friend 100 miles away and knew it was time to seek Jesus.  One night, I was given a picture of all the layers of sin, evil and hate that had crusted over my heart all those years, suddenly being pierced by streams of light that kept growing and breaking away chunks until all the layers of my hardened heart were blown away by a light too bright to view.  I opened my eyes, stunned by the image, and to this day wish I could have kept my eyes closed.  I had never experienced anything like it before.  I also knew that the hate was still present for my step-dad, and Jesus was asking me to forgive him, as well as, ask for forgiveness for my part in it.  Years later after on this new path, I read 2 Corinthians 4:6 and I was blown away that I got to experience this firsthand.  “For God, who said, ‘Let there be light out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”  (Proceeded to read much of 2 Corinthians 4.  Read 2 Corinthians 3 while you are at it.)

Psalm 91:1 on fridge before I left the house, “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

MOLESKIN:
I have not shared my testimony in the past because of fear of opening up too many unknowns and questions, but I know I need to because of 2 Corinthians 4:13, “Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we speak.”  Therefore, you do not need a vision to know without a doubt that if you believe, trust, worship and seek oneness with God thru Jesus Christ, you will “have this treasure in earthen vessels (body)” 2 Cor 4:7 which is the light in your hearts of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Cor 4:6)!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Prayers for 5K and Guardrail’s family friend’s marriage.  Guardrail announced needing help to move a friend in need at 1pm today.

Monopoly

THE SCENE: 46 degF, early morning cool down felt like 40 degF.  No complaints!
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER

Welcome to F3: Fitness/Fellowship/Faith

I am Survivor and will be on Q today.

    • This is a free workout.
    • I’m not a professional.
    • You’re here on your own volition.
    • Modify as needed.
    • Covid Guidelines and I have a phone.


WARM-O-RAMA:

Reach for the Sky

Let it Hang

Hip Circles (in cadence) x 4 each direction

Plank Dog x6

Left Leg Lunge:

    • Push Knee Out x6
    • World’s Greatest x6
    • Kosak Squat x 6
    • Pickle Twist x6

Plank Dog x6

Right Leg Lunge:

    • Push Knee Out x6
    • World’s Greatest x6
    • Kosak Squat x 6
    • Pickle Twist x6

Plank Dog x 6

Cherry Splitter (wider Cherry Pickers) in cadence x 6

Wide Stance World’s Greatest in cadence x 6

Plank Dog x 6

Hurdler Merkins x6 each leg

Plank Dog x6

Mosie to Curb:

Lunge and Twist (left knee forward, twist left…) curb to curb

Toy Soldiers (ankle stabilization) curb to curb

Elbow to In-step (left elbow to left foot arch/in-step) curb to curb

Run 50%, Run 75% curb to curb

Mosie to Stones at Guardrail behind Strip Mall

Arm Raises with Small Stones Wide x12, Front x12, Empty Can x12, OHx12.

THA-THANG:
Strip Mall Parking Lot = Monopoly Board

There was a “GO” and arrow, and if you pass Go, you will collect 200 dollars, correction – REPS.

At Baltic Ave = use large stones and do Shrugs with Calf Raises on flat ground x50

Mosie from GO to Sherwin Williams

Jail Just Visiting (southwest of Sherwin Williams) = use large stone and do Squats x 50

Strider from Sherwin Williams to Men’s Salon

Free Parking (southeast of Men’s Salon) = Merkins x 50

Mosie from Mens Salon to back of Maple Street B

Go To Jail (northeast of Maple Street B) = Big Boy Situps x50

Pax passed GO x 2 and collected 400-500 reps

Mosie to Flag until Wanderer said we had to beat Rush back, then Jailbreak ensued

MARY:
Wanderer called out flutter kicks, Mailbox called out Hello Dolly’s, Guardrail called out Heals to Heaven, and Survivor called out Plank.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
God uses story.  It is the language of our hearts.  Media, Hollywood, the world, and an enemy are telling stories that mislead.  The true stories in the Bible are still speaking (including what is still possible and available).  [Referenced Hound Dog’s COT Monday and Isaiah 6 taking us to the throne room of God and a hot coal being pressed to Isaiah’s lips.]  The true story Jesus tells us in John 10:10 is not two separate sermons or stories; It is one.  “The thief comes only to steal, kill and destroy, but I have come that they may have life and have it abundantly.”  This is the true story we are born into.  Reading the Bible more spiritually post-cancer, I realized a verse that relates to John 10:10 is Proverbs 4:23, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”  Above all else guard your heart because there is an enemy, and from your new heart where Jesus resides, abundant life can flow from it.  Then Psalms 37:4, “Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”  Decided to read this literally, by delighting in the Lord, HE will literally give me the pure, holy desires in my heart (not give me what I desire).  Desire is the fuel that waters Passion, and Passion is the soil from which Purpose can Grow  =   Abundant Life.  Agriculture theme exists throughout the Bible, and it is not just for the people of the day to be able to understand, it is because it is how this works.  To be continued another time…
MOLESKIN:
Local Pastor made the statement that “Passion is the Soil from which Purpose can Grow” back in Feb 2020.  Great feel good statement and I knew it seemed accurate, but I needed more of a story to go with it in order for transformation.  Delight yourself in the Lord, guarding your heart against the thief, and He will give you the desire that your soul craves (passion), have the courage to follow opportunities through as He calls (purpose), and you will have abundant life in Christ.  

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Prayer requests for Covid, Job Interview and Intervention through Prayer against strongholds and bondage ourselves and loved ones are facing.  Call to spread the word “Repent” and God will heal our land.