F3 Knoxville

Tag: Mr Jinxy

Give In To God

THE SCENE:  Sunny and humid, temps in 80’s.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-straddle hops, 10 Iron Mikes (four count), 10 Windmills, 10 Twists, 10 Cherry Pickers
THA-THANG:
Mosey to stop sign at southeast corner of the Admin Bldg.  20 Hello Dollies.

Mosey to parking lot near Area 54.  20 American Hammers.

Mosey to Cones that will be in grass on others side of the street from parking lot near Area 54.  The cones will be set up in four corners.  We will be going to each cone by the following methods and doing the following exercises:

  • Cone 1:  20 Merkins.  Bernie Sanders to Cone 2.
  • Cone 2:  20 Big Boy Sit Ups.  Grapevine, right foot in lead, to Cone 3
  • Cone 3:  20 Carolina Dry Docks.  Sprint to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4.  40 Baby Crunches.  Grapevine, left foot in lead, to Cone 1.+
  • Rinse and repeat two more times.

Mosey to shaded area on perimeter trail that is near the North Shore Gate Entrance to park.  20 Buzz Saws.

Mosey down perimeter trail to bottom of Mt. Everest.  20 Hello Dollies. 20 Merkins.  20 Big Boy Sit Ups.

Run up Mt. Everest to street in front of Admin Bldg.

We will run in a counter-clockwise square doing the following exercises at the following locations:

At Bat House:  Do 20 Star Jumps then run down steps.

At grassy area at bottom of steps:  20 Carolina Dry Docks then run to tree grove below summit of Mt. Everest.

At tree grove:  10 Burpees then run to top of Mt. Everest.

At top of Mt. Everest:  20 Big Boy Situps

Mosey to wall on other side of street from Admin Bldg parking lot.  We will pair up into two man teams.  While one partner does 20 dips at wall the other partner does merkins.  Then partners trade places.  Rinse and repeat.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
20 Buzz Saws, 20 Pickle Pounders, 15 Shoulder Taps, 20 Merkins
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Eleven men, one FNG, Robert Land whom we dubbed “Hot Lips.”
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Give In To God

“Never give up.”  “When the going get’s tough, the tough get going.”  ” Go the extra mile.”  “Give 110%.” “When you think you have had enough, find that extra in reserve.”

These are phrases we can relate to in F3.  We are a group of men who encourage each other to push ourselves to our limits so that we can better ourselves in health and as members of society.  These are good phrases and they ring with truth.  To succeed in life we must push ourselves, even when the chips are down. To be true HIM’s we must also sometimes carry others with us along the way.

But as HIM’s who live in a world that has tainted views of what true success is, we must also think on these phrases with discernment.  We must realize that their are exceptions to every rule.  We must learn that it is important to have balance in our lives.  We must see that even Jesus took time to rest and pray.  And, in F3, we must remember that one of our often used phrases is, “Modify!”

As a psychologist, I see people who definitely need to listen to the “don’t give up” types of statements.  I see people quitting jobs just because they had a bad day at work, because a co-worker or boss said something negative to them, because they don’t like getting up on dark and cold mornings.”  This type of attitude leads to defeat, to failure, to depression.

But I have also seen people who are anxious, depressed and miserable because they think they have to hold everything together or else they are failures.  These people are not the “I give up types.”  But they are burning the candle at both ends, failing to “sharpen the saw”, and failing to turn to God and trust in Him at their greatest time of need.  I was watching a television show on Netflix with my wife on Saturday night.  Part of the show focused on an attorney who had been very successful at her job.  She also wanted to be a good mother.  She and her stay-at-home husband were doing the best they could to raise their young daughter and they had also recently adopted a nine-year-old boy who came from a very difficult background and had some behavioral issues because of it.  The attorney was trying to meet the needs of her family and the needs of the job.  She was getting further and further behind because of the many demands facing her.  She had her daughter getting angry at her for missing one of her school musicals (due to job necessities) and she had her employer and clients getting upset at her for making mistakes on the job that she had not made in the past.  She was reaching the breaking point.  In one scene, she has a panic attack in front of her husband, almost fainting, something that had never happened to her before.  Finally, in a critical scene of the show, leaders of the law firm let her know that she has been on track to become a partner in this highly successful firm.  Noting her recent mistakes, they ask her if she is willing to give 100% to the law firm.  She makes an important decision, one that the society she runs with would see as a mistake, as a sign of failure.  She decides to quit the firm.

I bring this up because there will be times in each of our lives when we must choose to give things up.  A great way to recognize this is when we see that we are taking on too much, when our life feels out of balance.  We are not failing when we make the decision to give up in such a case.  We are, rather, choosing something greater.  In the case of the female attorney in the show I mentioned, she chose to spend more time with family.  She could take on a job with less pay so that she could have a better relationship with her daughter and adopted son.

What can we do when we experience ourselves off kilter?  We can pray to God.  Too many times we try to handle things on our own without asking God for direction.  We can also talk to our friends.  God often speaks to us through friends.  In our prayers we may hear that we need to hang in their for a while, that things will slow down, that life will get back to balance.  But we may also hear that it is time to give something up.  We may also see that we have been trying to manage things without God without giving in to Him, allowing him to guide us, freeing ourselves up to give Him control.

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

Beyond Words

THE SCENE: Cloudy and very humid
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side Straddle Hops.  10 Burpees.  10 Tempo Squats.  10 Windmills.  5 baby arm circles forward and backwards.  5 wide arm circles forward and backwards.
THA-THANG:

Mosey to stop sign at southeast corner of Admin Bldg.  20 American Hammers (four count).

Mosey toward Northshore gate of the park.  Stop at shade tree near Area 51.  20 Hello Dollies (four count).

Mosey to the perimeter trail that crosses road near the Northshore Gate.  We will do Nickel, Dime, Quarters (running one light and stopping for five of an exercise, running two lights and stopping for ten of the exercise, and running five lights to stop and do 25 of the exercise) heading south on the perimeter trail and staying on the perimeter trail until it reaches the Southeastern Ball Park.  We will do the following exercises during our stops:

  • Merkins
  • Squat Jumps
  • Big Boy Sit-ups
  • Star Jumps
  • Dive Bombers

Mosey to the Pavilion by Southern Ball Fields. We will do Elevens at the picnic tables starting with one decline merkin and ten bench dips.

Mosey to the Outdoor Chapel

We will pair up into teams of two men each.  While one man on time runs around the chapel on the sidewalk the other man does bench dips.  Partners switch off after one circles the chapel.

Mosey on roadway back toward the Admin Bldg.  We will stop 1/3 of way their to do 20 Flutter Kicks (four count) and 2/3 of the way there to do 20 Bicycle Kicks.

Mosey to AO.

MARY:

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Eight men, no FNGs.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
BEYOND WORDS

Last Friday, I was reading a book when my wife, Jan, happened across the movie Steel Magnolias on television.  I had seen the movie back in 1989 when it came out.  I kept reading my book but as the movie went on I gradually cast the book aside and focused on the screen.  OK, my wife and kids make fun of me for crying at movies and I cried at this one.  The movie centers around a group of women who are friends played by famous actresses and a famous songwriter, Sally Fields, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, and Olympia Dukakis.  It also focuses on two younger women played by young actresses who would later become famous:  Daryl Hannah and Julia Roberts.  All of these women are bonded to one another and their bond becomes stronger over time.  They keep that bond, despite the quirkiness of each individual.  They also keep the bond despite the fact that they sometimes say idiotic, off-base or even hurtful things to each other.  But what they say counts, is relevant, and helps each of them to grow – they are not therapists, they are friends and the power of their love for one another GOES BEYOND WORDS.

In the movie, Sally Fields plays the mother of Shelby who is played by Julia Roberts.  Shelby dies of medical issues.  The friends are together at the cemetery after the funeral.  Daryl Hannah’s character is a simple young woman and a quirky religious fanatic.  She at first sounds trite when she says to Sally Fields, “we should all be rejoicing because Shelby is with our king.”  Fields gets pissed off at this saying “excuse me if I am selfish and don’t feel like rejoicing.”  But it is the simplicity and earnestness of Daryl Hannah’s character who, thereafter, touches Field’s heart.  Hannah talks about how Shelby had to fight to stay alive and about how her “body just couldn’t keep fighting any more.”  She apologizes for her simplicity but talks about how she views heaven as a better place with Shelby there.

In another scene in the cemetery, Fields is breaking apart with her friends, hurting, angry, questioning the unfairness of her daughter’s death, and screaming that she just wants to hit somebody.  The Olympia Dukakis character pushes her friend, a sort of curmudgeon character played by Shirley MacLaine, in front of her and says, “Here, hit this.  It will make you feel better.  Go ahead and sock her one in the face.”  MacLaine stomps off pissed while the remaining women, including Fields, break down laughing.

You then see the apology scene between Dukakis and MacClaine, a touching scene where Dukakis explains she was just trying to break the tension of the moment.  She playfully nudges MacClaine and MacClaine nudges back.  The two end up bumping each other off the park bench.  It is the simple, joking act of pushing each other back and forth that shows the love between them.

I bring all this up to say that as F3 brothers, as friends to one another, we do not have to always say the right thing.  If you care for your brother that care is gonna show through, no matter what kind of stupid thing you say to him.  It may be a silly joke, it may be a bopping of hands, it may be you placing your hand on your brother’s back during prayer time in the Circle of Trust.  Our connection between one another GOES BEYOND WORDS.  It is the being there that counts.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Tank and for two people who were killed by drivers under the influence of substances this past weekend.

It’s High Heels in the End Zone

THE SCENE: If there was a nicer Saturday morning to work out in, I don’t want to know about it
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER Cap’n was there, so I think that covers us
WARM-O-RAMA:
Archie and Cap’n were in cooldown mode after 3 rucking miles…Pusher and Crawdad were pulling in…

10 Windmills IC while waiting for Crawdad and Pusher

25 SSH, but only 5 IC. The other 20 we were supposed to do in our heads. We did not all end at the same time. Could’ve been Q’s fault. 10 Burpees OYO.

BAC forward and reverse, OHCs in between

THA-THANG:

Little Mosey over to the base of Spaceship Hill. Catch Me If You Can with 10 LBCs to the stop sign on the far side.

Another mosey down to Area 51, which has missed us, and which also had an unidentified structure. We took it apart and did some CMU Doras. Pusher found a hole that was hiding, but recovered on the mosey like the badass that he is. 

Indian run over to the FiA parking lot, where Abcess had already delivered baloons. We presented them with a birthday present, candle, and we sang Happy Birthday. Q started us off about two octaves too high but he is not paid for his beautiful singing voice.

Down to the soccer fields to meet Jack Webb! Back in college we used to play Ultimate Frisbee, so we played in Jack’s honor. 2 burpees for everyone if the frisbee touches the ground, 5 merkins for a team that gets scored on. High Heels got the Golden Glove Award.

MARY:
Mary Schmary

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Rats and roaches live by competition under the laws of supply and demand; it is the privilege of human beings to live under the laws of justice and mercy.”
― Wendell Berry

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Encouragement

THE SCENE: Beautiful day, temp hovering under 70 degrees, blue sky with a few white clouds
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side Straddle Hops, 10 Pinto Twists, 10 Windmills, 10 Cherry Pickers, 7 Baby Arm Circles Forward and 7 Backward, 5 Wide Arm Circles Forward and 5 Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to stop sign at northeastern corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do Twenty American Hammers.  Then we will do the following cone exercises around the roadway that semi-circles the Admin Bldg.  We will sprint to Cone 1 and follow instructions from there.

  • Cone 1:  Ten Burpees.  Then Bernie Sanders to Cone 2
  • Cone 2:  20 Hello Dollies (four count).  Then Hop to Cone 3.
  • Cone 3:  20 Imperial Walkers (both legs = 1).  Then Bear Crawl to Cone 4.
  • Cone 4:  20 Smurf Jacks.  Then Lunge to Cone 5.
  • Cone 5:  20 Squats.  Then Bernie Sanders to Cone 6.
  • Cone 6:  20 Squat Jumps.  Then Grapevine Right to Cone 7.
  • Cone 7:  20 Carolina Dry Docks.  Then Grapevine Left to Cone 8.
  • Cone 8:  40 Baby Crunches, 20 Merkins, 20 Box Cutters, 20 Diamond Merkins, 10 Shoulder Taps (both shoulders = 1).

Mosey down hill by roadway that heads to main roadway coming from entrance gate at Lyons Bend.  We will do elevens starting with 1 Big Boy Sit Up at bottom of hill and 10 Iron Mikes (each leg = 1) at top of hill.

Mosey to Area 51.  We will do 20 Hands Wide Merkins.  Then we will run up the hill to roadway that semicircles the Admin Bldg.  We will go back to Cone 8 and repeat the exercises there.

Mosey back to AO.

MARY:
20 Flutter Kicks, 20 Bicycle Kicks, 30 Side Heel Touches while on Six, 25 Buzz Saws
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Seven men, no FNG’s.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

1 Thessalonians 5:11 ESV /

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

One thing I appreciate about our F3 brotherhood is how we encourage one another.  I always hear brothers exhorting one another to keep up the good work, to keep pushing.  I never hear brothers criticize other brothers for being too slow, for not keeping up.  We work hard but we do so with a great deal of support.  It works the same way with the time we share from our hearts.  We praise one another when the news is good and are ready to console and wrap our arms around anyone who shares something painful or difficult.  Keep up the good work.  Keep striving to be excellent but keep encouraging one another to reach for excellence.  Men need encouragement and it is the iron sharpening iron aspect of F3 which is one of the truly magical things about our group.  We take that creed seriously and in so doing, we reach out to our fellow man.
MOLESKIN:
Prayers for J-Lo’s recovery from torn meniscus and prayers for co-worker of Sparkler and her husband who was recently diagnosed with colon cancer.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Board meeting to prepare for Hardship Hill.  Hardship Hill will be this Saturday.

Highway 45

THE SCENE: Beautiful weather
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH
  • Tempo Squats
  • Baby Arm Circles (Forward/Reverse)
  • Cherry Pickers
  • Merkins

THA-THANG:
Went down to the oval parking lot – 9 light poles total on the perimeter of the oval. 1 Lap for each of the following exercises, stopping at each light pole and doing 5 reps of the exercise (total of 45 reps each lap):

  1. Burpees
  2. Flutter Kicks (4 ct)
  3. Diamond Merkins
  4. Jump Squats
  5. Mountain Climbers (4 ct)
  6. Star Jacks
  7. Wide Merkins
  8. Hello Dollies (4 ct)
  9. Carolina Dry Docks
  10. Victory lap for the ones who finished

Back up to the AO for bear crawls across the parking lot, stopping at each line to do 1 Merkin. Back across the parking lot with lunges, stopping at each line to do 1 squat. Then, reverse lunges across the parking lot with bear crawls on the way back.

MARY:
Just enough time for one set of American Hammers

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
27 HIMs – no FNGs

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Make the most of the day you’re given. It’s easy to look ahead to the next weekend, next vacation, next milestone, etc., but God has given us today. Today is a gift – be intentional with it.