F3 Knoxville

True Happiness

THE SCENE: nice and cold and thankfully clear.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

15 SSH, 15 Imperial walkers, 10 tempo merkins, 15 Moroccan night club, 15 harry Rockettes
THA-THANG:
Mosey to the recruitment center. 20 of each of the following exercises with a CMU. Carry across the parking lot with the block after each.

  • Merkins, squats, heavy flutter kicks
  • OH presses, lunges, heavy LBCs
  • Curls, Tricep extensions, burpee block jump overs
  • Bent over rows, Thrusters, blockees

Bonus rounds with curls, single arm rows, merkins, and OH presses.

MARY:
PAX choice around the circle.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
8 worked hard and got all the “fun” exercises in too.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
“Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled, but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence;” –1 Peter 3:13‭-‬15 NASB1995

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” – Matthew 6:19‭-‬21 NASB1995

These two passages give us perspective on where our focus needs to be for us to have true happiness. We can only have temporary happiness if we rely on the pleasures of this world. Let’s do our best to keep our focus on the true joy we can have in eternity.

MOLESKIN:
It was great to be back with the PAX at the Project!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Oak Ridge Christmas parade Saturday

The 12 Pains of Christmas

THE SCENE: 28F –  Cold and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  1. Projectivator
  2. Overhead clap
  3. Cherry picker
  4. Windmill
  5. Seal Squats

THA-THANG:
Reindeer death march (indian run w/ burpee) to a hill in the parking lot of ORAU campus.

12 Pains of Christmas:  Just like the song, starting at 1, do the number of exercises and all previous exercises, then run up the hill to touch the “North Pole” (light pole).

  1. Burpee
  2. Imperial Squalkers
  3. Basilisks
  4. Merkins
  5. Big Boys
  6. Lunges
  7. Side straddle hops
  8. Prone rows
  9. Diamond merkins
  10. Heels to heaven
  11. Squats
  12. Burpees

Mosey to the Friendship Bell and perform 30 dips.  Kickflip said he loves dips, so we mosey’ed to the dip bars for 10 more dips and 20 inverse rows.

MARY:
Dealer’s choice: Bobbit – LBCs, Borg – Freddy Mercury

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Don’t make Christmas a pain.  Remember why we celebrate it.

Genealogy of Jesus (Matthew 1 and Luke 3)

Differences:

  1. Audience (Jews – Matthew vs. Gentiles – Luke)
  2. Matthew starts at Abraham and goes forward
  3. Luke goes backward to Adam
  4. David’s son:  Solomon vs. Nathan
    1. Matthew is Joseph’s lineage
    2. Luke is Mary’s lineage
      1. The text says “Joseph, the son of Heli”
      2. Heli was Mary’s father and adopted Joseph for inheritance since he had no sons of his own.
    3. Other explanations

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

  • Oak Ridge Christmas Parade this Saturday
  • Emerald Youth Christmas Store

Outward facing Self Care

THE SCENE: A breath of warm in December.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • SSH
  • Imperial squawkers
  • Overhead claps
  • Moroccan Nightclubs
  • Tempo merkins
  • Newton’s cradle

THA-THANG:

  • Pick up a CMU and mosey to the pool wall
  • Knock out some Wallups
  • Mosey with CMUs to amphitheater
  • Dora – 100 man makers while the other bear crawls across the stage jumps down and circles back
  • Move to the head of the loop
  • Rolling wave – everyone lines up in Cusack. Last one does a Blockee and moves to the front. When he gets to the front, each man does an OHP until last in line does a blockee. Then each does a squat as he walks to the front. Repeat until destination is reached (or it falls apart)
  • At the memorial walk, stop for Dora with exercises in the center and then the path goes around the newly decorated CHRISTMAS TREE!
    • 200 heavy squats, run
    • 200 gore curls, run
    • 300 LBCs, farmer carry both

Mosey back to the flag

MARY:
No time
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Self care is an idea that I have seen circulating in the culture for a while now, and I have mixed feelings about it. It seems to variously have aspects of self focus and indulgence, but obviously some level of self care is important. One helpful perspective I have been reflecting on is to center on the idea that everything I give to someone else is ultimately a gift of myself. Thus, if I want to give to others well, then the raw material, myself, needs to be quality. If I give of myself in a way that is self destructive, then I am diminishing the total I can eventually give. But if I am always reinvesting my gains, then no one benefits from my growth, so my efforts are pointless. Focusing on this goal provides a good measuring stick to evaluate whether I have fallen into selfish pursuits. Remember that “Love your neighbor as yourself” is posed as an equality. You cannot properly do one side of the equation without the other, both sides increase and decrease together.

MOLESKIN:
Kickflip made a good observation about the way this ties into the QSource. You have to get yourself right before you can Live right.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Parade is coming up fast. Look out for specific info on where we will set up and when, should be released early next week.

Spirit of Christmas

THE SCENE:  30 and calm
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER:  Administered  
WARM-O-RAMA:
 

  • Michael Phelps
  • Growing arm circles IC
  • OKCP – IC
  • Scorpion dry docks IC
  • Mountain climbers

THA THANG:

Mosey to the recruiting center.

While Q leads exercises in cadence, one PAX at a time does max pull-ups.  Rotate until all PAX have had a shot at the pull-up bar.  Exercises were;

  • Flutter kicks
  • Mountain climbers
  • Hello dolly
  • Sleeping hillbillies
  • Mountain rockettes

Couple of sprints and we’re at the The Half-Pipe (two sets of 15 steps that face each other).

Divide into two teams.  There is a box of balls in the middle…  Perform exercise.  Sprint, grab a ball, and bring it back to your side.  Repeat with next exercises.  When there are no more balls in the middle, run all the way across, steal a ball from the other team’s stash, and bring it back.  First one to finish all exercises call out – team with most balls wins.  Exercises were;

  1. 20 Burpees
  2. 30 Monkey humpers (2-count)
  3. 40 Flutter kicks (2-count)
  4. 20 Scorpion Dry Docks
  5. 30 Iron Mikes (15 each leg)
  6. 40 Mountain climbers (2-count)
  7. 20 Merkins
  8. 30 Fairy Jacks
  9. 40 LBCs

Mathlete finished first – but Team 1 had more balls, baby!

Mosey back to the recruitment center – do 2 burpees at each streetlight.

MARY:

Another round at the pull-up bar.  While Q leads exercises in cadence, one PAX at a time does max pull-ups. Rotate until all PAX have had a shot at the pull-up bar.  Exercises were; Exercises were;

  • Flutter kicks
  • Mountain climbers
  • Hello dolly
  • Hillbilly walkers
  • Mountain rockettes
  • Guantanamo

Mosey back toward the flag.  Jail break!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

Me and 7 of the best men I know

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Ready or not, men, the Christmas season is here.  My short and simple word this morning was an encouragement to live in the Spirit of Christmas these next few weeks.  What does that mean?

Thomas Monson said, “To catch the real meaning of the Spirit of Christmas, we need only drop the last syllable, and it becomes the Spirit of Christ.”  Living out the Spirit of Christ is doing some of the things that Christ did while He was on earth.  What better way to celebrate His birth than to emulate the way He lived His life?  From Ephesians – be imitators of God.

Renowned behavioral scientist, speaker, and author, Dr. Steve Maraboli, unpacks that a little more… “Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.”  Now that is living as Christ lived.

The group discussed some practical applications for living in emulation of Christ during the Christmas season.  During these next few weeks, see how many of these you can check off;

  • Forgive someone who may not deserve it.
  • Repent and ask forgiveness from someone you’ve wronged.
  • Practice humility in the way you speak about yourself.
  • Don’t be judgmental in word…or in thought.
  • Serve others.
  • Show gratitude to others.
  • Show compassion and acceptance to those less valued by society.
  • Choose an attitude of joy that transcends circumstances.

What are some other practical applications for living in the Spirit of Christ, BB reader?  

In the coming weeks, I encourage you to reject the temptations of consumerism and cynicism.  Instead, embrace – and model for your families – the Spirit of Christmas.

Generosity. Service. Forgiveness. Acceptance. Playfulness. Gratitude. Hope.

MOLESKIN:

Christmas Party!  Dec 11th at Judge’s house

Christmas parade in Oak Ridge.  Dec 11th.  6:00pm-8:00pm.

Welcome Back Dora – Lo hicimos!

THE SCENE: A cozy 34 with minimal cloud cover and a 6mph northeasterly wind.

F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
Check and check!

WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH (x10)
Willie Mays Hayes (x10)
Tempo Squats (x10)
Cherry Pickers (of the Knoxville variety) (x10)
FLBAC (x10)
RLBAC (x10)
Cherry Pickers (of the Chattanooga variety – if you don’t feel it in your fingers, it’s a modification!) (x10)
Grady Corn (x10)
SSH (x10)

Mosey to the track.

THA-THANG:
Pax partner up for a Two-Man Dora with a lap around the track in between each round! Partners complete reps collectively. One pax traveled from sideline to cones at the center of the football field and back, the other works the reps, then flapjack. Once total reps complete, both HIM’s take a lap.

Round 1 – 150 Merkins | Travel: Imperial Walkers | Lap
Round 2 – 150 BBS | Travel: Lunges | Lap
Round 3 – 200 Squats | Travel: Bear Crawl | Lap
Round 4 – 150 American Hammers | Bernies | Lap
Round 5 – 150 Carolina Dry Docks | Grapevine | Lap

Mosey to the flag for Mary.

MARY: Dealer’s Choice
Bobbitt – LBCs (x15)
Borg – Freddie Mercury (x20)
Tuba’s back row thingies that cause YHC to regurgitate his morning coffee (x20)
Mathlete – Hello Dollies (x25)

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
YHC discussed the difficulty of having to talk about death to someone who was dying. Shared about experiencing doubt, fear, and hesitation. Often we are asked to do hard things that create this kind of reaction in our lives.

YHC also discussed a podcast in which a pilot in training had lost an engine and the plane started going out of control. The trainer simply came over the coms and said “Kick its @$$” (pardon YHC’s crudity) to which the pilot responded by mustering up a ferocity to quell the fear and take control of the plane.

F3 has been the primary place that YHC has learned to recognize the voices of hesitation and doubt, primarily when the alarm goes off to head to the gloom. It has also been the place to recognize the voices of other pax that speak truth and encouragement in the face of doubt.

Romans 5:3-5 says, “And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope…”
We know how this works

We know how this works. The more we do difficult things, the more we experience endurance. The more endurance, the more character. The more character, the more hope. However, Paul continues…


“…and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.”

We not only need learn to listen to the lies of doubt, worry, and hesitation, we need HIM’s around us to help us hear otherwise and “Kick its Boutté”, but we also must learn to listen to the Spirit within us. This is an assurance of God’s work within us which fortifies and strengthens our hope.

MOLESKIN:
You know things are getting severe when Snaggletooth lets out the “Cha-hoo!” Borg noted that one should refer to the King James Version of Luke 14:5 if bothered by YHC’s crude language. It’s been a while since the Project has done a “do do do do do Dora!” YHC was happy to provide her welcome return. “We did it!” Fun was had by all.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Operation Christmas Child boxes were distributed to fill and return by Thursday. The Oak Ridge Christmas Parade will be Saturday, Dec 11 from 6-8pm. All F3 men and families are welcome to participate and hand out candy and F3 flyers.