F3 Knoxville

Tag: Rooney

God Is God

THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
20 Side-Straddle-Hops, 10 Pinto Twists, 10 Tempo Merkins, 10 Windmills, 7 Baby Arm Circles Forward and Backward, 7 Wide Arm Circles Forward and Backward.
THA-THANG:
Mosey to Northeast Corner of Admin Bldg.  We will do 20 Hello Dollies.  Mosey to CMU Pile.  Each man grabs CMU and places it on east side of Parking Lot.  Cone 1 is at that side of parking lot.  Cone 2 is on opposite west side.  We will do one of the listed exercises at Cone 1 with CMU.  We then
Bernie Sanders (without CMU) to Cone 2 and do one of the listed exercises.  We then run up mini cardiac to crosswalk and run back to Cone 1.  We will repeat this sequence with the next set of exercises.  We will have run up and down mini cardiac three times by the time we are finished. Here are the exercises at each cone:

  • Cone 1:  1. 25 Overhead Presses.  2. 25 Curls.  3. 25 Rows.
  • Cone 2:  1. 20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct).  2. 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 cts).  3. 20 Hello Dollies (4 ct.)

Replace CMUs.

Mosey to parking lot that has islands on the other side of ball fields.  We will run around the parking lot stopping at each island to do 10 Merkins.  At island that semi-circle that we semi-circle around we will bear crawl instead of run.  Once around the parking lot, we will do the same thing but do 10 Big Boys at each island.

Mosey to beginning of Pickett’s Charge.  We will Pickett’s Charge to Northeastern Corner of Parking Lot.  We will stop at each hill of Pickett’s Charge to do 5 Hand Release Merkins.  We will also bear crawl up each hill.  After finishing Pickett’s charge we will do 20 American Hammers.

Mosey to Bat House.  We will sprint from Bat House to Parking Lot.

Mosey to AO.

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

The Kingdom grows, because the kingdom is already planted.  It grows of itself and in its own good time.  Above all, it grows we know not how.

–Robert Farrar Capon

Difficult times, like those we are facing with the coronavirus, racial protests, and our very heated political situation, test our beliefs and faith.  Our faith in our government, in other people, in ourselves, and even in God is being put to the test.  At a time like this we may be asking questions such as:

  • God, how can you let this happen?
  • God, where are you in all of this?
  • God, do you have any power to stop this?
  • God, what is your purpose?

We look to solutions to this world problem as if we know the answer, as if we know how the world should be run.  We do that individually and corporately, blaming the whole state affairs on others or claiming that surely us Democrats or us Republicans are in “the right.”

At such times of angst, of confusion, of bewilderment, it is reassuring to know that, as Robert Farrar Capon proclaims, the kingdom is already planted and it grows of itself in its own good time.  It is good to know that God is in control and that is the truth whether we like it or not.  Look at history, at humankind’s treatment of one another, at the devastation of war, of slavery, of corruption, of pollution, and we can see how we botch things when we play God.

One of my favorite songs is “God is God” by Steve Earle.   In discussing fate, uncertainty, miracles, and life he proclaims both that “God ain’t me” and “God ain’t us.”  But through the mystery and uncertainty he believes in God:

Every day that passes I’m sure about a little bit less.
(But) even my money keeps telling me it’s God I need to trust.
And I believe in God, but God ain’t us.

If we believe in God then we must accept that he has a plan that goes beyond our understanding.  His plan is a mystery but one that we must trust.  God is God.  And that is certainly reassuring in difficult times like these.  Personally, it gives me hope.  And, it gives me comfort to know that neither I nor the rulers of this world have the final say.

I will close with the last stanza of Steve Earle’s song which puts in better words than what I can say this mystery, this miracle, and our need to accept it.

God, of my little understanding, don’t care what name I call.
Whether or not I believe doesn’t matter at all.
I receive the blessin’s.
And every day on Earth’s another chance to get it right.
Let this little light of mine shine and rage against the night.
Just another lesson
Maybe someone’s watching and wondering what I got.
Maybe this is why I’m here on Earth, and maybe not.
But I believe in God, and God is God.

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Sparkler’s son and daughter-in-law, whose son, who died last Christmas Holidays, would have been two today.  Prayers for Jinxy’s wife who has surgery on September 17, for Lilydipper’s wife, and for Thunderstruck’s mother.  Prayer’s for Lulu and Doubtfire whose mothers died this summer.

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
The Fake Gloomers will be building two obstacles for Hardship Hill.  We will get started the weekend of September 19-20.  Talk to Sparkler for details.  Be at Asylum PM this Thursday because Pusher will be on Q and is bringing Filipino noodles (made by his mother-in-law) for our board meeting!

Just, Kind, and Right

THE SCENE: Not too hot, cloudy, low 80s, but soooo dang humid.  Not a stirring of a breeze to be found…
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 50 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:

-25 Side Straddle Hops (4-ct), in cadence

– 10 Abe Vigodas (4-ct), in cadence

– 25 Grady Corns (4-ct), in cadence

– 25 Tempo Squats (4-ct), in cadence

THA-THANG:

MOSEY to Area 51 parking lot.

  • 25s! 5x/20x, 10x/15x, 15x/10x, 20x/5x Reps of exercises
    • EXERCISES: Bobby Hurleys (far side) and Carolina Dry Docks (near side)
    • Do first exercise, run down to opposite side of the lot, do other exercise, BERNIE back.

MOSEY to top of sidewalk hill, going towards Everest.  20 American Hammers. 20 count.

Continue to Base of Everest. 10 American Hammers/10 Hello Dollies/10 Bicycle Kicks (4-ct), run to base of summit. Hold Plank until 6 catches up.

GRINDERS! Count off by 4s to do a staggered start.  1’s start immediately, 2’s = 5 Imperial Walkers, 3’s = 10 Imperial Walkers, 4’s = 15 Imperial Walkers then start.  When finished do Imperial Walkers until 6 catches up

  • BASE OF SUMMIT: 25 1/2 Burpees (no pushup), run up to top of summit
  • TOP OF SUMMIT: 25 LBCs, run to bat house
  • BAT HOUSE: 25 Smurf Jacks, run down stairs
  • BOTTOM OF STAIRS: 25 BBS, run back to summit

RINSE AND REPEAT (we really only did this once, but ran the summit hill twice)

.11s W/ PARTNER in grassy area with wall at top of Evereset: Exercises are DIPS and INCLINE MERKINS.  One partner does the 11, while the other partner does LBCs, then switch.  Progress through the 11s sequence until we run out of time. (most pairs got to 6/5 or 5/6).

Mosey to AO.

MARY:
25 Hello Dollies, courtesy of Lillydipper, (who was complaining about getting on our 6 in the newly cut grass, so I “volunteered” him to lead so he’d quit his yappin’ 😉 ), 10 star jacks, courtesy of Brick, who after his VQ on Tuesday is almost a professional .  All 4-ct, IC.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
17 HIMs, including one FNG!

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

THE STORY OF JOSEPH.  The story of Joseph has been on my mind lately.  Joseph was the eleventh son of Jacob, and Jacob’s favorite.  He was a Daddy’s boy.  Jacob gave Joseph a beautiful coat (coat of many colors), and Joseph had dreams showing him as superior to his brothers, which he tells them about for some reason.  Maybe not the best idea.  To no one’s surprise, all of this causes the brothers to become jealous, throw him in a pit, and sell him into slavery in Egypt.  Although they left him essentially for dead, Joseph thrives in Egypt and becomes vizier to the Pharaoh.  The brothers return to him during a famine, starving, asking for help, but they don’t recognize him.  He is in the position of evening the score.  REVENGE!! (cue Braveheart music…) Does he let bitterness take over his heart?  No.  He ultimately brings his whole family over to Egypt, saving them from the famine.

Who else has thought to themselves when they’re in a difficult situation, struggling in life, or at their wit’s end, “NOTHING GOOD CAN COME OF THIS”? But looking back, how often do you see that something good HAS come of it?  God is always there, bending our history and lives to justice and love.  As Joseph tells his brothers when they are reunited, what they had meant for evil, God had meant for good.

Even in the greatest darkness there can be something beautiful and good.  A literal example of this can be seen in some of the great paintings of the world.  There are brushstrokes of darkness and light.  The most beautiful pieces of art contain both sadness and joy.  Without those dark areas, the art would not be as beautiful.  So it is with life.  There is always a source of comfort in difficult times for those who love God.  In the story of Joseph, God was there with him, in the pit, as a slave, in prison, and in Egypt.

Instead of revenge, Jacob focuses on what is JUST, KIND, and RIGHT. He helps his brothers and brings his family to Egypt to avoid the famine.  He does not take the dangerous position of standing in for God.

I saw another example of this in Abscess’s Facebook post from Dredd who was discussing a sign that said NO BIGOTS, RACISTS OR MISOGYNISTS. His point was essentially that this is the wrong approach.  While the sentiment may be admirable, you could argue that this type of judgmental exclusion is taking the position of standing in for God.  We should actually invite factionalists to our table and sit down with them, so we can have discussions.  Who are we to judge?  The Pharisees mocked Jesus for the low company he kept and brought an adulterer to him demanding justice.  The penalty was death by stoning.  That’s when Jesus said “Let whoever is without sin cast the first stone”.  They all dropped their stones and went home.  It does us little good to judge, especially when none of us are exempt from flaws and sin.

We don’t always have to even the score.  Let go of the anger, the frustration, the desire for vengeance, like Jinxy talked about in his Word at the workout on Saturday.  Get rid of it. There is another path.  Today’s world has complex problems, and one of the difficulties I have is that I often see some value in everyone’s perspective (LIBRAs, amiright??…).  Therefore, I have trouble coming to a definitive conclusion about what the best solution is, and become frustrated that there are so many problems, and so few solutions.  The world is very confusing, and the problems we face are numerous, nuanced, and intertwined.  It can be overwhelming to try to make sense of it, try to figure out exactly how to act and fix it.  I think that if we all focused on what is JUST, what is KIND, and what is RIGHT, we can make a bit of difference in the world for the better.

MOLESKIN:
Praise for Jenner for positive developments in his pursuit of a medical degree.  Prayers for Guppy’s grandmother and for Jan, Lillydipper’s wife.

Welcome to FNG Spanky! (Raphael… sorry, I forgot his last name.  He is friends with Puddle)

ANNOUNCEMENTS:
None

Being Neighborly with a Jelly Legged Welsh Dragon

THE SCENE: It’s August.  In Knoxville.  So, you know, warm.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH x 15 (4ct IC); 2 burpees; Imperial Walkers x 15 (4ct IC); 4 burpees; Cherry Pickers x 10ish (IC); 6 burpees; Tie Fighters, forward and back x 12ish; 8 burpees.
THA-THANG:
Jelly Legs.  Line up on the baseline.

  • Round 1: 10 second squat hold; 10 squats, run to other side for 2 burpees, and then back;
  • Round 2:  20 second squat hold; 20 squats, run, 2 burpees.
  • Round 3, 30 second squat hold; 30 squats, run, 2 burpees (see the pattern?)
  • Rounds 4 and 5

Welsh Dragon

  • Bear crawl x 4; 1 4 ct shoulder tap (tapping each shoulder once); 1 merkin
  • Continue with 4 step bear crawl and add a 4 ct shoulder tap and additional merkin each time up to 10;
  • Turn around and work back to the beginning, going down in reps, starting from 10, back to 1.

Cardiac

  • Mosey from AO up Baby Everest, to Cardiac, down to Cardiac, wagon wheeling for the 6;
  • 10 burpees at the bottom; Bernie to the first turn for 10 burpees; mosey to the next turn for 10 burpees, sprint to the top as hard as you can.
  • 25 dips

Some flutters waiting on the 6.  Mosey back to the AO

MARY:
High Heels led something (flutters? Hello Dollies?); then 25 tempo LBCs.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
 

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Here’s the full post of my friend, which I stole for the BOM:  “In the gospel of Luke, a dude skilled in the day’s cultural/religious law approached Jesus to “test him” asking, basically, ‘What do I need to do to be considered right before God?” And Jesus turns it around and asks, ‘Well, what’s written in the law about this topic?’ Dude repeats the Golden Rule, which says, in part: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

Jesus says, ‘Looks like you got it. Do that and you’re cool’  But dude pushes for clarification: ‘Okay, but who exactly is my neighbor?’  Then, Jesus answers the very precise question by telling a story that most everyone on the planet now knows well – the parable of the Good Samaritan.

Story goes, in a nutshell: “Guy traveling was jumped by robbers who stripped and beat him and left him to die. Two dudes who were socially privileged (a priest and Levite) came along, noticed the guy, but peaced-out.  Then, a Samaritan (not considered to fully belong to the dominant culture), noticed the guy lying there and decided to stop and interrupt what he was doing. The Samaritan then spent his time and his money making sure the guy was going to be alright.”

Then, this is the epiphany moment: Jesus didn’t ask, “Which of these three would you consider to be your neighbor?” Instead, he asked: “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the guy who nearly got waxed?” Dude responds: “The one who showed mercy.” (i.e., the Samaritan).  Jesus: “Go and do likewise.”

In other words, Jesus was saying: “You’re asking the wrong question – ‘who is my neighbor?’ The question itself  isses the point and implies a primary concern with exclusivity and tribalism. – instead, you should be asking, ‘What should I do to be a neighbor?’” So, instead of asking, “Whose life in particular should matter to me?”

Go and observe who is truly in need and show those persons mercy. A human in need.

 

A human who has been treated unjustly.

 

In order to be a neighbor, you should concern yourself with *that individual* or *those individuals* regardless of attributes such as color, beliefs, religion, political affiliation, occupation, or social standing.

 

Indeed, Jesus assigned no other attribute to the person other than that he was in need.

 

Look for needs and heal them – even and especially if you’re a Samaritan.

 

MOLESKIN:
Prayers for Doubtfire and his family with his mom’s passing.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Hurry Up…We’re Waiting!

THE SCENE: Not sure the air temp, but it was humid
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:
Start out with 20 SSH, Thai Fighters, Tempo Mtn Climbers, Tempo Merkin, and Windmills
THA-THANG:
Grab a CMU and head to the bottom of Baby Everest.

10 cards with 10 exercises. (Freddie Mecury’s, Curls, OH Press, CMU Squats, Plank, SSH, Bobby Hurley, Lawn Mowers, Block Merkins,   One designated runner picks an exercise and runs a loop up dragon tail and back down baby everest while the rest of the pax does an AMRAP of the chosen exercise until runner gets back.  The quicker the runner, the faster the pax is done with said exercise.  Everyone ran once around the loop.

Put up CMU’s and performed a merkin ladder in the parking lot. Spot one was one merkin…and so on.  Lunge between spaces.  10 spots total 55 total merkins.

Finished up with a little route 66 up the dragon tail with squats as the exercise of choice.

Back to AO

 

MARY:

Had time to do 30 4ct Freddie Mercury, 25 4ct LBC’s , and ca$hed out with some ATM’$
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Matthew 22:37-39

Don’t over complicate things.  God asks us to do today.  Today is our focus.  God has each of us exactly where he wants us today.  We are right where he wants us and we are to love him with all our heart, soul, and mind.  AND…love our neighbor as ourselves.

MOLESKIN:

ANNOUNCEMENTS:

Maximus Suicidae

THE SCENE: A little too warm, a little too humid to be perfect. Meh…
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: I am not a professional.  Do not snot on each other.

WARM-O-RAMA:
Side Straddle Sprint of Fire – PAX do SSH IC while each PAX in turn runs round the group observing social distancing.
From the baseline, do high skips across the lot, then mosey back.
Asymmetric Merkins (with one hand on the kerb) 10 each side OYO.
High Knees across the lot, then mosey back.

THA-THANG:
Mosey down to Circus Maximus for Suicides.  PAX run to the first cone and do 5 of said exercise, then run back to the start.  Then to the second cone for 10 and back, then third for 15, forth for 20 and the far end of the lot for 25.  The exercises were:

  • Merkins
  • Hello Dolly (4 ct)
  • Squats
  • Crab Jacks (4 ct) – that turned out to be a lot…
  • Heels to Heaven
  • No one made it to the Iron Mikes.

We moseyed back to the AO, just in time for Mary

MARY:
My new favourite ending…  The Bicycle Race.

PAX do Freddie Mercurys to the tune of Bicycle Race by Queen.  Every time you hear Bicycle, or Bike throw in as Big a Boy as you have left.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
12 strong
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Amelia Earhart was born on this day in history.  She said The most difficult thing is the decision to act. The rest is merely tenacity. We showed that by getting out of bed.  The rest was just moseying up and down a parking lot.  Good job men.
MOLESKIN:
I learned today to kill the Bluetooth on my phone before I give Bunny his speaker back.  So he can’t use Siri to call my M at 6:30!