F3 Knoxville

Faith through Doubt

  1. THE SCENE: Insert info about the weather, etc.
    F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
    WARM-O-RAMA:

    10 Windmills, 10 Cherry Pickers, Little of This and That, Michael Phelps.
    THA-THANG:
    Mosey to large parking lot with gardens in middle.  We will perform Iron PAX Week 0 challenge, doing the following exercises six times:
  • 24 merkins
  • 24 squats
  • 24 lunges where both legs = 1
  • 400 meter run

Those men finishing first will do the following exercises:

  • 40 Baby Crunches
  • 30 Big Boy Sit-Ups
  • 20 Side Straddle Hops (4 count)
  • 20 Hello Dollies (4 count)
  • 20 American Hammers (4 Count)
  • 20 Mountain Climbers (4 Count)
  • 20 Bicycle Kicks (4 Count)

Mosey to AO

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Twelve men, no FNG’s.
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

The whole problem with the world is that the stupid are cocksure while the intelligent are full of doubt.  –Bertrand Russell

As a Christian, I get pissed off by people who are so damned sure about the bible and about God.  I’m talking about the guy who arrogantly proclaims that it is sacrilegious for us to question God.  Do these people really think about God?  With all the pain, injustice, greed, and despair in this world, don’t we have a right to question?  Are we supposed to follow God like robots, like automatons, never wondering, never doubting?

As a Christian, I have found my knowledge of God and faith in God strengthened by my questioning and doubts.  For, it is through my questioning that I seek, read, talk to others with more knowledge than I, and ultimately ponder, wrestle with, and finally converse with God.

It is nice to know that I am in good company.  Look at Christ’s disciples when he was taken to be crucified.  Look at Peter.  Christ told him that he would doubt and deny him, saying that before the rooster crowed Peter would deny his three times.  And, having done so, when the rooster crowed and Peter remember what Christ said, he wept bitterly.  But, like Paul, Peter would become a great apostle who spoke for and spread the word about Christ.  And, like Paul, he was willing to be killed to do so.  And most of Christ’s other disciples, who doubted just as Peter did, also died proclaiming Christ.

I read a 2014 Oped in the New York Times by Julia Baird.  In it, she talked about the backlash he received when Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has admitted that he sometimes questioned God.  The International Business Times proclaimed his statement was the “doubt of the century.”  The Australian atheist columnist, Peter FitzSimons, tweeted, “Victory.”  The Archbishop is a man who has reasons to doubt God.  As a teenager, he cared for an alcoholic father.  He lost his first daughter to a car accident when she was seven months  old.  But, as a follower of God, his questioning has strengthened him.  He understands others because he has suffered.  He understands doubt because he has doubted.  And, he knows that Christ, whJen he died on the cross, spoke for our doubts when He cried, “My God, Why have you forsaken me?”

As Ms. Baird aptly stated in her Oped, “Just as courage is persisting in the face of fear, so faith is persisting in the face of doubt.

So brothers, when you question this world, when you question it’s creator, know that you are in good company.  Doubt, but persist in the face of your doubt.  Persist in seeking answers to your doubts.  And have faith that God understands your doubts, but seeks you.

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

Man Down

THE SCENE: Balmy 72 degrees
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

  • 20 x Imperial Walker IC
  • 15 x Tempo Merkin IC
  • 20 x American Hammer (4ct.) IC
  • 20 x Overhead Clamp IC (except I-Beam, who was deliberately out of cadence)

THA-THANG:
PAX counted off 1-4 and split into groups of 4 people each. One PAX from each group was designated “injured” and had to be carried by the remaining three. PAX rotate as needed while we headed for the Pav-A-Lon. We paused for 20 Iron Mikes (4 ct. OYO) while some of the folks rested their shoulders.

Once at the Pav-A-Lon, each PAX drew two cards from the card. The number designated the rep count and the suit designated the exercise as follows:

  • Hearts = Pull-ups
  • Clubs = Burpees
  • Spades = Dips
  • Diamonds = Diamond Merkins

Face cards = 10 and Aces = 11.

Between rounds PAX moseyed to the top of the hill and bear crawled back down.

We broke back into groups and carried our injured teammates back to the AO.

MARY:
We cashed out with two rounds of ATMs!

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
Two FNGs today – good work guys!
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
I shared a story with the PAX of a college senior that was seeking guidance because she was stressed about decisions others were making for her. We talked about the importance of remembering that we are grown-ups that are not only capable of, but responsible for, our own decisions. It’s easy to get complacent and let others lead, but there comes a time when you need to step up and do your own thing.
MOLESKIN:
TAP to the Junk clan – we missed you out there today, brother!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Truckin’ to the Pound coming up in September.

Keeping it in the shade

THE SCENE: 93, hotter than the devil’s armpit
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

SSH x 20, variable speeds

Cherry pickers

Imperial Walkers x 10

Merkins x 10

THA-THANG:
Mosey across street to Saturday morning AO and get a CMU for each Pax.  Place CMU’s in the shade along edge of parking lot.

Pax is to run to other end of parking lot, do one of the exercised listed below, then run to the CMU pile and do 30 curls, then repeat until all exercises are completed.

Round 1 – 30 CMU curls

4 Exercises

  • 20 merkins
  • 20 CDD
  • 20 BBS
  • 20 Squats

Round 2 – 30 CMU OH Press

4 corners

  • 20 merkins
  • 20 CDD
  • 20 – BBS
  • 20 Squats

10 Merkins

Mosey to the concessions stand and partner up for Dora.

100 Hand release merkins

200 Decline Merkins

300 Step Ups (single count)

Partner runs back to the parking lot and does 3 burpees

Mosey to CMU pile still in the corner and still in the shade.

25 CMU Curls

CMU OH Hold while we put the CMU’s away

MARY:
Ring of fire Merkins.  Started at 5, then went to 10.

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Personal relationships are more important than knowledge.
MOLESKIN:
It was too hot to be in the sun so we modified and kept everything in the shade as much as possible.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
9/14 Trucking to the Pound CSAUP.  T-shirts will be available for order soon.  Must act quickly

November is Brolympics.  Beer ruck, picnic, competition.

HBDTM

THE SCENE: Slightly tolerable. Mid to upper 70’s and plenty humid.
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
WARM-O-RAMA:

40x SSH IC
40x Squats IC
40x LBAC (20 each way)
40x Calf Raises OYO
20x Asphalt Kissers IC

THA-THANG:
Mosey up to the near field.
4x suicide of 40ft, 40 cubits, 40yd, and 40m. 10x squat jumps between each suicide.
Mosey down the hill to beside the baseball field
40x 4-ct LBCs IC
Trot onto the field, run 40 bases, do 40 8-count body builders. Any order.
(Most everyone did 4 body builders after each lap)
Mosey to the Watt Rd field
Bear crawl 40yd, 5x 4-ct Asphalt Kissers
Crab walk 40yd, 5x 4-ct Asphalt Kissers
Crawl bear 40yd, 5x 4-ct Asphalt Kissers
Walk crab 40yd, 5x 4-ct Asphalt Kissers

Mosey back to the concrete bleachers
Pick up flying EH along the way!
40x Box Jumps OYO

40’s on the hill beside the bleachers… Start with 5 BBS at the bottom, 35 Merkins at the top. Then 10/30, etc.

Ran outta time about halfway through… Wanted to make sure to get in some Mary:

MARY:
40x 4ct Flutter Kicks
40x 4ct Side Crunch (20 each side)

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
9 PAX this morning, including flying EH Swayze
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Today is my 40th birthday, and there’s no way I’d want to start it other than out getting better with some like-minded HIMs. Looking at the number 40, though, it’s a number that represents testing, trial, or refinement. Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the desert. The Israelites wandered for 40 years in the desert. The flood was 40 days and nights of rain. Most of us are somewhere in the neighborhood of that 40 year mark… If today were the end of your 40 years in the wilderness, would you be found ready to enter the Promised Land?
MOLESKIN:
Great to have Lillydipper and Pele clown car their way over here. And it’s always fun when a flying EH actually lands. Makes for some great mumblechatter between the huffing and puffing!
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Convergence next weekend! Everyone at Big Ball 7am sharp! Also, save the date 9/14 for Truckin’ to the Pound. Be on the lookout for more info…

Presents for Everyone

THE SCENE: Cold and clear
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER
THA-THANG:
Handed out some presents early – 25 envelopes, each containing an exercise. We went through our gifts in sequential order:

  1. 25 SSH
  2. 10 Tempo Squats
  3. 10 Tempo Merkins
  4. 12 Baby Arm Circles (forward and reverse)
  5. Bear Crawl across the parking lot
  6. Crawl Bear across the parking lot
  7. 20 Derkins
  8. 20 Bench Rows
  9. 10 Burpee Box Jumps
  10. 15 LBC’s (4 ct)
  11. 20 Tuck Jumps
  12. 15 Hand Release Merkins
  13. 10 Lunges (10 each leg)
  14. 20 American Hammers (4 ct)
  15. 10 Dive Bombers
  16. 10 Iron Mikes (4 ct)
  17. 15 Sweat Angels (4 ct)
  18. 15 Diamond Merkins
  19. 20 Squats (4 ct)
  20. 20 Flutter Kicks (4 ct)
  21. 20 Dry Docks
  22. 20 Jump Squats
  23. 15 Box Cutters (4 ct)
  24. 10 Burpees
  25. 1 Time All You’ve Got up Little Baby Hill

MARY:

Just enough time for some plank work and Cap’n helped us cash out with some ATM’s

COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA
33 HIM’s – no FNG’s

CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:

Especially this time of year, it’s easy to get caught up in the busyness – getting things wrapped up before the new year, planning for next year, finishing up the Christmas shopping, figuring out logistics for the holidays, etc, etc. Sometimes the most difficult task is to just slow down and enjoy the moments, the memories.

I’m as guilty as anyone when it comes to getting caught up in the “hamster wheel of life” – creating my list of things I need to get done, worrying about what’s to come tomorrow, and simply not slowing down to appreciate the moments right in front of me. I was reminded of this last night when I was getting ready for the Q this morning. I was preparing the envelopes for the workout (just another task that I needed to get checked off my long list of things to get done over the next couple days), but my 4 year old son was so excited when I asked him to put some stickers on the envelopes. He swelled with pride knowing that Daddy needed his help, and he quickly plopped down next to me and began meticulously placing his Christmas stickers on each envelope. It was just a little moment – inconsequential in the grand scheme of things – but I cherished that time with him. He won’t always be 4 years old, and he won’t always want to help his Dad with those silly projects.

Cherish the moments.