Three pax showed up for a very full Stride Light, intermingled with some Second F. 5:30 came early with 8 brave soles ready to face the gloom together. Disclaimer was given, opening prayer and let’s get started. Per usual, unnamed pax were more interested in critiquing the spelling and handwriting on the white board, instead of listening to instructions. Instructions were repeated 4 times.
THE WEATHER: Very Pleasant
THE THANG:
COP called out correctly (for the most part)
SSH X15
Michael Phelps X10
Divide the Pax into three groups, for three different stations. Once you are finished with a station rotate around.
Station #1
10 Decline Merkins
10 Incline Merkins
10 Regular Merkins
Station #2
Run Around the two islands
Station #3
Do First thing on the white Board. Next time around do the second item. Move along until all 10 rounds are completed.
White Board Exercises
100 LBC
90 Flutter Kicks – 2 Count
80 Russian Twist
70 Gas Pumps
60 Second Plank
50 Freddie Mercury
40 V-Ups
30 Box Cutters
20 BBSU
10 Burpees
most everyone got the the box cutters before time was called. There is a rumor Soaker will pick up and finish board on Saturday.
ANOUNCEMENTS
Soaker has the Q on Saturday at Shawshank
PRAYERS
Ashley
Harman family
Blackwell Family
Breaker Breaker
Nation
marriages and Family relationships
DEVO:
“Though on may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12
“As iron Sharpens iron, so one person sharpen another.” Proverbs 27:17
“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
As a result of recently coming off of Gauntlet and the 10 year anniversary of The Shank, I have been giving the three F’s of F3 a little thought. First F is the physical aspect, the “fun” part, the second F is the Fellowship, and the Third F is Faith. Sometimes these things, even though we talk about them all the time, for some of us 10 years now, we still don’t understand it.
We all know people who are in great physical shape – who are assholes. So the First F, by itself is a failure in life. We also know guys that a very fun to be around, but you would not trust them in the difficult moments of life. So much for the Second F, again by itself.
I think the key is in the third F. In F3 lingo – faith is not faith in Jesus Christ per say, but faith in something larger than self. You are not the center of your world. There is something more important than you. Family, Community, God, whatever, Find that something and live for that something.
As a Christian, I believe this is where the creators of F3 got sneaky, in a good way. Larger than self….If you are not a Christian, but truly embrace this concept that there is lot more important things than yourself, then at the end of that road is the Son of God, dying on a cross for the sins of the world. How can you not put your self interest to the side for the sake of Him.
However, there is a down side. If you refuse to go down that road, if you refuse to truly accept the Third F and all that it means, if you refuse to allow yourself to travel down that road all the way to the end, then ultimately you are living a life centered around you. I don’t care how many merkins you can do. I don’t care how many coffeteria’s you go to, at the end of the day, it’s all about you. This, sometimes unintentional focus on self is what leads to damaged community, damaged relationships family or professional, damaged self. End result of focus on self is a divorce, is unethical business practices to get ahead, addictions, and the list goes on.
We must decide – not in a casual way – but a decisive, every single day kind of way – “Am I willing to live the Third F to it’s fullest, or ultimately Am I living for self?” I pray every man here, myself included chooses wisely.