06/27/2018
I knew several of our regulars were vacationing but three showed for a quick word about Jonah. Recently at the Forge we have been studying different men in the Bible and I selected Jonah as I haven’t studied much about him in years and thought it would be interesting. I wasn’t really interested in the historical part of Jonah but more about what life lessons we could get from studying his story. We quickly covered the familiar story about how Jonah ran from God but was eventually used to achieve God’s purpose even though he didn’t want to. He even hated the people who would benefit from his actions. One author I read, said Jonah was a lot like the Grinch in that his heart was two sizes too small. A few points we can learn from Jonah’s story:

1) We tend to notice others’ sins much more than our own.
2) Do not take God’s grace and love for granted.
3) Believers should always remember that we were once non-believers.
4) God can use a reluctant, even defiant person for His purpose.
5) God’s plan is always for good.

I think Jonah and many of us could use this verse. In Ezekiel 36:26 God promises “I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.”

Ask yourself these questions:
Have you ever felt like God was pushing you to do something helpful that you really didn’t want to do?
Do you dislike anyone enough not to minister to them if they needed you?
Have you ever looked back and saw where you missed a chance to something God wanted you to do?

We had a great discussion about this and several other topics. Thanks for the chance to talk with these fine gentlemen!

Gonna be a short one as I was unable to get the full write due to other obligations. As I write this I am about 15 mins from leaving with my youth to go to a conference but wanted to get everyone’s names in for credit in June.

We did 3 sets of 10 mins of as many rounds as possible of the exercises I called out…15 of each, sets of 4.  Then we sprinted for 2 mins before resting for a min; just to start all over.  Everyone worked hard, as usual Defib killed it but everyone gave it their all.

Have a great weekend; it was an honor men. Remember our group in your prayers as we head to Atlanta.

Squirt

Today was a beautiful day for a workout at Folsom. The weather was cool, house alarms were blaring, Pastor Clever was helping me out as co-Q (his VQ, by the way), and the damn gnats were gone! It is the kind of day Ice Cube had in mind.

Warmarama

Pledge at the shovel flag

Toy Soldiers – 20 IC
Slow Squats – 9 IC …yeah, 9. It was weird.
SSH – 10 IC
Burpees – 5 OYO

Pastor Clever takes the PAX for a mosey to the Ampitheater as Huck and I mall walk across the grass.

Montross back in charge –

Hip Slappers – 20 IC
LBCs – 20 IC
Australian Mountain Climbers – 10 IC
Freddie Mercuries – 15 IC

Super Mike Tysons – what is that? Just a little something I made up amd did on vacation – 10 Mike Tysons in cadence, immediately followed by 10 burpees. About 45 seconds of recovery, repeat. We did 3 sets. I wanted 1-2 more but I was getting gassed and I needed to hand it back over to Clever.

Pastor Clever is back in charge – mosey to Sparky’s Lot (Huck and I mall walk across the grass).

11’s – Imperial Squats on one end (both knees up count as one), Bobby Hurleys on the other. Pastor Clever came out hard, srinting from end to end. In a great Q move, I noticed he slowed a little because no PAX could keep up. Nice pro-Q move from a guy on his VQ! I noticed!

Time was low so mosey back to the lot for Mary.

LBCs – 15 IC
22 for the Vets

Time!

Announcements and COT – clown car on July 4 to Ft Mill from Folsom, time TBD. 4 miler on 7/4, 2.0 Q the 3rd Saturday (not Thursday). Prayer requests for AT’s mother in law, marriages, and a particular family Pastor Clever knew who were really taking the pre-counseling seriously. Clever is a pro so he took us out!

Deep Thoughts –
Billy Madison’s bb earlier this week was so motivating and inspirational. We talked about it during workout and Huck pointed out you never know when your simple presence will brighten someomes day. Like Huck said, sometimes you see a fellow PAX out there and you just think ‘I am glad he is here today”. It is also reassuring you have a group of men you can count on to say a prayer for you when you need it. So, that being said, get out there and post! If you are injured, modify as needed but stay involved.

• Montross

Coconut Horse is about running, not necessarily where you run. Roscoe and I had talked about running the trails at the YMCA and the time was right. We started at 0630 and took the “backwards” route out of the Harris Teeter. We made it to the Y and started for the trails. If you did not know, the trails are in the far back right of the parking lot and has about 3 miles of trails in a couple loops. It was tougher than I thought it would be-elevation changes, switchbacks, and all the time watching for the Squatches. Diva, Defib, and ToolTime led the way with the rest of us pushing but not quite the same speed. Overall I think it was a great route and definitely something we should do again. By the time we finished, we had gone just over 5 miles. A few of us went for coffeteeria, or in my case, chocolatemilketeeria. As much as I dislike running, I really enjoy being out there with the rest of you boneheads.

At the end, we made sure to include Sargento, Quiche, and Stroganoff in our prayer as they were well into the half marathon in the Boston area. We found out later on they all did well with no major injuries-congrats guys.

Whoopee

Sorry for the delay – we literally moved for 2 straight days after I finished this Q and I was without internet (or home) until this week. Sidenote: back to back Qs after a month off from workouts was a VERY BAD idea before moving. My M (Veronica Vaughn) laughed at me when my legs were so shaky while carrying furniture. I cried.

The Thang:

Side Stradle Hops x 10 IC

Pledge

Farewell Q was a recreation of the movie (my namesake) Billy Madison! Cinematic beauty ensued (there was sweat and tears everywhere) and it went like this….

• As the movie begins with an aimless Billy (sad clown syndrome) in a drunken stupor, eagerly awaiting “nudey magazine day” he spots a Penguin walking around….
  • Exercise = Penguin Walks (Duckwalks, but with arms at side) to end of parking lot and back
• Just like many PAX when we join F3, Billy accepts the challenge to become a better man and encounters obstacles when he returns to school…
  • Exercise = O’Doyle-Rules-Inspired, Banana Peels (ab workout – full situp, lift leg and touch toes) x 25
• Time for a spelling bee! “R…..you going to the mall later?” We must help Billy spell the word “Couch”…
  • Exercise = 
    • C = Captain Thors x 10 situps x 40 American Hammers
    • O = Outlaws x 10 each direction
    • U = Up Downs x 10 pushups on Q’s count, fast chop feet in between
    • C = CDDs x 25
    • H = Hail Marys x 25 each partner 
• Just like Billy, it’s time to find out what these PAX are really made of….time for the Academic Decathlon!
  • Exercise =
    • 100 meter sprint
    • Merkins – 1 minute of AMRAP (in place of shotput)
    • 200 meter sprint
    • Situps – 1 minute of AMRAP (in place of discus throw)
    • 400 meter sprint
    •  Pullups – 1 minute of AMRAP (in place of javelin)
    • 1500 meter run
    • LBCS – 1 minute of AMRAP (in place of hurdles)
    • Jump ups x 20 (in place of high jump)
    • Squats x 20 (in place of long jump)
• Think we’re done? Wrong! “Now you’re all in big, big trouble!”
  • Exercise = DODGEBALL! (F3 Style – plank/LBC while you’re out. Losing team has to run laps. Winning team laughs!)
    • As an aside, being a true HIM and demonstrating humble leadership, I gracefully allowed the other team to win – as a way of saying goodbye and picking up Gastone’s confidence. He had a sad look in his eye and I didn’t want him crying on my last Q.

COT:

Thanks for the chance to share our story (His story)…

Remember that you never know which fellow PAX you are ministering to just by locking shields and pushing one another in these workouts….

3 years ago, my wife was given a terminal cancer diagnosis. She had stage 4 ovarian cancer that spread to her heart. 2 days later, the company I worked for, was sold and I was laid off. With 2 toddlers at home and no insurance, and the prospect of losing my wife – our world was collapsing.

We left our dream home in Florida, broken (I remember being unemployed for the first time since I was 12 years old, and pushing my wife in a wheel chair with my 4 & 5 year old dragging bags behind us through the airport) to seek help….after a year of countless chemo sessions and nights sleeping in a bedside cot in the hospital, and 4 high-risk surgeries my wife defeated cancer!

After her battle, we moved across the country to NC and our biggest fear came true – my wife’s cancer returned. We had purchased a new home in a new state where I knew no one, but I started attending workouts at F3. I found the PERFECT support that I needed. In my darkest, most depressing time, I found a group of men to lift me up and make me better. F3 gave me something to look forward to and gave me the fellowship that the male soul needs. This group of crazy dudes with weird names would place hands on me in prayer after kicking my butt working out. My wife had a much easier battle that 2nd go around and she is now 2 years, cancer free!

We are moving back to Florida, with our health and a new perspective and an appreciation for life, love and joy that we never would have had before.

You are all so much more than just a PAX to me, you are my friends and you were there for me when I needed it most. Remember the power of this ministry as you raise men up for the betterment of the community and future generations of men to lead others.

I’m excited to keep posting with the F3-Jacksonville crew – who I will undoubtedly shame by comparing them to the “men of Gashouse” and I’m happy that I can reuse some of my jokes and workout ideas for some new laughs. 🙂

Thank you all, and please stay in touch!

“Nothing makes the earth seem so spacious as to have friends at a distance; they make the latitudes and longitudes.”
– Henry David Thoreau

Your friend,

Tully (Billy Madison)