Adventure #20 – 364 Days later

YHC has looked forward to his F3 “Manniversary” for quite sometime. It is totally appropriate that 364 days after first posting with F3ENC, Cold Cut asked for a Q for Sacred Sunday. This was the 20th Adventure of Sacred Sunday. Thinking about the 3rd F part of Sacred Sunday got me thinking about Sway from F3 Columbia, who posted a story on 10/20/15 after the flood in Columbia that has really stuck with me. It is not a story from the bible, but is a parable that YHC can live by. It reminds YHC why F3 is so important.

There once was a man who lived in a cabin next to a field. In the middle of the field was a huge rock – an enormous boulder. One night, God came to the man in a dream and said “I want you to go out in the morning and every morning after that and push the rock with all your heart and all your might.” So, the next morning and every morning after that the man did exactly as God instructed. Every morning, day after day, week after week, month after month – no matter the weather – the man woke up and pushed the rock until he could no longer push it anymore. And day after day, week after week, month after month, the rock never budged a single inch. Some days, he did not feel like pushing the rock, but he did it anyway. Some days, he did not push the rock with all his heart and all his might, giving just a partial effort until he realized this was not God’s command. His task was to push the rock with all his heart and all his might, every morning. He grew frustrated and prayed, “God, why am I pushing this rock? Day after day, week after week, month after month I have pushed this rock. I have never moved it, and never will!”

God replied, “I did not ask you to MOVE the rock, I asked you to PUSH the rock with all your heart and all your might. You have been an obedient and faithful servant; now look how you have transformed yourself: your shoulders are broad, your arms are strong, your legs are powerful. You are now ready for me to use you for a greater purpose!”

The Warm-up – SSH-IC; Good Mornings-IC; Open Gate-OYO; Lo-Slow Squats-IC; Slow-Merkins-IC. At the end of the workout, we saw an unfamiliar face pull up with a bag in hand. It was a photographer that Popeye set up to take pictures for a story about Storm the Stadium. Instead of heading to the Tennis Courts to do the next exercise, we went to the Mt. Murphy stairs. Figured he was a good enough photographer to take pictures of us on stairs and make it work.

The Thang – We moseyed to the Mt Murphy stairs – 11s are always a pleasant surprise in the morning, so to prepare us to push against the rock, we started with Squats at the bottom of the hill and Diamond Merkins at the top. We then held People’s Chair while signing the releases for the photographer. It was neat to read that we were “models” and the mumble chatter from that comment was fun.
Next we moseyed back around to the Murphy Meadow for a few quick rounds with Tyson where we did x10 reps; moseyed 1/2 way x 10; mosey to end x 10; mosey 1/2 way back x10; and held plank for the 6 (rinse and repeat with other exercises). There was no Deck of Death to choose the exercise, but there was a Pirate cup that held the Grog that each Pax would pull from. Here are the rounds:

• Spidermans – Courtesy of Lemonhead
• Copper Head Squats – Psycho
• Burpees – Aquaman
• WWII – Cold Cut (Now Cold Cut was determined to convince the Pax to do these in cadence, but the mutiny was real and after one cycle that stopped)
• Mule Kicks – Hot Pursuit (This one literally kicked our rears…)

COT/BOM – We always end Sacred Sunday with a brief devotional. This gives us a time to stretch our bodies out (thanks to following Cold Cut’s lead; as well as our brain, hearts, and souls. This is a great way to focus on what’s important and emphasize our 3rd F.
As we have been doing for the last several weeks, we raised up all those we know with cancer. Lemonhead mentioned a student from FCHS, who recently had her cancer come back and needs comfort. Psycho didn’t say it, but certainly we keep him and his bride in our prayers as they expect their 2.0 this week.

Moleskin – It was a great morning to celebrate a journey for YHC that has lasted 364 days. That’s the longest YHC has ever sustained a workout regimen. It’s the brothers that stand behind me that make it possible. It inspires, it pushes, it makes me humble. Without F3, YHC would still be a sad, sad clown. Keep pushing the rock, keep striving to push each other to be the fathers, husbands, and human beings that we need to be. YHC knows he needs it…