On the Bleachers, Snow is Glistening

A gloomy wintry day in late November.  Snow had fallen on the bleachers.  A brisk wind blowing in from the north.  A great day for a work-out…..

DISCLAIMER
PRAYER
COP
TTT (IC) X 10

Abe Vigoda (IC) X 10

Imperial Walkers (IC) X 25

Monkey Humpers (IC) X 10

LBACs (IC) forward X 8, reverse X 7

THE THANG

Double 21’s

Two stations about 50m apart

Station 1: Merkins (20):WWI Sit-ups (1) with decreasing:increasing reps to equal 21 with each set, complete 1 set then run to station 2, R&R until time is called

Station 2: Squats (20):Overhead Press(1) with decreasing:increasing reps to equal 21 with each set

(Note: if you finished the sets of 8:13, then you completed 182 Merkins and 182 Squats and 91 WWI Sit-ups and 91 Overhead Presses)

MARY
Cucaracha Moribunda – for a bit

Flutter Kicks (IC) X 31 (the extra 1 was just for kicks as the PAX were all groaning and whining)

LBCs (on Q’s count) X 30

Elevator Merkin (with extreme mumble chatter)

CIRCLE OF TRUST
PRAYER
MOLESKIN
YHC read an excerpt from a new book by Matt Chandler called An Even Better Christmas:

“…there is no holiday in the Western world that suffers more propaganda than this season.  Every commercial, every special TV show, everything we see lays before us this great promise that this is the year it’s all going to come together.

This year, we’ll gather with our families and a Christmas miracle is going to take place.  Strife will dissipate, and tension will melt, and annoyance will disappear, and all the sorrow of the last year will give way to cheerful joy.

This year, your kids are going to be great.  They’re going to open up their presents and be like, “Thank you, Mother.  This is perfect,” and they’re not going to get bored within five hours (or minutes) of opening them. Not this year.

That’s what the commercials tell you.

And I want to tell you it’s not going to happen.  Those commercials are over-promising.  And, in fact, they are under-promising.

See, I love Christmas-but it’s not because I’ve been kidded by the commercials that at Christmas everything might be perfect.  I love Christmas because it’s the start of the story that means one day (not this Christmas, but one day) everything will really be perfect.”

This is coming from a guy who at the age of 34, had a seizure on Thanksgiving morning in 2009 and was told he had terminal brain cancer with about 2 years to live.  I guess you look at Christmas and the meaning behind it differently when you’ve walked that path.  The fact he is alive and completely free of disease in 2018 is a great testament to God’s goodness and power.  So you’re thinking, that’s great, but my father/mother/spouse/child/loved one died.  That’s even more reason for the true hope found in the Christmas season.  I’ve had literally hundreds of emails since last week with the latest sale and the best this or that for the season.  But I keep thinking about all the friends and acquaintances who have suffered loss.  A wife and 13-year child who recently lost a husband and father.  A dear old friend who lost his wife of over 50 years.  PAX who have lost relatives and loved ones.  In light of the hope that this season represents, I want to cling to the promises that one day everything will be perfect.  I want to be reminded that this season is about a miracle that resulted in the greatest event in human history, a death and a resurrection that literally changed the world, regardless of whether you believe it or not.  I want to be reminded of an ending happier than any other ending, that will top the best Christmas Day you’ll ever enjoy in this life.  For that men is the true hope that Christmas brings to those who surrender in this life to a Savior who is greater and promises a life more abundant and joyful than anything we can imagine.  Ponzi reminded the PAX, this was only my opinion.  Thanks Ponzi.  It’s not just my opinion, but it is also my belief and where I look for hope.  It’s from where my true joy emanates.  You don’t have to agree with me, but I would implore you to have an opinion.  Explore for yourself.  Ask the questions about what is truly meaningful in life.  It’s too important to allow complacency to take hold.  Physical complacency is something we strongly combat in F3, and I would pose that you combat spiritual complacency similarly, by prioritizing the things in your life that have true everlasting meaning.  Ask the hard questions.  Seek to find answers.  None of us finish well by accident.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Movie Friday night at Pythagoras’ house