Tag: Love Handle

Rule 12(b)(6)

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Blame it on a second time Q.  The workout probably had more cardio than intended.

Warmup:

  1. Run a bit
  2. Circle up for some (a) side straddle hops, (b) windmills, (c) squat kicks, and (d) seal jacks
  3. Run a bit more and work in some (a) high knees, (b) butt kickers ,and (c) crossovers, left and right
  4. Run a bit more to “the arrows” (at this point, the pax grew suspicious and began murmuring about the running)

The Thing, Part 1:

  1. At each of 7 or 8 arrows, 5 mirkins, with running between arrows and running back to the beginning
  2. At each of 7 or 8 arrows, 10 squats, with running between arrows and running back to the beginning
  3. At each of 7 or 8 arrows, 5 Carolina dry docks, with running between arrows and running back to the beginning
  4. At each of 7 or 8 arrows, 10 jump knee tucks, with running between arrows and running back to the beginning

The Thing, Part 2:

  1. Run to the benches at the car line (at this point, a pax who shall not be named admitted he wished he had a hat like Q’s, with an “F” for Florida on it)
  2. 10 tricep dips on the benches
  3. Run a lap
  4. 10 steps ups on the benches, with each leg
  5. Run a lap
  6. Rinse and repeat once

Abs:

  1. Q’s chosen ab exercise
  2. Next pax’s chosen ab exercise (additional complaining happened here)
  3. 7 more of those

The Thing, Part 3 (unplanned but added due to more murmuring about “I want my full 45 minutes”)

  1. Bear crawl a little bit
  2. Shuffle/move your body sideways on your hands in a plank-like position using the curb for support to get back to where you started the bear crawl*

*this may not be the official name for this exercise

COT:

Q’s favorite part of the day, where we remembered who we are, whose we are, and what matters most.

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the BLIMPS Casino

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13 PAX and ideal weather conditions on hand.

Mosey run to front of middle school
Warm up:
SSH (IC 12x)
Imperial Walker (IC 12x)
Windmill (IC 12x)
Moroccan Nightclub (IC 12x)
LSS (IC 12x)
Merkin (IC 12x)
Peter Parker (IC 12x)
Plank stretches
Run to back side of elementary school
For a portion of this run: Railroad Ties routine: PAX low plank and person at back of line runs/jumps over them. Cycle through like an indian run.

At back of the middle school:
Thang 1: Blackjacks
start w/ 1 Merkin
run to other side do 20 LBC’s
Run back and do 2 Merkins
run to other side do 19 LBC’s
procced until 20 merkins and 1 LBC
The casino closed this blackjack table a bit early (at ten mins) to accommodate other events. Most Pax got to 15 merkins. Recommend doing Elevens (not 21’s) next time.

Run to next pain station (short distance)
Thang 2: BLIMPS (Cones spaced 15-20 yds apart)
Start at cone 1- B for burpee, do 5 of them
Run to cone 1 – L for lunge, do 10 each leg
Run to cone 2 – I for Imperial Walkers, do 15
Run to cone 3 – M for Merkins, do 20
Run to cone 4 – P for Peter Parkers do 25 (modification)
Run to cone 5 – S for Squats, do 30
rinse and repeat until time is called
Run to COT area

Thang 3: plank routine
Sally gets up/down (Moby song)
Start with low plank
High plank on the “up”
Low plank on the “down”
Thiry-one changes during the 3:22 duration of the song.

COT

Announcements: Fast 5k on 10/27; CAH charity event this Saturday 10/20.
Prayers for healing of loved ones and guidance to the healers in charge of their care.

Great words of encouragement shared amongst all PAX. Don’t forget these timely favorites:
“A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success”
“Fall seven times, stand up eight”

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5

The Barnabas Workout

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7 Sons of Encouragement braved Tropical Storm Michael today. We mostly took refuge for safety reasons under the awning as we moseyed to the front of Springfield Elementary. A forewarning was given in the beginning at the parking lot that we would be moving the entire 45 minutes as well as the basic F3 disclosure.

We started with a warm-up run including high knees, butt-kickers, side shuffles, and toy soldiers. The paced picked up as we got closer to the awning.

Some additional warm-up highlights: everyone seemed to be breathing pretty heavily after warm-up, which included side lunges, squats, crucifix, full-body crab reach, SSHs, shoulder stretches, large arm circles, shoulder shrugs, backwards lunges, and, of course, merkins. I probably forgot a few more.

The Thang:

We broke up into 2 groups with a PAX in the middle. Each group did the same exercise from the middle of the front of the school to the end of the awning and back (at least once) while the PAX, I mean monkey, in the middle did full dips on an Equalizer set of bars until exhaustion and then KB swings until everyone was done with their exercises. As we waited on whoever was the six, we stayed in 6 inches plank. Each person rotated in as we immediately, and I mean immediately, started the next workout exercise(s). We did at least 14 rounds of exercises before we switched the monkey in the middle exercise and did almost another 14 rounds. The second go-round included an agility exercise focusing on concentration, stepping, higher knees and left-right and right-left movement followed by single arm thrusters with the 30 lb KB.

While the PAX in the middle was doing his thing, below are just a sample of the exercises we did today with several left off purposely so you will just have to experience them yourself next time! Most reps were in the 10-180 range.

  • Derkin into a opposite leg Tuck Planks
  • Single leg hops
  • Long jump hops
  • Frog walks
  • High toe touches
  • SSHs
  • X Jumps
  • Squat Jumps
  • Sprints
  • 50% sprints
  • Turkish getups
  • Lunges
  • Backwards lunges
  • The “Straight Up version of The Worst Merkin Ever” (lots of groaning on this one including from me)
  • Bear Crawls
  • Standard Derkins
  • Backwards Bear Crawls
  • Air Mountain Climbers
  • And we finished with Spiderman crawls

I will admit that the Spiderman crawls sucked the last bit of energy out of me. Big shout-out to Jedi and Cha-Ching who rocked the last exercise even in their exhausted state. One of these days I may become as flexible as Jedi and as strong as Cha-Ching . . . well, in reality, maybe not. Good goal to have.

Other highlights:

Dillweed: tough, tough workout partner. Thank you for your partnership today!

Jiffy: always love your consistency and superb attitude!

Love Handle: man, how you have improved! Keep up the progress and great work! You are starting to make things look easy!

Peabody: Always impressive, especially with the physical struggles that have kept him out from time to time. Solid, impactful example performance today.

So these were your 7 Sons of Encouragement today. Today’s theme: Encourage another today whether that is your gift or not. We had SUPERB encouragement from each other with this group. I challenge you to go out in your own little world and encourage someone today. And in your own Qs, bring the encouragement!

Lastly, I did not get to say this during the group this morning, but I was very encouraged by Drew Brees this week as I walked into the break room at work for a total of 5 seconds and heard on the tv a quote from him. I am a terrible memorizer but I was able to get this quote on one go-round. Thank you, Lord. I have always admired his efforts in the NFL but this encouragement quote really stuck out this week as I and many of you have had setbacks: “A setback is nothing more than a setup for a comeback.” Thanks for the encouragement and true words, Drew.

Go out this week and get at it in all you do. Praise to the One  who made you.

COT: Specific prayer requests: Some wives have really been struggling as of recent. Let’s support them in prayer, love them and be there for them. Prayer for all those working through Hurricane Michael issues today and yesterday and for safe travel for all.

I’m out for 2018. No more Qs. Look me up to Q at your site in Ft Mill/Rock Hill/Lake Wylie mid-Feb 2019+. Peace out!

MANY, MANY THANKS TO JIFFY FOR LETTING ME SERVE THE PAX AT YOUR SITE. Until next time, brother!

 

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Arrows Are Never a Good Idea

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12 #HIM decided to NOT take the Daily Blue Pill and posted to The Colosseum to be entertained by YHC on Q.  It was a very quiet crowd so #mumblechatter was at a low level but the #effort was at a high level as we pushed forward through what #life throws our way.  Side Note:  Jekyll decided to go yogging (soft J) which is apparently running for an extended period of time.

The Thang:

Dynamic Warm Up

High Knees, Butt Kickers, Toy Soldiers, Slide Left, Slide Right, Karaokes Left, Karaokes Right, Flamingos, World Wide Leaders (Power Skips #registered), Long Strides.

Warmup Complete!

Slow Mosey to the Arrows.

Now before YHC even explained my idea (which looked good on paper) a comment from the peanut gallery turned out to be true in the end “arrows are never a good idea”.  We decided to forge ahead anyway – because in the end – we don’t really have any other option (both at a post and in life – more to come on that in a bit).

So here was the different Phases of a Burpee Deconstructed:

Phase 1:     3 Squats at every arrow

Phase 2:     3 Froggers at every arrow

Phase 3:     3 Merkins at every arrow

Phase 4:     3 Bombjacks at every arrow

Now the Pax saw this next Phase coming up Broadway in a cab.  But #life is kinda like that in a way – you see something you do not want to do but have to tackle it anyway.

Phase 5:   Reconstructed Burpees at every arrow

Now the Pax may have not seen the next phase coming.  But #life is kinda like that in a way – sometimes you think it can’t get any worse and then something blindsides you at a low point.  We tackle it anyway because what is the alternative?!?!?

Phase 6:     Bearcrawl back to start (about 125 yards judging by Google Maps)

Crowd Pleaser!  All Pax dug deep to finish that one.

Next up?  Jacobs Ladder with MORE Reconstructed Burpees.

Then Mosey to start for 6MOM.

COT.

Great work by all Pax!  Appreciate humoring YHC on the arrows.  Appreciate the opportunity to lead.  Appreciate the #encouragement from the brother on  my left and the brother on my right.  Appreciate F3 The Fort for everything it has done to make me a better person.

YHC #encouraged the Pax to take that step forward into service.  It may feel uncomfortable, you may not think you are making an impact, you may be afraid to put yourself out there.  The answer is to take the step and keep taking that step forward.  You will eventually have an impact.  Otherwise we will be on the sideline and that is not where F3 is designed to keep us.  F3 wants us out in our community being a leader.  Aye!

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Triangle of Doom or some other ominous name that is not the same name as another AO (Bermuda)

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Cool 67 degrees at the Colosseum.  YHC (again) came in on two wheels.  Luckily there were some hearty PAX ready to get to work.  A Pre Blast Tweet went out to let folks know to expect running.  Twitterless Green Wave groaned when he arrived.

COP

SSH, Squat, Moroccan Night Club, Merkin, Plank O Rama

The Thang

Partner up for accountability and encouragement.  3 stations as far away from each other as possible.- run (not mosey) to each station for exercises.  rinse/repeat alternating laps.  Get as many laps as you can in 40 minutes.

A lap: 30 Lunge, 25 LBC, 15 Merkins

B lap: 30 Mountain Climbers, 7 three merkin burpee, 25 squats.

 

7-8 laps was the number.  guessing 3-4 miles and 4x the reps of above exercises.  Love Handles got the VT today- lead lap all day while proclaiming he was going to spill merlot (Mexican). Update- he didn’t.  LH also hit the 1000 burpee challenge with 1075 total.  Look out men- this man is coming for you.  Plus he’s a #HateHate so you know he’s got years ahead of him to dole out pain.  Time to put him on a Q roster.

Discussed word of the month: Encouragement, talked of look at your circle of influence (apropos as I just now listened to this weeks 43 feet podcast) and a great article from Benjamin Watson in All Pro Dad on “Making sure my kids know a father’s love”.  I tweeted out link.  Read it and go listen to the latest podcast.

Lots of men looking forward to Ragnar and Bourbon Chase.  If you have yet to do a CSAUP (completely stupid and utterly pointless), do this now.  runs, races, mud runs, ragnars, fast 5, Palmetto 200, etc.  I know of no other vehicle that brings together all 3Fs and truly lights the fire.

Jekyll

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The Hive 2018:39 (Shovel Flag hand off)

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10 HIM gathered in the gloom for a split Q and passing of the shovel flag.

Tesh began:

SSH x25
Windmill x10
Imperial Walker x10
Lap around the parking lot (counterclockwise…)

COP:
5 Kettlebell burpees
10 Snatches (5 each arm)
3 reps of this

Partnered up and Lined up facing the stadium:
Farmer carry both bells while partner planks & shoulder taps
Repeat with partner doing overhead claps instead of planking

Switch Q to BandCamp:

Bear Crawl towards the stadium until we ran out of pavement
Al Gore for the 6 and then Al Gore+Moroccan Night Clubs x10
Honeymooner–>Downdog rinse and repeat
Bear Crawl back to our bells. Moved to the wall outside the gym.

COP:
5 burpees
10 Overhead chest presses
10 Reverse Lunges w/ kettlebell held at the beltline
Reverse Lunge w/ single arm press and hold for 10 count
NAMED EXERCISE: The Solo Tesh: (standing)
– single-arm overhead press the kettlebell and hold for 10 seconds
– return kettlebell to clean position and hold for 10 seconds
We did 3 reps on each arm
20 Goblet Squats
10 Overhead chest presses

Wall Sit with bell intermittently held over our heads during storytime. Rinse and repeat.

Mary:
Flutter x15
Superman x10
Peter Parker x10
LBC x10

NMM:

In honor of Tesh’s two years of steady leadership at #TheHive, this workout drew some from his first post at The Hive: https://f3thefort.com/2016/02/15/afraid/ Q-ed by Geronimo.

The Solo Tesh comes from a workout Tesh lead when he was the only PAX to post that morning. https://f3thefort.com/2017/02/24/2017-08-the-hive/ Looking at the dates and this tweet https://twitter.com/tesh_F3/status/966993038554882048, it appears that there may have been multiple solo posts for Tesh at The Hive. One aspect of his leadership that I appreciate and respect is how quietly he leads. He leads by example with little desire for fanfare . It was this solo-post tweet that got YHC to attend his first kettlebell workout: Tesh’s model encouraged me at The Hive at all. I’m grateful for Tesh’s work and honored to carry the shovel flag for #TheHive (and if necessary post in the gloom solo……ah February…..).

During storytime on the wall sits, I referenced the Poverty Simulation some of the PAX are putting on 10/13/18 at FBC in Fort Mill. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/sc-thrive-poverty-simulation-york-101318-registration-49847017772. https://twitter.com/F3_ablock/status/1045695473707814912 I did not grow up in poverty, and specifically remembering my dad saying that folks could just work harder and would be successful. That was because my old man had worked hard and he was successful. But he also had a lot of advantages that allowed his hard work to pay dividends. Not everyone is so lucky. In my teaching, I see students that struggle with much more than the nuts and bolts of course work and assignments. The outside influences of poverty on college students is especially troubling. Consider a student that takes on debt to attend school to better themselves but is forced out of school after 3 years to work because their family needs the income. They have all the debt of a college degree with none of the job prospects. Understanding someone’s lived experience is a powerful tool. Hopefully PAX will take advantage of it.

Band Camp dismissed.

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2

What was that?

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What a beautiful, yet dark morning at Block Party (WEP). Great spirits this morning from the “Oceans 7” crew. Subtheme: “Do your best and forget the rest.”

Everyone did a truly great job for a workout that kept one on his toes. It started right at 5:15am with a disclosure while moving. Then working directly into your standard Straight Up “Ya never know what u are gonna get but it will always be a full body” warm-up for 10 minutes. Crowd favorites were Ab Vigoda and the Rolling Crucifix.

The Thang:

We practically sprinted over to the visitor parking lot in front of the business building a few blocks away and proceeded with plenty of Bear Crawls, Muscle ups (lots), Backwards Bear Crawls, Low Frog Hops, Alternating Side Shuffles, Sprints, Burpees, Merkins, and X-Jumps just to name a few. 5 second count between 2-3 back-to-back exercises. Lots of heavy breathing. Crowd favorite for this part was “The Absolute Worst Ever Berkin” (wide merkin, standard merkin, diamond merkin, Burpee up, Burpee down, diamond merkin, standard merkin, wide merkin – all jumping “push-ups”) – and that was the first rep . . . we won’t tell you how many we did . . . I can tell you it was not 1.

We moseyed over to the WEP playground where we proceeded to do some lunge walks. Then we entered into something that I did not see a lot of smiles about:

“P is for Pink Mini-Workout” (Yes, I brought out the white board but only had a PINK marker borrowed from my wife). Subcaption: “What R U Thinkin’?” setting this workout up inside of a workout?

  • Walk on 5 “Balance Beams” without falling over
  • 10 Derkins
  • 15 Full hands in-the-air Burpees (these were Band Camp’s favorite; they had his name written all over it)
  • 20 Full extension Chin-ups
  • 25 Deep Dips
  • 30 Seconds Balls to the Wall (or playround equipment)

We then proceeded to run toward COT but we were not done. A little surprise, or maybe yet another surprise, for the group this morning: up the hill Indian Bear Crawls while rotating thrusting and then throwing a 72 lb sandbag. We moved/threw the sandbag up the hill as a group and then down the hill. Plank position held while the bear crawler and the sandbag thrower did there thang. A “yukky” exercise.

We ended with 90 seconds of kick-through burpees in cadence minus the last 20 seconds where we pushed it OYO.

I can’t believe we got all that done in 35 minutes after a 10 minute warm-up.

Thanks again, Shady, for the opportunity!

COT: General Announcements, Praises, Prayers, Gave thanks to God who gives us so many things

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9/11 Tribute

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Sep‎ ‎12 at ‎7‎:‎40‎ ‎PM

Nine HIM showed up in the gloom to post and pay tribute to all of the people impacted by the events of 09/11/2001. Two mosey lines were formed throughout the workout to pay respect to the twin towers. Exercises were done in single counts of 9 then 11.

Moseyed over to the far parking lot to by the entrance to warm up:

1.       9 & 11 single count side straddle hops

2.       9 & 11 single count wind mills

3.       9 & 11 single count squats

4.       9 & 11 single count hillbilly walkers

5.       9 & 11 single count donkey kicks

6.       9 & 11 single count dancing bears

Moseyed off the school grounds to a parking lot up the hill.

1.       9 & 11 single count big boy sit ups in pairs.

2.       Bear crawled across the parking lot

3.       Curb planked our way back

4.       Lunges across the parking lot

5.       Bear crawled back

Moseyed further up the hill to see four cones setup for a workout called “Field of Dreams”. Mentioned what is more American than baseball, and Long Shanks responded football (I think I have to agree with that).

Field of Dreams – Split up into two groups. One person ran from cone to cone while the rest of the group uniformly did the same exercise. When everyone in the group had their turn at running, the exercise was switched.

–          1st Base – Burpees

–          2nd Base – Flutters

–          3rd Base – Squats

–          Home Plate – Side Straddle Hops

Brought everyone in to talk about the events of 9-11.

–         I think it is safe to say that all of us remember exactly where we were that morning. What we were doing. Who we were with. My own personal experience with 9-11 was taking one of the last path trains into the towers after the first plane struck the building. As myself and thousands of other people were running out of the building, one of the things that I will never forget is witnessing all of the first responders running in (fireman, policeman, EMT). What kind of courage and sacrifice that must have taken. I challenged everyone to pay that sacrifice forward in their own lives.

Moseyed back down the hill back towards the Colosseum. We stopped at the bottom of the hill and spoke about that day in more detail.

Moseyed further up the hill towards the school for some more burpees (it is September).

–          9 big boy sit ups

–          9 burpees

–          11 big boy sit ups

–          11 burpees

Moseyed over to the wall

–          9 count around the horn for some wall sits

–          11 count for balls to the wall

Moseyed back to COT for some prayers and praises.

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It’s the Badger after all…

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Over the weekend, many of us had the opportunity to participate in the 9/11 GORUCK events. It was a powerful reminder that our days are numbered and we don’t have any idea what that number is… One of our Cadre, Mike S., told us stories of men that he knew that had joined the Armed Services in some form or fashion (just as he had) as a direct result of the events of 9/11. One of those was a man that later would give his life in service to his country, Severin Summers III. Cadre Mike knew Severin, and told us some of his story at the event. We thought it only fitting to perform the workout that bears his name at the Badger yesterday. And it was hard…

50 Pull-ups
100 Hand-release Merkins
Run 5K

You could do it straight or break it up as you saw fit. For me, I did them in sets of 10, 20, and 800M runs until complete. I think that everyone chose to break it up in some way… There was a lot of sweat. And pain… those are the things I remember…

We started our week on the right trajectory, with a reminder to live THIRD… like a hero…

Helmet, out…

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Good times at the Colosseum

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Sorry for the delay….went DR right after for the week

 

Was called on to Q the Colosseum and worked to make sure everyone got better. 10 PAX joined me on this balmy morning, except one guy was missing? No FNG’s, but made sure to do a good disclaimer (per CSPAN’s orders) and off we went. It had been a while since I had visited the Colosseum so I was hoping I remembered the favorites.

 

Warm-up

Mosey down the road heading against the pick-up line towards the end where it dog legs right to 160. At each light post along the way we started with side shuffles, facing away from the school, then towards the school, then carioca, butt-kickers, then toy soldiers. Finish with a Mosey to the small teachers parking lot on the left. Circle up.

Windmill x15 Cad

Moroccon Night Clubs x 35

Low slow squat x15

Overhead claps x25

Happy Jacks – 5 rounds

Mountain Climbers x 15

Honeymooner into DD

Recover

 

The Thang

Mosey out the parking lot towards 160 and stop at the second light post (including this one, there are three that were used). I called this a progressive workout, but there might be a better name:

 

Start with 10 merkins at the current light post. Run to the next light post, then back to the home light post (like a suicide). 10 merkins again, then run to the next light post, 10 knee slap jumps, return to home. 10 merkins, proceed to the next post for 10 more KSJ, then to the 3rd light post for donkey kicks. Once completed return to home. Once the Six was in everyone on their six for some LBC’s x 15 in CAD. Recover.

Round Two- only two changes were a switch to CDD on the first post, and each rep was bumped to 15. Once completed PAX moved to their six for flutter kicks x15 in CAD. Recover.

Round Three- Everything the same except now the reps bumped up to 20. After completed, on the six for hello dolly’s x20 in CAD. Recover. 2 quick ten counts by the PAX and then off to the next spot.

Mosey around the front of the elementary school stopping quickly near the flag. Circled up for a quick round of SSH x 25. Continued on to the black top area and around towards the back of the elementary school near the wall. Circle up for a quick round of Imperial Walkers x 15.

Partner- up for a modified round of Dora- 50-merkins/100-squats/150-LBC’s

Start at light post facing the chest high wall- Partner 1 works on 50 merkins while Partner 2 runs to the wall, up and over, to the school wall. Hit the wall and then complete 2 burpees. Return back to the starting spot. Continue this pattern until the 50/100/150 goals as a team are hit. Recover.

Mosey over to the cones on the black top and face the side of the middle school. Run 50% down to the first basketball hoop and then sprint to the end. Grab a spot on a bench for 20 dips in CAD. Then into wall sits for a full round of a entire PAX ten count. Head back to the Light post and turn and face back towards the school again. Run 75% to hoop and sprint end. Grab a bench for 20 dips in CAD. Recover and jog back to the starting spot. One more round of the same. Recover.

By now we were getting close to running out of time so off to COT we went. We had just enough time for a round of American hammers.

Announcements- 6th Annual Invergence is Sept 21st at Rush Pavillion. Read your newsletter.

Prayers:

Kids

Marriages

Thanks for the call out Jekyll. I appreciate the opportunity. And thank you PAX for the honor of leading you.

 

Frat Boy

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