Tag: Training wheels

BackBlast for The Coop 9-13-17

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The weather just does not get any better than on September mornings in the South. 13 men took advantage of the conditions to get better.

Mosey to the black top football field

The Warm-up 

  • 30 4-count side straddle hops 
  • 10 4-count windmills
  • 10 4-count Merkens
  • 20 4-count mountain climbers
  • 20 4-count Moroccan night club

The Thang

Mosey to the goal line to start a workout focused on arms

  • Run 20 yards
  • 15 Carolina dry docks
  • Rinse & repeat 4x until the other goal line

Mosey to the benches at the front entrance

  • Partner up
  • Partner 1 does 30 dips
  • Partner 2 does lateral pulls (under the bench)Note: plan was to flip flop a few times, but the lat pulls under the bench (as well intentioned as they were) did not work. AUDIBLE!

Mosey to back to the black top football field

  • Run 20 yards
  • 15 Carolina dry docks
  • Rinse & repeat 4x until the other goal line

Mosey to the bottom of the hill past the pull up bars

  • Back to partners
  • Partner 1 runs to pull up bars, does 5 toes to bar & 5 pull ups
  • Partner 2 does curb dips
  • Flip Flop
  • Rinse & repeat substitute diamond merkins for Partner 2
  • Rinse & repeat substitute dips for Partner 2

Mosey to the top of the hill by the pull up bars

  • Back to partners
  • Partner 1 does 10 pull ups
  • Partner 2 does 5 burpees and planks until P1 done
  • Flip flop
  • Rinse & repeat substitute 10 chin ups for P1
  • Rinse & repeat substitute 8 pull ups for P1
  • Rinse & repeat substitute 8 chin up for P1

To sidewalk and on your six for Mary

  • 20 LBCs
  • 20 Flutter
  • Protractor
  • 10 Boats & Canoes
  • Captain Thors to 3×12

Mosey to COT

Announcements

  • Colombia Mission Trip Audible & New Mission to Florida
  • Invergence on Sept 29th
  • Convergence on Sept 30th

Prayer Requests

  • Trucker friend dealing with home issues
  • Snap Hook’s wife dealing with health issues
  • Mission Trip to Florida
  • Dark Helmet’s friend with health issues

Namarama: COT 9-13-17

Moleskin

They say “the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry”. Some of our PAX saw that first hand over the last week. As we all now know, the 12 Fort Pax set to serve in Colombia had their plans changed by Hurricane Irma. However, you won’t find them complaining and feeling sorry for themselves about the time and money they poured into this trip over the last 18 months. Rather, you’ll see a confident and faithful group of men that know that no matter what plans they make, God is in control and will put them right where he wants them to be. We all deal with disappointments and setbacks every day because of things that are out of our control. Let’s work to make sure that our attitudes are similar to what we’ve seen this week from these men. Remember Who is in charge. Keep the faith & keep moving. 

Ginsu

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Tubthumping at Slowburn

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I was very happy to see 28 PAX report to Slowburn for my VQ! As promised via Twitter the day before, I did my 28 Merkins during a count-o-rama. No FNG’s. Gave the disclosure and we formed 2 lines for an Indian Run to the warmup at Empire.

Warmup

Cherry Pickers x10
Slow Windmills x10
Low Slow Squat x10
SSH x10
Goofballs x10 – Dang, y’all looked goofy!

We counted off by 5’s and the 5 teams did an Indian Run to the far side of Lowes for…

The Thang – 5 Stations

  1. Core
    1. Forearm Plank 10 count IC
    2. Captain Morgans 5 each side IC
  2. Legs
    1. Monkey Humpers x10 IC
    2. Tree Huggers 10 count IC
  3. Pecks
    1. Werkins x10 IC
    2. Derkins x10 IC
  4. Arms – Dumbbells Provided
    1. Left Arm Curls x15 IC
    2. Right Arm Curls x15 IC
  5. Abs
    1. Flutter Kicks x10 IC
    2. Sweat Angels x5 IC

Rinse & Repeat

Teams then moseyed, again Indian Style, to Baxter’s Playhouse for some “Tubthumping”. I had the loudspeaker set up to play Chumbawumba’s Tubthumping.
Lady singing = MNC
Guy singing = SSH
“I get knocked down…” = BURPEES! Did you do all 28 burpees?

OYO mosey back to Empire for some stretching and then a mosey back to Chick-fil-A for COT.

Announcements: 9/11 @ Tomahawk Birdcage is requesting PAX to show up for a special Remembrance Workout, Invergence/Convergence last Friday/Saturday in September, Donate underwear for victims of Hurricane Harvey, SpeedforNeed!

Prayers for our Brothers going to Columbia, M’s and 2.0’s, Weather, and all the unspoken requests.

I had a blast.  It’s an honor working out with you guys!  Big Thanks to Barry Manilow for allowing me this VQ opportunity. 

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Colombia Mission Trip Sendoff @ The Ranch 9-7-17

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On a cool morning in early September, the men of The Fort gathered together to support the group of 12 men that answered the call to serve those in need in Colombia.

Mosey to the soccer field

The Warm-up (VQ led by Skinny Jeans)

  • 20 4-count side straddle hops 
  • 15 4-count windmills
  • 10 4-count Merkens
  • 15 4-count mountain climbers
  • 20 low slow squats
  • 8 burpees OYO

Mosey to the football field

The Thang

Markers set up every 25 yards on the football field from endzone to endzone. PAX will start from one endzone and run from marker to marker and do the following exercises (below) at each. They will then run on the track back to the starting point.

  • 10 merkins, 2 burpees
  • back to start – LBCs for six
  • 10 Carolina DD, 2 burpees
  • back to start – flutter for six
  • 10 squats, 2 burpees
  • back to start – American Hammer for six
  • 10 bomb jacks, 2 burpees
  • back to start – freddy mercury for six
  • 10 dips, 2 burpees
  • back to start – heels to heaven for six
  • 10 lunges (5 per leg), 2 burpees
  • back to start -diamond LBCs for six
  • 2 burpees per marker

Mosey to COT

Today we focused on the 12 men that are leaving tomorrow to serve in Colombia. We had the privilege of hearing the reasons why each of them have been called to serve during todays workout and then pray over them at the close. We are all lucky to have these men as our brothers and will continue to pray for them as they make their way abroad.

As mentioned in COT, each of us were blessed with passion for certain causes and influence to impact them. Find your passion and your calling and answer that call, whatever it may be.

Ginsu

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Block Party Mix bag of tricks

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Mosey to parking lot across the street from bank
20 SSH
20 Morracain Night Club
10 small forward arm circles
10 small backward arm circles
10 big forward arm circles
10 big backward arm circles
20 Morracain Night Club
Feet together bend over with arms folded to stretch out the back and hamstrings
Honeymooner
Walk hands out to plank and do 10 peter parkers
Walk hands to feet and stretch again
Since it rained quite a bit last night YHC decided to modify the location of
what I had planned.
Originally I had planned to do this part of the workout on the hill right by COT
with the lights going up, but had to
modify and move it over by Hobo’s due to the mud on the hill.
At each light pole do the following exercises
Burpees – bear crawl to next pole (P1 – 2, P2 – 4, P3 – 6, P4 – 8, P5 – 10)
Total of 30
Pulse squat jumps – run backwards to next pole (P1 – 2, P2 – 4, P3 – 6, P4 – 8,
P5 – 10) Total of 30
LBCs – run to next pole (P1 – 4, P2 – 8, P3 – 12, P4 – 16, P5 – 20) Total of 60
Dips – lunge to next pole (P1 – 2, P2 – 4, P3 – 6, P4 – 8, P5 – 10) Total of 30
Next we moved across the street to enjoy a nice round of Pink Floyd the Wall. I
don’t know why it is, but I for some crazy
reason enjoy this exercise. I think it mainly has to do with how silly we look
to poeple driving by as we are in BTW position.
For those who are not familar with Pink Floyd the Wall here it is:
BTW for 30 secs
1 merkin in BTW position
2 merkins at 45 degrees
3 merkins at 15 degrees
Then move into the people’s chair for 30 seconds.
Repeat 3 times – however I decided to through in 5 flying squirels in between
rounds.
Then we moseyed back down the hill to the stairs and did merkin stair climb
working our way up the two flights of stairs
and did squats until the six was in.
Good work today gentlemen.
Double D thanks for allowing me to come out and lead the pax this am.
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CO VQ with Weezer at Block Party

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14 Pax came looking for a party at Block Party this morning only to be greeted with some pain and humidity.  The temps didn’t feel bad this morning but the air was thick.  I think all the pax were soaked after the mosey except for Weezer.  Who should have been sweating with his VQ warm-up just ahead, however this cool cucumber delivered a COP like he’d been doing it for years.  Here’s what went down…

Weezer on Q

COP:  Mosey to the wall lot on 160.  In cadence – SSH x 25, WM x 10, IW x 20, Low Slow Squat x 15, Morrachian Night Clubs x 20                                                                                                                                      12 single count slow merkins (focus on form), Mountain Climbers x 15

Pass off to STH – Mosey to lot above and find a spot on the ledge.

Single leg step ups x 10 each leg, 10 Burpees, 20 Dips.  Rinse and repeat 3 times

Mosey to lot across from gun shop.  Sprint the hill to the top.

50 Shoulder Taps – Run to 2nd light (50 yds), Bear Crawl to curb (20 yds), 10 Bombjacks – run back  Ab work – Slow Freddie Mercuries                                                                                                                              50 Mtn Climbers – Run to 2nd light (50 yds), Bear Crawl to curb (20 yds), 10 Bombjacks – run back  Ab work – Hello Dolly                                                                                                                                                        50 CCDs – Run to 2nd light (50 yds), Bear Crawl to curb (20 yds), 10 Bombjacks – run back                  Ab work – X&Os                                                                                                                                                              50 Merkins (Crowd Pleaser)- Run to 2nd light (50 yds), Bear Crawl to curb (20 yds), 10 Bombjacks

Mosey back to COT.  2 Mins left so 10 Burpees and Protractor

NMM:  Had a great group of Pax today.  Lots of good mumble chatter and complaining.  Which as a Q I’ll take the latter as a compliment. Tclaps to Weezer for stepping up to lead the COP.  Next up will be the full meal deal for him.  Seeming how he pulled off the COP like a seasoned veteran, the rest will be a cake walk.  I spoke a little bit at COT about how Qing has helped me become a better leader at home, work and in the community.  I encourage everyone to step out of their comfort zone and try it if you haven’t done so already.  You will be a better person for it.

Prayers for Kielbasa friend’s family, Bonsai’s friends daughter, Ginsu’s adoption, & patience. Mission Trip and Tclaps for the support of the pax.

Until Next time –

STH/Weezer

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Doing more of the things I (don’t) Love

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Today I figured out a cool way to make cones really light up in the dark. Just thought I’d put that up front.

It’s been a little while since Qing at the Coop, so this was a good time. I was a little punchy after working a swing the night before, so I’m glad that all the PAX had patience with me this fine morning.

The Thang

Warm up Phase
Line up and the following for 20 or so yards
1. High knees/mosey back
2. High skips/mosey back
3. Butt kicks/mosey back
4. Toy soldiers/back mosey back
5. Power skips/back mosey back

COP
Goofballs 20xIC
Squat Imperial Walkers 10xIC
Merkin-crab dips-Merkin-crab cakes
Howling monkey ring of fire x10 each

Pull Yourself Phase
Partner up- Pull up/merkin- rotate- then Flutter kick for the six
4 Regulation Corps Pull ups/ 8 regulation merkins
4 Switch grip Pull ups/4 offset merkins 2 sets of each to get both sides
4 Close hands chin ups/8 close hands merkins (diamonds)
4 Regulation Corps Pull ups/ 8 regulation merkins

Pull Bricks Phase
Circle up at the Sugar Creek ES parking lot.
2 sets of cinderblocks attached to the big ropes
2 PAX hand over hand drag the bricks the length of the lot then backpedal pulling the bricks back to the start- hand off to the next 2 PAX
All other PAX are rotating through the following, changing whenever brick dragging PAX exchange change direction.
1. Tuck jumps-Modify to alternating lunges sometimes(SOOO many tuck jumps)
2. Tempo merkins IC
3. Hip slappers (on the curb if you are awesome, on the wall if you are crazy like Geronimo!)
4. Front- back -go Overlooked this on the Winke

NMM
I wanted to try out an idea I had this week. In my head I have a list of exercises that I like least. Today I tried to incorporate many of them (missed partner carries and backwards bearcrawl uphill, ugh!). It may or may not be surprising, I really don’t like doing pull-ups. 2 1/2 years ago, I could maybe strain out 5 in a row, followed by a good break. I don’t like slow cadence merkins. I REALLY don’t like flutter kicks. Tuck jumps and monkey humpers make my legs burn, as does the back pedal brick pull. I was introduced to the inclined hip slappers by the SOB boys, and quickly added that to my list.

All that said, I will be the first to goad the Q into calling any number of the aforementioned activities. “Why do you do this insanity?” Is probably flying through your head right now. I know if I do more pull-ups, I get better at pull ups. The same goes for all of those things things that are difficult for us. Extrapolate that a bit and apply the same idea to work. I don’t expect that I’ll ever enjoy performing ISO audits, but the more I do them, the less it sucks to do them.

Now, if we could just stop doing partner carries altogether…

Geronimo!

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Mid-term Exam @ the Coop

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23 Men arrived with lots of chatter and welcome to FNG “Horse Shoe” and the EH by Couter inviting the intern out.  It was a beautiful day at the Coop for a Mid-Term Exam to remind ourselves of the word that we chose at the beginning of the year and to challenge our selves to finish strong.  

For those that chose a word at the beginning of the year… how is it going?  What have you learned? How are you approaching life differently?

For me… My word is Wisdom and I struggle for perspective and often lose my way and need to be anchor and guided.  The verse that has been shown to me to help is below:

Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. – Ephesians 5:21

The Thang:

 –  Warm up… Thank you Pitts for stepping up and leading us through a series of warm up exercises!!  Nice leadership and excellent cadence! 

(mosey to band parking lot)

Power skip to 50 yard line and back

10 min Amrap

  •    5 burpees
  •    10 donkey kicks
  •    15 bomb jacks
  •    Sprint to 50 yard line and back after each round

  – bear crawl / Merkin ladder (1+ merkin every 10 yards) to 50 yard line and back

  – lunge walk/jump squat ladder (1+ jump squat every 10 yards)

Mosey to the NaFo wall for some wall sits and a bit of balls to the wall

3 minute Amrap

  –  5 – Flying squirrels

   – 5 – mountain climbers

   – 5 – Carolina dry docks

It was an honor and privilege to lead and thank you to Sugarbug for the opportunity.

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The Fort – Choosing to Get Better

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This Q started out marvelously with Nomad welcoming Bubba Gump to his first workout.  Apparently this must have been his first in a while, because he wasn’t in the database to tag him in the PAX…  Nomad wrote up the workout and then emailed it to me because he is now on a retreat for church trying to corral high school boys.  Prayers for Nomad.

Here is what he wrote:

Another hot and sticky morning at The Fort. Many had the freedom to choose, and 18 PAX chose to post and get better

Q: Nomad

Still the Novice Q, YNC referenced the weinke often was checked multiple times. Mumblechatter of more stretching needed, attempts at messing up the count were heard. Pain was endured.

Warm-up: String of Pearls
Jog – 0.6mi around WEP
SSH x20
Windmill x15
Squats x 15

Moroccan Night Club x25
World War 1 Sit-ups – 15 OYO
Railroad Tracks – 2 lines of 9 x2 rounds

Fishstick’s Ladder up the hill by COT
UP – Exercise 1 x10, Exercise 2 x 5
Down – Recover jog
Bearcrawl/Merkin
Lunge/Squat
Backwards Crabwalk/LBC (10)
Bearcrawl/Carolina Dry Dock
Partner wheelbarrow Up once for each partner

Q: Tesh

Tesh took over, and jealous comments of shoulders and abs were spoken of Tesh. Pain was dispensed.

Wall shoulder dips
Mosey
Partner up
Oblique box jumps x25 each side
LBC x25
Shoulder tap x15 – balls, merkin, plank
Line up – lunge hold – jailbreak
Merkin typewriter x10
Al gore (tree hug)
Arm lifts
Calf lifts
Mosey
Partner
Oblique box jumps x25 each side
LBC x25
Crunches 4-points (both knees) x15
Shoulder tap x10- balls, merkin, plank

Prayers and Praises
Flat tire’s Mom
Nomad Gauntlet youth group with church
Red eye – New York mission field
Pusher – marriages

Mumblechatter
Bubba Gump returns from injury (actually was scheduled to Q)
Tesh’s shoulders and abs in a tanktop
Pusher talking USC attendance vs Clemson expectations

I enjoyed all the flack I got, keep up the chatter.  I hope everyone else enjoyed the typewriter merkins, oblique box jumps, and wall dips.  Cause I know I did.

T-claps to Nomad for under-promising and over-delivering!

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The Coop 2017.29

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I was greeted this wonderful morning by over 20 gentlemen that all came to get stronger.  This is not an AO on my routine schedule, but I love it and sneak over here for the pull-up bars on occasion.  It’s the first time I’ve gotten to Q here so guess what?  We’re all going to be sick of the bars before we leave.

Warmup: SSH, Merkins, Freddys

Break up into groups of 3.  Groups of 3 will provide adequate rest between exercises.  This workout is to build strength, not endurance.  Just don’t check twitter while occupying the bench and we’re cool…

Upper body superset: (this is drop set, each exercise is a similar muscle group but an easier movement, so you do more reps)
4 pull-ups, 6 negatives, 8 assisted (one partner gives you a foothold)
Once done Al Gore till the 6 comes in, 10 jump squats, al-gore 30 seconds, 10 jump squats
Core superset:
8 knees to chest, 12 hanging tuck toe pointers, 16 bicycles
Al Gores and jump squats

Repeat the whole thing!

At some point I tried to be a good Q and have a discussion about the topic of the month, and then someone farted…

Stay in groups and head to the bottom of the hill for a 3man Dora.  100 merkins, 100 squats, 100 LBCs.  This is more or less a warmup for your legs, and cool down for your upper and core.ki

Stay in groups for a 3man relay race up the hill and back.  If you don’t almost lose control of some bodily function on this one, you have something left in the tank…  Back to COT.

Moleskin

At COT I gave an explanation of why I train, but to sum it up: I like having solutions to problems.  Some solutions come as physical abilities.  Read the newsletter.

 

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Only you can define Moderate and reflection from my 30’s

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After a 2 1/2 year Slowburn Q ban, YHC was honored to lead 24 #HIMS on a “Create you own Adventure” workout in the 80 degree 150% humidity gloom. After a brief discussion on the moderate and an even shorter disclaimer, we left the CFA parking lot destined for glory.

The Thang

Mosey down to the Parking lot in front of empire pizza. Circle up for:
SSH x 10
Windmills x 10
IW x 10
Peter Parkers x 10

Mosey to the lot in front of Charandas and circle up again
Slow Squats x 10
Slow Merkins x 10
Slow Sumo Squats x 10
Slow WideArm Merkins x 10

Mosey to the Parking lot next to what used to have the bouncy stuff and grab a piece of chalk. Talk the chalk and write an exercise in a parking spot and then write x 40 after it. Partner up and go to a parking spot to start. Do the exercise in the parking spot then run a lap around the bushes (about .08 per lap) and then go to a different spot. You and your partner decide which spots to go to and whether you want to do 40 each or 40 total (20 each).

Spots (exercises included)
LBC’s
Merkins
Burpees
Flutter
Dips
Plank Roes
Scorpion Dry Docks
WideArm Merkins
Freddy Mercury
Box Cutters
and more ab exercise

with about 8 minutes left to go YHC called time

Mosey over to strip in front of the stores as I gave a short testimony about reflecting on my 30’s (don’t worry the longer version is in my moleskin at the bottom). As promised, since its my Birthday everyone got a cupcake (its what we called a suicide growing up, but with youth taking their lives at a younger age due to the pressures put on them, we decided at Basketball to call them cupcakes no instead of suicides).

After the cupcake we moseyed back to CFA for COT and BOM

Announcements – CAH workout next Friday still looking for a Q (contact NASA if interested), F3 Dads this Saturday

Prayers – Smithers in-law close to passing from Cancer, Dark Helmets friend also close to passing from Cancer, Marriages, Qbert’sDar 64 year old father who lost his job yesterday

Moleskin
1. Would like to thank Barry Manilow for allowing be back to Q at this wonderful AO and to all the PAX who came out (or posted elsewhere) that have wished me a happy birthday.

2. Moderate – what does it mean. Well it all means something different to all of us, what it doesn’t mean is easy. Think about moderate this way. If i’m someone who doesn’t drink alcohol very often, 1-2 drinks may be a moderate amount. If I drink a little more frequently 3-4 or a six pack might be moderate. Whereas an alcoholic may think moderate is 7-8 drinks. The point is this applies to your fitness level as well. What I think is moderate may be different than what someone else thinks is moderate. The key is to keep posting and keep getting better.

3. Life in my 30’s – Short Version -turned 30 in 2007, seperated from wife and started going to church again in 2011, divorced finalized in 2012, started going to F3 in October 2013, lost my father to cancer in June 2014, got remarried in August 2015, turn 40 today. Now you see, its more complicated than that. Long Version – In 2007 i thought I had it all was married had a couple of dogs, had a job teaching and coaching, everything was good (just not great). But something in me wanted more. I wanted a family. At this point in my life I was working a lot and my wife at the time worked a lot too. We weren’t going to church, had no relationship with God/Jesus, and really had no time for each other. Was even told my wife at the time that she didn’t want me and that we didn’t have time to be intimate. I turned to Porn. When that wasn’t enough I cheated on my wife. That lead down the path to separation and divorce. It also lead me back to going to church and listening to God’s word. My divorce went final in October 2012. In December 2012 I started dating Elizabeth. In September 2013 we broke up. While broken up I decided to give this F3 thing a try. Santini Q’ed and I already knew half the guys as I was teaching/or had taught many of their kids. On that first Saturday in October in 2013 I struggled through the workout and was given the name Longshanks (evil king in Braveheart). I would post sometimes, just not often. In March 2014 I asked Elizabeth to marry me before heading off to a Spartan Race in Charlotte. She said yes. 3 days later my dad called to tell me he had Pancreatic Cancer, 3 months later he was gone. Married my M in August 2015, and turned 40 today.

4. Back when I was in my early 30’s I thought I had a good amount of guy friends, which may be kind of hard when you teach elementary school PE and there’s only 3-5 guys in the entire school. When I went through my separation and divorce I realized that the almost all the guys I considered my friends were actually just husbands of my ex-wifes friends. I had almost nobody to turn to. Luckily a few guys pointed me back to the church. I got involved in volunteering and being part of a mens a group. Shortly after that I started coming to F3, although at first I didn’t make it a workout priority, I would go on Saturdays if I woke up on time (not always easy when coaching and getting home late Friday nights). If I didn’t wake up to go to F3, I would just go to the gym and do a fern workout. I realized something was still missing so I made it a point to start going to F3 more often. About the same time I started going more often I engaged and that was celebrated by the PAX and my dad learned he had cancer and eventually passed and the PAX where there for me during that too. The thing I’ve realized over the last almost 4 years of coming to F3 is that as long as you are willing to be part of the PAX by posting regularly, the PAX will be there for you when you need it. I know that from being a part of F3, my faith is stronger, my relationship with my M is better, and I feel like a better leader in my house and my community.

5. Keep Posting. Keep mentioning your prayers and praises. Keep getting better!! We are all in this together.

Shanks out (mic drop)

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