YHC showed up ready to hand the pax their rear ends at Epicenter, but instead got his own handed to him. The following is a vague account of what happened along with some back story so that the reader understands fully what transpired…

The pax gathered at the flag for a short CoT before we moseyed along to do some work that included box jumps. YHC warned the pax to be careful since it rained last night. YHC’s choice of words found a less than desirable audience among at least two pax.

After a mosey over to the football field, YHC was again chastised for his, er, colorful choice of words once again. This prompted a workout-long discussion of language, standards and where those two meet between YHC, ColdFeet, X-Ray, Polly and Tweeter. JudgeHairy probably would have strangled all of us (or at least it sounded that way), but he was afraid of using words that would also find an unwilling audience.

YHC was raised by a sailor and was a squid himself for some time. YHC also had the honor of serving alongside the nation’s finest men and women in the sandbox (an affectionate and ColdFeet-approved term for Afghanistan). In each of those scenarios, the words which are considered out of bounds are much different than they are here in the clasp of the buckle of the Bible belt.

YHC has realized that he should sometimes curtail his choice of colorful, demonstrative words and some of the pax thought a swear jar would work. Unfortunately, all that accomplished was putting my home in foreclosure and my new business in dire straits. YHC also was not aware that words of the gloom would be met with such force.

YHC prepared a short word of encouragement for the pax to be given and subsequently praised as much needed edification during the CoT. What actually occurred was a nice moment of authentic leadership. Authenticity just happens to be the first of four foundational leadership principles which YHC teaches to those not privy to F3 – ACES.

The encouraging word came after playing some hoops with the youngest 2.0. After YHC checked the ball, the 2.0 threw it at my feet, dribbled to the hoop and scored. When YHC informed him that was not fair, he informed YHC that I did not call “No shoe shine.” Well, then.

I explained to the young man that sometimes what is allowed by the rules is not always the right thing to do. In this instance, he should have just checked the ball properly and played some better D.

As this delightful bit of eloquence was just about to spill forth into the waiting hearts of the pax, YHC felt the painful sting of being sharpened. I may be fully within the rules to use whatever words I choose. That debate can be had elsewhere. Those words may not always be the right ones.

YHC was sharpened today. And that’s why I come back to F3 again and again and again. Sure, the workouts are great and can be a lot of fun with all of my brothers and their mumblechatter. But the removal of dross from my life is what really makes it special.

Men, being sharpened is uncomfortable and painful at times. In fact, most of the time is uncomfortable and painful. That dross and that rust are attached and it hurts when they are removed. And sometimes, if we want to be a sharp blade, we have to have some of our good metal removed. That’s the way it is.

Rarely comfortable, but always better. After all, we all want to get better, right?

Oh yea, we did some work:

CoP

• SSH x 20 IC
• Merkins x 10 IC
• Flutterkicks x 20 IC

Mosey up to the center of the complex

• 21-15-9 Box jumps/dips
• Chip away at 50 incline merkins for the six

Mosey to the football field

• 21-15-9 AMRAP #1
  • 21 Merkins
  • 15 Squats
  • 9 Burpees
  • Run to other end of field
  • Rinse and repeat until time called
• 21-15-9 AMRAP #2
  • 21 WWI Sit-ups
  • 15 American Hammers
  • 9 V-Ups
  • Run to other end of field
  • Rinse and repeat until time called
• DORA 3-2-1
  • P1 runs to midfield for 5 hand release merkins while P2 does work. Work is cumulative
  • 300 Squats
  • 200 Low Plankjacks
  • 100 Burpees
• Moesy back to CoT for 24 merkins – 22 for the vets who commit suicide each day and 1 each for Lego and Mulligan who are currently deployed.

Count, Name, Announcements (found in newsletter), lots of prayer requests, BoM

Aye!

Jugz Out!