After the running arrival of Steroid, Mr. Rogers and Fa-io (note my computer’s key for this letter is not working….no disrespect meant here Fa-io) we did the Mosey to the back parking lot to start warm-ups with Teddy; still hoping for another man to “step into the Arena”. Seeing none we prepared to start our warm-ups when we see who we think is Captain Kangaroo running over, so we wait 30 seconds before starting. Getting closer we see it aint the Captain at all….we have a new Healing Place PAX!! We are FIRED UP now, and after quick introduction and early disclosure we start only to then be joined by our Captain himself.
Warm-ups:
20 side straddle hops
20 good mornings
10 Fa-io arm circles
10 reverse Fa-io arm circles
20 windmills
PAX participation Prisoner Cell Merkin Burpees…much mumble chatter here from the PAX directed toward ManRam (originator of these) as we did each of these led by a PAX….a total of 8 of these hellishly awful 14 count exercises
We take a leisurely jog to the Dorothy Dix heating plant as it has a hill that didn’t look nearly as steep in the dark 45 minutes earlier when I was scouting out for a site. Made for a good hard gorilla crawl up/reverse bear crawl down x 3…which was originally to be 5 (3 was enough). We didn’t have Wilson with us, so after a 10-count we hit it again. Two of these were enough.
Moseying to the BlackTop we line up for another awful one courtesy of Higgins and Steroid….the Mickie D! With 8 PAX, this was just about right to the point of mutiny, and upon finishing we take a leisurely jog back to the Healing Place for Mary. Mary consists of all PAX leading a core exercise of their choice, starting at a 15 count, but decreasing to 10 as we run out of time.
COT
Announcement made of the upcoming 3rd F next Tuesday night at Tyler Tap Room, and the day’s later F3 for Fathers/children. We tag our FNG with Drago, as his favorite movie is Rocky IV. Drago hails from up north, having spent time in sunny California with the USMC….and he was a stud today in his first F3 Post. WELCOME FRIEND! We look forward to seeing you again!
Our devotion was what is listed below, appropriate to all of us….as most have this refining needed in our hearts as we have kept our struggles hidden internally in our hearts vs. our brothers at HP. Internal or e-ternal, guys we must let our Father refine us, or we will die….even if we physically keep breathing and keep letting the world see the fake, painted on smile that so many have just accepted as how life is.
Steroid took us out Strong!
Devotion:
For he will be like a refiner’s fire or a launderer’s soap.” – Malachi 3:2b
The Lord has a specific manner of preparing His people for useful service. God desires to turn His children from rough, hard-edged stones into gems of gold and silver.
“He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; He will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years” (Malachi 3:3-4).
The refiner’s fire can only accomplish its purposes when the heat is turned up to extraordinary temperatures. It breaks down the metal in order for it to become moldable and shapeable. Only when the temperatures reach this level can the work be fully accomplished. So it is in our lives.
Until the Lord completes His refining process, the offerings we make are not made in righteousness and cannot be acceptable. Thank God that Jesus is our righteousness and that there is no righteousness apart from Him. Still, the Lord continues to purge all that is not of His righteousness out of our lives. This comes through trials that bring each of us to the end of ourselves in order that He may only reflect that which is Himself.
When God takes you through the refiner’s fire, be encouraged because it is His overriding commitment to turn you from a rough, hard-edged stone to a precious metal. He will do this through certain events in your workplace, your relationships, and other circumstances in your life. Our job is to avoid trying to blow out the fire.
