The Ancient Path
Trail run/beatdown
8 pax made it out to face steep hills and shoulder burns: @2Buck, @Tijuana, @Yaris, @Reverb, @Wiggums, @Khakis, @Christian Rasmussen (Ted Talk), and YHC @Green Acres
Intro:
This trail run/beatdown was at my farm, Every Good Path, named after Proverbs 2:1-9.“My son, if you receive my words and treasure up my commandments with you, making your ear attentive to wisdom and inclining your heart to understanding; yes, if you call out for insight and raise your voice for understanding, if you seek it like silver and search for it as for hidden treasures, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding; he stores up sound wisdom for the upright; he is a shield to those who walk in integrity, guarding the paths of justice and watching over the way of his saints. Then you will understand righteousness and justice and equity, every good path”
The name of the black ops, in line with farm name, was The Ancient Path from Jeremiah 6:16.“Thus says the Lord: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
The Israelites did not heed God’s warning, but we can. What we’re doing here, fellowship with believers, iron sharpening iron in our faith, and fitness for our bodies is not a new invention, it has stood the test of time and is a part of the ancient path that God calls good. We all desire to be better husbands, better fathers, and better disciples, and these three steps will head us in that direction.
Every Good Path Farm is 36 acres, so that number will be a theme throughout.
I’m not here because I’ve reached some level of excellence or preparedness, I’m here to push myself to be better. Let’s get started.
Warm-O-Rama:
– Stretches
– SSH x 36 in cadence
– Mosey over to barn
The Thang:
– This big hill is my nemesis, so let’s start here. Run up the hill and stop in the clearing at the top
– 36 merkins OYO
– Mosey along path to another clearing
– 36 calf raises straight, pointed out, and pointed in. Thank you, @TedTalk for cadence calls here!
– Mosey back to main clearing
– 36 two count Hillbilly Walks in cadence
– Mosey through tunnel and down hill
– Part of the farm life is keeping things fed and watered. Carry a full water bucket across the field to the tree stump
– Back to start, get some water
– 36 LBCs OYO
– 36 four count flutter kicks OYO
– Mosey up hill, across, and back down the side pasture staying clear of the bee hive
– 36 two count American hammers OYO
– Shoulder burn in cadence (this isn’t a sleepover!):
– 36 baby arm circles
– 36 reverse baby arm circles
– 36 seal claps
– 36 overhead seal claps
– 36 Moroccan night clubs
– Michael Phelps to stretch it out
– Mosey back to starting point and get some water
– We had a few minutes left, so @2Buck challenged us to run back up the big hill. Man move.
– Q was last one up, but I made it!
Moleskin:
The battle of Iwo Jima was one of the bloodiest of WWII. I got the numbers wrong this morning, but here are the correct ones: 110,000 US soldiers vs. about 21,000 Japanese soldiers. US casualties were 26,040 and Japanese casualties were around 18,000, a huge percentage of their force.
The reason their small army could take on the American forces with such high casualties was because they were entrenched in a series of caves and tunnels, and the terrain was completely unfamiliar to the US soldiers. Even though the US soldiers were armed, prepared, and aware of the situation, they still suffered heavy losses because of their enemy’s cunning tactics. How much worse would it have been for someone to show up to that island in the midst of that war and not be prepared, armed, or even aware the enemy was lying in wait for them? That’s how we live our lives when we head into the world without preparing, arming ourselves, and being on the lookout for spiritual warfare.
What we’re doing here at F3 is a big part of being prepared, but it’s not all we can do. We must be passionately pursuing a relationship with the living God in order to really survive the warfare being waged for our souls.
I once heard this quote and it has always stayed with me: “There are 24 hours in a day, and they are all a gift from God. We do not make time for God, but every thing we choose to do takes time away from him.” Where are you spending your time that could be used to communicate and grow with God? Take a look at your life and remove everything that does not draw you closer to him!Prayer requests:
– @Yaris as he moves into a new place this month. Pray over his wife and children as they deal with the decisions being made. Pray for God’s peace and healing in their lives.
– @2Buck’s M was bitten by a spider and had to go to the emergency room. She is feeling better, but still in pain. Pray for healing there and that she does not begin to live in fear of spiders now. Pray for @2Buck as he’s having to pick up extra chores around the house while his M is healing.
This was an honor. Thank you, @2Buck for believing in me!!