Cadre Rooney WOD-ish at the Barracks
THE SCENE: A chilly 48*
F3 WELCOME & DISCLAIMER: Done while walking towards the track – Daniel Tiger said I didn’t have to, but the Grumpy Carpet Lawyer over my other shoulder said I did.
WARM-O-RAMA:
SSH, arm circles, windmills, and daisy pickers
THA-THANG:
GORUCK Cadre Rooney was recently diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer. A GRT posted a ruck workout to show support and raise awareness. Today, YHC modified the workout to fit our time constraints.
Each round consisted of:
200m ruck
25 4-count mountain climbers
25 squats OYO
200m ruck
25 4-count flutter kicks
25 overhead claps
We completed 5 rounds, then took two victory laps.
MARY:
10 burpees OYO because YHC has not yet assembled the new Barracks shovel flag.
COUNT-OFF & NAME-O-RAMA:
Two (2) – no FNGs
CIRCLE OF TRUST/BOM:
Hebrews 4:15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”
I have been struggling recently with a lack of joy and motivation, which I think are ultimately rooted in a failure to be content with the life I currently find myself living. It’s taken me several weeks, many conversations, and one article to uncover that root. The article is from an online magazine I rarely read, but I happened to be scanning the recent article titles and noticed “I Long to Live in the Country.” Since I was actually just daydreaming about having a farm and lots of open country (rather than excel spreadsheets and a yard of dirt that needs sod), I clicked.
The author outlines her own experience with being discontent with her current situation (the lack of natural beauty in her surroundings combined with some physical limitations). The article closes with a beautiful meditation on what Jesus’ self-imposed limitations means for us.
“[Healing can come from] a God who took on flesh, just like mine, who knows the grief of human limitation. He understands my sadness that our ugly, overgrown backyard isn’t how it was meant to be. He knows I am parched for beauty because of my physical circumstances. He had to spend all his time on earth in a dry, scrubby land, instead of visiting his most spectacular creations.
“Wouldn’t Jesus have loved to climb Half-Dome, or stand on the cliffs at Big Sur and watch the ocean he made crash against the rocks? Did he ever see snow? Was he longing for the cold, pristine purity of the Alps as he walked the dusty roads of Judea? Did he wish for unlimited energy, unlimited time, not just for ministry, but for enjoying the world he made?
“Despite having the power of the God who created the universe at his fingertips, Jesus only exercised his divine power to advance his kingdom—never to indulge his own desires. The man who could command the wind and waves could certainly transport himself anywhere on earth, but Jesus chose to stay with the land and people of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He chose years of mundane life as a local carpenter over traveling the world before his public ministry began. He chose to spend his days in a community that regarded him with confusion, contempt, and finally hatred. Jesus knows the feeling of being made for more.
“…Being known in my discontent points me away from murmuring with frustration at God, and toward the courage to take small steps after little goals. When it feels like I achieve nothing for days on end, Jesus comforts me with the knowledge that only one eleventh of his life was spent in ministry. Were the years Jesus spent as a child and as a carpenter wasted? Of course not. He was working day by day to live the perfect life that bought my righteousness. He can redeem my limitations by pointing me toward small acts of trust, helping me find beauty first in him. Because on the rare days when my heart is most hidden in what Jesus has done for me, my eyes are opened to see beauty in every moment.”
I’ve always thought about Jesus’ self-imposed limitations regarding his power, but never his surroundings or calling. Whatever longings he had to see the world he made or do different types of work, he gave those things up for the sake of his calling to be a living sacrifice for God’s people. I let my contentment and joy become so wrapped up in circumstances – drudgery at work, kids at home complaining about school and chores, an imperfect yard, a general lack of elevation within a two hour drive, wonderful people who fail to meet the unreasonable expectations I have of them (I could go on and on). Jesus experienced these same temptations, but responded by joyfully putting his hand to the plow and pressing on.
My calling is not hindered by my current circumstances or corner of the world. My calling is in my current circumstances and corner of the world.
MOLESKIN:
Good times and good conversation with Daniel Tiger this morning. He’s an Eagle Scout and an aspiring linguist.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Service project tonight at Connect Language Center, hanging some more white boards. 8:30pm
