Wolfen Becomes a Warrior Elite

[WolfDreamer]

First, some mood music:

 

 

It's time to take it to the next level. Soulcon Team Juliet begins Monday, November 27th. I have been invited to join the Warrior Elite Challenge that starts at the end of January, so I need to be prepared. Below are the Soulcon Challenge Objectives:

 

• Pray the Lord's Prayer out loud, on your knees, every day
• No carbs after 3pm from grains and breads (sweet potatoes, vegetables, and berries are allowed)
  • Track your caloric intake except on feast days
• Drink at least 64oz of water a day
• Exercise at least 30 minutes 5 days a week
  • Run, walk or crawl two 5ks a week
• Before you leave home for the day do 40 pushups (or as many as you can) <---- I may be substituting burpees here.
• Sleep 6-8 hours a night (excluding feast days)
• Evangelism: Talk to at least 10 people you don't know about your faith

   

  There are also weekly physical challenges:

   

  Week 1: Test-In Week

  • Max Push-ups in 2 minutes
    • 2 min rest
  • Max Sit-ups in 2 minutes
    • 2 min rest
  • Run, walk, or crawl a 5k (who crawls a 5k?)
    • Make sure to record your 5k time, push-up, and sit-up count to challenge yourself on Week 6

  Week 2: Max Week

  • Monday: Push-up Day
    • You have 24 hours to do as many push-ups as possible.
  • Wednesday: Sit-up Day
    • You have 24 hours to do as many sit-ups as possible.
  • Friday: Bodyweight Squat Day
    • You have 24 hours to do as many squats as possible.

  Week 3: Fast Week

  • Have one fast day with at least one person on your team (this team consists of a Facebook group).
    • On this day, you will drink only water and black coffee.

  Week 4: Hell Week

  This week you are limited to fruit, veggies (including sweet potatoes, not white potatoes), lean proteins, unsalted nuts, and protein powders (no milk added, only water). Also, no weight training this week, just daily push-ups and any bodyweight training you desire.

  Push yourself as hard as possible, and have a healthy competition with the guys on your team. You can keep track of:

  • miles from jogging or walking
  • miles from cycling
  • miles on the elliptical

 

Additionally, I have some personal goals and objectives that will supplement the ones above:

 

Body:

• Spartan-style workout at least three days/week (bodyweight stuff, carrying buckets of rocks, tubs of water, etc.)
• Primal Body Reboot movements daily.
• Cold showers daily.
• Lift at least twice/week.
• Walk at least 10,000 steps/day
• Eat whole foods for at least two meals/day.
• No junk food for the duration of this challenge.
• Practice throwing knives at least once/week.

Mind:

• Finish at least one book/week.
• Listen to at least one informative podcast/week.
• Read at least one scholarly article/week about any topic of choice.

 

 

Heart:

• Hug and kiss wife and kids before leaving home for work.
• Call parents daily.
• Message or call at least one Soulcon brother daily.
• Greet people on campus when passing them.

Soul:

• Study scripture using the SPACE method (to be explained in a later post).
• Pray throughout the day, either spoken or unspoken.
• Meditate daily; this could include WHM breathing or some variation.
• Spend at least 30 minutes/day in nature.

 

 

So there it is. Very similar to past challenges, and I know it seems like a lot. But if you know me, you know it's not impossible. I need to be challenged again to push myself.

[Aquarii]

Wow, that is quite the list of goals. But, they all sound really great and I am sure you will accomplish them with your level of dedication. Best wishes on your challenge!

[WolfDreamer]

55 minutes ago, StarlordPhoenix said:

Wow, that is quite the list of goals. But, they all sound really great and I am sure you will accomplish them with your level of dedication. Best wishes on your challenge!

 

Thank you. I needed structure and to give myself no choice but to stay active.

[WolfDreamer]

The SPACE method for studying scripture was introduced to me by Joe Martin, founder and host of Real Men Connect. SPACE is an acronym that stands for:

 

S – SIN: “Does this scripture/passage reveal any SIN in my life that I need to confess?”
P – PROMISE: “Is there a PROMISE in this scripture/passage I need to claim as my own?”
A – ATTITUDE: “Does this scripture/passage expose an ATTITUDE I need to change or modify?”
C – COMMAND: “Does this scripture/passage focus on a particular COMMAND (from God) I need to obey?”
E – EXAMPLE: “Is there an EXAMPLE in this scripture/passage I need to follow/model (or even avoid)?”

 

You choose a section of the Bible, read it, and then complete each part of this as if in prayer, creating a dialogue between you and God using the Word as your guide. It's really powerful and doesn't take as much time as it seems. I used this method for a few weeks but kind of got away from it after my grandpa died. This challenge will work me back into it.

[WolfDreamer]

Nahko!

 

 

[Bean Sidhe]

HI Wolfen. I popped over to say hi.

I am forever amazed how you do it all. I really am. Your challenge looks amazing. Good luck. I will try to pop over when I can to see how your doing

[WolfDreamer]

52 minutes ago, Bean Sidhe said:

HI Wolfen. I popped over to say hi.

I am forever amazed how you do it all. I really am. Your challenge looks amazing. Good luck. I will try to pop over when I can to see how your doing

 

I am forever grateful for your visits. You're always welcome anytime.

 

 

Update:

• 5:30am wakeup, said the Lord's Prayer as well as a more personal prayer for my family.
• Completed the 30 Days to Live Free devotional and started a new one called Wild Life.
• Drank a full glass of water.
• In spite of the 38F temperatures, I took Minnie (my dog) outside while shirtless and shoeless; completed a standing body scan and worked through the Primal Body Reboot joint rotations. Also deep squatted for 3 minutes.
• Completed 10 burpees to get warmed up from the cold.

• Still shirtless and shoeless, I carried trash down to the dumpster; this is a walk of about 170 yards.
• Took a cold shower but turned the water back up to warm for the last fifteen seconds as a reward.
• Fasted until 10:30am and made some grilled chicken with peas and carrots.
• Worked for my mentor loading big bundles of insulation into the new house, cleaning out the chicken coop, feeding the chickens and giving them fresh water.

• Did 10 more burpees when I got home.
• Heated up some chili.
• Read a scholarly article that borrows some rules from Mushashi's Book of Five Rings and applies them to leadership.
• Listened to the most recent Order of Man podcast episode, "Living the Fit Life," which is an interview with Drew Canole.

• Met up with a friend from high school to borrow a diamond knife sharpener. I found a few of my knives in the shed and decided to sharpen them and keep them in a safe place. A few of them came from Papaw.
• Kissed my wife and girls before leaving to work at the theater.
• Worked for a few hours at the movie theater. I decided to do 10 burpees for each theater that I clean. There are 12 theaters, so within four hours I had completed 120 burpees. I also did some dips on the futon in the break room. Cleaning theaters also requires a lot of walking up steps.
• My step count for today was 16,936.
• Bought a copy of Abba's Child by Brennan Manning. Planning to have it finished by the end of next week.
• Had to leave work early because my wife called me in a fury; my daughter (Bianca) was acting out majorly because she had not taken her medication.
• Talked Arabella into "camping" in the living room with me while my wife and Bianca worked out their issues.
• Texted my two local Soulcon brothers to wish them a Happy Thanksgiving.
• Picking my oldest daughter up from work at 11 and then crashing on the living room floor with Arabella.

[annyshay]

I was so dazzled by your awesome warrior self that I forgot to post. Fixed!

[annyshay]

9 hours ago, Wolfen said:

Bought a copy of Abba's Child by Brennan Manning. Planning to have it finished by the end of next week.

I await your reviews.

[Bean Sidhe]

10 hours ago, Wolfen said:

 

That is art of peace. That is awesome..  I just went and found my copy of it again.

As far as your day, It sounds amazing till the issues with the daughter. Hopefully that will get better today.

Happy Thanksgiving.

[WolfDreamer]

8 hours ago, Bean Sidhe said:

That is art of peace. That is awesome..  I just went and found my copy of it again.

As far as your day, It sounds amazing till the issues with the daughter. Hopefully that will get better today.

Happy Thanksgiving.

 

Thank you. I've never read Art of Peace, but now that you've mentioned it I will soon be checking it out. 

 

10 hours ago, annyshay said:

I was so dazzled by your awesome warrior self that I forgot to post. Fixed!

 

No, you're awesome.

 

Update:

• Alarm went off at 5:30am; said the Lord's Prayer and then went back to sleep.
• Slept in until 8:00 this morning because holiday. 
• 23 degrees F outside and I still went out shirtless and shoeless to work through the Primal Body Reboot joint rotations.

• Skipped breakfast.
• Got dressed and ready to go to in-laws' for Thanksgiving.
• I mostly chose wisely: turkey neck, gizzard, heart and liver, green beans, one deviled egg, small portion of macaroni salad, mashed potatoes, and the celery and onion that was stuffed inside the turkey. Dessert was a small slice of homemade blackberry pie.
• Took my in-laws' lhasa apso, Molly, for a walk. She's getting old and her hip is bad, but she was eager to walk with me; too eager--I had to carry her back home because she wanted to keep walking away from the house.
• Called my mother to tell her Happy Thanksgiving.
• Read scripture today but did not use the SPACE method.
• While my wife and older daughters went shopping, I took the little ones to my aunt Julie's for more family, food, and fellowship. Saw some cousins I usually only get to see once a year. This is a rough side of the family with a history of alcoholism, drugs, and abuse, but when we gather as a family it's like all of that is forgotten just for a few hours. It's a real-life (if only temporary) expression of grace and love. And Julie's house has always been like a safe space for the family, just as she has been like a rock for the family.
• Meditated in silence for 15 minutes.
• Sitting at home right now as the little ones watch The Descendants.

[Bean Sidhe]

6 minutes ago, Wolfen said:

 

Thank you. I've never read Art of Peace, but now that you've mentioned it I will soon be checking it out. 

 

 

Art of peace  a book by Morihei Ueshiba. Basically is kinda like the warrior code for Aikido. Its about being a warrior who is working on finding peace and non-violence and center if that make sense. its not real long, but its good for a quick reminder. I found my copy, I need to go back to just reading it for a few minutes a day.

 

Here is another one of his I like.

 

[WolfDreamer]

1 hour ago, Bean Sidhe said:

Its about being a warrior who is working on finding peace and non-violence and center if that make sense.

 

It makes total sense, and sounds like it's exactly what I need. Thank you for sharing.

[WolfDreamer]

"If---" by Rudyard Kipling

 

If you can keep your head when all about you   

    Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,   

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

    But make allowance for their doubting too;   

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

    Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated, don’t give way to hating,

    And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

 

If you can dream—and not make dreams your master;   

    If you can think—and not make thoughts your aim;   

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

    And treat those two impostors just the same;   

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

    Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

    And stoop and build ’em up with worn-out tools:

 

If you can make one heap of all your winnings

    And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

    And never breathe a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

    To serve your turn long after they are gone,   

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

    Except the Will which says to them: ‘Hold on!’

 

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,   

    Or walk with Kings—nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

    If all men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

    With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,   

Yours is the Earth and everything that’s in it,   

    And—which is more—you’ll be a Man, my son!

[Bean Sidhe]

12 hours ago, Wolfen said:

 

It makes total sense, and sounds like it's exactly what I need. Thank you for sharing.

 

Glad to help.

[WolfDreamer]

Weekend Update:

• Slept in both days, but I did say the Lord's Prayer, as well as a more personal prayer.
• Read some scripture, as well as a devotional.
• Read some of the Book of John using the SPACE method for journaling. I realize something really powerful: Jesus is the most assured person in the Bible. He knows exactly who he is, who sent him, and why he came. He is confident even in the face of adversity and danger because he is absolutely sure of his place as the Son of God.
• Inspired by my friend Aaron Dokos (who, btw is probably the funniest lifestyle/fitness specialist ever), I took my little girls outside to run, crawl, jump, and roll around in the field. At one point Arabella wanted to lead our exercise, so she had us doing some stretches and bends. Since the temperatures were in the 50's, I wore shorts and no shoes and socks, but my wife insisted the girls wear pants and shoes but allowed them to wear short-sleeved shirts.

• Worked with my mentor burning trash and taking care of the chickens. Sunday I put up baffles and insulation for the first time in my life. I also stapled my hand with a staple gun for the first time in my life. It hurt, but not severely. I just kind of felt the sting, looked down and there it was in my hand. Pulled it out easily because it was only on the surface of my palm. My mentor just shook his head. But he spent most of the time complimenting how well I was stuffing the insulation for my first time and said next time he would pay me $500 to do the whole house.
• Worked at the theater yesterday, and we were a little busy. But something happened, and it's bothering me. A man came in with his two daughters. One looked about 8 years old and the other maybe 4 or 5. He bought tickets but complained about the prices. Then he stepped over to concession and asked about prices. He did not order anything, again complaining about prices. He walked into the hallway with his daughters towards the theaters. A few minutes later, he reappeared and said, "Hey, you can stick those $60 tickets up your ass, and I shit in your urinal. I'm serious, I really did." My coworker asked if he would like a refund, and he accepted. He continued to grumble about prices and eventually apologized for shitting in our urinal. I was less concerned about that and more concerned about a man who clearly made an ass of himself in front of his daughters. And for what purpose? Because you disagree with the cost of movie tickets and concession prices? What did you solve by shouting at employees (who have no authority over prices,btw) and shitting in a public urinal for someone else (who, also btw, has no authority over prices) to clean up? You just looked stupid in front of your kids. I'm not angry that you shit in our urinal, sir, I'm bothered that you set this kind of example for your daughters: Hey, sweeties, if you ever disagree about something or with someone so much that you're just furious and have to do something to make a difference, just leave your literal mark on society by shitting everywhere and make them clean it up. That'll teach 'em. Nope, prices will stay just as they are, and you're still an asshole.

• Took my oldest daughter Christmas shopping yesterday. I'm proud that she wants to spend her own money to buy gifts for the family. She chose wisely as she shopped, finding ways to buy multiple gifts for each member of the family (except me, of course--she wants me to be surprised).
• I guess I'm ready to get back to work. Just a few more weeks before the holiday break. I also only have a few assignments left for my graduate classes, but they're big ones.
• I got this. I know I do.

[Teros]

6 hours ago, Wolfen said:

if you ever disagree about something or with someone so much that you're just furious and have to do something to make a difference, just leave your literal mark on society by shitting everywhere and make them clean it up

 

 

[Aquarii]

7 hours ago, Wolfen said:

Worked at the theater yesterday, and we were a little busy. But something happened, and it's bothering me.

I worked at a dollar saver theater one summer, so I can entirely relate. People would complain so much or do ridiculous stuff like leave all their trash at their seats and dump their popcorn on the floor. I will never understand why people think that is acceptable behavior for adults.

[Bean Sidhe]

People are weird. And I hate to say it, but I worry for those girls. Either that guy is going to teach them to be jerks, or worse, they think that they deserve jerks and put up with it.

[WolfDreamer]

1 hour ago, Bean Sidhe said:

or worse, they think that they deserve jerks and put up with it.

 

That was my other concern. Fathers are often the models for girls on what kind of guy they end up with. If he treats their mother that way and she puts up with it, that's more than likely what will happen to them, as well. Not always, of course, but it's common.

[Bean Sidhe]

10 hours ago, Wolfen said:

 

That was my other concern. Fathers are often the models for girls on what kind of guy they end up with. If he treats their mother that way and she puts up with it, that's more than likely what will happen to them, as well. Not always, of course, but it's common.

 

My biggest hope here is you just caught him on a really bad day. and this is not the example he sets at home.

[WolfDreamer]

 

Day One (Monday):

• Woke up at 4:30am and said the Lord's Prayer, as well as a more personal prayer for my wife and daughters, as well as for the thousands of other men beginning the Soulcon Challenge today.
• Drank a big cup of cold water.
• Did not use the SPACE method, but I read a devotional on YouVersion called Wild Life; the author and some friends traveled to Colorado to meet with John Eldredge, so there is a brief devotional, a short video, and plenty of relevant Bible verses. My favorite for the day: "The purpose in a man's heart is like deep water, but a man of understanding will draw it out." -- Proverbs 20:5

• Walked outside shirtless and shoeless with Minnie. Temperature was somewhere around 25F (about -4C), but I walked to my spot in the yard and breathed deeply while working my way through the Primal Body Reboot joint rotations. Finished with a 2 minute deep squat while petting Minnie.
• Did 10 burpees before going back inside.
• Completed the first few parts of my Soulcon test-in: Push-ups in 2 mins. -- 32. Sit-ups in 2 mins. -- 35. I will complete the 5k sometime this week and post my time.
• Took a cold shower but turned the water to warm at the end as a reward.

• Breakfast: sausage and a duck egg topped with salsa. Mango juice to drink.
• Hugged and kissed my wife before she left for work; also hugged and kissed my daughters before they left for school.
• Did not call my parents today. :-/
• Texted with my local Soulcon brothers to inspire them and get/give updates on progress.

• Late lunch: bone broth soup with green beans, carrots, peas, spinach, and mushrooms
• Meditated for 20 minutes after work using the Insight Timer.
• I am modifying my reading goal: at least 20 minutes/day. I will edit it on my challenge post at the top.
• Continuing to read Abba's Child by Brennan Manning. It's powerful but also very much what I expect from Manning.
• Worked outside with my mentor burning trash and also took care of the chickens.
• Dinner: more bone broth soup and cucumber simmered in coconut oil and dipped in a dab of thousand island dressing.

[WolfDreamer]

 

[WolfDreamer]

 

Day 2 (Tuesday):

• Woke up at 4:30am, said the Lord's Prayer, as well as a more personal prayer.
• Read the Wild Life devotional. Stand out verse: "Father of the fatherless and protector of widows is God in his holy habitation." Psalm 68:5 
• Used the SPACE method to read John 8:31-59. This is a powerful moment in which Jesus is challenging those who don't believe in him and affirming those who do believe in him. It's another example of Jesus' identity as the Son of God being challenged by men who claim they know God simply because they are "descendants of Abraham." Jesus is so confident in the face of their fury and hatred. While I won't tell you the sin I confessed for Sin, I will say Jesus' Promise, "You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:31. For Attitude I said I need to be more confident in my place as a child of God because of Jesus, the Son of God. The Command is simple: Believe in me, love me, be faithful to my teaching and you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. And of course the ultimate Example here is Jesus himself, his confidence and assurance in his Father and in who he is because of the Father.
• Did some brief WHM breathing.

• Stepped outside shirtless and shoeless with Minnie; did a quick body scan, worked through the Primal Body Reboot joint movements, and ended with a 3 minute deep squat.
• No cold shower because I honestly didn't need it, but I washed my hair in cold water.
• Skipped breakfast.
• Completed 40 pushups before leaving the house.
• Hugged and kissed my wife and daughters before leaving for work.

• Made some Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee with Kerrygold butter and coconut oil. I don't have an immersion blender, so I put a whisk ball, butter, coconut oil, and the coffee in a spill-proof coffee cup and shook it really hard. It worked, and it was delicious.
• Walked around campus, and later I went for a run. I tried to get 5k, but my wife called and I had to stop. I only ran 2.29 miles.
• Lunch: leftover bone broth with vegetables.
• Started reading Lord of the Rings. I've never actually read all of it, so I think it's time. I have a copy with all three volumes, so it's hefty.

• Listened to an Order of Man podcast interview with ocr athlete Hunter McIntyre.
• Worked with my mentor carrying lumber from the new house to the bed of his truck; also used a leaf blower to clean off his porch and checked on the chickens.
• Dinner: scrambled duck egg with spinach, mushrooms, and salsa.

[annyshay]

29 minutes ago, Wolfen said:

Started reading Lord of the Rings. I've never actually read all of it, so I think it's time. I have a copy with all three volumes, so it's hefty.

As it’s meant to be! Enjoy! Feel free to share songs and other lovely bits. The Bath Song is still one of my favorites.