Rise: Mettle Maker #303

What is the weekly mettle maker? It’s a weekly shot in the arm, a semi-fortnightly kick in the pants — your helpful heckler, hammering away at you to stop hemming and hawing and hurdle headlong into becoming your own hero!

Rise: Mettle Maker #303

Self-defense and Fitness Combo: Whether you’re into martial fitness or just general fitness, this one’s for you. Here are your four exercises: RCL, RSQ, PSM, JKF. For those new to our abbreviations, that translates to Rope Climbs, Russian Squats, Push-ups Smearing (hands overlapping), and Jackknifes. Intermediate and advanced folks looking for a stand-alone, high-impact training session should aim for 12 rope climbs, and 25 reps of the others. Beginners or those looking for a low-impact training adjunct, complete 4 sets of 1 RCL, 4 RSQ, 4 PSM, and 4 JKF. Subs: No rope? You should get one. For now, sub out Chin-ups. If you can’t climb the rope, hang until failure and call that 1 rep. Same goes for Chin-ups. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “Do what you can, where you are, with what you’ve got!” No excuses — modify, adapt, overcome. Looking for a martial arts or fitness program but short on cash? Check our our free distance learning programs.

Wildwood: Consider reading Bradford Angier’s classic How to Stay Alive in the Woods. Originally published in 1969, this little paperback contains a wealth of knowledge, and I just love the 60’s era illustrations. Many, many of the techniques that are now considered standard, must-have skills were first put into print by Angiers in this book. Wanna know another way you could learn outdoor skills? Click here to sign up for the totally-free Heritage Wildwood distance learning program.

Spirit: Don’t forget that tomorrow’s Easter Sunday. Times are tough, people are busy, and just about nothing in our modern world points toward what’s eternal or transcendent. Try to spend just one day putting aside the temporary — your needs, wants, and desires, your goals, your happiness, and so on. Try not to fantasize about the future or dwell on the past. Rather, spend the day rejoicing in the gift of being. Slow down. Put your phone aside. Turn off the TV. Take a moment to contemplate how crucially important it is that the Creator of the Universe entered into this world for the express purpose of saving you, and “whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.“ (Matt 16:25). And by all means, tune in tomorrow and view the Holy Communion service for Easter Sunday. CLICK HERE to join our email list and to begin participating in church activities. And if you need someone to talk to, CLICK HERE to set up a phone call with archdeacon Mitch.