The past cannot be changed. The future is yet in your power. – Unknown

I’ve always like the analogy of the windshield and the rear view mirror.

The rear view mirror is small and is meant for quick glances behind you.

The windshield provides a larger view of what is in front of you.

In life, most of our time should be spent looking through the windshield. At our immediate surroundings and into the future.

We can glance at the review mirror to get some quick insights, but it shouldn’t be our focus.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Some genius at the USGA decided a long time ago that the US Open golf tournament would end on Father’s Day each year.

This means that almost every year there is a scene on the final green where the winner is embraced by his father, usually accompanied by tears.

It’s a great moment to watch and a great reminder of all the great fathers out there.

The bond between father and son is such that even amongst the turmoil and celebration that is winning a major championship – the winner chooses to embrace his father.

I imagine the winner thinking about all the practices, tournaments, etc. and how they wouldn’t be where they are without the loving influence of their father.

I didn’t win a major championship yesterday, but I was thinking about the same things.

The world sure has it’s problems and imperfections. But it also has a whole lot of good fathers, doing the right thing, putting their family first, and being selfless (most of the time).

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/lBe3bgmdsAI?si=WmcEECNnH9PkLwE6

Reminder – love is a verb.

It requires action.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

What a great, simple idea.

Decide that every day is the best day.

Maybe it won’t work every time, but it’s probably worth a shot.

Make it a great day.

Jake

There is more to life than increasing its speed. – Mahatma Gandhi

Life is a balancing act between ambition and contentment.

It’s good to pursue more and better.

It’s good to be happy with our current situation.

Unbridled ambition leads to disaster.

Sedentary laziness leads to disaster.

We must balance the two – pushing and striving while being content.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – If you’re looking for more specific advice here I think the first place to look is to get rid of all the extra stuff (and stop buying more).

God has not been trying an experiment on my faith or love in order to find out their quality. He knew it already. It was I who didn’t. In this trial He makes us occupy the dock, the witness box, and the bench all at once. He always knew that my temple was a house of cards. His only way of making me realize the fact was to knock it down.

C.S. Lewis, A Grief Observed

What a powerful thought.

Regardless of where you stand on believing in God and whether or not God places trials in our lives to test us, life will test you at some point.

The older I get the more I wonder how many of my "temples" are really houses of cards.

We see others whose metaphorical card houses have been toppled and quickly jump to conclusions about what they may have done wrong, not noticing we are balancing precariously in a house of cards ourselves.

But wheres the positive spin, Jake?

First, showing empathy for the weaknesses and follies of others can help us from meeting that same fate.

Second, seeing our house of cards for what it is before it falls can save us a whole lot of heartache.

Take a look at what you are building your beliefs and habits from to make sure they are built on solid footing.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Don’t watch the clock; do what it does. Keep going. – Sam Levenson

Monday morning reminder – let’s get going!

Time doesn’t wait around for anyone.

Got something you want done? Get started!

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/8xg3vE8Ie_E?si=3_yf56zd1hA0Tmkr

Sunday will mark our 24th wedding anniversary (we were almost as young as T Swizzle looks in this video).

When I think about our love story, I can’t help but focus on a couple of lessons learned about love.

First, love is a verb. Love is about doing for those you love in your life. Being married to someone gives you endless opportunities for loving action taken on their behalf. Consistently taking those actions builds trust and helps fill the tank for all the times you (we/I) fall short.

Second, love is a choice. Whoever you love will let you down. They will fall short of expectations, forget to do that thing you told them, and make mistakes. You can choose to love them anyway.

Love requires grace. Not only do we need to choose to love in the face of shortcomings, we need to show grace for those same shortcomings. Not just being patient or understanding, but true forgiveness and grace.

Last one – for those of us who are Christians. God has to come first. If both husband and wife are earnestly pursuing God, the love will flow naturally.

Thank you to Meaghan for showing me love and teaching me all this over the last 24 years, sorry I’ve kind of a slow learner and still have a ways to go….

Make it a great day.

Jake

Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose. – Lyndon B. Johnson

Today is ours to win or lose.

Let’s do this!

Make it a great day.

Jake

It is difficult to free fools from the chains they revere. – Voltaire

So many of issues, frustrations and heartache in life is self-imposed.

We think thoughts and take actions that keep us where we are and keep our current patterns going.

I wish we could all get just a glimpse of what our life would be like if we let go of these self-imposed limitations.

Too often it takes a catastrophic event to wake us up and lift the veil that keeps us blind to what is possible for us.

Don’t wait for that to happen to you.

Ask a trusted friend of loved one if you have any blind spots that are holding you back. Then really listen. Take them seriously and decide to act on whatever feedback they give you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Please let me know about my blind spots!