Meaghan and I have taken a walk the last few nights and both commented on the stars, the sky and the moon….it reminded me of this email I sent way back in 2013.

This one definitely falls into the category of “Jake’s miscellaneous thoughts on life”. I apologize ahead of time for a little bit of rambling in this one.

Every night I take the dog out to heed nature’s call. On the clear nights I find myself staring up into the sky and the same couple of thoughts keep popping into my head.

First, as I stare into the great abyss I think of how small I really am in relation to the universe and that I am one of millions of people at that very moment staring into the same sky. I think of the great men and women of history and how they must have stared at the sky and felt small at some point as well.

My second thought is of how interesting it is that while I feel at one moment small and insignificant, I know in my heart that I am capable of great things. I know that WE are capable of great things at Mavidea. I know that despite our seeming insignificance at times, we can and will conquer whatever portion of this world we want to. I know that God put me here to be the best Jake I can be and that we all came together at Mavidea to become the best we can be as a company.

My thoughts usually then drift into thankfulness. Thankfulness for a wonderful family, a nice house, a great country and a great group of people to go and conquer the world with every day.

Next time it is a clear night spend a minute looking at the stars. Think of how small, great and thankful you are. Think of all the things that could be.

Wake up the next morning ready to make your dreams come true.

Jake

https://www.instagram.com/reel/De2pu2iJmk3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&vrfl=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ

Judah Smith implores us to find contentment in being useful.

What a great phrase and idea.

It’s so easy to get caught up in the rat race. Striving for the next thing or level or whatever.

Instead, we can find peace and contentment by being of real, meaningful service to those we love.

The best part about this idea – you can start today.

Whoever is in your circle – serve them.

Find contentment in serving your family, friends, coworkers and customers.

Make it a great day.

Jake

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness. – William Arthur Ward

Monday morning reminder – smile more.

Lots more.

Like most of the day, every day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/P3Y8OWkiUts?si=aMceUroULaKpwxZA

Another song from the marching band program for this fall.

Last Sunday was the end of the year banquet for the marching band.

Another chapter in life complete for Annie – last high school marching band season.

It’s hard at that age to see that this is first of many "lasts" in life.

As a parent, you want them to feel the emotion of that moment but also to look forward to a lot of life left to live.

Even when you are as old as me….you need to be able to look forward. Thankful for the past.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. – Vernon Howard

One of the best and surest shortcuts in life is contentment.

If you can be content with what you have, you can save a whole lot of headaches.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We must not allow other people’s limited perceptions to define us. – Virginia Satir

It’s easy to fall into the trap of valuing other’s opinions too much.

To allow ourselves to spend our life worrying about what others think.

To place those opinions too highly on our lists.

Make it a point to think more clearly about where your value comes from and where to look to see where you should go next.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I’ll add “unless you’re a jerk, and people who actually care about you deeply have made that very clear”. Then you should probably listen and make some changes.

Wealth consists not in having great possessions, but in having few wants. – Epictetus

Jim Rohn talks about majoring in the majors of life and minoring in the minor things of life.

I’m convinced stuff belongs in the minor category.

It’s so easy to fall into the traps of trying to have great possessions.

Instead we can focus on limiting our wants to those things that really matter.

Our health.

Our family.

Our spouse.

Our faith.

Our work.

Keep the list short. And keep your focus on that short list.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Don’t go around saying the world owes you a living. The world owes you nothing. It was here first. – Mark Twain

An important life lesson to learn is that some things should be accepted as they are. We were born into a certain situation on a certain planet at a certain time.

Because of that we have to live with some of the rules for this place.

Gravity will always make things return to Earth.

Kindness, generosity and love will pay themselves back tenfold. But so will lying, cheating and stealing.

Life will be hard. And wonderful.

Some things will be hard. Some will come easy.

We don’t get to pick how it works. But we do get to pick how we work with it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/Ci-0k9GojM4?si=pC11e4xxkM2JZ8Ps

If you’re tired of being the same
If you’re tired of things not changing
It’s time to get out the way

So often in life we get in our own way. We get trapped in bad loops of behavior and thoughts.

Better is possible.

As a Christian I believe the best path forward is with Jesus.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Started reading The Screwtape Letters again so I’m sending out this old daily attitude email from one of the last times I read it….

I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of "Admin." The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern."

[From the Preface]

C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

In The Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis writes as Uncle Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood. The letters are his advice on life as a tempter or demon and how best to ruin the life of the patient he is assigned to.

This excerpt from the preface shows some of what CS Lewis thinks about the possible evil in our world.

He tells us what we should be wary of as modern office workers and business people. Weve seen this happen in our society as some businesses have chosen to prioritize profits and shareholder value above all else. Many lives have been ruined by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices. Many in our society are unhappy with their work and their workplace as a result.

Our opportunity lies in heading the other direction. To put people first. To consider whats most important and to firmly plant those values above others.

We can create a workplace and business where people get filled up. Where they move closer to their best self. Where they move closer to God.

We can build relationships that lead to a life filled with meaning and purpose. Where value freely moves and all involved end up better for having been involved.

That seems worth getting out of bed in the morning to me.

Whos in?

Make it a great day.

Jake