Let your gentleness be evident to all. – Philippians 4:5

Meaghan put this up on the chalkboard on the wall in the kitchen this week.

What a great reminder – we should be gentler.

Someone cuts you off in traffic – gentleness.

The waiter messes up your order – gentleness.

A coworker makes a mistake and you have to clean up the mess – gentleness.

Life is full of opportunities to be gentler. We don’t need to be always on the lookout for the mistakes of others and respond harshly when they happen. We can be gentle and gracious.

The real secret in Bible verses like this is that – YOU are better off. In responding better to another of God’s children, you are the one who gets more peace.

Others may or may not respond well to our gentleness. At least one person will take advantage of you. But I still think you’re better off.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS The few verses around this one are real good ones too –

Philippians 4:4-9 – Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.

https://youtu.be/Zj6rMcVNQbw?si=I1P-C326jxeUBwvZ

25th anniversary of September 11th – resending this note I sent out on the 20th anniversary.

Not all time in life is equal. – Jim Collins

Some moments hold greater significance than others. Some moments require greater attention than others.

Today we are all reminded of one of those moments. September 11th was a moment when the course of history changed.

For those that died, those last moments were unequal.

For those that risked their lives to save others, those moments were unequal.

For those that fought battles on foreign soil in order to make sure it doesn’t happen again, those moments were unequal.

For those that hugged their loved ones a little tighter that night, those moments were unequal.

Not all time in life is equal. Some moments require more of us. They require us to dig deep and perform, love, hope, and have more faith than we have ever had before.

In this time we can create something wonderful.

We can create a nation united.

We can create a family filled with love.

We can create a force for good in this world.

We must take advantage of the unequal times in our lives.

Let’s get started today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream. – Les Brown

Also – it’s never too late in the year to set some new goals.

Don’t the let the end of the year wind down without pushing for something.

Make a short list of what you’d like to do before the end of the year.

Post it somewhere.

Share it with a friend.

Get to work.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You cannot climb the ladder of success dressed in the costume of failure. – Zig Ziglar

Getting to where we want to go requires change.

It could be how we dress.

Or who we hang out with.

Or what we eat.

Or how we spend our money.

Or how much TV we watch.

I’m not sure I’m a believer in "fake it ’til you make it", but I do believe that if you can start acting like the person you want to become, you are on your way.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Zig was full of funny little lines like this. My favorite – "He smiled so wide he could eat banana sideways!"

Labor Day is a great reminder of the importance of labor.

The work that so many do is meaningful and taking a day to recognize it is important.

But work and labor are also to be recognized as well.

It’s a blessing to be able to work.

To be of service to those around us.

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking – I worked and labored and deserve a day of recognition and rest. And you do.

But to stop there is to miss part of the point – we must also be thankful for the opportunity to work. To add purpose and meaning to our lives in service to something bigger than ourselves.

I hope everyone had a great Labor Day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/Gs069dndIYk?si=y6fxOR6vRUe1WCJe

First Friday in September so I had to send out this classic!

The year is going quick. Fall is almost upon us.

Before you know it, we’ll be talking about Christmas and complaining about the cold.

What’s left on the goal list for you this year?

What could use a renewed sense of motivation and attention?

Make it a great day.

Jake

The bad news is time flies. The good news is you’re the pilot. – Michael Altshuler

Getting older sure has made it seem like time is really flying by.

The kids are growing up.

Life is moving quicker.

This quote was a good reminder.

I’m still the pilot.

I still choose what to spend time on.

I still have to pay close attention to where I’m headed.

Make it a great day.

Jake

To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you. – Lewis B. Smedes

Another reminder about forgiveness.

It is ourselves who are freed when we choose to forgive.

Hanging on to whatever it is hurts us, not them.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Everybody wants to save the Earth; nobody wants to help Mom do the dishes.” – P.J. O’Rourke

My dad sent me this quote yesterday….maybe he was hinting about my lack of helping with dishes as a kid.

The quote is a good reminder that we can get caught up in the grand themes of life. Like our only chance at making a difference is through something grandiose.

Instead, the real difference comes in how we love our neighbors, family and friends.

If we all set out to love each through service, it’d probably work out pretty good….

Make it a great day.

Jake

26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?[a] 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. 34 “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. – Matthew 6:26-34

Any time I feel the anxiousness creeping in, I try to remind myself of the verses above.

It’s so easy to fall into the trap of worrying.

Our minds appear to have a natural tendency towards worry and anxiety.

But I believe God has a different plan for us.

Promises like joy and peace are there for us if we can renew our mind and put the right thoughts in.

If you’re feeling a lot of anxiety lately, read these versions again. Maybe every day. Renew your mind with these timeless truths.

Make it a great day.

Jake