The hardest thing is to take less when you can get more. – Kin Hubbard

This reminds me of two sayings that often go through my mind –

Pigs get fat, hogs get slaughtered.

A gentleman never takes an advantage.

We must actively work to curb our appetites. To work against our natural tendencies toward greed and gluttony.

Not in a “rich people and business are bad” kind of way, but in a way that allows us to minimize the distractions from life’s more important elements.

The opportunity to have and be more is an opportunity to give and serve more, not a chance to consume everything in an endless chase of temporary pleasures.

I’ve had the good fortune to have had generous and kind parents who (despite my best efforts) instilled some of these same values into me. We’ve worked to consistently tithe as a family and the lesson I’ve learned from doing so is that we are better off for having given away those tithes.

Our lives are better when we give and serve more.

Find a way to give today. Not out of guilt or shame, but from a desire to honor our role in this world.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Bonus point/reminder – it’s not about you (or me)! It’s about others. Every single time.

There is no better opportunity to receive more than to be thankful for what you already have. Thanksgiving opens the windows of opportunity for ideas to flow your way. – Jim Rohn

Reminder – you have a lot to be thankful for.

Developing a habit of gratitude is a great step towards getting what you want out of life.

Be thankful today!

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/hdcTmpvDO0I?si=93lLi_fwv-hIwhyM

Moving day today!

Even though it’s our second year of moving Maggie away for school, still a lot of mixed emotions.

Sad to see her go. Worried about all the risks. Missing seeing her and talking to her every day.

Happy to see her grow. Excited for all the cool experiences and relationships she’s going to have.

It’s going to be hard, but it’s going to be good.

We’re lucky to have such a great kid and for all the opportunities God has blessed her and our little family with.

I’m sure we’ll shed a tear or two.

A lot of life’s harder moments are moving from something and towards something else. It’s hard to let go of what we have today to move towards something better. But we only get where we want to go when we move.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Resending this daily attitude email from last year’s college drop off since we’re moving Maggie in again tomorrow.

We made it….phew!

We successfully (I think) dropped Maggie off at SIU.

When we were at Target (feels like a mandatory part of college move in day) I noticed a lady next to us in the pick up spots who seemed to be going about her day as usual. Blissfully unaware that we were dropping our baby off at school for the first time.

I was reminded (once again) that the world is not about me and what I have going on.

Everyone has their own stuff happening.

Other people were having a big day yesterday too.

Some people were getting married, some were having kids, some were saying goodbye to a loved one for good.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in ourselves and not realize there are “big days” happening all around us.

Some people need a warm smile or a friendly hello. Some need prayer. Some need a Savior.

Our role is to be of service in love. To think of others first and figure out how to serve them.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Thank you to everyone who did just that for the Davis family over the last few days (and the other days over the years). Your prayers and well wishes were felt and made a difference.

You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry, don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way. – Walter Hagen

This is a great quote from a golfer.

Golf is a game of short bursts of intense concentration followed by lots of opportunities to complain or worry about the shot or enjoy the scenery.

In my old age I appreciate more and more the shortness of life.

We really aren’t here that long. We must choose wisely how we spend each day.

We must make the most of it – without hurrying or worrying.

Not easy, but worth it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Without labor nothing prospers. – Sophocles

Labor is good.

Don’t get fooled into believing the goal is not to labor.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire." — Arnold H. Glasow

Monday morning reminder – no one is coming to get you started and get you moving.

It’s up to you.

Get up.

Get moving.

Make progress.

You got this.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/b8VoUYtx0kw?si=DZAZpITFr1NuRQ3G

In life – we’ll all need to be an overcomer.

We are going to face difficulties.

It’s going to get dark.

But we can get through it.

God is with us always. Especially in the darkest of hours.

Make it a great day.

Jake

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. – Henry David Thoreau

We tend to do this in our lives as well.

We hack away at all the little things we need to improve on or want to be different.

Instead, look for the root.

Why do I feel this way?

Why do I turn to food?

Why do I spend money without thinking?

Why do I skip the exercise?

Hard questions to be sure.

It doesn’t mean you can’t figure it out and fix it though.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Dreams will get you nowhere, a good kick in the pants will take you a long way. – Baltasar Gracian

Reminder for today – get started!

Don’t dilly dally any more – get going already!

Make it a great day.

Jake