“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.” – CS Lewis

For some, the Christmas and holiday season are a bleak reminder of a broken heart.

A time of loneliness and melancholy for loved ones no longer with us.

A time to wish for one more chance, one more memory, one more “I love you” or “Merry Christmas”.

Sadness and heartache are real.

They are a price to be paid for loving another human being.

When I think of others going through times like this, I always go back to this quote from CS Lewis.

I’m not sure why it has to work like this, but I believe he explains how it does work.

We must choose between allowing our hearts to harden and turn to stone, or wade into the dangerous waters of vulnerability.

I know this is easier said than done and that compared to a broken heart some may wish for a heart of stone, but my sincerest wish is that even the broken hearted can find hope in CS Lewis’s words.

Hope and faith that real love is worth the heart ache. That a heart of stone is something we would not wish on our worst enemies.

This is part of the magic of Christmas. We are reminded to believe in love. To hope for what can be and to have faith that love will win out in the end.

As a Christian, this is the true meaning of Christmas. God loved us. God sent his son to live and then die on the cross in exchange for us. Love, God and Jesus won out in the end.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The first wealth is health. – Ralph Waldo Emerson

This was a great reminder as I’m recovering from hernia surgery right now.

Take care of yourself.

The Bible talks about we are the hands and feet of Christ. How we are here to do His work. With our bodies.

We are able to be of the most and best service when we take care of ourselves.

Not so we can look good in a swimsuit or some other vanity based goals.

But so that we can tackle the needs of others with vitality and strength.

Make it a great day.

Jake

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow,

stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadnt before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesnt come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more.

Dr. Seuss, How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Two major lessons from The Grinch.

First – Christmas isn’t about presents or decorating or food or anything else. It’s about love. Love from Our Father in heaven and love for all of mankind as we gather together.

We really can forget about all the stuff and gather around in joy and peace. It is possible. Even if it’s only for Christmas.

Second – that even the coldest heart can be turned by the miracle of Christmas. The Grinch was irredeemable in so many ways. But in the end, Christmas wins out and he finds joy and peace with the rest of the Whos.

The Christmas story is just that. We all are irredeemable in our way. We all are need of saving. God sent his Son as a little baby in a manger just so that you could feel that same peace and joy that comes from knowing that.

Make it a great day.

Merry Christmas.

Jake

Kindness in women, not their beauteous looks, shall win my love. – William Shakespeare

As I get older – kindness takes on more and move value.

So much of the trouble in our lives could be avoided if we were simply more kind to each other.

Christmas season is a great time to get started.

Let’s all just try to be a little more kind.

Some advice on getting started – start at home – with your spouse if you have one. And then move on with coworkers, customers, friends, etc.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Https://youtu.be/xi4OpBMbyGY?si=VVxUubV2lzFHS57k

Home Alone is always one of the first ones I watch during the Christmas season.

While it’s a Christmas movie – it’s also a good lesson on being thankful for what you have.

Kevin wishes away his family in a moment of selfishness.

Then finds himself wanting nothing more than being with them.

The holidays can be hectic and chaotic. It’s easy to miss the real reason they are important.

Jesus was born to save us from sin. Our family and loved ones are a blessing to be thankful for. Our neighbors, coworkers, and those we interact with are to be served with love.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I just like to smile. Smiling’s my favorite. – Buddy The Elf

Elf is a classic Christmas movie, following a similar theme to many others.

Buddy the Elf is a “believer” who believes in Christmas, Christmas Spirit, Santa, goodness, etc.

At first he’s seen as the one who has it all wrong by the cynical people he encounters. His positivity and naivete are laughed at and ridiculed.

Then at some point the tide turns – the cynics are proven wrong and the “believer” proves them all wrong in the end. Their eyes are opened and they see him in a new light – the one who had it right all along.

I try to think of the Christmas season as a reminder of how we should act all year long. If we can remember which values are worth believing in.

That’s it’s better to be nice than to be mean.

That money isn’t that important.

That it is better to give than receive.

That being selfless is better than being selfish.

That service and love and faith and grace are to be valued and put above stuff and pride and greed and selfishness.

Christmas really can last all year long – if we believe.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Conflict cannot survive without your participation. – Wayne Dyer

Dale Carnegie says it this way – the best way to win an argument is to not have one.

We get to choose our reaction to conflict.

With social media and other tools today – there is no shortage of people on both sides of every conflict.

We can choose to respond in love.

To treat others as we would like to be treated.

Because of the person we want to be.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Courage is found in unlikely places. – J. R. R. Tolkien

The Lord of the Rings books (and movies) tell the story of unlikely heroes.

Small folk whose wholesome courage and heart save the day.

It’s a reminder that small things change the tide.

There are a lot of big problems in the world. Plenty to worry and fret about.

Real change starts small. With little moments of courage.

The courage love and be loved by those closest to us.

The courage to hope and have faith with the small and big stuff.

The kindness showed to a stranger.

The helping hand reached out to someone in need.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The most worth-while thing is to try to put happiness into the lives of others. – Robert Baden-Powell

What do you want for Christmas?

I’m sure you’ve heard this a few times already. Or asked the kids or someone else.

Maybe it’s because I’m getting old and have too much stuff already, but I’m really trying hard not to want more stuff.

Happiness for others….now that is something I can get behind.

Let’s all make an effort to forget about what we want. For Christmas. For after Christmas. For next year.

Instead, let’s try to think more about what others want. What would make them happy?

Not in a doormat, put upon, poor me, martyred kind of way. In a selfless, joyful, peaceful, kind kind of way (yeah, two kinds in a row, my old English teachers would be so proud).

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – For those of us who are Christians – the idea is to replace our wants with what God wants. All the time. Every time. The closer we align with His will, the better – for us.

Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings, turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings. – William Arthur Ward

Being thankful is the beginning of a better and more full life.

When we are thankful for what we have we transform our attitude and prepare ourselves for more of the same.

Think of an area of your life where you want to see a change.

Find something in that area to be thankful for.

Maybe an example would help.

Let’s say you wanted to save some money.

First, be thankful for whatever money you do have.

Treat that little bit as if it were a blessing that you get the opportunity to steward.

And then you will have the attitude it will take to start adding more.

Make it a great day.

Jake