Mark 12:41-44

New International Version (NIV)

The Widow’s Offering

41 Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. 42 But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a few cents.

43 Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. 44 They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.”

Yesterday’s parable of the talents reminded me of this couple of verses.

An important component in life is the giving of ourselves in service to others.

It’s easy to get caught up in just the monetary aspect of the story. Maybe even feel bad because you haven’t given away all of the dollars you have earned.

And while I think that is an important element of the story, I believe that maybe a more important idea in today’s world is giving all of ourselves in service to others.

In service to our families.

In service to our church or favorite local charity.

In service to our clients.

In service to our teammates.

Make it a great day of service.

Jake

The Parable of the Talents in the Bible teaches some important lessons.

I have included the story below.

Spoiler alert….one of the morals of the story is that “to whom much is given, much is expected.”

And we all have been given much.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Matthew 25:14-30

New International Version (NIV)

The Parable of the Talents

14 “Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag,[a] each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.

19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’

21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’

23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’

26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

https://youtu.be/DykVJl6wr_4

This was Annie’s suggestion for a Toe Tapper this week.

We’re all in this together.

That’s my favorite part about Mavidea/Maxlider – we’re a team and we’re all in this together.

If something needs to be done, we’re doing it together.

If something needs fixed, it’s on us to fix it.

If somebody needs help, we’re going to help them.

Not to get too philosophical, but it works this way in the big picture too. There’s only Earth. We all have to work towards making it a better place.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Busy is the new stupid.” – Ed Baldwin

Over the years I have become more and more convinced how “busy” has become a meaningless throw away word.

Something that just gets put in the place where another word should be instead, like good or nice or stuff or like or …..

The interesting thing about this one though is that at some point a lot of us bought into it. We bought into the idea that more busy equals more better.

We fill our time (and our homes and our cars and our….) with more and more busy until we feel like we are “winning” the busy contest.

Only to find out later that we are all the same amount of busy. 24 hours passes at exactly the same rate for us as it does Bono (or someone else who you think is really important).

Today I give you permission (ignore the fact that I have no actual power over you) to let go of busy. Let go of trying to cram it all in. Decide on what is important and do that. Make a top 5 list for the day (or a top 1 list to start).

And then do it again tomorrow.

Do it enough days in a row to build a habit.

Make it a way of life.

On second thought, maybe there is a way to win the “busy” game. Stop playing it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/busy-new-stupid-ed-baldwin-sphr-gphr?trk=hp-feed-article-title-like

Love is a great beautifier. – Louisa May Alcott

I like this picture of love. It makes the person more beautiful.

Does the appearance of the beloved actually change? It does to the person who loves them.

When you think the best of and for another, it makes them take on a whole new appearance.

Isn’t it cute how they leave their socks on the floor?

Isn’t it funny how that co-worker slurps their soup?

Grandpa is so forgetful….

When we have love, we take the little stuff of life and add a positive and loving spin on it. We choose to think the best.

What if we could do this in more of our interactions today?

What would that look like for you?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Found this old daily attitude email, figured we could all use a reminder to be a little weird where it counts.

“Some are born weird, some achieve it, others have weirdness thrust upon them.” ― Dick Francis, To the Hilt

While on vacation I saw a woman running. She was running fast, had all the gear on, etc.

I thought to myself “she must be one of the weirdos that actually likes running.”

And then I thought “maybe I need to be a little more weird.”

And then I thought “maybe I could send out a daily attitude email about this.”

And then I thought “better make a note so I don’t forget.”

And then you thought “get on with it, you weirdo.”

Anyways, achieving something meaningful or breaking through our self-constructed barriers usually involves getting weird about something.

The person who ends up with a fortune first had to be the person who was a little weird about making and saving money.

The person who loses the weight and keeps it off first had to be the person who was a little weird about the food they ate and how it was prepared.

The person with all the great friendships first had to be the weirdo who talked to everybody and invited himself over.

We are all a little weird in our way.

But maybe we should consider adding to it. Adding a little weirdness where we need to make a change.

Make it a great day.

Jake

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world. – Anne Frank

Great way to start a Monday – with the reminder that we don’t need to wait to start making things happen. We can start right now.

This day, this week, this month can be your new beginning, the time you really poured it on.

The world changes when we do.

Change begins when we do.

Let’s get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Hi! This is Meaghan standing in for Jake today. Isn’t he the best, taking some time to send out some encouragement every single workday? His daily attitude of gratitude continues to amaze me. He lives this out in our daily life. No matter what is going on around us, he looks on the bright side and helps me to do the same. I am definitely still learning, so I look forward to opening my email every morning to see what he has to say, and Fridays might be my favorite.

While today’s toe tapper is a little on the twangy side, I think the sweet message is worth the listen!

Try not to take the lyrics too literally, but they resonated with me because so many of us are encountering heartbreak and worries, being given our own extremely sour lemons, and feeling like "the house" just keeps on winning. When I heard the chorus, I loved the idea of keeping a light on in my soul (the Spirit is within us!) and a bluebird in my heart (reminds me of the Zip-a-Dee-Doo Dah song, often sung by my cheery and postive grandfather, my Boompa). Even when things are not going our way, when the whole wide world seems to have stopped singing, we can remind ourselves and encourage each other that there is still, always, that pretty little bluebird flutter of hope to be rekindled! Keep going, keep giving, and keep that light on in your beautiful soul.

– Meaghan

Miranda Lambert – Bluebird (Lyrics)

Miranda Lambert – Bluebird (Lyrics)

BONUS Toe Tapper to bring you back to your childhood!

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah (Original)

Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah (Original)

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant. – Robert Louis Stevenson

The person who plants the most seeds get the most harvest.

Quantity and quality are both important.

What kind of seeds are you planting?

How well are you planting them?

We must be diligent both in our efforts and in our discretion.

Wonder how are you doing so far? Look at the harvest you are reaping now. Look at the next 3 years and guess at the harvest to come. Read books and study and compare that to what you are doing.

The bounty of harvest is available to us all. There is no shortage. There is enough for everyone.

Too philosophical for you? Think of some seeds you can start planting today.

Exercise.

Save and invest some money.

Call an old friend.

Buy your wife some flowers.

Take a friend out to lunch.

Read a book.

Read the Bible.

Pray.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Found this email from a while back when I first started following David Goggins a few years back. Not sure about you, but I’ve spent a lot of time in the uncomfortable zone this year. Time for me to reflect on what I should be learning and growing towards through all of this.