Give me six hours to chop down a tree and I will spend the first four sharpening the axe. – Abraham Lincoln

“There are seasons you see, a season to sharpen your axe and a season to chop down the tree. I remember getting so frustrated with my work and thinking, this isn’t working, this will never work. And then something would happen, some little part would click and I would take it as a sign to keep going. Don’t try to rush through your axe sharpening season otherwise you will have to work twice as hard during your tree chopping season. Always have the chopped fallen tree as your goal, but take your time – learn your business inside and out, know your customers and take care of them, rise and grind every day. Your moment will come, your tree will fall and it will be awesome.”

Meaghan recently shared this with me from a blog she reads.

Make it a great day.

Jake

These fallen heroes represent the character of a nation who has a long history of patriotism and honor – and a nation who has fought many battles to keep our country free from threats of terror. Michael N. Castle

A nation of character with a long history of patriotism and honor.

Memorial Day was a reminder of those who have given their lives to defend and protect us, but it was also a reminder that we have something worth fighting for and protecting.

Our nation isn’t perfect.

But it is something special.

It is worth fighting for.

Today I am thankful for our history and for all those who have gone before us.

Let us all be reminded to do our best to build upon and honor the past by making the most of the time we have.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/UzDDJm27vmc

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have fallen.

One way to remember is to take a somber moment of quiet reflection.

We can also celebrate the gift that has been given.

I am hoping you can do a little of both this weekend as we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for us.

Make it a great day.

Jake

That’s all I needed to hear. It turns out that gratitude from a single grandchild trumps the ridicule of any number of critics. With this in mind, I now pass on my granddaughter’s (and my own) thanks to today’s guardians—from front-line leathernecks, to keyboard warriors—who all deserve kudos. All play an important role in keeping us safe. So, thanks to all of you heroes out there who, when the call to serve came, eagerly answered, “You can count on me!”

We do, every single day. – Kerry Patterson

With Memorial Day weekend this weekend I got a newsletter email with the lines above at the end.

That last line really stuck out.

We do, every single day.

We count on those in the armed forces, every day.

We count on them in ways we will never understand.

They give to us in ways we will never be able to repay.

Maybe I’m just getting sappy in my old age, but with each holiday that passes to remember or celebrate those who serve I become more and more aware of just how lucky most of us are.

Evil does exist. And there are men and women who stand between us and that evil.

They do so and continue to do so despite the fact that it comes at an enormous personal cost.

I doubt any of them are thinking of Jake Davis and his little family in Chenoa, IL, but they go out there for us, every day. They do the same for you.

I think it is more than being thankful, though.

To be sure, we should be thankful.

But we should do more than that. We should make the most of the opportunity they have given us. The freedom to choose our path in this world.

We have been given a tremendous gift, not to use it wisely would be unfortunate.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with." – Mark Twain

Joy is best when shared.

This quote reminded me how lucky I am to have so many in my life to share my joys with.

But it also challenged me to be that person for others.

Look out for opportunities to share the joy of others.

Look out for opportunities to cheer them on.

Look out for opportunities to celebrate their victories.

Let’s do our best to help other get the full value from the joys in their lives.

Make it a great day.

Jake

If you want to be loved, be lovable. – Ovid

And be loving.

We all desire to be loved.

As with a lot of our desires in life, being loved is not something that can be forced on the world through sheer will.

It must be pursued through loving and becoming more lovable.

What could you do to be more loving?

What could you do to become more lovable?

What does loving more look like?

What does being more lovable look like?

Make it a great day.

Jake

“There is nothing like looking, if you want to find something. You certainly usually find something, if you look, but it is not always quite the something you were after.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Monday morning reminder.

In order to find, we must look.

We must actively work towards finding what we desire for our lives.

It doesn’t just come to us.

We must find the relevant information.

We must ask others who might know where it is.

What are you looking for?

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/L0MK7qz13bU

I made sure to send the sing a long version so you could belt it out.

Several conversations around the office lately have led to Jamie playing this song for someone (not going to name names).

We all can hold on to things we shouldn’t.

We hang on, hoping to control things that are out of our control.

We hang on to hurt feelings, expecting someone else to see or feel the same way we do.

At some point, we have to “let it go”.

We have to move forward and grow past it.

If something comes to mind while the song plays, make the effort to work on it. Make peace and move forward.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"Our lives improve only when we take chances and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves." – W Anderson

This quote reminded me of the chance we all take any time we spend a few moments to try to understand ourselves.

Each time is a chance that we won’t like what we see.

Spoiler alert for all of you out there: as with other areas of life, if you seek, you will find.

There is a least one part of yourself that you will want to improve if you take an honest look in the mirror.

But it’s worth taking the risk.

Only when we better understand ourselves do we get the opportunity to change.

All the good stuff you don’t have today but want for tomorrow is on the other side of some kind of change.

The only way to get there is to start by taking a look in the mirror.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“You can’t talk your way out of problems you behave yourself into.” – Stephen Covey

There is no substitute for action.

We can’t positive think ourselves into success, it requires action.

We can’t talk our way into a better relationship, it requires action.

We can’t read ourselves into solved problems, it requires action.

Be honest with yourself, are you waiting on something when you should be acting on something?

Do you need to put aside the excuses and get to work?

Make it a great day.

Jake