The 4th of July is a great reminder of all the great things about this great country we live in.
We have been given much and in exchange much is expected of us.
Embrace these expectations.
Embrace all of the possibilities that come with your freedom.
Embrace the opportunity to do and be your best.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Today is the end of the first half of the year.
Time for a quick check in with yourself.
How are things going?
Are you on pace or behind the pace?
Anything need an adjustment?
Do you need to change course?
Treat it like a “half New Years”. Set some goals. Make a resolution. Make the changes you want to see in your life.
Make it a great day.
Jake
JD – Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom, must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it. ~Thomas Paine
JW* – Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed – else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die. ~Dwight D. Eisenhower
MS* – This, then, is the state of the union: free and restless, growing and full of hope. So it was in the beginning. So it shall always be, while God is willing, and we are strong enough to keep the faith. ~Lyndon B. Johnson
EB* – Freedom is nothing but a chance to be better. ~Albert Camus
In honor of the 4th coming up this weekend, all the quotes are independence themed.
My favorite though was the last one.
Being part of this great nation doesn’t guarantee us anything but a chance.
A chance to be better.
Everything else is on us.
Make the most of your chance to be better.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see a shadow. – Helen Keller
We have a choice. We can choose to spend most of our time facing the sunshine.
One of my favorite ideas from Jim Rohn is that we “go the direction we are faced”.
We move towards what we are looking at and for.
So, if we choose to face the sunshine, we will head towards it.
As long as you don’t take this all the way and try to fly into the sun (that will end badly), we will end up better off.
As you begin your day today, which way are you facing?
Make it a great day.
Jake
Positive anything is better than negative nothing. – Elbert Hubbard
Simple reminder for today.
Be positive.
Find at least one thing to be positive about today.
And tell somebody.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. – Henry Ford
We had our 9 year anniversary party on Saturday.
It was a great reminder that we have something special going on.
Each person involved is special in their own right and capable of great things.
But when we work together and put service to others above our own desires, something better is created. Something we couldn’t or wouldn’t have been able to experience without the collective group working together.
Thank you to all of you for the part you have played in our success story. We’re still writing it and the beginning sure was interesting, who knows what will happen next.
Make it a great day.
Jake
The official first day of summer was this week.
It also means that we are having the longest day of the year.
Summer time is a great time to make the most of the longer days.
Make it a point to enjoy the longer days over the next few weeks.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Nothing is work unless you’d rather be doing something else. – George Halas
This is a great example of how attitude can make the difference.
There have been times in my life where I actually had fun doing jobs that most wouldn’t consider fun.
The difference was that I was doing the work for a good reason and with good people.
Because of those two things I had a good attitude about it.
Find a way to change your attitude towards work if it needs it.
Find a way to have fun while you’re working.
Make it a great day.
Jake
JD – If people say they just love the smell of books, I always want to pull them aside and ask, To be clear, do you know how reading works? – Bridger Winegar
EB* – I’m writing my book in fifth person, so every sentence starts out with: “I heard from this guy who told somebody …” – Demetri Martin
MS* – A Canadian psychologist is selling a video that teaches you how to test your dog’s IQ. Here’s how it works: If you spend $12.99 for the video, your dog is smarter than you. – Jay Leno
JW* – Nature abhors a vacuum, but not as much as a cat does. – Anonymous
Laughter is the best medicine.
Maybe none of these quotes did it for you, but find a way to laugh today.
Watch a funny YouTuber.
Watch your favorite funny movie.
Spend time with a friend who makes you laugh.
Lay out some banana peels and watch some slip and fall.
Ok, maybe don’t try the last one.
Make it a great day.
Jake
"For men, fatherhood exposes us to our own weaknesses and our need to improve. Fatherhood requires sacrifice, but it is a source of incomparable satisfaction, even joy. Again, the ultimate model is our Heavenly Father, who so loved us, His spirit children, that He gave His Only Begotten Son for our salvation and exaltation. Jesus said, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’ Fathers manifest that love as they lay down their lives day by day, laboring in the service and support of their families."
– D. Todd Christofferson
Meaghan found and sent me this quote.
Some very wise words about fatherhood.
Not to minimize fatherhood, but most of the important relationships in our lives have some of the same characteristics.
Being married exposes us to our own weaknesses and our need to improve.
Being of good service at work requites sacrifice.
Being a good friend is a source of joy.
Many opportunities are available for laying down our lives for others. Giving up our self interest in the hopes of serving another.
Our happiness and success depend heavily on our ability to let go of our own ego.
Thank you to all of you who have done so for me.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Practical Steps for Friendship, Unity and Intimacy in Your Marriage
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