I ran across a Frances Chan video online a while back that has stuck with me. In the video, the charismatic pastor drags a long rope onto a stage and points out that the tip of the rope is colored red. The other end of the rope disappears off the screen and presumably stretches around the room. The rope is very long. It represents eternity. The red mark is very short. It represents our time here on Earth. The point of the video is that we tend to get caught up in earthly matters, but what really matters is the eternity we’ll spend after our time on Earth ends.

Chan’s rope illustration is powerful. I think of it often and it continues to impact me from time to time. However, I confess that I am sometimes … distracted by the tyranny of the moment.

No, that’s not quite right.

Distracted is the I-want-you-to-like-me version of what I’m trying to say. Here’s the truth: sometimes I get really annoyed or even angry about small things that frustrate me. It’s usually stuff that I can’t (or shouldn’t) do anything about: Somebody is driving slowly in the fast lane. A restaurant server was inattentive or rude. Or someone made a decision that I didn’t think was the best one (for me?).

It helps me to remember the rope illustration. Eternity is a very, very long time and I believe it’s going to be good. Why get worked up over a tiny little hiccup on the red part of the rope?

Matt Hyatt

“The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be.” – Socrates

‘Put your best foot forward.’ ‘Put on a brave face.’

We all do it. The reasons vary, but the result is the same. We pretend to be what we wish to be, hoping it will be true one day.

But true transformation doesn’t come from wishful thinking. It comes from introspection, and a choice to change from within.

Without true change, the mask will become heavier and heavier over time. But with true change, the mask can be lifted.

Make the choice inside yourself. Take the first step in the paradigm shift of your soul which will carry you to a brighter future.

Be what you pretend to be.

Make it a great day.

-Michael Cluney

"How lucky are we that we have roads to drive on that are getting plowed?!?” – Jamie Warmbir

One of the many things I love about being a Mavidean is the attitude of gratitude around here. This was Jamie’s response when someone made mention of the snow. He’s right you know. We are pretty lucky! People all around us are working to help us and serve us.

Take notice today of something you may have taken for granted in the past. Try calling attention to it and see how it changes the meeting, the call, the trip, the meal.

Make it a great day!

Mike Somers

One of my favorite books of poems is by Francesco Marciuliano, who also writes the comic strip Sally Forth, published in 700 newspapers. Here’s one of his poems:

Give

You can’t hold someone who wants to leave

You can’t clutch a memory as if it were today

You can’t take an insult close to heart

You can’t grasp for glory from your chair

You can’t seize life thinking only of loss

And you can’t grab a laser pointer dot on the wall

No matter how much you try

These hard-earned truths I give to you

The book is called "I Could Pee On This", and all the poems are written from a cat’s perspective. It’s hilarious, and captures the logic cat must use to do the things they do. Ironically, there are many truths identified that apply to the human condition and attitude, as well. Take the poem above, for example, and what I think it means:

You can’t hold love against its will

You can’t live in the past

Don’t be thinned skinned, or take things too personally

You can’t win if you don’t play

Life goes on

Fool me once, shame on me. Fool me twice

it must be a laser pointer dot

My own cat wrote that last line.

Pick out one or two of the truths that apply to you, and use them to make it a great day.

Ron

If you’d like to read more fun poems by cats, I Could Pee On This by Francesco Marciuliano is available at Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

https://youtu.be/xTuIXtXUEw4

You are some kind of wonderful.

This is true.

But as you listen to this song, I want you to think of someone else in your life.

Somebody who is some kind of wonderful.

Remember all those reasons you think they are wonderful.

Remember all those times they did something wonderful.

And then tell them.

Tell them you were thinking about them.

Forward this email.

Send them this song.

Just do something to reach out and tell them they are wonderful.

Make it a great day.

Jake

In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. – Ephesians 4: 1-3

I really liked the last sentence.

Go forward with all you have – but do so with discipline and humility.

Consistently putting others before ourselves.

Consistently acting in a loving manner towards each other.

Not when we feel like it.

Not when it works out.

Not when we’ve gotten a good night’s sleep and don’t have a million other things on our minds.

This presents a difficult standard.

But what if we could just take a step towards it. Today.

One small, selfless act today.

One new pattern of interaction that begins today.

What could you do today to show humility and discipline?

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Still looking for a few more volunteers to send out the daily attitude email next week while I am out on vacation.

EB – I was reading it while I was doing my hair.

JW – Buzz the crunchies.

MS* – If your parents never had children, chances are… neither will you. – Dick Cavett

JD – People always ask me, ‘Were you funny as a child?’ Well, no, I was an accountant. – Ellen DeGeneres

In case you can’t tell from some of the quotes over the years, we actually think we are a pretty funny group.

We actually have fun and laugh in our leadership team meetings each week.

We might be a little immature about it at times, but I’m pretty sure it is one of the things we are getting right.

I have come to believe that life is too short to not laugh and have fun as much as you can along the way.

Think about something you do consistently.

A team meeting.

A budget meeting.

Dinner with the kids.

Watching TV with your spouse.

Lunch with a friend.

Doing your taxes.

Getting your prostate checked.

Now find a way to insert some laughter into the mix. Bring a joke. Make a joke. Dress a little differently than normal.

Break out of the mold a little.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn’t stop to enjoy it. – William Feather

Consider this your reminder to stop and enjoy the ride.

It’s easy to let life slide by. To let busyness overtake mindfulness.

Make it a point today to be thankful for the good in your life and stop to enjoy it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – Still looking for volunteers for next week to send out the daily attitude emails.

"When you put yourself on your schedule, you won’t have meetings and appointments that prevent you from taking care of yourself."

Time is our most precious resource.

Often times our schedules run us and not the other way around.

And when others run our days we are sometimes left without the time needed to take care of ourselves.

We are left without time for exercise.

We are left without time for solitude and prayer.

We are left without time for reading.

Look at your schedule for the next week. Make at least one adjustment to put taking care of yourself on there.

Make it a great day.

Jake

"These giants of the forest are something to behold. Some have been growing for a thousand years, and each tree contains its own story of the centuries’ long struggle for survival. Looking at the annular rings of the wood, you can tell what seasons they have been through. In some drought years they almost perished, as growth is barely perceptible. In others, the growth was far greater. —George Yeoman Pocock"

This quote created a great (or weird) mental picture for me.

Imagine if humans had circular rings that showed how much we grew each year.

This quote might explain it very well. But it would be backwards for us.

Some years are rough, with tons of growth happening.

Some years are easy, with little to no growth happening.

We are constantly growing. It’s just a question of “Towards what?”

Are we growing more or less selfish?

More or less loving?

More or less disciplined?

More or less happy?

We choose our direction.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – I am going to be gone next week so I am looking for volunteers to send out the daily attitude email all next week. Email me if you are interested in standing in one day.