Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it’s Christmas. – Dale Evans Rogers

Quotes like this remind me of the ideal of Christmas.

As we get older and we have a chance to get more cynical about Christmas, ideals like this almost seem a little hokey.

But as I get older, I am working to embrace more hokey ideals into my life.

At Christmas, we get to celebrate love in action as this quote says.

We get to focus on our loved ones instead of ourselves.

We get a definite date on the calendar to point at where we can take a break from worrying about and thinking about ourselves.

Maybe this is a little hokey, but I am in.

Let’s not stop at the gifts and gift giving though.

Think about what the others in your life appreciate and give them more of that.

Maybe it’s quality time.

Maybe it’s a kind word.

Maybe it’s something you could do for them.

Maybe it’s a hug.

Think about them. Think about what they would like. Take action.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – I’m unprepared, but I’ll send you one later – Jake "Wingnut" Davis

JW – You’re disgusting. – Zach "Mamma’s Boy" Warmbir

EB – My only goal every time is to make myself giggle. – Jake "Yohan" Davis

MS – The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day. Proverbs 4:18

The quote from Zach Warmbir came with a story.

Zach uttered these words when Mr. Warmbir went in to comfort him in bed one night and he really wanted mom instead.

In my experience, being a dad includes many moments when the kids just want mom. Dad may not actually be disgusting, but he is definitely a distant second to mom.

If you are one of the lucky ones and still can, reach out to your mom (or a mom in your life) and say “thanks” today. If your mom’s not around anymore, do something in her memory.

Make it a great day.

Jake

God gave you a gift of 86,400 seconds today. Have you used one to say ‘thank you?’- William Arthur Ward

I liked this quote because it reminded me of two important lessons.

One is to be thankful.

Just take a few seconds, take a deep breath and say thank you for something.

Second, that we all have the same amount of time in a day.

It is what you do with it that counts.

You can spend your seconds be thankful or being critical.

You can spend them complaining or helping.

You can spend them worrying or moving forward.

You get to pick.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom. – Thomas Jefferson

I’m not sure if this is what Thomas Jefferson meant, but I imagine this is true when it comes to self-improvement as well.

The first step is being honest with ourselves.

Honest about the victories and the defeats.

Honest about what we are capable of.

Honest about our desires and motivations.

As you look at your goals, are you being honest with yourself?

Make it a great day.

Jake

“Our hearts grow tender with childhood memories and love of kindred, and we are better throughout the year for having, in spirit, become a child again at Christmas-time.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder

As Christmas circles around again and the calendar shows it is officially Christmas season, we begin to remember all of the good feeling Laura Ingalls Wilder describes in this quote.

Each year comes with a choice: embrace the feelings and the season or to let it pass.

As you might suspect, I advocate embracing the season.

Embrace the giving.

Embrace putting others first.

Embrace charity.

Embrace the love felt for your fellow mankind.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/yA5Qpt1JRE4

Can’t wait to see the video of the 25 things you are thankful for.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I Receive ALL of Life with Thanksgiving –

I have gratitude for EVERYTHING

that has ever occurred to bring me to this moment.

I give thanks for the joys and the sufferings,

the moments of peace and the flashes of anger,

the compassion and the indifference,

the roar of my courage and the cold sweat of my fear.

I accept gratefully the entirety of my past and my present life.

– Jonathan Lockwood Huie

This short little poem is a little more challenging than yesterday’s.

It takes a very mature person to be thankful for ALL of life.

I won’t challenge us all to immediately become thankful for everything, but maybe we could take a step in that direction.

As you think about what you are thankful for this year, challenge yourself to go beyond your usual answers.

Family, friends, faith, home, etc. are all great and worthy of our thanks, but let’s add to the list this year.

Maybe even find a challenge or struggle to be thankful for.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Count your blessings instead of your crosses;

Count your gains instead of your losses.

Count your joys instead of your woes;

Count your friends instead of your foes.

Count your smiles instead of your tears;

Count your courage instead of your fears.

Count your full years instead of your lean;

Count your kind deeds instead of your mean.

Count your health instead of your wealth;

Count on God instead of yourself.

– Anonymous

Thanksgiving week. Time to count up all the good in your life.

Keeping count is one of those habits that can be either good or bad.

If you keep count of all the negative, it will pile up quick.

If you keep count of all the good, it will do the same.

You get to pick which to count.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/RwPS19swwiA

This one came on Pandora and a few of the lyrics in particular jumped out at me.

You’re fooling yourself if you don’t believe it

You’re kidding yourself if you don’t believe it

Get up, get back on your feet

You’re the one they can’t beat and you know it

Come on, let’s see what you’ve got

Just take your best shot and don’t blow it

How often have you fooled yourself into believing that you couldn’t do it?

That you weren’t good enough?

That it wasn’t in the cards for you?

That you won’t make it so why even start?

Or maybe even more directly:

That you will always be fat?

That you will always be poor?

That nobody likes you?

Don’t believe it!

It isn’t true.

Stop fooling yourself.

You were built for greatness. Everything you want and need is there for you.

You’re the one that can’t be beat.

Take your best shot.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order, confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger into a friend. – Melody Beattie

Since today is Thanksgiving lunch at the kid’s school and at Mavidea, I thought I would send out one of my favorite quotes about being thankful.

The idea of gratitude turning a house into a home and a meal into a feast.

We have the choice.

We can look at what we have as not enough. Not as much as our neighbors or friends.

We can see our circumstances as having not gone our way. Bemoaning the fact that others have had it easier.

Or…

We can look at all that we have been blessed with and see it as a bounty.

We can see our circumstances and think of those who haven’t had it so good.

There is always something to be thankful. Gratitude can always transform for the better.

Make it a great day.

Jake