“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything, and your heart will certainly be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact, you must give your heart to no one, not even to an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements; lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket- safe, dark, motionless, airless–it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable.” – CS Lewis

CS Lewis is one of my favorite authors. I love the way he is able to take a concept to a deeper, more fundamental level.

I really liked this quote because he takes “love” and does just that.

He reminds us that loving another requires vulnerability and taking some risk.

And he explains how maybe the greatest risk of all is that of taking none.

Some things are worth the risk.

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

An attitude of gratitude.

Thanksgiving is upon us and we are all reminded to be thankful for all the blessings in our life.

And next will be Christmas where we will have that same opportunity for remembering the important areas of our life to be thankful for.

Our daily gratitude can transform our lives for the better.

Let’s all take this holiday season to again be reminded of our gratitude. But let’s make this holiday season a little different. Let’s stretch out the feelings of gratitude and goodwill towards men through January (to start).

Make it a great Thanksgiving.

Jake

If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. – Genesis 11:6

Two important things in this one little verse.

First, if we work together nothing we plan will be impossible for us.

This applies to us here at Mavidea, to your family, your group of friends or whatever other organization you belong to.

Unity in purpose and effort will produce results.

Second, if we speak the same language we can better plan and work together in unity.

One way to do this is through reading books. Books can create a bridge between two people by allowing them to speak the language of the author instead of their own.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.  
J. Calvin Coolidge,
30th President of the United States of America

In all the stories of success there is a moment when they decided to keep going.

Despite the odds and obstacles they pressed on.

I think the key to being able to press on is having big goals.

Big goals pull you through the problems you will inevitably face along the way.

Make sure you have big goals for yourself. Make sure it is big enough that you are almost embarrassed to say it out loud to your closest friend.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JW*- ‎Love is not a whisper or a weakness. ~ Dave Matthews, Mercy

JM*- ‎Time is more valuable than money. You can get more money, but you cannot get more time. — Jim Rohn

JS – It’s good to plan & remember. Yet you are alive in this moment to live the special beauty of this moment NOW. Enjoy what ever comes today. -Barbara Glanz

EB* – An enterprising attitude says, "Find out before action is taken." Do your homework. Do the research. Be prepared. Be resourceful. Do all you can in preparation of what’s to come. — Jim Rohn

KJ* – Some days you just have to create your own sunshine.

JD – The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to him his own. Benjamin Disraeli

I saw this quote from Benjamin Disraeli a while ago and really like it.

What a great concept. Not to just give our abundance and joy to other but to help them create and reveal their own.

I know that when I see/hear something positive from a speaker/author/performer I am most moved by those that inspire me to look inward and reveal the riches I already have.

As we look to do good in this world for others, lets look towards revealing to them their own riches.

Make it a great weekend.

Jake

http://youtu.be/St_ppgWT8I4

I wanted to start today off with something a little more upbeat and patriotic at the same time.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Today’s tribute to Veterans is one of the most impactful few sentences I have come across. Below is the letter from Abraham Lincoln to Mrs. Bixby.

This one pretty much speaks for itself.

Please read and spent a quite moment in contemplation and thankfulness for our Veterans.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Executive Mansion,
Washington, Nov. 21, 1864.

Dear Madam,

I have been shown in the files of the War Department a statement of the Adjutant General of Massachusetts that you are the mother of five sons who have died gloriously on the field of battle. I feel how weak and fruitless must be any word of mine which should attempt to beguile you from the grief of a loss so overwhelming. But I cannot refrain from tendering you the consolation that may be found in the thanks of the Republic they died to save. I pray that our Heavenly Father may assuage the anguish of your bereavement, and leave you only the cherished memory of the loved and lost, and the solemn pride that must be yours to have laid so costly a sacrifice upon the altar of freedom.

Yours, very sincerely and respectfully,

A. Lincoln

Next up in the tributes this week to our Veterans is a speech by Ronald Reagan.

Here is a link to this speech:

http://www.historyplace.com/speeches/reagan-d-day.htm

This one is a little longer, but I highly encourage you to read it.

It is a speech he gave on the 40th anniversary of D-Day.

What a powerful and symbolic moment in history.

This paragraph from the speech really stuck with me:

"The Rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers — the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machineguns and throwing grenades. And the American Rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one Ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a Ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the Rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs, they began to seize back the continent of Europe. Two hundred and twenty-five came here. After 2 days of fighting, only 90 could still bear arms."

I remember when "Saving Private Ryan" was released in the theatres. On one of the new shows they interviewed a gentleman that had been one of these Army Rangers on that fateful day.

He told the story of running on the beach and stopping behind a rock. For some reason he thought it would be a good time for a smoke and pulled out a cigarette. Only there was a problem. His hand was shaking so badly he couldn’t even get his lighter to work.

Can you imagine?

You can’t even light a cigarette but you still choose to press forward. To climb cliffs and face machine guns.

That interview has stuck with me since that day (I looked it up, that was 1998).

Remember today to be thankful for our heroes.

Make it a great day.

Jake

For some reason any time that I think of Veterans, I am reminded of Winston Churchill’s great speeches during World War II.

The British soldiers and their resolve are a true testament to what a Veteran stands for.

I have copied below an excerpt from one of his most famous speeches.

Some of the tidbits that left me inspired:

I have, myself full confidence that if all do their duty…we prove ourselves once again able to outlive the menace of tyranny.

We shall not flag or fail.

We shall go on to the end.

We shall defend our island.

We shall never surrender.

Winston Churchill’s ability to rouse the troops and invigorate their spirit in opposition to their enemy shows what kind of a person a “Veteran” really is.

Someone who is inspired by pride in their country.

Someone who will never surrender.

Someone who will face evil in all its might and emerge victorious.

Someone who will risk his/her life while coming to the aid of others.

Someone who believes that ideals and principles are more important than even their own life.

I am and will be forever grateful for those American soldiers who fought in World War II. I am also thankful for their allies and their leadership as well.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Winston Churchill from “We Shall Fight on the Beaches”

“I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able to defend our Island home, to ride out the storm of war, and to outlive the menace of tyranny, if necessary for years, if necessary alone.

At any rate, that is what we are going to try to do. That is the resolve of His Majesty’s Government-every man of them. That is the will of Parliament and the nation. The British Empire and the French Republic, linked together in their cause and in their need, will defend to the death their native soil, aiding each other like good comrades to the utmost of their strength.

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail.

We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and even if, which I do not for a moment believe, this Island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old.”

Full speech is here if you want to read it:

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/speeches/speeches-of-winston-churchill/128-we-shall-fight-on-the-beaches

Also, if you have some time to spend reading more of this stuff, go to this site:

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/learn/speeches/speeches-of-winston-churchill