It is easier to love humanity as a whole than to love one’s neighbor. – Eric Hoffer
Loving those around us requires some effort.
We have to work at. To put down our own selfish desires. To show grace and compassion for the imperfect human beings in our lives.
What would love look like to your neighbor?
What would love look like to your friends?
What would love look like to the waitress?
Make it a great day.
Jake
Good questions outrank easy answers. – Paul Samuelson
A good habit to get into – asking the right questions.
Some examples that I ask myself frequently that help me:
What am I really trying to accomplish here?
What will I think about this in 3 months, 3 years, 30 years?
How can I help?
Who needs my prayers?
What would a positive response look like?
Who is most important to me here?
If it all went poorly, would I still be ok?
What would a wise person do?
Who knows the answer to this?
What would I do differently if I was filled with the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, self-control)?
Who’s am I? (God’s)
What would my grandpa/dad/Meaghan do?
I’d love to hear the questions you ask yourself to help clarify, make decisions and short circuit the worries of life. Send them out to the group!
Make it a great day.
Jake
PS – Two books to read if you’re interested in asking better questions – The Question Behind the Question and The Best Question Ever.
“Happiness can be found, even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light.” ― J.K.Rowling, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
This classic line from Harry Potter is a great reminder for all of us.
Happiness can be found in dark times, when we choose to turn on the light.
The Bible even talks frequently about being the light.
Our choices and heart attitude can be a light to ourselves and others.
Make it a great day.
Jake
“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” ― Theodore Roosevelt
This a quote used a lot in “Daring Greatly” by Brene Brown.
She uses this quote as a centerpiece to her idea that daring greatly by being vulnerable is the key to living a wholehearted life.
What pops into your head when you read this quote?
A conversation you need to have with someone?
A bad habit that needs to be kicked to the curb?
A new habit that needs your focus?
Find a way to dare greatly today.
Make it a great day.
Jake
This song should get you pumped up for the day.
I’ve never seen the movie, but I imagine this song sums up the point:
You’ve got to take the chance and put yourself out there.
Life is better when we put our best version out there for others to see and be inspired by it.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Empathy has no script. There is no right way or wrong way to do it. It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of ‘You’re not alone.’ – Brene Brown
Empathy is something I feel a constant need to work on.
Just when I think I’m getting it, I miss the mark terribly.
Maybe it’s just one of those things that we never completely master.
Either way – maybe you and I could practice today?
Try to imagine how others are feeling during your interactions.
Imagine their perspective and point of view.
Imagine how you might feel and think in their situation.
Ask some trusted people how you are doing.
Make an effort.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Courage is not simply one of the virtues, but the form of every virtue at the testing point. – C. S. Lewis
In the “7 Habits of Highly Effective People” Steven Covey talks about having “integrity in the moment of decision” when it comes to managing our time.
What he means is that when it comes time to make choices about how we spend our time we must choose with integrity to our values and vision for our lives.
The quote about courage explains this well. Courage is making the hard decision right now to spend our time with integrity to our goals and vision.
If you wrote down or decided on some important goals for this year (or this week), I am guessing this integrity has been tested.
You have been tempted to watch TV instead of exercising.
You have been tempted to spend some money that wasn’t in the budget.
You have been tempted to check your FaceBox at dinner.
Whatever your resolution or goals, your integrity and courage will be tested.
Stick with it. You can do it. You can make the courageous choice. Because you were built for greatness. You weren’t built to give in easy and to let your life pass you by.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow’. – Mary Anne Radmacher
Tuesday morning. If you’re like me, you’ve already missed the mark on something for the week.
Now is the time for a little courage. To keep going. To not give in to the voices that tell you to give in and give up.
Start again.
Make a good choice for lunch.
Get those work out clothes ready for the morning.
Crack open that book, even if just for a minute or two.
Make it a great day.
Jake
“This is the true joy in life: Being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one, being a force of nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances, complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community and, as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it what I can. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.” – George Bernard Shaw
I saw this quoted the other day and wanted to share these powerful words with everyone.
Does this describe you:
A mighty purpose….
A force of nature….
Or does this describe you:
A feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances…
Complaining that the whole world will not devote itself to making you happy…
We all have the same opportunity to find our purpose. To clarify as best we can. To live it every day.
And when we do….
Our splendid torch, which we have a hold for the moment, will burn brightly before we pass it on to the next generations.
If you haven’t taken the time to write down a personal mission statement or purpose statement, hopefully this has inspired you to spend some time working on one.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Slow tapper on this one but the initial lyrics got me.
When you try your best, but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want, but not what you need
When you feel so tired, but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse
And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone, but it goes to waste
Could it be worse?
Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you
Life is hard (and wonderful and joyful and a lot of other things too). We can get a little banged up and beat up along the way. Sometimes we need someone to patch us up and nurse us back to health.
Maybe you’re a little banged up right now. Maybe you need to help patch up a loved one.
Whichever side you are on, the truth is that we are in this together and no one makes it through alone.
Make it a great day.
Jake
Bonus video – https://youtu.be/cmr-NzAodTY – Hallelujah! In the end, if we accept Him as our Lord and Savior – Jesus will fix it all up in the end.
Practical Steps for Friendship, Unity and Intimacy in Your Marriage
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