“I live in the Managerial Age, in a world of "Admin." The greatest evil is not now done in those sordid "dens of crime" that Dickens loved to paint. It is not done even in concentration camps and labour camps. In those we see its final result. But it is conceived and ordered (moved, seconded, carried, and minuted) in clean, carpeted, warmed and well-lighted offices, by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices. Hence, naturally enough, my symbol for Hell is something like the bureaucracy of a police state or the office of a thoroughly nasty business concern."

[From the Preface]

― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters

In The Screwtape Letters, CS Lewis writes as Uncle Screwtape to his nephew Wormwood. The letters are his advice on life as a “tempter” or “demon” and how best to ruin the life of the “patient” he is assigned to.

This excerpt from the preface shows some of what CS Lewis thinks about the possible evil in our world.

He tells us what we should be wary of as modern office workers and business people. We’ve seen this happen in our society as some businesses have chosen to prioritize profits and shareholder value above all else. Many lives have been ruined “by quiet men with white collars and cut fingernails and smooth-shaven cheeks who do not need to raise their voices.” Many in our society are unhappy with their work and their workplace as a result.

Our opportunity lies in heading the other direction. To put people first. To consider what’s most important and to firmly plant those values above others.

We can create a workplace and business where people get filled up. Where they move closer to their best self. Where they move closer to God.

We can build relationships that lead to a life filled with meaning and purpose. Where value freely moves and all involved end up better for having been involved.

That seems worth getting out of bed in the morning to me.

Who’s in?

Make it a great day.

Jake

In the depth of winter I finally learned that there was in me an invincible summer. – Albert Camus

As spring moves closer day by day we are reminded that another winter has come and gone.

Jim Rohn describes winter as a time to get stronger and wiser.

A time to rest, reflect and prepare for the coming spring.

With a few weeks of winter left, what’s still left on your rest, reflect and prepare list for this spring?

What needs wrapped up in time for the season to change?

Make it a great day.

Jake

C. S. Lewis captures the essence of humility in his Screwtape Letters, writing:

“By this virtue, as by all others, [God] wants to turn [our] attention away from self, to him and [to our] neighbors.”

For Lewis, humility is not a matter of thinking less of ourselves—but less about ourselves, forgetting ourselves and turning outward in love.

He continues:

“[God] wants to bring [us] to a state of mind in which [we] could design the best cathedral in the world and know it to be the best and rejoice in the fact, without being any more (or less) or otherwise glad at having done it than [we] would be if it had been done by another. [God] wants [us], in the end, to be so free from any bias in [our] own favor that we can rejoice in our own talents as frankly and gratefully as in our neighbor’s talents—or in a sunrise, an elephant, or a waterfall. [God] wants each man, in the long run, to be able to recognize all creatures (even ourselves) as glorious and excellent things…. He would rather [us] think ourselves a great architect or a great poet and then forget about it, than that [we] should spend much time and pains trying to think [ourselves] a bad one.”

From – https://media.ascensionpress.com/2017/01/12/c-s-lewis-humility/

Humility is a lifelong challenge for most of us.

Easier some days, more difficult the next.

Ego and pride sneak all too easily into our talk and thoughts. Thinking of ourselves first becomes natural (and even encouraged) as we interact with others and society at large.

Take joy in the beauty and excellence around you. Forget yourself. Turn outward in love.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/ffej15-Dgl0

Two good reminders here.

First – smile. A lot.

Smile all day long.

Smile so much people think you are weird.

Second – tell the people around you that make you smile that you are thankful for them.

We all have someone that makes us smile.

Say thank you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?” – John Wooden

One of the greatest lies we can tell ourselves is that we don’t have time to do what we want.

We can convince ourselves that since we don’t have time, less than 100% effort is ok.

We can explain away not having time to exercise, spend time with our families, etc.

But this quote is a reminder that if we don’t make time for the important stuff now, when will we have time to do it over?

The answer is that we won’t.

And some areas of life don’t get a chance for a do-over.

When it comes to our important relationships (as an example), we only have the time we have. We can’t make more time later.

What do you need to make time for today?

Make it a great day.

Jake

God warms his hands at man’s heart when he prays. — John Masefield

The Bible asks us to pray without ceasing. As in – all the time.

As I get older and have met more and more people I’m convinced part of the reason is that so many of us (all) are in need of it.

We need healing.

We need hope.

We need love.

We need help.

We need prayer for all of the above.

What is prayer? What does and doesn’t prayer do? Why do some prayers get answered and others don’t? These are all questions above my pay grade and understanding.

I’m trying to take the simple approach – pray all the time for as many of us as I can think of.

Say a prayer today – for somebody who needs it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Problems are not stop signs, they are guidelines. – Robert H. Schuller

Too often we allow a snag or a hang up stop us from reaching our potential.

The example from my life is working out.

I’ll have a good couple of weeks.

Then I’ll skip a day or two.

For some reason my brain sees it as a stop sign.

Before I wake up a couple of weeks have gone by.

Don’t let a bad day or two be a stop sign. Just get right back on the horse. Let the problems or excuses fall to the side as you push forward.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Sam: It’s all wrong

By rights we shouldn’t even be here.

But we are.

It’s like in the great stories Mr. Frodo.

The ones that really mattered.

Full of darkness and danger they were,

and sometimes you didn’t want to know the end.

Because how could the end be happy.

How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad happened.

But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow.

Even darkness must pass.

A new day will come.

And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer.

Those were the stories that stayed with you.

That meant something.

Even if you were too small to understand why.

But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand.

I know now.

Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back only they didn’t.

Because they were holding on to something.

Frodo: What are we holding on to, Sam?

Sam : That there’s some good in this world, Mr. Frodo. And it’s worth fighting for.

This seemed particularly relevant given the pandemic and much of what has happened in the last 12 months.

Life sure has changed.

At times it has felt like a dark cloud hanging over us.

As Sam says – when the sun shines, it will shine out the clearer.

Love, courage, service, kindness, humility – these are all worth fighting for.

And it’s worth playing our part in that fight.

By doing all of this and more for our neighbors. Today. Right here and right now.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/BKLVpDTZOPQ

This song may not be pandemic approved but I still like it.

If you have to do it virtually, sit next to somebody this week.

Talk and connect.

Make it a great day.

Jake

After sending out the quote from Norman Vincent Peale yesterday I found this old daily attitude email and wanted to share it again.

Meaghan and I have been reading “The Power of Positive Thinking” by Norman Vincent Peale (I would highly recommend it).

One of my favorite ideas from the book is the idea of saying a little prayer for the strangers we pass by and interact with in our lives.

He tells the story of praying for the people at the train station along the way while riding the train.

Today, make it a point to pick out someone along the way and say a silent, positive prayer for them.

Pray for their health.

Pray for their family.

Pray that they will find peace.

It is a great way to remember that we are all in the same boat.

We all worry.

We all fall short.

We all need help.

We all could use a little more peace.

And the best way to find what we desire is to look for opportunities like this. Opportunities to spread love and joy to others, in whatever way possible.

Make it a great day.

Jake