https://youtu.be/cyVzjoj96vs?si=vtA09RZhAw5YYsDc

I know I’ve sent this one out a few times over the years.

This time I reminded of the truth that you are worth it.

You are worth all those New Year’s resolutions you made.

You are worth the hard work to become better.

Your unique makeup is on purpose and with a purpose.

Make it a great day.

Jake

PS – God thinks you are worth it too. He looked out over all of history and all the future and decided to send His Son to die on the cross for your sins so that he could spend eternity with you. Even if you miss on all your other goals and plans for life if you can accept this free gift you will know joy and peace beyond words.

One of the hard parts of service is interacting with others in their moment of need.

Most of us aren’t quite the put together, got it all under control, emotionally mature person we pretend to be in front of others (maybe I’m the only one).

We get on the phone or in front of a service provider and sometimes we are not quite as nice as we should be (it happened to a guy once, I read it on the internet).

For me, being in need brings up feelings of insecurity and can lead to a hole in that self esteem balloon (it needs more air, not less!).

This means that when someone is dealing with me in a moment of need, I’m probably not at my best. I probably let my ego and insecurities get in the way. The bigger the need, the harder this is.

Over the years a phrase has come to be a habit of mine (at least in my head) – “Be of service – with love.”

Without the love part, dealing with someone in their moment of need just doesn’t work.

I think of the kids when they were little and got sick. They looked so helpless and it immediately caused strong feelings of love for them and a desire to help in any way I could.

I’m not suggesting we get all sentimental and teary eyed with every service call. I’m trying to remind us (maybe just me, you probably got this figured out) to be aware of how we make others feel in their moment of need. To cultivate a feeling of love towards those we get the opportunity to serve. If we serve with love – then we are the ones who received the greater portion of blessing and joy.

A client whose service ticket gets solved gets a little bump. The service person serving clients with love – that guy/gal is on top of the world.

Ok – maybe all of this has gone too far. Jake’s gotten a little ahead of himself. Fine. Let’s just try to move the needle a little bit today. A little more love. That seems more reasonable.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Bonus point – when you are in a time of need – ask for the help. Receive the love. Appreciate the service. Let go of your ego.

The world breaks everyone, and afterward, some are strong at the broken places. – Ernest Hemingway

Bad news is that bad stuff is going to happen.

It stinks. I wish it wasn’t so. If I could change it, I would.

Somehow, it’s how we get stronger and better.

I wish we could skip the hard part and the heartbreak and go straight to the growth.

But we can’t….

It doesn’t work that way.

What to do about it?

Best advice I’ve heard is to embrace it. With the light comes the dark. With the strength comes the weakness. All of it beautiful and instrumental in its own way.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well’. – Martin Luther King Jr.

This is one of my favorite quotes.

Not only because of the truth and inspiration we can gain from it, but also because of the example set by the person who said it.

Imagine living in that time, amidst all of that tension and strife, and having the strength of character to tell people to sweep streets as if they were sweeping the streets of heaven.

His audience was quite literally living through hell on earth and he inspired them to be and do their best in every scenario.

Take this message to heart today (and every day).

Do your best with what is in front of you.

Love and serve those around you with all you’ve got.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Meaghan’s birthday today!

Not quite sure how she pulls it off, but she sure does get more wonderful each year.

I sure got the better end of the deal when she agreed to marry me over 20 years ago.

One of my favorite words to describe what’s so great about Meaghan is grace.

I once heard someone describe grace as the gift of giving others better than what they deserve.

Meaghan does this everyday with her husband, children and those around her.

She is forgiving, kind and caring even when it isn’t warranted or deserved.

Because she is that kind of person.

I take inspiration from this all the time and hope it can do the same for you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/qOD9M95_fS0?si=BI-hOdyQelCAcrfu

Goodbye yesterday!

What a great message to start the year.

Learn from the past and then let it go.

Don’t let yourself dwell on it and dominate your thoughts.

In the Christian faith we have this idea that through Christ we become an entirely new person.

We renew our minds by letting the Holy Spirit rule over our thoughts.

We can say goodbye to the person we were yesterday.

Embrace this possibility for yourself.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Into each life some rain must fall. – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Seems obvious. Life isn’t perfect. Bad stuff is going to and around us.

Some other obvious notes….

It’s not all rain. Good stuff can and does happen to and around us.

It’s usually temporary. Life ebbs and flows with both good and bad. All in their own season.

We can still have joy in the rain. It won’t be easy. It won’t be the same as the best day of your life. But joy can still be found.

Rain waters the plants. Growth comes from difficulty. Challenge creates character.

This is all easier said than done. One email from me won’t fix it or make it any easier for you or a loved one.

When it’s raining is a great time to find shelter. Friends, family, faith, a good book – ask for help and lean on others.

The rain will end. At some point, it will stop raining.

Make it a great day.

Jake

It is easier to prevent bad habits than to break them. – Benjamin Franklin

That would be a great new year’s resolution – don’t pick up any bad habits.

Probably something worth thinking about for a few minutes – how to avoid picking up bad habits.

Avoid hanging out with groups that have a habit you don’t want.

Avoid going to places where bad habits you don’t want get started.

Avoid thinking thoughts that could lead to bad habits.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You can’t expect to hit the jackpot if you don’t put a few nickels in the machine. – Flip Wilson

You’ve got to take some risks to get where you want to go.

I wish it wasn’t this way.

I wish there was some kind of gaurantee.

I wish it always worked out.

I wish life didn’t include heartache.

But it does.

More times than not, wise risks are rewarded.

More times than not, it’s better to step forward into the unknown.

More times than not, the risk is worth the reward.

Choose wisely, but take the chance.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself – it’s thinking of yourself less. – Rick Warren

Our pastor used this quote in church yesterday.

It was a great reminder of the real goal of humility.

It isn’t to be insecure and self conscious or to think little of ourselves.

It’s the opposite. To be so focused on loving others that we don’t have time to think of ourselves.

Goal for the week – stop thinking so much about myself!

Make it a great day.

Jake