“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill

What are you willing to give today?

Make it a great day.

Jake

Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought. – John F. Kennedy

As President Trump works to implement new plans and changes, opinions about whether he is right or wrong abound.

It’s easy to fall into the trap (on both sides) and argue the points and changes being made and whether or not they are the right ones without really thinking through what we are saying.

I’d like to encourage all of us to engage in the discomfort of thought.

Not just thinking of what the best policies would or should be.

Thinking about things like:

• What does love require of me?
• What would a wise person do?
• What would bring people together?
• How can I be of the best service in love?

Those are just some of my ideas….I’m sure you’ll think of even better questions.

The point is to think more clearly about our place in this world and how to make the most of what little time we have.

Make it a great day.

Jake

It’s always too early to quit. – Norman Vincent Peale

Monday morning reminder – don’t give up.

It’s too early to quit.

See it through.

Stick with it.

You got this.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/ucX9hVCQT_U

It’s Friday, I’m in love.

This seemed like a good one to send out right before Valentine’s Day.

You really could apply it to any day.

Any day with love is better than a day without.

Make it a great day.

Jake

A baby is born with a need to be loved – and never outgrows it. – Frank A. Clark

With Valentine’s Day this week, there will be lots of talk about love.

This quote is one my favorite reminders that we all need love.

Everyone is looking for love all around them, every day.

This quote also reminds me of the tremendous opportunity each day represents.

The opportunity to show love to others.

We all need it. We are all seeking it.

And we have the chance each day to be loving towards others.

The Bible asks us to be the hands and feet of Christ – so that we can do exactly this – show His love to everyone by doing loving things.

In so doing, we are given the chance to be loved.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Treasure your relationships, not your possessions. – Anthony J. D’Angelo

Short reminder today.

People over stuff.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves. – Carl Jung

I’m not sure it’s “everything”, but this is true more than we probably care to admit.

We fall short of our own expectations and take it out on others.

We pick out their shortcomings in order to hide our own.

We snap at them quickly so they don’t have time to find the flaw in us.

The Bible talks of removing the log in our own eye before first helping others with the speck in theirs.

Good advice.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/lSD_L-xic9o?si=whx7GqXCOsdSf9aD

This probably comes as a major surprise to most of you….but I’m not very “hip” or “with it”. So when it comes time to send out a Friday Morning Toe Tapper I often ask the family for ideas.

Annie suggested this one and said “and then write a note about how Jesus has loved you from the start”.

Probably not the real message of the song, but I can get behind that idea.

Jesus loves you. From the start.

From the time before time when there was nothing.

From the time you were born.

From the time you made that mistake that time when you were a kid that you are still kind of ashamed of.

From the time you fell in love.

From the time you lost a loved one.

From the time your heart was so full you thought it might burst.

He has and always will….love….you.

Not philosophically. Specifically….you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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I have for many years endeavored to make this vital truth clear; and still people marvel when I tell them that I am happy.

They imagine that my limitations weigh heavily upon my spirit, and chain me to the rock of despair.

Yet, it seems to me, happiness has very little to do with the senses. If we make up our minds that this is a drab and purposeless universe, it will be that, and nothing else.

On the other hand, if we believe that the earth is ours, and that the sun and moon hang in the sky for our delight, there will be joy upon the hills and gladness in the fields because the Artist in our souls glorifies creation.

Surely, it gives dignity to life to believe that we are born into this world for noble ends, and that we have a higher destiny than can be accomplished within the narrow limits of this physical life.

~ Helen Keller

Wow.

Born for noble ends with a higher destiny.

Take these words to heart today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

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Resending this email from a few years ago (a little late) for Groundhog Day….

"This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather."

– Phil Connors, Groundhog Day

Every year on Groundhog Day I think of the movie.

Phil Connors gets stuck in a loop and has to live the same day every day.

Given this new situation he tries a bunch of different versions of “how to live”.

He tries taking it easy, he tries cramming it full of doing whatever he wants, he lies, he cheats, he steals.

Only when he spends his time in service with love does the day and his time take on true meaning.

We have that same opportunity with each of our days.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The content of this email is confidential and intended for the recipient specified in message only. It is strictly forbidden to share any part of this message with any third party, without a written consent of the sender. If you received this message by mistake, please reply to this message and follow with its deletion, so that we can ensure such a mistake does not occur in the future.