Meaghan and I will be married for 17 years as of tomorrow so I was out reading a few of the DAEs from past anniversaries and found this one that I liked….

Today is Meaghan and I’s tenth anniversary.

Hard to believe that she has put up with me for the last ten years. In thinking about what to write today I figured that someone who can stay married to me for ten years has a few things to teach us about attitude.

So, in honor of our tenth anniversary, here are 10 things about Meaghan that might help us with our own attitudes.

1. Be creative. Meaghan loves to create things and gets joy from it.

2. Have a good sense of humor. She still makes me laugh (and even laughs at some of the things I say).

3. Put family first. As a stay at home mom, she does this every day.

4. Enjoy the small treats of life. Whether it be an ice cream cone with the kids or a special dinner made for someone’s birthday, learn to enjoy “the small stuff”.

5. Embrace God in your life.

6. Enjoy the outdoors. Nature is such a wonderful part of the world, enjoy it.

7. Grow something. She loves to work around the yard growing things.

8. Grow yourself. She is committed to reading, studying and doing other things to become a better mom, wife and person.

9. Be generous. Be generous with your time and your money.

10. Be humble. She will most likely have mixed feelings about this list, but that is just another great thing about Meaghan.

I could go on and on, but these are just a few that I thought I would share this morning.

Thank you for a great 10 years, Meaghan. Here’s to another 10.

I put Meaghan’s email address in the cc line for anyone that would like to send her some consolation of some kind for being stuck with me.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Here’s a great reminder for the day:

"Slow Me Down Lord"

Slow me down Lord. Ease the pounding of my heart by the quieting of my mind.

Steady my hurried pace with a vision of the eternal march of time. Give me amid the confusion of the day, the calmness of the eternal hills.

Break the tension of my nerves and muscles with the soothing music of the singing streams that live in my memory.

Help me to know the magical restoring power of sleep.

Teach me the art of taking MINUTE vacations, Of slowing down to look at a flower, to chat with a friend, to pat a dog, to read a few lines of a good book.

Slow me down Lord and inspire me to send my roots deep into the soil of life’s enduring values that I may grow toward the stars of my greater destiny.

Author: Wilfred A. Peterson

Make it a great day.

Jake

Travel does not exist without home. If we never return to the place we started we would just be wandering, lost. Home is a reflecting surface, a place to measure growth and enrich us after being infused with the outside world. – Josh Gates

Packing up the family truckster again this morning to head home.

Even after a fun trip, it’s always good to be heading home.

This quote reminded me that we don’t have to go far from home to use it as a reflecting surface and place to measure our growth.

When you head home today, reflect on how lucky you are have a place to call home and goals and aspirations to reflect on.

Be thankful for what you have and all that you have ahead of you that is worth working towards.

Rest, reflect and replenish yourself for another day of tackling life and all its wonders.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Found this old daily attitude email, figured we could all use a reminder to be a little weird where it counts.

“Some are born weird, some achieve it, others have weirdness thrust upon them.” ― Dick Francis, To the Hilt

While on vacation I saw a woman running. She was running fast, had all the gear on, etc.

I thought to myself “she must be one of the weirdos that actually likes running.”

And then I thought “maybe I need to be a little more weird.”

And then I thought “maybe I could send out a daily attitude email about this.”

And then I thought “better make a note so I don’t forget.”

And then you thought “get on with it, you weirdo.”

Anyways, achieving something meaningful or breaking through our self-constructed barriers usually involves getting weird about something.

The person who ends up with a fortune first had to be the person who was a little weird about making and saving money.

The person who loses the weight and keeps it off first had to be the person who was a little weird about the food they ate and how it was prepared.

The person with all the great friendships first had to be the weirdo who talked to everybody and invited himself over.

We are all a little weird in our way.

But maybe we should consider adding to it. Adding a little weirdness where we need to make a change.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/IbL3NfWJUQs

Loading up the family truckster and heading out for a vacation in Wisconsin this morning.

This song and movie definitely come to mind.

Family vacations always come with some frustration and heartache, but somehow make up for it in the end.

It’s easy to get stuck on the parts of life that are frustrating instead of looking at how it all works out in the end.

Make it a great day.

Jake

To give and not expect return, that is what lies at the heart of love. – Oscar Wilde

Great reminder for the day.

A couple of truths in one quote.

Giving ourselves in others is core to loving well.

Loving well is the greatest of these (faith, hope and love).

We can choose love each day by giving ourselves in love.

Make it a great day.

Jake

At Mavidea this week marks our 12 year anniversary. I was reading through old emails and found this one that seemed appropriate to send again.

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Today marks 8 years for us at Mavidea.

As I think about Mavidea, I almost always think of the above quote.

As I think about the last 8 years, I think of all the ways we have already changed the world.

All the clients served.

All the employees employed.

All the community service.

Something I’ve noticed lately is just how many lives have been touched by Mavidea over the years. I think about all the stories and conversations and can’t help but think about how proud I am of all the Mavideans.

Life has come and gone. Life has changed for many of us, but our commitment to each other and our cause has never wavered.

Want to know the best part?

Our future is going to be even better. We have so much to look forward to and to work toward.

We have many more lives to touch. We are just getting started.

Thank you to all of you for being a part of our attempts at making this world a better place.

Make it a great day.

Love unlocks doors and opens windows that weren’t even there before. – Mignon McLaughlin

Love represents the ultimate change in perspective.

This quote says it well.

Options that once seemed impossible or closed off now seem easily available and in plain sight.

Giving becomes easy, even mandatory.

Sacrifice becomes joy.

Hardship turns into opportunity.

Love is also a verb.

Activity filled with love greases the skids, making everything else seem easy.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I was looking through some old daily attitude emails and came across this one from this time two years ago.

“Carve your name on hearts, not tombstones. A legacy is etched into the minds of others and the stories they share about you.” —Shannon L. Alder

My grandmother passed away on Saturday and today is the funeral.

She was a very unassuming person to have left such a great legacy.

In one of Andy Stanley’s podcasts he says something like “Your legacy might not be what you do, but who you raise.”

My grandmother was a homemaker and never even got her driver’s license, but she left a tremendous legacy.

Not that we are perfect, but she helped create a family legacy that will endure and continue to grow.

Each new generation has been touched and influenced by her love and caring.

This is your opportunity as well.

To leave this world better than you found it.

You may not even be the one that accomplishes great things (although I certainly hope you do). Your legacy may be a subtler one, like that of my grandmother.

But it will be something. Each and every day is an opportunity to make an impact and grow your legacy, don’t let them slip past you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/3D5s7T4T1ng

More of slow tapper, really but hopefully it starts your day off right still.

The kids watched Space Jam again recently and the NBA finals started last night so basketball has been on in the house.

It is amazing to watch people at the top of their game/sport/field.

Watching them use their talents to do their best reminds us that better is possible and that doing our best is a worthwhile pursuit.

Tackle your day today with this kind of gusto.

Make it a great day.

Jake