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

Hurt people hurt people.

I’ve heard this phrase a number of times lately.

I’ve also thought about it and the cycle it implies and how we might be able to use it to better ourselves and the world we live in.

Think about….

Helpful people help people.

Servants serve people.

Leaders lead people.

Maybe you weren’t brought up as a servant, a leader or as someone taught to be helpful.

Maybe you haven’t seen these in your life up until this point.

But it doesn’t mean you can’t help kick of the new cycle by serving, leading and helping.

Our actions have consequences. Often profound consequences beyond what we initially imagine.

In this lies our opportunity. To make the world a better place.

Make it a great day.

Jake

There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still. – Franklin D. Roosevelt

One of the great misunderstandings of life is the idea that standing still is actually the safest plan.

That comfort and convenience are the hallmarks of success.

It isn’t true.

In fact, this quote is a reminder that the opposite is true.

Not taking action is the only sure way to failure.

Where do you feel like you are standing still?

What would going forward look like?

Get started.

Make it a great day.

Jake

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear. – Martin Luther King, Jr.

Sometimes a good way to decide which action to take in a given scenario is to think of the opposite.

It’s usually not as obvious as hate vs love. It’s usually a choice between more and less love. More and less selfishness.

But even when choosing between more and less, choices become more obvious.

The key is to take the step back to evaluate the decision based on your values.

And with Valentine’s Day last week, I hope we all remember to put love at the top of our lists.

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 after 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

All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action. – James Russell Lowell

One of my favorite ideas from Andy Stanley (although I’m sure he isn’t the only one to say it) is that love is a verb.

Love requires action.

Sentiments and nice words won’t do it.

We are all born with a desire to love and be loved, but we don’t get either without taking action.

In the Bible it commands us to “love our neighbors”.

Sounds nice, right?

What if instead it said “consistently act in a loving way towards your neighbor”?

Andy Stanley says that “love is a verb”, it requires doing; and then prompts us to ask the question “what does love require of me?”

What loving action could I take today?

Towards my spouse.

Towards my neighbor.

Towards my coworker.

Towards the strangers at Wal-Mart (or Target or wherever you shop…).

Find a way to take action today. Act out of love.

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 of my favorite reminders that we all need love.

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

This quote 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.

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

Make it a great day.

Jake

Love doesn’t make the world go ’round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile. – Franklin P. Jones

Love and loving relationships are what make everything worth it.

It’s worth the risk of heart break in order love someone.

It’s worth giving up some (or maybe all) of my selfish desires in exchange for a loving relationship for another.

It’s worth being vulnerable in a very real and scary way in order to truly give your heart to someone else.

By loving someone else and focusing on make their ride worthwhile we find meaning and substance in our own life.

Sometimes it hurts. Sometimes it feels like you are on a roller coaster. Sometimes it seems like it will never work out.

But it will and it does. It works out. It makes the ride worthwhile.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“To love at all is to be vulnerable. Love anything and your heart will be wrung and possibly broken. If you want to make sure of keeping it intact you must give it to no one, not even an animal. Wrap it carefully round with hobbies and little luxuries; avoid all entanglements. Lock it up safe in the casket or coffin of your selfishness. But in that casket, safe, dark, motionless, airless, it will change. It will not be broken; it will become unbreakable, impenetrable, irredeemable. To love is to be vulnerable.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Four Loves

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 – The Man in the Arena

In honor of Valentine’s Day this week I thought it would make sense to send a few daily attitude emails about love.

This quote at the top from CS Lewis is a great reminder of the virtue and vulnerability inherent in loving something outside yourself.

The man in the arena quote is a reminder that it is worth it.

Love requires risk.

We must risk rejection, heartache and betrayal in order to truly love another.

We must push through difficulties. Our faces will be marred with dust and sweat and blood.

It will be worth every excruciating moment, as they will be (most likely, no guarantees) repaid with purpose and meaning beyond which we cannot fathom on our own.

It will be the growth catalyst that propels us into becoming the best version of ourselves.

It will be the anvil upon which we will be sharpened and formed into something amazing.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=820976471314352&fref=nf

This one went around on FaceBox the other day, so you may have already seen it.

It is awesome what we can accomplish when working together.

A bunch of kids and a bunch of practice and you get cool music.

We can do the same. In our families, our churches, at Mavidea, etc. we can work together to accomplish great things.

Make it a great day.

Jake