“But what manner of use would it be ploughing through that darkness?’ asked Drinian.

Use?’ replied Reepicheep. ‘Use, Captain?’ If you mean by filling our bellies or our purses, I confess it will be no use at all. So far as I know we did not set sail to look for things useful but to seek honour and adventures. And here is as great an adventure as I have ever heard of, and here, if we turn back, no little impeachment of all our honours.”

― C.S. Lewis, The Voyage of the "Dawn Treader"

We spend an inordinate amount of time trying to find the “use” in things in our lives.

We make the mistake of thinking that events and the stuff of our lives must be of “use”.

If we can just remember that life is a journey (an adventure, even), it helps put things into perspective.

If life is a journey, we don’t have to know the meaning of every little event.

If life is a journey, we don’t have to know what’s going to happen next.

If life is a journey, we can make it through any short-term valley, mountain or river.

Enjoy the journey.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/mzDVaKRApcg

This song reminded me of two things.

First, how thankful I am for those in my life who love me.

Second, that I desire to be the kind of person who lifts up those around me.

Consider this your friendly Friday reminder to be thankful for your loved ones and to look for opportunities to lift up those around you.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Life is a long lesson in humility. – James M. Barrie

A large part of maturity is gained through humility.

As we seek to become a better version of ourselves and to be the best we can be, we bump up again and again against humility.

Only when we take an honest, humble look at ourselves and our role in this world can we begin to maximize it.

We all have the same 24 hours a day.

We all seek love and to love.

We are all out of control of much more than we are in control of.

When we can get ourselves into this simple and basic mindset we can begin to do the best with what we have been given.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The day after.

Each time a holiday or big event happens, there is a day after.

Each time we are given the opportunity to remember and build on the good memories of yesterday.

We can build on the gratefulness and contentment we felt yesterday.

We can build on the togetherness and friendships we felt yesterday.

We can build towards more of the same.

Make the most of your day after.

Jake

"For you have been called to live in freedom. Use your freedom to serve one another in love." – Galatians 5:13

The freedom that we celebrate on the 4th of July is really just an opportunity.

An opportunity to do something with our freedoms.

An opportunity to make the world better.

An opportunity to serve one another in love.

Have a great 4th.

Spend time with friends and family.

Spend time serving one another in love.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/vx2u5uUu3DE

It’s your life.

An important thing to understand at some point is that it is your life.

It’s your choice.

It’s your time.

It’s your attitude.

If you don’t like it, time to change.

You are the only one who can take responsibility. You are the only one that make the most of it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

http://www.success.com/blog/i-stopped-worrying-then-happiness-showed-up

This article does a good job of illustrating the pursuit of happiness in our modern times.

I hope you can find a couple of minutes to read and really think about it today.

Make it a great day.

Jake

We’ve had the pleasure of driving back and forth to Fairbury (a little town about 10 miles east of the little town we live in) a lot over the last month or so.

Every time we make the trip I am amazed by the rows and rows of corn.

From the road they look perfectly straight.

But from up close I am sure each plant has its own bends, twists and uniqueness.

It makes me think of the road of life.

What looks like a road is actually full of little twists, turns and bumps. What seems clear when we are zoomed out is confusing and hard up close.

Remember to take time to gain the perspective of stepping back a little.

Maybe your little row won’t look so bad.

Make it a great day.

Jake

No plan survives first contact.

This is a military saying that means the plan always changes after the first contact with the enemy.

The same is true in our personal lives.

No exercise plan survives the first time you get sick.

No diet plan survives first contact with Doritos.

No financial plan survives first contact with a sale at that fancy shoe store.

Ok, that last one was a stretch for me.

This saying seems a little negative at first, but I think it is secretly positive.

Because no plan survives first contact, we need to be adaptable and flexible and never quit.

If you go into it knowing that things won’t be perfect, you won’t have to be so hard on yourself.

You can have a bad day without giving up.

You can make a mistake or two without having to come up with a whole new plan.

Have you let yourself give up on something important because things went less than perfectly?

Is there something important you need to stick with?

Make it a great day.

Jake

“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 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

I’m off today so I resent this one from a few years ago.