“The underlying questions are, Am I expressing love to my spouse? Is my attitude characterized by love? Am I truly looking out for my spouse’s interests? Is my major concern to meet his or her needs?

If these are my sincere desires, then I must examine my words and my actions. Am I communicating to my spouse (by the way I talk and by what I say) that I am committed to his or her well-being? Do I view my spouse as a gift from God and see myself as God’s agent for building him or her up to become everything He desires? Do my actions reflect my love? When I cook a meal, do I do it as an expression of love to my spouse or do I do it with resentment? When I carry out the garbage, do I do it with an attitude of love or do I complain as I do it?

When my words and actions reflect the love of Christ, I am on the road to having a relationship that not only brings satisfaction to the two of us but also brings pleasure to God. Making life better for my spouse is the theme of love.”

I read this recently and the idea and questions were simple but profound.

I believe this represents a sure fire way to improve any relationship in your life. Just replace spouse with brother, friend, neighbor, co-worker, ex-wife, etc. No matter the relationship, there is a way to be more loving and selfless.

First, review your attitude and desires.

Then, review your actions and words.

This advice was specifically targeted at Christians with the goal of aligning our attitudes and actions with those of Christ, but I think this applies outside the Christian faith as well. Pick a role model and align yourself with that ideal (although if you are just picking one, Christ would be a great place to start).

Relationships are the hardest, most rewarding part of our lives.

They are worth it.

Ask yourself the hard questions.

Make it a great day.

Jake

The beautiful spring came; and when Nature resumes her loveliness, the human soul is apt to revive also. – Harriet Ann Jacobs

Yesterday was the first official day of spring.

Let’s take advantage of the spring. Let our souls revive.

Make it a point to do something this week to revive your soul.

Spend some time in solitude.

Create a piece of art.

Spend some time outside.

Go for a long run.

Read your favorite book.

Whatever it is for you, do it.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others. – Mahatma Gandhi

JW* – To give real service you must add something which cannot be bought or measured with money, and that is sincerity and integrity. Douglas Adams

MS* – The thing that lies at the foundation of positive change, the way I see it, is service to a fellow human being. Lee Iacocca

EB* – Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on earth. Muhammad Ali

Gathered a few quotes about service.

Hopefully one of them will inspire and remind you to seek out opportunities to serve others.

No matter how small, service builds greatness.

And that is why all of us can be great.

Our inherent greatness lies in our ability to love and serve others. We are built for a unique service opportunity, we just need to seek it out and make the most of it.

Look for an opportunity to serve.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/LHcP4MWABGY

In honor of St. Patrick’s Day, I thought I would send out one of my wife’s favorite songs by an Irish band.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Love is never defeated, and I could add, the history of Ireland proves it. – Pope John Paul II

St. Patrick’s Day illustrates one of my favorite things about America.

We celebrate being Irish.

Whether we are Irish or not.

We get together and celebrate all of the good things about being Irish and the good that that culture has added.

Embrace this celebration today. Embrace it every day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

“I told her that sometimes thinking about small things keeps your mind off big ones." – “If You Lived Here, I’d Know Your Name: News from Small-Town Alaska" by Heather Lende –

Heather Lende is an obituary writer in a small town in Alaska. She has learned a lot of life lessons from this experience and shares them in her book.

This short quote stuck out to me as one of those lessons. Life is a balancing acting between future and vision oriented thinking and planning and day to day management.

Sometimes thinking about the small things in life keep us from worrying about the big ones.

Sometimes enjoying today is all you really need to focus on.

Today, focus on enjoying the small things.

Enjoy that hug or kiss from your spouse on the way out the door.

Enjoy that cup of coffee.

Enjoy all the great little things throughout your day.

Make it a great day.

Jake

You have succeeded in life when all you really want is only what you really need. – Vernon Howard

We have the power to shape what we want.

We can shape our desires and wishes so that they will create the results we would like to see.

We can learn to desire exercise more than junk food.

We can cultivate a deeper interest in books than TV.

We can grow to want the success of others before our own.

We choose what we want.

Make it a great day.

Jake

Well done is better than well said. – Benjamin Franklin

Great reminder to start off the week.

Get something done today.

Pick one important thing off your list and get it all the way done.

And then do it again.

Make it a great day.

Jake

https://youtu.be/6bWyhj7siEY

I figured I would send this one out the Friday after we got back from Disney.

My goal is to get this stuck in your head.

My hope is that at least 10 times today “what a wonderful day” runs through your head.

If we can get our minds conditioned to continually think positively about our day, our life will begin to change.

Make it a great day.

Jake

JD – A woman’s mind is cleaner than a man’s: She changes it more often. Oliver Herford

JR – Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity. And I’m not sure about the universe. – Albert Einstein

JW – Dammit, Warmbir. – Sergeant Keener

EB – The only limits, as always, are those of vision. – James Broughton

MS – The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. – Psalms 23:1

If the only limits are those of vision, what should we do if we wish for a better life?

Increase our vision.

Stop and think about your life and your goals. How might you increase your vision?

What book could you read?

Who might you talk to?

What new perspective could you take?

The resources are out there, we just need to look for them.

Make it a great day.

Jake