Labor Day Reflections: Work Ethic, Service, and Servant Heart

Imagine an unexpected cabin trip involving a major injury and a fractured arm - not the ideal Labor Day scenario, right?  Well, that’s exactly the tale I’ll be sharing with you, but fear not, it’s not all boo-boos and band-aids. This episode is a journey through my personal experiences and reflections on Labor Day, intertwined with the inspiring work ethic of my father and how his values have molded me. I dig into the history of this holiday, its connection to the labor class, and the importance of truly loving what you do.

Laced with family anecdotes and life lessons, we also touch on the essence of hard work and service, inspired by my father and brother's experiences with transforming failing teams. I share why leaving a job must be done with respect and integrity, and why a two-week notice isn't just a courtesy, but a mark of professionalism. As we honor our servicemen and women, we explore how challenges reveal our true selves, and why we should savor each moment. So, join me as we delve into the significance of knowing our limits, cultivating a heart of service, and embracing gratitude. Let's celebrate Labor Day together, honoring not just the workers, but also the spirit of dedication and service that makes our lives meaningful.


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Episodes mentioned on Holly's Highlights in today's topic:
Work:
Season 1 Episode 3: How to be a leader others follow
Season 2 Episode 6: Leading teams

Service:
Season 1 Episode 5 - Being a leader of character
Season 3 Episode 26 - The gift of being present

Servant Heart:
Season 1 Episode 4: How to make a positive impact in our community
Season 1 Episode 7: How to have a grateful heart

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:01

Hi friends, welcome to Holly's Highlights, a podcast designed to encourage, inspire and equip you to intentionally live your life full of purpose. I'm your host, holly Kirby, motivational speaker, leadership cultivator, marketing strategist and personal cheerleader. Let's check out today's highlight.

Speaker 2: 0:22

Holly's Highlights podcast has been nominated at Spark Media Fan Awards Best Solo Show and you help recognize Holly's Highlights podcast by taking a moment to cast your vote. Simply visit Holly's Facebook at Holly's Highlights or her Instagram at Holly Kirby and click the bio link to vote or check out today's show notes for the link. Voting period ends September 23rd, so vote today.

Speaker 3: 0:48

Hello, my friends. I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day. Our family went to the cabin for the holiday weekend and it looked a little different than normal. Last week was my son's birthday and he decided for the first time he wanted to have a family party one day and a friend party another day later on in the week. So for the family party he wanted to play a game of speed basketball altogether, and then he wanted to go down to his old elementary school and play a game of kickball. So cousins and uncles and all of us were down there to play a game of kickball and it had been a hot day, it had been a long day. We were about done to ready to be done and I think I was up at my last time to be able to kick the ball. And when I got up there and kicked it, I mean I kicked good too. It was hitting down there for sure. But all of a sudden I heard this loud pop.

Speaker 3: 1:37

Fast forward to the insta care, I found out that I tore my gastrocnemius muscle and for those of you who aren't familiar with what that is, it is your calf muscle. So I am on crutches and unable to walk. So it's made definitely an interesting week for us. But then fast forward. A few more days later my son and my daughter were at youth group for church and I got a phone call that they thought my son had broke his wrist or broke his arm. So once again fast forward to insta care. After an x-ray we found out for sure he had a buckled fracture and of course it was his dominant hand, his right hand. So this Labor Day has looked a little different and my daughter has really stepped up to the plate and helped both of us out and especially going to the cabin for Labor Day has really helped load and unload and just assist us at however she could. So I'm so grateful for her help. But again, interestingly enough, for this Labor Day, we just had our limitations, but it was still a good relaxing one for sure. Now I'm thankful for time away with my family and thankful for anytime with my family, and so Labor Day is always a great time for us to be able to get away and spend that time together, but especially because it's also around my dad's birthday.

Speaker 3: 2:48

My dad's birthday usually falls on, if not like the day before or the day after, labor Day, so I've just always associated Labor Day with my dad's birthday, but Labor Day actually, according to the US Department of Labor, has been rooted in the late 19th century, when labor activists pushed for a federal holiday to recognize the many contributions that workers have made to America's strength and prosperity and well-being. Now there is controversy as to who founded Labor Day. Some records show Peter J McGuire, who was a co-founder of the American Federation of Labor, and others show Matthew Muguire, who was Secretary of the Central Labor Union in New York. One thing it's for sure the holiday was for the laboring class. Now, according to National Geographic, the first Labor Day parade dates back even before Congress legalized the holiday on September 5, 1882, when New York City union leaders took unpaid time off to march through the New York City streets having picnics and watching fireworks and dancing. So therefore, some of you may associate still today Labor Day with having barbecues and having that day off of work, but others may still see Labor Day as more of an end of summer, especially since schools starting back up around then, and this actually brings about an old adage of not wearing white after Labor Day. The farmer's almanac tells us that back in the 1900s the elite often got away to coastal cottages to signify more of that end of summer with a little vacation or that final getaway for Labor Day, whereas the average laborer had to get back to work around Labor Day, which meant switching out their darker clothing because white often revealed stains from them working. So that distinctive making it the elite only wearing white and the laborers not being able to wear white after Labor Day. So kind of interesting there. Now some things change with time. There are plenty of people laborers and elite who nowadays wear white after Labor Day. It is okay, but I'll probably always continue to associate Labor Day with my dad's birthday.

Speaker 3: 4:53

So, as I think of my dad and his work throughout the years as a laborer, I thought today's episode would be a tribute to both my dad and Labor Day, as there are three areas that really stick out to me in laboring where we could learn a few things to apply to our lives. As Steve Job said, your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking, don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. Now, first thing that we're going to look at is just that in our work. Just as Labor Day signified the hardworking class, the laborer, that is exactly what I have seen in my dad throughout the years, having a strong work ethic and a job he loves doing, which has been ministry.

Speaker 3: 5:50

I've always known my dad to be the leader in his ministry profession. Yet as a leader, I never saw him lead as a dictator, but as one who invested in growing others and including their thoughts and their inputs and leading by example. Not a do as I say, not as I do leader, but one that more of a I won't ask you to do something I'm not willing to do myself and then one who then made the top decisions that had to be made. So three specific takeaways I've learned from my dad's work ethics would be first off, do your best, not just what will get you by. Colossians 323 comes to mind here, telling us whatever you do, work hardily as for the Lord and not for men. My dad has always said do the right thing, especially when no one is looking, and when it has come to remodels or large purchases, he's always advised do it right the first time. Now, another thing that I've learned from my dad's work ethics here that I think are good takeaways is live out your purpose. We can often try to do things just like our predecessor did, but that may not be how we are to do it.

Speaker 3: 6:54

My dad often went to work where the places were in horrible financial ruin and he had a way of turning them around. I'm talking. One place was literally at the point of having the doors closed, but part of my dad's purpose has always been to step in, teach the teams how to be good stewards and turn things around. By the same token, my brother seemed to be moved to locations within his company that were in need of fixing Once again. Just like my dad, my brother had a gift of stepping in teaching others how to become leaders and learn business principles that truly turn things around. They both had significant purposes in their positions. Can you imagine how discouraging walking into messes can be? Just as you get one cleaned up, you walk into the next one, and yet that's where they were often called.

Speaker 3: 7:42

Whatever you may be feeling about your job, seek to live out your purpose. The third one would be leave well. I fully believe that there are going to be seasons and sometimes we come to an end of a season in our work. Before leaving a job, just make sure that we have another one lined up. My mom would always get on to us about that. Have another job before you switch to another job. That's just why stewardship right. But dad has also taught us to leave well, and this includes notice to your job.

Speaker 3: 8:14

Typically, two weeks is suitable, but for those of us in leadership roles, more along a month notice is showing respect to your employer and also shows respect to your coworkers. Now, add to that you don't want to ever burn bridges and, yes, sometimes we dream of that drop the mic moment. But is that leaving with your head held high In a way that is honoring and with integrity? Now I do the interviewing for my company, so I've heard every excuse in the book, including well, my other job wanted me to start earlier. Well, any job who won't show respect to you or your employer to not give two weeks probably isn't an employer worth working for. And an employee who doesn't give two weeks notice to a company probably isn't going to show respect in doing so for the next either. So do your best, live out your purpose and leave. Well Now I've had the pleasure of interviewing some Wisemen here on Holly's Highlights podcast, so I'd encourage you to check out. Interview with my brother, scott, who talks about being a leader. Others follow in season one, episode three, and then also an interview with my senior church pastor, kevin, who talked about leading teams, and that's in season two, episode six.

Speaker 3: 9:20

Now, as we look at just again how to have some things to take away in this laboring and where we can apply some things in our life, the first one we looked at is work. The second one is going to be through service. Often, labor Day can be confused with that of being a patriotic holiday, such as the Fourth of July or Memorial Day or Veterans Day or even Flag Day, and in a way it is, as our servicemen and women work hard at protecting, defending and honoring our country. The Department of Veteran Affairs backs this up as stating the Labor Day is a good time to acknowledge the extraordinary work done by our active duty service people to maintain a safe America. They even go on to say we should also acknowledge the work of our veterans and their service and sacrifice.

Speaker 3: 10:04

Now I'm proud of my family, heritage and service to our country my grandfather in the Army, my uncle in the Marines, my brother-in-law in the Navy and my dad in the Air Force. And even though my dad hasn't often shared about his experience or time in the military, there have been three specific ways or areas that things that I've learned from what he has and when he has shared the first of those three being challenges often reveal our character. My dad was just nearing his final week of boot camp when he came down with measles. Now this prohibited him from being able to even finish with his group and instead they made him go back and join another group who was not even halfway through boot camp. So in the midst of it all, dad didn't complain, he simply just did and followed through with what he was told and asked to do Not really asked in the military right, you're told. Now this revealed a lot about his character to the next staff sergeant of his second group that he ended up with. So dad almost became a trainer of sorts and just kind of worked right alongside that staff sergeant. So he helped the next group of guys to be able to finish boot camp Was not finishing with his group a disappointment, yeah, was going back and having to redo half a boot camp. Discouraging, absolutely. But how dad handled himself in the midst of the challenges was noticed by those around him and saw him as a leader as a result. So the next time you have a hurdle in your day and set back at work, we can do well to learn from our servicemen and women of having perseverance in finishing strong, because our challenges reveal our character.

Speaker 3: 11:41

The second one in his service is to embrace the moment. My dad served in Vietnam and daily he had to take a bus from his station back to the barracks. Well, one day someone came to talk with him and he doesn't even really remember who or what it was about, but point being is it delayed him getting back to his bus and as he huffled out, he saw a group of people running toward a loud noise and basically, cloud of smoke. We'll come to find out the bus he was to be on that he rode from the station back to the barracks. Every day had just been blown up. How many times has the delay come about in our day A meeting that ended late, an appointment that didn't arrive on time, a timeline that got moved up or pushed back.

Speaker 3: 12:24

And how do we typically respond to such inconveniences and delays? Frustrated, right, but what if we could see the bigger picture? Perhaps we'd be more content to simply embrace the moment we're in. So you wanna get that promotion? That's great, but meanwhile, embrace the season you're in right now, the work you're doing right now, those you're leading right now. Work hard, be proud of your accomplishments, but don't forget to embrace the moment you're in now. Just as dad was delayed from being on that bus, our delays might be for our good. So simply embrace the moment.

Speaker 3: 13:04

And the third one would be Listen. My dad just celebrated his 50th year from being honorably discharged from the military, and our entire family gathered at his home where we got to hear about my brother in law service in the Navy and my dad's service in the Air Force. There was such pride, there was emotion, there was memories that were being shared, that were that were hard to share, and there were questions that were never even asked. We all simply listened. Now, in doing so, we learned some things about my dad and my brother in law that we didn't know. We were able to show our respect for each of them, our love toward them, in patiently hearing what they had to say, their experiences told and the impact made on them as a result of their service.

Speaker 3: 13:49

The same goes of us in our jobs.

Speaker 3: 13:52

Listening to those who have gone before us at work can aid us in preserving history, mentor us in what's worked and what hasn't worked, and listening to our co-workers can show such signs of respect and patience, and hearing each other out our experiences, our perspectives and how to work is impacting our lives.

Speaker 3: 14:13

My dad has always said God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason Listen more than we speak it can go a long way in life. Overall. Now we've had a few episodes on Holly's Highlights that seem to touch on these or the area of service. Two specifically would be season one, episode five, where we talk about being a leader of character, and then season three, episode 26, and the gift of being present. So, through our work, through our service, and that third and final is going to be through having a servant heart. My parents have always exemplified having a servant heart taking meals to people sitting with them in the hospital, even going on missions trips to serve those in different countries such as Haiti and Belize, and even right here in the US One mission trip. We went on in Madras, oregon and the need there was a lot of hard manual yard work.

Speaker 3: 15:05

For some shuddens that were there, my dad's group was known as the Weed and Bleed team, because they truly put their best effort in making the ladies' yard look just immaculate compared to the jungle conditions that we arrived to it being Well, my parents were truly labors of love, and their servant hearts, as a result, have easily left some takeaways within that servant heart. First of all, knowing your limits. My dad would always ask people anything I can do for you, and this irritated the living daylights out of my mom, as, being a full-time elementary school teacher, she would tell him if they say babysitting, you're doing it by yourself. She knew her limits. Now it's important, though, to know our limits in working and serving others, so that we can set boundaries and set ourselves up for success, not for failure, and protect our values and our priorities and our time, and this has helped me when returning to the workforce, as a woman of faith, at Hending Church every Sunday, and also on Wednesdays for Bible studies, extremely important to me.

Speaker 3: 16:06

So I made sure to look for something that was closed on Sundays and would allow me Wednesday night flexibility to be able to attend what I valued, and as a single mom, it's a top priority to me to make sure that I'm always there for my kids, that they aren't latchkey kids or ever saw a day of childcare. So finding a job that allowed me to be a mom first was crucial, kind of like that country song you've got to stand for something or you'll fall. For anything, you've got to know your limits. Second one is show appreciation to others through that servant heart. My dad used to make it a priority to host an annual volunteer appreciation dinner for those who had volunteered in the churches where he pastored, and my mom often cooked the meals as kids served it, and then he'd strive to have something special within the evening.

Speaker 3: 16:51

Maybe, it was a skit comedy routine, just something to have a fun night. And as budgets grew, he was able to allocate a bit more towards this special night to where we eventually held it in a restaurant. My sister and I would gather donations from places all over the state to where every volunteer went home with a gift of sorts like movie tickets and restaurant gift cards and hotel night stays and you name it. Well, this became such an exciting night, and basically everyone longed for this event, that we didn't have any issues getting people to step up to volunteer in various positions throughout the year, because everyone wanted to receive that invite to this special appreciation night. Right Well, according to LinkedIn, appreciation makes us feel valued and motivates us to do better. It goes on to list benefits, such as build relationships, boost morale, enhance performance, creates a positive culture and even improves our mental health. But what I took away from it and seeing my dad make sure to appreciate others each year, as he did was it kept him humble and others focused. Now I like First Thessalonians 511 and how it puts it. Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you're doing.

Speaker 3: 18:01

Another part of serve at heart is to give thanks. My dad has returned from many a visit to a hospital, a funeral home, visited somebody's home, or he has given thanks. We just aren't walking that road. He himself has been diagnosed with cancer and he had to bury his wife of 51 years, who also died of cancer, and yet his response in both has been to give thanks for what has been. Time and time again I have seen my dad serve, sacrifice and suffer and, in all, give thanks. So, simply put, having a servant heart, a heart that looks outward to put others' needs above our own, to care for those around us family, friends, strangers when temptations might be to wallow in self-pity or focus on our needs or turn a blind eye to those we can serve, we can choose to give thanks for the opportunities we have to show care and love for those around us. So, as laborers, no matter what we face, no matter the trial, the temptation, the frustration or the failures, we can follow. 1 Thessalonians 516. Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances.

Speaker 3: 19:16

Now, once again, we've had some inspiring interviews here on Holly's Highlights podcast on these topics too, such as Chante who, after losing her husband in the line of duty, shares with us how to make a positive impact in our community. That was in season 1, episode 4, and then how to have a grateful heart, which is season 1, episode 7. So, whether it be as a laborer in your work in service, or as one having a servant heart, we can look at doing your best, living your purpose, ending or leaving, well being mindful that your challenges will often reveal your character embracing the moment, having patience to listen, knowing our limits, showing appreciation and, above all, giving thanks. On that note, although we didn't meet our goal of 90 kids sponsored for the New Kiskeye Christian School in Haiti, their superintendent wrote me the most gracious email encouraging me that we had great impact. So, thank you. Thank you for all of those who have listened to these past three episodes as we looked into kind of an educational series here on Holly's Highlights podcast and have either prayed for New Kiskeye Christian School or checked out their website, or even for those who gave.

Speaker 3: 20:30

I hope that as we go about our day, we will seek opportunities to use our time and our talents and our blessings to show care to others around us. Well, as you head back to work after, hopefully, an enjoyable Labor Day weekend, may you be uplifted and encouraged in the days and the weeks and the months, even the year to come. As Speaker Earl Nightingale said, we are at our very best and we are happiest when we are fully engaged in work we enjoy on the journey toward the goal we've established for ourselves. It gives meaning to our time off and comfort to our sleep. It makes everything else in life so wonderful, so worthwhile. Happy Labor Day, my friends, and a very happy birthday to my dad. Until next time, make it a great day for a great day.