Happy Labor Day, Laborers AND Moms!

Happy Labor Day!! I still laugh as I recall my son's telephone call to me on Labor Day three years ago. With the family in the background hollering, "Happy Mother's Day", I said, "What?" And Ryan replied, "It's Labor Day, so we're thanking you for your "labor" in bringing me into this world! So Happy Mother's Day!" LOL! Labor Day has a whole new meaning to me each year!

But we all know that Labor Day isn't about me and the contribution I made to this world. (Sigh!) And, though we love the idea of a "paid holiday" or just the day off at the beginning of a new school year, it's way more than that. It's the day we get to honor all of our hard working American people who make life so much better for us. Vince Lombardi said, "The price of success is hard work, dedication to the job at hand, and the determination that whether we win or lose, we have applied the best of ourselves to the task at hand.

I thank all of this country's hard working laborers. So many unsung heroes, so many that are behind the scenes, and particularly those of you who don't usually get the acclaim & recognition. You know who you are --: the garbage truck workers, restaurant cooks & waiters, cashiers, secretaries, janitors, home care workers, domestic workers, street repair workers, construction crews, utility crews, lawn maintenance crews, and to the millions of other people who believe that true success comes from rolling up your sleeves and dedicating yourselves to not just a paycheck....but to making a difference in other people's lives!! You are the quiet heroes in our lives and I applaud you and thank you today!!

Now, go ahead and enjoy this Labor Day -- you earned it and deserve it. And, I think I'll just rest and relax from two BIG labors that brought two BIG joys and blessings into my life! So all you Laborers and all you Moms out there.....Happy Labor AND Mother's (Labor) Day to you, too!

Disengage that EJECT Button!

Pilots push the EJECT button when their planes are about to crash, and to save their lives -- they have no other choice. They MUST take action…FAST! But, what about those of us who are birthing a dream and it’s just too difficult to keep pushing. Or toughing it out in the middle of a project or venture that seems quitting is the obvious thing to do. Or we have given our all to accomplish some task or goal, and the going gets just too tough. All of the negative voices and circumstances, seem to indicate…. QUIT -- give up the fight – you can’t take this any more.

Yesterday, I heard Father Bryan Brooks expound on his recent trip to Spain where he walked the Way of St. James (a 200+ mile pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela -- the burial place of St James) – a journey he had prepared and trained for, prayed earnestly about for a very long time, and undertook as a celebration of his 20-years as a priest, to pray for us, and as penance because he knows he could be a better priest (some would argue about that as we’ve only seen the remarkable, devoted and tremendously dedicated man of God that he is). Nevertheless this was his goal and mission. He shared how many times, over the 200+ miles of walking in a matter of 18 days, he was faced with the notion of quitting, when, physically, it didn’t seem he could take another step, when the rainy weather impeded his progress, but no time greater than only one hour into his journey after he arrived in Spain. He was pickpocketed on the subway – his credit card, ATM card, his identification, and his money was stolen. He had every reason to push the EJECT button to take him back to the comfort of his home and church family. But, he wouldn’t accept defeat. He continued his journey through to completion.

I can understand the part of wanting to EJECT from situations, circumstances, dreams, goals and ventures. Taking the path of less resistance is so much easier. But why choose the easy way out, instead of knowing the thrill of conquest and victory? Why do Olympians train for years, for “one moment in time”? Why do leaders have to make tough decisions every day when it would be so easy to throw in the towel – to press the EJECT button? Vince Lombardi said it perfectly “Winners never quit; quitters never win!” Perhaps this is a message we all needed to hear today – the message that says, “Dig a little deeper; walk a little further; climb a little higher; push a little harder -- you AND God have got this! . Now let's all DISENGAGE the EJECT button!