Service With a Smile and Excellence

It’s Saturday and Mom, Karen and I meet at i-Hop for breakfast. This is our annual go-to birthday celebration place and since I’m in Tulsa town this weekend and my birthday is next week – they jump on it. I love these two women so much. They have been sources of anchoring me for so many years -- since I fell in love with Karen’s big brother and Mom’s son when I was 12. We have many precious and cherished memories together.

What makes this celebration even sweeter is this beaming waitress. Just look at her sweet shining light! This is Jacquie! Karen is taking a phone call so I roll Mom in her wheel chair to the booth. I get her settled in and take her wheelchair to a corner out of the way. When I return, this precious girl is bent over helping Mom get out of her sweater. That’s when I am first attracted to her serving beyond her call-of-duty.

I spot her almost ear-to-ear smile. I am drawn to her radiance -- her countenance. I tell her so. She graciously accepts my compliment with an even bigger smile. I'm reminded of Proverbs 15:13 "A joyful heart makes a cheerful face..." She asks if she can get us coffee and within seconds, she returns. Karen joins us and our “shining” waitress is ready to take our order. I ask: “What’s that big smile about? Is it because you love God?” And, instantly, she replies, “Oh, yes. Very, very much!” I say: “Keep shining because this world needs to see what God looks like and how He serves.”

To Mom and Karen, I say: “A blog is on its way!” And here it is for you today! Now you know what Jesus in human flesh looks like. It’s a look of joy, love and kindness. It is excellence in attitude and service. We can’t help but give her an extra good tip because she is all about “service with a smile”. She makes this little birthday celebration so pleasant with responding to our every request without delay, including allowing me to get a photo of her and her taking a photo of us.

I could go on about being a bright light to our world and if ever our world needed more smiles and service like this, it does today! How much more would we want to “bless” those who come with a heart of a servant in excellence and quality customer service? St. Francis said, "Preach the Gospel at all times, and sometimes use words." The beautiful young woman is preaching the good news every day with her happy heart and encouraging smile.

Whether in the service industry or the servant-of-God-ministry (and we should always be in the latter as devoted followers of Christ), we should always be practicing the Golden Rule -- putting ourselves in other people’s chairs and treating them the way we would want to be treated in any given situation.

Service with a smile should be more than a catchy phrase. It should be a heartfelt, everyday commitment to exit the doors of our homes as people-pleasers, people-lovers, people-servers, and people who exemplify the good works of Jesus by bearing His fruit to a world that needs role models who make a difference.

What Makes a Champion?

I guess it was my 13-year old grandson’s love for baseball, that drew me into watching the Little League World Series on TV a few weeks ago. The team from Lufkin, TX won the National games and went on to the World Series.

All teams, at that level, were great, but I was particularly impressed at the excellence and respect displayed by the Tokyo, Japan team. In the finals, they beat Lufkin 12-2. It was the 4th year for the Tokyo team to win the World Series. Here was what set them apart from the U.S. teams. They practice more than any other team -- 11 months out of the year. They play only one sport – baseball. On game day, they practice 4 hours before the game. As reported, “They have the marathon versus sprint mindset. Everyone else HOPES and DREAMS to get to the World Series. The Japanese kids EXPECT to get there." When the Japanese coach was asked if his kids were genius, he replied “No – they and their families just single-heartedly give everything they’ve got to get here.” I watched with amazement as they had such great respect for the umpires, opponents, elders and when they came onto the field, they stood in a line and bowed to the American fans. There was so much attention to detail, even after the win. They ran to stand in line, left to right, from the shortest player to the tallest. They bowed to the American team and fans. You could tell they had rehearsed the win, because they knew exactly what to do when they won.

I don’t profess to know it all about the Tokyo players or their game, but I must have been impressed enough to take notes about what I saw to share with you. An attitude of “expecting” to win so much so that they are willing to do whatever it takes to ensure it happens. That was a lesson for me, for sure – getting my "expector" up on whatever I’m attempting to conquer and win at. But, more than their excellent game play, I was taken with their team spirit, their manners and respect. I’ll admit it gave me pause to think how wonderful it would be to see such behavior by our U.S. teams that extends to their homes and lives, In fact I started thinking how we could ALL step it up in respect with each other.

I remember being “coached” by my parents to say “please” and “thank you”, “yes, sir” and yes, m’am” and I think it stuck, because, unconsciously, I’ll say those words even at my ripe age today. We are the best role models for our children. When they see us respectful and honorable, they'll pick up on it.
When they see us slamming” and “degrading” others, it carries over to our children and their respect for others deteriorates. By our modelling respect, our our children gain the confidence that comes from knowing the right thing to do. That respect for others isn’t just the right way to act, but respect and good manners will set our children up for a lifetime of success with others.

Maybe I'm "old school", but I admire seeing a child, when introduced to someone, reach out his/her hand and say, “It’s nice to meet you!” I appreciate it when a man, woman or child, opens the door for me. It wasn't that long ago that men respected a woman enough to get up from the table and pull out her chair for her. If a woman was standing on a bus or event, a man or even a boy would give her their seat. I realize we live in a much more casual society today than when I was growing up, but, it seems we need to revive the spirit of respect, honor, dignity and appreciation for our fellow man and woman.

I think those Japanese kids had learned the Golden Rule, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That means, for all of us, to treat others as we would like to be treated, to be a good sport, to say "please and thank you", to ask before taking, to not talk with food in our mouths, to not take bites that make us look like we’re stashing away for the winter, to not make fun of others, to be compassionate, helpful, and when we say “sorry”, we really, really mean it. In no way am I suggesting that we "Bring back the good old days!" I love these days, but I think it's time to step up our "game" in being the best WE that we can possibly be.

THE END of this Nana’s “The Making of a Champ” post, but I hope and pray it’s the beginning of a “Once upon a time” a champion was created. That champion isn't only our children -- it's the making of a champion in you and me!

Raising the Bar -- Status Quo....Unacceptable!

God certainly set the bar high for us when He said words like this: "Love your enemies!” “Have peace in the midst of storms!” “Overcome evil with good!” "Be perfect as I am perfect." "Don't judge and you will not be judged." "Have faith and don't doubt." "I've made you MORE than conquerors." He didn't give us much "just-get-by" wiggle room, did He?

God didn't create us for mediocrity. He created us in His image -- He makes the impossible, possible. He makes darkness, light. He makes can't, can. There's nothing mediocre about Him. So, His expectations for us are extremely HIGH! Why should we be satisfied with a just-get-by mindset, when we have a Father who is unlimited and abounding in love and favor toward us? And, if He didn't think it were possible, He would have never set such high standards for us. Everything we do should be done with excellence. When we are asked to go one mile, whether it be in a job, a project, or a service, we should be ready to go the second mile, too. That's raising the bar. Yes, our Father gives to us in above-and-beyond measure, so His lead sets the bar high for us. It means we'll have to stretch out of our comfort zone, but I promise you, the benefits of stretching gives us rewards beyond our greatest expectations.

God didn’t set the bar high so that we would fail. He did it to show how high He can take us! Let's stop being satisfied with the status quo -- let's raise the bar, and be all He destined us to be and do!

Following the Lead of Successful Businesses and People

When my family comes to Tulsa, eating at Chick-fil-A is a MUST! It went quickly, but we waited in a long line to place our order at the drive thru window!. Always a crowd there, I said, “This is really a phenomenon!” Then I remembered just why this company is so successful and has grown to be the second largest chicken chain in America. Some would say it's the food. Others point to its clever advertising. (Let's face it, there is something appealing about seeing a cow beg you to "Eat Mor Chikin.") But, Founder Truett Cathy has a different view. He declares that the secret of his success is the company's high quality of people and their attention to customer service.

How do they attract such people? Truett says it all goes back to Chick-fil-A being closed on Sundays. Truett believes everyone should have a day off a week - for church, rest, or to enjoy family. Accordingly, Chick-fil-A has attracted outstanding teams - many industry experts will say its people are the best in the food industry.

And, ONE of the reasons their record-setting drive-thru is so fast, and accurate, is that the team taking orders is in their own private part of the restaurant. Their focus is all YOU and YOUR order, with no other distractions. It's part of their commitment to offer their customers the best experience possible!!

I was thinking about the standards of Chick-Fil-A, compared to our own standards of excellence, or the lack thereof. Do we brand ourselves with personality, wit and quality? Do we work hard, play hard and get adequate rest that we need? Do we honor God by setting aside a day, or time, for Him? Do we REALLY focus on the people in our lives – making them feel important, special and loved, or are we easily distracted with our cell phones or other matters that take away our attention from those who really matter most!

I think it’s time to follow the lead of successful people in business and in life – it just might make the difference we’ve been looking for to move up the ladder of personal and professional success in our own life!