The PF Women Team at our Annual Team Retreat ~ 2018 Today on Seth Godin's blog, he said: It's tempting to decide to make a profit first, then invest in training, people, facilities, promotion, customer service and most of all, doing important work. In general, though, it goes the other way. Yes, it does. If you are waiting to make a profit before you do these things, in my experience you're not going to make a profit. So many organizations, ministries and churches are struggling with financial issues. I know your pain. As anyone who follows our story knows, our ministry was in a ton of debt four years ago when I came on as director. Since that time, we've gotten out of debt and turned a profit every year. God has done amazing things through out team, for which we give Him the glory! I find that what Seth is saying here is absolutely true, with one disclaimer. For Christian leaders, spiritual disciplines must always be first. Before we started i...
I always know that I love my husband. It's just a fact. But there are sometimes that something happens that just brings me so close to him, I would be content to just run away from the world with him, and live either in the mountains by ourselves somewhere, or on a tropical island. The problem with that is, Larry is such a people person he would never go for it. He can't deal with as much solitude as I can. I can deal with boatloads of it. But anyway, since we are not running away to the mountains nor a tropical island, it's a moot point. However, what I'm saying is that there are times...moments when only Jesus and Larry are in my world as if nothing else exists. Next week for three days it will just be us and all we are going to have to focus on is what fruity drink we want next, and I for one can't wait!
Larry brought me such comfort and peace today with how he talked to me at my most upset moment. I was sitting in my chair crying and he literally got down on his knees, took my head in his hands and said, "Sassy...listen to me...please listen to me..." and started pouring his heart out to me - telling me he understood my feelings and how much he deeply loves me," and a bunch of other things. I gushed out with my frustrated words telling him how I've been feeling and stuff. I mean I just let it out, my perspective about what I feel spiritually right now, what I think God's point of view is, yada yada. yada. He comforted me and I felt 100% better. He told me some things he felt were God's heart in the matter.
Well wouldn't you know it...Susan, one of my greatest encouragers meets me at the door of the church tonight with a vase of pink roses. :-) My favorite. Accompanying it is a card. Usually what matters to me is what people personally write in cards, not the verses on them. But this one just stuck out to me as a huge zinger. The words of this card were exactly what Larry tried to tell me today, and what I longed to hear as "God's perspective". It was DEFINITELY a message from God, to me. I read it to Larry on the way home in the car and he agreed. I also got an e-mail from Maria today about stuff and it really meant a lot to me, as it always does. She has a lot of wisdom on stuff like this and I always take it to heart.
This is one of those times Larry is especially attentive. He told me tonight once we left church he wanted to go to Lowe's, get some stuff for the house...do some stuff we've been wanting to do. Then he picked up the stuff to shampoo the carpets. This might not sound very romantic but the thing is, we are having our friends Keith and Joy over tomorrow night after we go to dinner (we usually come back to the house for dessert and to talk late). He knows it would mean a lot to me to have the carpet done, although I did not ask him to do it. When we moved in here this carpet was stained and needed to be replaced but we just decided it was something we'd do later. Since we've moved in it's had a zillion cokes spilled on it, and all kinds of stuff. And did I mention it's white? So needless to say we have shampooed it a lot. We need to do the floor in there, (permanently) we just haven't had time. Only a woman who has been married for a while understands what you mean when you say that your husband has suddenly become even more sexy to you because he has taken out the trash or shampooed the carpets (without you asking, of course). You just fall in love all over again. (At least I do, because that's my main love language...)
So on the way home we stopped...got the shampoo stuff and then we went to Publix. The other day for Father's Day we took Larry to Olive Garden. I looked up the points on line for Weight Watchers to be prepared. As I did, I came upon a website that had Olive Garden Pasta Fagioli (soup), which is my absolute favorite. I usually just get that when I go there, with a salad. I flipped out when I found the WW version of it, and it's only 2 pts. So Larry swung by Publix for me to get the ingredients. I wanted to make a bunch of it and freeze it so I could have it from time to time when I get the urge. I came home tonight and made it in between cleaning and Larry shampooing. I am totally amazed that the recipe really IS a replica! It's wonderful. I am so happy to have this recipe!
Today I read a bunch of chapters of I Timothy but no other reading today. I was just a bit overwhelmed with all the stuff that went on financially and then preparing my message for tonight. (Yes, I was the one preaching - of all days!) I brought a message on indications of revival - what to prepare for when God's glory comes. I must say it was a message that probably required much more time to teach than just one night, but it really seemed to resonate with everybody there. Sometimes I probably over-prepare and thus the reason for more time needed. Although I had no time to read anything but the Bible today, I've been enjoying a book lately that Rosemay just gave me. It's a huge book, and it contains all the teachings of John G. Lake - his messages and reports from his revivals. I am loving it, absolutely loving it.
Tom wrecked his brand new truck tonight. Only a week and a half old. I can't believe it. To say I am sad for him is a mass understatement. I mean, my heart went out to him. I was grieving for him and I mean that in all sincerety. When I heard about it, I just exclaimed, "I HATE THE DEVIL!!!" I hate how he tries to steal from God's people and hurt them, and yes I do believe it's a spiritual attack. I told him I'd pray for him about this issue until he tells me it's all better with him. I guess one positive thing is, I have a great amount of compassion for this...
Well, it's like this. I sat down to get a respite from cooking and cleaning, but it's real la
te and I still have a lot more to do to get the house ready for friends to come, plus spend some time in prayer before sleep. So off I go. Larry is still shampooing...did I mention I love him?
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