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What To Do First to Make a Profit

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 inve
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What I did today


This post is just the run down of what I did today and it never ceases to amaze me that anyone else besides me has interest in this, but according to my blog stats a lot of people to have interest in it, so here goes.

This morning I tried to sleep a little later but the dog was beckoning me to arise and take her out. So, I did.

I got some computer work done - finished my message for Friday night, did some other odds and ends tasks that needed to be wrapped up for the weekend, finalized the grocery list for our leadership Christmas open house on Sunday night and went to get the groceries for it. (At least the ones I could get now. Some of them like fresh fruit, and bread have to wait until the day of.)

By the way, this is a huge party we host at our home every year for our staff, board, ministry leaders and their families. I make a ton of my most special foods, and have little food and beverage stations in all different areas of the house, and we open our home up for this wonderful event, usually the second Sunday night in December. The first year I did it all by myself but truly it has gotten to be too much to go it alone so Lisa comes and helps me now in putting it together. With all the things we have done together the past five years (many showers, wedding receptions, open houses and many other events) we have kidded each other about going into the catering business. I have often said, "Lisa, if MacDill fires you, and Northside gets rid of me, let's go into business together." She thinks it's a great idea though I don't forsee it happening, it's our "back up plan"...ha ha! Anyway, she'll be here Sunday afternoon helping me to assemble the whole thing and prepare for the "grand unveiling" of things such as my famous chicken salad and crab dip. It generally takes me three days to get all the food prepped for this. I start on Friday which will be interesting this year since our women's extravaganza is also on Friday. I also volunteered to make the chicken salad for that and of course Larry always says, "why did you do that to yourself when you had so much else to do?" but the truth is, everyone seems to like my chicken salad best, so I don't mind doing it. Consider this "Northside Assembly of God Quality Control." (ha ha!)

Early evening came and I sewed a button on my expensive suit that wasn't expensive, for Christmas. Something you may or may not know about me is that I love thrift stores. Yes, I absolutely love them. I love malls and regular stores too. However, thrift stores are a particular love of mine. There is nothing like getting something really valuable at an incredible bargain. In my closet I have several formals, such as a Liz Claiborne evening gown that I just got a few months ago - that I paid $5 for! I get Jones New York suits at the thrift store for $3. In fact the one I wore last Sunday was such. Nobody would ever know this unless I told you. And I obviously don't mind telling you or I wouldn't be blogging it. Well, a few months ago I got a brand new, beautiful cranberry colored suit - with the tags still on - NEVER WORN - for $5. I immediately fell in love with it. The only thing wrong was the top button was hanging on very loosely by a thread. I bought the suit, and today I got matching thread and fixed it. I can't wait to wear it!

After finishing that, I was in the midst of finishing a Christmas project that I'm making for a friend, and the phone rang. It was Lisa. "Put your tennis shoes on and come out here, it's gorgeous!" she said. "Come out and walk with me!" The sun was setting and it was beautifully crisp and cool outside. So, I went to my closet and got my shoes on and met her outside. For those who don't know, Lisa and I live in the same development - she lives in Saratoga Village and I live in Northampton Village which are right across from each other. Actually, they moved to Lexington Oaks for us. (No kidding. Yep, they like us that much.) She called me on the cell as she was walking down my street. In about 5 min. she was at my door and we went and did the"loop" in Northampton that I walk. Earlier today I thought, I need to exercise today but I don't have time. (I know, I know...there I go breaking self promises again! Why do I do that?) But with her prodding, I got in a work out today. Then came back, finished my project, helped Savanna with getting some Christmas wrapping done, did some other work on the computer, laid down a few moments until Dust came in and said, "Mom, what's for dinner?" (His four favorite words of choice.)

Tonight was one of those late night dinners. I sprang up from my rest, and in a few moments had the chicken in the oven baking and got everything out to make cornbread stuffing and creamed corn. Not exactly the most WW friendly thing when you are talking about stuffing, but it was what I had on hand, so it's what we had. Did a load of clothes, got my stuff lined up for work in the AM, cleaned up the kitchen (again) and came back to finish a short writing project. Now...

it's time to spend some time with Larry before bedtime. I'm thinking a nice soak in the big tub would be nice.

Guess what...I'm going to see Ada tomorrow! Yippee!

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