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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

One of my favorite nights of the year


It's almost 1 am and I'm just getting home from one of my all time favorite highlights of every year...

I know, I know...I'm not that old (really, I'm not!) but I love the Gaither Homecoming. This is what I grew up on -- my heritage --the foundation of my learning to play and sing. I started out by listening to Happy Goodman records (33's - remember those?) and playing by ear. This music holds an incredibly special place in my heart.

Pretty much anybody who has known me for any length of time knows this. I never miss a Homecoming and they come to Tampa every year the 3rd week in January. Unless I were hospitalized or deceased, I will always be there provided Bill and Gloria are still showing up.

Pastor Lindsay blessed me with tickets to this year's show, as a Christmas gift. Originally it was just supposed to be me, Larry and Jordan going. This is normally a "mother/son" thing we do , Jordan and I, together. I always prayed, "Lord, just let one of my children love this like I do, and let us share it together..." and Jordan is that child for me. Over the years, he and I have ridden alone in the car sometimes and sing together, everything from, "Oh My Lord, What a Time" to "Let Freedom Ring". He's a good little tenor and can hold a note out forever. Last year we were at Homecoming by ourselves and raced from table to table buying everything from Signature Sound's new CD to GVB's latest and listening to our favorites and singing them all the way home. Keep in mind my son is 16, and he's one of the coolest dudes on the planet... he surfs, skateboards, drums, and...loves the Gaithers too! :-)

Ten of us ended up going together -- and had great seats compliments of Pastor Linds and her connections at WTBN. My whole family went as well as Stephen, Pastor T & Misty, Bill, and Anita. We decided to go a few hours early and eat at Stumps Supper Club, chowing down corn bread topped with butter and honey and southern delicacies like fried chicken and southern style ribs. Yum!!! Pastor Linds met us there.

The theme this year was "Give it Away." Every time I'm at a Gaither concert a bunch of great memories flood my mind. I'm a firm believer in concentrating on the GOOD memories in life. Lord knows all of us have things we want to forget, so we have to hold on to the things that are pleasant for us to remember. Singing "Til' the Storm Passes By" and "Where No One Stands Alone" are some f those good memories for me, among many others...


Funny moments of tonight I just have to share before going to sleep...

We were listening tonight to a piano solo by Gordon Mote (is the guy incredible or WHAT?) I have been giving Savanna some piano lessons and she's doing well. As we're watching Gordon Mote play some incredible piano chops, Savanna leans over and she says, "Mom, that right there takes some serious practicing..."


and I said, "yes honey, you're right but YOU CAN DO IT! After all, Gordon Mote is even BLIND and he does it!" and then she quipped back, "Yeah Mom, but I'm blond!"

My daughter can be so funny sometimes. Then a little while later as we're listening to the concert and Bill Gaither is introducing all these groups she leans over to her Dad and says, "Dad, Bill Gaither is so busy I don't know how he does all this..." and my husband says, "what do you mean?" She says, "Well, he's gotta do these concerts and manage all these singers and then run around and make and sell all that computer stuff." And Larry says, "What? What computer stuff?" And she says, "you know, he makes the computers..." and Larry says, "Do you mean Bill GATES?"


"Oh yeah," she says........... "I guess I thought for some reason they were the same guy."

Yep, my daughter IS blond. (SMILE)

Keep in mind I am now blond too, BUT...it comes from a bottle. :-) (GRIN)

G'night all...

Comments

Anonymous said…
I am so glad you had a wonderful time. I love the gaithers as well.Thats about all I listen to. I wanted to go to the concert this year but I wasn't able to. I look foreward to hearing more about it.
Anonymous said…
LOL - I used to get Bill Gaither mixed up with Bill Gothard all the time - I wondered why the Gaither Vocal Band had so many "backbeats" in their music when their leader was against them...it actually made me really mad for awhile as a junior higher :o).

Glad you had fun!!!
Anonymous said…
I should clarify: I am not against backbeats in music, lol (obviously - one of my favorite "worship" bands is Skillet!). I was upset because Gaither/Gothard seemed to be a hypocrite - telling me not to listen to music with an evil beat, but then putting out southern gospel!!!

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