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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

Double duty


Today found me working very hard to get things done by Christmas so that we can take some time off the week between Christmas and New Year's Day. That week is one of my favorites of the year because we give the staff off except for essentials (church services, bank deposits, hospitalizations, etc.) and aside from those mandatory things, after the Christmas Eve communion until New year's day, we are home with our families. If we are especially blessed then we have no emergency phone calls and that makes for just the relaxing break we need in preparation to start the year off with the amount of energy that we want to in getting ready for what we believe will be a banner year in the church.

Today I was doing multiple weeks of work which means several weeks worth of preparations in paperwork, teachings, e-magazines, yada yada. You name it, it all must be done ahead. Amongst that time we did carve out time for a nice staff lunch together. I miss being in the office with the staff but we are all so close we usually hang at each other's houses during the break anyway during part of the time.

After work tonight we came home and I made myself a lean cuisine and Larry got a bowl of cereal. Today I have been able to stay 100% O.P. (on program) which is a MUST, not just after Christmas or the New Year, but I am at such a 9-1-1- in my weight status right now that I have to get with the program right now, not a week or two from now. The scale has spoken...loudly.

Larry wanted to go to the movies tonight so we went to see Yes Man, the new Jim Carrey movie. He's my favorite comic. If you haven't figured it out, we are a movie-loving family. So much so that my son works for Cobb Theatres and is absolutely wild about his job. We get free tickets to go anytime we want so it's something we do often. One reason I am so nuts about movies is that I was never allowed to go growing up, and now I make up for lost time and see every movie I possibly can. I never lose the joy of it.

I have another full day at the office tomorrow to try to wrap things up in time for Christmas and if I do I might even take Christmas Eve off during the day until we have to go in late afternoon to prep for communion. We are almost done our Christmas shopping but not quite. Tomorrow night will be the night for that, I presume. I'll be so glad to have it all done. Somebody remarked the other night about the great amount of gifts (already wrapped and there) underneath our tree. There are a lot but I explained this is the time my kids get all of their school clothes and stuff. I generally don't buy anything at the start of the school year except their school supplies. All of their shoes, socks, underwear, t-shirts, pants, shirts, yada yada yada get purchased for Christmas. This is it for the year, so at Christmas time is when they get their yearly supply of everything and I wrap each and every thing (or rather Savanna does it now, ptl!) including the little things so that it's more enjoyable to have more to open. Aside from that they do get one "toy" they've been wanting (their toys are different and more expensive now that they have gotten older) but mainly for Christmas they get their supply of what they need as far as clothing and such. Not that I have to justify it to anybody, but I guess some people might think we are millionaires if they see all the myriad of stuff that's wrapped underneath our tree, and a few people have commented. No, we don't have that much in the bank accounts, but in spiritual things, yes we are millionaires and more.

Comments

Melissa said…
hmmmm, can I just say, we are all just normal people and normal families and it really isn't anyones business what we spend on our kids or not spend. I have gotten many comments this season myself. Specially if they notice a new dress or shirt...its one thing to compliment its another to to say something with judgement in their voices. UGH! Our kids this year have been abundantly blessed BUT NOT and I stress not by us. From us they are receiving only one gift, the treasured gift they have wanted all year. But both grandma's and an aunt have blessed them and if someone was to see every package that has been wrapped, socks to pjs plus all the toys they too would think we were rich. Plus having 4 kids even if you have a few things for each it fills that space under the tree so quickly it may look like a ton of gifts! I must say God is faithful, He knows how to bless His servants and this year He has proven in abundance to us and our children that He knows the desires of our hearts! Love you, Merry Christmas!

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