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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 i...
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Things I love


"Perhaps if one really knew when one was happy, one would know the things that were necessary for one's life."
~ Joanna Field

Years ago, I started a "things I love" journal. It's nothing more than a book where I sat and wrote an exhaustive list of things I'm crazy about.

We can find no shortage of things to bellyache about in life. I'm not immune to this and the penchant to whine is ever a factor. I really don't want to be that way so I've spent a lot of years resisting it hard and refusing to let what makes me unhappy swallow me up. I remain convinced that the list of things that makes most of us happy is much longer than that which makes us unhappy, but our focus is most often broken. The lack of focus leads to perpetual doldrums simply because we are fixated on something negative instead of concentrating on what delights us. I have realized that all of us have problems, myself included -- that if focused on would destroy us. We have to make a choice not to do that. Life is good, but it's hard. And we must keep ourselves centered and be good stewards of our mind.

So, at one point when I seemed to be surrounded by some things that really threatened to swallow me up (and they were some tough circumstances, not just something that was all in my head or hormones), I began to list my blessings everyday. It made a huge difference. At times when I would get absolutely beside myself with grief over something I was facing I'd take the book out and instead of writing in it that night, I'd just start reading it. It would remind me of everything in life that is beautiful, that which has the power to lift me emotionally from where I am to where I want to be.

I thought I'd start a running list here at http://www.deannashrodes.com/ of things I love and add to it whenever the mood strikes. Usually it's when I'm melancholy. I don't find myself like that tonight however I've been thinking a lot about my old journal and thought that since I'm not hand writing anymore and do everything on my blog or my private journal on line, it's time to take the things I love to the web and keep them there. So here we go with a list tonight, in no particular order or category.

Jesus
My Family
Madeline
Africa
Used book stores
Avon
Coffee
Solitude
Tea
Coaching
Aeropostale
My down comforter & duvet
Fox News
Riding my bike
Roses
Writing
The Beach
Non Fiction
Bath and Body Works Moonlight Path
Rocking Chairs
Earth, Wind and Fire
Waking up next to my husband
Bealls outlet
Any thrift store
Animal prints
Pink
Anything with Wonder Woman on it
The Message
Mani's/Pedi's
Thanksgiving
Pret a Manger
Watches
Fitness walking
Road trips
Reading a letter from someone I love
Meeting friends for coffee
Hosting people in my home
Naps
Soft, sensuous kisses
Reading while it's raining
Candles
Reading biographies
Crisp, clean sheets


More to come...


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Sharon said…
Things I love... YOU!!!! :-)
8:18 PM
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