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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

Dustin Shrodes hits the big 2-0!


Today is a very monumental day in our son's life...he turns 20.  He's not a teenager anymore!  It really does seem like just yesterday that we were welcoming him into the world.   We couldn't be prouder of him, for who He is, and what He has accomplished in these twenty years.  I'm proud of him that he works full time as a supervisor at the Cobb and consistently gets outstanding reviews and awards while carrying a full load at college.  I'm proud of him for leading worship in the church and being a role model not only to young people, but many older people as well.  I'm proud of him for being a great songwriter, guitar teacher, and a great comedian.  More than ANY of these things I'm proud of his heart...who He is inside, the creative, kind and gentle soul that is Dustin.  And of course above all else is His love for God and His unwavering commitment spiritually.  He first prayed to accept Jesus at two years old, and He has always been a God chaser.

When he has asked me, "why do you wish you would have had more kids, Mom?" I said, "look what has come about as a result of me having kids!  I'd love to have more."  But alas, three (and one in heaven) is our limit, and our next babies will be grandbabies someday.

For years our family was in the habit of going to Kobe for birthdays.  But the last few, the kids have asked that I make their favorite dishes at home.  Tonight Dustin asked for what has become all three of the kids favorite -- my pot roast recipe.  He used to ask for homemade fried chicken but the past few years roast has taken the #1 spot.  So tonight's menu is a list of family favorites ~ ceasar salad, rolls, pot roast, mashed potatoes with gravy, corn, and chocolate layer cake with strawberry ice cream.  Oh, and root beer.  Dustin loves root beer.   Jake and Eddie are joining the family for dinner.  Becca had to work tonight but she'll join us tomorrow for some dessert. 

  I had a little bit more time than expected to get all of the festivities ready starting on it all last night  Larry and I were supposed to have a special date last night however Savanna was sick and had to be home from school.  Sunday night she started complaining of headache, and stomach ache.  She never stays home from school...she will push herself to go, she loves it so much.  I know she's truly sick when she asks to stay home.  Since we couldn't go on our date last night I had more time to start on the cake, get out the linens and china, and start the set up for dinner once Savanna was settled.  She's doing better now.  It must have been a 24 hour thing, thank the Lord.  

So tonight is our family dinner -- just a small celebration, but next week he is having a big party with friends.  It will be a costume party  He has scheduled it for a day when I'm out of town preaching and will come back just shortly before the party starts, so preparing for this juggling act will be interesting as I had already agreed to help him with planning all of the food preparations and such, but it shall be done!  

Tomorrow I will be posting photos from our dinner tonight as well as a story from Dustin's baby blog/journal.  I wrote a blog for the boys when they were infants/toddlers (before blogging on the internet existed I wrote it in hardcover journals and books) and I will share a few of the entries with you!  

Comments

Ruth, PA said…
Happy Birthday, Dustin! God's best to you throughout this year!
Happy birthday Dustin! Much love from Houston...

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