Skip to main content

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

Sunday Scenes with Maddie


Jordan stayed up all night with Maddie.  Larry took over at 6 am and stayed with her until 10 am and left this morning just in time to preach.  It was the first time we left her, after putting the cone on her head, medicating her with Tramadol and putting her carefully in her kennel.  He came to church, preached and left right after service to go back and take care of her.  She did fine.  It was extremely hard to leave her but we had to be back at church this morning together.  Besides that Michele says we need to get her more into a routine of normalcy.  That is easier said than done!    We would have taken her with us to church but the veterinarian said she cannot leave the house for 10 days.
 
Taking an afternoon nap together after church and choir practice.


Hey, we sleep together when we can these days...LOL


Savanna can't resist running over to give Maddie some kisses when she sees her eyes open.  She took these photos above and on the last one she set a timer so she could be in it.  That girl is quite simply brilliant!  :)

I know it's pretty evident to all, but Maddie's like my fifth child.  I say fifth because we already have one in heaven, our first baby, and then we have our three here on earth.  About seven years ago now I thought we were done.  (My husband still says we were done!  He did not/still does not want any more babies. )  But then Dustin turned 18.  And everything in my mind changed.  You see, I saw what an amazing human being he turned out to be.   As a Mom you second guess everything you do, and make a lot of mistakes and you wonder if the kids are really going to turn out alright.  Well, I wondered all that for 18 years because, well...I screw up a lot. 

So then my oldest son turned 18 and he happened to become basically THE most amazing  young adult on the planet.  Then my second son turned 18 and well, he's made it too despite all my fears.  And my daughter is right on the heels of them just making me proud at every turn.  And I thought to myself, "why did I stop having kids?  These people are amazing!  I should have had more!"  (One of my mottos is "too much of a good thing is... wonderful!")  When Dustin turned 18 I really wanted another baby but it was too late.  Not only that but Larry didn't want another one, nor did he want to adopt.  So that was that.  End of discussion.

Then we got Maddie, which was totally HIS idea!  (I didn't want a dog at first -- I was against the idea.  But once we got her how could I not fall totally head over heels in love with this sweet baby?)  And all the love and attention I would have given a newborn baby, well, I just lavished on our little Maddie.  I rocked her to sleep, sang her songs incessently (never mind that she's deaf), held her on my lap all the time, took her to the office and let her sit beside me for hours while I worked, bought her clothes from Petsmart, took a bazillion photos of her and spoiled her rotten.   She's the fifth baby I was never able to have.  

Seeing her in this pain and anguish has been indescribable.  The other day I told her I wish it would have been me hit by the car and not her, that is how much I love her.   Thank all of you for praying for our sweet Madeline.  Your prayers are working.  She is not out of the woods by any means but she is getting stronger day by day and we have all the faith and hope in the world that in three weeks and two days, she will walk, pain free!  


Comments

Ruth, PA said…
I am amazed at how well she is looking today! PTL! God is good!

Popular posts from this blog

Some people will never understand this...

And that's okay. Just let us be as we lavish love upon the fur-kids of the world. It doesn't mean we don't care about people. We do care. In fact most of the people I know who are great pet lovers are also the greatest philanthropists. If you're not a dog lover, you might not understand the overwhelming intensity that many of us felt about Tank's reunion this past week. You might think we've lost our marbles. That's okay, we think you've lost your heart. ;)  Before I go on with this post, let me say that we were delighted that CBS 10 posted the video and article about Tank and his Celebration Church reunion yesterday. Click here to watch it. (But then come back!) If you haven't realized it, there is a revolution in America about dogs. Dogs have always been loved and known as the most loyal companions ~ "man's best friend". But things have gone way beyond this. Dogs aren't just dogs or friends anymore. They are family me

Fifty Shades of No Way

This weekend, the Fifty Shades of Grey movie will be released and millions of women are expected to flock to the theat er s.  I will not be one of those women.   As a leader of women , some have asked me about this movie. The following is my thoughtful response. Fifty Shades of Grey has topped best-seller lists around the world. The book series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, and been translated into 52 languages. It set the record as the fastest-selling paperback of all time.   Is Fifty Shades of Grey just a harmless book or movie? Although n o one seems to be debating this fact, let’s first establish that it’s pornography.  And not just porn, but a genre that is even more dangerous for women. The book glorifies a female character that is controlled and abused by her partner.   Who is excited about this book and mov ie? Hmmmm….you might be surprised. Many women and girls in our churches have read it. Sadly, I am even aware of

Relevant Church doing something...

incredibly RELEVANT!

I just heard some news today that really inspired me. A church here in Tampa, Relevant Church is doing a new thing this month called the "30 Days Sex Challenge." (I've never visited the church but Pastor Trinity - our children's pastor - has visited or has met some people from this church and he was very impressed.) Realizing that this is a major element missing from some marriages (the frequency factor) their lead pastor, Paul Wirth, has issued a challenge for all the married couples to have sex for 30 days in a row. At the same time he has issued a challenge for all unmarrieds to completely abstain from sex. Of course we know the Bible says that those who are unmarried should not have sex in the first place but the point is, a lot of unmarried's aren't obeying the Lord's command to abstain and this is just one pastor's way of trying to get them to see that indeed, there is a better way! (God's way!) At the same time, many married couples are not