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

What happened today

I went to my eye doctor, thinking I would be in and out in an hour and go to CVS for an eye drops prescription and be done. 

Wrong. 

I left at 10 am and got home at 6:30 pm. 

I have had what I thought was a stye on my eye since March 8.  I have been going without make up or contacts and putting compresses on.  It had not gotten better.  But I was just giving it time.   To be honest I've been sick of going to doctors this past year and didn't want to go to one more!    Wednesday morning I woke up at district council and discovered I was experiencing a loss of vision in my affected eye, and in fact I could not read at all with that eye.  It started when I woke up and flipped open my cell phone to see what time it was and couldn't read the numbers on the phone a few inches away.  They were a complete blur and when I looked at a book, it looked like several sentences were stacked up on top of each other. I could see perfectly out of my left eye, (wearing my glasses) however, I was understandably concerned about the loss of vision in my other eye.  I called my eye doctor and got an appointment for this morning at 10 am which was the first available.

Upon testing me this morning and seeing that I truly could not read out of the right eye even with my glasses the doc was extremely concerned and said I needed an emergency consultation today at the St. Luke's Eye Institute. He called and St. Luke's didn't have an appt for another week however he demanded they do whatever to squeeze me in or stay late and said it was an emergency.

Upon being tested in several ways at St. Luke's they determined the problem to be a chalazion cyst on my eye that had been pushing down on my cornea and caused my vision to distort so I couldn't read anymore with that eye.  It was putting pressure on and had to be removed.

As kids when we wanted to promise our friends something we would say, "cross my heart,  hope to die, stick a needle in my eye."  Whip your kids the next time they say that!!!  :::giggles:::    I truly think it was easier to birth my three babies!!!

Except for the needle, the surgery is all done underneath the eyelid.  So, all of the cutting and cleaning out was internal.  I now just have a really bruised eyelid that is draining,and have to do hot compresses, antibiotics and steroids four times daily. As things heal my vision is expected to return to normal in 2-3 weeks.   Here's a pic without the glasses... doc says it may or may not bruise or swell more before it's all over...and it will keep draining as it's healing. In any case, just taking it a day at a time.  I go back for a follow up in a few weeks, right before I leave for Africa (June 1) and we are hoping I might even be able to wear my contacts for the trip!!!   

I am very grateful to everyone who started praying in response to Larry's facebook message and my quick texts.  Several people started their prayer chains and everyone I texted said they stopped immediately and prayed.  I could feel those prayers.  What a comfort.  My dear friend and church member Candy Rivera rushed right over to St. Luke's to be with me during the whole thing. 

God is a good God. I am able to type this utilizing one eye to see. I am going to have my vision fully restored. Nothing is going to stop me from all God has for me. Nothing will stop my beloved Africa trip. The devil will not have his way. He's a liar.

Savanna's birthday party sleepover started at 5 pm tonight.  I was still at St. Luke's finishing up, so Larry had to come home to get it started and leave me with Candy.  I never imagined this would be an all day affair!   Becca graciously agreed to come and stay up with the girls at the sleepover tonight being that it's important to my recooperation to shut my eyes and get some sleep.   I will post photos of her party tomorrow.

Thanks again for all who prayed...you are so appreciated and loved.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

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

What Verbal Abuse is Really Like, and Why We Must Care
Guest Post: Terri von Wood

In my speaking travels, I meet the most amazing people. Some are connections that go beyond just a night or a weekend of preac hing. One day on my journey, I met Terri von Wood, and we immediately clicked and have been friends ever since.  Just a reminder that all of our guest bloggers this week are available to chat with you in the comment section here on the blog or on my facebook page where the blog is also published.   *** People who have never suffered through or witnessed abuse (including pastors) often don't know how to help women in abusive situations. Knowledge is power and it is my belief that if the church understood the prevalence of abuse, help would be made available.  First, we must acknowledge that the divorce rate is the same  in the church as in the world.  Second, we must understand that the 50% divorce rate does not include all the women who are abused but stay because they do not know what else to do or do not have anyone to turn to.  If those women we

Excellent teaching on Criticism

My friend Pastor Leanne posted this today on her Myspace blog and I thought it was excellent and so timely. It's a blog post from Pastor Perry Noble , about criticism. I think it's perfect for the pastors at Relevant Church right now, as well as any other person going through this. I would like to note that when he says, "when God begins to move" it wouldn't necessarily just pertain to your church but to your life, your family, your marriage, anything that concerns you. I have found that the greater God does things in my life and the more He blessed me the more I should expect it. This teaching is good, so good I was almost wavin' a hanky in my office. Okay, here we go... You Will Be Criticized When God Begins To Move–Expect It And Get Over It. (Pastor Perry Noble at http://www.perrynoble.com/ ) I've never met a devil worshiper–to my knowledge that is. When I first became a Christian I was convinced that I needed to do all that I could to be ready to comba