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...
I know...I didn't blog yesterday. That never happens. I mean it literally NEVER happens -- at least since I have been blogging publicly. I blog everyday rain or shine, good or bad, happy or sad. The truth is I tried repeatedly to blog yesterday but something was up with blogger. Although I restarted my computer several times and tried to get into my account , I couldn't post. Finally at about 1:00 am, I gave up and decided it wasn't worth losing any more sleep over. Sorry to miss a day...I sorely missed it more than anyone may have missed reading it. Blogging is a huge part of my life, so the absence meant more to me than anybody. But here I am, back again -- with something to say as usual. When do I not have something to say?
Everyday I snuggle with my dog Max and sing a song to him. I've written a song for him (one of many I've written for him and Maddie) and the lyrics begin with, "You are my Max...my only Max..." and as I sing this song, he wags his tail and he gets so happy. He can be sound asleep but if I sing this song he will perk up every single time I it, no matter what. I've been singing it to him since he was a tiny puppy.
Every day Max and Maddie wake us up, usually earlier than the alarm goes off. Most days it's still dark out when they wake up and they cry a little bit in their kennels to let us know they are up. The routine is the same - we go get them, take them potty and then they snooze with us for a little while before the alarm goes off and I have to get in the shower.
Each day they look so sad when we leave for work. They are happiest when it's our day off, or it's the day for me to work from home.
Every day when we come home they go berserk, barking, jumping, giving kisses. It's the same routine every day with this.
Every time we leave to go out for even just a short time, when we come back in the door it's the same high energy and excitement that we're back! It's amazing! If I want to feel popular or missed all I have to do is leave my house and stay out in the yard for a few minutes, then walk back in the door and it's the "Momma's home!!!" routine all over again.
Every night they want to snuggle before they have to go in their cages to sleep for the night. We wait til' the last moment possible to put them in there as we like spending all the time with them that we can.
Dogs are very predictable and this is just one thing I absolutely love about them. I don't like the unpredictability of life and of people but I have come to peace with both. No sense in fighting or trying to change it. But I can appreciate the heck out of my dogs for their predictability. And I do.
Some people change what they believe from year to year (or even day to day), and values change based upon circumstances. The person you thought you knew may not really be who you thought they were at all. Dogs don't have hidden thoughts, agendas, values, etc., and unless you are dealing with some abnormal diseased dog, pretty much your dog will believe the same thing today that they believed yesterday. Your dog will never morph into a cat, guaranteed. And they are never going to walk out of your closet and tell you they don't love you anymore and are leaving you or worse yet, undergoing surgery to become a turtle. No, they just don't do that.
Dog appeal shouldn't be a secret at all. In a world of unpredictabilityand at times stupidity they are relatively predictable. Which makes them amazing creatures to live with...because you never have to guess where they're coming from or why the heck they've changed into something weird.
By the way, dogs are some of the smartest creatures. You can't dismiss my line of thinking with, "who cares, they're dumb dogs!" Dogs aren't dumb.
Excuse me while I go sing Max his night lullaby..."you are my Max...my only Max..."
Everyday I snuggle with my dog Max and sing a song to him. I've written a song for him (one of many I've written for him and Maddie) and the lyrics begin with, "You are my Max...my only Max..." and as I sing this song, he wags his tail and he gets so happy. He can be sound asleep but if I sing this song he will perk up every single time I it, no matter what. I've been singing it to him since he was a tiny puppy.
Every day Max and Maddie wake us up, usually earlier than the alarm goes off. Most days it's still dark out when they wake up and they cry a little bit in their kennels to let us know they are up. The routine is the same - we go get them, take them potty and then they snooze with us for a little while before the alarm goes off and I have to get in the shower.
Each day they look so sad when we leave for work. They are happiest when it's our day off, or it's the day for me to work from home.
Every day when we come home they go berserk, barking, jumping, giving kisses. It's the same routine every day with this.
Every time we leave to go out for even just a short time, when we come back in the door it's the same high energy and excitement that we're back! It's amazing! If I want to feel popular or missed all I have to do is leave my house and stay out in the yard for a few minutes, then walk back in the door and it's the "Momma's home!!!" routine all over again.
Every night they want to snuggle before they have to go in their cages to sleep for the night. We wait til' the last moment possible to put them in there as we like spending all the time with them that we can.
Dogs are very predictable and this is just one thing I absolutely love about them. I don't like the unpredictability of life and of people but I have come to peace with both. No sense in fighting or trying to change it. But I can appreciate the heck out of my dogs for their predictability. And I do.
Some people change what they believe from year to year (or even day to day), and values change based upon circumstances. The person you thought you knew may not really be who you thought they were at all. Dogs don't have hidden thoughts, agendas, values, etc., and unless you are dealing with some abnormal diseased dog, pretty much your dog will believe the same thing today that they believed yesterday. Your dog will never morph into a cat, guaranteed. And they are never going to walk out of your closet and tell you they don't love you anymore and are leaving you or worse yet, undergoing surgery to become a turtle. No, they just don't do that.
Dog appeal shouldn't be a secret at all. In a world of unpredictability
By the way, dogs are some of the smartest creatures. You can't dismiss my line of thinking with, "who cares, they're dumb dogs!" Dogs aren't dumb.
Excuse me while I go sing Max his night lullaby..."you are my Max...my only Max..."
Comments
When we got our dog as a puppy, my grandpa said to my husband, "I was married for 43 years, and I can tell you that your wife isn't always going to be happy to see you walk through that door, but your dog always will be."
Which is somewhat silly, because I'm always happy to see my husband walk through the door, but he doesn't get the same "welcome home!" treatment from me as either of us does from our dog...so maybe my grandpa had a point ;o).