Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts with the label Mothering

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...

Women ARE the Thermostat!

Driving along on my journey to preach in Wauchula last week, I came upon this sign. As I often do when traveling and I pass something I want to capture, I stopped to take a photo. Mothers set the temperature in the home. We are the thermostat. Whatever our mood, it impacts the whole household like no other person in the house. While we set the tone, I believe we are also the person in the home who faces the most circumstances with the potential to affect our mood. No one cares about the state of the home more than we do. So, when everything falls apart or piles up, it impacts us like no one else.  None of my other family members seem to notice or care when this happens. But I personally experience a cloud of depression so real I can almost touch it when things aren't right at home.  It's even worse when I clean up the night before and after I go to bed someone messes it up.  I have found if I don't start playing worship music and begin to pray and seek the L...

Women in Ministry and Mothers Day Issues:
It's Complicated!

The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. Emotionally, the pull is intense to stay home, reflect and practice self-care. She is sad because she tried to become a mom, and still isn't one. She's grieving over the child she lost. Or the mother she lost.  Or the mother who abandoned or abused her, making this day such a painful reminder of all she never had .   Or she has a toxic mom and responded by drawing healthy boundaries that led to them hardly speaking, or maybe never speaking again.   Whatever the case, the spirit wins out when it comes to this lady. No matter how daunting the situation, she doesn’t give in to the overwhelming urge to hide out until Monday.  She wakes up. She shows up. She makes a difference. Who is she? She's a woman in ministry for whom Mother's Day brings painful reminders or complications. Regardless of her own circumstance, she reaches out in genuine love to minister to God’s people. Notwithst...

Okay is Bleeechhh.

I hate okay. Okay reeks of mediocrity. "Did you like that restaurant?" "It was okay." "How was the concert?" "It was okay." Yeah....not appealing. Who wants their husband to say, “My wife is.....okay?” I want Larry to say, “My wife is amazing. She is all that. She’s the best thing ever.” Not, “She’s okay.”  He may as well say, “My wife is hell." Over the years I've asked Larry what I could do to better meet his needs. Sometimes I've failed but I hope I've succeeded more. I don’t want my kids to say, “My mom’s okay.” I want them to say, “She’s the best mom ever. “ My amazzzzzinggggggg kids, Christmas Day 2012 About ten years ago, I asked all my kids  to give me a grade on being a mom. I believe evaluation is very important to improvement in every area of our life, including marriage and family. Two of my kids gave me an A. One kid gave me an F.  Yes, an "F". I fail...

Mom Tip: Always Say Yes When You Can

I am often asked for Mom-advice, particularly the older my kids get. Of course, I've made a lot of mistakes, and readily admit that. I often share things I believe I've done right, too. Today I'm going to share something that I believe is important...

3 Ways to Change Your Kids' Lives Every Day

1) Believe in them.  Every kid wants more than anything for their parent to believe in them. Believe in them every single day.  Let them know you do, often. Over and over again. Until they are sick of hearing it! (They might act like they are tired of you telling them. Don't believe it. Keep telling them. If you're going to change their lives every day you  have to tell them good things every day.) 2) Be excited every time you see them.  Do your eyes light up when they walk in the room? These are your kids. Your amazing offspring. Let them see the excitement every time they show up. I realize some of you have little kids and they are running in the room a few hundred times a day. You might wish they would run out. I know you are frustrated, but please realize, your kids are the most amazing thing you will ever create. So get excited!!  Today as I was doing a hospital visit for one of our church members, my 22 year old son Dustin walked in the room. Immed...