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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 i...

Doing all things well - making the most of opportunity

H. Jackson Brown Jr. said, "People who accomplish big things did small things well." I have a passion for doing all things well. Today I had to do a lot of mundane catching up from being away on my trip. Lots of computer work, just every week stuff - from orders of service to calendar planning for 2007, to preparing teachings, to doing laundry, unpacking my bags, doing dishes, and getting ready to have Trinity and Misty over tonight. Although I am tired, I am committed to doing whatever I do well, and to the glory of God. It's incredible but in a week, Pastor Trinity has lost 20 pounds, sticking to the points system exactly. (He's not undereating, he is doing everything according to what he is supposed to) Meanwhile Larry has lost 9 pounds in a week. They are both doing great.  I got loads of candy to pass out to all the trick or treaters and Pastor T made invitations for Jam Kids Church that I will put in all of the bags with the candy. I personally feel tha...

Reunited and it feels so good...

It was a wonderful thing to come home to Larry last night. I had a great time in Maryland with his parents, and my sister, her new husband Dave, and Lexi and Cody), but I did miss my husband. I had envisioned him getting out of the car at the airport and embracing me with a strong hug, with me smelling the Curve cologne on his neck, then backing up to give him a kiss. But it didn't happen that way at all. Unfortunately somebody rang his cell phone just as he was pulling into the airport...and you know Larry, he always answers it unless I tell him not to. Oh well... there was plenty of time to kiss him later. But I was dreaming about our reunion. I missed him so much. Darn that phone.

OMG WHERE ARE THE CAMERAS??!!!

Alright, so I had the scare of my life today. I took our new video camera, and still digital camera with me to my sister's wedding this weekend. On the way there I brilliantly tell my son, "make sure you don't let the cameras out of your sight this weekend. Famous last words. When I get to Kim's wedding, I discover I'm the only one there with a video camera. I couldn't believe it. I took the only video footage of the whole thing. And I had a zillion digital pictures of the whole thing. So it was time to fly home today and 16 minutes before the plane takes off, while we're boarding, I stand up from my chair in the waiting area, reach down to get my purse and the cameras, and I realize...I don't have the cameras. "Oh my God!" I scream to the top of my lungs, "WHERE ARE THE CAMERAS?????????!!! I had everyone's attention, trust me. Dustin looked at me like I was a martian. I truly had gone into another world. Seriously, I th...

All you ask of me

Okay, so here is a view of my neighborhood that I grew up in...literally a few feet out my front (or back) door...I was surrounded by the Chesapeake Bay. This is the view from Bayfront Rd., one street over from our house. My sister's reception was right on Bayfront Rd., so Dustin took these pictures... while at my sister's wedding reception. When I was a kid I had my windows open at night many times while I slept and I could hear the sounds of the bay, and of Bethlehem Steel (pictured here) across the bay. Wow, this brought up a lot of memories while I was at my sister's wedding reception, being that my old house was just one street over. Well, we're back now! After getting up and spending some time with my in laws this morning, we flew back. It was sad to say goodbye again but here we are.  On the way home I was just reading and studying the Word some more and right now I'm reading Galatians in my devotions. I came across a passage that describes PERFECTLY ...

I love my mother in law

An old yiddish proverb says that "only Adam had no mother-in-law. That's how we know he lived in paradise..." Fortunately for me, I have a wonderful mother in law, and I don't have to cringe every time I think about my MIL. Some people live in dread or fear of theirs, but I appreciate mine and love her...and she feels the same way about me. I am truly blessed. This past weekend was my sister's wedding so I was focused on that a lot, but this morning I got to have breakfast with my MIL before flying back. We went to Bob Evans and had a nice time. We both wished I could have stayed for longer but it was time to come back to Florida. Dad took Dustin on a few hour driving lesson this morning before we had to come home. I think he's ready now for the test. I missed home in Florida, but going back Maryland during the fall season...wow, I haven't experienced that for four years. Dustin and I couldn't stop looking at the trees. And we really miss our fami...

A beautiful day

It's official! Kim and Dave are now married! Yeah! My sister had her day just like she wanted it ~ perfect ~ and I'm so glad. She deserves it. She and Dave are truly so happy and I could not be more happy for them. Mine and Dustin's sole purpose in coming was to show our love and support for Kim and Dave and Lexi and Cody. Dustin and I did our songs and they went well. I was so proud of him and everyone could not believe how much he has grown up. ..."  Kim and Dave are now on their way to Niagra Falls. I'm so happy for them!!! What a wonderful trip they will have. And, Dustin and I will get a good night's sleep and head back to Florida. Today I was so cold. Larry thinks I'm hysterical the way I react to cold weather. I wore heels to the wedding, with no hose (stopped wearing hose a few years ago - never want to wear them again.) I wanted to wear my pink heels for the wedding, but as soon as it was over and we went to the reception I put my boots on. When...

Writing your passion

John Piper says: "I have always felt that the works of the famous British New Testament scholar, F. F. Bruce, are unnecessarily dry. In reading his memoirs, In retrospect, I discovered one of the reasons why. He said, "I do not care to speak much-especially in public-about thethings that mean most to me." When you eliminate what means most to you from your writing and speaking, they will be dry. For myself, I would say just the opposite: "I do not care to speak much-especially in public-about the things that don't mean most to me." Many pastors are not known for expressing deep emotions. This seems to me especially true in relation to the profoundest theological realities. This is not good, because we ought to experience the deepest emotions about the deepest things. And we ought to speak often, and publicly, about what means most to us, in a way that shows its value."  I am convinced, if we can't be real, we can't truly disciple someone. B...