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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...
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My Thanksgiving list

Well, it's officially Thanksgiving day! Oh how much we have to be thankful for. We had 15 at our table today for Thanksgiving and I'm posting some photos of our day here with this post.

Okey dokey...things I'm thankful for. Here's my short list.

Last night I went to sleep sans clothing and in the middle of the night woke up to my husband laying beside me, massaging my bare shoulders, saying, "you're so beautiful..."


He's so glad I'm home from Africa, for more reasons than just helping him lead the church. :-)


This morning I woke up to begin my day at about 8 am and wanted to sit up in bed and read while having my tea before cleaning again and getting ready for our guests. Larry got up, warmed up a piece of pumpkin bread for me and put my special low-fat butter on it, and brought me a cup of hot tea with one of my tea bags I brought home from Kenya. I'm also glad he rolls with my mistakes and helps me fix them. I woke up this morning, opened my eyes and the realization hit me..."Oh no!!! I forgot the sweet potatoes!" Not to worry, Larry said he'd run out to Sweetbay and quickly get some. In all my busyness of getting my house back in shape and planning the menu and inviting people for dinner and doling out food assignments, I completely left out my favorite dish on the Thanksgiving table! He was back in short order and I quickly peeled a bunch and we got them on so that I could make my casserole.

I'm so thankful for a thoughtful husband who values me... and tells me I'm beautiful...and comes to the rescue to fix my gaffes.

Last night I caught up on watching Kid Nation with my family. They taped it while I was away. They were all gathered in the room when I came in and Jordan said, "sit with me, Momma!" I went over and sat with him and we snuggled on the couch the whole time we watched the show. Not all 16 year old boys would do that with their Mom, but both my boys are very affectionate and don't hesitate to show their love. I'm thankful for three healthy children who all love me and are glad I'm home. I'm glad I'm home too. By the way, side note: Larry tells us last night mid-way through watching the show that he actually LIKES Taylor from Kid Nation. WHAT?! He is the only one of the Shrodes that feel this way and we cannot for the life of us understand his view on it. I tell him, all the rest of us can clearly see that girls like Taylor who are not whipped in to shape as young girls end up like some lazy young women we've encountered in the church (ahem, ahem) who won't lift a finger to do much of anything, and think they are there just to make the place look better. But I won't go there right now, after all we're on "things we're thankful for" and not "things we want to strangle." :-) It does make something for Misty, Cathy and I to laugh over, however! (Being that we are all so "un-Taylor like" - but that's another blog post.)

Today Pastor T & Misty and their children and Cathy and her family came over for Thanksgiving dinner. I'm so thankful for a staff that we can count on not just as "employees" but those we consider family and cherish so much. It's one thing to work together but another to want to be together outside of work. I'm I thankful I have this with them. We had a good time of talking and sharing today as usual. And our kids play well together. They have had fun doing everything from video games to board games, to dancing, to running too close to Larry's big screen TV and being reprimanded about it.


Bill Letaw joined us for Thanksgiving too. I'm so thankful for wonderful church members and friends like him in our life. We are so blessed. I've said it over and over again that the percentage of our church that is with us has always been overwhelming. We really do not have mean spirited people at Northside. The dissenters are so few they are really miniscule when you think about it. (Which is why Larry and I try to not ever think about them!!! We try to keep our focus on the 98% who are totally with the program. God told me years ago, "Deanna you do have to love everybody but you do not have to focus on everybody!") We are blessed to pastor a church of God-honoring and pastor-honoring people who love the Lord and love us.

Other things that quickly come to mind that I'm thankful for...

I live in such a peaceful neighborhood.

The sunrises and sunsets are so beautiful. (I don't see as many sunrises, but they are still beautiful!)

Right now some of my windows are open and the breeze is wonderful. I'm glad I'm in a place where I can occasionally open my windows, and it's safe.


We have an abundance of food on our table and didn't have to worry about how we would get it or pay for it.


I have many friends I love dearly and that I believe love me too. (if you don't, please don't burst my balloon and tell me...ha ha! Just let me be clueless and think most of the world adores me.)

I'm thankful Dustin finally got his car. Actually, a truck. While I was in Africa he got a Mazda pick up truck. He's so happy. And when he's happy, I'm happy!

I'm thankful for a wonderful bed to sleep in tonight, the most comfortable in the world.

I'm thankful for the movies Larry rented me from Blockbuster. (He picked up Out of Africa for me!)

I'm thankful that God sees the big picture of my life and has already figured out how things are going to work out before I get there. As Larry always says, "he's already in the future, waiting to show us around..."

I'm thankful for coffee and warm pie out of the oven.

I'm thankful our kids are happily playing a board game right now.

I'm thankful that Larry did the Thanksgiving dinner dishes today! Don't men become suddenly more sexy when the do the dishes?!


I am thankful more than anything for Jesus' love for me. While I was yet a sinner...He died for me. And would have done it if it were just me. Oh, the thought.

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