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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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So that explains it...


Have you heard of the book God Uses Cracked Pots, by Pasty Clairmont? I love Pasty...I think she's a really neat lady. Well, she's right...God uses cracked pots and cracked people in more ways than one.

Yes I know, some people probably think I'm mentally cracked at times (they're probably right in some instances) but this time I'm truly physically cracked. The dull headache I've had for weeks now makes sense.

I have a way of pushing pain aside, taking two Excedrin and pushing through my day and my work, ignoring pain. It catches up with me at times. I can't count how many times I've been admonished by one of my friends, "God wants you to listen to your body..." I have a horrible way of turning a deaf ear to it.

Sometimes it starts screaming at me for attention. The other night as the close of work came, my head was hurting terribly in what started as a dull ache around my jaw and neck and I went to bed early and said to myself, "you know, I'm overdue for my dentist appointment...maybe that's it..." So I called Lia from the dentist office the next morning and scheduled an appointment. I said, "I'm not sure what a toothache feels like, but I think maybe I have one..."

Today was the first she could get me in. So far it hasn't exactly been "Fun Friday" at least the first half of it. I went to the dentist this morning and sat there an hour waiting to get in and then when I got in, sat there in the chair for the next hour listening to the dentist and his assistant them tell me everything that was wrong and why they can't fix it today.

  • One of my fillings started to come out.

  • The same tooth is now cracked.

  • The gum around it is very swollen.

  • It is also very infected.

  • They can't work on it today - must take antibiotics to take some of the infection away, then they will clean it out, put a crown on it and give me a cleaning.

  • How in the world didn't I realize this, they wonder? Um, well, I guess I did realize something was not quite right, I just didn't think it was anything that crucial.

So there...that explains this dull ache in my head that I've had for weeks and the fact that I've gone through a couple of bottles of Excedrin.

The dentist said, "you need painkillers for this..." So he gave me some Vicodin to help with the pain until he can go in and crown the tooth. They were surprised I put up with it and didn't come in sooner but it's this darn habit I have of minimizing whatever I feel at times and just continuing on with my schedule. I have been so good for five years now at keeping all my appointments like clock work for regular doctor checkups, mammos, paps, AND dentist appts. Five years ago I really changed in putting my health appointments as a priority and I've kept up with it, except for my last 6 month dental. As I said the other day, it's so important that we take care of ourselves and don't ask anyone's permission.

The truth is, I did keep all of my other my regular doctor visits for the year. But in the midst of dealing with Dustin's MRSA, Larry's shoulder OP, and all of my getting ready for Africa with shots and medications, I let my 6th month dentist appointment checkup slip. One little slip up. That was all. One little slip up. And now I'm paying for it big time. Ughhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That'll preach. You know, one little slip up is all it takes to get ourselves in a great big jam. We can't compromise on even one little thing because it can lead to something so painful and regrettable.

Not only does this HURT, but it's going to set me back a few hundred dollars that could have gone for...a lot of other stuff. Oh well, you live and learn.

Let me encourage you today my friends...please learn from MY mistakes. Please do not put off your checkups, even one can really make a difference. My dentist could have caught this before it cracked all the way and it never would have even had to get infected were I not so caught up in my schedule of other things and skipped my appt.

Excuse me while I go get my Vicodin and try to feel better so that Larry and I can go on our Fun Friday date tonight. We're going on a double date with Drs. Patrick and Rosemay to a new place. Fun! (Um, I don't think I'm going to let her know I let the appt. with the dentist slip...I'll really get a scolding. She really doesn't have to know does she, especially since I did keep my regular check up appointment with her like a good little patient...)

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