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...
Today I thought in honor of his birthday I'd share some of the excerpts from the journal I wrote for him when he was little. Here we go:
October 10, 1991
You are almost 7 months old now. You are growing so strong and crawling around quickly from room to room. The doctor says you are developed to the stage of a 9 month old. You say "da da" and "ma ma". We already know you are going to be a really affectionate person through your lifetime. Oh Jordan, the time has flown by so much since March 18 when I had you in Miami Valley Hospital and we celebrated your birth. As I write this now you are crawling on the floor and beating your hand on a toy keyboard and xylophone. As you hear the sound when you beat it, you perk up with excitement kicking your legs and smiling. We hope you will always be secure in our love and know that we are here for you forever...our precious jewel.
December 6, 1991
You are growing by leaps and bounds and have started eating food. You love everything! Your wide eyed smile greets me in the morning but you still get up at least one or two times a night but I'm adjusting okay. You are already standing up and cruising around from place to place. You are a wonderment. Our precious Jordan, you have so many pet names already, in fact your Dad calls you Spridle-ca-dingy-dong". What a name! I'm sure you'll enjoy it when you are 20 years old or so! Ha!
January 10, 1992
Jordan, my "early baby" -- you do EVERYTHING early. Not even 10 months old but you are into EVERYTHING. You also eat EVERYTHING. And I do mean everything! It's kind of shocking. For Christmas you actually ate 7 layer salad, ham, potato casserole, corn and rolls. I mean, you are 9 and 1/2 months old. That's kind of odd. Everyone talks about how happy you are. Constantly smiling. And you hate to sleep. You are awake and on the move all the time. Naps are a battle. You don't talk too much, you just go, go, go.
January 18, 1992
You are 9 months old and you have great rhythm! You love to clap to music and bounce up and down all the while with your ear to ear grin. Your favorite thing to do is run and hide underneath the kitchen cabinet and shut the door. Dustin comes are rescues you when you can't open it yourself. You guys play together and sometimes he's too rough but you really hold your own. Your best defense is pulling hair.
February 19, 1992
You are accomplishing so much it's unbelievable. You have been walking for a while now -- and you are 11 months old. You climb onto everything and get into every cabinet and drawer possible. You love light sockets and cords too and I'm always running after you making sure you're safe.
May 15, 1992
Jordan, you're a bird! That's what your Dad says. You are into everything and get up onto everything. You get onto dressers, chairs, the back of the couch and go flying off with no fear. The Lord has such plans for you. We trust that as you grow you will always feel His love and ours. You have really been driving Dustin crazy. You are always trying to take the food off of his plate and he yells, "Jordan, don't bother me!" It doesn't even phase you. You just go right ahead and chomp down on his sandwich. Yep, like your Dad says, you're a bird!
July 7, 1992
You gave us quite a scare last week. Your Dad was at youth camp and I was here by myself with you and Dustin and I was also taking care of the neighbors house while they were on vacation. We were all in the living room and I had the bedrooms doors shut. I have no idea how but you got out of my sight for a second and got the door to your room open and climed up in the rocking chair. You stood up and turned around and put your leg through the poles on the rocking chair. Then you pulled your leg back through the small part between the poles and got it stuck. You started screaming. I came running in and found you. Your leg was really stuck and turning red and it looked like the circulation was being cut off. No matter how I tried to get you out I couldn't. I had to call 911. The fire department came. Eventually you were surrounded by seven firemen who were all in your room trying to get you out of the chair. They tried soap, oil, and couldn't get you out. So finally they had to saw the chair in half. It was quite the ordeal. Then the paramedics gave you an exam. Everything was okay you just had some bruises and were soon running around. I can't take my eyes off of you for a second or stuff like this happens.
March 20, 1993
Big 2 year old! We had two celebrations for you this year -- one at church and one at home. You had a Dalmatian dog party as you are really crazy about them right now. I made a special dalmatian cake for you that took me forever to get just right but when no one was looking you ran into the kitchen and stuck both hands in it and demolished it with 2 forks. So there went that cake. I went out and bought another one from the store. You are quite the handful at 2...did I already say that? Always on the go, climbing higher still, into mischief DAILY. Sometimes I kiddingly tell you Dad we should have named you "Dennis" after "Dennis the Menace". Ha! You are quite a spectacular kid. We love you so much. You are uniquely you!
March 7, 1994
You are growing so much. Three years old, active as ever and running everywhere. Your favorite things right now are Lucky Charms cereal, and playing the drums. You "play" on anything you can find...you play drums with sticks, spoons, and this week you sang a new song -- your version of "Victory shall be Mine." You sing, "Bictory, bictory shala mine! Bictory, bictory shala mine! If I hold my peace, let the Lord take all my paddles..." Ha ha!! So cute. I can already tell you will definitely a drummer. I ask the Lord to use you for His glory.
December 13, 1997
I love you so much Jordan and just want God's best for you. You are a precious boy but I worry so much about you and all the mischief you get into. I know God wants to use you in a special way -- you are so multi talented. He wants to do big things in your life, but I just pray that you could calm down even just a little bit... :)
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