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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 inve
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Fun Friday Potpourri

Today's Friday!  I'm so glad.  It's a day for Larry and I to spend together around the house, and to do some Christmas shopping at some point.   I've got some adorable new pics of Max & Maddie, but first, just a few random things that are on my mind in no particular order.

  • This Sunday is going to be UH-May-Zing at Celebration Church!  Celebraters, do whatever you've got to do to get there.  I'm tellin' you, I'm so excited about this Sunday.  Not only is my husband absolutely going to  kill it when he shares his message this weekend, but we've got some amazing new talent at CC that's going to be showcased this weekend and I just can't wait!  God has been so good to send us some more talent at our church that is SUCH a blessing to me personally, I cannot even describe how much.   
  • Yesterday I spent most of the day - lunch and a few hours rehearsal afterwards, with someone who came to Celebration about six months ago.  She's new to the church and new in the faith and experiencing amazing spiritual breakthroughs at CC.   Her name is Kate Russell and her gift is gonna absolutely shine on Sunday.  She's a student at USF and she's actually played at Carnegie Hall with a symphony she played with for a while, in fact upon auditioning for that group she made it in on the first audition which is almost unheard of.  With all this said, the thing I like about Kate the most is that she's got the most tender heart, and her attitude shines most of all.  I am just delighted that she's a part of the CC family and can't wait for everyone to experience what I did yesterday.
  • For a long time I've been praying for more keyboard players at CC.  You have no idea how long I've prayed for this, or how important it is to me personally.  Well God has sent us two great ones in the past six months.  One of them, has been playing with the team for a few months now and the second one makes their debut on Sunday.  I can hardly wait!  
  • We've got a few new soloists making their first appearance on Sunday and it's gonna be amazing.  I'm not going to say another word about this -- celebraters will just have to come and be shocked out of their minds.  (And yes this is real, not a gag or something you're gonna wanna pull out a gong on...lol)
  • The dogs knocked over one of my Christmas trees on Wednesday morning and broke it permanently.  I started cleaning it up before work and was so frustrated.  I dreaded coming home to it.  Larry cleaned the rest of it up when we came home.  I was so grateful.  The lights completely went out on one of my trees and it's bitten the dust for all intents and purposes. Looking at the gift in things, I have four trees left.   Some people don't even have one.  I am so blessed!!!  
  • Our tangerine tree is full of hundreds of pieces of delicious fruit!
  • We've booked our cruise and are counting the days!!  The church pulled together as a special surprise for Pastor Appreciation in November and developed the plan to send us.  We are going on a week long cruise to Costa Maya and Cozumel!!!  I can hardly wait.  Counting the days.  Although they gave us the gift in 2010 there are a few months of planning and getting new passports involved so in a few months we're going. They wanted us to have the best of everything and booked us a balcony room, and are signing us up for different excursions of our choice.  I'm so excited I could S-C-R-E-A-M!!!   We are so blessed to be the pastors...the Daddy and Momma of Celebration Church.  I thank God everyday...not just because of this cruise...it's much deeper than that and the feeling was there before the cruise.  It has to do with love, unity, purpose, vision and much more.
  •  We just went on our annual Shrodes family Christmas shopping trip to Brandon Mall.  We always go to Buddy Freddy to eat and then shopping.  Well, Buddy Freddy closed.  :/   That was disheartening and in fact I thought one of the kids would break down crying but we had a family meeting to determine where we'd go instead.  We got a few gifts although we are not done yet and Larry and I plan on doing more at some point today. 
  • The weather is incredible!  In addition to wearing my boots, and leather jacket I'm getting in my jacuzzi most nights, sitting under the stars, looking at the Christmas lights and the lake and just thinking about how good God is.
  • We are getting ready for a huge Refuge youth party at our home on Saturday.  A bazillion teenagers are going to be descending upon this place.  
  • Remember I mentioned praying for me for some physical challenges?  They are still there but improving somewhat.  Thank you to anyone who has prayed for me about this.  It means more than you know! 
Alright -- on to a few photos that I recently took of the dogs as they were chillin...hopefully their personality will shine through a bit in these photos and show why I am simply smitten by these two...
"Momma loves having this face greet her every morning..."
"I really don't know what you're talking about...another Christmas ornament missing?  Hmmmm..."
[Maddie says] "Oh no...has he chewed ANOTHER one?  Let's make it a matter of prayer..."
"Well, it is what it is, " she says.
"We are waiting for Momma to come take a Fun Friday nap with us.  Our favorite thing to do is snuggle."
Mission Accomplished
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Anonymous said…
How cute! Love the photo's and comments about Maddie and Max..LOL!
6:03 PM
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What To Do First to Make a Profit

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