March 10, about master's

Then there is the matter of the master’s. I am greatly torn. I believe it could be helpful to me, but I cannot imagine adding that to my current load of responsibilities. The process of catching up has gone slowly enough, and with the loss of the files the time I intended to give to catching up will now be given to redoing bookkeeping, mileage, medical, etc. And that doesn’t include the business things that must be done: price increases and updating of the ad and order form, setting up for taking credit cards, moving the toll-free number so I can drop Verizon and AT&T, which will also save us hundreds of dollars. The record of car measurements for the signs for our business needs hours and hours of attention, and I know that won’t be done if I enroll for classes. Even fitness becomes more difficult when I am taking classes, because those hard deadlines do not allow a break. I’m moving in the direction of putting it off. I still need to talk to some folks. For now, though, I know that when I head in that direction, I immediately question it. Maybe it is a matter of waiting. And, perhaps, if I had a clear purpose for working on a master’s it would make better sense.

Calendar Gift—December

Images from winter and Christmas are some of my favorites.

So many memories are conjured up from these images.

This was our own tree that Jo photographed, the final image for the

calendar gift she gave me for Christmas 2010.

To enjoy all the images, search for “Calendar Gift” on this blog.

Books to Read, Updated As I Read and Think of More to Be Added

As a Man Thinketh, James Allen
48 Days to the Work You Love, Dan Miller
Quitter, Jon Acuff
EntreLeadership, Dave Ramsey
The Happiness Project, Gretchen Rubin
The 24-Hour Turnaround, Jim Haratness & Neil Eskelin
Change Your Life!, Allen Klein
In Search of Excellence, Thomas  J. Peters & Robert H. Waterman, Jr.
QBQ: The Question Behind the Question, John G. Miller
No More Dreaded Mondays, Dan Miller
Becoming a Person of Influence, John Maxwell & Jim Dornan
Boundaries, Dr. Henry Cloud & Dr. John Townsend
Good to Great, Jim Collins
It Takes So Little to Be Above Average Florence Littauer
Personality Plus, Florence Littauer
Crazy Love, Frances Chan
Not a Fan, Kyle Idleman
The Blessed Life, Robert Morris
The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey
Rich Dad, Poor Dad, Robert T. Kiyosaki & Sharon L. Lechter
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John C. Maxwell
 How to Win Friends and Influence People, Dale Carnegie
The Art of Thinking, Ernest Dimnet
How to Say No to a Stubborn Habit, Erwin W. Lutzer
The Winning Attitude, John C. Maxwell

To be incorporated into the list:

The Brothers Karamazov

The Hidden Garden
Great People of the Bible, Swindoll
Basic  Christianity, Stott
Heaven, Alcorn
Walden
90 Minutes in Heaven, Piper
Good to Great, by Jim Collins, (Del)

From Mike: I just finished On the Road, To Kill a Mocking bird, and The Catcher in the Rye. Simply magnificent. Each in its own way. I finally read War and Peace. Les Miserables. Then, my Charles Dickens Week: Oliver Twist. Great Expectations. David Copperfield. Followed by John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, Grapes of Wrath and The Pearl and everything written by Pat Conroy.

 

2013 Planning Tool, Specific Tasks to Be Done

Business
check out Carbonite
3 x 5 cards for customer information
record the printing process
2012 bookkeeping
2013 bookkeeping
set up for credit cards (PayPal, Square Up, or Sam’s)
car measures
accounts receivable/collections
increase business income
improve our business Web site
increase our prices
send out convention samples
send ads to trainers
revise ad for magazine ASAP
revise order form
red magnetic sheeting?
black magnetic sheeting?
yellow magnetic sheeting

Online Selling
school books on half.com or VegSource
list things on eBay
list things on Craigslist

Retirement Stuff
insurance beneficiaries
FM money transfer
Bill’s SSN draw date
transfer ownership?

Career
look for another job
work on new online career
use inspiration/motivation

Social
time for friend(s)
Debbie, especially
Tricia

Family
time with Bill
time with Jo
time with Drew
connect with family
communicate on Yahoo group

Health and Fitness
exercise
see doctor by June (with improved labs)
lose weight

Outfitting Me
hem gray pencil skirt
rust sweater
cream/white blouse
green skirt
black flats
black pumps
navy pumps
nude pumps
champagne/blush blouse
blue jeans
hem dress
pretty watch

Spiritual
have a regular quiet time or Bible study
pray with focused attention regularly
Bob Taylor cassettes on bible characters


Personal Development
read for self-improvement
continue blogging
read blogs
inspire myself
read a book a month, or more
use diary

Homemaking
find recipes online (print and organize)
cook meat on Saturday
cook meat on Tuesday
clean garage
hang roots picture
organize digital photos
organize print photos
check out YooOffer.com
look for tent assembly piece in garage
post videos for sale on VegSource
clean china cupboard drawers
consign clothing
post on Outfitting You


Home Improvement
new vertical blind
new patio door
new back screen door
√ new roof
√ new gutters
LaZBoy repair

Thirty Traits for Which to Pray—The Reprise

This series began here, on January 1, 2013.

Here all thirty traits for which you can pray—for your children, for yourself, for your family, for your church, for your coworkers. Did I say, for yourself?

Plug it in!

1  Salvation—Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10

2  Growth in Grace—2 Peter 3:18

3  Love—Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22–23

4  Honesty and Integrity—Psalm 25:21

5  Self-control—1 Thessalonians 5:6

6  A Love for God’s Word—Psalm 19:10

7  Justice—Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8

8  Mercy—Luke 6:36

9  Respect (for Self, Others, Authority)—1 Peter 2:17

10  Strong, Biblical Self-Esteem—Ephesians 2:10

11  Faithfulness—Proverbs 3:3

12  A Passion for God—Psalm 63:8

13  Responsibility—Galatians 6:5

14  Kindness—1 Thessalonians 5:15

15  Generosity—1 Timothy 6:18–19

16  Peace, Peaceability—Romans 14:19

17  Hope—Romans 15:13

18  Perseverance—Hebrews 12:1

19  Humility—Titus 3:2

20  Compassion—Colossians 3:12

21  Prayerfulness—Ephesians 6:18

22  Contentment—Philippians 4:12–13

23  Faith—Luke 17:5–6, Hebrews 11:1–40

24  A Servant Heart—Ephesians 6:7

25  Purity—Psalm 51:10

26  A Willingness and Ability to Work Hard—Colossians 3:23

27  Self-Discipline—Proverbs 1:3

28  A Heart for Missions—Psalm 96:3

29  Joy—1 Thessalonians 1:6

30  Courage—Deuteronomy 31:6

Thirty Traits for Which to Pray #30, Courage

This series began here, on January 1, 2013.

#30 Courage

May my children always “be strong and courageous”

in their character and in their actions.

“Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the LORD your God

is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:6 (NASB)

Accounts Receivables/Collections and Parables

In our little business, one of the great difficulties is that overdue accounts receivables slip through our my fingers. I know that the procedure must include follow-up calls if the balance isn’t paid within 30 days, but once they pass into 180 days or more, it becomes very difficult to make the call. Bill and I have talked about these overdue balances, and I have struggled with it for twenty+ years, because other responsibilities seem to override the need to send out reminders or make calls. Now that long distance is not an extra charge, I have no reason not to call. It will now be an easy task!

After voicing this concern to my senior-in-college son, I have concluded that I can let go of those old accounts, just as I had to another time in the past. I will review the accounts and see if there are other calls to be made for 2012 balances, but I may choose not to go back any further. I will get rid of my pathetic notes that explain that we count on the cooperation of our customers and are not staffed with a collections person. I will toss my balance-due notices, and bounced-check notices. It won’t be because I am not following up but because, in fact, I intend to make calls every week.
 
Below are some scriptures that have principles I have known for very many years, but I will add the Luke passage to my cards of verses to memorize. From Matthew, I will

Luke 16:10–12 (NIV) talks about the Unjust Steward:
10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.
11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?
12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?


Matthew 25:14–29 (NASB) records the Parable of the Talents:

14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them.
15 To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey.
16 Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents.
17 In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more.
18 But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.
20 The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.’
21 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
22 “Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, ‘Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.’
23 His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.’
24 “And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, ‘Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed.
25 And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’
26 “But his master answered and said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed.
27 Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest.
28 Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.’
29 “For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away.
30 Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Actions
I will add a project to my list to be worked whilst I am working on Project #2. It will be a burden greatly lifted because of a solution found and a plan in place.

I will continue to pay attention to these verses, instead of letting them slip away. I recognize that what God wants to do in my life is His to decide, but I will no longer be a person who is not managing with great purpose and focus the things I have been given. I will be a good steward.

I am not even choosing to try to explain or justify past behavior beyond the point that this is where God has directed me for this time in my life. I cannot change the past. I will not regret things I did not know forty years ago.

I will keep hope in sight. I will keep working on my goals with my weekly planner. I will stay strong and focused on taking good care of everything that God has called me to.

How exciting is that!