CIC stands for Community Interest Company. What on earth does that mean? It is a type of limited company but one where the aim is benefit the community rather than to make money for those running it. It is not a charity although there is a regulator who by law needs to see the year end accounts and the annual report. The annual report has to explain what Lily the Pink Ministries has done to benefit the communities that the legal documents say that it is going to do. These will both be made available on the regulator’s own web site so anyone can have a look at them.

The legal documents have to say who will benefit from the activities of the CIC. There are two groups mentioned. Firstly, anyone who can access the web site and understand English. Secondly, those living locally who need support to improve their emotional or mental wellbeing. That explains why those two lines of text have been included underneath the company name.

Before agreeing to register Lily the Pink Ministries CIC the regulator also wanted to see a list of ways that these communities could benefit. This is what they were sent.

1 Provide a Christian environment for online courses.
* Those who are subject experts will be given an additional opportunity to share their knowledge with others.
* Those who wish to study will have the opportunity to take the course of their choice.

2 Provide courses and support for those who wish to improve their mental or emotional wellbeing.
* An example of the courses that will be offered is Think Right which mixes ideas form scientific research, biblical teaching and practical experience to help people reconsider the way they think about situations and people.
* It is highly likely that clients will have a variety of practical needs. Ways will be found to help them meet those needs either by signposting them to other services or providing for them from the resources within Lily the Pink Ministries.

It is a not for profit organisation. The documentation also had to state what use any surplus would be put to. The answer to that was “The range of possible needs that clients may have means that it is unlikley that there will be any difficulty finding ways of spending money on clients.”

So now you know.

I was wondering what to do about the financial aspects of Lily the Pink Ministries. Hosting services want money in return for letting the world see the web sites that you have created. Some software companies want money before they will let you use the software they have created. Booksellers, publishers and authors want money from you in return for reading their books. Energy suppliers want money in return for gas and electricity. While I have been working on this site I have not been able to do other things that would make it possible for me to have enough money coming in to pay the bills without having to depend on unearned income, like tax credits.

One morning I started the day by saying Lord show me what to do with this site in regards to finance. Later when I switched on the TV, it was still tuned to one of the Christian channels and there was someone speaking about the importance of honouring others. One way of honouring others they mentioned was if they provided you with things that benefit you that you should honour them with your money.

Linking money with honour was a new way of thinking for me. It made sense. We honour managers by paying them more than the workers. Some of us think that we are not worth honouring and do not ask or demand money. A wife who does not value herself will allow the husband to spend as much money on alcohol a week as she does on food and a husband who does not honour or value his wife will allow this to happen. Self-employed people who are deciding on the value of their services are influenced by the value they place on themselves and their skills. If they think they are worth honouring they will charge more. For example, a comedian who has been on TV will ask for higher fees for an afternoon’s entertainment than someone who is just starting out. Economists would say that this is affected by supply and demands if TV comedians are in short supply then they will be able to ask for higher fees. I would also like some form of recognition for the skills, time, effort that I have put into getting this web site up and running.

This puts quite a different slant on the issues surrounding the financing of this web site. Do I really honour and value myself enough to charge people for the services that I am trying to provide? Another question is do I expect people to honour me enough to give me enough in response to the work I have done to develop this site to meet all the needs I mentioned earlier.

What does that have to do with this web site? I am still thinking about the best strategy how to deal with the financial aspects of this web site.

Susan

I had a surprise a little while ago I had a look at a checklist that was supposed to list the symptoms of domestic abuse. I found it at

http://www.womenslaw.org/simple.php?sitemap_id=38

I read through the list and thought that some of the earlier ones could have applied at times. It was the second section that was a revelation. I knew that there were serious problems in my marriage and I wanted something to change. I had tried everything I knew to do or could do and nothing had worked.

In the end, I screamed out at God that I was stuck and wanted to be unstuck so that I could serve him better. Looking back this was like putting a key in a lock or adding a catalyst to a chemical reaction. The first thing that happened as a result was that I found out that he had started divorce proceedings.

Why does that apply here? Amongst the list of unreasonable behaviours that he listed were items that reflected some if not all of my reactions because I had experienced some of the feelings under the heading of “Do you…”. Notice that I say that these were MY feelings and were due to the situation I found myself in and probably had helped to create because of my imperfect reactions. Another way of putting it was that he divorced me because I could not cope with my imperfect response to his imperfect behaviour.

I knew things were not right and needed to change. I look back and realise that some people who knew me recognised the seriousness of the situation I was in, even when I did not. They had a problem because no matter what they said, I could not truly recognise what was going on. I have now been out of the situation for nearly 3 years and I can still read articles like the one on that web page and think oh crumbs did this really apply to me.

I knew that there was a problem and that something needed to change but what and how were a mystery to me. I know that I am not the only one in this kind of situation. I have listened to other people who have told me stories of situations that they used to be in and heard them deny that those stories meant that they felt into a particular category of suffering.

This makes it very hard for anyone who is supporting them as a friend or even within a working relationship. Someone cannot be helped until they recognise the extent of the situation that they face. I am thankful that I had a God who rescued me. I know the Bible says that God hates divorce but he also hates people who hurt other people. He will give them many chances to change but if they will not, he will stop bothering with them and make sure that the one who is being hurt is protected even if it means that he organises a divorce for them.

I started by asking the question “Do you know what the problem really is?” Some who would say that they do not really have a problem have one but they may not be able to recognise it and will even deny it even if others try and tell them. The truth is that no human being really understands the whole situation. We can even struggle to come to a fair and honest conclusion about what has happened or is happening even if we are in the centre of the situation.

What then do we do? The only way out of this puzzle I have found is to is to ask God to help me understand what the truth is. After all one of his attributes is that He is all knowing.

I knew that Jesus on the cross quoted a verse from this psalm as he died but I got quite a surprise when I was led to read it this morning. I read it in The Message version and I could see that it described some people that I know.

The writer starts by crying out God why have you not helped me. I have cried out to you night and day but you have not answered me. How many of us have done that? Faced a problem and wondered why we do not have an answer. We know other people in the olden days have trusted in God and had answers so did not end up disappointed. We look ourselves and see a worm despised by men who mock and hurl insults at us. Crumbs, this writer knows where we are doesn’t he?

The writer suggests that he was taught to trust in God as a baby and even helped to trust in God before he was born yet at the moment, he just cannot see where God is helping him. His description of the problems that surround him could reflect a number of situations.

What about someone who was surrounded by creditors demanding their money? They might leave someone feeling as though surrounded by strong animals. Letters, phone calls, telemessages all wanting them to pay money that the do not have. Not only that but some of them were not only making a noise but threatening to rip them apart. Wow that speaks to me of what it must be like when someone threatens to send in the bailiffs. The idea of being so dry that there is nothing else to give could refer to having cried so much that there are no tears left. The once stout heart that could stand up and fight again has melted, as there are just so many things that have come against it.

We then come to an interesting section. In verse 16, it talks about having hands and feet pierced. In verse 17, it talks about people staring and gloating. In verse 18, it talks about dividing garments and even casting lots for clothing. This is the bit I knew was here as all these things happened to Jesus. I don’t know about you but I have had times when the first part of this psalm could have described my life. However, none of my experiences have gone as far as verses 16 to 18.

They say that the darkest time is just before the dawn. It is supposed to be something that comforts those in facing difficulties but what happens when it gets even darker and the dawn still does not come. In this situation, it is at the darkest point that something does happen to change the situation. It is not clear from this passage exactly what but somehow everything changes.

Whatever has happened God is seen as having organised, as He is the one who is getting the praise for it. God is seen as finally listening to the cry of the suffering one for help. There are all sorts of things that could be seen as the way out of troubles. For some in financial difficulty it could be a new job so their income increases. For others it could be visiting the Citizen’s Advice Bureau (or other organisation that offers free financial advice) and getting help to develop a spending plan that includes repaying their debts. Whatever the change actually is, it is a cause for rejoicing because it is a way out.

What is their reaction to this change in circumstances? They say thank you to God and start trusting him again and encouraging others to trust him. They were poor and struggling and God rescued them and changed their circumstances so they have a lot to celebrate. They found out the hard way that they could not survive living without God and the support He gave them.

Psalm 22 reflects the heartbeat of Lily the Pink Ministries. Every beat of its heart wants to see people set free from the things that bind them. All that remains now is to work out exactly what way this can be achieved.

Lily the Pink

I have finally done it. I have set up a blog that co-ordinates with the web site and the courses. It did not prove easy bringing together things together from so many different sources and getting them visually co-ordinated and working together well. So many fiddly little things that needed attention but I DID IT.

Why did I finally get round to getting it sorted? I woke up on Wednesday and as usual once the urgent bodily needs were met I started on meeting my spiritual and relational needs. It is normally that order, the bathroom and then the Bible. I usually have a long list of things that I should be doing and my first request is often God what should I be doing today. Yesterday the answer to that question was tonight I want you set a blog up. There were other things to do during the day and made a start setting one up during the evening. I got one set up but then realised that there was more work to do sorting out the associated web sites. I gave up and started again this morning.

The amazing thing was that on Thursday evening when I listened to the latest in a series of weekly mp3 files that I have been following and the topic was how to use blogs within the church community. Someone is organising things behind the scenes.

Why is this blog entry only being published today? I have spent a day or two rethinking the entire strategy behind this web site and remodelling it to fit in with those changes. In the process this blog has been taken down and then restored hence the title that it is starting again (again).

To be honest that fits in with one of the basic ideas behind this site. You see no matter what has happened to you in the past it is possible to start again and even again again. God is so gracious and kind to us that if we turn to him for help that He will help us make a fresh start. He will not turn us away but will, providing we let him, work with us to make a fresh start.

Do you need to make a fresh start with something in your life? Do so today.

God help me make a fresh start. Help me learn more about you and your ways of doing things. I trust you to know the best way of doing anything and everything in my life. At the moment I am struggling with ________________ Show me how I can grow into a relationship with you that will last into eternity and help me do things your way. Amen

You can put anything you like in the blank, as long as it is something that a kind merciful and loving God would want to see improved in your life.)

Lily the Pink