No One Else is Responsible for Your Unhappiness

by Alycia W. Morales
@AlyciaMorales

Life Lessons #3

Nobody likes the Debbie Downers in life. It's no fun when your kid wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and whines until you drop them off at school. Or you call your friend and all they do is complain about this or that, never letting you in on the conversation other than to ask for your pity.

Don't these people ever have a happy day?

Do they enjoy being down all the time?

Do they know there's a solution?

Like It or Not, Your Kids Are Just Like You

by Alycia W. Morales
@AlyciaMorales

Life Lessons #2

I used to stare at people in disbelief when they'd tell me my kids would be just like me ... only twice as bad. And when I became a Christian and heard about this thing called generational curses, I wondered ...

Could it possibly be true?

So I started praying. Lord, please make them twice as good, not twice as bad. Please give them a double portion of honesty, loyalty, and the desire to love deeply. Please skip the perfectionist tendencies, the moodiness, and the desire to be left alone most of the time. Don't give them those, Lord. Especially not in a double portion.

Life Isn't Fair. Get Used To It.

by Alycia W. Morales 
@AlyciaMorales 

Life Lessons #1

I used to hate it when my parents would say, "Life isn't always fair." Now, my kids make angry faces when I tell them the same thing. Just like I did.

Sometimes I buy one child a gift and not the other three.

Or I take one child with me and leave the other three home.

Or someone gets the last piece of chocolate when there isn't enough left to go around.

I try to make things fair more often than not. But sometimes a parent just wants to bless a child out of the blue. Just to let them know they're special ... not because they want to play favorites.

Considering the Path of Life: Thankful Posts

As I look back on this year, I can see God's goodness in it, even when I strayed from the path He had chosen for me.

In July, I took a look at my blog, The Thoughtful Spot, and realized I hadn't written a post since January. Not really great for a person who had been consistent with my posts the previous year. My readership had begun to grow a little, and I found myself enjoying the writing process. Now, almost a year later, I'm grasping for inspiration, which is very uncomfortable for me.

So I started this new blog. I focused it on encouraging others to be who God created them to be, quirks and all. To give people permission to find God's goodness and life's abundance every day. Just the way you are. (Not excusing your sinful nature, of course. That needs to be dealt with, which I know God will do. He did with me. Still does.)

See, this year I took on more than I should have. I strayed a little from the path that God had for me: writing. Instead I edited. Which was okay. I was successful at doing so. But some part of me lost its spark, its passion, its life. When God called me to use my talents, He said to write. So I'm getting back to writing. And life, joy, excitement.

I may still edit, but it will be secondary to writing. Because God's paths drip with abundance. And who doesn't like abundance? I do. I admit it willingly. And I want God's abundance in my life.

So, as I am thankful today for God's goodness and abundance of life, I encourage you to consider the path you're on. Is it the path God called you to? Is it dripping with abundant life? Do you find joy and goodness around every bend? If not, consider that deep desire within your heart. God most likely put it there to give you a hint what He has in store for you. Find and follow that path for a time. You may be surprised what you find.