Where Did November Go?

Wow! Is November already over? I apologize for being MIA. Or MIW (Missing in Writing). Or MIP (Missing in Posting). I think that I will set up pre-posts or re-posts during November next year. It seems November always gets away from me...

That said, here's some evidence of what I've been up to this month:

I tried to accomplish NaNoWriMo for the third year in a row. So far, I've only made it to 50,000 words ONE year. The first year I tried. This year, I made it to 7,000 or so words amidst family happenings and editing work. Oh well, there's always next year. And, I'll continue working on my novel throughout the year to come.

As mentioned before, I've been editing. A lot. One devotional. One anthology. One novel. And multiple web articles. I love words!

This year, we traveled to NY for Thanksgiving week. It was great to see friends and family. Vic enjoyed his annual hunt (although he didn't shoot anything). I enjoyed spending time with my nieces and our kids. While there, I also enjoyed taking a few great shots with my camera. Frieda (my sister) also loves to take photos, and she helped us with our family photos. It's rare to get Zachary in a photo with us, since he lives in NY. I love how t Here's a sampling of the shots I succeeded at taking. (At least one of us succeeded, huh Vic?)

Our family 2012...Merry Christmas and one Bah Humbug! Caleb didn't want to participate, let alone smile...

We discovered that Ezra finally outgrew Grandma. Here she is with Cara and Ezra - the two teens in our family.

Dad and I are Mom's biggest pumpkin pie fans. Here, we split one in half. Half for him. Half for me. ;) Actually, we did share it with others. But we got the first pieces!

I call this one "Thanksgiving Day Parade." These turkeys went all out to show off for the hens. Roxbury, NY - Thanksgiving Morning

I pray your Thanksgiving holiday was filled with things to be thankful for! Feel free to share your thoughts of how your week went. I look forward to reading them!

Coming December 1st - Countdown to Christmas. 25 Days of Jesus, Scripture, Devotion, and Christmas Music. Hope to find you here!

Thankful Day 3 - The Church

Today I am thankful for the church. Many look at buildings like the one above and say, "Hey. It's a church." No. This is just a building where people congregate...

The body of Christ. The arms and legs and mouths and ears and feet and pinky fingers and toes that make up the whole being. The church cannot survive if one part is missing. It's interconnected, living, breathing. It's full of life. It grows. It gets sick. It heals. It wishes and dreams. It mourns and mends. It loves.

The church is not the building we go to on Sunday morning. It's the elderly shut in who gets closer to meeting Jesus as each day passes. It's the newborn babe wrapped in its mother's arms in a hospital room. It's the outcast looking for acceptance. It's the lawyer who seeks justice in an unjust world. It's the teenager who challenges with questions about belief. It's the worship leader who pours their gift before the Lord each Sunday morn and behind closed doors the rest of the week. It's the Pastor who shepherds the hearts of God's people, disciplining Jesus freaks. It's the couple who's been married for twenty-five years and continues to weather the storms of life. It's people. Not a building.

I am thankful to have the privilege and honor to be a member of God's family. Adopted. Grafted in. I belong here. For that, I am truly and eternally grateful.

Thankful Day 2 - A Day at the Airport

Photo Copyright Alycia W. Morales

Today, I am thankful for the gift of flight. It's wonderful being able to travel long distances in short amounts of time.  Especially when one lives so far from family.

I love to fly. Take off and landing still make me nervous, and I always pray the plane I'm on stays in the air as it's supposed to. I also pray that the birds stay out of the path of the plane. However, I love to soar above the clouds and look down upon God's creation.

If you sit next to me on the plane, you can count on my camera coming out at least once during the flight. Wing shots tend to be my favorite, but I love cloud shots like the following, as well.

Photo Copyright Alycia W. Morales

I love layovers. It's time for me to observe people and all our idiosycracies, as well as to write. I can concentrate in airports better than I can at home, where my four children are a constant distraction and pose many interruptions.

Well, I'm off on another trip! Have a blessed day, and don't forget to share what you're thankful for today.

Thankful Day 1 - Trials and Afflictions

"Oh, bless our God, you peoples!
 And make the voice of His praise to be heard,
 Who keeps our soul among the living,
 And does not allow our feet to be moved.
 For You, O God, have tested us;
 You have refined us as silver is refined.
 You brought us into the net;
 You laid affliction on our backs.
 You have caused men to ride over our heads;
 We went through fire and water;
 But You brought us out to rich fulfillment." - Isaiah 66:8-12

I am thankful for the trials and afflictions in life that bring me into God's rich fulfillment. These challenges and sorrows are never easy to walk through. Like waves of an ocean, they come crashing down on life, breaking me into pieces and washing me of the sins that have attached themselves to my heart. Like the flames of a fire, they lick at the parts of me that need to be burned as chaff, refined, honed for the Master's plan. It is only after the battle that I recognize the results. A newness of life. A permanent change in God's glory. A fresh perspective. The ability to minister to others who have felt my pain. Rich fulfillment. Life abundant.

And so, I will praise the Lord. I will raise my voice and make His name known. I will glorify the Lord!

The Blessings of God Part Three

“Salvation belongs to the Lord.
Your blessing is upon Your people.”

- Psalm 3:8

Our current residence is on a major highway in Georgia. With factories and a nuclear facility nearby, traffic is constant. Trucks carry fresh-cut logs to the paper mill. Half the city travels to work at the plant each morning and evening. People pull in and out of local gas stations and convenient stores. At any time during the day, one may or may not safely travel this particular highway.

Recently, a local newspaper covered the accident rate on local roads. This highway ranks as the worst for deadly accidents. More than four people have died on this road within the last two years. The main cause of these deadly crashes? People who aren’t paying attention and pull out in front of another driver who is traveling sixty miles per hour or more.

Two days ago, I traveled the highway, taking my children to day camp at our church. Driving sixty miles per hour, I approached a side road. A man in a large, white car sat at the end of the road, looking as if he was paying attention. However, as I neared, I slowed just a bit, because I noticed him looking in the opposite direction and beginning to pull out. I wouldn’t have enough time to stop before broadsiding him if he did pull out. What do you know? He did it anyway. He whipped his car out in front of me, never bothering to look in my direction. I slammed on my brakes and laid my hand across my horn. Fool.

I had just finished telling my children the importance of wearing their seat belts. The night before, I’d read of a woman who started a beauty pageant in memory of her daughter, who died in a car accident because she wasn’t wearing her seat belt. Two of my own children “forget” to put on their seat belts 98% of the time. As my daughter listened to my explanation of what happens when we forget to do important things, she clicked her seat belt into its buckle and asked if I would miss her and cry if she died. Absolutely! My son also made certain his seat belt was properly buckled. Not two miles down the road, the man pulled in front of me.

God is gracious and knew I would have this experience. I managed to turn my vehicle just enough to get around the back end of the man’s boat of a car. We missed him. God saved us from a nasty accident.

I thanked God for His protection, His salvation, and His blessing that day. I held gratitude in my heart for Him as He watched over my children and me in our travels down a deadly highway.

God’s blessing is upon His people. You. Me. Our children. Salvation belongs to Him. What blessing have you received from Him lately? How has God saved you or a family member or a friend? Remember to thank Him for those things today.

I’m going to go write mine in my Thankful Journal today, so I’m not quick to forget just how blessed I am.

A Thankful Heart

One thing that really gets me frustrated is when someone who is obviously blessed does nothing but complain about what they don't have or don't like about what they do have.

I may not be "rich" with wealth. I have a college loan, a truck payment, and the same bills most others have. I don't have much in the way of savings. And I can't buy every latest gadget the minute it comes out. (Do I really need to?)

But what I do have is a wealth that money can't buy. I have a wealth of joy, love, health, and riches that only God can give a person.

Today I'd like to thank Him for some of those blessings:

1. My relationship with Him. He is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and I am His daughter. What more could a girl need than to be a Princess in the house of God?

2. My husband, Victor. He is my true love. He is my knight in shining armor. He is the man of my dreams. He's a man of integrity and a strong man of God. He works very hard to provide for his family. In a time when things are tough, he is out there making a living so we can have a roof over our heads and food on our table. He is diligent, hard-working, and excellent at what he does.  And best of all, he loves me!

3. My husband's job. I easily recognized when the economy began to tank. As a union carpenter, my husband was laid off more than he was working. But, true to his nature, he went looking for the jobs rather than waiting for them to come to him. And he landed them. And then he found a salaried position with a solid company. So we are very thankful for that job, despite how tough it can be sometimes.

4. My four, healthy children. I am blessed to have four kids who are in great health. They are active, creative, intuitive, and fun to be around (most of the time). I'm thankful that despite how difficult it can be traveling from place-to-place for Dad's job, they look forward to seeing new places and meeting new friends.  Life can be tough at times, but they are going to be so much richer as they become adults.

5. My step-son. Life wouldn't be the same if he weren't part of it. I'm so thankful to God that He gave me the opportunity to share in his life. He's all grown up now and working his own job. And I'm so very proud of him.

6. My family. Mom. Dad. Frieda. Lief (pronounced life). My in-laws. My nieces and nephews. Grandma. They're what adds the flavor to my world. There are a lot of different spices in this mix. Life will never be boring.

7. My church family - countrywide. When you move once every two years or so, you start to find yourself praying God will provide a new church home with each move. We have truly been blessed and are able to say we have family all over the east coast. Because when you leave behind mother, brother, and other kin to do what God has called you to do, He multiplies your family. We love knowing that we have family and friends we can trust in various parts of the country. It makes moving that much easier.

8. I'm also thankful for the simple things in life. Being able to worship God without fearing death. Being able to brush my teeth in the morning or take a hot shower or use a toilet. Having a car to get me from place-to-place. The pleasure of a cup of coffee with Pumpkin Spice creamer in the morning. The quietness of a book store and hours of browsing and dreaming of seeing my name on that shelf one day. Being able to curl up next to my husband at night and having his arms wrapped around me; it's one of the safest places in this world and one of my favorites. Hearing my children laugh. Listening to my son or daughter tell or read me a story they dreamed up.

9. And, I'm thankful that I have been blessed with people who are willing to read my blog posts week in and week out. I love sharing with you!

So, what are you thankful for this week? Are your riches here on earth, or are they heavenly things that can never be stolen from your heart? I'd love to hear what you are thankful for this year!

November is Upon Us

November is upon us! What are you thinking about as we head into the holiday season?

I'm already thinking about the holidays, wishing I could be home for Thanksgiving or Christmas. I told my kids to start writing down their wishes for Christmas over the weekend. (At least it might put an end to their endless "I want..." stories.) I just added a "Joy to the World" station to my Pandora radio account. I've considered my wish list. Four things are on it. A Nook and a mother's ring. (From my hubby.) For my hubby to be home with his family. (From God.) For a gift card to Barnes and Noble. (From my parents.)

I'm already thinking, "Wow! It's November! I guess I'd better write a synopsis of the story I hope to pound out before November 30th..." It's NaNoWriMo time! I hope I can squeeze out the 50K word count while substitute teaching, raising four kids while Daddy works away from home, getting ready for Thanksgiving, baking, and Christmas shopping.

And most importantly, I'm considering what I am most thankful to God for in my life. My relationship with Him. My husband and our 13 years of marriage. My children and all of the joy they bring into my life. My family, who has stood with me through trials, tribulations, changes, and awesome times. My friends. Our church families. Our health. My husband's job. My job. My writing gift. God's grace and mercy. Forgiveness. Healing. The freedom to worship the Lord. And you, my readers, who encourage me to keep writing.


What are you thankful for this November? I'd love to hear! Let's make a list in the comments below!

A Lesson in Gratitude

Last week, my children came home with invitations in their backpacks. The school staff invited me to attend a Thank You Breakfast for parents who'd volunteered throughout the 2010-2011 school year.

My fifth grader spoke up on the way home later that week. "Mom, you have to go. I'm in a movie!"

My second-grade daughter shushed her brother. "You weren't supposed to tell! It was a surprise!"

This morning I attended the wonderful breakfast the school counselors had put together for the volunteers. After warmed up, pre-packaged chicken patties on biscuits and juice, we enjoyed the movie our children starred in. Multiple students, most of whom shied away  from the camera, stated their thank yous, congratulations, and I love yous. As the movie ended, the counselor came to the front to say thank you once again, leaving us with a humble parting gift of a small basket with one pencil and several peppermint candies inside.

What caught my attention more than the humbleness of the staff, who proclaimed they couldn't do it without us volunteers, was the loud jesting of some of the PTO/PTA volunteers. The joke began as just that, a simple jest. "And our brand new cars are out in the parking lot?"

Remarks came about this not being the Oprah Winfrey show. The principal of the school, in good-hearted response said we should look under our seats, and we might be lucky enough to find a piece of chewing gum.

Hearing the joke one time would have been considered funny and in good humor. But when the comment about a car came three more times throughout the presentation, it soured my grape drink. My concern for the teachers' hearts grew as their faces dropped.

 "Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death,

 Is the man who deceives his neighbor,

 And says, 'I was only joking!'"

 ~ Proverbs 26:18-19 

To someone sitting in the room, it may seem like the ladies were only joking about the car keys. However, to a parent who volunteered because she understands the need for help in today's classrooms, the subtle underlying tone sounded more like, "Your thanks isn't big enough for all I do." Words are so easily deceitful, especially when disguised and delivered as a joke. The jest became a mocking, and my heart bled for the faculty who'd gone through so much trouble to provide gratitude for all that we volunteers did.

The lesson I learned today? Gratitude often comes in the humblest forms. We need to be careful to acknowledge it, say thanks in return, and to celebrate in the opportunity we had to do good for someone else, rather than expect something large in return.

~ Tuesday Tips ~

 Photo copyright 2010 Alycia W. Morales

I must confess. I hit a wall this week with my writing. My heart wants to pour out blessings and wisdom and love, but my brain is as blank as a computer screen. It may be because I'm anxious for my husband's arrival home. His original flight took off without him last night. He'd gotten caught in traffic on the thruway, just shy of his exit. He supposed it was an accident, since traffic was at a stand-still. We pray whoever was involved is uninjured, especially on a holiday week, but he had no report for me other than he was about to miss his flight. So, he's on his way home now, a day later. I am excited and can't wait to see him, which is interfering with my work...

How about some tips on holiday travel? Whether you're flying, driving, going across the country or around the block, holiday travel can be nerve wracking. I know from experience the simple act of loading the kids into the car can be stressful. 

Tip number 1: Be considerate of others. I despise myself when I become impatient on the road and realize I've been yelling under my breath at an elderly woman who can barely see the road. Maybe the person who cut you off is five hours behind schedule and trying not to miss their flight. We all have someplace to go. Count your blessings while the minutes tick by and remember it may be God slowing you down by putting that slow poke in front of you. He may be sparing you from an accident about to occur up the highway...

Tip number 2: Leave ahead of time. Pack the night before so you can get started first thing in the morning, while everyone is fresh and excited about the trip. Or, drive at night, while the kids sleep in the back seat. It's a great time for you and yours to catch up on things. If you've worked all day and travel at night, have the person who didn't work drive first. Sleep. Then, take over for the second half of the trip, so your spouse or friend or sister can sleep. This can save costs on hotel rooms, as well. 


Tip number 3: Pack snacks and drinks. It's far cheaper to buy a 24 pack of bottled water for $3.50 at Wal-mart than it is to stop at the rest area vending machine - usually at $1.25 per bottle. Having fresh fruit and granola bars or potato chips is cheaper than pulling up to a drive through for multiple containers of french fries. It's healthier, too. 


Tip number 4: For long trips with children, stop every two hours or so and let them walk to the bathroom, eat a snack at a picnic table, or play at the McDonald's playground. This will get their energy out and prepare them to sit still for another hundred miles.


Tip number 5: Invest in a laptop, portable DVD player, or have one installed in your car. My children and I survived a move from Upstate NY to Mobile, AL because I purchased an $80 portable DVD player before I left. I didn't hear one, "Stop touching me!" "Quit sleeping on me!" "Moooooommmmm!" They quietly enjoyed watching movies the entire trip. It was the most peaceful drive I've ever made with them.


Tip number 6: Flying? These may be obvious (I usually fly alone, if I fly at all), but:
a) Check in online before leaving home. Print your tickets out and avoid the lines. 
b) Pack light. Take a carry on, rather than having to check a bag. (Nothing frustrates me more than having to wait half an hour for my luggage when I've been standing on the plane for half an hour after landing.) Do your laundry every other day at your family or friend's house. Use your mixed outfits savvy to make a few pieces last a week. 
c) Leave early for the airport. It's better to get through security and have a half hour wait than to get stuck in traffic and miss the flight.


I hope some of these helped! Have a safe trip, wherever you may travel this holiday season! 
Happy Thanksgiving!

~ Monday Musings ~

Everything is A-Okay

God has truly blessed me with a fine husband. He loves the Lord with all of his heart. He is like a sponge when it comes to the Word of God. Squeeze him and it freely flows forth. We were on the phone today - he's been traveling this past weekend - when I made the comment, "Our children are in their typical form this afternoon." We'd just arrived home from school, and the bickering had already begun. As I busied myself getting the cookie dough orders from the truck while talking to my husband on my cell, a few slaps were thrown and names were called. Why can't they just get along? 

My husband's reply is what caught me off guard and reminded me where my thoughts should be. "The world is falling apart. You need to be thankful our kids are well and healthy." 

It struck a chord inside. He's right. My children are healthy. 

Caleebster was born nine years ago this past Friday. The day the medical staff was releasing him from the hospital, they informed me that he had a heart murmur. My husband hunted my grandfather's hill, two hundred miles away. My mother taught her first grade class and didn't finish until three o'clock that afternoon. My father flew to Texas for an EMT trade show. I was alone and had to make decisions that seemed overwhelming at the time. 

My heart aches today as I hear my nine-year-old throw a temper tantrum over video games, just as it did the day I left the hospital wondering how severe his heart issue was. Would it cause him to struggle and face death? Or, would God heal it and allow us many years with him and his laughter? The questions remain the same as we enter the pre-teen years. Will he heed the wisdom of his parents and learn obedience, allowing himself many years of walking with the Lord? Or will he continue to have heart issues that will lead him far from God's protective wing?

As I raise my children, I continually ask myself what I'm doing wrong. Why do they fight all the time? Why can't they treat each other the way they want to be treated? What am I doing wrong? What can I do differently? Why don't they seem to hear me when I speak?  

I suppose God sits in heaven, wondering the same thing. Why do they insist on fighting in wars? Why do they insist on getting divorced instead of working through the difficulties? Why do they mock me? Why do they disobey me and my Word? I desire only good things for them. I desire to see them in eternity. I desire to share my love with them, rather than my wrath.

Then I ponder the fact that my parents and God could tell me the truth, give me wisdom, and desire for me to make the right choices. But, it ultimately becomes my choice to make. Do I treat others with kindness? Do I choose to love, forgive, and have faith in God to see me through, guiding me in His paths? Or do I choose to carry grudges, despise others, and dismiss God altogether? I'm the only one who can make that choice for myself. No one else can do it for me.

It's the same for my children. I can read the Word, train them up in the way that they should go, and pray for God's divine intervention in their hearts. It then becomes their choice to obey, love, forgive, and live a life with God. When I doubt my parenting abilities because of their poor behaviors and bad attitudes, I have to ask if I've done all I can to train them up in the way they should go. If my answer is yes, then I can rest assured that the Father of all knows my heart's ache for my children. Rather than become frustrated and stuck on the worldly picture in front of me, I have to turn my focus to heavenly matters. I need to put my trust in God that my children will turn out to be the godly woman and men I pray for. 

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;

and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

~ Philippians 4:6-7 (NKJV)

As Thanksgiving nears, I come before God with an attitude of thanksgiving. I am thankful that my son's hole in his heart healed and did not hinder. I am thankful that my four children are healthy, even when there are days they seem to be deaf to my voice. I know God's voice rings louder than my own. I trust Him to speak to their hearts. In the meantime, I'll continue praying for their futures and their hearts, teaching them the truths found in God's holy word, and doing my best to train them in the way they should go. Thank You, Jesus, for all You are, for all You do, and for completing me. I know that if I stick with You, everything will be a-okay.

Moving Success

Whew! It takes quite a bit to move to another state, especially when one's Grandfather passes away right when it's time to leave with the UHaul in tow...

I will truly miss my Grandpa. He was a very special man, who lived a simple life and appeared to enjoy every moment of it.

After almost a month of having no computer, I am back online and getting up and running again, so posts should come more frequently. We moved into a rental house that needed some new electrical outlets, as well as my computer deciding it was tired of working, so the power supply burned out, all at the same time...

But, all is well again, and I am grateful to God for all of the blessings in my life this Thanksgiving Day! Have a Happy one!