POSITIVE ON PURPOSE: Everything happens on purpose!

By Patricia Spradley

This book is a compilation of short articles, sharing personal experiences and opportunities, as well as helpful ways to become a better person. Showing gratitude, getting to know yourself better and having faith and belief in yourself are a few of the topics highlighted. Additionally, there are articles guiding you on how to relate to your children, being a good mother, father and parent, as well as building strength during challenging times. In every case, it lets you know that you are not alone in your journey to becoming a better version of you.

• Language: English
• Publisher: iUniverse
• Release date: Oct 6, 2023
• ISBN: 9781663256058

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POSITIVE ON

PURPOSE

EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON PURPOSE!

PATRICIA SPRADLEY

POSITIVE ON PURPOSE

EVERYTHING HAPPENS ON PURPOSE!

Copyright © 2023 Patricia Spradley.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

Scripture quotations marked KJV are from the Holy Bible, King James Version (Authorized Version). First published in 1611. Quoted from the KJV Classic Reference Bible, Copyright © 1983 by The Zondervan Corporation.

ISBN: 978-1-6632-5606-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6632-5605-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2023917245

iUniverse rev. date:  10/03/2023

CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Gratitude

■ What You Have Is Already Enough!

■ Acts Of Gratitude

■ The Best Of Gifts (Presence Or Presents)

■ A Salute To My Women Achievers

■ To Whom Much Is Given Much Is Expected

■ Wonderful Women

■ Living The Good Life

■ The Ten Golden Rules On Living The Good Life

■ Gratefulness Beyond Thanksgiving

Getting To Know Yourself

■ Looking In The Mirror Vs Looking Out The Window

■ Different Habits

■ Who Do You Listen To?

■ At The Heart Of What Really Matters (What’s Important To You?)

■ Passion & Purpose

■ Fulfilling My Purpose – Starting The Next Leg Of My Journey!

■ BACK TO SCHOOL – Learning, Unlearning & Relearning

Authenticity

■ Finding Who You Really Are

■ Environment And Expectations

■ Behavior Never Lies

■ Letting Go!

■ Complexity Is Tied To Destiny

Have Faith & Belief

■ Believe It, It’s Working!

■ Is Worrying Worth It?

■ Belief Makes Things Happen!

■ Moving Beyond The Wait

■ These Are Temporary Inconveniences For Permanent Improvements

Family & Parenting

■ If Momma Ain’t Happy

■ Good Fathers

■ Stop In The Name Of Love

■ What It Means To Be A Good Father…

■ Are You Your Mother’s Child?

■ Of Dads, Husbands

■ Thank You, Not Once, But Twice

■ A Farewell Note To Our Children (What Would You Want To Say?)

■ Mother In The Mirror

■ Dedicated Dads

■ A Salute To Single Moms

■ Are You A Follow-Worthy Father?

■ From Mother To Grandmother

■ Leaving A Legacy

Strength

■ Is That All You Got?

■ God Bless The Child

■ Still Standing

■ Seasons Of Life

■ Resilience—The New Normal!

■ Don’t Let History Dictate

■ Celebrate The Shero In You!

■ Driving Through The Storm

■ Commit, Don’t Quit

■ How Bad Do You Want It?

Your Better Version

■ Where Do You Begin? Start Where You Are.

■ Change: Bring It On!

■ To Health With It! (Age Gracefully)

■ Position Yourself (Get Ready For The Opportunity)

■ Shut The Door!

■ What’s In The Middle?

■ When The Student Is Ready

■ Well-Balanced Living

■ Vision For A New Year

Thankfulness & Gratefulness

■ Thankful For The Moment, Right Now

■ Zero-Negativity

■ Main Course

■ Remember To Say, THANK YOU For Everything!

■ Got Gifts, What A Present!

■ Being Thankful & Grateful

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I am thankful and grateful to my husband Willie, for all his ongoing encouragement and support for me writing this book. I also appreciate my family for inspiring many of the stories that I’ve written over the years. A special thanks is owed to Rick and Marge Hurst for the opportunity to write in the community newspaper: The Point of View, and the many friends and colleagues for inspiring me to share my experiences. Words don’t adequately express how much everyone means to the completion of this project.

INTRODUCTION

Once I was made aware of what my purpose was, I began to look back over my life and reflected on how I had been doing exactly what He intended for me, for quite some time. I am the middle child of five, yet even my older siblings sought me out for advice and cheering up, whenever they needed it. My friends often asked why I always seemed so happy. Colleagues throughout the years thanked me for letting them come into my office to lend a listening ear and requested my honest opinion. And even now that my children are grown and making their own decisions, they still call me to talk through a situation that they want to make better. I was then and even more so now, very willing, and humbled to accept who I was designed to be.

This book is a compilation of personal stories of my journey through life. I authentically share my experiences of learning and growing towards being a better person along the way. Being positive through every situation, has value beyond measure, but takes prayer and practice. It is my hope that by reading and reflecting what I’ve written, there might be some who realize the impact of being positive on purpose.

GRATITUDE

WHAT YOU HAVE IS ALREADY ENOUGH!

An overwhelming emphasis is placed on acquiring things. As children we try to get our parents’ attention. As we grow into adolescence, we try to get their praise. We try to earn good grades so that we can gain entrance into college·. We try to look attractive to our peers so that we can gain acceptance or be liked. This process of learning how to acquire objects and attention continues well into adulthood. What is this life about? Is it about acquiring things? Is a person considered a winner based on how big their house is or how fast their car can go? Certainly, the advertising industry understands this well and aims its advertising dollars on encouraging people to find happiness by getting things!

Oh, how quickly we forget what He has done when we compare ourselves to the people in the world. We glorify what others have accomplished with human wisdom when instead we should focus on the wisdom, He has placed on the inside of us. We are intimidated by the intelligence of others when our obedience to Him alone can open doors no man can shut. And with this being the case, we are still obsessed with things!

It’s so easy to forget how blessed we are with what we have and where we are when we focus on acquiring things. In so doing, we become saturated with the desire for immediate monetary gain. How much money did I make? How much money did they pay me? How much money am I getting? Is it more than he/she received? It’s all about trying to make money to get more things!

All too often we spend time thinking about how to get more stuff. We go to stores day after day; only to make purchases for things we already have more than enough of. Instead, we should focus on being grateful for what we already have, since what we have is enough. He gives us what we can handle, yet we continue to question why we don’t have more. We never stop to honestly assess how we are managing what we already have. It is more than sufficient!

And then we wonder why our children are driven by acquiring stuff, never thinking about what messages we send on a regular basis. It is up to us as parents to teach our children what things really matter in life. Helping them to understand the importance of being held to high standards is something that money can’t buy. It is what helps build strong character. It is what will help them to make the right decisions when they’re surrounded by wrong ones. It is what will help them to understand the significance of sacrificing stuff. It is what instills perseverance for when the going gets tough. And it is what will let them know that they are never alone whenever they may be feeling lonely. Remember: What You Have Is ALREADY Enough!

ACTS OF GRATITUDE

At the end of each school and calendar year, I reflect and give thanks for things I’ve learned and for people I’ve encountered who make me want to be better. I read an article that intrigued me. A Swiss philosopher and poet named Henri F. Amiel said: Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts. I reread that several times before it resonated. I then began thinking how to apply it to help improve who I am. We should give thanks, of course, but those are words, hopefully heartfelt. However, we should practice acts of gratitude, not just hollow attitudes of gratitude. It’s not enough to merely give thanks. We must be better at showing thanks. Similarly, you can’t give gratitude. Only those who benefit from acts of gratitude can name them as such. In short, unless someone values the act and acknowledges it as such, it does not matter. Thanking is indeed a lovely idea, so much so that Americans have created an annual national day of Giving Thanks.

For many, Thanksgiving consists only of sacrificing millions of turkeys and tons of desserts for our ever-increasing waistlines. Some volunteer to serve at a soup kitchen, but most volunteer to watch football and gossip about relatives at our annual gathering - what gratitude! It’s time we changed things. Stop misusing gratitude, both the word and the idea. Gratitude deserves better. Let’s do something that shows we are truly grateful. John F. Kennedy said it best: