If I had a dollar for every time I have faced uncertainty, I’d be rich and sitting in retirement on a beach in Fiji. Yes, that many times.

Uncertainty surrounds us whether we are tuned in to it or not. No matter how in control of our lives we think we are, much of what lies ahead in life remains uncertain. That’s just the way it is. And if you’re like me, the “what-ifs” can drive you nuts.

Of course, uncertainty would be a moot issue if we had a crystal ball. For instance, I would’ve chosen different hiking boots to go on that 15-mile hike in Canyonlands National Park. The lack of a crystal ball that day almost cost me dearly (even for a semi-veteran hiker like myself 😎). Thankfully, in time, I recovered. But yeah, a glimpse of the pain would’ve been nice. But no, the only crystal ball I’ve encountered is in the Haunted Mansion, and Madame Leota never foretold my bad choice of boots. Yet, that 15-mile hike in those boots turned out to be a memorable experience fueled by endurance, determination and absolute faith, which I will always appreciate.

My point is that, in general, in life the best we can do about uncertainty is follow our heart, gut, and then place our complete trust in God. If the choices we make go smoothly, great, if they don’t, it serves us best to believe God will see us through it, however the journey and whatever the outcome.

For every time God helps me to place my trust in Him, I am thankful.

Go ahead, finish the sentence: If I had a dollar for every _________________________________.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“Never allow waiting to become a habit. Live your dreams and take risks. Life is happening now.”
-Paulo Coelho

“I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. “Delicious Ambiguity.”
-Gilda Radner

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.
-Isaiah 41:10

“There is no 100%. The most we can plan for is 97%.”
-CCPerez

I’m pretty sure in nine plus years of consecutive Thankful Thursdays posts, I must have expressed gratitude for this, but here it is again – – I am so very grateful for working plumbing.

My first realization of the value of working plumbing, no, actually, of plumbing, period, was during day 2 of my first missionary trip when I was 18 years old. We arrived at the mountain village where our project that year was going to take place and were settling in, when nature called. I will never forget the moment when I entered the outhouse. Wow. Interesting to say the least and at first amusing. But that rude awakening became ten-fold when I had to use it again in the dark of night. It was at that moment that I swore I would never, ever, take a toilet for granted again.

Since then, many plumbing-related issues have arisen in my life and with every one of them has come a reminder of that eye-opening night. Be that as it may, the comforts afforded by the blessings I enjoy day after day have sometimes clouded my memory. But I think that’s why life nudges us at times, to keep us honest. Like in this instance, our plumbing going haywire yesterday. All in all, not a huge or life-threatening event, obviously, just an inconvenient interruption. Nevertheless, yes, a stark reminder of that night long ago and that little wooden outhouse that scared the _______ out of me (no pun intended). Life finds a way, I tell you.

So, for working plumbing, I am thankful, again. And for my hubby, who so diligently jumped on the ball to get it fixed. 🙂

What comforts are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“When it comes to life the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude.”
-G.K. Chesterton

Never say never. Online reservation of a seat for Mass? Never. Sit in Mass wearing a face cover? Never. Well, been there, done both. It’s been another interesting Lent season.

This Holy Thursday, I am thankful for what we commemorate and remember today – the institution of the Eucharist and the importance Jesus puts on humility. In the washing of the feet and the giving of His body and His blood we find the true meaning of love and service. For me, today’s is the most poignant Mass of the year, hands down. And as we head into the holiest of weekends, I am reminded that in life’s tragic element is where we often find God’s grace, in the form of, among other things, hope. There, ever so present in our moments of pain and suffering. How else can we survive? I am in love with that hope. The hope only He can instill in me. 

To those of you who share in my faith and observe this holiest of weekends, I wish you a blessed one, full of enlightenment, peace, hope and love. To those of you who don’t, I wish you a blessed one, full of enlightenment, peace, hope and love. 😉✝️

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“…do this in remembrance of Me.”
-1 Corinthians 11:24

“The stone was rolled away from the door,
not to permit Christ to come out, but to
enable the disciples to go in.”
-Peter Marshall

“Blessed are those to whom Easter is not a hunt… but a find; not a greeting… but a proclamation; not an outward fashion… but inward grace; not a day… but an eternity.”
-Anderson

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, April 5, 2010

Well, we’re back on Daylight Saving Time and Spring’s around the corner. Yup, change is in the air, again. And speaking of change, I smell an empty nest fast approaching.

Could it be that both our kids will be flying the coup in the same season? Possibly. Good thing these parentals have plans in the works to keep busy and entertained, because it’s soon to get very quiet at the Perez household.

This transition won’t be an easy one for us. Even though Lauren and Danny have been doing their own thing for quite a while, their footsteps, scent, and voices have filled every corner of our home to date, and have been the focus of this very tight-knit pack. That their constant presence at home will be highly missed is an understatement. At the same time, we are very excited for their journeys ahead, and we trust God is leading their way…and ours.

Change is in the air for sure, and we’re welcoming the breeze. For this new phase of our lives, I am grateful.

If any of you empty-nesters want to chime in, please feel free.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“Give the ones you love wings to fly, roots to come back and reasons to stay.”
-The Dalai Lama

“It is not what you do for your children, but what you have taught them to do for themselves, that will make them successful human beings.”
-Ann Landers

knowl-edge
noun:
facts, information, and skills acquired by a person through experience or
      education; the theoretical or practical understanding of a subject.

What a wonderful and liberating thing it is. Back in the day, whenever I asked Mom something she didn’t have a factual answer for she’d say, “Búscalo en la enciclopedia.” If you remember those heavy hardcover books full of facts and colorful pictures, you’re probably as old wise as I am. Information at our fingertips. I loved those books! And a good thing that was ‘cause I was expected to use them. Saber es poder. Knowledge is power.

Nowadays, it seems opinions are power and knowledge is null. In this instant-gratification society we live in, we’re too quick to turn to social media influencers, or “badfluencers” as I call them, as our main bank of knowledge. We’re slacking off, not digging for the facts or educating ourselves, but instead relying on these typically opinion-based sources. And opinions are just that, opinions. We all have them, and they should be respected if respectful, of course, but not deemed facts to go on, or be corrected by.

Sadly, all this opinion-policing contradicts everything we’re trying to achieve as a society. It’s gotten to where if our views don’t concur with someone else’s we quickly get called out, humiliated, and erased from existence with a simple #hashtag. It leaves no room for mistakes (and no one’s perfect), it lacks patience, understanding and communication. We should eradicate bad behavior and make people accountable, but at what cost if the cure is worse than the disease? Makes me want to go back to my encyclopedia days.

I pray we find a way to learn from our past and current mistakes and put an end to this social war we find ourselves in.

But, yes, thank you, Mom, for making me look everything up.

For knowledge, today and always, I am thankful.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“For me, I am driven by two main philosophies: know more today about the world than I knew yesterday and lessen the suffering of others. You’d be surprised how far that gets you.”
-Neil deGrasse Tyson

“This idea of purity and you’re never compromised and you’re always politically ‘woke’ and all that stuff. You should get over that quickly. The world is messy; there are ambiguities. People who do really good stuff have flaws. People who you are fighting may love their kids, and share certain things with you….That’s not activism. That’s not bringing about change. If all you’re doing is casting stones, you’re probably not going to get that far.”
-Barack Obama

“Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
-Dr. Seuss