For our children’s great friendships.

Growing up, both my husband’s home and mine were always open to our friends. Often, they could be found at the kitchen table eating our Moms’ cooking or just hanging out. They were friends from school, church, and work, and they were always welcome. At times, I’d come home and find any one of them chatting away with my mother; or find my best friend delivering my grandfather’s favorite donuts. Great friends. Period. They were welcome, they felt it, and it showed. Today, I’m glad to say most of them remain our close friends. What a blessing it is to have God in charge of our connections.

Fast-forward 30 plus years, and the story repeats itself, now with our kids’ friends, some of whom have been around since childhood. Others, more recent relationships, but equally special. A couple of them from out of town have even made our home their Miami vacay pad. Often during the summer, you can find Lauren’s and Danny’s friends cooling off in our pool, waiting for the afternoon round of cafecitos, or at our kitchen table enjoying my cooking (the couple of dishes I do make). They, in turn, show us their love by baking us cookies during their visit, bringing me flowers and travel-size Nutella packs (yum!), and even letting us have their Fastpasses to the hottest Disney ride (quite the sacrifice for this Disney crew). Like it was for us, their friends feel welcome in our home and it shows.

We enjoy having these kids around and getting to know them. We love their smiles and warm hugs. And, most importantly, we get to see what great friends they are to Lauren and Danny. We are so very grateful for the love and camaraderie among these young adults. What parent wouldn’t want that for their child?

This post is dedicated to:
Kristin, Ellen, Kevin, Gabe, Andrea, Elizabeth, the rest of the Disney crew, Alena, Stephanie, Lauren C., Danny F., Dan, Noah, Crystal, Christy, Alex, Gaby, Andres, Vicky, and Juanky.

What are you thankful for today?

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

“Your love, Jesus, is an ocean
with no shore to bound it.
And if I plunge into it, I carry
with me all the possessions
I have. You know, Lord,
what these possessions are—
the souls you have seen
fit to link with mine.”
-St. Thérèse of Lisieux

“You must remember, family is often born of blood, but it doesn’t depend on blood. Nor is it exclusive of friendship. Family members can be your best friends, you know. And best friends, whether or not they are related to you, can be your family.”
-T.L. Stewart

“Your children are the greatest gift God will give to you, and their souls the heaviest responsibility He will place in your hands. Take time with them, teach them to have faith in God. Be a person in whom they can have faith. When you are old, nothing else you’ve done will have mattered as much.” 
-L. Wingate

Grateful for others’ joys.

We all know how bad life can suck at times, and that none of us is exempt. Much of my daily prayers are said for friends and family who are going through a rough patch, be it health reasons or financial burdens, or workplace challenges, you name it. So when I hear about, or I see their photos of good times as I scroll through social media, I can’t help but smile and be happy for them.  There’s enough sadness and hard times around us, and it’s incredibly refreshing to see others’ joys. And for that, I’m thankful.

Be happy for others. 🙂

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

What are you thankful for today?

“Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.
-Romans 12:15

“Life is like a camera. Focus on what’s important. Capture the good times. And if things don’t work out, just take another shot.”
-Z.K. Abselnour

For summer-induced laziness, flip-flops, and beach towels. Happy first day of summer, everyone! Although, you’d think it’s been here a while, judging from the temps we’ve been having. But yeah, the season that has the power to make us suffer and like it, is here. Can you feel it?

For Miamians, that means lots of heat, mugginess, and mosquitoes. Okay, okay, so add “extra” to that. Extra heat, mugginess, and mosquitoes. On the upside, that means traffic’s lighter, we have daylight longer (to nap during thunder), and more excuses to take time off (as if we needed any).

Let me tell you, it’s wonderful how God, in His immense wisdom, season-ized our lives (even if He overlooked Miami). Wishing all of you a safe and fantastic summer. Enjoy it, it typically flies by. And please remember to hydrate and use sunscreen.

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

What are you thankful for today?

“Summer is the time when one sheds one’s tensions with one’s clothes,
and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit.
A few of those days and you can become drunk with the belief that all’s right with the world.”
-A.L. Huxtable

“Summer afternoon—summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language.”
-H. James

For the grace to be content…in any and every situation. But what does it take to be in that state of mind? I mean, there’s nothing wrong with wanting more, is there? I know about wanting more, trust me; most of us do, I guess. After all, shouldn’t we always strive to improve our lives? And isn’t it okay to long for those little extras we don’t need? Yes and yes. Thing is, we get anxious and kind of crazy when things are not going our way or we are not getting what we’re wanting, and when that happens contentment goes out the window.

So how do we get it back? I do believe that we are where we are for a reason, in success and in struggle. And that as we work on reaching our goals and dealing with adversity, we should try to make the best of our circumstances. In doing so, I think three things are key: focusing on our blessings, embracing the journey, and living each season in the moment. We tie that around the known fact that the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and voilà, the winter of our discontent made glorious summer.

That last part about the grass, very relevant in this need-to-compare-and-supersede world we live in. Really, let’s not be too quick to envy the neighbor’s grass, because from a distance we can’t always see the weeds.

Granted, contentment is not easily achieved, but I think absolutely necessary if we want to experience a decent amount of peace and happiness in our lives. Basically, we should love where we are headed and bloom where we are planted, something like that, they say. And I would agree. Although I don’t know about you, but that kind of contentment calls for God’s grace, or I’m toast. And every time I get even a little bit of that grace, I couldn’t be more thankful.

Until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

What are you thankful for today?

“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well-fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
-Philippians 4:11-13

“It isn’t what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.”
-Dale Carnegie

For that stuff between paydays. That’s right, the time away from the office. Experts say taking time off is good for the body, mind and soul, and makes us more productive. So smart, those experts. But it’s not always easy or possible to get away. So each opportunity to do so is quite the blessing. Make sure you schedule some time for yourself, within your zip code or out of the country, no matter where, just do it.

This morning, although we’re missing the other half of our pack, we are super thankful for our downtime.

From Jacob Lake, AZ, until next Thursday’s post…si Dios quiere.

What are you thankful for today?

“Have regular hours for work and play; make each day both useful and pleasant, and prove that you understand the worth of time by employing it well. Then youth will be delightful, old age will bring few regrets, and life will become a beautiful success.”
-L.M. Alcott

“Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.”
-Michael Palin

“Time is that stuff between paydays.”
-L. Ochs