I won’t lie, money has been tight lately. I know the majority of people are experiencing the same.

Personally, we are planning on eating out at restaurants less.

We haven’t taken a vacation for the past two years.

We are budgeting our groceries and other expenses.

But thankfully we have never gone hungry, the bills get paid and we have a roof over our head.

I don’t think that’s luck. I think it’s God’s grace.

I am not a super religious person but I have been going to church more often.

We are trying to have our son baptized soon so we are being more active members.

However, there is a dicho we use in our house that has been prominent in my mind:

“Dios aprieta pero no ahorca”

It translates to “God squeezes but does not choke”.

It means you can be pressed by hardship and still not lose hope. Even if you don’t see the way out right away.

A Bible verse that says something similar is 2 Corinthians 4:8-9. Pressed, but not crushed.

It hasn’t been easy

Our kids have been chronically sick.

From asthma to pneumonia episodes, and most recently, hand, foot and mouth disease.

Which was not fun at all.

The whole house got it except my wife and I!

The kids are getting better though.

We are managing the asthma and my son is going back to normal from the HFMD.

Not having fevers was the best part out of all of it.

Hard things keep showing up but we keep making it through.

Things could be way worse

I know we all want the newest iPhone and the best fancy truck. I want to be financially thriving too.

But growing up, one thing is always on my mind.

We could be up on the mountain with everything we ever wanted.

Then the next day, fall off it and end up with nothing.

We could end up homeless.

We could go hungry.

We could face a terminal illness.

Nothing is guaranteed. Not the good days and not tomorrow.

Somewhere in between

I am not an optimist or a pessimist in my views on life.

Somewhere in between, really.

More like a pessimist who actively pushes himself to look on the bright side. If that’s even a thing.

It has worked really well for me.

Because it doesn’t blind me to how fast things can change.

Why I try to stay humble

I’m a Catholic man. I believe God judges our actions.

If we look down on people who have less, or act superior because we got to experience things others can’t, I think we get judged the same way.

If you don’t believe in God, you might call it karma.

I’m not saying hardship is a punishment.

I’m saying it’s a reminder.

When we take what we have for granted, we put those gifts at risk.

One day at a time

Taking life one day at a time is the best we can do and that’s how I handle life’s stresses and hardships.

It’s the only way I don’t get overwhelmed.

So every morning I try to remember:

• I get another day to breathe fresh air.
• I get to eat homemade food and drink water.
• I have a roof over my head.
• I get another chance to chase my goals.
• I get to see my kids every day and watch them grow.

Some people don’t get that chance.

Grace doesn’t always look like prosperity. Sometimes it looks like surviving another day.