Category: Christianity

Lessons Learned from a Cat

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“God made the wild animals according to their kinds, the livestock according to their kinds, and all the creatures that move along the ground according to their kinds. And God saw that it was good…” (Gen. 1:25)

My brother and his wife have a soft spot for animals. They are not just cat people or dog people, but they love all animals, and their house is full of adopted cats and dogs of all sizes. I, on the other hand, am a dog person, as anyone who reads my blog and knows me personally can attest. I tolerate cats, but most of my affection is reserved for my Yorkie companion, Lilly.

When a friend asked if I could help find homes for his mom’s cats (she was moving out of state), I was willing to help as long as I didn’t have to take one in myself. He found homes for all but one sweet, laid-back, coal-black cat, and he asked if my parents would take care of him. Since they live in a neighborhood with many cats roaming around, they agreed. Continue reading “Lessons Learned from a Cat” →

Calming the Storm

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm…” (Mark 4:39)

In Oklahoma, we understand how unpredictable the weather can be, especially in the spring. We have weather apps on our phones and text alerts for when severe weather strikes. For those of us who grew up here, we know how quickly the day can turn from bright and sunny to dark and stormy.

In October 2001, I lived in a small town that was hit by a tornado. On my way home from work, the wind picked up, and it started raining. Storms occur at any time of the year here, but I didn’t think it could be a tornado because it was so late in the year. Continue reading “Calming the Storm” →

A Mother’s Day Tribute

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” (Prov. 31:31)

During my growing up years, my parents were very hands on. My mom baked and decorated my birthday cakes for many years. Four in particular stand out after all this time—Strawberry Shortcake, a Care Bear, a Cabbage Patch Kid, and Barbie. I remember how she worked for hours to get the icing just right. It looked perfect, and it tasted divine.

I loved watching my mom cook. She made almost everything from scratch. In fact, I didn’t know brownies or casseroles came from a box until I was an adult. Except for Jiffy brownies, which I thought were an exception made just for kids like me whose grandmas kept boxes on hand for them to stir together. Continue reading “A Mother’s Day Tribute” →

A Time to Create

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.” (Eph. 6:10)

In last week’s blog post, I wrote about the difficulty I’ve had lately with being creative. This past weekend, I attended the virtual Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) conference. Attending the conference, learning from fellow writers, and mingling (even virtually) is always a boon for my creativity.

This year, the conference coordinators took a chance on me and allowed me to conduct two workshops on self-editing practices. I’ve done a lot of speaking over the years, but this was the largest event where I’ve been invited to speak. Continue reading “A Time to Create” →

The Creativity Struggle

Posted on by Staci Mauney

But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. (Jer. 10:12)

My word for the year is “create,” but lately, finding the time or energy to create has been a struggle. I believed God gave me this word because he wanted me to create new things this year. I have two book projects along with numerous small projects to complete. I still believe I’m to create new things, but now I also believe he wants me to learn the best ways to do that and to leave behind projects that don’t help fulfill my mission of reaching people for him with the written word.

When I’m busy, when I’m stressed, my creativity dries up. A migraine or exhaustion results, and I know I have to stop and take care of myself. Rather than hurting my productivity and creativity, taking a break rejuvenates me and gives me the strength I need to finish the project at hand. How quickly I forget this when the pressure of a deadline looms! I would do well to remember it. Continue reading “The Creativity Struggle” →