Category: Christianity

More of Lilly’s Quarantine Adventures

Posted on by Staci Mauney

And God said, “Let the land produce living creatures according to their kinds: the livestock, the creatures that move along the ground, and the wild animals, each according to its kind.” And it was so. (Gen 1:24)

Hi, friends! Lilly Doggins here. My mom and I had so many adventures during quarantine that she said I could tell you more about them!

When it started getting hot outside, Mom gave me a bath. And then, horror of horrors, she cut my hair. With scissors. Where was Ms. Connie, my groomer, when I needed her? I never thought I’d miss being groomed, but boy, did I! I didn’t think Mom would ever finish. I had to sit down to rest a few times. I looked like a mess when she got done, but I was so much cooler. I’m actually glad Mom cut my hair. Thankfully, it happened only once. At the end of May, Mom let me go to Ms. Connie’s again, and now I look like the pretty girl Mom always says I am. Continue reading “More of Lilly’s Quarantine Adventures” →

2020: The Year of Chaos

Posted on by Staci Mauney

And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity (Col. 3:14).

As 2020 approached, I was filled with hope and anticipation for what the new decade would bring. I read articles about twenty-twenty vision, clarity, and goal setting. I sought advice for how to make 2020 the best decade ever. I brainstormed about long-term goals to determine where I saw myself and my business now and in another ten years. The future was bright and promising.

Now, we are halfway through 2020, and most would agree that that the problems we’re facing are unprecedented. From the COVID-19 to quarantine to the senseless death of George Floyd to rioting and looting, we’ve faced tremendous upheaval. My heart breaks for Floyd’s family, for those who face racial injustice on a daily basis, for the families of those who’ve died from COVID-19, and for those who’ve lost their businesses due to the virus or the rioting or both. Continue reading “2020: The Year of Chaos” →

Cultivating Contentment

Posted on by Staci Mauney

…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. (Phil 4:11-12)

Lately, I’m parsing the lessons the Lord has been teaching me during the COVID-19 pandemic. I’ve realized just how much my circumstances inform my ability to be content. At various times in my life, I’ve complained about my busy schedule, disliking large crowds, and having to cook. During the lockdown, I complained about canceled events, isolation, and having to cook. Continue reading “Cultivating Contentment” →

The Clarity of Hindsight

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. (Is 64:4)

Hindsight is twenty-twenty. It’s a cliché because it’s true. When I look back over a situation, I always have more clarity than when I am in the middle of it. While I may not understand completely, I do find lessons and areas of growth I couldn’t see at the time.

That’s the case with the recent quarantine. While many are still quarantined for various reasons—their health or the health of a loved one, their level of exposure to someone with the virus, the area where they live—most of the US has started opening up to some degree. So I may not have enough hindsight yet, but lessons are emerging. Continue reading “The Clarity of Hindsight” →

Lilly’s Quarantine Adventures

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” (Gen 1:26)

Hi, friends! Lilly Doggins here to tell you about my experiences during quarantine. I’m not sure what a quarantine is (that’s Mom’s word), but she has stayed home all the time for the last couple of months. She’s worked from home for a few years, but she leaves me alone sometimes, and I’m not happy when she does. She says things like, “I’m going to the coffee shop to work” or “I have to meet a client” or “It’s LifeGroup night!” I’ve never understood why I can’t go. But if the quarantine is what’s keeping my mom home, then I have to admit that I love it! Continue reading “Lilly’s Quarantine Adventures” →