Category: Family

Lilly Doggins’ Summer Adventures

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“But ask the animals, and they will teach you, or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you; or speak to the earth, and it will teach you, or let the fish in the sea inform you. Which of all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind.” (Job 12:7-10)

Hi, friends! Lilly Doggins here. Summer’s in full swing, and my mom and I are having some great adventures together. Riding in the car is one of my favorite things, especially during the day when I can see outside. Mom takes me to the post office and the library when she doesn’t have to get out of the car and we can stay inside where it’s nice and cool. Continue reading “Lilly Doggins’ Summer Adventures” →

When Saying No Is the Boldest Choice

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one.” (Mt 5:37)

A couple of months ago, I wrote about the transitions I would face after moving into the past president position of the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI). (You can read that post here.) Currently, I’m in the middle of that transition period. While I knew that adjusting to a new routine would take time, I’ve struggled more than I thought I would.

After devoting so much of my time to OWFI, I’m now able to take on other projects. But lest I burn out (a very real possibility), I’ve decided not to take on any new projects for at least six months, maybe even a year. Continue reading “When Saying No Is the Boldest Choice” →

2019 Mid-Year Goal Check

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jer 29:11)

We’ve reached the halfway point of 2019. Yikes! Where did the time go? Before any more of 2019 slips away, I’m evaluating my goals for the year. In the past, I’ve broken my larger, yearly goals into smaller, monthly goals. I didn’t do that this year, and I’ve noticed my progress has lagged.

I set goals in seven different areas: health, financial, work, personal writing, Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI), spiritual, and relationships. For each of these categories, I set two to three overarching goals for the year.

Having so many goals felt necessary in order to move forward, but overwhelming at the same time. I decided to focus most of my efforts on one area: health. Continue reading “2019 Mid-Year Goal Check” →

It’s Not About Me

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.” (Ps 86:11)

For the last couple of years, I’ve read at least one spiritual growth book every month. From revealing insecurities to inspiring change, God has used the words in these books to provide an avenue of personal and spiritual growth for me.

Recently, I read Free of Me: Why Life Is Better When It’s Not about You by Sharon Hodde Miller. This book spoke to me in a powerful way, and I want to deviate from my normal blog format to share what I learned.

In this book, Miller examines how our insecurities show up in various, hidden ways in our lives. We make things about us that aren’t really about us, and this is a manifestation of our insecurities. Continue reading “It’s Not About Me” →

The Joys of Reading

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” (Ps 32:8)

As a child, I would read until I heard my mom’s raised voice, asking me to dry dishes for her. I knew I was in trouble at that point – it meant she’d called for me at least two or three times. I wasn’t ignoring her; I just didn’t hear her because I’d been transported to another world.

My mom’s voice brought me crashing back to the real world pretty quickly. I would hurry through the task so that I could get back to my book. I took books to family holiday gatherings, and I always had enough books to fill an entire suitcase when I went on vacation. (This was before the Kindle.) I even had to pay extra for my luggage one time because I bought so many books while on vacation. Continue reading “The Joys of Reading” →