Category: Family

Thankful for Family

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.” (Ex 20:12)

When I was a child, one of my favorite traditions was to gather with family and eat all the food. We would go to a relative’s house – either my grandma’s or one of my dad’s siblings’ homes. I had to sit at the kids’ table, but the truth was, I really preferred being there instead of at the adults’ table. As shy as I was, I struggled to find something to say to the adults, even though they were family, and I froze like a deer in the headlights when one of them spoke to me. If I needed something, I would whisper in my mom’s ear. But at the kids’ table, my cousins didn’t care how shy I was. They told stories and entertained each other and me in the process. Continue reading “Thankful for Family” →

Practicing Gratitude

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.” (Ps 95:2-3)

Being grateful isn’t something that comes naturally. We’re inherently selfish and focused on ourselves. We don’t always feel thankful. There are a lot of bad things happening in this world, and it’s sometimes hard to figure out how to be thankful in the midst of them.

Learning to be grateful takes practice. When faced with a trial or an unexpected bump in the road, my first thought is never how thankful I am for the difficulty or inconvenience. How I wish it were! Turning my mind from my struggles and onto the things for which I’m thankful allows me to grow closer to God and to receive physical and psychological benefits. Continue reading “Practicing Gratitude” →

Thankful to Be Me

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Author’s Note: This month, my blog posts will all focus on thankfulness.

“Being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” (Phil 1:6)

As Thanksgiving draws near, I begin to think more about all the things for which I’m thankful. In an effort to focus more on my blessings, I’m participating in the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI) gratefulness photo challenge this month. Each day, I’ll post a different picture of something for which I’m thankful.

The first photo prompt was to share a photo of someone I see every day, which was a challenge for me since I live and work alone. I can go for several days without seeing another person unless I make an effort to do so. For the photo challenge, I shared a picture of my dog, Lilly. She’s a loyal companion, and I’m more thankful for her than I can really express. After I posted the photo, I felt God speaking to my heart, encouraging me to think more deeply about the meaning the prompt had for me. After all, I realized, I do see someone every day. Continue reading “Thankful to Be Me” →

Fear of Clowns and Other Lessons Learned at Halloween

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. (Ps 9:10)

My fear of clowns began in 1982 when I was five years old. For Halloween that year, my mom, who designed and sewed many of my clothes, made me a clown costume. I can still remember how thrilled I was. It was so cute – a little red costume with a frilly white collar, frilly white cuffs at the feet, and bright yellow buttons. I couldn’t wait to wear it trick-or-treating. Continue reading “Fear of Clowns and Other Lessons Learned at Halloween” →

Celebrating My Grandma Velma’s Legacy

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.” (Ps 46:5)

I come from a line of strong women. From my mom to her mom to my dad’s mom, the most influential women in my life have provided strong examples of who a Christian woman should be. My dad’s mom, my Grandma Velma, would have been 97 on her birthday earlier this month if she were still with us. She had a hard life in which she married young, had two children, divorced, remarried, had four more children, lost one child, divorced again, and remarried for the final time. She worked for the railroad and moved her way up to supervisor, where she was in authority over men including my step-grandpa. For a woman of her era, she lived a life that was different than most other women. Through it all, she kept her faith in God and shared her love of the Lord with her children and grandchildren. Continue reading “Celebrating My Grandma Velma’s Legacy” →