Echoes of Joy Blog

Training Charlie

Posted on by Staci Mauney

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2 Tim. 3:16–17)

Having a new puppy means I spend a lot of my time training him. We’re working on potty training, walking on a leash, staying calm at mealtimes, and not nipping when he plays or wants attention.

A lot goes into training a puppy, and I know I can’t do it all on my own. Until Charlie has all his puppy vaccines, I can’t take him to a professional trainer, and I want to do what I can to help him establish good habits before the bad ones become his normal behavior. To do this, I watch YouTube videos, read articles, and talk to friends who have dogs. Continue reading “Training Charlie” →

Charlie Gets a Nickname

Posted on by Staci Mauney

“For we are God’s handiwork…” (Ephesians 2:10)

My new puppy, Charlie, met my parents for the first time last week. I had warned my dad that I was expecting him to come up with a nickname for the little guy. He had nicknamed my Yorkie, Lilly, “Lilly Doggins,” and people still ask me about her and call her by her full name.

My dad did not disappoint me—Charlie is now “Charlie Bones,” so named because he loves to chew on his bone-shaped chew toys. One evening, my dad stared calling him “Mr. Charlie Bones-Jangles” after the song, “Mr. Bojangles.” It’s a bit of a mouthful though, so we quickly shortened his nickname back to “Mr. Charlie Bones.” Continue reading “Charlie Gets a Nickname” →

Introducing Charlie

Posted on by Staci Mauney

In his hand is the life of every creature and the breath of all mankind. (Job 12:10)

Meet Charlie! Charlie is a three-month-old Yorkie schnauzer mix (a schnorkie) who came into my life at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, September 10, 2022. His previous owner is a handyman who has fixed a number of things around my house over the years. When working at my house recently, he asked about Lilly, my Yorkie companion, since he didn’t see her running around or hear her barking. I told him that she had passed away in March, and a little while later, he asked if I would be interested in another dog. He told me about Charlie and that he couldn’t keep him because he is gone for work so much, and he showed me a video of Charlie running and playing. He set up a time to bring Charlie to meet me, and I adopted Charlie on the spot. Continue reading “Introducing Charlie” →

Finding Freedom from Migraines

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. (3 John 2)

Many of my long-time blog readers know that I’ve dealt with migraines for many years—25 years, to be precise. For almost two decades, I was considered a chronic sufferer, meaning I had at least 15 days of migraine pain per month. Usually, I had around 25 migraine days per month, and I took daily medication to reduce the frequency and severity of those migraines. While the medication reduced the severity, I didn’t see a decrease in frequency for a long time. Even so, a reduction in severity meant I could function—albeit, not very well much of the time. Continue reading “Finding Freedom from Migraines” →

Birthday Reflections

Posted on by Staci Mauney

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lam. 3:22–23)

August is my birthday month, and each year, I approach the days leading up to my birthday with an attitude of reflection. What have I accomplished this past year? What do I want the next year to bring? Continue reading “Birthday Reflections” →