Are you already up this morning? Are you singing with the birds or trying to grab on to your coffee mug handle with all your might? Are you chipper and chirping dawning tunes or trying to grasp the notion, “another hectic day”. Whatever your aura may be, start your day with God. Touch God’s spiritual cloak and feel your spirit arise. Your “mood ring” will then color with strength.  Arise, warriors! Arise, dragon slayers! Arise, task doers! Do you have big chores or teeny to-do’s? Conquer your day with a “knightly” mindset. Armor up, tack your horse, and ride into the day!  Men or the day’s obstacles...what can they do to you? Who or what can be against you, if God is for you? No one or nothing. God has given you the ability to slay dragons and other little things. He will protect your trail from the dragon’s fiery breath.  Who or what can come against us? God will equip you to push through daily forces. He will suit you with a “slay the day” sheath...

  Let’s talk about an unraveled braid of love. Let’s talk about a love that spans over the seas, white Magnolia Trees, and beyond the twinkle stars. Let’s talk about a love that doesn’t end and has never charred. It’s a love that has no expiration date. I’ve witnessed this phenomenal phenomena, the truest form of adoration...my mom and my dad’s relationship.  Today would of been their 48th Wedding Anniversary. Even though, my dad has been gone for more than 11 years, I know without doubt, he’d be placing a flower order at Viviano’s. I know he would of acted on his chivalry with knightly gestures. I know he would of adorned my mom with romanticism. My mom and dad would of dressed dapperly and made their honoring entrance at a restaurant. They would of doted, dazzled, and casted smiles. Cards would of been exchanged and more devotion would of been tenderly traded.  This type of passion travels through travesties.     It conquers death and keeps mar...

  We all bear sorrow, we all harbor heartaches, we all carry hand baskets of hurt. But, grief often glimmers strong testimonies. Drop the hand basket of bitterness from trials. Don’t build up brick walls so high...that opportunities pass you by. Keep your heart open with God’s joy. Don’t hang a “close sign” on your soul. I’ve never really shared my testimony. So, I lay open my heart with the past. The most rugged terrain I have traveled, “the loss of a parent”. The paths that led up to that moment were lined with thorny trial bushes. They scratched and scraped at my heart, leaving wounds and deep scars. My dad had 1/3 of his lung removed in 2003. The devious cancer decided to return in 2005. My dad passed away in 2008. The year of 2003 was filled with shock and unbelief. 2005 was filled with prayerful battles. In 2008 a tearful river flowed through the O’Banion family forest. The hand basket that was given to me: chaos, terrible tribulation, grief, depression, and bittersweet s...

  For awhile I’ve been wanting something to take care of. My motherly instincts are beginning to seed and eventually bloom. My husband and I would love to get a cat or dog, but we live in an apartment. So, we opted for a Betta Fish. Yes, I know, not too exciting. But for us, it was like going to a candy store and picking out the most vibrant lollipop.  We cheerfully made our way to PetSmart. We gleamed as we picked out the aquarium and other accessories. We couldn’t decide on the style of Betta Fish, so we wanted to see what Petco had to offer. We strolled into the pet store with our hearts open for a new scaly friend. Ah! An array of colors brightened our eyes with curiosity! Which one do we chose? Then, we finally saw the little feisty guy we would take home. He was a white and red Dragon Scale Betta. We looked at him first then others, but our heart nudged back to him.  On the way home, we piddle-paddled with names. Are you laughing? Well, we giggled and gab...

  Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo! Wait for God’s prince for you! Can you tell I have the movie “Cinderella” on my mind? Yes, I do! I know that line sounds cheesy, but don’t be uptight with dreams. Dreams can come true. “A dream is a wish your heart makes.” So, it is possible to find your soulmate.  I am so glad I left the “husband desire of my heart” to God. When you pray and wait on God’s timing, any “cheesy” thing is possible. Don’t keep God’s dreams for you in an airtight box. Open the boring box and let the dreams fly!  I know my Cinderella dream came true when I married my husband. Yesterday morning, I was so in awe when my husband brought me breakfast in bed. He said, “Wait! Don’t get up.” He swooped around the corner and swept me off my feet. He had a decorative display of apples laced with caramel. Coffee sat to the side with a dollop of whip cream. He dolloped my heart with love and my life with adoration.  Here are a few points on finding your dr...

  I’m sure you all know about the story of the Tortoise and the Hare. The Hare got prideful and quick in his response, “I will win the race, because I’m faster than the tortoise.” The turtle’s wisdom was his “slow to speak” actions. He let the Hare run in its pride. He let the hare fumble in its self-destruction. The hare lost, because he tired quickly. His prideful energy drained his hops. Thus, the tortoise won the race at a peaceful pace.  Anger has the same premise. When you are quick to respond with hostility, you will lose the peaceful race. Anger will drain you and you will not sustain a life of steadiness.  Keep a pace of serenity slowness. Keep a pace of harmonious hops. Anger will not be your last finishing stop.  My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry. - James 1:19

  I have to admit, I’m feeling a dew drop of sadness today. I was supposed to go to a RV show with friends, but decided to stay home. Why did I stay home? I miss my dad. It’s been almost 12 years and I still ache for him. I miss his love and his godly guidance (I’m crying as I write this post). I couldn’t go trudge in and out of memories. I couldn’t go up and down steps of the past. My heart couldn’t bear the weight of camper-sized flashbacks.  When I was growing up, we were a band of gypsies, as my dad called us. We traveled the highway and byways of America in our RV. We’d laugh and play games. We’d have conversations about God’s beauty. We’d bond as a family, as a God braided clan. That bond has made me grieve a hard grief. That closeness clamors my heart with the dad category of love. I don’t grieve on a daily basis anymore. The wounds of loss have healed. The scar is not as prevalent. But, the missing still resides. The missing still dews rosy teardrops.  ...

  I’ve seen posts all over Facebook...Mental abuse is worse than physical abuse. This statement is like a faulty bridge. It is weak and cracking with illusion. This statement is abuse in itself. The tempest truth...physical abuse beats mental abuse into submission. Physical abuse weighs on the body and digs a grave for the mind. You’re a skeleton holding on to the edge of lifeless life. I saw both sides of the domestic terror coin. I saw the physical ailments of beatings and the draining drought of mental chaos. My sister was physically abused for 17 years. I saw a young woman glow with ambition to a tarnished heart. She was walking in the tangible world clinging to a speck of normalcy. When physically beaten, life is a war you’re trying to survive. She was a warrior fitted for battle everyday. God’s hand guided her through fiery fists and blistering bites. She is a veteran of domestic abuse.  If you asked my sister if she would rather have her jaw broken or called ...

  Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 You hear the civilian of bamboozled beings buzzing daily, “Life is complicated.” Is life that complexed or do we lasso overthinking and tie it to our daily lives ourselves? My husband and I talked about this topic last night. We will be searching for a house this year, god-willing. He said something that chimed like a grandfather clock. He said, “We need to keep God passively involved in our lives.” One definition of “Passively” is: receiving, enduring, or submitting without resistance. We should receive God’s guidance and submit to His will to avoid complications. God should be our automatic resource when making day to day decisions. When keeping Jesus at the forefront of your mind every choice will become minuscule. Commonalities between you and the Father will become frequent. Meditate and listen to God and ov...

  In today’s society, women want to be in the forefront and the forewoman of the household. They perform masculine responsibilities that are specifically designed for a man’s capabilities. Ladies, you are not men. As Christian women, roles were awarded to us from God. We should find favor in the characteristics that were bestowed on us. We are tenderly tweaked and delicately drawn by God. We are His architectural designs. We are designed to be tender teammates. Blueprint plans were drafted to construct compassionate helpmates.  The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” - Genesis 2:18  Having a hard time opening the pickle jar? Put aside your womanly pride and let the man handle the “in a pickle” plight. Give your husband the jar and let him untwist his role. A godly man was architected by the Lord to be the strength that women lack. He was drawn with measurements that compliment our qualities. Women, sto...