Don't know about you but I come up with some great ideas (or so I think) only to walk away from the spot where the idea was concocted and lose the thought. As I'm walking to another room I find myself asking, "What was that again?" Oh boy...

For example, while doing the dishes I had a great blog post idea and even came up with a catchy title. I wanted to finish doing the dishes first though. My mother's voice rang in my ear, "Finish what you start before going on to something else." So being a dutiful daughter, I finished the dishes before writing down my great inspirational blog idea. Well, that'll probably be the last time for that nonsense. Next time, I will pause, grab pen and paper, jot down what came to mind, and THEN go back to finish the dishes.

You see the dishes will remind me they are there. In fact, they might even scream at me. But those thoughts that run randomly through my mind leave quietly. I have to go chase them down because they like to play hide-and-go-seek. Sometimes I find them, sometimes not so much. Can I get a witness??

The moral of the story - carpe thoughte (seize the thought - not an exact translation) because you never know if you will be able to seize it a second time. Can I get an "Amen"?

#randomthoughts #running #greatideas #carpethoughte #witness #amen
#whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #elf #angelonthemantle #shelf
#angelbooks #kidsbooks #watchmanangel

While doing some clutter cleaning, I came across this one minute prayer that someone sent me via email many years ago. It is a good one and today I prayed it for each one of you. May it bless you.

"Father, I ask you to bless my friends reading this right now. I am asking You to minister to their spirit at this very moment. Where there is pain, give them Your peace and mercy.

Where there is self-doubting, release a renewed confidence in Your ability to work through them.

Where there is tiredness, or exhaustion, I ask You to give them understanding, guidance, and strength as they learn submission to Your leading.

Where there is spiritual stagnation, I ask You to renew them by revealing Your nearness, and by drawing them into greater intimacy with You.

Where there is fear, reveal Your love, and release to them Your courage. Where there is a sin blocking them, reveal it, and break its hold over my friends' lives.

Bless their finances, give them greater vision, and raise up leaders and friends to support and encourage them. Give each of them discernment to recognize the evil forces around them, and reveal to them the power they have in You to defeat it.

I ask You to do these things in Jesus' name. Amen."

May your weekend be different because a prayer was sent to heaven on your behalf!

#prayingforyou #prayers #angels #thinkingofyou #peaceandmercy #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #angelbooksforkids #elf #shelf
#angelonthemantle #peaceloveangels

When your kids come home from school do they offer information about their day? Or do you get the, "Yeah, it was good."? 

One way my kids tell me about their day is when I ask them about lunch.​ Most days they pack a lunch and I start off by asking them if they ate all their lunch. Seems strange that a question about lunch will open them up. But it does. They tell me what they ate, who gave them what at the lunch table, who said what, and what's going on at school.

For instance, earlier this week I started off asking about lunch. One of the girl's in school is having a birthday party on Saturday that my kids are going to. Her brother is a friend of my oldest.

At the lunch table some of the girls (not the birthday girl) told my oldest they hoped he wasn't going to the birthday party. I made a comment about how they probably want him to come because he's such a cute boy. To which my youngest said, "No that's not it. It's because he picks his nose." ("Restrain laughter," I told myself.) Then my cute boy said, "At least I don't eat it anymore." Oh the joys of motherhood! And the conversation continued.

All of this because of a question about lunch. So try it out when you see your kids after school. Let me know what crazy, fun, or insightful things you learn about their day. You just never know.

#lunch #conversations #afterschool #nosepicking #talking #kids
#whereisyourangel #angelbooks #angelwatchingoverme #elf #shelf 
​#angelonthemantle #peaceloveangels #watchmanangel #fun

Have you ever noticed how a song can pick you up, comfort you, encourage you, and inspire you? In the car this morning a song played on the radio that struck a chord with me. I have heard this beautiful song before and love the words but this morning it carried its message to my soul.

​Whether you are on top of the world or down in the dumps a song can change your perspective and outlook on things. This song by Natalie Grant is called "King of the World." The video link below shows the lyrics. She also has an acoustic video that you can view online as well. As you listen to the words may they carry any burdens you may have (self-sufficiency, depression, anxiety, etc.) off your shoulders and by the end of the song may your load be lighter.

​https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQmysKhww_I

#kingoftheworld   #songforthesoul #nataliegrant #angels #lighterload
#whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #themessage #angelbooks4kids
#elf #shelf #peaceloveangels #angelonthemantle

We have been busy adding value for you to the angel business. We have added more than 50 Angel Recipes, Angel Crafts, and Sound Advice to our Pinterest page. Soon we will be adding a few dozen pictures to the Angel Antics board too. We had over 1,100 views on our Pinterest page last month. So stop on by, pick a favorite, and enjoy. While you are there, follow us to keep updated on all things angels! www.pinterest.com/whereisyourangel/

How many times have your kids said, "When can I play on the phone, computer, video game, etc.?" It's enough to wear even the most stalwart parent out. For those of you who have prayed the silent (or not so silent) prayer to figure out the balance, we have an answer for you.

One of our featured bloggers, Board Certified Pediatrician Dr. Deepa Sukumar, offers up tips for parents. Today we are featuring her article on screen time titled "How much screen time is ok for your child?"

It is easy for our children to be immersed in digital media and too much media use can mean that children do not have enough time to play, talk, study or sleep. The American Academy of Pediatrics has the following recommendations that I am sure you will find useful.

* For children younger than 18 months avoid the use of screen media other than video chatting. 

*Parents of children from 18 to 24 months of age should choose high-quality programming and watch with them so that they understand what they see.

*For children ages 2 to 5 years, limit screen time to 1 hours per day of high-quality programs. Parents should see the program with them and help them understand what they are seeing and apply it to the world around them.

*For children 6 and older, place consistent limits on the time spent using media and make sure the media does not take the place of adequate study time, sleep, sufficient physical activity and other behaviors essential for health.

*All screens must be turned off 60 minutes before and no TV, computers or other monitors be allowed in children's bedrooms. The blue light emitted from the screens can wake up the brain and make it harder for your child to sleep. Phones should be charged outside the bedroom or at least be in Do Not Disturb mode.

* Designate media - free times together such as dinner or driving, as well as medial free locations at home such as bedrooms

* Always talk about digital safety, not to interact with strangers. Also treating others with respect online is to be also stressed.

*Media time should not take away the child's time to interact face to face in the real world socially.Organizations like common sense media can help parents evaluate media content and make decisions about what is appropriate for their family.

*Healthychildren.org has a family media plan that you can personalize and use for your family to regulate digital medial use.

If you need to get in touch with a doctor, Dr. Sukumar offers medical care and treatment for your children from the comfort of your home via secure video. You can reach her at www.gracemdconnect.com

#screentime #drdeepasukumar #pediatrician #gracemdconnect #kidshealth #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #angelbooksforkids
​#elf #shelf #angels #angelonthemantle #watchmanangel

Don't you enjoy meeting new people? Especially if a friend introduces you to them. There is a mutual connection that makes it more meaningful.

Well today on our blog we are introducing you to another childrens author's book. Her name is Lee Ann Mancini  and, like us, she has a series of books for kids. She recently came out with a new one. This makes nine books in her Adventures of the Sea Kids series. Her newest book is titled Forever with Jesus. Our family has read several of her books and today we want to take some time to tell you about this one.

This is a colorfully illustrated book that addresses an issue not many childrens books do - death. I would recommend her book to anyone who wants to have a conversation with their kids about how to handle death and answer their questions about death.

Lee Ann has done a great job crafting the story carefully so that young readers will understand a hard topic and have a sense of peace. The dialogue between the kids and the grandparents (or should I say guppies and groupers) does not make light of death nor does it diminish the sadness of it.

The sea theme detail throughout the book, including the front cover with the seashells on the chair, are great. Details like this show the author is sincere in keeping their message and their brand consistent. Finding the hidden cross in the pages of the book is always fun to do. It teaches attention to detail, counting, and is a good exercise.

For parents and teachers who want to take a book beyond just reading, Lee Ann delivers. Her website includes additional activities for kids to do that correspond with her different books. You can check out this book, Forever with Jesus, and her entire series at www.GLMpublishing.net.

She also has a You Tube intro to the book that you can find here:
https://youtu.be/vHZVSIcnhe4

Because I have to let you know, the publisher has provided me with a complimentary copy of this book through BookCrash.

#foreverwithJesus #leeannmancini #adventuresoftheseakids #kidsbooks
 #angelbooksforkids #elf #shelf #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme
#angel #angelonthemantle 

Reading, writing, arithmetic, and angels. Sounds like a perfect curriculum for classrooms and schools. Are you a teacher looking to add something more to your classroom? Are you a parent look to bring a sense of comfort and peace to your child's school and library? 

With all the test anxiety and bullying going around our young kiddos have a stressful environment. The feedback we have received from parents, children, teachers, grandparents, and others is 100% positive about the angels and how much they love the angel series of books. 

A Curriculum Specialist and Superintendent gave us a glowing report card. He said, "this book is a wonderful, uplifting and lighthearted tale for [kids]...a delightful read...this story teaches character and values...Every library should have a copy."

Does your school bring out the Elf on the Shelf® after Thanksgiving? Then you will enjoy incorporating the Where Is Your Angel?™ series year round. This series of books helps kids focus on positive qualities about themselves. It helps foster a healthy identity, quick forgiveness, and their worth. Classrooms with angels have fewer "incidents" too! This series is great for autistic kids as well. 

We have over a dozen printable activities to add value to your lesson plans. Want to go all in? We have thought of you. Our Pinterest page (www.pinterest.com/whereisyourangel) has over 100 Angel Crafts, over 600 Angel recipes, and includes Angel Antics, Halo Hair, and Sound Advice. You can even add pictures from your classroom with the angel!

Interested? Start your angel's mission by going to our Angel Store. Your class will enjoy naming and engaging with the angel. A divine addition to any classroom.

#readingwritingarithmeticangels #angelsinschools #autistickidsloveangels #classroomangel #angelonthemantle #elf #shelf #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #angelinschooliscool #angeliclessonplan #angelbooksforkids #watchmanangel

​

Once upon a time there were three sisters. The three sisters worked well together and were very popular. They were helpful, thrived together, and sought after. These three sisters were even a big part of the Indians' culture.

Corn, pole or bush beans, and seminole pumpkins are the three sisters. They are called sisters because they complement each other in planting, growing, and harvesting. According to an article by Lisa Mase in the Edible Orlando magazine, "the beans provide nitrogen to fertilize the soil, corn provides stalks for the beans to climb and the leaves of the squash plants shade the ground which help retain moisture." These kinds of facts fascinate me. How did they figure these things out and implement them so well for so long?

Not only did the three sisters work well in planting and growing together, their harvest was beneficial for the body. Sweet corn is high in B vitamins which is good for mental clarity and stress reduction. (I'll take two please!) Further benefits are reducing inflammation and support of the mighty mitochondrials and carotenoids (good for vision, hearing, and skin). Beans are high in fiber (for proper elimination) and protein which is good to balance blood sugar and help out the intestines.

Let's not forget our third sister, the seminole pumpkin. She does what her other sisters do (anti-inflammatory, vitamin B and help out the intestines) and she is good for bone health and rheumatoid arthritis. Her bonus is that she is also high in vitamin C and her seeds have omega 3 fatty acids and plant protein.

So next time you feel stressful, swollen, stiff or just need some good vitamins look to our popular healthy sisters!

#threesisters #cornbeanspumpkin #healthy #goodforyou #divinehealth #whereisyourangel #elf #shelf #angelwatchingoverme #angelonthemantle #gottagetmyangel #angelbooksforkids #watchmanangel #peaceloveangels

We all laughed when our music teacher wrote that on the board. Was Mr. McGrew trying to get the attention of a bunch of middle schoolers? Was he giving us advice on how to defuse our dads? Possibly and no, respectively.

He was imparting musical knowledge into our growing brains. This was the acronym he used so our class would remember the musical chord which so happens to be E, G, B, D, F. All these years later I still know the musical chord. Well done Mr. McGrew, mission accomplished.

Our creative brains here at Where Is Your Angel?™ were trying to think of some angel acronyms for you all. We have taken some creative license with it and may end up tweaking it some more along the way. We tossed around some ideas and have landed on this one for the word ANGEL. Here it is:
Always
Near to
Go
Everywhere
Longing to
Start their mission
Do you have another acronym for ANGEL? How about BELIEVE? or DIVINE? We'd love to hear it. Send your acronyms to [email protected].

#acronym #angels #angel #creative #whereisyourangel #angelbooksforkids
#elf #shelf #angelwatchingoverme #watchmanangel #gottagetmyangel #startyourangelsmission #angelsmissionstarted #angelsnearby