If you didn't start hiding your angel after Thanksgiving, then you may want to start at Advent. Advent is this Sunday.

Angels and Advent are a perfect pair. Angels show up all over the Christmas story. They appear to Mary, to Joseph, and to the shepherds. Since everyone in the family can touch the angel, take turns hiding the angel. Then in the morning have your own search party seeking where your angel landed in your home after its heavenly flight. We will be starting this tradition in our home. It promises to be fun and meaningful!

Start your angelic Advent this year and tag us along the way. We enjoy seeing and sharing what your family does with your angel!

#hiding   #angels  #advent

Do you ever constantly find little like-things around your house that just need to be in one spot? For example, we have magnetic letters that the kids like to use. Those letters seemed to end up here, there, and everywhere. And chalk. Big pieces, little pieces, different shaped pieces...here and there. 

A couple solutions I found that work well are empty salsa jars (like Tostitos) and empty disinfecting wipes to store these types of items. The magnetic letters are in the salsa jar. The opening is the perfect size for hands to get in and out of and it has a screw top lid. No accidentally knocking it over with pieces running out. You could use this for marbles or stones too. The possibilities are many.

The chalk fits nicely in the disinfecting wipes container. I use the larger size. The kids can either lift the lip or pop the entire lid off the container to get to their chalk. It keeps them neat, out of the way, and they store nicely.

One other thing that has worked is what used to be an Emerald Nut plastic container with a screw top lid. The wipe off markers are in there.

So the next time you start to toss a jar into the recycling bin think of how you can reuse it. Something scattered around your house might be begging to jump in.

#reuse  #tip  #solutions

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. An attitude of gratitude always provides needed adjustments to get into the right frame of mind.

The Pilgrims' story - that is the Thanksgiving story - is filled with hope in the midst of despair, triumph after much tragedy, love that knows only adventure, and a deep sense of family.

Let's ponder the plight of our Pilgrims for a moment. They suffered religious persecution in England, fled to Denmark only to find disappointment, went back to England to devise a grand adventure to an unknown foreign land a vast 2,750 miles of ocean away, suffered delays and many losses. YET, they still gave thanks after all the tribulation, trials, and hardships.

They didn't know what waited on the other side. They just knew they loved their God and He was compelling them away.

While He was preparing their hearts on that side of the ocean, He was making provision on this side of the ocean even though they got off course. The Pilgrims intention was to go to an established colony in Virginia but they ended up in Massachusetts where no white men were. But lo and behold there just so happened to be an English speaking Indian who lived near where they landed. How does that happen?? Divine providence is the short answer. 

Squanto, a local Indian, had been captured years earlier and sold as a slave. He lived in England, where he learned English. Then eventually made his way back to the area where the Pilgrims landed. He was instrumental in the Pilgrims survival in the new foreign land. What a Godsend!!

So, as you make your Thanksgiving preparations tonight, thank God for the Pilgrims, thank Him for Squanto, and thank Him for His Providence.

Want to know more? One movie we recommend that speaks more about the Pilgrims is "Monumental: In Search of America's National Treasure." A good book for the Thanksgiving season is, "Thanksgiving A Time to Remember."

Enjoy your time of giving thanks!

#thanksgiving   #pilgrims   #gratitude  #providence

As we gear up for more "busy" over the next six-seven weeks, let's pause so that the meaning of this week and the season doesn't escape us leaving us spent.

My youngest (who gives me some great dramatic stories to tell) said this one day when he was told to pick up his cars, "I need to play cars NOW because when I'm a dad I won't get to play cars because dads don't play cars." As I was musing what he said, I started feeling guilty. Not a false sense of guilt but guilt that leads to truth. 

Even though he didn't say it outright, he was speaking volumes to my heart. How often do my husband or I sit down and play with the kids in their room on the floor? Not as much as when they were littler. We (or rather I) plan our days and there is not much "pause time". We have sports, school events, work, Trail Life, church, doctor appointments, parties to plan and go to, grocery shopping, laundry, YMCA, and the list goes on and on and on...

So one day out of the blue instead of going into their room to tell them to do something (clean up for dinner, get ready for school, pick up toys, etc.), I went in and sat down on the floor. I asked if I could play with them and they said, "Yes." It was enjoyable playing with them and being in their world. This is what I need to do more often. Do what interests them, not just what's on my agenda. I made the decision to invest "pause time" with them now so that when they are older they will have "pause time" with me. It is what relationships are built on - meaningful moments together.

So while you are making your plans for the rest of this year, put some "pause time" in there. Your body, mind, and family will thank you.

"Be still (have pause time) and know (let it sink into your thoughts) that I AM God (there is none other)..." Ps. 46:10

"Be silent, Oh all flesh, (shhh! my busy mind and schedule) before the Lord..." Zech. 2:13

#pausetime   #bestill   #meaningful

Don't we all love a good story? It keeps our attention, makes us think, and some will even draw us closer together in our relationships. That is one of our hopes and prayers for this Angel series of books. To draw you closer together in the relationships that matter most.

We have been doing story times around town and I wanted to share some pictures of those moments with you. The kids are excited to touch the angel and they really like the angel coloring page. They love the story about the boy and his watchman angel. The teachers appreciate the values and message of the story.

Without further ado, here are some pictures...



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#angels #kids #watchman #angelwatchingoverme

Coming soon on our website will be an Angels Stories page. It will be your real life angel stories. So if you have an angel story, please share it with us by going to the "Contact Us" page of our website and filling out the form. We'd like to have them posted by mid-December so please send them to us before December 10th.

In the meantime, here's a story I hope will warm your heart on this Wingsday. It brought tears to my eyes.

A missionary in Albania was reading the "Angel Watching Over Me" book to a group of children. Three of the children she was reading the book to recently had a devastating death in their lives by fire. As she was reading the book, it touched them in such a special way. They were hugging the angel and receiving comfort from the story. The girls were crying and being ministered to by Him through this book. 

I am humbled and touched by this story. Please say a prayer for these children who are going through a difficult season. Thank God that He sends His comfort to those who mourn. He is a good Father.

​#wingsday #angels #stories

Here's a nutritious and delicious dinner for you to try this weekend. It has one of our favorite words in it - "Angel"! You can find this recipe and 100s of others on our Pinterest page.

Angel Hair Pasta with Kale and Lemon

Ingredients

1/2 c. pecans
1 lb. angel hair pasta
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil, divided
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 t. dried chili flakes
1/2 lb. chopped kale, stems discarded
Zest of lemon
Juice of 1 lemon (about 1/4 c.-1/2 c.)
8 torn basil leaves (this herb has become one of my recent faves - it's got a                                     refreshing and distinctive taste)
2 t. kosher salt
2 t. freshly ground black pepper
4 T. grated Parmesan cheese

Directions



Toast pecans in a non-stick skillet for 3 minutes over medium heat. Let cool. (You will chop these when they are cooled down.) Cook pasta according to package directions minus one minute.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 1/4 c. of olive oil in pan then add garlic and chili flakes. Stir for 30 seconds. (This is the equivalent of singing "Happy Birthday" twice. Unless of course your name is Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.) After singing for your supper, add kale and lemon zest. Stir. Add cooked pasta, remaining 1/4 c. of olive oil, lemon juice, basil, salt, and pepper. Stir until everything is coated and combined, about 1-2 minutes.

Plate pasta then sprinkle with with Parmesan and chopped pecans. Enjoy your divine dinner!

To make it over the top angelic, go to our Pinterest page and pick out one of the angel food cake recipes or angel desserts.

​https://www.pinterest.com/whereisyourangel

#dinner #angelic #angelhair #delicious

We all like to get the pats on the back and the kudos. But what about those conversations that may not feel so good initially but are for our good in the long term? It's like eating broccoli with dinner instead of potato chips. The short term enjoyment of the chips will fade fast but the long term benefits of the broccoli will last.

I'm reminded of a Proverb along these lines that carries with it much wisdom:

"Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." 27:6

If I know someone has my back in good times and bad, their words can be trusted when they tell me something that might be unpleasant for my ears to hear. On the contrary, if someone is always giving me over the top compliments a flag comes up because they are "kissing" me too much.

May this be a litmus test for your conversations.

​#wounds #kisses #kudos #broccoli 

Just wanted to share some pictures from when we were out and about in the community hanging out with kids.

If you want to include your angel as part of your Advent tradition, order online by 11.21.17!

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Shortly after posting about the signs on churches, I came across another church sign soo worth sharing with all of you. It said, "Become an Organ Donor, give your heart to Jesus." 

Years ago I signed up to be an organ donor in the physical sense but one of the best decisions of my life was to be an Organ Donor for Jesus. I  encourage you to do the same if you haven't yet. Your life will be forever changed. To find out more send us an email or fill out the "contact us" form.

I would also encourage everyone to be an organ donor in the physical sense. Organ donation saves many lives each year. Last year over 33,000 lives were saved. As of August 2017, there are over 116,000 people on the waiting list for an organ. You don't have to die to donate organs. To find out more and to sign up to be an organ donor go to: www.organdonor.gov . You will be glad you did. And someone else will be too.

#organdonor #Jesus #signs