The hope of Easter is not to leave you mourning for long. There was a miracle morning that came three days after the curse of the cross. It's the surprise you weren't expecting but the answer you needed. It's the light that shines so bright into your darkest days.

Easter is when sorrow is interrupted with exuberant joy. This is the rest of the story of Easter.

It's Empty!
by Evangeline B. White
©2018
The day started somber on the way to the tomb.
Spices in hand, grieving hearts, a sense of doom.
The earth shook suddenly, a violent quake.
An angel came down and some noise he did make.
The guards were first to see this marvelous sight.
As the stone was rolled away by the angel's might.
Like dead men the guards froze and fell.
Then scurried to the priests, their story to tell.
The women went in the tomb to see,
Their Savior called Jesus from Galilee.
His body was gone. The tomb empty.
Two angels appeared and said,
"He is risen from the dead!"
In wonder the women went out to tell the men,
What they heard, saw, and where they had been.
In amazement Peter and John ran ahead.
To see if it was just as the women had said.
Inside the tomb only linen clothes lay.
Folded and neat; then the men went away.
Jesus appeared to the women with greetings,
Then along the road, and in the midst of a meeting.
Jesus is alive and holds in His hand,
Keys to death and hell, under His command.
Good news to all, to all who will hear!
The Savior has risen, no need to fear!
Respond to His knock and answer His call.
His blood paid the price once and for all.

#Easter #Savior #Jesus #risen #nofear #angels #women #men #miracles
#whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #kids #goodnews #families #hope

No matter if you are feasting or close to famine, reflecting back on that first Thanksgiving 400 years ago will fill your heart with gratitude. We have a poem for you to help kick start that reflection.

Giving Thanks
© 2021 Evangeline B. White

As we gather around the table tomorrow,
May we reflect with thanks and not sorrow,
Of those who came to America’s shore,
Filled with hope for what was in store,
They toiled, they cried, they prayed, 
For on their hearts the Lord laid,
A promise of worshipping in a new land,
So strong on them was His hand,
They took the arduous journey aboard,
A ship built only to stay close to the shore,
After 66 days at sea, they finally arrived,
Within months only about half would survive,
After suffering severe cold and loss untold,
Miracle after miracle did unfold,
Two English speaking Indians appeared,
Taught them to fish, farm, and told why their land was cleared,
A fast friendship formed and with a peace treaty made,
A bountiful harvest came and to God the Pilgrims praised,
The first Thanksgiving was a communal three-day feast,
That included lobster, turkey, deer, corn, and leeks,
400 years later we still sit and dine,
As we do, let our mouths give praise to the Divine.

May we have the faith of the Pilgrims,
The friendship of the Indians,
And the Godly resolve of being an American.

Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours!

#thanksgiving #whereisyourangel #pilgrims #indians #praiseGod #miracles #angels #kidsbooks #angelwatchingoverme #wiya

​Recently a Judge in Cobb County, Georgia signed an Order banning Elves from his jurisdiction. When we got word of it, we decided Divine intervention was needed. We are filing an Amicus Brief in this case. Read our arguments below and then you decide if the Court should stay it's decision and rule in favor of Christmas cheer all year round.

"Dear Honorable Leonard,

We here at Where Is Your Angel?™ are aware of your recent order banning Elves, CAFN:21-1-005 ("Order"). We've heard the arguments presented and would like to offer an amicus curiae in the case.

Yes, it is a fact established by the Court that Elves cause undue and added stress on all family members during an already busy season of the year.

Furthermore, adults suffer mental fatigue as they try to out-do the neighbors' social media posts of Elf spots and positions (so we've heard).

Furthermore, it opens children up to be bullied due to their Elf being boring and not as elaborate as other kids.

All of the aforementioned creates a not so jolly cycle in our homes and communities.

Whereas, a more peaceful and calming alternative should be considered by this Court - such as angels that welcome being touched. Angels are also St. Nick approved.

Taking these things into consideration, we appeal to the Court to grant a reprieve to the Elves and pray the Court would give angels their day in court. 

Very truly yours,

Evangeline B. White"

#angels #elves #children #order #court #amicusbrief #peaceonearth #judgeleonard #tiredparents #whereisyourangel #angelbooks #wiya

​

"Did any kids die in 9/11?" That was the question my youngest asked me this morning as we were watching a 9/11 special.

I had not ever given that thought - children being the victims of a horrific Islamic terrorist attack on our country by Muslim jihads.

While thinking out loud and answering him, I said, "Probably." Then continued with my reasoning. "There were probably kids on the airplanes with their parents. There might have even been kids visiting the Twin Towers or kids around the areas when the planes hit. Shrapnel could have killed them."

Then we looked it up online. There were two stories we found about the children who died in the 9/11 terrorist attacks on our country. Eight children total were the youngest victims of terror that day.

Their ages ranged from 2 to 11 years old. My first answer to my son was partially correct - the kids were on the hijacked airplanes - all but three of them were with their parents.

Christine Hanson was the youngest victim. She was 2 years old. Her grandfather was a WWII veteran who received a call from his son while on the ill-fated plane. As Christine's father spoke to his dad for the last time, he told him the Muslim jihad's were going to crash the plane and that he loved him. The grandfather watched helplessly as his son's family crashed into the World Trade Center. This WWII vet, who saw the evil of Hitler's regime, mournfully said 9/11 was the first time he'd come face to face with evil.

Then there were two 3 year olds - David Brandhorst and Dana Falkenberg. Juliana McCourt was only 4. Her uncle was working in the North Tower when the first plane crashed into the skyscraper. As he was reciting the Lord's Prayer and evacuating the area, he witnessed the second plane crashing into the South Tower. Only later did he find out that his sister and 4-year-old niece were onboard.

Eight-year-old Zoe Falkenberg died with her 3-year-old sister and parents. They had missed a connecting flight and boarded the ill-fated plane that slammed into the Pentagon.

The last 3 children were bright middle-school aged 11-year-olds who were awarded a trip by National Geographic to the Channel Islands Marine Sanctuary off the California coast. Their names are Bernard Curtis Brown II, Asia Cottom, and Rodney Dickens. Their teachers accompanied them on the plane.

Bernard's dad worked at the Pentagon. He was not in the office on 9/11 but it was his son's plane that crashed there.

My son and I read somberly the stories of these kids. Now they are retold to you. Most would have been in their twenties with a few being 31. We read, we remember, and we renew our zeal to protect the freedoms that Muslim jihads tried to kill that day.

May God protect the USA and grant peace to Jerusalem.

#remembering911 #thekidsof911 #youngvictimsof911 #terror #20years #Godspeace #twintowers #pentagon #angels #angelwatchingoverme #whereisyourangel #kidsbooks #salvation #freedom

Easter is my favorite holiday. The significance of the Easter season is huge. A King giving up His kingdom to be in relationship with me, with you, with us, so that we have the opportunity to live with Him forever in His heavenly kingdom is nothing short of amazing.

Today marks "Good Friday" on the Easter calendar. Although there was, in the moment, nothing good about Friday the long term affects are good for all parties.

As has become a tradition around here, I post my "Darkest Hours" poem on Good Friday as a reminder to us all what Jesus did for you and me. May these words become alive and bring you to the events of that day so that you can experience anew the depth of the love of a King for you.

Darkest Hours
by Evangeline B. White
2018

On the Mount drops fell from His forehead down
Sweat and blood dripped when no one was around.
The others fell asleep, unable to pray
It was the beginning of the darkest day.
An angel came and ministered to Jesus
Gave Him strength for the price He'd pay to free us.
The crowd who praised Him the week before
Came to betray Him, honor Him no more.
With swords and false words they came to indict
Rome against the Savior, yet He withheld His might.
His disciples scattered no more in sight
They thought this wasn't good and shrunk in fright.
Brought before Pilate and Herod He was
Beaten, mocked insulted, spit upon because
Darkness reigned during those hours
When the Son of God relinquished His powers.
Angels could have come at the sound of His voice
But they watched and waited as this was God's choice.
Women mourned and wailed for the cross was His fate.
On His shoulders sat the whole world's weight.
A crown of thorns was forced upon His head.
The charge against Him, "King of the Jews" it read.
His skin ripped apart from His head to His feet
Beyond recognition He had been beat.
With a final cry He breathed His last breath.
It was the darkest day, the Savior's death.

#Easter #King #Jesus #Savior #angels #greatlove #whereisyourangel #kidsbooks #goodfriday 

Did you know that smiles are like super powers? According to research, when you smile, dopamine, endorphins, and serotonin - three of the four main chemicals responsible for feelings of happiness - are released in your brain!  Smiles do make the world a better place, kinda like super heroes. 

Just for kicks, do an experiment with a baby or young child. Smile at them and what will they do? Cry or smile back? Nine times out of ten they will return the smile and you both will have released super powers in each other. Cape optional.

Several different clinical studies have found that having a happy demeanor (which reflects on the face as a smile) has shown to reduce a persons risk of colds and upper respiratory infections. That's double super!

Still need some more reasons to bring your smiles out? Happiness sends a  feel-good signal to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This, as you may or may not know, regulates the immune system (among other things). Smiling could very well be the best free organic way to boost the immune system. This added power is just what a super needs!

Masks on the other hand, well, they mask our God-given super powers. Could they be considered a superheroes nemesis? Maybe.

I encourage you to show off your super powers more and mask them less. If you are outside, show your smile. If you are driving down the road, flash your pearly whites to the other drivers. If you are around people, smile. It will become contagious in a beautiful way.

Let's start a super power movement that does all of the above. I bet we will find our world will be healthier and happier because we did. Cape optional. Smile required.

#smile #healthy #superpower #angelsmile #maskless #angels #whereisyourangel #whereisyoursmile #letyoursuperpowershow #childrensbooks​

If you have trouble getting your little ones (or not so little ones) to get a good's night rest read on. Especially with school around the corner it's important to get into a healthy routine for everyone's sanity.

Today we have a treat for you - a guest blogger! She is Cheryl Conklin and she is all about wellness and she has some great information and tips on kids and sleep. 

Sleep plays a very important role in the physical, cognitive, and emotional development of young children. Too little sleep—or poor-quality sleep—can lead to behavioral problems and emotional reactivity. While it’s common knowledge that a lot of parents are sleep-deprived, kids can also suffer from problems falling asleep, staying asleep, and waking up rested. Everyone from kids to seniors can have trouble sleeping! Here are some quick tips to help your kids sleep better and boost their daytime happiness.
 
Evaluate Your Children’s Sleep Quality
 
Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether or not your kids are sleeping enough.

• School-aged children (6-13 years) need between 9 and 11 hours of sleep every night.
• Watch for telltale signs that your kids aren’t sleeping enough.
• If you worry your kids aren’t getting enough sleep, ask yourself some key questions.  
• Talk to your pediatrician if you think your child has a sleeping disorder.

 
Promote Healthy Sleep Habits
 
Certain habits and routines can help your kids fall asleep more easily and reduce night wakings.

• Keep them on a regular bedtime schedule and don’t let them sleep in on the weekend.
• Limit screen time before bed.
• Stick to small portions of healthy bedtime snacks.
• Adopt a relaxing bedtime routine to help your kids wind down at night.

 
Reduce Stress at Home
 
Like adults, kids can have trouble sleeping due to stress. Find ways to make your home a relaxing, stress-free environment for your family!

• Reduce stress in the home by decluttering, softening the lighting with dimmer switches, and playing relaxing music.
• Avoid overscheduling your kids with too many extracurricular activities.
• Teach your kids deep breathing exercises to combat stress.
• Find ways to keep those busy school mornings as stress-free as possible.

 
A good night’s sleep can make a world of a difference in your children’s mood, behavior, and cognitive performance. Whether your kids are having trouble getting to bed on time, falling asleep, or sleeping through the night, taking steps to improve your children’s sleep quality will ensure they have the mental and physical energy they need to succeed in school and life!

To find out more on this topic and other wellness information go to Cheryl's website www.wellnesscentral.info

Photo via Pexels
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#wellness #kids #bettersleep #kidsnsleep #angels #nightnight #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme

Do you ever eat dinner in front of the tv or at a movie theater? There's something about eating while watching a good story that just goes better together.

Well we have a treat for you! If you are in the Orlando area, grab your lunch or dinner from Cafe Paisano in Longwood and watch our first ever virtual Story Time from the Cafe. If you are not in the Orlando area, then grab a divine dish (check out our Pinterest page for 1000s of ideas) and enjoy the story!

We ordered Cafe Paisano's "Heaven" pizza (we just had to!) and it did not disappoint. The pizza had fried eggplant on it which was a first for me. The eggplant was crisp, cooked to perfection, and delicious. We would order it again. Their lasagna also pleases the palate. 

So kick back, grab a bite if you'd like, and enjoy the story. If you have your own angel book, grab your book and plush angel and read along with me.

#storytime #cafepaisano #angels #heaven #delish #divine #whereisyourangel #angelwatchingoverme #family