Sheltering with Angels, Bluebirds, Psalms, Stitching

I've got a SHELTERING-IN-PLACE GIVEAWAY for your kids, 
an Angel by my door,
Bluebirds nesting outside my window,
Psalms on my heart,
and Embroidery kits ready to start! 

Psalm 90:11 (Septuagint)  For He shall command His angels concerning you, To keep you in all your ways... 

We mainly come and go through our side door - seeing St. Michael the Archangel there reminds me to pray for protection for myself and others on the now rare occasion I leave my home.  Psalm 120:8 (Septuagint) The Lord will guard your coming and going.

Mommy bluebird getting her nest all ready. (The father bluebird is beautiful - just haven't been able to get a photo of him yet.)

I've been reading and cooking a lot, but wanted to do something beautiful and creative, so I ordered two small embroidery kits.

Check out my dear friend Krista West's site, Avlea - her Mediterranean Folk Embroidery kits are so lovely! (You may remember the past post I did about Krista - she is a priest's wife and very dedicated and talented ecclesiastical tailor.) 

I'd love to offer a SHELTERING GIVEAWAY for your kids today: A Child's Guide to Prayer

Leave your name and contact info at the end of this post with a comment telling me what is helping you through this time of sheltering-in-place. (And for those of you who may have trouble leaving a comment here, please feel free to send me an email: wendyb[spam]1963@[spam]sbcglobal.net)

Giveaway ends Thursday, April 9 at Midnight PST. 

From Ancient Faith Publishing, illustrated by Tara Pappas 

A Child's Guide to Prayer is a beautifully illustrated prayer book for Orthodox Christian children aged 5-10 who are just developing a habit of prayer. The selection includes morning and evening prayers, prayers during the day, at mealtimes, for family and friends, and prayers of and to the saints - along with Psalms to pray and prayers that have to do with communion and confession. 

All the prayers were carefully selected by priests and youth workers to ensure their age-appropriateness. 

The 120-page guide also includes brief instructions on how to pray, why we pray, and a list of different ways to pray. The book concludes with several blank pages for personal prayer requests.

Little Angels Doing Good Deeds

This sweet book might inspire your little angels to be helpful to others!

For a culture that couldn't be more devoted commercialism and materialism, this picture book is a good reminder to our children of simple acts of kindness that should be at the forefront of our Advent season.

On a cold Christmas Eve, ten little angels quietly fly through the night. They've come to the aid of the lost, lonely, and weary - even assisting Father Christmas with his heavy sack full of gifts.

Your young ones will enjoy counting each consecutive angel on the top of each page. On the last page, the tenth busy angel lights the tree and reveals the singing cherubic faces of all ten angels. 

Originally published in Germany in 1933, The Christmas Angels is a simple, yet clever Christmas counting book with timeless appeal - written and illustrated by Else Wenz-Viëtor. A unique design of cut-out angel heads running across the top of the book will enchant young readers, especially when each black and white illustration is transformed into color with every turn of the page.

ANGELS WE HAVE HEARD ON HIGH!

"Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men"
If your family is one that traditionally watches A Charlie Brown Christmas, you'll soon be hearing Linus repeat this familiar proclamation that the angels made to the shepherds out in the fields.  Linus' simple monologue is his calm response to Charlie Brown's exasperated and somewhat desperate question, "Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about!??"

"Lights, please."

Angels play an important role in the Christmas story -- as heavenly hosts bringing to earth the Good News of Christ's birth. As children, this may have been our first remembered introduction to these winged messengers. Soon we'll be hearing (and singing) the angels' joyous words in Latin, from the chorus of Angels We Have Heard on High: "Glo-ori--a! In excelsis De-o!"

Hopefully Christmas isn't the only time children and adults consider the role of angels, and of heaven coming down and touching earth.  Many of us were brought up to believe God has given us each a Guardian Angel.  Some think that could be a scary thought to a child, but in my experience (as a child myself and then as a mother), children readily and happily accept the idea of having an Angel who watches over them.

There is a beautiful new picture book from Conciliar Press that shows the loving role a Guardian Angel plays in the life of a little child.  It would make a lovely Christmas, birthday, or baptismal gift for a young girl or boy.  What Do You Hear, Angel? is by Elizabeth Crispin Johnson, illustrated by Masha Lobastov.

Annie loves to go for walks in the woods and is accompanied by her angel.  Every time Annie encounters a woodland sound, she asks, "What do you hear, Angel?"  The angel hears corresponding praises from heaven.

"I hear a brook in the woods saying, 'Gurgle, gurgle'...
What do you hear, Angel?"

"I hear a little girl in the woods singing,  'Tra-la-la, tra-la-la!'
and I hear all the angels in heaven singing, 'Alleluia, alleluia.'"

This precious book would be a treasure for any child's library.  The illustrations are simply glowing; Marsha Lobastov is a classically educated and trained artist from Russia.  Working with oils on colored canvas, she leads you to a painted world that is pure and unspoiled.

Elizabeth Crispina Johnson's lyrical text is fun.  With joyful sounds in sequence, each new one builds on the last until at the end your child will have fun naming off all the woodland noises and heavenly songs!
This books is perfect for ages 2-7 and is available from Conciliar Press (hardback only).

CHRISTMAS ANGELS

In this sweet book, delicate paintings by M.I. Hummel are paired with well-loved verses full of the joy and hope of children, and the angels that watch over them...

Sister Maria Innocentia 1934

Who was M.I. Hummel?  Berta, as she was named by her family, was born in 1909 in Bavaria.  From childhood, she displayed a promising artistic talent.  She studied at the Munich Academy of Applied Arts, where she met sisters of the Franciscan Order from a nearby teaching convent.  She, herself, entered the convent upon graduation from the academy in 1931.  That is when the young artist Berta took her new name, Maria Innocentia.

Before long, her artwork caught the attention of Franz Goebel, a local ceramics factory owner.  He had been searching for ideas for a new line of collectible figurines.  The first M.I. Hummel figurines, delicately crafted in three dimensions from the charming sketches and paintings of Maria Innocentia, were introduced to the public in 1935.

The young nun died of tuberculosis in 1946.  Even today, the ceramic figurines inspired by her tender artistry continue to be lovingly collected by admirers around the world.

Christmas Angels is available from Amazon or at your local library.