Snowy Day

The snow has been gently falling all day.  Fortunately it is not accumulating as much as it did two weeks ago.  But outside my window looks like a winter wonderland and it is still snowing.  We have about 7 inches so far.

It was a perfect day to spend in my craft room creating a few cards.  This past weeks I have been creating cards for some of our male friends.  The first one was a get well card for a friend who recently had surgery.

This card is a box card.  The instruments were cut from a piece of fabric which I adhered to sticky paper and then cut out before attaching to the card.  The neat thing about box cards is that they lay flat to fit into an envelope so they can be mailed.

I also made a couple birthday cards for some upcoming birthdays.

The cars on this one are also cut from fabric. I love working with fabric.  

This one  is a step card that I created today. I have a cute set of tool stamps that I used to stamp and cut out the pieces for the card.  I had to do some cutting and pasting to get different colored handles for the larger tools!  I don't always make cards with a specific person in mind but each of these three were. When I am making a card with a specific person in mind, I love being able to pray for them as I am creating the card.

Just for fun, here are some valentine cards I helped my daughter-in-law make Sunday evening during the Super Bowl.  They are for grandson's Xayden's preschool class. Many schools no longer allow the children to bring candy to school, so I think the little plastic animals are a nice addition to a simple card.   I think she did a super job.  The finished cards were adorable.  I wish I had remembered to take a picture of the back as well.  Each of them had a stamped animal (fox, owl, and squirrel) and "Happy Valentine's Day."

Enjoy your day!

To Babble Again

It is hard to believe that it has been 5+ years since my last entry.  Intentions are great, but sometimes life gets in the way and we don't really get to do some of the things we want to do.  Writing a blog was one of those things.  But here it is 2016 and lots of things have changed.  Since I retired last June, I have been thinking about starting a new.  What would it be?  What would it include?  But then I realized that this blog was indeed a reflection of the kind of blog I would need.  And as I reread my original post   as to why I named it "Babbling Brook" I realized it was still true:  "Some days I just feel like sharing thoughts - no particular topic, no particular purpose. Just thoughts that ramble through my mind like a brook rambles through the countryside. Hence, the name "Babbling Brook," a blog where I can ramble if I want or write with a purpose. A blog that is not centered about a central theme, such as sharing of family, but one in which I can just share my heart - or not - as the mood strikes."

So here we are, already one month into the year 2016 and I am again attempting to put my thoughts into a blog. In June, 2015, I retired from my career in education after completing 10 years as the director/administrator of Wonder Club Early Learning Centers, one of the ministries of Water Street Mission.  While I thoroughly enjoyed my time there, I realized that God was calling me to close out that chapter of life and I had, of course, reached the age of retirement. The last six months have been ones of rest and adjusting to life at a somewhat slower pace.  I have enjoyed having more time to devote myself to creative pursuits, particularly in making cards. More of that in future blogs.


This week we have been dealing with the biggest blizzard ever know in this area.  We had 30+ inches of snow.  Here is a picture from up the street looking back at our house.  It was a beautiful sight. It is especially pretty when one doesn't have to get up and go out into it to go to work!

Snowy Surprise!

So I'm not too great at keeping up my blog on a daily or even a weekly basis, but life sure is busy and I guess this blog is not top priority. Keeping up with the daily demands of a full time job, coming home to fix dinner, etc., etc. and also trying to occasionally post on the blog I started for recording memories from myself and my siblings . . . well, enough with the excuses!

I love surprises! And it is especially neat to realize that I have been given a special surprise from my heavenly Father. In spite of the inconvenience of the surprise snowstorm this week, I did enjoy looking out and enjoying the beauty of that 12 inches of snow we received. And it is still beautiful in our area three days later.

I'm not a weather person - I usually ask my wonderful hubby what the weather for the day will be when I am getting dressed in the morning. However, in my position as director of a preschool and kindergarten program, one of my tasks is to make the decision whether or not we will have a delay or cancellation, so I pay pretty close attention to the possible advent of snow in the wintertime. So on Tuesday as the weatherman was calling for flurries throughout the day, I wasn't too concerned. Even when Elvin came home about 7 in the evening and said it was snowing rather heavily, I really wasn't too concerned. But as I listened to the nightly news at 11 before going to bed, I heard the weatherman talking about this strange weather anomaly that was occurring where it was snowing at the rate of 2-3 inches per hour in a very narrow band of about an 8 mile width in part of Lancaster County that included Lititz and Manheim Township, I paid attention. I looked out the window and sure enough it was snowing and there were several inches on the ground.

But it was still a big surprise to wake up Wednesday morning and see 12 inches in our backyard. It was a light, fluffy snow and the trees were hanging heavy with snow, but it was oh so beautiful. I was reminded once again, that try as we might man does not control the weather and even our wonderful modern technology misses the boat occasionally. God was in control and He decided to surprise us by covering the earth with the beauty of the freshly fallen snow. He baffled even the weatherman who could neither predict that we would have so much snow or figure out exactly why it was such a narrow area that was hit. After making the early morning calls to the staff and calling the radio and TV stations and calling for a two hour delay, it was wonderful to step outside and take in the beauty all around me. Even the long slow drive (twice as long as normal) to my 8:30 meeting gave me time to enjoy the snowy surroundings.

Snowy Thoughts

I hate winter, but I do love to see it snow. How's that for a contradiction? What is it about snow that makes us think of all that is pure and good? Watching the snowflakes fall gently and gracefully from the sky is one of life's unexpected simple pleasures in life. That is, of course, is you don't have to be out driving in it or trying to make a decision of whether or not to close school for the day or call for a delay. But being able to sit inside and look out the window and watch the snow falling is beautiful. The unexpected cancellations make it seem like a holiday, better yet a vacation day. Since they are unplanned, it leaves me feeling like I have a free day to do whatever I want. Since I can't do what I had planned, why not just relax and enjoy the day? It is usually a day that I can be lazy and not feel guilty. I can sit and read a book without being concerned with the work around the house that isn't getting done - after all housework was not on my agenda for that day anyway! it's a day for puttering..., playing..., hot chocolate..., etc. Whatever comes to mind. It's a day for relaxing - at least until one has to start shoveling.

Unfortunately, the snow stops falling and life slowly (or quickly sometimes) returns to normal. And then I am reminded that I really don't like winter. The cold and wet and dampness sets in and very quickly the beautiful white of the new fallen snow turns to the dirty slush or mounds along the sidewalks and streets. The beauty is gone and the harsh reality sets in once again. The things that had been planned suddenly need to be done and the demands of life are once again upon us. But the memory lingers on; for that time, no matter how short, that I watched the falling snow, I rejoiced in the beauty of the falling snow. I allowed time to stand still and relaxed to enjoy it. The snow seems like a special gift from God to allow time for me in a busy schedule.