GOD KNEW I NEEDED YOU

Thursday, May 7, 2026

LOUD; Castle Rock-WA

This year - today on May 7, 2026, we will unite and pray as our new 2026 theme calls us to, “Glorify God Among the Nations, Seeking Him in All Generations.”

This is a loud that is welcome.

As I drink my morning joy juice, read an article, & munch on a toasted cheese sandwich; I sit here and think of how crazy my life has become. I may enjoy an occasional country song - but I do not want to get caught up in  living one, with un unrepentant roughneck.

That kind of loud, I can live without.

Some days, patience feels like the hardest thing to hold onto.

Especially with people who test every bit of it. 

As my errant husband was stomping off last night, his parting shot was, "I know more Bible than you do!" I just shook my head, and said, "I doubt it; you may know the words, but you lack enlightenment understanding, and have no concept at all, of application. Being able to quote Scripture passages like a parrot, does not mean that you understand the context. I'm not going to get into a pissing contest with you about this, Holland. I'm just going to say that you have a lot to learn."

That did not go over well.

Well, cry me a freaking river: my roughneck cowboy needs a little reining in before I loosen up. If he wants to "look good", with me standing by smiling prettily - he needs to be good. Just sayin'.

'It's not how things look - that's how things are'. A snippet lifted from the 1974 movie, Zandy's Bride, in which a backcountry Big Sur rancher sends for a mail-order bride … and following [family] male traits, treats  her more as property than a marital partner.

I like the movie Zandy's Bride - and would like to read the novel: but, the novel will cost me a whopping $75 for a 2nd hand buy … and I do not appreciate living the script, in real life.

Yesterday was extremely stressful. So much so, that I went and retrieved Bob's little remembrance urn from where I had it tucked away for my own body's eventual burial if the sound of heavenly shofars & Yeshua tarries.

My heart prays, trusts, & rests in Elohim's faithfulness: He holds steady.

In times of turmoil & strife, my soul cries out & yearns for the peace that passes all understanding.

Loud, undisciplined cowboys are no fun.

No joke.

I want quiet.

I crave peace.

The constant chest thumping, boot stomping, arguing, & shading absences … is wearying.

When my eyes light upon that little ash urn that matches Bob's eyes - I am comforted. His eyes were the kindest eyes & they were always soft when turned on me. When I see that little bit of what is left of Bob's human vessel, I am reminded that my life was once blessed with a love that lifted, & made Days light. Words of encouragement and affirmation were spoken. War was not a daily activity, and anger didn't poison the air.

Bob's Remembrance Ash Urn.

Maybe that's a sin to be thinking of 1 man while married to another: I don't know. Bob is no longer available to me except by memories that comfort me.

And, Holland is lost in Kelso dancing with the devil.

In these times of harsh chaos, comfort is a mighty calming effect.

Right now, in this  moment, BOTH men are absent.

And the remembrance urn comforts.

Speaking of infighting … demonrat obamanite lawmakers are attempting to penalize the growing number of Minnesota cities opting not to fly the new state flag after the old one was deemed racist. Governor Tim Walz’s redesign of the Minnesota flag has been controversial, with comparisons to flags from Somalia - no surprise there: the obamanites are infatuated with American users & abusers. The fight over Minnesota's state flag has ignited a firestorm, and one mayor is refusing to back down. In Champlin, a Minneapolis suburb, Mayor Ryan Sabas is flying the original 1983 flag. The controversy has become a cultural and political flashpoint in a state still reeling from one of the largest U.S. fraud scandals, which involved the illegal anti-American, Somali muslim community infiltrating every city in America … this one, sinking deep & poisonous roots in Minnesota. Some lawmakers have proposed cutting state aid to cities and counties that fly the old flag, but Sabas and other mayors—like Crosslake’s Jackson Purfeerst—have called the bill “ridiculous” and an overreach, arguing it punishes local governments for exercising their right to choose.

obamanite politics is out of control across America, & the insanity of obama causes is entirely too loud: it needs to be unplugged & taken out with the trash.

{{Walz hit with local revolt from Minnesota mayor refusing 'ugly' new flag: 'People's decision'

~Story by Peter Pinedo/FOX News

Minnesota Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is facing a new challenge from a Minneapolis-area mayor who is refusing to back down from flying the original 1980s state flag. The mayor said the controversial flag redesign has left citizens out of the process and stuck with what consider an "ugly" replacement.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Champlin Mayor Ryan Sabas said that "in my nearly 10 years of being on the city council in Champlin and going on four years as mayor of this town, I have never heard from more people on any one issue than I did about the Minnesota state flag."

The new flag has become a cultural and political flashpoint in a state already reeling from one of the largest fraud scandals in U.S. history, heavily involving the Somali immigrant community. The flag was approved by a 13-member commission created by the Democratic-controlled legislature in 2023. Critics of the flag say it is overly simplistic and some have even knocked it as bearing a resemblance to Somalia’s national flag. 

Sabas said that "without any question" there is at least a two-to-one majority in favor of keeping the earlier 1983 version of the state flag. He said that many believe it erases their history, while others simply think it is "ugly." He also emphasized the massive wasteful spending to replace the old flag, pointing to the $40,000 it cost the city of Champlin alone. For these reasons, he is now calling on Walz and the state legislature to reopen the flag issue and put it to a vote by citizens across the state.

"These are the people's flagpoles. This is the people's decision," he emphasized.

Minnesota raised a new state flag on May 11, 2024, featuring an Islamic faith symbol.

The old flag features a blue field with the state seal, with a farmer and American Indian figure along with the state motto and founding date. The new flag touts a more simplified design with a dark shape representing Minnesota, a light blue field and an eight-point North Star.

In its final report to the Minnesota legislature, the Minnesota State Emblems Redesign Commission said that "through extensive public input, a design contest that drew over 2,500 entries, and many hours of deliberations," the commission had "created designs that reflect the spirit of Minnesota — the people, the land and water, and the history of our state."

Many Minnesotans, however, do not feel the flag represents them or their state.

The Champlin City Council voted in February to continue flying the original Minnesota state flag. There has been an effort by some Democrats in the legislature to crack down on around a dozen towns and counties across the state refusing to fly the new flag.

Sabas emphasized that Champlin is well within its legal rights to fly whichever state flag it wants or even no flag at all. He said that he does not have a particular personal attachment to the old flag. He does, however, take issue with how he believes the citizens of Minnesota were left out of the process of choosing their own flag.

"Two years ago, the governor and the Democrats had full power of the House, Senate, and the governor’s seat. They chose they wanted to change the state flag, which they legally have the ability to do that. But instead of bringing this to the House, through the Senate and all voting on it, they picked select members of a committee and that's who chose the flag," he said.

Now, Sabas said Walz and the state legislature "have the opportunity to do this legally and do it right."

In the state legislature, Minnesota Sen. Mark Koran, a Republican, told Fox News Digital that despite being created as a bipartisan commission, the flag redesign committee only represented "about 13 percent of Minnesota’s population."

"Native Americans, Hispanic, LGBT, you name it, every special group was identified," he said. "So, that was really reflective of how all governance [in Minnesota] has been done by a small group of people that they've pandered to under the guise that they're they've been oppressed and they've given them the strongest voice."

While he admitted that the flag "may seem unimportant at one level," he said it has galvanized people across the state because "it’s a direct assault on hard-working, legal U.S. Minnesotans."

"It was a process that reflected almost how all of [Minnesota] legislation has been implemented," he asserted.

Back in Champlin, Tim Huttner, a member of the city council, echoed the mayor’s sentiment on putting the new flag to a statewide vote.

"We cannot legally put it on a city ballot, but it doesn't mean we can't put it on a state ballot," he told Fox News Digital.

Huttner said that before the council voted on which flag to fly, he held a roundtable of his own with constituents. By taking an informal vote of roundtable attendees, Huttner said he found "100 percent" expressed support for flying the original flag.

The Minnesota state flag is shown, which was replaced by a design some say resembles the national flag of Somalia.

When a constituent asked him what his opinion was on the flag, Huttner said his response was, "I don't have an opinion. I work for you."

"I respect our city legislators, I respect our state legislators, but sometimes you've got to redo a redo," he continued. "I believe this is one of those times."

As the nonpartisan leader of a purple municipality, Sabas said of Walz, "I've always felt that he's someone who does listen to me when I have something to say."

"So, I challenge the governor in his last year of being governor of the state of Minnesota to really find a way to unite," he said. "Unite Minnesotans, unite us, Republicans, Democrats, people that don't know which side they are on, unite us."

Fox News Digital reached out to Walz, Minnesota House Speaker Lisa Demuth and Minnesota Senate President Bobby Joe Champion for comment.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/walz-hit-with-local-revolt-from-minnesota-mayor-refusing-ugly-new-flag-people-s-decision/ar-AA22wKlX?ocid=winp1taskbar&cvid=93451262131044f1c609df8409397176&ei=7 }}

I rinsed my coffee mug out, checked the snap traps … of which a loud sound would be music to my ears:

Snap Traps still untouched.
As an added precaution, I bought & employed 2 of these Ultrasonic Mouse Deterrent Plug-in's: 1 in-house, & 1 in the [basement].

Then, I gave a listen to Dave's podcast, because at some point in his podcast, he cracks jokes that make me laugh: laughter is good, right now.

The Rubin Report~Zohran Mamdani Just Got Scared After Billionaire’s Latest Response to Him: 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dksJvpDzUCw)

Then, I posted a post to a couple Blog Hops and noticed that Julie had mentioned  my  crochet Floribunda Rose Coaster pattern on her 'Homemade Monday' Blog Hop … and she made a bright yellow coaster for herself, that looks right nice: I like it & it matches her coffee mug, too.

Julie's Blog Hop.
MOD SPRING FLORIBUNDA ROSE COASTER; Castle Rock-WA: 
(https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/04/mod-spring-floribunda-rose-coaster.html)
Julie's sunny remake looks fine; I'm glad she liked the pattern enough to use it.

Later, I watched a YouTube movie & worked a few more rows of crochet.

Give me steady over chaotic.

Calm over loud.

Wednesday, May 6, 2026

YIKES; Castle Rock-WA

May 5th: A lot going on 🙄

A lot of feels to work through.

A lot of complications in an already complicated situation.

Yikes!

Lord, I could really use a break 😒

I went to bed last night planning on a hike along the Mt. St. Helens Hummock Boundary trail: I secured Betsy for the Day, I laid my clothes and hiking boots out, I set my alarm for 6 AM 🛌⏰

I woke up feeling excited 😊

I drank my morning coffee ☕️ & checked the weather:

Weather here, this morning.
Yikes~Weather at Mt. St. Helens; the Hummocks Boundary Trail hike will have to wait.

The hike put on the back burner, I thought I'd pick up where I left off last night on my current WIP using a new crochet st pattern I saw on FB the other day …

WIP using a new crochet st pattern.

Opening my yarn cache cupboard to gather a couple more skeins - I lifted a plastic bag and my eyes nearly popped out of my head when I saw what was underneath 😳

It looked like a mouse had been in the house 🤦🏻‍♀️: Yikes!

Yikes! It looks like there is a mouse in the house …

I didn't see any other evidence of a mouse in the house, other than the damp seeds - which was strange, in itself. I removed everything from the cupboard & meticulously went through my yarn stashes & storage boxes; bagging my yarns 🧶 in new bags, and replacing the boxes … purely precautions because there was no evidence of mouse tampering's with any of it … then stacked everything around the bunk room while I set up my ladder, and wiped the cupboard out with a bleach solution.

While I was putting the ladder and bleach solution away, Holland showed up with Betsy 🚘 - with the mouse upset, I had forgotten to call him and cancel 📲🤷‍♀️

I apologized to him … and asked him to check the house. He said there was no damage to Independence's interior or exterior -  there is, however, a gap between exterior wall and inside cupboard shelf: and Holland thinks this may be the issue. So, we drove into downtown Castle Rock to buy mouse traps. Once home, I insisted he show me how to use the traps (Bob always did it, before) because I learned the hard way following Bob's graduation to Heaven, that I need to be able to do for myself instead of always relying on a man. Holland showed me the process with one spring trap: I paid attention, set one myself, & the two of them were placed inside the cupboard. Now, it is a waiting game.

Holland is making sounds like he wants to come back home, but until he makes some real changes, that isn't likely to happen any time soon. I said that I noticed he had blocked me on FB and removed our wedding pictures from both Pages - he denied it … so, I pulled my FB Page up and pointed to the empty spot where his name & the pic had been, that had introduced him to my Friends, so they could see the man in my life: the denial fell flat. He actually told me that he didn't understand why I was so upset with the block. I just looked at him. He can't have it both ways - married men do not shut their wives out of their "personal" lives; there is no room for a separate life in married life - I don't care how the other redmill men try to justify that craziness, but it won't work with me. He can either be married - or be single, but he cannot be married and single. I said that as long as I was blocked & he's acting like a free agent … the "separation" status on my Page would stand.

He left in a petulant mood, but I'm not going to be guilted for his wrong upbringing.

It's crazy thinking.

It's nutty behavior.

The only other marriages I've ever seen like that, was my mother & bio-father, and sister ramona and her husband david: and I avoided my bio-father and my BIL like the plague because they treated my mother, and my sister, so shabbily. Eventually I stopped contact with both women too, because they excused & accepted the bad behavior.

I appreciated the walk through to check for mouse activity, & I appreciated the snap trap lesson - but, that does not give him a free pass to access.

I refuse to have a marriage like the marriages he's used to.

I am not going to be disrespected.

I am not going to be treated like a second choice in my own home, or at my own table.

I am not going to be blocked and shut out of my husband's "personal life".

NO

Later, after supper, I worked some more on my WIP; yo-yoing between MOD, FB, and Blog Hop reads. Melynda's Blog mentioned one of my recent posts:

(https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/04/just-some-thoughts-castle-rock-wa.html)
Current WIP = a new crochet st pattern put to use for a  צְדָקָה (tzedakah) item: pronounced tsed-ah-kah use.

Saturday, May 2, 2026

NECESSARY THINGS: Castle Rock-WA



May 1st: Lord, thank You for the breath 🌬️ that bringing me into a new month 📅; I release what’s behind me and trust You with what’s ahead.

Order my steps 🦶, guard my heart 💖, and fill my days with Your peace 🗓️🪔 Today, let me be a lighter version of me. A softer presence ✨

Today begins my Sabbath Rest & nothing is going to upset me.

Give me strength 💪 for what I face, faith 🙏 for what I can’t see, and courage 🦁 to walk boldly in Your purpose. Remind me, Lord, that healing 🩹 can change me without destroying me 💎

I woke up to sunshine warmth ☀️ - the Day looked promising.

The scent of hazelnut flavored coffee filled the rooms as it dripped into my waiting coffee mug - and it made my taste buds happy as I savored every sip ☕️ The quiet morning was soft and cozy … the perfect, [necessary thing] start to a Friday Shabbat Day.

As I was finishing my coffee, Holland made an appearance saying he had to get some things in town; and would I like to go with him. Well, I needed some things in town too, so I said I would. He had himself a cup of coffee ☕️ while I prepared to meet the public 💄🎨 I don't wear makeup at home because that's the time I give my face a break from makeup chemicals & my hair a break from curling irons: today, the temple was adorned - not garishly, but with notable improvements 😉

Going light on the makeup - trying to find a 'fit' for my gray hair.

First stop for both of us, was The Country Village 🛒🛍️, where Holland got some Curamin pain relief tablets. I grabbed some Beet Powder & Nutritional Yeast to put some pep in my steps & some strength in my weak blood, and strengthen my bones. A chunk of change 💵 was dropped - a healthy life does not come cheap.

The Country Village Nutrition Store; #1052 Washington Way, Longview, WA

As we were leaving the parking lot, I saw my BIL Kerry, walking into the building 👋, so Holland pulled over so I could talk with him for a few minutes. It was good to see Kerry 😁, find out when the great-grandbaby will arrive 👶, & hug him. Holland finally got a look at him (Holland has heard me mention Kerry, a lot, during conversations at Oak Point - and since we married) & Kerry saw the man I married  - I had told Kerry about my remarriage after coming back from Reno, but the 2 men had not met; today, they did 👀

Then, we drove a few streets over to grab a chinese lunch to eat. I ordered 2 lunches to go 🥢🍜, & we ate them at the Gerhart Gardens Park (it sounds fancier than it actually is), just off the freeway.

The Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant; #1245 14th Ave, Longview, WA
I like the huge lacquered floor screen, as soon as you walk through the door.
It must be under new ownership because it doesn't look ratty, anymore; when we had lunch here with Jake about 4 years ago, it was looking kinda dumpy - & we were all surprised because it's normally a nice place to eat. I'm glad it's looking clean & comfortable, again.
Gerhart Gardens Park; #40 Tenant Way, Longview, WA

Holland spent a lot of time fishing at this Park & Bob's youngest brother Kerry, also spent a lot of time at this Park in the 1980's. It's basically just a small paved parking lot alongside the Cowlitz River, with a boat ramp. There is a lonely swing set in the center, but that's it. This Park is definitely a "guy thing".

Gerhart Gardens Park, Longview-WA

It was nice to sit and watch the river while we ate. The Day was pleasantly warm, the sunshine 🌞 very welcome, the food was delish 🥢🍜, & we managed to spend time together without tension 🤝: it was great 😊 - a necessary thing. It was nice to spend time with my husband that did not include an argument about his family. The music 💿🎸🎵 filling Betsy's cab 🚘, was the only aggressive point of the Day.

Message in a cookie~Do you think? LOL
Metallica - 'Wherever I May Roam' lyrics: 
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZyfy2SHCNg&list=RDvZyfy2SHCNg&start_radio=1)

Back home again, I put my nutritional goodies away; listened to some uplifting music as my Island of Rest came into play - and infused my home with peaceful vibes.

Goodies I picked up at the 'Country Village' Health Food Store, in Longview.

I love my 24-hour period of Rest ⏰🎯 … where there is a deliberate & conscious separation 🚧 from the world's entrapments 🌎🌍❌

My mind 🧠 can rest.

My spirit can breathe easy 🕊️

My heart isn't constantly bracing for chaotic upheavals 😵‍💫

My Shabbat Rest Period ✡️🕯️✝️ is a necessary thing 😇

While I settled into my period of rest, I noticed a bag of cotton yarn scraps 🧶 laying around, and got to thinking of how they could be used 🤔; that led me to designing ✍️ & crafting ✂️ several colorful pouches ✅ that I can slip my asthma inhaler into & attach to my wrist watch; matching my design to the clothing in my closet 👌

Small balls of yarn remnants sparked creativity.
Bringing the pattern together …

While I enjoyed the music 💻🌐🎶 and the peace coziness; I was thankful that my fingers are still nimble enough to provide me with contented activity 🧶🧵✂️ I am grateful for the blessing & the provision.

MOD Crochet Asthma Inhaler Pouch; Castle Rock-WA: 
(https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2026/05/mod-crochet-asthma-inhaler-pouch-castle.html)
I remember my Grandmother Brockway - she made things; clothing, household doodads, gifts, ect. We didn't call it "crafting" because she always made things needful: we called it "necessity". When I do my necessary work, I keep her memory alive, & I am comforted.

This kind of life may look simple from the outside - but it is everything on the inside; and a calm inside 💓 is what matters the most.

So, as a new month opens up & unfolds 📅, I'm moving into it with hope & purpose ☝️ Asking Elohim to cover me with His grace. To guide me by His hand. And to fill my Life with His favor 🧎🏼‍♀️🕊️🤲

Trusting in His Plan & Yeshua's healing touch: a very necessary thing.

Amen 💕