WOUNDS ARE NEVER WASTED; Castle Rock-WA

April 29th: Some days the heaviest thing we carry is the noise in our own minds. The thoughts, the pressure, the exhaustive wounds that no one else sees.

So, I was glad 😊 - and my heart was happy 😁 to see the sunshine 🌞 arrive, and stay all Day long 👏 Groups of spring birds darted & swooped past my front door - their happy song filling the air.

I placed a little camp table by the front door, and set my houseplants on it; so they could enjoy the sunshine, too 👍 I put them out, with a hope 🤞 & a prayer 🙏; it's been so cold 🥶 and wet ☔️ here, I'm not sure half of them will survive even with the good turn of the weather.

Set my houseplants out in the sun for a bit.

Bright, sunny Day; background freeway noise wasn't too loud. I decided to go for a walk.

The Day was so beautiful - and so welcome, that I decided to walk around the Park perimeters 👟⏱️: the pleasant breeze, the sun's revitalizing warmth, and the joint loosening walk … would do me good: on every level 👌

Pretty purple leaves with dangling pink helicopter seedlings.

The Rhodie's at the bend of Happy Trails Rd., are still not blooming.

I turned off the Happy Trails Road, & onto Northwoods Loop - adding that bit to my walk mileage.

It's pretty short.

I don't know if the Park even offers tent camping anymore - this looks like a dump site for Park clean-up.

Oopsie; looks like I missed  my turn when I was walking & gawking. Not turning back - I'm gonna press my Rebel Pass.

I'll avoid this portion of the gravel road, next time.

Wild flower, 'Bleeding Heart'; though named for sorrow, these Spring flowers speak hope to me. I always smile when I spot them in the weeds.

{{The wild bleeding heart flower, carries a rich symbolism that encompasses love, loss, and the bittersweet nature of emotions. Its heart-shaped blossoms and "bleeding" appearance symbolize deep affection and emotional pain, reflecting the vulnerability that comes with giving oneself to another person. The flower represents both the joy of connection and the potential for heartache, embodying the dual nature of romantic relationships.

Additionally, it signifies sorrow and heartache, serving as a reminder of the pain that love can bring but also the beauty that emerges from these emotional experiences. Despite its associations with sorrow, the wild bleeding heart is also a symbol of healing and transformation, representing the ability to grow and heal even in the face of adversity.}}

Walking towards home now, I had to smile when I passed near the towering ☝️ Park Sign; sharing a private joke 🤭 with myself, about marrying two tall men I would jokingly refer to as Bigfoot: Bob was 6'2" & Holland is 6'4" - both tall, both big cuddly bears of manhood. I miss them both.

Bob & Me, 1974; Bob's Ash Urn, 2018

Holland & Me, 2023

One is gone for good 😌 & the other is undecided 😒: their presences linger 💔 everywhere, here.

This is Bigfoot Country - his steely presence is everywhere.

I've learned to be at peace with both absences.

Wounds are never wasted.

Life moves forward.

Home~Toutle River RV Park; Castle Rock-WA

Loop walk assessment~Toutle River RV Park; Castle Rock-WA

Slightly over 1 mile. Goal reached, YAY!

Pulling my houseplants back inside, I noticed my tracking watch was informing me that I had walked 5,021 steps - not bad, but it is below the 6,000 daily goal; I walked 1 mi.; I enjoyed sunshine exposure, for a little over an hour; I engaged in a good & healthy brisk walking speed (2.8), which is on target 👊, for someone my age.

The tall, gangly leaves of the Amaryllis bulb I bought in Coalinga-CA this past Fall, had split under the unbalanced weight (I noticed that when I set it out), so I cut them back; the flower bulb will survive or not. I'm doing my best to keep it alive … now, it will have to cooperate.

The skinny, zig-zag aerial fronds of the Fish Bone Cactus, also bought in Coalinga-CA, are thriving; but the larger zig-zags are dying off due to WA schizoid weather pattern. Like the Amaryllis - it will survive, or not. I'm doing everything I know to keep it alive.

I kicked my sandals off & tuned into 💻🌐 a podcast 🎙️ that was interviewing Jonathan Maracle; I listen to his music 🎶, but I've never heard his testimony ✝️🎤

I have always loved Native music - especially the Flute: when Alyna was born, I set my cell phone ring tone to the Native flute song, "Granddaughter". Though I married a Caucasian man in 1974, who was half Finn - I dated 2 Native men before meeting & marrying Bob … and now, I am married to a Native man; my heart ❤️, & my ear 👂, has always been turned towards 💞 Israel & Native Americans.

I loved my Native step-father, John; his father was Skagit Indian from the Yakima Valley region in WA State. John's brother Chuck, introduced me to my first Native music experience, with the 1970's Native rock band "XIT" - I was hooked; the founder, Tom Bee, later became a Christian, and established a church in AZ: I had hoped to meet him during our visits there, but his spirit had passed between our visits to AZ. I will see him in Heaven.

This singer, Jonathan Maracle was part of a rock band called “The Maracle Brothers” before forming his Christian Native American "Broken Walls".

{{In the early 1980s, Maracle was active in the rock scene, performing with this group and even singing AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” on stage. His time with The Maracle Brothers was marked by energetic live performances, but it was also a period of personal struggle - he reportedly damaged his voice from screaming lyrics while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.

After a near-fatal incident in 1985, when he considered suicide but turned to prayer and reconciliation with his family, Maracle shifted his focus toward ministry and music that blended gospel with Native American cultural elements. This led to the creation of Broken Walls in 1995, which has since become a prominent Indigenous Christian band known for its fusion of rock, reggae, R&B, and traditional Native instruments.}}

Jonathan Maracle of Broken Walls shares his powerful testimony:  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mmwNjJVN0yo)

Wounds are never wasted; and sometimes what you think is the end, may just be the beginning.

When life chapters end, sometimes an unknown present, or future, can be scary when turning the page 🤦🏻‍♀️ That's when you have to trust ☝️ and know that endings can also be the starting places 🧎🏼‍♀️ for beautiful new beginnings ✨

Turn the page and know you’re going to be okay 😘

I know that I don’t know 🤷‍♀️ what is happening today, but I put my trust in the Lord ✝️🙏 and everything will be according to plan 🕊️🎗️

I happened to look out the window as twilight was settling over the area - and the moon was lovely 😁; so, I ran outside to get a picture of it. I could see with my naked eye, the crater shadows of the moon's surface:

Moonglow~seen over the Space Age Travel Center across freeway; 7:30 PM

Moonglow, seen over the Space Age Travel Center across freeway~8.35 PM; viewed from the Toutle River RV Park, Castle Rock-WA

It was a good Day, today.

I enjoyed a good walk, today.

I rested in peaceful vibes when I prepared for sleep.

Life may be complicated … but it's still good. And I'm trusting Elohim's Plan & Yeshua's healing peace: every day & every night.

Wounds are never wasted.