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| Cape Disappointment |
Road trips are my favorite....short or long, near or far. It doesn't matter as long as I can roll the windows down and the wind can blow in my hair and "my" music is playing a song I can sing loud and long! This makes me very happy.
This past weekend I headed out to Tacoma and ended up taking a detour. Tacoma was forgotten when I saw a sign for Long Beach and I have always wanted to go. So forget the map that was plotted on my iPhone Google maps. Real Gurl was off and free-wheeling.
On my drive, I saw this sign for Cape Disappointment (above). Some might think it wasn't a good omen for the day but I am sure glad I didn't turn around, because it wasn't too far from Cape Disappointment that better things came along.
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| Daffodils in the Pond |
First, I drove by this pond and it was THE MOST BEAUTIFUL SITE I have ever seen. Hundreds and hundreds of yellow daffodils, all smiling into the breeze. Such a sweetness filled my heart. It was like they were all urging me on my way and saying "enjoy the day!"
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| Church-Always Open |
Then I drove by this old church that looked like a comfortable, old, barn-style house of worship. The sign out front said, "Always Open." It was like an invitation to "Come on in a sit a while."
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| Long Beach, Washington |
Then I reached Long Beach. This is the entrance to the beach shown above and I drove out into the sandy parking lot. Little did I know that cars are allowed on this beach. That sounded really, really fun but making a phone call home to say I was stuck did NOT sound really, really fun. What a sweet little main street this town has for looking around. As I headed home I was feeling renewed and ready to face a new week.
It turned out this was all the calm before the storm. For it was just a few short hours later that I learned of an acquaintance that had lost limbs, never to run with his child again. It was such a sobering experience as I considered where I have been and where I could have been. Life is so short. Oh, lessons to be grateful and thank God for His mercies.
As I was helping a friend through this conversation, my phone beeped and my daughter was texting. She was apologizing for being selfish late on a Sunday afternoon, but she needed me. Every mom and grandma will attest that these are the calls we live for! Zoom, zoom. Off at high-speed to offer help, love, and encouragement.
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| My friend, Sally |
But then this morning, I was made aware of the disappearance of my good friend, Sally Walker McCarley. Wonderful friend, intuitive, kind, good listener and very Godly. Her prayers are heard by God! She had been in Africa for a month and now was missing. She works with a children's orphanage over there when she is not in Guam with her husband. She takes the message and shares it. Now this lovely woman had been missing for several days. To say I was shocked is an understatement. This isn't something that happens to just anyone. I just couldn't get my head around it.
I immediately sent out my news to a small group at work. I asked for their prayers and so many responded. It was at 7:30 a.m. that I sent that prayer request and by 9:30 a.m. we learned that Sally and two other travelers were found and safe! Thank God! It could have been much different news for a white missionary woman in Kenya trying to cross the border. Thank you, thank you, God!
All I've got to say is this is the life of a Real Gurl. Topsy, turvey, scary, happy, unexpected, and blessed can be jumbled all into just a few hours. There is no telling what the rest of the day will hold....or this week. Life can be a roller coaster. Thrilling and breathtaking and then suddenly, the bottom drops out of your stomach. One thing is for sure.....it never stays the same. So hold on!
#realgurllife