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Gilbert Lodge   Since 2004

                 Gilbert Lodge Blog
         The life and times of Mark and Paula Persons

December 21, 2009:  Paula is practicing her mountain dulcimer on this winter day.

Birds are taking advantage of limited sunlight to get seed at the bird feeder. 

This is the shortest day of the year...just 8 hours and 36 hours long with 15 hours and 24 minutes of darkness.  This Winter Solstice also marks the official beginning of winter.  Overnight temperatures have been around zero degrees with day temperatures about 10 degrees, which is still 22 degrees below freezing. 

Chef Paula cooked pot roast in a crock pot.  Great on a cold winter's day.

That night, Mark and Paula attended a gathering at the Central Lakes College along with a few thousand other interested people.  It was titled "Operation: Awaken."  The event was sponsored by the Central Lakes College Veteran's Club and the Minnesota Freedom Council.

We were told the story of the American effort in Iraq, Afghanistan, and other trouble spots around the world.  We heard what the conditions in those countries are/were under dictator governments. 

Contrary to news reports, soldiers in Iraq spend most of their time rebuilding the infrastructure to bring a better life to the people in that country.  They have repaired highways, installed electrical power, and built schools.  Almost none of that has been reported by the mainstream press.  For more information, go to: http://minnesotafreedom.org

The goal of the presentation was to tell the story.  There were many standing ovations for the work our servicemen and women are doing.  It was all quite informative and inspiring.

Quote of the day:  Freedom--no word was ever spoken that has held out greater hope, demanded greater sacrifice, needed more to be nurtured, blessed more the giver, or come closer to being God's will on earth.  WWII General Omar N. Bradley