The Cause.

Operation Completion.

Those two words sum up a project I have been working on for 7 months now. Operation Completion, a mesage of hope and support to our soldiers and their families. In today's world Operation Completion isn't just a statement, its a cause. A cause to say "hey, we don't care what hollywood and the press say, we support you and we thank you and we just wanted you to know that" It's a cause to reach out to the military and the relatives in the military and remind America, WE'RE IN A WAR, AND OUR SOLDIERS NEED TO KNOW WE'RE BEHIND THEM!

This kind of goes into taking our freedom for granted. I've posted numerous times about how are freedom came at a very high cost and how tend to take it for granted and assume it's free. The reality is, our freedom isn't free and the ones that paid the price are under appreciated.

The last rally took place on Saturday, the work put in to it paid off in my oppinion. I have learned so much by working on this project and drawn so much closer to God. I realized over and over again that I can not do this, and in fact, if it weren't for God the GA rally never would have happened.

I got on board with the project two months after I moved. I knew no one. I brainstormed with a friend of mine for a while until I got the go ahead to go public. Having no contacts I wasn't sure where to start. BUT GOD. I went to some Republican meetings and events and met people and spoke about Operation Completion. I handed out fliers and got the word out. I ended up with some contacts in the State House, on various campaigns and in my local government. The GenJ club east of me was helping me with phone banking a few weeks before the rally and my GenJ club and State TARS chairman came to the rally to show their support.

All this time, I had no idea on any response, no body got back to me, even with all the followups we made. I had a media lead, and I'm still not sure how that worked. None of our interveiws happened, and we didn't have a speaker system till the night before.

At 8:30 pm on Friday night, we got a call saying we could rent a speaker system for 250 bucks the next day. Which was totally a God thing since I had been calling up different places seeing if they would let us use a speaker system.

The next day was scheduled to rain, but we didn't cancel. We woke up early, got the sound system. Came back home, loaded up the van and left. Stage set-up took two hours, then Ashleigh and I decorated it. We still had a few hours to kill before it started, so we discussed logistics and waited, till 30 minutes before.

That was when the capitol police told us that the stage was in the wrong location. So we had -30 minutes to move all of the sound equipment and abandon the stage. Which we did in time,Thank God!!!

Throughout the process of planning in the 7 months time I had been brought to a point where everything was totally out of my hands, and in more than one occasion I just payed " Ok God, you've brought me this far, but I can't do anything more to make it happen, its all totally in your hands"

And it was. God is awesome, who-ever says he doesn't have any interest in today is wrong.

We only had a turnout of 75 people, but even though it was a low turnout, these people were dedicated, and came out in spite of the rain just to show support for a cause.

"All things work together for good to those that love the Lord."

His ways are not our ways, I don't know why it rained, I don't know why Reed lost, I don't know why Operation Completion only had 75 people. But I do know, that I thank God for the people dedicated enough to come out, and I thank God for our soldiers who work 24/7 365 protecting our freedom!

God bless America!!!

Reed lost. :(
But OC is this week, so even if last night wasn't what I would call a victory, the rest of this week will be great! :D

My favorite campaign story of the last 2 days:

Last door of the night I walk up and this kid opens the door.

me:"Hi, is your mom here?"

"yeah, hold on" *kid runs to get her*

*his little sibling comes out*"did you come here before?"
me: "no"

little kid"ok" *runs off*

mom "hello?"

I start speel

mom: *sigh* "No, sorry we're moving. We're a military family so, we're packing up..."

me: *grin* "wow. Thank you SO much....I can't even express how grateful I am to all of you for serving and doing that..."

mom: *jaw drop...smile*

me: "Oh! something that will greatly encourage you, do you have a computer with internet access?"

Mom"yes"

me "Ok, go to www.operationcompletion.org we have REAL news from the war by someone in the Army Corps of engineers. OC is student run pro-military rallies, one is comming to GA this week. It will greatly encourage you, there ARE people that support you...*grin*"

mom: *shock/grin* "how old are you?"

me *told her*

mom *shock* "you are sharp girl, you're sharp...I'll check that out *grin*"

me: "ok, and Thank you *beam*"

Independence Day!

(FYI, the OC blogroll is still going)

Happy Independence Day America!

Lat's take a minute out of the busy-ness of today to remember what we're celebrating. Let's never forget our founding and the soldiers that have served and are serving to protect this nation, in every war since the revolution.

Let us never forget!

(this was derived from lovethissite.com/oldglory)

I fly atop the world's tallest buildings.
I stand watch in America's halls of justice.
I stand side by side with the Maple Leaf on the worlds longest undefended border.
I fly majestically over institutions of learning.
I stand guard with power in the world.
Look up and see me.

I stand for peace, honor, truth and justice.
I stand for freedom.
I am confident.
I am arrogant.
I am proud.

When I am flown with my fellow banners,
my head is a little higher,
my colors a little truer.

I bow to no one!
I am recognized all over the world.
I am honored - I am saluted.
I am loved - I am revered.
I am respected -- and I am feared.

I have fought in every battle of every war for more then 200 years. I was flown at Valley Forge, Gettysburg, Shiloh and Appomattox. I was there at San Juan Hill, the trenches of France, in the Argonne Forest, Anzio, Rome and the beaches of Normandy, Guam. Okinawa, Korea and KheSan, Saigon Vietnam.
Know me,
I was there.

I led my troops, I was dirty, battle worn and tired,
but my soldiers cheered me, And I was proud.
have been burned, torn and trampled on the streets of countries I have helped set free. It does not hurt, for I am invincible.

have been soiled upon, burned, torn and trampled on the streets of my country. And when it's by those whom I've served in battle -- it hurts.
But I shall overcome -- for I am strong.
I have slipped the bonds of Earth and stood watch over the uncharted frontiers of space from my vantage point on the moon.

I have borne silent witness to all of America's finest hours.
But my finest hours are yet to come.
When I am torn into strips and used as bandages for my wounded

comrades on the battlefield,
When I am flown at half-mast to honor my soldier,
Or when I lie in the trembling arms of a grieving parent at the grave of their fallen son or daughter,
I am proud.

MY NAME IS OLD GLORY LONG MAY I WAVE.

Howard Schnauber