From August 2016

Grand Canyon of Minnesota

Last week Tom, Val, Johnny, and I went on a three day adventure across the northern part of Minnesota.  Our first destination was the Grand Canyon of Minnesota. The Grand Canyon of Minnesota is an unusual Grand Canyon:  the Hull Rust-Mahoning Iron Mine.  Some grand canyons are grand CANYONS. Some grand canyons look like the …

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Righteous In His Own Eyes

I have been reading the book of Job for my morning devotions.  Job is a depressing book because Satan has his way with Job, despite Job being “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1).  When God brags that Job is “blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil,” Satan claims that Job is only …

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Music that Moves You

Here at Grand Portage I have been able to give programs on a regular basis.  All the rangers have at least one program that they write and give.  Tom’s program is “Stone vs Steel:  The Irony of Progress.”  He also does a program where he demonstrates three historic ways of making a fire (no matches). …

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Repairing the Rocking Horse

As soon as Tom started working here at Grand Portage, the Rangers discovered he was good at solving problems. Ranger Carl, in particular, gave Tom lots of odd jobs that involved solving problems.  one example of that problem solving was repairing the rocking horse. The rocking horse was built years ago by Ranger Carl for …

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Woman, Thou Art Loosed

This week at church the scripture reading was from Luke 13:10-17.  Luke 13:10-17 tells the story of a woman who had been bent over for 18 years:  she had a spirit of infirmity and could not stand up straight.  Jesus speaks to her first, and tells her, “Woman, thou art loosed,”  according to the King …

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Rendezvous Wrap-up

As a Rendezvous wrap-up, I want to share some final thoughts and observations about the experience.  Although Tom and I were tired from all the work we did during the Rendezvous, we were impressed by the passion and commitment of the Grand Portage staff and the historic re-enactors who came.  Everyone was doing their very …

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Voyageur Camp at Rendezvous

During Rendezvous, the 300+ historic re-enactors who came set up and lived at the Voyageur Camp.  I had the chance to walk through the camp a few times and it was a surreal experience.  I felt like I had transported back in time about 200 years.  Everyone – even the children – was dressed in …

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Mist of Avalon at Grand Portage

Because of the National Park Service Centennial, the Mist of Avalon was a special attraction at Rendezvous this year.  The Mist of Avalon is a Grand Banks schooner that started life as a fishing ship in Nova Scotia before being abandoned.  It was salvaged by George Mainguy in 1992 who converted it into the schooner. …

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