Here are the most popular blog posts from the month of December 2010:

Love is at the heart of the Good News.

Love is the gospel we proclaim,
but must live that love, not merely pronounce it correctly.

And we are to love as Jesus loved —
without limit, without exception,
being willing to lay down our lives for one another.

Archbishop Gustavo Garcia-Siller
newly installed in San Antonio.
(h/t Deacon Greg)

In this week “between”, we are running links to other blogs (non-youth ministry) you should check…

America Magazine has two blogs associated with it.  I read In All Things, which includes among its many contributors the always wise James Martin, S.J., culture editor for the magazine and author of The Jesuit Guide to (Almost) Everything.

Matters of the arts as well as social justice are spoken of here and often. And with intelligent depth.

In this week “between”, we are running links to other blogs (non-youth ministry) you should check…

Church Marketing Sucks takes a hard look at how we “represent.” They have a great mission statement that does what a mission statement should.. short, sweet, and in your face… Our mission is to frustrate, educate and motivate the church to communicate, with uncompromising clarity, the truth of Jesus Christ.

If you are unconscious regarding church and media/ marketing, you are likely unconsciously communicating a lot which is not helping you. If that is the case, you are frustrating your own self from sharing the truth of Jesus Christ.

In this week “between”, we are running links to other blogs (non-youth ministry) you should check…

Whispers in the Loggia is must read for any Catholic who desires to be “in the know,” as in what their pastor or bishop knows. Rocco Palmo is a late twenty-something Catholic blogger out of Philadelphia who seems more connected than the Holy Spirit somedays when it comes to getting the insights as to what’s happening in the Church.

I’ve actually had three sightings of Palmo, once outside the Papal Mass in DC’s baseball stadium and twice at the USCCB annual meetings in Baltimore, but never had the occasion or setting to introduce myself and compliment his work.

In this week “between”, we are running links to other blogs (non-youth ministry) you should check…

ypulse.com is relentless.  They study the opinions and behavior of tweens, teens, collegians and young adults in order to provide news, commentary, events, research and strategy for marketing, brand and media professionals. They watch teen marketing, catch and comment on the trends before you were even aware of them – -  Case in point: Glee

I scan their usual allotment of three daily posts and often find something to remember, if not to post about…

In today’s Gospel, St. Joseph is twice told to ““Rise, take the child and his mother” and go…

Worthy advise as we move towards a new year.

 from The Far Side

See, the LORD proclaims
to the ends of the earth:
say to daughter Zion,
your savior comes!

Nativity, Dawn Eggenberger, watercolor on paper, 2000

When I do spontaneous prayer, I often will finish with a traditional prayer which all can join.  A meal grace will end in “Bless us O Lord…” A prayer with youth ministers will be completed by invoking the intercession of the Blessed Mother through “Hail Mary…”

And often any moment that we might think that we had anything to do with anything will often have a prayer end in “Glory Be…”

All which harkens us to an effort to join in the angelic praise “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace (and) goodwill towards men.”

Let this season serve as a reminder about that… Because, the story of God becoming man is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Merry Christmas, friends!

Within the Miller clan, there are a few time honored traditions.  One involves sneaking a recently baked chocolate chip cookie into the stuffing inside a turkey.

Another involves a viewing of White Christmas.  It’s a musical connected to Christmastime.  Yet, I would contend that this is very much not a “chick flick,” but truly a guy movie.

It is a “buddy film” of two song-and-dance guys who, in the end, pay tribute to their former commanding officer from their war days.  The Army themes will evoke a special tone this year as my son serves in Iraq, surely also wishing for a White Christmas.

There is a simple little Irving Berlin ditty that has a slightly spiritual side to it as well.  Here is a simple little song, but one that has truth for us in tough times.

Count Your Blessings.