The Academy Awards are presented at month’s end so we are going to focus a little on movies. And here we go again, not unlike with Moneyball, we are offering another movie metaphor for the field.

The Artist is getting a lot of buzz during movie award season having already won the Golden Globe as Best Motion Picture – Comedy Or Musical. It is a different movie- both black and white and silent but a beautiful movie and, as with all good movies, demands that you actually pay attention.

It starts with silent movie star George Valentin and a chance encounter with the young and effervescent Peppy Miller.  She transforms her moment within his limelight into a film career not unlike that of her mentor. Yet, there is a difference.  Times change and with then comes the talkies. 

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Today is a day that we have celebrated before…  At 47, as have been many of celebrations of this day, I was working and travelling. At 48, I could barely acknowledge it. At 49, was I really at the top of my game?  Probably not. At 50, there was shepherding ducks and expressing gratitude.  At 51, there was reflection on digital chutzpah. At 52, there was comment of the confidence that comes with experience.  At 53, we prayed.

And, here I am, at 54.

The life lesson of the past year was to seek joy – if there is ever a sense of winning in life, it is in the ability to focus and appreciate that which offers joy – - for me, it is found in faith and in the blessings of a wonderful adult family, good and true friends, and the on-going search for discovery.  Today, hold onto that and celebrate that which gives you joy.

Yes, there is a Super Bowl next Sunday, and, no, my home town team will not be in it.

That said, you have to appreciate the life lessons learned from a winning touchdown pass being slapped out of your hands and an overtime inducing field goal going wide left in the final minutes.

We’ve got to go back to work and make sure we finish it next time.

Don’t ever drop your head when it comes to a loss, dawg.  Because there is too much pain outside of this that people are really going through.

Let’s make somebody smile

Ray Lewis is a future Hall of Fame-r. He is a leader.  He has grown beyond the indiscretions of his past.

He is…  A Raven!

And he makes our community proud no matter the final score.

I drove home later last night listening to sports radio.  They were reporting on Joe Paterno declining health and I thought that I probably needed to develop an thoughtful obit for him. This morning, I found myself typing on the fly, recognizing that I’ll probably be a little late for my next appointment.

Joe Paterno lived a life dedicated to a sport and to the young men who played it. Nearly half a century as Penn State’s Nittany Lions’ head coach advanced many student athletes into professional careers as business men, lawyers, doctors, and yes, pro football players.

Yet, today he passes on from this world with a reputation tarnished and damaged because of the shadows of failure to protect young people… and that matters to all those who minister, serve, work with and care for young people. ReThinking Youth Ministry blogger Brian Kirk called the Penn State scandal the Most Important Youth Ministry Story of 2011.  We must remain diligent in establishing proper boundaries people and consistent in implementing them. UPDATED: Ed Stetzer also considers Coach Paterno’s legacy. 

Meanwhile, our prayers go out to everyone impacted by the news of the day… and

Eternal rest grant unto him, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him. May the souls of the faithful departed, through the mercy of God, rest in peace. Amen.

Thirty years ago today.

The birth of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry (NFCYM) occurred at 11:17 am in Malvern, Pennsylvania.

It was midwifed to life by a generation of youth leaders. New life came from the National CYO Federation previously housed at USCCB and the Girl Scout Committee of the Advisory Board of the National CYO Federation which provided early financial stability for the fledgling organization.

I was blessed to be counted among those in Malvern who unanimously voted on the new name and structure.   I have been blessed to have served on and with numerous task groups and management committees over the many decades. I have been blessed to have attended, assist in the coordination, present many workshops, and even covertly perform at the youth conferences and the youth ministers’ conferences. Certainly, I was blessed by the experience of serving on the NFCYM staff between 1999 and 2005. The truest blessings come from the friendships made, the support shared, and the visions dreamed.

Ad Multos Annos!

That’s what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

- – Linus Van Pelt

A Charlie Brown Christmas first aired on CBS in 1965.  I was at the very formative age of seven years old. Originally, the CBS executives did not want to have Linus reciting the Gospel account of Luke 2: 8-14 telling of the birth of Christ, assuming that viewers would not want to sit through passages of the Bible.

(As a side note, Father James Martin points out that “When Linus recites the Gospel in Charlie Brown Christmas he drops his blanket. With the Word of God he has no need for a security blanket.”)

It was reported on a version of the making of the program that cartoonist Charles Schulz (a Catholic) was adamant about keeping this scene in, remarking that

If we don’t tell
the true meaning of Christmas,
who will?

It is a monumental day today for all Millers

My youngest, Meghan, turns 20 today.  My lineage no longer contains teenagers.

Happy Birthday and Good Morning, Sunshine (I’m posting this at 2:10pm in your honor!)

I’m in the middle of a two-week vacation right now. (That statement is accurate in the right now of this posting… I actually wrote this almost twenty days ago, because I knew I was going to be on vacation right now – - how’s that for some circular thought?)

In the past years, my longest vacations were six to eight days, usually averaging three to five…This one is  thirteen. Somewhere along the line recently, I have learned that what makes for a great vacation experience is a planned vacation experience. And I’ve been planning for this bad boy for a while…

I held off buying a book because I knew I wanted to buy it just before climbing on a plane.  I’ve got a trip scheduled along with a side excursion in the middle of my travels.  I’ve been checking local events on the internet for three different regions and been looking i advance as to what movies will be available.  There are more than three meals planned already. There is an advance strategy for Christmas decorating during this time as well as assuring self that planning for the two events that will hot the schedule right out of the gate when I return to the office.

The reality is that I have my next two vacations after this one on my radar as well.  Not full plans, but approximate whens and wheres. Sure, it looks a little type-A-ish for a vacation, but I’m planning to have a series of different and other experiences while vacating my everyday life.  I’m betting that refresh my soul and renew my energies.

When’s your next vacation and what’s your plan?

I began writing this post two weeks ago and probably felt that way for a few weeks before it.

Just a few days in… November has already been a busy month but a month full of good stuff as well. It follows a very full and equally rich season since summer’s World Youth Day.

Departure for NCYC is ten day’s away. A two week vacation is but two weeks away and starts, praise God, TODAY .  Thanksgiving will be followed by a run to Florida to visit my mother and my youngest daughter.

Yet, in this time of in between, I feel as if I am at the end of my rope.

My sleep patterns are out of wack, I’ve had a constant sniffle. Diet and exercise are inconsistent. I’m a little bit of a mess

After an unreasonably long period of time in “power up” mode, I find myself “powering down” towards an extended time away from office and work. The goal is to hang on until the elements of life align to again engage in the steady climb up. 

If you are at your rope’s end, keep on keeping on. Know you are not alone.

Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle us with the fire of your Love.

The morning general session was great – Mike Patin led a masterful keynote. ValLimar and the animators mixed in Scripture and witness as they gathered around the table. ArchBalt headed off to workshops afterward, but then back into an empty stadium to assist with the opening environment of the closing mass.

After than, many headed over to the NCYC’s Top Talent contest.  Jourdan was not a semi-finalist, but she was very confident  with great voice and stage presence and had an obnoxious cheering crown supporting her!

The homily is posted elsewhere, but the delegation posed for a picture at the end and together we all had a bit of a moment,

The Catholic Review’s Matt Palmer has been doing a great job with posting for a local perspective. The Indianapolis Criterion has also provided coverage. Check them out!