I’ve searched all the parks in all the cities and found no statues of committees.

(G. K. Chesterton)

Football is a mistake.  It combines two of the worst things about American life.  It is violence punctuated by committee meetings. 

(George Will)

If you had to identify, in one word, the reason why the human race has not achieved, and never will achieve, its full potential, that word would be “meetings.

(Dave Barry)

It’s the promises that we make.  Yesterday, it was a seat for every child in the land of ArchBalt.

This week, Archbishop Edwin O’Brien announced plans to revitalize Catholic schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore. The plan, detailed in a new report entitled, “Preserving the Tradition, Transforming the Future: The Rebirth of Catholic Schools in the Archdiocese of Baltimore,”  is a culmination of more than 12 months of analysis and input from 1,500 individuals. The report announces the consolidation 13 schools, the creation of several new academic programs and initiatives, the enhancement of educator professional development, and the initiation of a new model for how Catholic schools are governed… and the promise that if a student was displaced in these moves that there was a seat waiting for them in a list of nearby “receiving schools.”

It offers the promises of resurrection and new life and new ways of living out the mission.  In the middle of a long Lent, it is the promise of Easter.  All that being said, it has also been a Good Friday experience for the staffs and students and alumni of 13 schools.  Your prayers are invited for all.

So, here we are…

In late January, I got past the March for Life and hauled off to the NFCYM’s annual membership meeting.  It was the marker towards which I had been aiming throughout most of 2009.  It meant that all the “big ticket” items were off my plate and that breathing space / light at the end of the tunnel was before me.

And then February arrived.  A week long snow storm, shifting responsibilities in the office, and some health scares among my friends and co-workers all conspired to make the shortest month a long slog through winter.

But, I believe in Spring.  I believe in New Life. I believe…

And, so, there is nothing else to do, but

march forth towards the future.

It snowed again last night…  just a dusting.

Nonetheless, many school districts remain closed as the streets and sidewalks around bus stops just are not ready to ensure kids’ safety.  City streets are still a mess, three lanes become two without warning, one has to peek around a large snowpile to detect traffic before merging.

We sent out our office e-newsletter yesterday. If you were wondering about the damages to our youth ministry calendar regarding the recent snopocalypse, you can check up on our updates.

It’s the meeting planner in me that loves the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics. The Beijing opening was intentionally overwhelming, but Vancouver was gentle and gracious.

My favorite moment (starts around  the 2:45 mark) came as springtime seemed to erupt in the midst of the production. A voice-over from Donald Sutherland recited this Chief Dan George quote “The beauty of the tree, the softness of the air, the fragrance of the grass speaks to me and my heart soars.”  Then dancers celebrated a springtime among the tall trees of the Canadian Rockies as Sarah McLachlan sang Ordinary Miracle. “It’s not that usual when everything is beautiful… The sky knows when its time to snow. You don’t need to teach a seed to grow. It’s just another ordinary miracle today.”

It was simple, beautiful, and it brought hope.

Meanwhile, If you want to see how the Vancouver diocesan office has been enjoying the festivities that are neighboring their offices, hurry on over to the videos at Clayton Imoo’s site.

UPDATE: (5:30 pm) The snow stopped a little after 4pm – - a twenty-eight hour snowstorm that reportedly brought 26.5 inches to BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. as of Noon on Saturday. That makes it the second biggest storm in Maryland history.

Meanwhile, I have shoveled twice more today, each effort either easier or an indication that I am building upper body strength.  (“Bring it!”)

Finally, despite being Boy Scout-prepared on shoveling… a large tree has fallen with the parking lot blocking access to plows and egress for the rest of us. (click pic to enlarge.) I can’t imagine rescue from this until Monday morning…  we’ll see.  Anyway, I am appreciating the irony of Turner Classic Movies broadcasting The Great Escape.

- – -

(8:30 am) And, so the DelMarVa region is being hit with snowfall… again; on a weekend… again!

I’ve been documenting my own man vs. snow battle on fighting mother nature on access to car in the apartment complex’s parking lot on facebook: “shoveled Friday at 4pm, and again at 7:30 and now Sat. at 1:30am. Third round was even deeper, heavier. A near-by snow-laden branch has fallen. We ain’t done yet! BRING IT!”

The morning news brings reports that my neighborhood has already received 24 inches of the white stuff. And, yes, I did hear thunder-snow last night. Awesome!  So far, we have only faced one low front with another yet to arrive.    Snow is anticipated to fall until the evening.

Well, I just completed the fourth round of shoveling around 7:30 am and feel as is I am now winning the battle! I’ll have the shovel to where the snow plows will eventually skim and there is certainly more to snow to fall.  Click pics to enlarge.

(FYI, Nichole and Johanna – - the car on the left is yours!)

Meanwhile, I’m safe and indoors now…  Comfort food has yet to be broken into, books are stacked waiting to be read, firewood is also stacked, and a list of many chores and movies are lined up as well.  Snow???  BRING IT!

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.
It’s the life in your years.  

– Abraham Lincoln

We are wrapping up the NFCYM annual membership meeting in Los Angeles and I will be spending a majority of this day, ironically enough, Up in the Air. And, today, I turnover the personal calendar to 52 years old.

It is a little more of a fascinating age of a birthday for me than has been 50 (which was just fun), 40, and other younger years (which, frankly, were plain forgettable)  At 52, for whatever reasons, I find myself a little more reflective.

52 reminds me of the Ray Lewis dance.  There is a certain amount of confidence that does come along with experience. I am personally a bit more self-contained that the Ravens’ middle linebacker, but I do appreciate the celebratory nature of each new encounter.

And, so… A little reflective and ready to dance.  Let’s go!

Others hitting 52…  Matt Fewer/ Max Headroom (this month), Ellen DeGeneres (last Tuesday), Judy Norton-Taylor/ Mary Ellen Walton  (yesterday), comedienne Brett Butler (today), and sports reporter Rick Reilly (next Wednesday)

O Guardian of Israel,
Our shelter and shade,
Stir up in us that flame of justice
That Jesus incited on this earth,
That rages in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
O arouse in us
That very flame of righteousness
That enticed Martin
To be a living sacrifice of praise,
To seek freedom for all God’s children.
O to you, God every faithful and true,
Be glory for ever and ever.
Amen.

J. Glenn Murray, SJ

No, no, no
Stick to the stuff you know
If you wanna be cool
Follow one simple rule
Don’t mess with the flow, no no
Stick to the status quo

High School Musical sings of it.  It’s easier, right?  You know it, You understand it. It’s what works. And we really don’t have to think very much about it, do we?

Mark Batterson recently blogged some encouragement to challenge the status quo. There is nothing uniquely special about a change in the calendar for a new year or a new decade, but it does offer the opportunity to evaluate your life spiritually, relationally, physically, emotionally, and intellectually.

No, no, no, mess with the flow and challenge the status quo.

The blog is shutting down for the remainder of the year.

Please know that you and any holiday programs that you might be offering are in my prayers.

But, also, please know that prayers are being offered that we might all experience the treasure that is our families and that we also might find quiet and peace amidst the insanity of the season.

Might we all join in the angelic praise “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace (and) goodwill towards men.”

Because, the story of God becoming man is what Christmas is all about, Charlie Brown.

Merry Christmas, friends!