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For today’s installment of our Gift of Music series we go all the way back to 1987 (I still remember watching this on tv when I was 10) for a taste of the Claymation Christmas Special.

Our next selection served as last year’s Christmas Card from this author to all three of his blog readers. And while a year has passed, the sentiment remains. May you know peace, may you know love and may you know understanding. From a Colbert Christmas…

Okay, so that last video got me thinking about all the random and fun youtube Christmas music videos that have made their away around the blogosphere over the years, so I figured I’d share a few more of my favorites. If you haven’t seen this next one yet, well… a., you’re gonna love it, and b., welcome out from under the rock! I give you Straight No Chaser’s “12 Days of Christmas”

Ever wonder how monks who’ve vowed silence manage to sing praise durring this season of joyful anticipation? Of course you have. Well…wonder no more…

(be sure to check the “Reign” monk at about 10 seconds in…made me laugh so hard I cried)

Wanted to give a quick shout out to Orin of Oddwalk fame for catching a nasty glitch that was causing my posts to show up as spam to anybody viewing this blog in google reader. After a few google searches and some editing of html code that I really don’t understand at all, the problem appears to be solved.

I never would have noticed had Orin not pointed it out - and I’m certainly glad to be rid of the random references to prescription medications and questionable medical procedures. Thanks Bro!

Saw this video over on the Youth Ministry Geek’s site and had to repost. Pretty amazing. Wonder what kind of answers kids born durring 2010 will be giving come December, 2019…

The decade according to 9-year-olds from allison louie-garcia on Vimeo.

*note - i’m reposting this from yesterday due to difficulties with the doohickies and wordpress thingamabobbers (to use the technical terms)

We’ll see, now won’t we.

Okay, so for a moment let’s ignore the fact that this is the first post to this blog since August, and skip right to the good, er, interesting stuff.

Perhaps I’ve been living under a rock, but I just now heard about Dante’s Inferno - that’s the video game version, not the description of hell from the 14th century epic poem. Apparently come February 2010 you’ll be able to battle your way through nine circles of hell using your scythe and your “holy powers” (which apparently manifest themselves as a glowing gray cross?? But why wait - you can already “damn your friends to hell” using the nifty facebook app they provide.

I’m sure I’m not the first person to notice the trend in the media to deal with themes that relate directly with our Catholic faith. Movies like Stigmata and Constantine, tv shows like the CW’s Supernatural, and now video games, and then there’s that whole sexy vampire thing that I still don’t understand. The media has always used the supernatural as a jumping off point, but what interests me is the fact that they’re starting to acknowledge the role of God in the battle between good and evil. Used to be the media saw a world with demons but no angels, sinners but no saints, but not anymore. For example, the last season of the CW’s Supernatural dealt with the struggle of two humans and their angel buddy to prevent the apocalypse. This year they’re wrestling with some pretty deep themes like whether or not God has given up on humanity.
All in all it makes for some pretty interesting discussions in the youth ministry setting. What are your thoughts?

Oh, and for the record, I found out about the new video game by way of this site – which I have to admit, made me laugh until it hurt.

Speaking of witnesses, today is www.catholicymblog.com’s 5th bloggiversary. Well done, Scott. Keep up the good work, and thank you for being a witness. What does one sing on a bloggiversary? Happy blogirthday? Ad multos blogos? Or, perhaps…

Today is the first day of school here in Muscatine, and this video just felt like it fit. Whether you’re just getting warmed up, running through a scary forest patch, jogging in the dark, or wherever you may be on the path, know that you’re not running the race alone!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:1-2