Hidden Gems

Year after year, we sing the familiar carols. I love "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing." Can't get enough of "O Come, All Ye Faithful!" And there's nary a dry eye when the lighted candles come out for "Silent Night" at the late church service.

It wasn't until a trip to England in the 1980s that I began to discover that great Christmas music isn't limited to the standards. Here's one you won't hear much on the radio or in the stores:


And my favorite verse:

What can I give him,

Poor as I am?

If I were a shepherd

I would bring a lamb,

If I were a wise man

I would do my part,

Yet what I can I give Him —

Give my heart.

Receive the greatest gift the world has ever known this holiday season. And give back your heart.

Golden Words from Girardi on NCAA Silver Honor

"The Evil Empire." The team that's got no gray area for fans ... you either love them or hate them. In baseball, the description fits only one team ... the New York Yankees. How much sweeter a 2009 World Series win would have been for my Philadelphia Phillies had they knocked off the Bronx Bombers, avenging the four-game sweep of 1950 and giving me year-long bragging rights with many of my college friends at Syracuse.

I always love those times when the childish behavior of being a male sports fan gives way to real life, and this morning was one of those times. I urge you to click on this link, then click in the "Words of Wisdom" video box. The first words you hear will be those of Joe Girardi, current Yankees manager, and one of six star-studded individuals who will be honored this year with the very prestigious NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards. Some guy named Bo Jackson is getting one, too.

For Girardi, life boils down to James 1:2-3

²Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. ³For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.

The words of the other five honorees are inspirational as well, so don't stop after Girardi. Unfortunately, I'll never be able to look at him with "The Evil Empire" in mind ... wait, make that fortunately.