Monday Morning Confessional

Last updated on: June 24, 2013 at 8:54 am by Tim Suttle

Monday Morning Confessional 2013-06-24T08:54:04-06:00 Tim Suttle

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I confess that when I’m driving alone in the car I generally either 1) listen to audiobooks, 2) sit in silence and pray or just be still, 3) listen to NPR. I confess that when my kids are with me I listen to rock and roll music as loud as my stereo can take it, and I usually air guitar it as much as the road will allow.

I’m trying to teach my kids a bunch of songs that will help them loosen up and have some fun – and maybe fall in love with rock music along the way. I finally had to make a quick rock and roll mix made especially for the car. I confess that Jet’s song “Cold Hard Bitch” is a near perfect rock song. I’m not even joking, the intro has to go down as one of the great rock intros ever. So far, though, the consensus favorite is “Hard To Handle” by the Black Crowes. However… if you are feeling down; if you are having a hard day; if you need some energy; if you just want three minutes of sheer joy – then download “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” turn it up to eleven and dance your legs off. You’ll be glad you did.

I confess that I should have mowed the lawn last Thursday – that would have been the perfect day when the grass was not so tall that it will clog up the mower. I confess that I had a shot to mow on Saturday as well, but didn’t take it. I went to the pool with my kids instead. I confess that I try not to mow on Sunday because it’s Sabbath. So I guess I’m going to have to mow this morning. Mondays and mowing the lawn are two things that should never coincide. I confess that I hate mowing. I’m using the word hate here… about mowing. The only redeeming part is that I can listen to lectures and books.

I confess that the family went to our first Royals game in several years last Friday. We sprang for decent seats because it was dollar night and we could pig out on dollar hot-dogs and sodas; fireworks after the game; it was set up to be a great night – which it was in most ways, except for the fact that the White Sox completely buried the Royals. Our pitching has gone south all of the sudden. I blame the heat and humidity, as I do for most things that go wrong in the summer.

I confess that I read my first Tim Keller book last week, The Prodigal God. I enjoyed it, and I totally get why Keller is so easy to like. He never says anything remotely controversial, and yet he manages to challenge just a little bit… not so much that you have to put the book down and really think about it, but enough to keep you reading. The book is about the story of the prodigal son, which Keller says is more about the prodigal sons (plural), and the surprise ending is really about the prodigal God. It was a good twist. I liked the book quite a lot, although I have to confess that having read Nouwen’s Return of the Prodigal Son this past winter ruined me for nearly anything else written on this parable. Still I really liked Keller’s take. I don’t think it will be the last book I read by him.

I confess that I stayed up way to late nearly every night last week. Once again I’m blaming summer. I know that’s a bit of a stretch, but I have a theory that the Kansas summer heat steals away all of my self-discipline. I’m pretty sure that this is just a way to rationalize…

I confess that I’m nearly done reading The Last Olympian aloud to my boys. It’s the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. I love this series and will be sad to have to move on to something else. I will imagine that we will attempt The Heroes of Olympus series at some point. I confess that I want my boys to love books and reading as much as I do. I confess that I sometimes worry that I’ll try so hard to get them to love books that I’ll end up giving them some sort of deep-seated aversion to reading.

I confess that I’m re-watching season one of The Newsroom in order to get pumped up for season two… less than a month away. Firing through an entire series so quickly really gives a sense of the quality of writing. As always, Aaron Sorkin is simply the best.

Monday Morning Confessional

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