Monday Morning Confessional

Last updated on: August 19, 2014 at 5:14 am by Tim Suttle

Monday Morning Confessional 2014-08-19T05:14:52-06:00 Tim Suttle

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I confess that the release date for Shrink is less than two weeks away, and I’m getting nervous. A couple of weeks ago my wife opened a package from Zondervan containing a single copy of the book hot off the presses, the first we had seen. She walked it outside and held it up for me to see. At the time I was trying not to completely fumble the pork ribs I had on the smoker & my hands were dirty, so I couldn’t grab the book. I just stood there looking at it for a second, dumb-struck. Then I actually got choked up. It was weird. I don’t know why it was so emotional but it was. Maybe it’s just that an absurd amount of work went into producing this book and I was looking at visual proof that it was actually being published. Maybe I was just really exhausted or something. For whatever reason, it was emotional for me–a moment I won’t soon forget. I’ve invested more time, exerted more energy, put more thought into this project than anything else I’ve ever written by far. I really hope more people will read it than just me and my friends. I really hope people will read it with an open mind & take it to heart.

I confess that we took the kids to see Guardians of the Galaxy last weekend. It’s officially my favorite superhero movie. This is what a comic book movie should be like. I love movies that don’t take themselves too seriously. Plus the music is excellent, and it functions almost like a character in the story. Several memorable lines have already entered the Suttle vernacular.

Rocket: You actually got it? I was just kidding about the leg, I just thought it’d be funny!
Rocket: there’s one more thing we’re going to need to complete this plan – that’ guy’s eye. Peter: No we don’t. We don’t need his eye.
Rocket: I can’t believe you had that thing in your purse. Peter: It’s not a purse; it’s a knapsack!

I confess that I’m enamored with the long-form essay right now. I’m hoping that it’s not a fleeting affair, but rather the genesis of a deep and lasting love. This art form is amazing. And some of the greatest American writers have made the long-form essay their primary medium. I once heard Miroslav Volf say that if you have a truly curious mind, theology is a good profession for you. Theologians can study pretty much anything—and Volf really meant anything—according to its relationship to God. I think long form essay writing is a similar animal. There are very few limits on the genre. A curious mind can have a field day in this genre. I think that studying it and learning from the writers and teachers who have made long-form essay their medium will directly transfer to sermon writing. I sometimes wonder if the most important thing a pastor can do is to constantly become a better writer. I confess that it’s something to which I’m deeply committed.

I confess that I wasn’t ready for school to begin, and not just for nostalgic reasons–like I can’t believe my kids are in 3rd & 5th grade already. I’m already missing the healthy pace of life we had going as a family during the summer. It was so nice to have long evening hours with no responsibilities other than just to have fun together. We made the most if it & now I’m bummed that homework and activities have returned. Other than the sabbatical summer we had in 2010, I think 2014 might be my favorite since the boys were born.

I confess that I haven’t shaved in almost four weeks. The jury’s still out on whether or not this is a lasting trend, or just a holdover from vacation the beard (if we can call it that), will have to come off soon. I think it all hangs in the balance of whether the thin patches will start to fill in, or just begin to look more and more silly. I know that I don’t miss shaving.

I confess that I just finished reading Chuck Klosterman’s collection of essays called Eating the Dinosaur. He’s really funny. I can’t believe I’ve never heard of him before now. As soon as I was finished, I immediately started it again.

I confess that I love my MacBook, but I’m pretty frustrated with the way iphoto functions. The editing capabilities are nice on the mac, and this makes it way better than the pc. But the organizational structure is frustrating. I know it’s just a learning curve issue, but I was trying to edit some photos to post last night & finally had to shut it off in frustration and go to bed. Old dog. New Tricks.

Okay friends, that’s my confession for this Monday (almost) Morning. Now it’s time for you to make yours:

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