Monday Morning Confessional

I confess that I am struggling to keep a healthy balance right now. I think the two things that keep me most off balance are time spent at work and time spent reading up on politics, polling, and pundits so that I have something intelligent to say on this blog.

I confess that one important metric I use when evaluating my own writing about politics is whether or not I’m being criticized by both liberals and conservatives. This week I’ve been the beneficiary of scathing emails, comments, and postings from strident politicos on both sides of the isle. I was told by a Republican that I shouldn’t be allowed to write about politics, and told by a democrat that I don’t know my own mind – those are just the highlights. I confess that I feel okay about the fact that I’m offending both the left and the right, but I wish people didn’t take themselves quite so seriously.

I confess that I heard somebody called me a “grumpy theologian” the other day. I wasn’t offended or anything, but I realized that I don’t feel grumpy, but then I don’t really feel like much of a theologian either. I think maybe I’m more of a typical exhausted pastor.

I confess that I have a heavy heart for some folks in my congregation who are facing some real challenges right now. I confess that I feel incompetent when it comes to pastoral care, but I am praying like crazy.

I confess that I can actually watch soccer on TV now and be reasonably into the match and understand most of what’s happening. I confess that it seems like a much more humane game than American football, plus soccer players flop around and throw excellent tantrums. I confess that I love the tantrums.

I confess that I have peculiar sitcom re-run viewing habits. I will get hooked on a show, watch most of the episodes, then bail on the show and hardly watch it anymore. I’ve done this with tons of shows: That 70’s Show, According to Jim (not proud of this one), The Family Guy, and currently Big Bang Theory. I confess that I watch these in much the same way that I eat too many junk foods: late at night while I should be sleeping.

I confess that playing piano feels to me like a form of meditation.

I confess that I’m terrible at remembering the words to songs. I confess that most of the time I refuse to play for people in public or private it’s because I am reasonably convinced that I can’t remember the lyrics to any songs – especially those that I’ve written myself.

Okay friends, I made my confession, time for you to make yours.