Monday Morning Confessional

I confess that our family friend Jenny Hutchinson (Thompson), is in surgery at KU Med right now donating her kidney to a little boy named Hayden. I confess that I believe her act of kindness is an example of how normal everyday people can push back the darkness by imitating the life of Christ. “No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friend.” (John 15:13). I confess that on this day, Jenny Hutchinson has officially schooled us all on what this verse actually means, and in so doing she has officially fleshed out the meaning of the gospel more than any words I have ever said, or ever will say. Way to go Jenny!

I confess that I actually enjoy the greeting-card-like cartoons and ironic sayings which are ubiquitous on Facebook right now. I confess that I hope this condition will reverse itself very soon, because I loath myself in this regard. I confess that my favorite so far this week read: “A good man can make you feel sexy, strong, and able to take on the world… oh, sorry… that’s wine… wine does that.” In the words of the immortal Jeff Tweedy, “There is something wrong with me.”

I confess that reading about French politics this morning brought me great pleasure and amusement. The French people are so excited right now. I confess that I think this is because it’s been so long since anything they did really mattered on a global stage.

I confess that I usually tune out Rachel Maddow the way I tune out everyone on Fox News. However, she has written a new book promoting some ideas that I’m inclined to agree with even as it challenges and convicts me. Maddow says
most US citizens have never been asked to sacrifice anything for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. US military personnel and their families have been required to make heavy, painful, and lasting sacrifices. In our society, they alone bear the scars of war. In stark contrast, the population on the whole has paid no significant price. (In fact the government passed a tax cut right before the wars began, and never seriously considered taking it back). As a result the United States basically put two wars on a credit card – both fiscally, and emotionally. I confess that I believe that war should be costly and painful – it was for the Iraqi people; it is for the Afghan people. I confess that I think wars should ask all the citizens of the warring countries to share in the shouldering the terrible burden of nationalistic violence. Otherwise we might forget what a horrible thing war is. If wars are too painless for the warring society, perhaps that society will be tempted to wage war in a senseless, extravagant, and careless manner. I confess that it’s likely that the only people who can bear witness to American society concerning the awful price of war are the soldiers and their families. I confess that I think this means there will likely be more wars.

I confess that my sons are 10 and 12 years, respectively, from having to register for the draft.

I confess that I am already 2.5 months behind in my “read the bible through in a year” plan… with a bullet. I blame Leviticus.

I made my confession – you make yours!