I confess that when I\u2019m 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.<\/p>\n
I\u2019m trying to teach my kids a bunch of songs that will help them loosen up and have some fun \u2013 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\u2019s song \u201cCold Hard Bitch\u201d is a near perfect rock song. I\u2019m not even joking, the intro has to go down as one of the great rock intros ever. So far, though, the consensus favorite is \u201cHard To Handle\u201d by the Black Crowes. However\u2026 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 \u2013 then download \u201cAre You Gonna Be My Girl,\u201d turn it up to eleven and dance your legs off. You\u2019ll be glad you did.<\/p>\n
I confess that I should have mowed the lawn last Thursday \u2013 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\u2019t take it. I went to the pool with my kids instead. I confess that I try not to mow on Sunday because it\u2019s Sabbath. So I guess I\u2019m 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\u2019m using the word hate<\/em> here\u2026 about mowing. The only redeeming part is that I can listen to lectures and books.<\/p>\n 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 \u2013 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.<\/p>\n I confess that I read my first Tim Keller book last week, The Prodigal God<\/em>. 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\u2026 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\u2019s Return of the Prodigal Son<\/em> this past winter ruined me for nearly anything else written on this parable. Still I really liked Keller\u2019s take. I don\u2019t think it will be the last book I read by him.<\/p>\n I confess that I stayed up way to late nearly every night last week. Once again I\u2019m blaming summer. I know that\u2019s a bit of a stretch, but I have a theory that the Kansas summer heat steals away all of my self-discipline. I\u2019m pretty sure that this is just a way to rationalize\u2026<\/p>\n I confess that I\u2019m nearly done reading The Last Olympian<\/em> aloud to my boys. It\u2019s the fifth and final book in the Percy Jackson and the Olympians<\/em> 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<\/em> 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\u2019ll try so hard to get them to love books that I\u2019ll end up giving them some sort of deep-seated aversion to reading.<\/p>\n I confess that I\u2019m re-watching season one of The Newsroom<\/em> in order to get pumped up for season two\u2026 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.<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" I confess that when I\u2019m 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, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1118,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[682,684,437,683,668,4,680,681,679,678],"class_list":["post-2085","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-aaron-sorkin","tag-black-crowes","tag-henri-nouwen","tag-jet","tag-kc-royals","tag-monday-morning-confessional","tag-percy-jackson","tag-the-newsroom","tag-the-prodigal-god","tag-tim-keller"],"yoast_head":"\n