Comments on: Second chances for fathers http://online.worldmag.com/2009/06/19/second-chances-for-fathers/ A forum for discussion of news that arises at the intersection of Christianity and culture. Sat, 21 Nov 2009 13:28:26 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Harris http://online.worldmag.com/2009/06/19/second-chances-for-fathers/comment-page-1/#comment-436634 Harris Mon, 22 Jun 2009 02:26:24 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19961#comment-436634 Thank you, Tony. With an adult child, there are now parts of our relationship we gingerly begin to unwrap: the disappointments, the explanations. Some part of this is the freedom of age, yes, but a larger portion is that we trust one another in love and in forgiveness. As a father, I have resisted the call to forgiveness, as well as acted on it. In my resistance, I can see the outlines of fear of rejection, and of course self-regard. In the practice of forgiveness, I have also met with grace and the assurance of both my daughter's and my Father's love. Thank you, Tony.

With an adult child, there are now parts of our relationship we gingerly begin to unwrap: the disappointments, the explanations. Some part of this is the freedom of age, yes, but a larger portion is that we trust one another in love and in forgiveness.

As a father, I have resisted the call to forgiveness, as well as acted on it. In my resistance, I can see the outlines of fear of rejection, and of course self-regard. In the practice of forgiveness, I have also met with grace and the assurance of both my daughter’s and my Father’s love.

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]]> By: hrw http://online.worldmag.com/2009/06/19/second-chances-for-fathers/comment-page-1/#comment-436365 hrw Sat, 20 Jun 2009 13:25:10 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19961#comment-436365 We all tend to live vicariously through our children which as you acknowledge is a mistake. This acknowledgment indicates an awareness of our parental limitations. Once we are aware of these limitations and act accordingly, we become good parents. Thanks for your post. I can relate to existential realization of our limits as humans and parents when faced with the ultimate tragedy. Hopefully you and I can apply this to the child(ren) we still need to raise and love. We all tend to live vicariously through our children which as you acknowledge is a mistake. This acknowledgment indicates an awareness of our parental limitations. Once we are aware of these limitations and act accordingly, we become good parents.

Thanks for your post. I can relate to existential realization of our limits as humans and parents when faced with the ultimate tragedy. Hopefully you and I can apply this to the child(ren) we still need to raise and love.

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]]> By: fisherman http://online.worldmag.com/2009/06/19/second-chances-for-fathers/comment-page-1/#comment-436117 fisherman Fri, 19 Jun 2009 15:17:09 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19961#comment-436117 Me too, Tony! My constant consolation and encouragement is the thought that God, Our Father, loves me more and better than I love my children. He forgives, waits, empowers, forgives, leads, etc.... Paul said: "One thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." That is the freedom our Father gives to us, and the freedom we long to give to the families we father. Me too, Tony!
My constant consolation and encouragement is the thought that God, Our Father, loves me more and better than I love my children. He forgives, waits, empowers, forgives, leads, etc….

Paul said: “One thing I do; forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” That is the freedom our Father gives to us, and the freedom we long to give to the families we father.

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]]> By: KI http://online.worldmag.com/2009/06/19/second-chances-for-fathers/comment-page-1/#comment-436088 KI Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:14:26 +0000 http://online.worldmag.com/?p=19961#comment-436088 A good picture of how the Holy Spirit helps us to see more clearly little by little. He helps us see how much we need Christ; how blessed we are by being robed in His righteousness; how ours is filthy rags. He extends his mercy and grace and as we see it more and more clearly we should be extending it to others. We won't see perfectly clearly until heaven. Then the stories of his grace and love will abound. We will see how he has led us and helped us work out this great salvation. A good picture of how the Holy Spirit helps us to see more clearly little by little. He helps us see how much we need Christ; how blessed we are by being robed in His righteousness; how ours is filthy rags.

He extends his mercy and grace and as we see it more and more clearly we should be extending it to others. We won’t see perfectly clearly until heaven. Then the stories of his grace and love will abound. We will see how he has led us and helped us work out this great salvation.

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