Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Home
Progressive Christian
Saving Daddy

Saving Daddy

Last updated on: December 28, 2013 at 12:46 pm by Susan Cottrell

Saving Daddy 2013-12-28T12:46:26-05:00 Susan Cottrell

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

mary_poppins

We LOVED the movie Saving Mr. Banks. Loved it! Emma Thompson is my personal favorite, and Tom Hanks is always good, too.

I didn’t see Mary Poppins until I was in college. My friend summed up the story: “It’s about the dad’s redemption.” Not the magical nanny who comes to manage these children, nor the children who need to be managed, but the dad’s redemption. I love that.

The screentime and singable scenes go to Mary Poppins, the chimneysweep, and the children. But the backbone of the family is the father, and change in him restores everyone.

Fathers impact their family in profound ways. Pay attention to stories of family restoration. They don’t happen because a father gains tighter control of his family, or because kids become more submissive. On the contrary, a real paradigm shift happens because a father’s agenda cracks into pieces, to reveal his deep love for his family.

And when that’s not possible, when Dad can’t or won’t make that break, it’s about the children picking up their own lives and moving forward, sometimes without him (a poignant little piece of Saving Mr. Banks.)

If you are the father of a family who has not met your expectations, seek God out for yourself. Ask him for his agenda. Surrender yours. I know you’ve learned from this culture to keep a firm grip on your family to make it what you want it to be. (Times 10 for Christians.) But that plan consumes you and throws you in a pit.

Surrender to the life God has given you and let people be. Love them as they are. Lay aside your idea of a patriarch and be a daddy. That’s all your family ever wanted.

And while you’re at it, lay aside the ‘ideal’ man you think God wants you to be, and just let him be your daddy. It will restore your life!

For a full treatment of loving your growing and grown kids, read How Not to Lose Your Teen.

christian parents gay child

christian parents of gay children

christians with gay children

gay christian charity

gay christian community

gay kids

help my child is gay

homosexuality

homosexuality and sin

homosexuality and the bible

homosexuality and the church

how to respond to a gay child

parent of a gay child

parents of gay children

parents of gay kids

saving mr banks

Susan Cottrell

to christian parents of gay children

what do you do when your son is gay

what to do if your son is gay

what to do when your son is gay

when your family rejects you

Previous Post

December 23, 2013

Have A Wonderful Life!

Next Post

December 31, 2013 The Year In Review

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Church & Religion Dear Susan Family Support Gay Weddings & Marriage GCN Conference Jesus Blog LGBTQ Support Parenting Personal Stories Suicide The Real Jesus Theology Transgender Uncategorized X Archived Posts

Select a Month August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 January 2025 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 June 2022 December 2021 May 2021 February 2021 November 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 May 2019 March 2019 January 2019 November 2018 March 2018 January 2018 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I was summoned from Lo Debar and ate at the king's table despite my disability. Who am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Mephibosheth Jonathan Amnon Absalom

Support this
Column