You're right. Today is complicated. I grew up with a dad who was present when he could be, for circumstances out of either of our control at the time. We're still physically distant, but I believe we're getting better at being present when we are together. Happy Father's Day Joe.
Beautiful video. Years ago I wrote this about my father - “Strong in the day and gentle at night. Practical joker who made ‘God the Father’ imaginable and my mother happy.”
Happy Fathers Day Joe! What a sweet story about ur dad and the "new" car. It's nice that your memory of that didn't dissolve at age 13 when you began your debates with him. And I'm touched how your lessons from that experience matured as you also matured.
Growing up my father was very caught up with my four younger brothers but in my mid-to-late 20's apologized to me for not creating the space in his life that he had created for my brothers. It was very healing for both of us.
As for our Father who art in heaven? I'm still pondering that but appreciate you addressing that in this teaching.
I have that book. I really should read it. When I talk about my family dynamics, I usually say, on a scale of 1-10, we were a solid 5! Im glad your Dad made a special seat for you. Touching story. Yeah, Father’s Day isn’t a favorite day for me. But it’s okay. Dad did the best he knew. A solid 5!
Hey y’all, Happy Father’s Day! I have a great dad, kind of like Mr. Rogers only with a fondness for Jimmie Walker! As for calling God “Father,” to me God is half male/half female — sometimes I think of God as “Mother” — or without any gender at all. I’ve rewritten the Lord’s Prayer (which I say every day) to begin with “O God of Love & Peace & Heaven, hallowed be thy name & thy Holy Spirit, may we live in thy Kingdom, with brothers & sisters of faith, & may thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, with Peace & Love…” I think of Heaven as part of God — not a place — just as I think of the Holy Spirit as the part of God that can live in us & with us. Regarding breath as Heaven is like Prana in yoga — that’s breath but more than that, kind of like breath enhanced by Holy Spirit that you take in when you breathe.
Our Father, Who Art in the Heavens?
Cool. But which one?
Because some of y’all still act like He’s chilling in a gated celestial suburb, taking prayer requests like voicemails and smiting like it’s a hobby.
But Jesus didn't say "Our Father who art behind the velvet ropes of a cloud-based VIP lounge."
He said τοῖς οὐρανοῖς — plural. As in: "The skies, the air, the breath. All of it."
Not a sky-daddy.
A here-daddy.
Not “look up and beg,” but “look around and breathe.”
And yeah, Joe’s right—Father is a loaded term.
Some of us had fathers who left, lied, yelled, or hid.
Some of us were those fathers.
Some of us turned “Father” into a throne and forgot the warmth of a lap.
But if “Father” means presence—not patriarchy—
If it means someone who stays, who sees, who makes room for your whole messy self—
Then hell yes. Light the incense. Call that holiness.
Because maybe the real conspiracy isn’t divine.
Maybe it’s the very human lie that God is elsewhere.
Later. After. Above.
But Jesus didn’t point up.
He pointed within.
He breathed on his disciples—not to be cute, but to say: “The first heaven is already in your lungs.”
So on this Father’s Day, bless every man, woman, and divine nonbinary parent who sat beside someone and said, without a word, “You matter.”
And if you never had that, may you be that.
For someone else. For yourself. For the God who forgot how to stay distant.
This is so good for Father’s Day: “Not a sky-daddy. A here-daddy.” 🌞
You're right. Today is complicated. I grew up with a dad who was present when he could be, for circumstances out of either of our control at the time. We're still physically distant, but I believe we're getting better at being present when we are together. Happy Father's Day Joe.
Beautiful video. Years ago I wrote this about my father - “Strong in the day and gentle at night. Practical joker who made ‘God the Father’ imaginable and my mother happy.”
Happy Fathers Day Joe! What a sweet story about ur dad and the "new" car. It's nice that your memory of that didn't dissolve at age 13 when you began your debates with him. And I'm touched how your lessons from that experience matured as you also matured.
Growing up my father was very caught up with my four younger brothers but in my mid-to-late 20's apologized to me for not creating the space in his life that he had created for my brothers. It was very healing for both of us.
As for our Father who art in heaven? I'm still pondering that but appreciate you addressing that in this teaching.
I have that book. I really should read it. When I talk about my family dynamics, I usually say, on a scale of 1-10, we were a solid 5! Im glad your Dad made a special seat for you. Touching story. Yeah, Father’s Day isn’t a favorite day for me. But it’s okay. Dad did the best he knew. A solid 5!
Hey y’all, Happy Father’s Day! I have a great dad, kind of like Mr. Rogers only with a fondness for Jimmie Walker! As for calling God “Father,” to me God is half male/half female — sometimes I think of God as “Mother” — or without any gender at all. I’ve rewritten the Lord’s Prayer (which I say every day) to begin with “O God of Love & Peace & Heaven, hallowed be thy name & thy Holy Spirit, may we live in thy Kingdom, with brothers & sisters of faith, & may thy will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven, with Peace & Love…” I think of Heaven as part of God — not a place — just as I think of the Holy Spirit as the part of God that can live in us & with us. Regarding breath as Heaven is like Prana in yoga — that’s breath but more than that, kind of like breath enhanced by Holy Spirit that you take in when you breathe.