I think parenting is a lot like golf. You can hit bad shot after bad shot, but it only takes one decent golf shot to bring you back for more. I'm supposed to be the parenting expert, but yet, one of my daily prayer items is, "God…help me be patient with my children today."

I took my oldest child, Cole, to see the newly released movie Poseidon. We were on a father and son date, because as he told me earlier that day, "We haven't been on a date in a long time dad. I think we need to go out tonight." Who can resist such a request?

Kurt Russell plays an over protective father to his beautiful daughter played by Emmy Rossum. I don't want to give away any of the major plot lines in the movie, but it won't hurt you to know that Kurt Russell played the former mayor of New York, who also happened to be a former New York firefighter. To say the least, he's a strong presence in the movie and really dominates his daughter—not in a bad way—but in a way that is protective, but a little domineering at the same time.

In one of the scenes, Kurt has to make a choice to either save himself or save his daughter. It was a touching moment and I had already started crying when my son leaned over, tapped my arm, and said, "Dad, you would do that for me…I know you would."

The one good shot to bring me back.

Even though I often feel like I'm completely blowing it with my kids, something like this happens and I'm encouraged. I'm encouraged to know that despite all my failures as a father, somewhere, somehow, my son knows that I would give my life in order to save his.

The most important gift we can give our children is the gift of sacrificial love, the kind of love Jesus gave to us. Make sure, no matter what, to always let your children know how much you love them and that your love will never stop.

To find this article, books, and conferences from Amy & Michael Smalley go to: http://www.amyandmichael.org/default.aspx?pid=32

© Copyright 2006 Smalley Relationship Center

Print this page

E-mail this page

Bookmark this page

Back to top