My apologies for making my first post here, but this matter is urgent.
To be concise, my father is a nominal Catholic, but actually does not seem to believe in the doctrine (i.e. he does not attend Church except on Christmas & Easter, he does not go to confession, he lives immorally, etc.). My mother is also nominally Catholic and places much emphasis on the religion as a signifier of *family* and not personal belief or faith. My immediate family and my maternal grandmother have essentially cut me off financially and emotionally ever since I stepped away from Catholicism to embrace a Calvinist perspective.
Suffice it to say, things are very strained between us. I am trying so hard to give them grace and to allow the Lord to work His will through my actions & words with them.
My father's birthday is Saturday, but we are celebrating it Friday the 23rd. I have been looking for an appropriate gift for almost a month, and haven't purchased anything. Nothing seemed right. He is a very cold businessman, very focused on money & personal pleasure. He has everything he could possibly want.
But he does not have what he needs. I realized today, in looking for books during the time when I *ought* to be working... that I am feeling called to give a really meaningful gift. God prevented me from buying the superfluous so that I would find a way to give His beautiful gospel to my dad.
The problem is that I'm still flummoxed. If it is too overtly Christian or even really Christian-themed, my dad won't read/watch/listen to it. He thinks that I have joined a cult (which is so far from the truth), even though I've explained to him what I believe over and over. One time he even got up and left in the middle of our conversation.
So I am thinking along the lines of a sports autobiography or biography where faith is a component of a player's lifestyle. Something along the lines of Phil Jackson's book (Sacred Hoops), but without the New Age stuff. Unfortunately, I am not very aware of the current baseball/basketball/football players and their beliefs-- plus I am running out of time! He likes sports (especially Illinois/Indiana teams) and is involved in my brother's band program as a percussion teacher... so maybe along those lines? He also reads books about business management.
Or, if someone has another idea, please post it! I really need help. He did read the Dan Brown novel (The Da Vinci Code) but he normally does not read fiction. I very much doubt he would even open something like The Case for Christ (plus, I don't like that book) or something by C.S. Lewis or Madeline L'Engle.
Can anyone help? The more ideas the better...
Thank you all! These forums are awesome, and I can't wait to explore them further.
In Christ,
aletheis
To be concise, my father is a nominal Catholic, but actually does not seem to believe in the doctrine (i.e. he does not attend Church except on Christmas & Easter, he does not go to confession, he lives immorally, etc.). My mother is also nominally Catholic and places much emphasis on the religion as a signifier of *family* and not personal belief or faith. My immediate family and my maternal grandmother have essentially cut me off financially and emotionally ever since I stepped away from Catholicism to embrace a Calvinist perspective.
Suffice it to say, things are very strained between us. I am trying so hard to give them grace and to allow the Lord to work His will through my actions & words with them.
My father's birthday is Saturday, but we are celebrating it Friday the 23rd. I have been looking for an appropriate gift for almost a month, and haven't purchased anything. Nothing seemed right. He is a very cold businessman, very focused on money & personal pleasure. He has everything he could possibly want.
But he does not have what he needs. I realized today, in looking for books during the time when I *ought* to be working... that I am feeling called to give a really meaningful gift. God prevented me from buying the superfluous so that I would find a way to give His beautiful gospel to my dad.
The problem is that I'm still flummoxed. If it is too overtly Christian or even really Christian-themed, my dad won't read/watch/listen to it. He thinks that I have joined a cult (which is so far from the truth), even though I've explained to him what I believe over and over. One time he even got up and left in the middle of our conversation.
So I am thinking along the lines of a sports autobiography or biography where faith is a component of a player's lifestyle. Something along the lines of Phil Jackson's book (Sacred Hoops), but without the New Age stuff. Unfortunately, I am not very aware of the current baseball/basketball/football players and their beliefs-- plus I am running out of time! He likes sports (especially Illinois/Indiana teams) and is involved in my brother's band program as a percussion teacher... so maybe along those lines? He also reads books about business management.
Or, if someone has another idea, please post it! I really need help. He did read the Dan Brown novel (The Da Vinci Code) but he normally does not read fiction. I very much doubt he would even open something like The Case for Christ (plus, I don't like that book) or something by C.S. Lewis or Madeline L'Engle.
Can anyone help? The more ideas the better...
Thank you all! These forums are awesome, and I can't wait to explore them further.
In Christ,
aletheis
A gift that could very well do what you aiming...helping to draw your Dad to Jesus whom He really needs! 
