A question for Visitors and Members: What are YOUR impressions of THIS Father?
 
 Then he (Jesus) said, "There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father,  
 
   'Father, I want right now what's coming to me.'
 
    "So the father divided the property between them. It wasn't long before the younger son packed everything up and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his property, there was a terrible famine all through that country and he began to be in need. He signed on with a citizen there who assigned him to his fields to slop the pigs. He was so hungry he would have eaten the corncobs in the pig slop, but no one would give him any.
 
    "Coming to his senses. he said, 'All those farmhands working for my father have plenty to eat, and here I am starving to death. I'm going back to my father. I'll say to him,
 
   'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son. Take me on as a hired hand.' He got right up and went home to his father.
 
    "But When he was still a long way off, his father saw him. and was moved with compassion, and ran, and embraced him, and kissed him. The son said to him:
 
   'Father, I've sinned against God, I've sinned before you; I don't deserve to be called your son ever again.'
 
    "But the father called to the servants, 'Quick. Bring out the best clothes and dress him. Put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. Then get the fattened calf and kill it. We're going to feast! We're going to have a wonderful time! My son is here--given up for dead and now alive! Given up for lost and now found!' And they began to have a wonderful time.
 
    "And his older son was out in the field. And he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, 'Your brother came home. Your father has killed the fattened calf-because he has him home safe and sound.'
 
    "But the older brother stalked off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out to talk to him, but he wouldn't listen. The son said, 'Look how many years I've stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you kill the fattened calf for him!'
 
    "But His father said, 'Child, you're with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours-- but it was right to have wonderful time and celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he's alive! He was lost, and he's found!''

Beautiful story.  I don't agree with Kevin that the Father was taking the second son for granted and the issue of favouratism is not clear to me.  I see this story more like love on one hand and envy on the other.  
 
One thing is certain, any Dad that makes a party for one of his sons because he returned home is the type of Dad that I wished I had.
 
David