long boards, parenting & the gospel...

Our son Jacob just turned 10. My wife and I can't believe that he's in the double digit era - there's no turning back now. We are officially parents of a double digit child and we're ok with that. When it comes to Birthdays, we've never been over exuberant with our gifts and have always tried to keep the budgets down. Two reasons: one is that we don't want to spoil our kids and give them too much, and two, we simply don't have the money to spoil them even if we wanted too.

A few months back, Jacob asked if we could get him a long board; a longer scale skateboard that is more for cruising than it is for stunts and tricks. My cousin had a few in his entrance last time we visited them and Jacob thought that they were quite cool. Well not only did he want one, but he wanted me to get one as well. Why you ask, because he figured that we could spend time together skating the days away. (He probably also thought that it was one way of assuring I'd agree to buying one :)

Here's the thing: I've never bought or had a skateboard in my life. As cool as the first 'Back to the Future' movie was (you know the scene with Michael J Fox riding his board to school while holding on the back of a truck), I was never drawn to skateboarding. But I was faced with a decision: my son asked me to do something with him, and it would cost me something - do I chicken out or do I pick up two long boards and learn to ride with Jacob. Well the decision was made easy on Boxing Day. I was in Yorkdale Mall, and for the record it was only because we were coming back from a hockey game and got off at the Subway station there, otherwise I wouldn't be in the mall on Boxing Day, and happened to walk into West 49. They had a sale going on - 75% off the second item. I asked if that included long boards, and to my surprise it did. (If you know me, this was a very happy moment)

Since Jacob was with me I had to discretely let the sales person know that I'd be back and to hold two boards for me. I returned a few hours later and picked up, not one, but two long boards. Thankfully, for our budget, my board was much less money. And there I was, a 38 year old dad, who has never bought a board and hardly ever skated before, buying myself my first skate board. Pretty crazy, I know. Kind of cool too. (The young girl at the counter said, in classic teenager mode, 'pretty cool man, you just bought a long board for $38)

Why share this story? Well we've been out on the boards twice already (it's winter eh!) and the short rides were not only fun, but meaningful. I'm spending time with my son - quality time - doing something he likes (and an activity I've never done). You see, I've encouraged my son to play golf with me, but that's something I like. I'm guessing that skating with Jacob won't only get me brownie points as a Dad (and Husband ;), but it will contribute to the on going relationship that Jacob and I are developing.

And what about the gospel? I can't help but think that this is, in a metaphorical way, what Jesus did to develop our relationship with God. He moved into our neighbourhood, grew up as boy, took up a trade, lived his life with us, and did things that we like (i.e. went to parties, ate & drank, hung out in public spaces, etc.)...all so we could know him, his Father, and the ways of his Kingdom.

If Jesus thought picking up long boarding would get us closer to his Father and himself, then I imagine he would've done that too.