Raising Charlie

I love both of my kids the same, but there is something unique about a father-daughter or a father-son relationship. As I dropped my close to four year old son off at school today I realized how blessed I am to have him. He insisted on me taking him to school. Usually mom takes him but since I was home he wanted me to do it and wouldn't take no for an answer. So I got him dressed and made sure he brushed his teeth and had his backpack and out the door we went. We keep the car seats in the van so that is the vehicle that the kids always ride in. Very rarely is there a car seat in my car, but apparently when there is it is a special treat. Charlie saw my car and wanted to ride in it instead of the van, I couldn't figure out why but remembered the pure joy he exhibited the last time he rode in my car, but we didn't have time for a car seat change so he had to settle for the van today.
His desire to ride in my car brought back an old memory from my own childhood when I was maybe just a little older than he is now. My dad had an old pickup that I always loved to ride in. It was different from the family car so it was special when you got to go someplace in it. Now for years I always thought it was the truck itself, but now I am not so sure that was it. I remember soon after getting Charlie thinking about getting an old truck because of that memory, but the money was never really there and it just wasn't a reasonable thing to do. I wanted the truck because I wanted Charlie to have that same wonderment that I had. But after today I don't think it was so much the truck itself as it was that it was my dad's truck. It was his truck, only he drove it. To ride in the truck meant to be alone with dad in his terrain. I say that because Charlie seems to have that same fascination with my simple every day car. He gets a real kick riding in it with me, especially when it is just him and I. Maybe the kid just likes being with his dad in something that is dad's domain.
I thought about that as I was pulling into the school parking lot and I looked in the rear view mirror and saw that smile. We weren't in the car but it was just me and him taking a ride. And that seemed to bring him great joy. In that smile I could see my smile from forty years ago. I have to go pick him up from school in a couple of hours, so I think I am going to go out and move one of those car seats into the back of my car and create some memories.

Pastor Fred