Bylaws, butts, and a blessing...

There is a short little Greek who runs a pizza place here in Coaldale – his name is Nic. His diminutive frame holds a complete contrast to his boisterous, agitated character. But what is normally a short little spitfire of a man is suddenly a scolded puppy in the presence of his wife – Zia. Zia is a gem. Her accent is thicker than Nic’s but that has never stopped her from speaking more and louder than she does.
Dilo’s, the little spot that they run carved out into the second floor of a three story stylized rooming house, used to be filled with smoke. A few years ago the town decided to go smoke free in all public buildings. If they had been perfectly honest, the town councillors would have had to admit that this was targeted legislation against Nic and Zia. No worries.
Zia started up a petition.
I have personal weakness for the cheese toast that Nic makes me without hardly even asking. I probably don’t qualify as a regular but I might be close. I am, “da Pries”-a term Nic probably uses for any and all clergy.
One day I walked in to find Zia particularly agitated.
She asked me if I was going to sign the petition.
No that’s not true. Zia culled me from the group of buddies who I had roped into going to Dilo’s for a late night snack. She culled me with her large left arm and dragged me to the counter where she pointed to the yellow and yellowing paper taped to the counter. Tapping it she asked me if I could sign it. Apparently, to her the signature of a ‘pries’ would be an asset.
I declined trying to wriggle away from her firm grip on my shoulder.
Now as some of you are aware, I have had occasion to suck on tobacco products from time to time. But on principle, habitual smoking is both personally dangerous and dishonouring of the body I have been given by God. So I told her I could not sign it. I said, “Zia, how would that look if I were to sign the petition so people could keep smoking here and then would try to help youth to stop the habit of smoking?”
By this time everyone in the restaurant is engaged in the conversation.
Zia: “Bah!” she says flapping her hands at me.
“Eef a keeds uh gunna smok
Da keeds uh gunna smok”

I thought of that this past weekend. We took a bunch of senior high guys up to SABC to race stripped down trucks on a dirt track. Kids are gonna be kids. Boys will be boys. So of course the weekend was replete with testosterone induced mayhem. Moonings, playing poker in your boxers and motorbike boots…..you know – guys stuff.
Which makes me think that my oldest boy is thirteen now.
Jared makes me proud. He has a keenly sharp wit – used predominantly for annoying teasing of his brothers. He has a big heart – compassionate. In many ways he is fearless. He jumped onto the bike we helped buy him for his birthday and with a few hours wandered in with ‘road rash’. Most of all Jared is a keen spiritual learner.
I came to a realization yesterday. I have entered a new phase in may relationship with him. One where I will spend less time imposing rules and regulations on him and way more time helping him working through the struggles he will face. It’s hard to trust the teaching that I hope we have done in these past few years. And though the teaching will not stop, Jared will participate in that learning with far more volition. The scriptures teach us to trust the teaching done in childhood. Congratulations Jared on growing into a young man, I am very proud to call my son. I know some of the struggles you will face. I know you will screw up and make mistakes. That will never change my love for you. I know too that you will chart your life with integrity. I will walk with you down the Road of Christ.