I've got to go potty NOW!

So, my joy quotient got challenged this evening, as well as my love quotient.

I'm in a store with my two boys and after about 30 minutes in there, Caden says "Daddy, i've got to go to the bathroom REALLY bad." So, I've been in this store several times before, and actually used their restroom in the back with my boys a couple times in the past. So, I walk up to one of the sales people and said, "Excuse me, my son has to go to the restroom very badly, may we please use yours?" To which he responds, "I'm sorry, we don't have a restroom."

Inside I'm like "WHAT!? You're lying right to my face!" Still, it gets filtered before coming out of my mouth and gets translated as, "Well, actually, your store has let my boys use the restroom right behind that door 2-3 times before."

To which he responds, "Oh, well that one is VERY off limits. You'll have to go someplace else."

All the while Caden is saying, "Daddy, I think I'm going to GO IN MY PANTS RIGHT NOW!"

Upon hearing that, the employee simply turns and walks away to one of his friends.

Father anger began to swell up in me. I took Caden by the hand, told him we had to go someplace else and walked out the door.

But then the real battle came. How could I get vengeance in way that avenges that wrong done to my son-yet do it subtly so that no one else, if they saw me, and knew I was a pastor, would think anything of it? Sheesh. The war that wages within.

I found myself stopping outside the front glass doors, looking back inside, wanting to connect eyes with him so I could shake my head in disgust. I wouldn't cuss him out-that would be blatantly wrong-but body language-somehow that seems justifiable.

Anyway, finally I headed back toward our car-and thought to myself-why am I letting myself get all worked up? Will I really let this small thing affect my attitude, steal my joy, and dampen my perspective on the rest of the evening with my boys? So-I finally came to my senses, let it go and enjoyed the rest of my evening.

Still, it's amazing how quickly and easily vengeance can be justified-and how we can excuse it or dismiss it because it was only a nasty look, a rolling of the eyes, a prolonged shaking of the head to communicate disappointment and frustration. Unfortunately, the temptation doesn't only exist with strangers but often with the ones we claim to love the most. I hate that I know how to wound well. As I draw closer to God, I find I hate it all the more.

Now, don't get me wrong, I do think there's a proper way to communicate displeasure with customer service and I'll probably follow up with management in a respectful letter-because after all-as a leader, I'd want to know if something like that happened with one of my staff. Plus, you never know, they could feel compelled to send me something free :) Okay...I'll check my motivations again. Sheesh.

Anyway...I'm done ranting. I have to get some sleep before tomorrow's big soccer game.

Your very human pastor

Comments

[steve daugherty]

Nice job. Really. I would have held my son like a weapon; his rear-end pointed at the clerk as though it were a hold up. I would have said things like "get back and let us through---don't be the hero. Do exactly as i say and nobody gets soiled...."
Thanks for your example, and for upholding the fruit of the spirit even when under a direct threat to your son's fruit of the loom's.