Over Protective! WHO ME???

Alright I admit it that sometimes (more often then not) I am an overprotective parent... I don't think it is ever going to change. Well, last night it all came to a head... I almost became one of those parents... The Story goes like this...

Around 6pm last night Rebecca had a great idea... "Justin, does Chic-fil-a have a play area?" I said, "I think so." So we decided that we would take our family to Chic-Fil-A and let Abby run around in the mini-playground... We would enjoy some waffle fries, chicken and maybe a peppermint milkshake. So we all hop in the van and drive about 4 minutes (it is now around 6:30) down the road only to find out that they closed at 6pm... No big deal we are going to travel to Glen Burnie and see what we can find...
We found the McDonald's from HELL. On the outside it was perfect, had a nice playground area, they were supposed to have the My Little Pony toy (which is Abby's favorite) in the Happy Meal, everything seemed be running according to plan. Until we entered the doors...
We started to order and they didn't have the salad that Rebecca wanted, that's no big deal we will get something else. They don't have the My Little Pony toy. Alright, that's not great but what can you do? We get our food and head over to the play area. All the tables were dirty! So I had someone come in, wipe the table down and clean up a little. Abby was still excited to go on the playground... And there was only one other little boy in the playground at the time, so it seemed safe. Then he started screaming and crying for attention and I figured he would stop when his parents came in. (WRONG!!!)

So Abby gets in the playground and that's when all Hell broke loose. Shortly after Abby started to climb and slide, another boy starting running loudly around bare foot in the restaurant and playground (while his parents just laughed and ate) I just got up and took a turn watching Abby a little closer. Then two little girls came in the playground... And ALL THE CHILDREN STARTING SCREAMING (Not Abby)

Abby was in the playground where she couldn't see me and she must have gotten scared from the girls screaming in her face because she started to cry "Daddy!, Daddy!, Daddy!, Daddy!" (it was only a second or two but it seemed like forever...) as she was walking back towards me, the barefoot little punk started to come up the stairs right in front of her... She just shoved him and shouted "No Go AWAY"... I got a hold of my sobbing Abby and turned around to see all the parents there laughing... I really wanted to knock them out... It was only because of Jesus that I didn't! Poor Abby just clung to me and cried...

Anyway, I was instantly reminded of my favorite scene from The Lion King. When Simba and Nala are trapped by the spotted hyenas and Simba starts to roar... After the first time the hyenas just laugh... The second time, Simba's father happens to roar at the same time and comes on the scene like a gang buster and saves the day... That's how God is with us when we get ourselves in a situation where we can't see him, or we are just confused by all the screaming that is around us. When life is too loud, just looking around and I am sure that you will see His hand reaching out to you...

Thanks for Reading
~ Justin