When I was about six years old, I distinctly remember going out to eat one evening (probably a Friday, but the day really isn’t all that important to the story) at Godfather’s Pizza. That always used to be one of my favorite pizza places, although the one in my home town went out of business sometime in my early childhood. Anyway, that particular evening, it was just the four in my family… me, mom, dad, and my sister… out for a nice family dinner.
I can’t say that I remember too much about the dinner… I was six, video games were about the coolest thing I’d ever seen, and Godfathers? Well… they had two or three sitting there calling my name. Mom and Dad were pretty patient with me, all things considered, and they let me go check them out. I spent the better part of the rest of the evening “playing” Time Pilot. Yeah, I really thought I was playing… the demo mode had me convinced I was playing the best game ever.
As the night went on, I recall the frustration building at our family dinner… pizza was there, and all I wanted to do was “play” the game. I couldn’t quit… I was “winning”. The family dinner? Yeah… pretty much ruined. As I recall, a note was even written to management about the way that game had ruined our evening.
Tonight? I finally understand the frustration of that evening. We had dinner at a pizza place tonight… the Pizza Shoppe. My kids always seem to want pizza on Friday evenings, so that’s where we generally end up. But tonight was a bit different… we sat in the back room… the one families are generally banished to… the one with the large TV playing Cartoon Network.
Needless to say, TV is MUCH more interesting to Jeffrey and Jenna than Mom and Dad. Couple that interest with the fact we don’t let them watch shows with absolutely no redeeming qualities (there’s an abundance of that on Cartoon Network)… well you can see where this is going… our family dinner really didn’t involve much family conversation except for Nancy trying to calm me down while I fumed about the TV, and me talking to the back of Jeffrey’s head.
Anyway… Dad, if you read this, don’t laugh too hard. It only took me 24 years to fully understand that night at Godfather’s… 🙂
(Yes, I know there’s a scriptural lesson here somewhere. I’ll leave that up to those of you who read this.)
It’s all too easy to get caught up in the brouhaha over at Wade’s blog, and that is an important matter, but I so appreciate reading this and seeing what God is teaching you and me through moments like you experienced at your pizza parlor. Thank you for sharing and may we continue to walk in faith listening for God’s voice in our lives, obeying it and humbly learning that it really is all about Him and not about us.
Great story, thanks for sharing it.
Hey, you didn’t say anything about me casting you as Spiderman,… are you okay with that.
And Bryan, what did you think about Judge Reinhold?
John:
Fear not .. there’s an upside, too. You’ll “get it” when your eldest walks the aisle to get their High School Diploma.
You will feel terrific, and the kind of proud that’s ok for parents to feel. It will then hit you that you made your folks feel that way, too. And that thought will make you feel really, really good.
It’ll be worth the wait.
Kevin…
I loved being casted as Spiderman! 🙂
Micah seems to think Superman is a better fit, though. Check it out…
Judge Reinhold? I haven’t seen anything, but i’m slow on the intake.
Oh boy, am I looking forward to my son having teenagers of his own !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!