Tyler Tracy vs. Mall Security

I just started reading an excellent book titled: The Me I want to Be: Becoming God's Best Version of You. Click the title for the Amazon link. The book is by John Ortberg. I am always looking for a good read and happen to come across this book accidentally. My family and I are staying at Amanda's parents house over the summer and Amanda's dad had this book laying out. I read the first chapter and I am hooked. Lately I have been struggling with personal identity. I think we all do. I found I was getting frustrated with my characteristics/personality/habits...again, I think we all do, but after reading the first chapter, this is the only chapter I have read so far, John Ortberg paints a very clear picture: You are who you are because God made you how He wants you to be. Those are in my own words. Mr. Ortberg managed to put it 24 different ways over 12 pages, but I got the point. So this leads me to my story and thus the title of the blog: Tyler Tracy vs. Mall Security.

I took Emmett and Katelynn to the West Acres Mall Monday morning. It was a great day to be outside, but sometimes it feels good to change the environment. The kids and I go the mall weekly and our routine rarely changes. First thing first, daddy has to grab a coffee from McDonald's. After McDs we travel over to the new and improved kid's play-land. Emmett and Katelynn love the new kid's zone. Compared to the last one, you don't hear a liquidy squishy noise as you walk on the carpet or check your child's diaper frequently because you believe she may have gone to the bathroom only to realize it's the smell of the room you are in. We enter the room and the kids go crazy. They run off to play. I find a spot for the stroller and then head out to find the kids. Unlike the other parents in the room, I am actually playing with my kids instead of spending time on my phone...sorry, slight jab at modern day parenting. Five minutes go by and Deputy Dewy enters the room. He instantly notices I have a coffee inside the precious new and improved kid's playland. Here's how the conversation went:

Dewy: "Sir, is this your stroller."
Me: "Yes it is."
Dewy: " Sir, we have a no beverages policy in this room. Only water bottles are allowed."
Me: "Oh, well we just got here and I was planning to play with my kids. I won't touch it until we leave the room."
Dewy: "No sir, you can't have the beverage in the room at all. Only water bottles."
Me: "I understand where you are coming from. I am asking you to make an exception considering I won't touch the drink until we leave. Currently the coffee is in a cup holder and won't go any where."
Dewy: "Sorry sir, no exceptions. Only water bottles."

At this point, I was thinking if he said water bottle one more time...

Me: "What happens if the water bottle spills on the floor? Isn't that bad too?"
Dewy: "Water bottles have a cap."
Me: "Not when you are drinking it."
Dewy: "Sir, are you going to remove the drink?"
Me: "I think I have a chance yet, so no."
Dewy: "Sir, if you don't remove the drink then I will have to ask you to leave."
Me: "Do you understand that this policy is not correct? I understand where you are coming from and realize you are doing your job, but don't you think there should be an exception?"
Dewy: "No sir."

At this point, Katelynn came crying over and we left. My brother in law (Brian Stroh) did a blog about policies and how they sometimes just don't make sense. Click here for more details.

I walked away with two thoughts:

1. Just because its a policy doesn't mean its correct. My drink was harmless and was not going to cause any trouble. Just walk away Dewy.

2. We are who we are. God has designed us to be specific human beings. I have tired relentlessly to counteract certain personality traits I carry and it's hard. It doesn't make it okay if they are used in a negative way and I probably should have backed off, but I couldn't resist. I wanted to debate with Dewy. I had to win.

God has bless me with a personality and characteristics only specific to me. I am very thankful for who I am. It is up to me to make sure I don't disappoint God with my actions.

God Bless and thanks for reading.