Lord, You have to do it.  He’s going to hurt someone else and heap more pain onto himself.

Break the chain of bondage that holds him.  Sever the connection he has to alcohol.  Release him from his past.  If there is something there, Lord, something that happened to him similar to what he did to me, help him deal with it.  I don’t know what that entails, but he needs You.

All power is Yours, Father, so I know You can help him.  All glory is Yours, Lord, so I know this is not too hard for You and You will get the glory from his restoration, also. You are the King of kings, Addonai!  This is Your kingdom and he is one of your subjects that is being bullied and done wrong.  Vindicate him, Lord!

Protect the children that are in his direct contact.  Wake the people around him to sense the danger lurking behind his smile.  You gotta protect the kids, Lord, until Your work is done in him.

Noble Traits Are Developed in Caring for Children.– I have a very tender interest in all children, for I became a sufferer at a very early age. I have taken many children to care for, and I have always felt that association with the simplicity of childhood was a great blessing to me. . . . {AH 160.2}

The sympathy, forbearance, and love required in dealing with children would be a blessing in any household. They would soften and subdue set traits of character in those who need to be more cheerful and restful. The presence of a child in a home sweetens and refines. A child brought up in the fear of the Lord is a blessing. {AH 160.3}

Care and affection for dependent children removes the roughness from our natures, makes us tender and sympathetic, and has an influence to develop the nobler elements of our character. {AH 160.4}

Do you find that to be true? I do.  The boys have only been here for three days and already my patience has been tried, my sympathy, my attention, my multi-tasking skills; kids are something else.

Here’s the thing though, I wouldn’t trade them for the world.  I’ve watched them grow from little balls of fat to smart, intelligent, energetic, handsome little boys.

My older nephew (6) just graduated Kindergarten.  He’s reading well and writing his numbers to 100!  I remember visiting him in the hospital as a newborn when I nicknamed him “Kermit” because of his frog legs.  I remember sleeping with him as a baby and toting him around everywhere.  I recall his first teeth and his first steps.  I still can hear the first time he said, “I yuv you.”  Now, he’s reading Dick and Jane and comprehending without pictures.

And my younger nephew (4) is right on his heels.  You should have heard him singing his alphabets so proudly the other day!  He follows me around and is super inquisitive; Mr. Adventure.  He and Kermit are a pair to reckon with.

They’re showing me that my professed Christianity is nothing but a soiled dry weave maxi-pad thrown out on the sidewalk and baking in the noonday sun.  Did that turn your stomach?  It should because when I think of how pathetic my Christian example is, I need to hurl.  But most importantly they’re showing me God.  They’re showing me His saving grace.  The way He looks at me as I’m sleeping; the way He reprimands me and still has His arms and lap open for consoling; the way He listens to me contently even when I’m speaking seeming gibberish; the way He gently guides me as I read His word.

I’m not a Father, just a doting uncle, but I only hope that these next two weeks with the boys continue to show me how great God is to me.  Hopefully I’ll begin to follow and mimick and inquire about Him as much as Marcus, Mr. Adventure, does with me.

I’m going to leave you with another thought from The Adventist Home, so be sure to leave a comment:

A Child’s Influence on Enoch.–After the birth of his first son, Enoch reached a higher experience; he was drawn into a closer relationship with God. He realized more fully his own obligations and responsibility as a son of God. And as he saw the child’s love for its father, its simple trust in his protection; as he felt the deep, yearning tenderness of his own heart for that first-born son, he learned a precious lesson of the wonderful love of God to men in the gift of His Son, and the confidence which the children of God may repose in their heavenly Father.

*Both passages taken from Chapter 23 “Children A Blessing” from Ellen G White’s The Adventist Home

For years I asked You for spirit filled “parents” that were consistently in Your presence and leaning their ears to hear a word from You.  You so exceeded my expectations when You sent Thomas & Jasmene Rhem back into my life.  Just last night they intently listened as I emptied my analytical rantings on them regarding a concern dear to me.  They prayerfully offered counsel, advice and questions.  Then Thomas prayed for me.

I’m sure it’s been a long time coming for them to have the relationship they do together with You, and the funny thing is they may not even realize that they do; that they ooze a marriage that is wrapped up, tied up, tangled up in You.

My request is simple tonight, LORD: Bless the Rhems indeed, enlarge their territory, keep evil far from them that it may not grieve them and that they may not hurt others. For every soul they have unselfishly sacrificed time and effort for, helping that soul out of the depths of darkness, give them a blessing tenfold and let those blessings be according to Your riches in glory. You know what they need, Father, because You are a just God. Fill a need for each of them.

In Exodus chapter 20, LORD, You said You show mercy and steadfast love to a thousand generations of those who love You and keep Your commandments. Well, that includes the Rhems. Honor Your Word, Father. Shower them with blessings; and, as they kneel drenched in Your never ending grace & mercy may praise and adoration be forever on their lips.

Thank You, I AM, for Thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Protect my boys from the evils out there, please.  I know that even if my nephews were here with me that I would still have to count on You for their well-being.  This world is sick, LORD. Sick!  I know You know, I just want to make sure You know.

Pray for the little ones in your life. They can't do it for themselves.

Don’t let anyone rob them of their childhood.  Help me, my mom and  my sister be a positive force in what they will become; in what You have planned for them.  I believe You have great things for them, plans to prosper them.  I know You have Your hands on them as well.  Just protect them from the evil one.

The power of life and death is in the tongue Your word says.  Give me the power of life in my words for my nephews as well as others I am in contact with.  Forgive me of my foolish pride and arrogance that makes me believe that I can handle life on my own, or that I can be some type of vigilante if something was to ever happen to them.

I thought I would get that off my chest, Father.  Thanks for listening.

Well, maybe you’re not, but I am. 

And sometimes that’s the hard truth you have to come to in order to be productive and ultimately successful in the world you’re in.  Get out of your head and stop being detrimental to your progress. 

The Past Three Weeks

 As you’ve seen, my last substantial post (or last post in general) was Valentine’s Day.  I called myself taking a sabbatical, if you will, a hiatus.  But the truth of the matter is…I was being lazy.

I know you aren’t going to fault me for not having some kind of post up each day as I had been doing, but if that’s what I was beginning to make you expect then I should have the decency to keep it up.  The problem is I don’t like work.  Tailor Made was starting to become work and needed a little more attention and elbow grease and effort on my part than I initially imagined it would. 

Trust me, I tried to blame a lot of things and make a grip of excuses, but once I ran the gamut of excuses nothing really stuck besides the fact that I let my perfectionistic attitude yet again hinder me from completing or enduring a project.

Be Ye Perfect

The Bible admonishes the children of God to be perfect even as He is perfect, yet I don’t think He’s telling us to be as meticulous and neurotic as I am about things. 

This is my mantra: if I can’t get something done the ideal way, the perfect way, then don’t even bother with it.  Maybe that’s why it’s so easy for me to be single.  Maybe that’s why I stress at work.  Maybe that’s why I’ve had to battle, I have to battle depression because if I can’t meet my goal, as idealistic and great as it is, then I must be a loser!  Now that’s some truth for you.

Don’t get me wrong.  I’m far from OCD (some of my friends would disagree), and I’m not what you would call anal (dare you disagree?);  I just like what I like how I like it.

Tailor Made’s A Joke

My plans for the blog were/are magnificent.  I know exactly what kind of content that I want to provide to you, yet I won’t provide it totally because it requires a little research, a little digging, a little more construction, a little more prayer and I realize that I have to give it all I’ve got or nothing at all.

Who cares that I don’t have internet at home and work has gotten slightly busier (I’m cranking this out right before I go to lunch), and my car has broken down, and I left my phone charger in Nashville, and… how is that an excuse for not providing you with substantial content relevant to Tailor Made’s purpose.  It isn’t.  I’ve got to stop being lazily perfect, and just do it.  Do the research. Write the post. Drive and/or walk and/or catch the bus to a wi-fi spot. Spend the night at a friend’s house, if need be. 

And I will, because I think you’re worth it.

What’s the last “hard” conversation you had with yourself?

Please show us Your power to heal today for little Lana who has Stage Four cancer.  Things look grim yet that’s when You are the closest.  As my friend, KiKi said we’re claiming “the total and complete and rapid manifestation of her healing.” 

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We know that it isn’t our prayers alone, Father, that prompt You to move. We know it’s not our worth or our righteousness that incite You into action.  You act  on Your own accord because You want to.  And You love it when we empty ourselves to get into accord with You. 

That being said, LORD, You healed many sick for the sake of Your glory, so we ask the same thing for Lana.  May her healing bring forth praise from the mouths of her parents and the medical staff working diligently for her health.  Please grant “wisdom, strength, peace and comfort to all those involved.”

You are the Almighty One, and our faith and trust are in You.  May this be an opportunity for people to see that You are God alone. 

Maybe I just like the adrenaline rush of knowing that time is running out and there is tons more to do.  This week I waited until Thursday night to start reading over the lesson plan for Children’s Sabbath School.  Last week I waited until Friday night knowing that I would have to find supplies for the crafts, memorize the story, and be prepared for any mishaps.

I have purposed that I won’t procrastinate anymore.  It’s pretty embarrassing actually.  People don’t know that I’m doing a mediocre job, but God and I know.  Are you feeling me? If you have a talent or a gift of some sort, that’s even more reason to put the time and effort into it developing it.  But nope, I use it as a crutch.  Because I know that I can just cram something in my brain and spit it back out with enough comprehension for others to pick up, I get lazy.

Mind you, it isn’t all the time.  We’ll just say frequently enough for me to have an issue with it.

The same attitude filters into my relationship with Christ, which is  probably why I am always praying about consistence.  It seems I just can’t stay consistent with anything besides being mediocre.  Have you had that problem?  What did you do, or better yet, what are you doing about it?

The reason I’m even up writing this is because I’m cramming a few children’s songs, the story, packing a suitcase for the story (talking about going on a trip or a journey)… and I know that if I had started Sunday (which is my plan from now on) I could have gotten all the supplies I needed and really worked the story.  Maybe had some adults act it out and get them involved.  I spent two hours at church trying to get the room set-up for the class.  It’s just too much to try to do in four hours.

I don’t know.  Maybe I have the spiritual gift of mediocrity.  Is it okay to re-gift?