Congratulations! It's a Boy!

I recently read a post about the Royal Family. You know—Prince William and his wife, Kate—and now, their newborn son; the young, hip couple of England’s Royalty. And I paused to think. To smile. To remember the births of my own children. And to pray.

Lord, let there still be a few good men.

As I am fifty years old, single and in the dating 
world, Lord, PLEASE…..let there still be at least one good man out there. As I am raising my nearly 18 year old son, to be a good man, let there be mentoring role models for him.  Those without ear piercings or nose studs, wild or demonic tattoos, and less than stellar pasts. A man pierced by Your love and studded by Your grace.  A man wild with love for You. His life a shining example of true faith. 

 

Lord, let my son be a man who always recognizes and knows the Truth. Who tenderheartedly seeks Your wisdom and guidance. Who knows how to hear Your still, small voice amidst the voices of this loud world. May he always experience and know Your love, mercy and grace.

And how to keep his home clean. And how to treat a woman. And how to treat those who society would consider to be ‘less than.’ 

May he always live out The Golden Rule. Love those who may not even love themselves. Help those who cannot do anything for him. Always do the right thing even when no one is looking. Be defined by Your love. The amount of love he has to offer, and not by the society’s definition of young men.

 May he always have humor. And live a life filled with it. The kind of life that gives him a belly ache from laughing so hard. That makes his eyes leak and his heart joyful. May he find joy in the little things. Those things that others minimize or dismiss. Creation. Who can’t help but laugh at a blowfish? A baby gurgling. An elderly couple holding hands. A toddler swimming for the first time. A fat puppy who has just nursed until he looks as though he will burst.

May he be one of the real men who loves unconditionally. His family. His friends.  Others. Without exceptions. Without conditions. One who is willing to go the distance with those whom he’d really rather not. Who pauses and realizes that he is just as flawed as others and loves himself unconditionally, too.

May he love puppies, babies, the elderly, underdogs, volunteering and Jesus. Yup, may he love them all. Exceptionally. Excellently. Unconditionally.

Make him a real man who knows how to say, ‘I’m sorry,’ and mean it. And change his behavior. And say it again until the person he’s wronged ‘gets it.’ May he be able to forgive when forgiveness is difficult and unwarranted. May he recognize his need for forgiveness and extend grace and mercy to others.

Make him a real man of God who honors women. Not just his wife and mother and sisters. But all women. Especially his wife and daughters. Let this man of God focus on his responsibilities to his wife and family, and not be distracted by the cares of this world.

May he be a real man of courage. Of bravery. Who knows no bounds when it comes to his relationship with Christ. Who doesn’t care what is cool and what is not. Who braves society with his political incorrectness. With justice and peace. Who, like Don Quixote, dares to right the unrightable wrong. To love pure and chaste from afar. To try when his arms are too weary. To fight for the right, without question or pause. To be willing to march into hell for a Heavenly cause.

May he be a man who loves You, Lord. Who looks to You for guidance. Who is wise beyond his years, yet humble enough not to know it. Who seeks your wisdom. In everything. Every facet of his existence.

Yes. Let my son be that man. And let me have the privilege and honor or meeting someone like him, too.