Blog Challenge. Day Seven.: Would you take a word picture?

Today is a picture of a person or place that has impacted your life.

But I don't have a picture of her.
So I'll paint her for you.

She had the shortest, poofiest, blondest old lady hair you'd ever seen.
She smiled so big that you could never see her eyes.
She was a public school teacher (granted our po-dunk jr. high was more like private school) but would pull me into her room between classes and pray for me when I was having a bad day.
When we read Jabberwocky, she had a giant costume head she would stick on the end of a yardstick and run around the room waving it in the air.
She had the sweetest, most gentle voice. But could raise it to deafening decibels when necessary.
She told us she'd missed class because she'd been diagnosed with leukemia like she'd been at a hair appointment.
When she passed away a year later, she was most upset that we would hurt for her....when she wouldn't be hurting at all.
She called us her babies, and at her funeral...her husband hugged us each so tightly that we knew he felt the same way.

She was magical.
She told me I could write. She was the very first one.
She was the kind of crazy-beautiful English teacher I long to be.

Can you see her? Oh, I hope you can.
She was beautiful.

impossible to be a gentleman?

I went to Target the other day...I can't remember why. There probably wasn't a reason, and seriously...do I really need one? ;)

Anywho....I walked up to the door. You know, the automatic sliding ones. This man is walking up at the same time, but instead of walking through the doors, he stops. I look at him with a bewildered look on my face, thinking "come on dude, the doors open for you." Turns out he wasn't crazy...just chivalrous...

He stopped, made a sweeping motion toward the door with his hand and said, "Here, let me get that door for you."

I laughed a little, said "thank you" and walked on in. Then from behind me I heard him say, to no one in particular...

"They make it impossible to be a gentleman anymore."

I literally stopped and looked back at him...he had moved on and wasn't even talking to me anymore, but I was so shocked and, literally, halted by what he said.

They make it impossible to be a gentleman anymore.

Really? Did society and technology and innovation take away their chances to be polite, chivalrous, and just...well, manly?

Doors open themselves.

Roadside assistance is a phone call away.

Valet's open car doors.

Movers lift heavy boxes.

The lady (or man...I can never tell) at Wal-Mart fixes my car.

So have we taken away their opportunities to serve us in those small but huge ways?

I think that, just maybe...we have.

Understand that I'm not justifying the selfish, stupid actions of guys who are flat out jerks. That's not ok....uncool....unattractive....stupid.

However.

A few months ago I heard Mrs. Beth :) talk about how just like it's the heart of every girl to be the heroine, the princess, the "it" girl in the happy ending...it's the heart of every boy and man to be the hero, to save the day, the hour...or even just the moment. So I'm wondering...

Are we stealing their chances?

Of course guys can still get creative and find a way...but here's my question:

In all of our technological progress, are we pushing away the possibility of an uprising of strong, Godly, servant-hearted men?

My mind and heart have been reeling about this for days...so, your thoughts-

Share them with me :)

my league of extraordinary gentlemen...

This has been a really good couple of weeks...and that always leads to really obvious realizations for me. This week's?:

I have some pretty amazing men in my life.

1. I have a Daddy that has set aside special time for me since I was little. Tea parties at my Little Tikes kitchen, picnics in my playhouse, rides on the riding lawnmower, our exclusive Bourne trilogy dates, encouraging notes in the mail, pre-ordered flowers that show up halfway through his Africa trips, long phone conversations on anything from flirting to finances to faith. He's such a good daddy. He loves the Lord. He loves me. He takes care of me. I've realized lately that my relationship with him is an exception to the rule...not many girls have a relationship with their father like the one I have with mine, not many girls have a dad that doesn't complicate their view of God as their Father. I'm so blessed to have him.

2. I have a brother who graciously let me hang around and claim his as my best friend until I found another one. Poor guy, put up with his ten-years-younger little sister for a looooong time. He's taken care of me, hurt with me, protected me and prayed for me. He's my brother...and everything that comes with that.

3. My great-uncle, referred to by all of us as Uncle Buddy, was an amazing example of faith. He was funny, lovable, and fully committed to the Lord. He was crazy about his wife, and when she passed away, he couldn't wait to get to Heaven and spend eternity worshipping God with her.

4. I have the greatest brother-in-law ever. Seriously...jackpot. He loves my sister. He loves our family. He loooooves the Lord. I have known him for....65% of my life. He's pretty much just my brother...no in-law needed. I used to be horrified of him. He was sooooooo tall and sooooooo scary. He's still tall....but he's not so scary anymore. He's pretty good at the brother stuff too. When I was ten he sent me flowers after one of my surgeries. A couple summers ago, when I was literally trapped in an uncomfortable situation, he'd call periodically and check on me, reminding me that if I needed him to come get me, all I had to do was call and say "The eagle flies west on Tuesday"...and he would come. His love for connecting students to the Truth and the life found only in Christ is contagious. He's shown me how to serve God even when your situation's not what the way you wanted or expected.

5. This summer I, along with two of my friends, Brittany and Lindsay, invaded the Kiser space! Chris and Becky were so generous to share their home with us for the summer. They were an answered prayer for all us! If you haven't heard me talk about how much I love Becky...you don't know me at all :), but Chris has become such a great influence in my life as well. I got to see firsthand the way he loves the Lord, loves his wife, and loves his friends. I was so encouraged and challenged by the man of God that he is to be more intentional in my relationships with people. He challenged me to take small choices seriously and to use all of my time to its full potential.

6. I have a small, but priceless, handful of friends that I am blessed to call my brothers. I trust them and know that when they say they're praying for me....they are. I know that when I'm frustrated with one of them...or they're frustrated with me...we'll figure it out. I love them and lift them up as my brothers. They love me and take care of me as their sister. I always wanted "brothers" like this...and I'm so blessed to have them. And when I get those texts that say "I'm praying for you sis," it makes my day....because I know I can believe every word.

So yes....I have some pretty amazing men in my life...

They paint me such an intricate picture of what a man of God looks like. They constantly provide encouragement for me....silently reminding me that my patience isn't pointless. They reassure me that I won't be compromising anything by someday submitting to my husband, but instead gaining so much more. They challenge me and protect me, reprimand me and build me up. They each add so much to who I am.

In a world where so many women resent, and even hate men....

that's not my opinion at all.