19 Shades of Not So Magic Men, Part II

This is Buddy. He's a cousin married to Teri. He's Dad to three beautiful, smart and charming girls. He spent years in law enforcement keeping us all safe, though I did hear that back in the day (before Teri) he would pull over pretty girls because they were pretty. This man has also walked through his own personal hell and while it was touch and go for a while, has come out on the other side with his sense of humor intact. He's a great coach and someone I really like a lot. He picks on me so I know he likes me. A man who will serve and protect, deal with great pain and emerge on top is a good man.

This is Zachery. He's one of those godly, servant hearted kids raised by Chip. Right now, he's serving in the Marines. We sleep safe at night because of good "men" like Zachery. This is how we know that the next generation is not hopeless. I've watched this boy grow up and he's always been an amazing kid. He is now an amazing man and a husband to the beautiful Estephany, who is also a Marine. They are deployed overseas. A man who loves his country, his wife and his Jesus and who manages to serve all three is a good man.

This is Joel. I dare you to find a picture of him without a guitar in his hand. He is married to my friend Becky. Joel was my first Youth Minister growing up. He encouraged me in my music and also taught me Bible. When my girlfriend Pam (married to John) and I decided several times to invite ourselves to visit him in Ft. Worth when we were in High School, he and Becky were gracious hosts, even though he was a poor seminary student at the time, and our visits probably put them out a lot. This was a fact we never stopped to consider. He always gave us his ear and always prayed with us. He never told us we weren't his problem anymore because he had moved on. He is a father to three godly kids who are grown. He is the best musician I know and that's saying a lot. I love this man more than words can say and he gets a lot of credit for lighting my passion for Christ. He's moved on from youth ministry and into music ministry but still goes touring with his youth choir. All these years later, he's still investing in the future generations. A man who encourages youngsters and still serves the Lord is a good man.

This is Dale, or at our house, Grandpa. He's married to Grandma, Jeanene. This is a very dignified man and the patriarch of our family. He's the tent pole that holds up the big old Lawson tent. He's been an engineer, deacon, Sunday School teacher and father too. But my favorite thing about this man is a memory I treasure. When Ashley was about 18 months old, I walked into her playroom to find her serving high tea in her finest dress up outfit and Easter gloves. Grandpa was seated on the floor at the table, wearing her Easter hat and participating in this very serious tea party. He just looked at me and smiled and asked me to please excuse myself. And they proceeded to have high tea. A very dignified man who has accomplished much in life yet will still come correct to a toddler's tea party is a good man.

This is Bro. Bill. He was my first Pastor and other Daddy. He was married to my other mother Becky and was Daddy to two girls, one of them is one of my oldest best friends Kathy. I spent a lot of time at his house. This is my favorite picture of him because it shows his personality. He had the biggest, most infectious laugh. But he also was a teaching pastor and was "no respecter of persons." He loved me and everyone else equally. I saw in this man what a follower of Christ should look like. He taught me scripture, but he also taught me to search things out for myself. He was often my personal counselor. He drove Kathy and I to the mall more times than I can count. When God called this man home, it left a hole that has never been filled. We are all blessed to know this man. A man whose good attributes cannot be contained in a mere blog is a good man.

This is Glenn, but to me he was Daddy. He is pictured here with my daughter Ashley who was the light of his life. My Daddy was a man's man. He was married to my Mom Glenda. I always thought of them as Fonzie and Sandra Dee. My Daddy was cool and handsome. In this picture he had just gotten off work. While it isn't his best he's breaking his rule and SMILING. He usually didn't smile in pictures, but when he was holding a grandbaby, that was different. He worked hard every day of his life. If someone needed a hand with just about anything, he was there. He was an avid outdoors-man and family man. He loved me enough to have a hard time letting me go. This man was invincible as far as I was concerned. However, when this tough hunter and fisherman found out that a grand child was coming, something took over his body. He started going in to work early on the day the "Good Housekeeping" magazine came into the work room so he could make a list of all the recalls. He would then make sure my mother told me all of the things I was not allowed to have for "our baby." He loved both of the kids so much that it physically hurt him to be apart from them, yet he understood our need to be independent because that's how he raised me. I get my personality and sense of humor from him. I miss him. A man that will love you and your mama and your babies and leave this Earth with a good reputation is a good man.

This is K.D., Kester to his friends and Papa to me. He loved me so much I was sure I was his favorite. Of course, we all were his favorite. He also was silly proud of my kids. This man always had ice cream when I came to visit as a child and that was a lot because we only lived twenty minutes away. He still had it years later when my kids would come visit. He spent a lot of time at the mall with my Granny and I because we were world class shoppers. He never complained. He was married to my Granny for well over 50 years and always had her back. When I was in college, he'd slip some money, ranging from a twenty to a hundred into my hand and tell me not to tell my Granny...then she would do the same. This man delighted in his family. It was not wise to speak against any one of us. A man who will hold the purse at the mall and spoil his grandchildren and then great-grand children rotten is a good man.

This is Terry. My husband and my heart. His nickname is "Mr.Perfect" and it fits. This man has put up with me for almost 25 years. We've been married just shy of 23. He would make a great stay at home dad but he goes to work, and is the best at what he does, so I could stay home and raise our kids. He married a thin woman and 3 months later, through some medical "incident" no one could ever diagnose was married to a not thin woman. He's loved me anyway. He has been the best daddy in the world to our two kiddos.He has never used the word "babysit" in relation to his own children. He has spent lots of time with them while I was out doing my thing. He never complained. He is patient and kind. He is wise and solid. He has a heart for people and is tormented that maybe he isn't changing the world. He's wrong, he's changing the world for the better ever day. He has showed up and been present every single day for almost 23 years. He's also super handsome. A man who will love you fat or thin, sick or well, smart or stupid is a good man.

Finally, this is Tyler. He isn't married to anyone because he's only 18. This is my boy. He will be off to college soon and he will do whatever he wants because he's got the "stuff." He's smart, but not obnoxious, handsome but oblivious, talented but humble. He treats everyone with respect. This first picture of him is just my favorite. He was in Honduras, visiting with Alex and his people. He is praying with a lady who is pregnant. She has lost two children to preventable diseases. My shy boy stepped out of his comfort zone to pray with her. He has spent his last summer before college serving others. Like Phil, with my children, my heart goes walking around outside my body. This young man, along with his sister and Daddy, holds my heart. He is another reason why I know that the world will go on. This young man loves Jesus. His faith is his own and not ours because we have taught him to "test all things" as we were taught. He knows why he believes what he believes. This young man is respectful to women. This young man is mostly responsible, unless he needs to clean his room. I'm not ready to let him go but he is ready to be let go. A young man whose mom can't think of a single negative thing to say is a good man.I know this was long. I'm going to break it into three. The last one will be extra pictures should you like to see them. I hope you see now that common everyday men trump "Magic Men" every time. Ladies, don't lower your expectations. Maybe you just need to change your opinion on what makes a good man. The best looking man may not be the one that will love you for life no matter what comes. Look for one that will love you for life. Here's a hint: if he loves Jesus more that you or himself, that's a great place to start. Also, I don't want to, but I'm putting all of the hot and bothered Christian women ON NOTICE!!! They know better!
Please leave me a comment telling me about a "not so magic man" that you know and what makes him a good man.