What makes a women come alive?

Since i've gotten a hold of "Wild at heart" & "Captivating" i've been wanting to write a review on these books, but after countless drafts, i feel that regardless  of what i write, it doesn't do justice to the contents of the book. To those that have been trying to persuade me to buy these books, i finally did, and you guys were right =P 

But the main reason i never got around to it, because i feel exactly how John & Stasi does, when it comes to Christian book about men or women, authors try to paint this model that we are suppose to live up to, either or, what you read isnt' quite what your natural inclination wants to do. Note, i am not saying "just follow your heart" but i think these 2 books have grasp the essence, the core of what makes a man or woman's heart beats.

Though many authors have carefully pointed out the differences between men and women, no one has come  close in explaining the 'why'. Of course there are other good books around, like "Let me be a women - Elisabeth Elliot" and what not...(it might just be the fact that i am reading these now with a brain of a 23 years old...and that alone might have made the difference, still, both of these books are worth a read). On to the books and some of my thoughts...

If you've grown up in a christian circle, the words  uttered to you from a young age, as a girl, would probably be how you are to be submissive and serve others (Classic Proverbs 31 model), and if you feel otherwise, it would be accompanied with a sense of guilt.  Or so as Stasi summarizes, more often, women are taught to be unseen, unsought and uncertain. But if you think carefully about all the women in the bible, truly, they were trully amazing, and you would have to agree with me, designed for extravagance, dull and boring (not quite the term to describe them). I mean, seriously, even god thought creation was never quite complete..till he made women =P

I want to be beautiful

And make you stand in awe

Look inside my heart

And be amazed

I want to hear you say

Who I am is quite enough

I just want to be worthy of love

And beautiful

-Bethay Dillon in "Beautiful"

And as much as the women today (the ones that try to do all things men can) would hate to admit, i wouldn't say all women (since its always bad to generalize), but those couple of lines, pretty much summarizes the soul of a women. Or as the author puts it in more comprehendible terms, i quote "Every women long for 3 things, to be romanced, to play an irreplaceable role in a great adventure (But we prefer to share our adventures), and to unveil beauty". [note: 'beauty' here does not equal barbie doll replica]

Lets look at men now...(supposedly the less complicated of the 2, though the opposite is true at times) . The 3 core desires of a men: a battle to fight, the desire for adventure, a beauty to rescue. And seriously if you have a hard time understanding why late night footie sessions, extreme sports, computer games, and the likes of it trill your man..then this book is for u =P

Putting the two together, it appears to be a jigsaw puzzle fit, nonetheless, reality seems to suggest otherwise. I am tempted to say that is what society demands of us that has messed things up, but that is not entirely true either. Rather, its our fear to be who we are crafted to be (men or women alike), and our failure to understand the beauty in men and women being distinctly unique. 

Its how you fall for a guy who looks wildy sexy whilst hiking up some mountain, and then when you're with him you expect him to be quite the opposite (to take it to the extreme e.g. spend all his free time staring into your eyes). Or how you fall head over heels with the fun loving & capable woman and then expect her to transform into the likes of Bree Van De Kamp (from Desperate Housewives) the moment you wed her. 

Often, when i think about this, and the verse that we have been made in God's image, i have this picture in my mind, that god spilt himself (characteristics, emotions and all) into half and then made man and woman. 

Its true isn't it?No? Men seems to have inherit the masculine side of god, like how he was the commander in chief when He led his people to war, leading His children out of the wilderness, His words of wisdom, etc., Women on the other hand got His compassionate heart, welcoming the little ones with arms wide open, the jealous side of God that longs for His people to desire Him and love him with all their heart, mind, soul and strength,  or rather union with people. 

But this we already know, that women are more relational. A career obstacle can frustrate a men, but being ignore by a close friend triggers the equal amount of frustration in a women. The thing here is, people can't resist but insist on labeling women as emotional, or rather men as cold. And i have to admit, its easier to do that, than try to embrace the diversity between genders. Why the negative connotation to everything that isn't quite us (i.e. our gender)? 

I'm not saying, that women should be psychotically emotional, or that men should be allowed to go out there and rip things apart like a wild animal, but trully there was purpose for us to be uniquely differently, and sometimes i wonder, whether those caught in between (i'm sure you know what i mean) is struggling so badly cause there have been a tremendous misconception of what makes a man, man, and a woman, woman. 

There is not one right answer, you aspire to be the likes of Donald Trump, or Metrosexual like hmm...can't think of any good examples right now, a knight in shining armour and still, its not those things that make you a man. Similarly, you can be Bree, or Mrs Smith, Princess Xena, or Cinderella, but its not those either that make you a woman. In other words, there is no 1 right template. 

Rather, its the 'substance' that springs from the heart. You can lurve all things feminine (in the world's eyes) and still be deem manly, and enjoy all things masculine (e.g. be Joan of Ar ) and still be a woman. 

But women, i must say, are in general more complexly wired, and it takes a true man to dare journey into her soul,  to be tangled in her emotions, and unravel the mysteries that make her who she is. I can't quite speak on behalf of men, but i reckon that they too desire a woman, willing to embark on adventures with him, space (this is a big word for men =P) and liberty to express his manhood. 

Ah..i truly marvel and how men and women are so distinctly different, and thats why its amazing to see how these 2 come together =) 

To find a heart that resonates with yours, that in itself, is an adventure.

*if you have any strong feelings for and against what i've wrote...you can share them *ahem construtively, there are afterall, my thoughts, and i do not assert that they are 100% right =P

[and you really must know... i haven't finished reading capitvating yet =P and i am stopping here before this becomes a chapter in a book]