The Strength of Andrew

The Greek meaning of Andrew is “strong man.”  The disciple, Andrew, represents the stability that lies at the foundation of every true character. The highest expression, and the one that should determine the direction of strength in the other realms, is the spiritual realization of this quality. Here strength is closely allied with faith. Strength and faith are represented by the brothers Andrew and Peter.  Peter’s faith was noted in the article Use Faith to Reach Your Goals.  Faith must constantly be strengthened, and strength must be encouraged by good deed by spiritual faith. In a spiritual way, then, strength permits us to persevere in prayer, to erect a stronger and stronger faith in our spiritual nature. God works through “mothers” to do the things that need to be done.

Strong mothers don’t depend on physical strength alone or they would be continually challenged by others in the human thought and eventually would be overcome by one who is stronger. Mental strength unaided—matched against the strong mind of another—may result in an test of wills, a human match, with the same results. Spiritual strength remains nonresistant, victorious, despite the challenge. Is your mother strong willed or strong minded? Does your mother use strength for the higher good of the family and the greater community?

“A mother is a person who seeing there are only four pieces of pie for five people, promptly announces she never did care for pie.” ~Tenneva Jordan

"She opens her mouth with wisdom, and on her tongue is the law of kindness. ” ~ Proverbs 31:26

I got this email and made me think about the strength mothers have.

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms work at work and work at home and dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them..
3. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
4. Moms have magic; they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long....
Strength—the ability to endure, stay the course, persevere

“The moment a child is born, the mother is also born. She never existed before. The woman existed, but the mother, never. A mother is something absolutely new.” ~Rajneesh

“Biology is the least of what makes someone a mother.” ~Oprah Winfrey

It doesn’t matter what gender a “mother” is – there are single parents who have to be mother and father. A mother is not always biological or the birth mother. There’s the story of a recently widowed and nearly destitute mother forced to "give up" her baby to an uncle and aunt.

Strength is not purely a physical value. In the bodily realm, strength is vigor, fortitude, the ability to persevere. In the intellectual area of expression, strength is that eminence of psyche which enables one to guide, to achieve, to follow through on decisions, to institute purposes in life, and to embrace a firm spiritual ideology in daily living. It expresses itself as steadiness of character. Whoever or whatever the person may be they have to be strong.

Another mother is an incredible role model of life-long strength. Near death and not expected to live through the night, a mother saw a benevolent figure in white open his arms to welcome her. She felt comforted and drawn to go, but then stopped and asked,” Who will take care of my babies?" She awoke able to breathe without pain, and having enough energy to get out of bed. “God could not be everywhere and therefore he made mothers.” ~Jewish Proverb

There is the 86 year old mother who still maintains her own home, driving her own car, and attempting to learn to use a computer. She has amazes all with her steadfast faith and fortitude. She recently faced the loss of her beloved husband of over 60 years with grace and dignity.

A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials heavy and sudden, fall upon us; when adversity takes the place of prosperity; when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine desert us; when trouble thickens around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts. ~Washington Irving