A Woman Is As Strong As ___________?

A few moments ago I clicked on an email link that took me to: http://betteleecrosby.com/2013/04/27/celebrating-the-strength-of-women/

While there I read Bette's endearing article honoring her mother. At the end of the article she asked for readers to submit comments as contest entries using the prompt: "A woman is as strong as ____________ ?" 

Almost everyone who commented wrote of their strong mothers. I did as well.

At first, I was unsure whether I should post a comment because the contest was listed as "for the girls". But, I felt compelled to honor my strong mother and one of my prime heroes. 

Over the years I have come to know that I get my quiet inner strength from my mother, along with my desire to serve... those whom GOD has so graciously allowed in my life, no matter how brief the encounter and my Lord and Savior King Jesus Christ.

I don't personally know of anyone as strong in their faith as my mother. She has overcome so much and recently defeated colon cancer. She never complains and is the only person I know who practices the old saw: "If you can't say something nice about someone, then don't say anything at all." She has held her family to this same standard, though I constantly fall short, I continue to do my best to honor her wishes.

I remember a time when I was a teen and my older brother John and I were arguing about something I no longer have a memory of when I called my brother a jerk. My dear little 4'8" Japanese mama walked up to me with a stern face and pointed at me and said, "That's your brother, so what does that make you?"

I replied as I often did, incorrectly. Through gritted teeth I said, "The brother of a jerk."

Mama proceeded to judo-slap me so hard that my head shoulda spun like the little girl character in the movie: The Exorcist. 

Now that I am much older I have come to realize that my brother is not a jerk and never was. He is a wonderful brother, husband, and father. My admiration for him grows daily... as does my love and gratefulness for my strong mother.

I pray everyone can feel and say the same of their mothers.