Squash Power

Do you ever feel weak? I know I do. Sometimes things come my way and I think I will just crumble under the load. I really like the following article, and after reading it, it made me stop and think. I came to the conclusion that I really am stronger than I think. It is quite interesting the things that we can truly bear. I find that my strength comes from the Lord, for it is He who has given me the strength to get through so many seemingly impossible situations in my life. I hope you enjoy the article as much as I did.

In an interesting experiment at Amherst College (Massachusetts), a band of steel was secured around a young squash. As the squash grew, it exerted pressure on the steel band. Researchers wanted to know just how strong a squash could be, so they measured the force it brought to bear on its constraints. They initially estimated that it might be able to exert as much as 500 pounds of pressure.

In one month, the squash was pressing 500 pounds. In two months it was applying 1,500 pounds and, when it reached 2,000 pounds, researches had to strengthen the steel band. The squash eventually brought 5,000 pounds of pressure to bear on the band when the rind split open.

They opened the squash and found it inedible. It was full of tough, course fibers that had grown to push against the constraining obstacle. The plant required great amounts of nutrients to gain the strength needed to break its bonds, and its roots extended out about 80,000 feet in all directions. The squash had single-handedly taken over the garden space!

We have no idea just how strong we really can be! If a squash can exert that much physical pressure, how much more strength can human beings apply to a situation? Most of us are stronger than we realize. I am told that it was Eleanor Roosevelt who observed that "a woman is like a tea bag - you never know how strong she is until she gets into hot water." The same, of course, is true about men.

Does an obstacle you are presently facing loom large before you? Does it seem just too big? Perhaps overwhelming? If so, remember the squash. It's single-minded purpose was to break the bonds which held it.