What did I do to deserve this? Have you ever thought that? I did a few years ago and I still remember my stinky ordeal to this day.
It started early one morning a little after 5 a.m. when my husband Tim went out the door to go to work. I was still lying in bed. Suddenly he burst through the bedroom door.
“Get up! You’re gonna have to help me get to work. My truck battery is dead!”
Lord help, he was going nuts until I threw on some clothes. No way was I riding in my pajamas.
I had to ride with him to his work and then drive my car back home so I could get ready for my job. That evening, I had to drive back to his work to pick him up.
That’s when my stinky ordeal happened.
It was a pleasantly warm day, so I had my window down and the radio turned up. I was actually enjoying the drive. That is until I turned off of the interstate. Sitting in my lane at the next red light was a chicken truck.
A large truck that was loaded with chickens in cages that were very small and stacked up high. I’m not talking two or three rows. I’m talking several rows high and deep. Inside each cage was a live and clucking chicken.
Feathers and other stuff were flying everywhere, but that wasn’t the worse part. The smell was absolutely atrocious. I don’t think there are any words that come close to describing that foul stench. It was almost sickening. I literally tried not to breathe. By the way, I am not good at holding my breath. I closed my window, but the smell then came through the air vents.
And of course, I couldn’t get over so I could go around the chicken truck. Everybody zoomed around me and into the other lane. They didn’t have any sympathy for me because they were trying to get away from the smell as well.
I guess you could call it survival of the fittest. And I was losing, or better yet, my lungs were losing.
That’s when I asked God, “What did I do to deserve this? Was it that bad?”
I was probably behind the chicken truck for a good mile or so. If it also turned down the road I needed, I had decided to drive on until I could pull over and catch my breath. Plus the truck would hopefully be way ahead of me when I made it back to the road.
God was merciful. The chicken truck continued on straight as I turned. At that point, I opened all the windows and took in a deep breath of air. I hadn’t done that since I pulled off the interstate. It’s a wonder my brain could function with the extreme lack of oxygen.
Being human, I assumed being stuck behind the chicken truck was some kind of punishment. Now, I realize it wasn’t. While unpleasant situations and trials are a part of life on this side of eternity, we can still experience the peace of the Lord.
“These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (KJV)
When Tim first saw the car, he stopped in his tracks for a few seconds. Upon finally reaching the car, he asked, “Why are there chicken feathers in the grill? And what is that smell?”

Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. Also, she is a member of Toastmasters and will be attending storytelling camp again for the 4th summer. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. And she has two books out in her storytelling series: “Saucy Southern Stories.” The Amazon links for her books may be found on her website: brookecoxstories.com. Please feel free to contact her. She would love to hear from you.