When you’re a kid, you don’t understand some of the things that adults do. For instance, I thought Christmas presents were supposed to be something you wanted or could enjoy. Even for adults. Then one year my mom gave my dad a gift that I couldn’t imagine anybody wanting or enjoying.
What was it? A weight set. It had a bench, a barbel, and a set of different sized round weights. For some strange reason, my dad was so excited about it. He immediately set it up in the basement. I would sit on the stairs and watch as he struggled to lift the barbel with the weights. His face turned red and his arms trembled. “Daddy, if this is so hard, why are you doing it?” I asked. “It doesn’t look fun at all.” Through his gritted teeth, he replied, “I don’t do it for fun. I’m trying to build my muscles.” With that, he sat up and flexed his upper arm muscles. I still didn’t get it, but I would in a few years thanks to the White Store.
After I graduated from high school, I started my first job as a cashier at the White Store in Halls. At this time, soft drinks like Pepsi and Coke were still being sold in glass bottles. If I remember correctly, the biggest bottles came in sixteen ounces and they were sold in cartons of six. Could’ve been four. Regardless, they were very heavy. At least they were to me. When people came through checkout, the cartons of soda were almost always on the bottom of their buggies. If a bagboy was working my lane, he would usually lift it onto the counter for me. If one wasn’t around, I had to pick it up myself.
Lugging soda bottle cartons were not a new thing to me. Whenever my mom or mamaw came in from the grocery store, I would help them carry inside the bags and the drinks. But, lifting them up onto the counter several times a day was a different story.
Each time I did that, it felt as if each one became heavier and heavier. I didn’t want the customer to see how much I struggled, so I didn’t complain or groan. Sometimes they would make comments that they didn’t see how I could do that all day long. I would smile and proceed to check them out. Then things began to change. No, it wasn’t when the new 2-liter plastic bottles came out. It was from the fact that each time I lifted the cartons, they seemed lighter. I could do it quicker and with less effort. So, after work one day, I went home and stood in front of the bathroom mirror where I flexed my upper arms the way my dad had done so many years ago. Guess what I saw. Yep, I had developed arm muscles. Or as I used to refer to them: “My Coke bottle muscles.”
“Seek the Lord and his strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11 (KJV).
Daddy sought to increase his muscles, whereas I built mine because of work. While it’s nice to have physical strength, the only strength that truly matters is the Lord’s. So, seek after Him and take comfort in the fact that there’s nothing stronger than He is.
Maybe I should start a new work out trend and call it “Coke Bottle Muscles.” We can lift glass bottles full of drinks like chocolate milk, tea, or lemonade. Once we’re done with a session, we can have the sweet treats of drinking our “weights.” Who’s with me?
Brooke Cox is an author, speaker, and storyteller. She was a 2016 Selah Awards Finalist for Debut Novel. Her children’s book: “Dinosaur Eggs,” is now available. It is based on Ephesians 6: The Armor of God. Her novel “Until the Moon Rises: A Conniving Cousin Mystery” is also available. Also, 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.