Adam and I walked down the stairs and entered the dreaded "weight room." There were several men there working out. Not a surprise as it was a Saturday morning. I told Adam that I didn't want to bulk up I just wanted to be strong and toned. My main concerns being arm strength and abdominal strength...especially abs strength as I currently have next to none. He proceeded to take me around the room introducing me to the machines. "This one will work your upper arms and pecks, and when you use it be sure to engage your abs, and release slowly..." well, anyway, you get the picture. We then went over to a machine that has a long bar on which there are several handles for different styles of pull ups. Adam tested it out... though I think he really just wanted to show me his muscles and man strength, he might have also been showing off his height because I required the top step of the stool nearby to reach them. So, I think many girls out there know my plight when facing a pull-up, it's nearly an impossible task (for me it is currently IMPOSSIBLE). While I hung there embarrassing myself a strong looking, well versed in the weight room, black man walked over and said "You shouldn't use that one, go over there and use the chin-up machine." Adam agreed and we went over to it. It looks kind of like this:
Essentially this machine somehow through physics (weights and pulleys I think) makes it easier to do a chin-up (pull-up) or a dip-down. Adam helped me adjust the weights so that the machine would be taking off 85 lbs from my weight while doing pull-ups. I climbed up the steps, carefully stepped onto the foot rests, and began the easiest pull-ups of my life. While the machine made up the difference for the lack of strength in my arms I had a profound thought (to me anyway) that THIS was the atonement. The atonement is the machine that makes it possible for us weak and imperfect humans to rise. While the pull-ups I did were easier with the assistance they were still challenging. But possible. Where before, with out that machine they were not, and would not have been possible for a long, long time, and only after a lot of work. That is the beauty of the atonement in a nutshell. Making something impossible (or nearly so) possible. It was beautiful, there in the weight room, the sweaty, stinky, intimidating weight room. I'm grateful for Adam my husband/weight room instructor and the black man for helping me have such a beautiful moment.
But my deepest and most sincere gratitude is for my savior, Jesus Christ, the only one that can truly make up the difference.
