I’m a HUGE fan of the Animal Planet TV channel.
They always have a great line-up of shows…
Frozen Planet (I love this show. You’re able to see how beautiful God can be!)
Confessions: Animal Hoarding (You will say “what!? no way!” more than you’ve ever said it before.)
Finding Bigfoot (It never happens, but I watch with the hope that, one day, I’ll see a squatch!)
Hillbilly Handfishin’ (I don’t know why this show amuses me but I want to do it!)
But there is one show that takes the cake…Call of the Wildman.
If you haven’t seen the show, here’s a little background: The show follows a guy known as “turtleman” who is from the backwoods of Kentucky. If you have a problem (i.e. a skunk is trapped in your basement, etc.) and you need someone to safely relocate the animal/critter, turtleman is the person you call.
The funny thing about the show is most customers don’t know what animal is scratching behind the wall, making noises at night, or attacking their farm animals. Therefore, turtleman has no idea what he is searching for but…Turtleman knows the secret to catching the animal and 99% of the time he will catch the animal with his bare hands…no joke!
In a recent episode, a farmer’s cows were mysteriously being attacked when cooling off in a pond. The cows were emerging from the water with missing udders and all signs lead to a group of snapping turtles. Turtleman is happy to jump on the case and save the day. The catch – the stock pond is overflowing with cow manure and bacteria. Despite the danger, Turtleman still swims the pond and removes two snapping turtles. His love for turtles is second to none!
Now, similar to the opening credits of the show, I do not encourage anyone to try to BE turtleman, ACT like turtleman, or impersonate the same logic. It’s extremely dangerous!!!
But don’t we all do dangerous things when we’re in love? I think Turtleman teaches us what love and relationships should really look like.
I know it sounds crazy but let me explain…
We seek relationships. We thrive on relationships. We do some dangerous things for the sake of the relationship but I believe Turtleman teaches us the fundamentals of a great relationship.
Here are 6 lessons we can learn from Turtleman about our relationship with God (and others):
1) Get Dirty! – Dive right in! When we overcome fear of failure, we learn that only those that are asleep make no mistakes. Fear is the only thing keeping us from experiencing life. Turtleman’s not scared to get dirty!
2) “Do” is the 1st part of “DONE” – Our thoughts determine our reality. Stop thinking about what you DON’T have & begin thinking about what you DO have and your life will begin to transform. Turtleman sees a problem and goes into action to fix it!
3) Make It Simple – Perfection is not when there is nothing to add, but when there is nothing more to take away. Realize the simple joys in life by removing distractions and clutter. Practice recognizing when you’re spending your time on unimportant tasks and re-focus on the important. Turtleman doesn’t focus on not having the latest gadgets to catch animals. He relies on the simplest means.
4) Choose Happiness – Happiness comes from understanding the beauty of life around you. When Turtleman catches an animal, he doesn’t look like he would rather be anywhere else.
5) Have A Vision – In order for us to have the best relationships, we must have a vision, and create a list of actions to help us stick to our plan. I once heard someone say “If you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up somewhere else.” We gain clarity when we are able to see the necessary steps we must take in order to arrive at the goal. Turtleman has been bitten enough times to see the vision and safely remove the animal.
6) Express Gratitude – How many times do we focus on the negative rather than the blessings? Remembering the beauty of relationships and the reason you are blessed can immediately shift your mood. Make a habit of transforming your awareness of troubles into an awareness of blessings. Turtleman accepts various forms of payment (including food) and he is extremely grateful. Be appreciative…things will be ok!
Which step do you struggle to express the most, and why? Do you “go all out” for people but stay reserved for God? Do you think our relationship has / our relationships have become more difficult?
I’ve included a video below of one of my favorite episodes. It’s a 2 minute clip of turtleman removing a vicious fox from a chicken coop. If you have time, check it out!
YEYEYEYEYE…LIVE ACTION!!!
