Armored Plated, Pre-Historic Face-Off

A Sunday afternoon drive in the country, down gravel roads, seems to always bring adventures aplenty. And, that's what Brinna and I discovered last Sunday on a remote country lane. Right smack dab in the middle of the road was a lumbering, armored plated pre-historic snapping turtle - his spiky tail dragging the ground behind him. As we approached in the noisy diesel truck, he stopped his progress.

My natural curiosity got the best of me, and while I'd seen one of these beasties before, Brinna had not had the privilege of witnessing these interesting creatures, so I insisted she get out for a look-see. Fortunately, I had my little camera with me so I could capture our adventure for posterity.

Our little friend was a common snapping turtle, not his larger, rarer cousin--the alligator snapping turtle that I had seen before in Missouri. However, that didn't make him any less formidable. As we approached him, he curled his tail around and pulled back in to that armor-plated shell.

Strangely, though, as I struggled to get closer for a better photo, he kept his head ever facing me, pivoting around to follow my every movement. If you know anything about snapping turtles, that mouth is one area that is best to avoid - they are not named "snapping" turtles without good reason. Their powerful jaws can cause serious damage.

As I watched his defensive behavior, it brought to mind how many times our human nature mimics the snapping turtle. Many times when we're having a difficult time or we get hurt or are afraid, our first instinct is to retreat into ourselves. We curl up in a little ball, put on our defensive face, and move through life with a host of defensive mechanisms - anger, silence, manipulation, etc. Anything to deal with the situation--we bare our teeth at our opponents and engage in a face-off.

So, Mr. Snapping Turtle - my lesson for the day was to get back in the truck and give you a wide berth around the road. I'm sure he was relieved that I moved on down the trail. Brinna and I had an adventure and in the process we learned some more valuable lessons.

Take it easy, Mr. Snapping Turtle - maybe we'll meet up again some day.

Lenten Experiment - Day 15 (An Irrisistible Glow)

Night before last when I got home from work I went through my nightly ritual of letting the three dachshund girls outside to roam a bit and "take care of business." On those days when they endure a full day locked in their "jail," they are full of energy and an unstoppable need for adventure.

Unfortunately for me, at the end of my work day when I'm wanting to wind down they are ready to wind up. All the more reason to open that outer door to freedom for them. And, all three welcome that freedom with full abandon, running as fast as those four-inch long legs can carry them. I've always been amazed at how fast they bound across the fields.

And, this most recent night as darkness settled onto the prairie, I began to worry about their whereabouts. The youngest one, mischief-maker Suubi, for some reason never ventures off with the older two. Strange, she is always the one to stay close to the homestead and this night was no exception. I had already let her back in at the kitchen door.

The other two seem to know they have 80 acres of wilderness in which to frolic. So, dinner was put on the back burner--literally--and I changed into some sweats to begin my search.

These dusk excursions have become commonplace with my two half-sister hooligans--Cocoa & D.K. Each time it occurs again I'm reminded of one search that ended very badly for little D.K. just two years ago. You see she was attacked by a coyote near dusk and lay at the bottom of a boggy stream in freezing temperatures. Poor little one - God saw fit to save her life that night and it has always reminded me how God loves even 10-pound long-haired black & tan dachshunds who stray too far from home.

As I set off with my flashlight, calling their names, it struck me how the Father must feel when I wander from His loving arms. He carries the Light of His Word and diligently calls my name, all the while hoping I will give up my wayward ways and follow Him home. That Light--the Light of the World--beckons and reaches across the darkness with an irresistible glow.

My little four-legged girls were safe that night. They finally responded to my calls but it took effort on my part to seek them out, just as the Father pursues us with His powerful light of truth. It's up to me to be obedient, to respond and to follow, just like Cocoa and D.K.