So for the past couple of weeks my best friend promised a brother that she would take care of his two pet turtles while he was away on vacation. Of course, by proxy, that meant I was gonna have to take care of these turtles too. Plus, since my apartment is more like Florida in this time of year than hers, and that there's actually a table that the cage could rest on, the two turtles (I called them Leafy & Squirtell) made their home with me for the last few weeks.
During the first week or so we thought the turtles were cute. Every time she came over, she looked forward to seeing how the turtles were doing, and I've caught her at times just looking at the cage for a few minutes without moving. However, eventually the novelty wore off, and we began to notice that the cage and the turtles were beginning to smell! I was personally amazed at how fast two tiny turtles can poop in a 24 hr. time span, and how quickly the water in the cage would change into something that resembled watered-down chocolate pudding.
After one of their washings, in which we thoroughly scrubbed their shells, their cage, their rock, and generous amounts of Lysol disinfectant on everything in the area(not on the turtles), I thought we did an exceptionally good job. The turtles I noticed when we were cleaning them were quite feisty this time around. Eventually though, as was their habit, they would retreat into their shells and wait for the scrubbing on their shells and cage was done.
So naturally you can imagine how I felt when after we put those two back in their cage and poured in some water, we found some "brown" stuff floating in the water right afterwards. It was then I realized that though we had scrubbed our hearts away on the outside of their shells, we weren't able to scrub out the grim and stuff that was in between their limbs and shells. So whatever was trapped inside their shells were never exposed to the washing, thus resulting in the turtles carrying their junk back into clean water. So annoying...
Often times, I think we as followers of Christ hunger and enjoy "God's blessings." We enjoy the times when he seems to dote on us, feed us, and provide for our needs and wants. Yet, when He attempts to wash off old habits, attitudes, hang-ups, bitterness that are clinging to our lives, we often retreat from Him. We go into our shells, whatever that may look like, and try to find comfort and consolement instead of enduring and working through those hard times with Him.
Sometimes we let him work on us a bit, letting him clean up some "bad" behavior, but never letting him get to the root of the problems. So when he finishes, and we come out, we still carry along with us the smelly things in life that prompted the cleaning in the first place! So annoying...
On the last night before we returned those turtles, we gave them a final washing. This time around, I made sure I got to the crevices in their shells, no matter how much they didn't like it. I scrubbed their little necks, and behind their little legs and tails. They squirmed and tried to push away from my fingers, but in the end, whatever may have been stuck on them, was washed away with the water (and with the disinfectant). Sure, it probably wasn't pleasant for them, but it was the best thing for them, and a relief for the persons who don't like funky smells! 
So the challenge for me is to not give into the temptation to retreat into my shell when God wants to clean me up more. He doesn't like funky smells either, and it isn't healthy for me or those who are gonna smell me too. It's the only way to have TURTLE POWER when I need it.
No turtles were harmed in any way nor was disinfectant used on any turtles... only on what may have been left behind.
Plus, those tow trucks were quite efficient...
Dang!
I came... 
I saw... 
I conquered! 
Booyay!
I haven't been so encouraged and edified in that way for a very long time! To be given the opportunity and 
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