Tooter The Turtle
I have friends with young children who brag how good shows for kids like Peppa Pig, Miss Rachel, Bluey and others. Inevitably, a comment is made that they are entertaining and provide good moral lessons (without driving the parents crazy). What they don’t realize is that my generation had similar shows under the cartoon variety show format.
I’d be surprised if anyone had never seen a Bugs Bunny cartoon but when I was a kid, they were packaged into Bugs Bunny and Friends Variety Show. In fact, networks (remember there was only 3) used to compete to attract and keep kids’ attention on Saturday morning. I even remember CBS putting a show on an early fall Friday night featuring their upcoming Saturday morning line up for kids. The urban description of the child waking before the adults on Saturday morning, getting their bowl of cereal and watching Saturday morning cartoons was born.
But the cartoon variety show I want to highlight was Tennessee Tuxedo and his friends. This show highlighted adventures of Tennessee Tuxedo and his friend Chumley. Somehow, they always got in trouble and needed to have their friend, Phineas J. Whoopee, explain some real-world phenomenon using his 3D BB (3-dimensional black board). He explained actual science such as how clouds form and rain comes down to help Tennessee in his schemes. It was entertaining, educational and without the social controversy we have today.
But that is not even the best part…this was a cartoon variety show so there were also recurring shorts. One of them was Tooter the Turtle. Tooter was a young male turtle who was trying to figure out what occupation he wanted to pursue. The problem was he wanted to jump into whatever the occupation was without paying the dues to get there, so to speak. Every episode had him going to Mr. Wizard the lizard, begging him to put him in that role. Eventually, he’d find himself way over his head and cry out for Mr. Wizard to bring him home. Mr. Wizard would say, "Drizzle, Drazzle, Druzzle, Drome, time for this one to come home." Then, Mr. Wizard would always give Tooter the same advice: "Be just what you is, not what you is not. Folks what do this has the happiest lot." To me, another great educational message that every occupation requires effort and time to be successful in and that we can’t just wish our way into something.
“Their young ones become strong; they grow up in the open; they go out and do not return to them.” - Job 39:4 ESV
“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.” - 1 Peter 2:2-3
“Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.” - Galatians 6:6-10
“And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.”- Ephesians 4:11-16
Be just what you is, transformed by Christ, and not what you is not, having picked up your cross daily. Folks that do this are the happiest lot!
