Tag: Amazon

“Yinney” Chapter 33

Path Without End

Rachel had fallen into a routine of working her night shift at the Coffee Cafe, followed by a lonely walk to the subway and thinking about how much she missed Frank showing up, shower and bed when she got home, short conversations with Clara when she could, then dress for work but go to the hospital, where she would sit at the side of Frank’s bed praying he would suddenly wake up.

“Where are you God?” she found herself asking on the 7th day of her vigil, but then caught herself. “I’m sorry God. I know you’re here with us. I’m sorry for getting discouraged and doubting you. Please forgive me.”

Once again she began questioning her relationship. Is this what Jesus did? She felt in such a hopeless rut. The really good Christians, as she thought of them, were at church services 2-3 times a week. They were involved in various church programs. They tithed at least 10% of their gross income. They became church members, read their Bible through in a year, every year, so many things the church recommended doing to be a good Christian. Rachel had never quite lived up to all those things. Her life just didn’t fit that box. But from what she could see, Jesus didn’t fit the church box either. But what did she know? They were the experts. Pastor Simmons had a Master’s Degree in Theology. She could only be more wrong, and that made her feel even more unworthy.

How could she rise to that level? Every time she thought of it, all she saw was a prison of programs digging an even deeper rut! She loved freedom! A life flowing with meaning, purpose, and opportunity. And so as she dared to rise from her chair one more time and pray a prayer for Frank, she began, “Dear Lord, I’m so confused on what is right. I’m sorry I fall short in so many ways. I must be such a disappointment. I’m sorry such a programmed life does not appeal to me. And my prayers seem shallow. But Frank needs you, and for some reason I’m the one you put here at his side. I know the church is praying too, and Pastor Simmons stopped in on his hospital rounds. I do appreciate that, Lord. I’ll try to do better, but please let Frank come back to us. In Jesus name, Amen.” 

Having an after thought, Rachel added one more thing, “Lord, I’ve been telling Agatha, at the cafe, about you. She enjoys our conversations, but does not want to go to church. She says she don’t need all that hype. I don’t know how to convince her, Lord. I mentioned Baptism and she said I could baptize her! I don’t know how to do that! I’m not even qualified, am I? Please help me to help her, Lord. Amen.”

Once again thousands of miles away in the Amazon jungle, Yinney was in his 7th Day Tree teaching. Lu-Lu, Me-Me, and Jo-Jo had showed up to hear about his 6 day journey. And after telling them in detail about Capy, Kujo, and Bubba, he went on to ask a question, “So how do we create true ‘community’?” he asked. “How do we have true ‘communion’?”

The question hung in the air like a lead balloon. Me-Me looked at Jo-Jo. Jo-Jo looked at Lu-Lu. Lu-Lu looked at Me-Me. No one was saying anything until all three suddenly answered at the same time and Yinney couldn’t decipher a single word they said.

“Okay. Very good!” he said. “Lu-Lu, why don’t you go first.”

“Love your neighbor as yourself?” she answered as a question.

“Me-Me?” Yinney said.

“Invite people to join our fellowship!” she proudly answered.

“And Jo-Jo,”

“Pray for people,” she stated.

“All very good answers,” Yinney confirmed, and the macaws looked at each other very happy at their performance. Then he asked another question, “What does it mean to be a priest to your neighborhood?”

“It means being ordained after much study of God’s Word, so you can teach it properly,” Jo-Jo quickly answered.

“It can mean that,” Yinney agreed, “But, what if I told you, you became a priest of the Most High God the moment you entered into Christ by your own profession of faith? And God considers you a priest to wherever you are planted, i.e., your own neighborhood, workplace, wherever God has planted you. You are a priest of God’s ‘Communion’, even the Lord’s Welcoming Table, his Last Supper. As a priest you have a Communion with our Creator that only a child of God can offer to your community. The community we hope to grow, like a garden, is a community in love with God, knowing God, and coming to know him more as we fellowship like a family in Him.”

The 3 macaws stared at Yinney as if he had just invented the light bulb, or time travel. They were in awe and dumbfounded at the same time. Lu-Lu finally began slowly asking, “Could you say that again so I could write it down? I’m not sure I heard you right.” All three macaws were nodding their heads in agreement.

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation. A people for God’s own possession…” (I Peter 2:9)

“…you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood…” (I Peter 2:5)

“And he has made us be a Kingdom of priest…” (Rev. 1:6)

Yinney ended his quoting. Then Lu-Lu said, “I guess I did hear that right. Could you repeat those three verse locations?”

Yinney smiled.

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The continuing story of “Yinney the Sloth who needed to Poo” is property of Don Allen and Fellowship of the White Path.

 

 

“Yinney” Chapter 29

Path Without End

BLOG-16-05-2017-2 The desires of the flesh are a hungry thing indeed, unless tamed by the spirit. Dorothy wrestled with herself as to what to do? Did she really want to? There would be no going back.

She had been hunting Jack for a while now. Jack had a wife and child. He would have as much to lose as her, if they were caught. She knew he was ready, even if he didn’t admit it to himself. If she offered he would say yes. The hunt had been successful and she had been in control the whole time, slowly leading him down her lonely path.

Dorothy was proud of her figure now. As she worked hard at the spa and the pounds rolled off and muscles tightened up, more guys came around, but Jack had been her target all along.

Even her husband, Jerry, had complimented her, but nothing seemed to get through that workaholic mindset of his. Her home continued being a lonely and passionless palace. She loved her two children, but she had a big empty place they could not fill, and maybe Jack could. So as she threw her stuff in the car and headed towards the spa she knew what was in her mind to do. She craved romance, and Jack was offering.

Many times predator people don’t even know who’s hunting who? Jack would have said he was the hunter and Dorothy the prey. She couldn’t resist his macho charm. But one thing is certain when uncontrolled desire is at the driver’s wheel, no one is thinking clearly, and in the pursuit of what they want, neither may like the total of what they get.

Frank headed out for another night of patrolling his New York City beat, but first his usual stop at the coffee shop to get Rachel. She had been really shaken by the high rise execution she witnessed that night, but between Frank and her daughter, they made sure she had all the support she needed.

Rachel was falling in love with Frank, but he had been in love with her all along. However, that night of the execution had put a fear in her she did not know if she could get past? Her only problem with Frank had become his job! She didn’t know if she could live with knowing every time her husband went to work, he would be facing animals in the night, and he might not come back! This had been eating at her ever since that night, but she could not bring herself to tell him. She was praying hard she would get over it, but so far that fear was holding her kisses at bay. As he let her off at the subway entry, her quick good-bye kiss remained purposely shallow, even though she loved him so much. She didn’t know what she was going to do?

She paused at the steps of the subway and watched his squad car slowly driving away. A cold wind whipped at her neck and face as she stood there watching. Before he was even out of sight she saw his lights come on, heard the siren wail, the car made a sharp turn and he was hitting the gas. Something was happening! And he was on his way. What was he on his way to face this time? He was a hero protecting people like her from the predators in the night. She loved that about him, but hated it too. She said a prayer under her breath and descended into the concrete opening.

Frank hadn’t picked up his partner yet at the precinct, but this was an all-points emergency call. A large gang-fight had just broken out in the midst of Central Park. Innocent people were caught in the crossfire. Other officers would be converging on the park and his partner would catch a ride. He was not far from the site, and one of the first to arrive.  Another squad car was already broadside to the park and officers outside the car, using it as a shield and guns pulled.

Frank ran the nose of his car close to their trunk and jumped out to join them. A lady jogger came running out of the dingy lit streets screaming for help. Her leg was bleeding as she struggled to run. Frank managed to leap out and grab her, pulling her behind the car.

“What is your name?” he asked as he assessed her wound. She was so panicked she couldn’t do anything but cry. Two more squad cars came racing in. Soon they would have enough to enter the park, but Frank needed to help this woman. An ambulance would be arriving anytime, but until then, he needed to keep pressure on her leg.

Two more citizens came running out. Neither of them hurt. One was able to give information as to where the fight broke out. Two helicopters began lighting up the area. Riot gear and shields were quickly being handed out. An ambulance arrived and two officers assisted the lady to it. Frank would soon be entering the woods of Central Park.

Rachel’s phone lit up with an alert, warning everyone to stay away from the Park. News stations were already at the scene as close as they could get, broadcasting as much as they could. A shaking began in her body as she rode the subway. This was not the normal shaking, but a fear of knowing Frank was there, and what if?

Thousands of miles away in the Amazon Rain Forest, Yinney was enjoying being home in his 7th Day Tree after his six day voyage through the neighborhood. He fully expected Lu-Lu, or Me-Me, or Jo-Jo, or all three to stop in at any time and he would tell them of his encounters with Capy the capybarra, Kujo the spider monkey, and Bubba the Buddhist howler monkey. He was looking so forward to the fellowship.

High in his tree he heard Jag crying somewhere distant in the jungle. The Jaguar was hungry again, and letting everyone know. How had such a good God designed such a horrible world, he asked himself. Then just as quickly reminded himself, this was not God’s design, this was man’s. Man blamed it on the woman. The woman blamed it on the snake. But God held Adam accountable. He had failed to keep and tend the perfect garden.

In the end, Dorothy would probably blame Jerry. Jerry would say he was just trying to provide what his family deserved. Jack would likely try to blame Dorothy, but that boat really wouldn’t float. The gangsters would likely blame their horrible childhoods, and maybe rightly so, as their parents blamed their horrible childhoods. But who did it first? Yinney decided Adam gets the original blame, but blaming wouldn’t solve anything as the world turns on planet earth. Only the love of God can change a predator’s heart.

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“Yinney” Chapter 28

Path Without End

Sloth_large The sun rose amidst the sounds of  brightly colored birds cawing and singing, monkeys screaming and hooting, and wild cats snarling as usual in the Amazon. Rain drenched the jungle in the early morning and now the rain forest was a hot steam bath, but all this was normal as Yinney prepared to leave the rubber trees of Bubba and continue his own journey back to his 7th Day Tree.

Bubba and a few monkeys had gathered to bid him farewell, but Bubba also had one last question, “If I may be so selfish to ask one last question as you are preparing to leave, I would be most interested in your answer.”

“Of course,” Yinney agreed.

“It pertains to faith and works,” Bubba began. “You say Buddhism is a religion requiring the devotee to perfect himself, or a salvation by works as you put it. Is that right?”

“Yes,” Yinney confirmed, “And you agree the 8 Fold Path is the target of your discipline to become such a selfless person as if no longer having fleshly cravings, but completely ‘No Self’. Right? And with every reincarnation you hope to finally reach that selfless life.”

“That is correct,” Bubba agreed, “but does not your own religion state that faith without works is dead?” Is that not the same thing?”

“Oh, you are very good, Bubba, and that is such an excellent question. I have so enjoyed our conversations. I do hope you will also visit me at my 7th Day Tree. I would love to teach you deep things concerning God’s REST we enter into. Just as God ceased from his own works after the 6th day and entered REST on the 7th.”

“Adam and Eve were created on that 6th day. So they woke up in all the preparations God had already made. The work was done and they flowed into that 7th day of REST with God, and lived in that until they broke the REST with sin. That was all a picture of reentering God’s REST one day through Christ. Jesus has already made all the preparations. We reenter a spiritual garden with him. When we are born again, we wake up in the 6th day but immediately enter into a spiritual 7th.”

“Faith is a powerful force. If it is true faith it changes what our goals and desires had been before. We suddenly have new focus and new desires. So naturally we begin to move in that direction. This is a form of works, but not because we are trying to save ourself, we REST in Christ for that. It’s actually ‘God at work’ in us. We become a temple of his Holy Spirit, who is like a supernatural gardener! He begins recreating a garden of Eden in us!”

“It is as if he continually works against the weeds in us, and plants new flowers and plants bringing forth good fruit. We begin to live differently as naturally as an apple tree bears apples. It is a form of work, but completely powered by our love for him, and God’s love for us.”

“God told Adam to tend and keep the garden. But it was a perfect garden, so what work was there for him to do? It was about maintaining the spiritual atmosphere. It was about maintaining the Presence of God in the garden, the relationship Adam had with God. There was a certain spiritual table-setting in that place, and Adam allowed Satan a seat at the table. Much like Judas, but Jesus pointed Judas out and maintained his faithfulness to God even though Judas was there. So those scriptures you speak of, is simply the apple tree bearing apples, as it should naturally do, because of God at work in us.”

“Maybe it is hard for you to see the difference, but that is where grace comes in. Jesus said my yoke is easy and my burden is light. It’s not about a bunch of rules and laws anymore. Jesus set us free. It’s about a love relationship in which you delight in pleasing the one you love, and your life flows in that relationship as you walk together with God in the garden.”

Yinney ended his explanation, and Bubba smiled, “Once again you have succeeded in giving me a very deep answer, and yet so simple, my slow moving friend. I understand a garden and gardener. I understand love and relationship, for I lost a very special person in my past. I understand a banana tree bearing bananas, or it is not a banana tree!” Bubba shouted and began laughing again along with all the other monkeys too. “Go in peace my friend. You have given me many beautiful answers, and in my faith we appreciate true beauty. I will visit your tree and learn more of this REST you speak of.”

Yinney smiled and waved good-bye as he began his slow but methodical trip home to his special tree. He had no other encounters and in two days his home came into view. He rested, and then the next day made his dangerous trip to the ground to poo. This special poo which even included nutrients from poisonous leaves only he could eat, would strengthen his tree for days to come.

Yinney was very happy with his first trip out. He had met Cappy the capybarra, Kujo the spider monkey, Bubba the Buddhist and his friends. Word would begin spreading of a sloth and his 7th Day Tree. He would hang his little sign offering spiritual teaching to one and all, and live each day in the glow of slow.

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“Yinney” – Chapter 23

Path Without End

3toed-sloth-1280x720 On his third day of traveling Yinney started curving his way around, making a rather slow but large turn back towards his 7th Day Tree. He did not want his return trip to be a repeat of territory he already traveled. The large turn would set him on a new course.

He was very happy about meeting Capy the capybara. A connection had been made and he was sure Capy would show up at his tree to learn more about The Great Way of Christ. But what would today bring? He would spend this day making the arching curve, and then the next three days would be directed towards his tree. Hopefully he would find another to connect with on the way, but he had to be back to his tree by the seventh day, because he would need to poo!

It was growing late in the day when it happened. He was settling in for the night after finding a very cozy fork in a tree. It had been a long day of travel and he was weary from it all when the long-armed, long legged, long-tailed spider monkey just happened to swing into him!

“Yikes!” the dark monkey screamed, instantly leaping away. “I did not see you there!” he shouted from a nearby branch.

“Yes, that happens a lot,” Yinney said.

The monkey had nothing to fear from a sloth and so decided not to flee, curiosity getting the better of him. “Are you new to the area?” he asked.

“Yes, my tree is located at this end of the lagoon, and I have only begun to seek community in the neighborhood. I am a spiritual teacher of the Hebrew writings. Are you familiar with them?”

“No,” the monkey said and added, “I never had much use for religious stuff. This is all one big freak accident we’re living. I’m an accident. You’re an accident. And when I die it’s over. I’ll never even know the accident happened. That’s my philosophy.”

“I see,” said Yinney. “I’m sorry your life is one big accident that will not even be remembered, and everything you do means nothing.”

“Yes, it is very sad,” the monkey agreed. “Life is very sad without meaning. I fully expect to wake up from sleep one night to find myself wrapped in a huge anaconda, who will slowly proceed to swallow and slowly digest me.”

Yinney did not know what to say. Such a bleak outlook on such an amazing creation that almost certainly could not happen by accident, but he could tell the spider monkey was of a made-up-mind, and now was not the right time to press.

“My name is Yinney. You should visit me at my tree. We could share a meal together.”

“That sounds nice, my name is Kujo,” the monkey shared, but then seemed to have an idea. “You should talk to Bubba.”

“Who?” Yinney asked.

“Bubba,” Kujo repeated. “Bubba the Buddhist, I call him. He’s a Howler monkey that lives in a group of rubber trees very close to the path your taking back to the lagoon. He likes to talk religious stuff, but not the same as yours.”

Yinney lit up when Kujo said Buddhist, “Buddhism! I’ve studied that belief system! It is remarkable what the Buddha taught considering he lived long before Christ, and there was no New Covenant. Even the Hebrews were lost in living a bunch of laws at that time. Considering all things, I always found the Buddha way very interesting. I would love to talk to Bubba! You say a grove of rubber trees?”

“Yes,” the monkey confirmed, and further explained how to find it. Then he looked about rather worried how late it was getting. “I got to go now. I need to get back to my safe place before dark. Sleeping in strange places always gives me nightmares of being swallowed by a giant snake. Good to meet you, Yinney. I’ll see you around.” And away he went leaping and swinging through the trees as if they were solid ground to him.

“A Buddhist?” Yinney repeated. “Oh, this is very interesting!” he thought, just before closing his eyes and falling into a very tired sleep.

Waking the next morning he started his day with his morning worship song and prayer. He asked the All-Creator to order his steps and arrange a meeting with Bubba. After his sacred prayers were finished, he slowly ate a leaf and began on his way. It was in God’s hands what would happen this day.

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The continuing story of “Yinney the Sloth who needed to Poo” is the property of Don Allen and Fellowship of the White Path.

“Yinney” – Chapter 11

Path Without End

download (2) With all the rich color of her blue feathers, and the bright yellow around the eyes and beak, Lu-Lu had suddenly landed upon a limb of Yinney’s 7th Day Tree.

“So this is it!” she declared. “This is where my favorite sloth will center his life.”

“Yup,” he affirmed. “This is it. And look! I have a lagoon!”

“I see that. What an awesome place you have found. This truly is a wonderful spot.”

“Thank you. I am very happy indeed. Go ahead and take a look around. I have not been to the top yet. I might do that today.”

Yinney knew Lu-Lu could check out his tree on her own and save him the energy. She quickly jumped from this limb to that, as he watched with amusement. Could she really appreciate every fine detail of this special tree, as she moved so quickly, he wondered? He watched her turning her head when she studied the lagoon below.

“Hhmmm, very interesting!” she declared, and then flew to the uttermost top branch of his tree, to look about. After a hard look, she returned.

“Well, what did you see up there?”

“I saw the smoke has not reached this area yet. Even from your highest branch, it still cannot be seen.”

“What do you mean?” he asked, “What smoke? Is there a fire?”

“Oh, there is a fire alright, but not the kind we think of. A fire burning in the belly of man. Since we last talked I flew towards the east and checked on the road man is attempting to build through the Amazon.”

“What?” Yinney asked, and then slowly blinked three times before saying, “A road!”

“Yes, can you believe it? A road in the Amazon jungle? But don’t laugh, they are doing it. Its been a major challenge, and progress is fraught with set-backs, but man intends to tame this jungle for his purposes. Their machines belch smoke, are loud, and stink. I was looking to see if you could see it from here, but your safe, for now. In other places many animals are running deeper into the jungle.”

When Lu-Lu mentioned animals on the run, Yinney realized it was part of the vision he was given at the bottom of the lagoon.

“Lu-Lu, you’re not going to believe this, but the All-Creator gave me a vision of this, while meditating at the bottom of this lagoon.”

“What?” It seemed Lu-Lu’s yellow around the eyes got bigger and brighter as she reacted to Yinney’s statement. “Wait a minute. Let me see if I understand what you’re saying. “Did you just say you meditated underwater? And you had a vision?”

“Yes.”

“You’re a strange one, Yinney, but I like you. It’s a wonder you didn’t drown! Are you crazy?”

“It’s one of the beauties of slow. I can hold my breath for a very long time. I always wanted to do this, so I did not waste any time. The very next day after finding my tree, I went into the lagoon. I found a tree settled on the bottom, and latched hold of it. I was resting down there for a while, when suddenly a voice began speaking, and I knew it was the All-Creator!”

“Wow…” Lu-Lu was still trying to imagine doing such a thing. No wonder sloths are sought after as spiritual teachers in the animal kingdom. Who else would do such things? “So what did the voice say?” she finally asked.

“Well… it’s sort of a ‘big picture’ vision. Not a lot of details were given as far as the ‘how to’ is concerned. The vision said bad things were headed this way, but this tree and lagoon would be a protected place, and animals on the run would come here. I am supposed to set this tree as a refuge and develop a special place of community and communion. It said I had three years to prepare.”

“Oh my,” the blue macaw said with worry in her eyes. She was silent for a time before finally saying, “That would seem to make sense. Three years. Yes, I can see that. With the way the jungle is fighting back against the progress of man, it could easily be that long before it affects you. So even without me telling you of these things, you would already be preparing even though you knew not what was coming?”

“Yes, the Spirit prepares us for many things, even though we don’t always have the details before it actually happens,” Yinney explained. “And there is one more thing…”

Lu-Lu waited in anticipation of what the “one more thing was”. She could tell it was something important from the way he was acting. This sloth who lived such a simple, peaceful, and slow life, centered around a particular tree and his need to poo, actually was better prepared for the future than she was, even though she flew all about with much flapping, constantly keeping an eye. What was Yinney about to reveal to her now?

“There will be a man.”

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