“Yinney” – Chapter 13

Bradypus.jpg Yinney believed in the supernatural. Yes, most sloths did, and that was why they never rushed, but practiced the “Beauty of Slow”. It was all about faith and the supernatural. As he pondered the ancient texts he was so familiar with, and thought about the great task before him, to be a place of refuge in a time of storm, he knew he had to intentionally slow down. Be still my soul, and know your God, he ordered himself.

How many are the works of God, he asked himself, that are built upon the strategies and rushing of man-made ways, rather than the prayers and peace of God’s people? It is always the greatest temptation to leave the beauty of slow and rush into the building of an empire. We love to impress people, Yinney thought. He pondered the scripture again…

“Unless the Lord builds the house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the Lord protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat, for God gives rest to his loved ones.” Psalms 127: 1-2

These were some of the favorite scriptures of his people. The sloth family understood this faith and rest God spoke of in his holy texts. The Hebrews claimed they had an encounter with God. Over many years, writings inspired by God, written through these Hebrew people, claimed to be the word of God, and the way of God. Yinney believed it. The book was supernatural, and it spoke of a way in which there is an easy yoke and light burden. But the hunger and drive of fleshly ways is drawn to the hard yoke and heavy burden, like a moth to flame.

He already purposed in his heart that his Tree of Refuge, his 7th Day Tree, would come about by the work of God, not his own, therefore it was not up to him to force anything, but if the calling be true, if the vision be true, then through prayer, faith, worship, and supernatural ways, God would build it as he saw fit. Yinney would simply rest in God. And in that rest he would fulfill his calling as naturally as a flower blooming, one day at a time.

Yinney would not enter predator ways. The hungers of flesh is the predator way. How many works claiming the name of God are actually built upon predator ways? The hunt, the pride, the conquering, the forcing of ways as if to create a kingdom of  lifeless subjects, rather than a living family. Yinney understood family. You don’t eat your family. True fellowship requires a place of family. Judas was a predator sitting at the Lord’s table that night, and Jesus pointed him out. Then he went out and did what predators do.

The Hebrew scriptures reveal the supernatural enemy of our eternal soul walks about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour! Predator! And predator ways! It ought not be so in the House of God. It would not be so in this fellowship.

“Yes,” Yinney reminded himself. “It was the ways of a dove and a lamb that gave that lion his greatest defeat. Do no harm. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love God with all your heart. I will be the sloth who simply loves his God, and watches God go before him.” Suddenly Yinney desired to worship. It bubbled up in his soul like a mighty river!

“Bless the Lord, oh my soul!” he began singing. “And all that is within me, bless his holy name! Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget none of his benefits! Who forgives all my sins! Who heals all my diseases! Who redeems my life from destruction, and crowns me with loving kindness and tender mercies! Who fills my mouth with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle!”

Yinney sang this song and worshiped his Creator from his 7th Day Tree, and he knew God’s rest. As of this moment only Lu-Lu was a part of the Fellowship he was called to oversee. But Lu-Lu was a bit of a force of nature. Such was her natural gifting from God. There was no doubt in his mind that Lu-Lu was the best promoter of the Fellowship he could have.

“Jesus, your ways are so beyond our understanding,” Yinney began praying. “How many times did you heal someone and then tell them to tell no one who did this for you? And yet the Father grew your ministry just as it was supposed to grow. But what has man done today? We have copied the ways of the world and brought shame on your name. Please forgive us Lord, and send a refreshing of your Holy Spirit, that we might truly live again. Breathe upon this army of dead bones, that we might know your supernatural ways again.” The prayer was simple and sincere.

And so he prayed. He flowed in and out of word, worship, and prayer as the Spirit moved him. Like an eagle soaring on unseen currents of air, all morning was spent this way, and he loved the simplicity of it. There were no man-made programs to bow to, only God.

As slow as Yinney was, he planned to travel his community like he had read of preachers long ago. He was not a fan of large groups, but loved the intimacy of smaller groups, and one-on-one teaching. God was calling a family, not a congregation. Something gets lost in congregation. His ministry would orbit his 7th Day Tree like the earth orbiting the sun, after all, if Yinney needs to poo once every seven days, and he must poo here, then how far can a “sloth” get before he must begin his return trip?

But all along the way he would have “The Fellowship”. One might ask, when did Jesus have Church? The answer is “all the time”. And where did Jesus have Church? The answer is everywhere he went. So simple. Where two or three are gathered in my name. How does man manage to complicate the simplicity of Christ?

A great peace filled his soul as he slowly climbed higher into his 7th Day Tree so he could look outward. Lu-Lu said the smoke of man could be seen wherever he is. Yinney knew he would see that smoke one day, probably in about three years. But for now, as he climbed his sacred tree, the main thought in his soul and heart were the words: “Let there be light!”


Peace we have, and peace we teach.

The continuing story of “Yinney the Sloth who needed to Poo”, is the property of Don Allen; alias: Grandpa White Feather, a Story Teller.

“Yinney” – Chapter 7

images (1) It had been a long seven day journey, and now that he had found his 7th Day Tree he just wanted to rest and enjoy. In other words, not move! But as he laid back admiring the great tree his spirit had led him to, his mind and soul were rejoicing. Yinney’s inner world was highly active.

Sloths fool people. They look at a sloth and say, “Nothing much going on there. Hello? Anybody home?” Then they laugh and move on.

“Let them move on,” Yinney thought. “Maybe someday they will learn to appreciate the beauty of slow, when they are no longer young and foolish. Now that I have my tree, I can begin writing my book: ‘The Teachings of Yinney’, with a subtitle of : ‘The Beauty of Slow’.”

Yinney’s contemplation continued, “It’s not about slowing down simply for the sake of going slow, but it’s about the ‘glow’ of slow, and the ‘flow’. I will write of these things, and my 7th Day Tree becomes my classroom, my place of rest, my place of faith.”

The sacred tree was not called the “7th Day Tree” only because it was the place a sloth pooed every seven days. Sloth’s were avid readers of ancient texts. When a sloth is not moving, they may be reading. They have very tiny books hard to be seen by someone on the ground. His father had left books for Yinney, and among them was the great Jewish books of the Hebrews. These books were revered by all three-toed sloths because they spoke of living in a state of rest. If there was one thing sloths understood, it was rest.

In the Old Covenant, the Creator had instructed for the 7th day to be kept holy and be a day of rest. However, it is plainly written as the Christ completed the Old Covenant, that day of rest was expanded into a lifestyle! Not just on the 7th Day, but by faith live in the 7th Day all week long, even as Yinney would live in his 7th Day Tree!

He slowly reached for a leaf as he continued, “Most people don’t understand how you can be at rest and still get anything done, but rest is a state of peace, a state of faith, a state of flow, spiritual and supernatural, empowered by the All-Creator. It is contentment while still reaching,” his claws finally reached the leaf.

“So many people are asleep, but have no rest,” he continued. “But he who walks in spirit knows a rest that is fully awake. ‘Desire’ is a hard taskmaster. Better to be content and flowing forward like a lazy river, rather than caught in rapids. The beauty of slow is to enjoy the journey as much as the destination. You could say the journey is the destination. Does anyone ever fully arrive? And if one does, what happens then? Boredom?”

And so Yinney was enjoying the fruit of his journey as he laid back in his 7th Day Tree. It would be another seven days before he needed to poo again, meanwhile he was safe in his tree. The sounds of the Amazon echoed all around. The exotic birds, the occasional roar of a large cat, the screams of monkeys, he enjoyed it all, for the Amazon was full of life!

While Yinney rested way to the south, Jerry was fit to be tied in North America. He still had a large order of wood to deliver in two days. Tomorrow was Sunday and certain “church-goers” in his employ did not like working seven days a week. Not only that, but there was talk of inviting a Union Rep to organize all the mills around the state, and push to join the Union. If that happened, not only would overtime be “time and a half”, but Sundays would be “double-time”!

Jerry thought he knew who were the main two stirring everyone up about the benefits of the Union. He was still the boss here. There must be a way to stop this, he thought. No Union was coming into his mill if he could help it.

A small picture on his desk momentarily catches his eyes, causing him to pause. There was Dorothy and his two kids. He reminded himself he was doing all this for them. He smiled as he thought of Dorothy getting in shape. She was all excited last night as she told him about joining the spa, how it got her out of the house, the great bargain it was, and it was good for her. Yes, she seemed happy. Jerry was glad, this distraction kept her off his back. She had been doing a lot of complaining about how much he was gone. He would gladly pay the spa bill if it kept her busy.

Suddenly pain hit his stomach and began crawling up his throat. “Yuk!” Pulling his desk drawer open he reached for the bottle of antacids. “I gotta stop drinking so much coffee,” he concluded, as he swallowed several pills. He had been saying that for a year, but so far drank just as much, maybe even more.

Yinney spent his day slowly exploring his new home. It was big enough to provide protection, with many limbs too small for a Jaguar to climb upon. But it was also a humble tree. It will grow with the nutrients of Yinney’s special poo. It was perfect, and tomorrow he would find the best limb dropping into the lagoon. Holding his breath for as long as forty minutes, he wanted to try underwater meditation. This had been part of his master plan all along.  He continued thinking about the dire implications Lu-Lu had spoke of also. Yes, if this was true, then there would be much need for three-toed sloths of the old ways. They would find his tree, and he would give them hope, as only his people could.

What could he see from the highest limb, he wondered. Looking upward he liked the idea of it, but decided to save his energy. It had already been a lot this day. Tomorrow the lagoon, and maybe a climb to the top the next day. After all, there was no rush. Yinney was in complete peace as he enjoyed his many pleasures.

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“God Balance”

402894471-free-wind-wallpapers We’re talking about “Surrender” because so many Christians have failed to enter “Rest” and are still “Fighting”. Fighting to keep their head above water. Fighting with the cares of this life. Fighting to prove themself when we’re supposed to be proving God! Except a seed fall to the ground and die, it abides alone. And let that seed be carried by the Wind.

I surrender all, the song says. So why am I still fighting?

Hebrews chapter four speaks of a rest available to us all. A rest connected to the 7th Day when God ceased from all “His” work. He said, It is finished, it is good, and he entered rest. That rest is available to us when we truly surrender, cease from our own works and enter His. We enter His finished work, and we do His work in our life, not our own.

When Jesus said, “It is finished!” If your faith is strong enough, and your love for God great enough, the cares of this world become simply more water off a duck’s back. It’s not that you won’t feel emotions, but we can also have control of those emotions, because no matter what, we know God has a plan for us.

H-O-W-E-V-E-R… If God’s will and God’s plan is not enough for you… T-H-E-N… enter stress, anxiety, lust, envy, fighting, struggle, rat race, fear, etc. etc, etc.. Your life will always be out of balance because like floating on water, there needs to be a surrender.

This world will always disrupt your peace unless you have learned to lay down your own will and flow with the Father. Cease from your own works and rest in God. For the one who has died with Christ, no matter what I wake up to each day, even if it be WWIII has suddenly broke out, nothing changes for me! The desire of my heart is to find God’s will in this day. Not yesterday or tomorrow, but today. And be the Godwalker. Flow in that. Stay in faith, in Spirit, in peace and joy. Can it really be that simple?

Simple yes, but also very deep.

Have we really thought deeply about what Jesus taught? How is it we have read his words and heard his words a thousand times and still don’t get it? Because his words are simple and deep! (And we’re not paying attention.)

Our only explanation for our lack of understanding is we’re not paying attention. We read the Beatitudes and have pictures of pretty butterflies flirting about from flower to flower when that message is actually about losing our own identity and being swallowed up in his! It is a type of death, not dancing butterflies! And it leads to true joy.

Here is a quote, I think from Bo Lozoff: “The cause of all our personal problems, and nearly all the problems of the entire planet, can be summed up in a single sentence: Human life is very deep, and our dominate lifestyle is not.”

Wow…that is what I see in so many people. So busy running here and there trying to grab the golden ring, that they read the Beatitudes and praise the wisdom and beauty of it all while never realizing it’s speaking of their death to flesh! They hear those words “Blessed” at the start of each verse and that is as deep as their brain goes! They claim to love the ocean but they never leave shallow waters! Do they not even realize the lie they’re living? Evidently not.

Mister Rogers, an ordained minister who dared to have a “serious” television show for children, said this: “I feel so strongly that deep and simple are far more essential than shallow and complex.” The evidence seems to support that Mister Rogers lived what he spoke. He was a true believer.

I have dared attempt putting together a “spiritual formula” for finding our “God Balance” after deep thought about the living example of Christ. In other words, WDJD? (What DID Jesus do?) I compare this formula to a jigsaw puzzle. The formula is not complete without all the pieces.

True surrender, a true love for the things of God, is one piece of this puzzle. If there has not been a true DEATH, then how can there be a true resurrection into a newness of life?

Unless the seed falls to the ground and dies…it abides alone…and not only that…but how can it be happy in simplicity? Most struggle is the result of too much complexity we invited in because we wanted too many things too quickly. Or things we would be better off without. So how can we look at the piece of the puzzle known as “simplicity”, how can we get that piece in place if we constantly cause our life to be more and more complicated?

We have barely begun to teach this subject of the “God Balance”: How to find it and love it. I feel led to continue short teachings given more frequently. But if we’re paying attention, if we’re thinking deeply, we should be pondering what did Jesus do that enabled him to walk in such a God Balance as he said was also available to us? A few things make up that formula. I believe simplicity is one of the things the formula will produce. Simplicity is not part of the formula itself.

Lifestyle habits. Of course you’re thinking prayer. Yes, but…perhaps if you have a little bigger picture of a few more pieces, perhaps the prayers will come easier, than they do when our vision is only of shallow waters. Deep calleth unto deep. Follow your heart into deeper waters. There is a rest waiting for us there.