I really envy those who can find the time to write every single day on their blogs. You don’t know how much I have longed to sit down to my faithful keyboard and empty my knowledge-filled brain (well, not all my brain). At this point I am not even typing on a keyboard, just my iPhone.
Tonight, I will write more. My computer will be back up and operational, so that will help. For now, because I have to pay for said computer, I must head off to drive the famous school bus. If you read this in time, pray – it is a Friday.
Stay Tuned!
As a teaser, be looking for a story dealing with animals in Romania – animals that leap from the trees and kill you if you don’t make the right sounds. I’ve been wanting to share this “true-life” story for a while.
If you haven’t done so already, SUBSCRIBE! You will be notified each time I write an article or post a video of Monday Monkey. Cool, huh?
If you like model trains, then you will love this episode.
If you have children, you will love this episode.
If you like monkeys who can read the Bible just enough to be dangerous, you will love this episode.
On the other hand…
If you don’t like children, were never a child, hate toys, can’t stand monkeys, or are a rabid KJV-only believer, you will NOT love this episode. But then again, you’ll probably not like anything else on this blog, either. That’s sad.
A Special Thanks
I would like to send out a special thanks to the guys at the Crossville Model Railroad Museum in Crossville, TN. They were very gracious to allow Mr. Monkey, Katie, and myself to film.
If you ever get the chance, try to stop by and pay the museum a visit. Tell them a monkey sent you.
In this episode, Mr. Monkey and the Recovering Legalist team head off to Crossville, Tennessee.
What’s in Crossville? The worlds largest tree house, of course!
The Treehouse – The Way
If you want one, there are little business cards available with information. The business card has a picture of the tree house, and right beside are the words The Treehouse – The Way. What does The Way have to do with the Treehouse? Well, as I understand it, according the Horace Burgess, the builder/owner, God told him to build it.
No joke.
A lady we know heard of our trip to the tree house. She said she had been there, so I asked her what she thought. “It was all a bunch of nothing,” she said coarsely. She couldn’t understand why anyone would build such a thing, much less visit it. She saw no value in what Mr. Burgess was doing.
To be honest, saying that God told you to build the world’s largest tree house is quite unusual. But on the other hand, I am sure many thought the same as they made fun of Noah’s ark. Why couldn’t God instruct someone to build a tree house?
Some may joke about the man and the house, but the purpose of the structure is not a joke. As a matter of fact, instead of growing crops in an adjacent field, Mr. Burgess writes the Purpose for all to see – Jesus.
Encouragement
I hope this episode of Monday Monkey will encourage you in a several ways.
First, I hope it will encourage you to something creative, something weird, no matter how silly or strange, even if it means carrying a monkey puppet around in public. Don’t let naysayers squash your imagination.
Secondly, I hope it will encourage you to visit the tree house in Crossville, TN. While there, try to make a donation to help feed the abandoned horses.
Thirdly, I hope it encourages you to pray for Bro. Horace Burgess and his ministry, however strange. If nothing else, pray for those who will visit the tree house. Hopefully, because of one man’s vision, they will also see Jesus.
One would think that my first post of the year would be something serious and profound – oh, well. I can’t help it that it’s Monday.
In this episode, we see Mr. Monkey overdoing it with the non-alcoholic sparkling pear juice (it was nasty!). Don’t hold it against him, though. It was all the store had on the shelf. The apple cider was all sold out.
But just in case you missed it, Matthew 6:33 gets referenced in the end of the video. Why? Because this year let’s not be so focused on getting ahead, winning elections, or making the grade. This year let’s put God first in all we do. This year let’s seek His kingdom and His righteous first.
Believe it or not, I went to the largest mall in Tennessee (Hamilton Place) with a puppet monkey on my arm…and we had fun.
Actually, if you want to know the truth, we went to the mall, but left Buddy (Mr. Monkey) in the van. But once I saw what was for sale in Teavana (the tea shop that replaced my favorite coffee shop), I had to go back out and get our favorite furry friend. That’s when the fun really started.
Note: Kids love puppets. However, parents tend to look with skepticism at grown men who talk to puppets in public, especially when there is no puppet show.
Mr. Monkey and I hope you enjoy the video. If you do, would you please forward it to a friend? We would really appreciate it!
Monkey Picked Tea
I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas. WE did. More than anything, the service at church was extra special. Several gave the gift of worship as they knelt by a manger.
Next week is going to be another busy one, so I am not sure if I will be able to write much…we’ll just have to see. There are a lot of things on my mind, just not enough time.
In the meantime, keep in mind my challenge…100 subscribers by the end of the year!
OK, so there’s a few things you may not know about me…
I remember the theme song to a 1974 television series (loosely based on the movie of the same name) called “Born Free.” I don’t remember much of what it was about, but I remember as a child loving the theme song.
I love to listen to Roger Whitaker. I don’t care if he’s someone only certain older, more refined, better educated, culturally appreciative, attractive, graying gentlemen and 11 year-old girls (my daughter) listen to. Being brought up a strict, religious, fundamentalist conservative from the South, I never listened to secular music, much less attended concerts. However, when my parents finally let me, Roger Whitaker was the first non-Southern Gospel singer I saw in concert.
I’m in the clutches of the Christmas season, so that means my life is probably busier and more maddening than the average kindergartner.
Because of the above things you now know, I put together only a short version of Monday Monkey. Hope you don’t mind. Just keep coming back for more – if you dare.
And while you’re here, do a little reading. I’d appreciate your comments – just keep them Roger Whitaker-friendly.
P.S. Because of copyright law, this video cannot be viewed in Germany. Why only Germany? I have no idea. I am sure it is because I am playing a 36 second piece of “Born Free,” as recorded by Roger Whitaker. For the record, I did not ask permission, but I am begging Mr. Whitaker, my hero, and Germany, the place where my sister now lives, to forgive me. If I make any money as a result of this blog post, I’d be happy to share in the wealth. Sadly, there ain’t no wealth to be shared. So, for the second record, I didn’t write the song, nor record the song, and Roger Whitaker is a great guy – I hope.
We just got our Christmas (not holiday) tree, but haven’t decorated it. That will happen sometime today or tomorrow. It’s not something I look forward to, except for the eggnog.
However, while we were out to church, Mr. Monkey decided to decorate the tree all by himself. Bad idea.
You see, just because he is a monkey, he thinks that climbing a tree is no big deal. What he doesn’t take into consideration is the fact that climbing a tree and decorating it with electric lights is complicated. He should have just waited until he could have help.
Sadly, it’s pretty common for people to think they can handle things alone. Their pride makes them think that they are strong enough, smart enough, independent enough, and perfectly capable of anything, even when they’re weak, hurting, and needy. Pride will lead to a fall.
Mr. Monkey’s Bad Idea
And for the record, it takes help to make these little videos. I can’t do them alone. So, a big thanks goes out to Kevin Miller, my old friend, for giving me a hand this time around.
Rain and Mondays go hand in hand (or is that drop in hand?). And since it is raining here, as Ray Charles might say, “I think it’s rainin’ all over the world.”
If it is raining where you are, don’t waste the opportunity. For instance…
– When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.
– When life gives you oranges, you make orange juice.
– When life gives you weird relatives, you either pretend they don’t exist and return their party invitations, or make funny videos of them for TV. Make the most of what you have, people!
When a little rain doth fall, go out and sing in it!
Just make sure you do it in the back yard if you have a monkey puppet in a rain coat on your hand.
The Recovering Legalist 