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AI is not real. Because there is no man-made intelligence. And the word, artificial, is your first clue. There is NO such thing as artificial intelligence.

So, again, AI is not real.

It’s kinda like the whole “free” thing. Just a concept. But I get why people fall for it. Because when AI applications and programs provide you their almost magical, and blazingly fast, results, it can feel like your really brainy friend who knows all the answers.

But here’s the thing.

AI only knows, and only CAN know, and only ever WILL know what it extracts from sources filled with data put there by Actual Intelligence.

Just so you know, I’ve already used some interesting and entertaining (and even helpful) AI tools. Because I wanted to see what all the fuss was about. And it’s clear as crystal (or it should be) that this is simply algorithms, data, and software that gathers up tons of information, super fast, and delivers it to you in a flash.

And it can deliver some truly impressive results.

But since a few generations have now grown up on science fiction shows that portray computers and androids as sentient beings, many fall for the notion that AI is real. But, I’ll say it one more time. AI is NOT real. So, my take is that it’s Artificial Integration. Or Artificial implementation. Or maybe Artificial Information. But it’s absolutely NOT something that will ever surpass Actual Intelligence.

And here’s an example in the Rhyme and Reason world. I just asked an AI tool to write a 12 line poem about butterflies. And I prompted it to write in my style. This is after I’ve had it “study” my writing.

Here’s the result:

Fluttering jewels, they dance in air,
Whispers of a world so fair.
Tiny wings, a blur of hues,
Nature’s secret, none refuse.
Sipping nectar, sweet delight,
Rainbow feathers, take to flight.
Silent song, a melody,
In the garden, they roam free.
Beneath the sun, they bask and play,
Life’s sweet symphony, they convey.
Invisible, yet ever near,
Hummingbirds, our hearts they cheer.

Yeah, that ain’t gonna cut it. If you’ve followed my Rhymes and Reasons for even a little while, I know your intuition tells you that’s not my kind of rhyme. And I hope your appreciation for poetry isn’t at all fulfilled. Mine sure isn’t. Even though it’s impressive that the tool churned out this poem in about 3 seconds, it’s basically artificialized (my own made up definition) plagiarism at worst. And saccharin imitation at best.

I sang an original hummingbird song, at my Mom’s memorial three years ago. And it’s a song I plan to record when the time is right. Be sure to remind me about that if you’d like to hear the finished version. I can safely say this. My wife LUVS it. So, with that ringing endorsement, I might just have a hit in bullpen.

You can stay tuned and know about it first when you jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

You can go your own way.
And you can call it another lonely day.
You can go your own way.

And if you’re a Fleetwood Mac fan or even if you’re not, but you’ve heard their music, you probably recognize those lyrics. I recently read an article/blurb about how a lot of the lyrics and songs off their bestselling album, Rumors, were the results of breakups. Especially the songs where Stevie Nicks and Lindsay Buckingham fired lyrical shots at each other.

Go Your Own Way made me think of my Dad.

And I know he wouldn’t have been a Fleetwood Mac fan. So, the memory I’m talking about has nothing to do with that. Nope, I just remember how Dad made sure I understood how important it is to go your own way.

It would be great if ALL dads (and moms) would share this insight with their kids. Because this world is working 24/7/365 to scoop up kids and destroy them. I believe my Dad’s talk with me is one every kid should hear in some form or another.

Basically he said:

As you grow up you find out the crowd usually isn’t going somewhere good. In fact, most people are usually going someplace God doesn’t want you to go. And they don’t care what God wants. But YOU should care because God knows what’s best for you.

And that’s definitely NOT to be like everybody else.

You’ll be more effective, more contented, and wiser when you go your own way. But only if your own way follows God’s word and His Way. And that’s almost always the opposite direction of the crowds.

Your Creator made you a certain way. He knows how to keep your mind and your body working smoothly. And if and when you decide to do things His way, you can avoid some bad mistakes everybody else makes.

But if you’d rather be like everybody else, God won’t yell at you. Or put you in time-out. Or even send you to bed without dinner. He’ll let you make your own mistakes. Then He’ll be there for you to turn to and talk to. But there’s a place in the Bible where it says God DOES get mad and punishes everybody who disobeys Him.

Don’t be one of those.

God’s love is stronger than anything. He proved that with His Son, Jesus. So, get to know Jesus. And be more like Him each day. And don’t be like everybody else who’d rather jump off a cliff.

Here are two rhymes to help you remember:

If you wanna be like everybody else
Who play with fire and never love the Lord,
You’ll find yourself, like everybody else,
Without His love in a place forever bored.

AND

You can make God sad by saying angry words.
You can make Him happy when you don’t.
You can make God sad if you’ll keep telling lies.
You can make Him happy when you won’t.
You can make God sad when you decide to steal.
You can make Him happy giving back.
You can make God sad until you trust Him to
Keep your heart and mind on the right track.

Stay tuned,

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“I remember when you were only knee high to a grasshopper.” Did you ever go to a family reunion, when you were a kid, and hear that? I sure did. And I remember how the wacky grownups, who told me that, were also the ones who made sure there was plenty of good food and fun to be had.

We’d eat fried chicken, ham sandwiches, potato chips and potato salad, watermelon, and homemade ice cream. And us kids (we kids for you grammarers) would play games, go exploring, ride bikes, and chase fireflies in the evening. Lots of fond memories for me. I hope you have those kinds of memories, too.

Whether you’re knee high to a grasshopper or “full growed” it’s great to get together.

When you haven’t seen someone in a long time, you can talk about how different everybody looks. Or how everybody looks the same. And it’s great to talk about all the family connections. Even if everybody doesn’t get along so well. Because it’s those connections your friends can’t give you.

But then again, it’s your best Friend who’s gonna make sure you have the best family reunion of all.

You’re going, right?

There’s a place in the Bible that says Jesus made sure you can go to the best family reunion of all. And guess where that’s gonna be. NO, not Disneyworld. It’s gonna be in Heaven, Goofy.

And here’s the best part. It’s all been paid for. It’s the most expensive get-together in the history of the universe. But Jesus already paid for it. So, all you need to do is show up. You ARE going, aren’t you? Still not sure? Oh come on! Why in the world would even have to think about it for more than a nanosecond?

First, it takes place in Heaven. So, a family reunion in paradise? Who wouldn’t say yes to that? Not me.

Maybe when you hear how much it cost Jesus, you’ll jump on board. He allowed Himself to be made fun of, beaten up, and nailed to a rough, wooden cross. Then He gave His life so you and I could be part of His forever family in Heaven. But, just so you know, there IS one catch to getting into that awesome family reunion.

You have to ask Him to forgive you and take you there. But if you do, He will. It doesn’t matter who you are, what you’ve done, what color your skin is, how much money you make, or anything else. Jesus loves you. He wants you there at the best family reunion of all. Now, what do you say? You’re going, aren’t you?

All you gotta do is ask Jesus into your heart. He’ll hear you and He’ll be there. Then you’ll have hope and you’ll know forever life is in you. It can never be taken away by anybody because your faith is the God of faithfulness.

Here’s a rhyme to help you remember:

When you were knee high to a grasshopper,
And cuter’n a bug’s ear in tall grass,
Finer than frog’s hair, a real showstopper,
He bought your very own boarding pass.
And He hopes, yes He wishes that you will
Be sure to claim it and be there that day
When the family, His children who chose Him,
Get together, forever, His Way.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Feelings change. It’s a fact of life. That was even true when I was a young whippersnapper, all those decades ago. I remember the first time I felt like I was in love with a girl. But, later, I felt like I was in love with another girl. It happened several times. What can I say? A red-blooded American boy is a boy after all.

And your feelings will (or did) change many times, too. So, that’s why you shouldn’t depend on feelings for the important things in life. And the most important thing in life is truth. And there are some things that are just plain true. It doesn’t matter how you feel about them. They’re still true.

One big truth is that God created only two genders of humans.

And because He did, a boy is a boy and a girl is a girl.

And it will always be true. No matter how you or anyone might feel about it.

These days some boys wish they were girls. And they do awful, horrible things to their bodies. The same is true for girls. It may sound weird, but it’s true. There are people who try to change genders. And they have to take drugs, take shots with needles, and even have gross operations.

All those things hurt your body because it isn’t built to take that. And it hurts God’s feelings to see it happening. He knows how much it hurts a person.

There’s a place in the Bible where it says you’re made in God’s image. And God doesn’t make mistakes. He never puts any one in the wrong body. He puts you right where you need to be. But if you don’t trust Him or love Him, you might believe just about anything bad somebody says about Him. You might even believe (or feel like) it’s OK to be whatever gender you choose. But it’s not. It hurts you. In fact, it can even take you somewhere you truly do not want to go.

So…how about this?

How about you read more about what God says about you? Because you’ll find out how unique He made you. And since God does that for you, who cares what anyone else says? God says you’re one-of-a-kind. You’re special. And He even knows how many hairs on on your head. He wants you to live forever. There’s only one way to do that. Trust in His Son, Jesus.

Jesus made you and He knows what’s best for you. And He made sure you could live with Him forever. And Jesus is the one who says what you’ll be. That’s why you should trust Him and not your feelings. He loves you. And there’s only one person who can ever change that. YOU.

Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

There’s a life inside of you, and it comes from God,
And He wants you to live and to always enjoy
And remember He made you the person you are,
Yes, a girl is girl and a boy is a boy.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

A Strawberry Moon? But where’s the strawberry? Oh great. Now, I’m craving some cold strawberry pie. Maybe I shouldn’t even have brought this up.

So, why DID I bring up a strawberry moon?

Because the strawberry moon is the full moon in June. And that rhymes rather nicely.

According to the Almanac, Algonquin tribes, that inhabited northeastern America, used the June full moon to mark the time for gathering ripened June-bearing strawberries. So did the Ojibwe, Dakota, and Lakota tribes.

This year’s full moon in June appears in the evening skies this coming Friday, June 21. And that’s the day after summer solstice. But don’t get too excited, kids. It won’t look like a strawberry. But it might have a nice golden color. Because it’ll happen when the sun at its highest point of the year. And, at the same time, this year’s strawberry moon will be “the lowest we’ve seen in years” according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

And since it’ll be so low, it will look “bigger than ever.” They call it the “Moon Illusion.” I’ll call it Moondini in honor of Houdini, the master of illusion.

FYI:

This first full moon of summer will become full at 9:08 p.m. on Friday June 21. Not sure how they can be that precise, but it’s what “they” said. And, also according to what I’ve read, it will look full for about three days, from Thursday evening through Sunday morning. I hope to see it here in the heart of the heart of America.

Anyway…

There’s a place in the Bible where it says God put the moon, and the sun, right up there in the sky where we could see ’em. He put them in the sky, along with all the stars, all in only took one day. And it was the 4th day of His creation week. He wanted to make sure we had plenty of light and warmth in the daytime. Plus, He’s the ultimate Host. So, he place a night light, too.

And the sun, moon, and stars help us to know about seasons, days, and years. Very cool.

And the Strawberry Moon is a colorful reminder of God’s power.

Imagine being able to put a big ball of fire, like the sun, in the sky and make it just hang there. No strings. No wires. Not anything to hold it up. God can do that.

In fact, He did that with all the stars and suns and moons. And even with our good ol’ planet Earth. And did you know this? The sun is about 400 times further away from us than the moon. And the sun is about 400 times bigger than the moon. And that’s how we get to see solar eclipses. That’s where the moon blocks out the light from the sun for a little while.

But that’s another moon story.

So, there you go. This weekend, grab yourself a slice of cold, strawberry pie.

And eat it on the porch as you ogle the glowing…

Moon Illusion

The moon illusion caught my eyes
As the wings of butterflies
Fluttered past the dandelions in the yard.
The gentle breezes through twilight
Coaxed the crickets, out of sight,
To compose a rhythm synced to that postcard
As it unfolded to full view,
With moonbeams in every hue,
And my mind could barely even comprehend.
And so I simply sat and sighed,
Knowing what I know inside.
Every bit of it was made by my best Friend.

© 2024

Enjoy this year’s Strawberry Moon.

But before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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It’s what selfish people do. And, for some, it’s almost like they wouldn’t tell the truth even if it sounded better.

Yeah, selfish people lie.

They have to lie to make themselves look and feel better than everybody around them. And they spread lies about other people to try and make those other people look bad to their friends. Then they get so used to lying they can hardly do anything but lie. It’s a terrible thing. Don’t be a liar.

Selfish people steal.

Since they only think of themselves, they take what others work hard to get. The Bible says they fill their houses with other people’s things. And they don’t care how much it hurts those other people. What matters most to them is getting and having more than everybody else. Don’t be a thief.

Selfish people kill.

Of course, this is the worst thing. You might wonder how a person could kill another person because you can’t imagine doing that. Right? They can do it because they don’t care about anybody but themselves. I’m sure you’ve heard about killers going into schools and shooting people. Well, those people are blind. I don’t mean their eyes can’t see. I mean their hearts can’t see. And they can’t see anything but their own need for attention. And they don’t care who they destroy to get it. Don’t be a killer.

Selfish people don’t understand where their selfish ways will take them. Selfishness leads to being alone forever. And when I say alone, I mean never seeing anybody ever again. Never ever having another chance to make things right. And never knowing love. Not ever.

Don’t be selfish.

Eternity is real. You’re gonna exist somewhere forever. You can either wonder where that will be or you can be sure (secure in your knowledge) you’ll be in a perfect Heaven with your living, loving Creator.

Here’s my challenge to you today. Open a Bible and look up Proverbs. Read what the writer has to say about the security in wisdom. I believe you’ll discover the Truth. I believe you’ll discover the love for you, the likes of which you’ll never find in this world . And I believe you’ll discover how much love you’ll want to pass on to someone else. And here’s a rhyme to help smart kids remember this about selfish people:

They lie, they steal, and they do whatever they feel.
And they cheat, they scheme, and they grumble to the extreme.
Don’t be like them. No, don’t be a rock, be a gem.
One day you’ll see it was worth it to live with God, free.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Artificial music is the last place you should look to find a new song. And AI companies that claim to help you “create” your “own sound” tell you right up front they don’t have new music. Here’s an example:

This company says their AI is “trained on a catalog of 8 million music tracks and harnesses our database of 170,000 audio sounds to create complex AI music compositions in under 5 seconds.”

Amadeus, Johann, and Ludwig are rolling over in their graves.

Let’s say I take a stylistic license with their compositions, mash a little Mozart here, jiggle (pronounced yiggle) a little Johann there, and ladle a little Ludwig into the mix. But I make sure to only play my “new creation” on a device those guys never even heard of. And that’s easy. Just about any keyboard I’ve ever owned will do.

No harm. No foul. Because that “new” mix would never have reach the airwaves if it weren’t for me.

So, I alone (along with my artificial music mix) am the “song” writer.

There’s a guy I watch, once in a while, on YouTube, who talked about how artificial music or AI assisted music could possibly do away with the need for actual musicians. And he added how he could see some ways good musicians could utilize the technology to create some interesting stuff, which I agree with.

He also mentioned how he’s “been telling you about how AI is the biggest threat to musicians.”

Well, I said that, 5 years ago, before the gigantic onslaught of artificially generated art of all kinds.

Yeah, I said this.

“I’m gonna move my music back into physical places. Places where they can be seen and held. Like in the good ol’ days of records, tapes, and CD’s. This digital world has some cool advantages. But sharing my musical projects ain’t one of them.

This isn’t some sort of rant or anything like that. I understand how well the online world works for so many businesses and endeavors. But the “free” mentality, when it comes to music, puts a serious damper on songwriters and music creators. So, while my “fix” for this might not be the popular one, I’m confident it’s the right way to go.

And that’s why my songs are beginning to fade away. I took a bunch of my song videos off my YouTube channel today. I’ve made the free versions mostly unavailable from here on my website, too. Because if my music only has a digital “free” value to you, you’re probably not my audience anyway. The good news, though, is I’ll be doing some fun stuff to make songs available in other ways. Thanks for understanding. And thanks for your support.”

Then, I wrote this rhyme about AI. And I called it…

Invisible Song Machines

The times will come in everyone’s life
When changes have to occur.
The reasons could be obvious, or
They might even be a blur.
One of those times is happening now
It’s somewhere behind the scenes…
Where the melodies quickly become
Invisible song machines.
Value is lost down deep in a world
Increasingly wanting “free.”
So, I’m moving my music around
To places listeners can see.
Places where I think they’ll connect
With those who connect with me.
If you believe I’ve got it all wrong
Then certainly, by all means,
Continue to get your free songs from
Invisible song machines.

© 2019 Tony Funderburk

By the way, I love to connect my thoughts and opinions to what God says about things in life. And He actually talks about this in a song He inspired King David to write. The song is also known as Psalm 33. And David’s lyrics talked about the sovereignty of the Lord in creation.

It goes a little something like this. One, two, three, four…

Praise the Lord with the harp;
Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings.
Sing to Him a new song;
Play skillfully with a shout of joy.

Hmm, an instrument of ten strings sure sounds different from a database of 170,000 audio sounds. But maybe that’s just me. Maybe I’m biased because I had to make a living in music the old-fashioned way. I had to learn and play the songs myself. And then I had to learn how to write songs and even figure out what people liked to hear so I could write better songs.

But the best part about all that hard work is this. Each new song I write is a new song I write. Not a compilation of sounds from any databases.

Just to be clear, I don’t play an instrument of ten strings. The piano I used to own had lots more than that. But these days my instruments are digital. And, some might say that’s cheating, too. Because I’m not using a physical instrument for every part of my songs.

But here’s the thing.

I play and sing the notes. And I arrange the way the lyrics will follow or lead the instruments. And I determine whether the time signature will be 3/4, 4/4, 6/8, or even (after I take five) 5/4. Plus, I don’t type any prompts into any artificial music GPT either.

As I said a little over 5 years ago, thank you for understanding. And thank you for your support.

Speaking of that, if you haven’t already, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Here’s what I wish, today. And it might sound a little upside down from my usual upbeat emphasis on the power of God’s love. But it’s really not. And I think you’ll see that’s true as you read on.

I wish the people who love God were the ones with all the great successes in life. And I wish the people who thumb their noses at God were the most miserable failures in the world.

That’s not really so upside down. Right?

OK. So, there you go. (And on the The Power of God’s Love Podcast I’ll say it out loud) I stand by my words.

But since I don’t get to rule the whole world, I don’t get to decide how that works. And since God also isn’t currently ruling this world (Gasp!) life is very upside down.

It’s so annoying to see the foul-mouthed, obnoxious types gain huge audiences and build “businesses.” And then watch, as awesome, caring, intelligent believers struggle to build even a small audience. In spite of the fact that they provide wonderful products and services and serve others so well.

Why is the world so upside down?

Is it the culture? Education opportunities? Genetic predisposition?

Nay. Nay. And nay nay. If it were only something like those problems, the upside down condition of life here on Earth could surely be solved with at least some of our millions of laws.

And yet, there are so-called “leaders” in government who go by the title of “lawmakers.” And they continuously devise “laws” in an attempt to make the masses play nice. But the masses don’t even seem to know what nice is anymore. Much less play nice. So, we end up with a “survival of the fittest” world where bad is good and good is bad.

Of course, none of that depressing news means good, hard-working, people who love God should lose heart. Quite the contrary. In fact, when you fit into that category, you’ve already won what’s truly important. And that’s the eternal rewards. Every other kind of win, here on Earth, is so temporary.

But acknowledging there’s a God, and that you’re not Him, puts the everlasting mark in your W column.

So, I wanna encourage all my Christian friends today.

And I want you to remember (you probably DO), and never forget, you’re a winner.

Because you’ve already made the best decision of (and for) your life you’ll ever make. Don’t let any setbacks define you. Remember, they’re temporary. But you’re eternal. And from the perspective of your eternal home, everything else will look (and be) upside down.

Life is very temporary
Here on planet Earth.
If you ponder why you wander,
Or what it’s all worth,
Don’t be bitter, just consider
Your alternative.
Life is often rough and tough.
But still…you got to live.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Things. And stuff. There’s no end to them. Stroll through any department store or home improvements store or clothing store or footwear store. What do they all have in common that you don’t need?

You guessed it (I hope). Things and stuff.

I’m not saying you never need clothes or shoes or something for your home. But I AM saying when you “go shopping” just to find something to buy, you already have too many things and stuff.

And, if you’re not some sort of artificial intelligence bot designed to scan emails and websites, you’re a human being. So you’re subject to the temptations all humans experience. And you WILL face the problems. And you won’t always overcome them. Because you can’t withstand the world on your own.

Nope. You need help.

So, obviously, you need the government to step in and show you the way to overcome obstacles. Because government officials are elected by “we the people.” And when people vote, they default back to their wisdom instead of their feelings. In other words, when it comes time to vote, people place right and wrong above their own self interests.

Right?

Yeah, if you believe that, you should reconsider the things and stuff the media pump out every second.

No, the world will NEVER show you the right way.

But thankfully the Way is easy to find and so easy even a young kid can understand.

But phones and tablets and laptops can charm you away from the Way. Unless you lift up your eyes and look for your true hope. Or at least use those devices to learn about the Way.

Now, I’ll leave you with this lyrical version of who you’ll find when you learn about the Way…

Don’t give any thing all you’ve got.
Look for wisdom no matter what.
Every thing can take you away
From what matters most day to day.
Please remember you will go on
Even after your body’s gone.
Where you go will depend on you.
Here’s what I suggest that you do:
Don’t let any thing steal your soul.
Ask for God to help you control
Your desires for things and not Him.
He can fill your heart to the brim.

© 2020 Tony Funderburk

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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Are you thankful Thursday is finally here? If you’re like most people, your answer would be something like, “Yeah. No.” Because Thursday doesn’t stand out for most people. He’s one of the T twins, Tuesday and Thursday, who sort of get lost in the mix.

I suppose it could be worse for Thursday. At least he isn’t hated like Monday. But he also doesn’t typically get his own nickname. Like, for example, Hump Day, aka: Wednesday. Oh yeah. The middle of the week has certainly made a name for himself.

But, come to think of it, Thankful Thursday sounds pretty good.

And that makes me think of a thankful Thursday morning I had ten years ago. I woke up that morning, had a cuppa java, and sat down at my computer to post my daily writing. But I couldn’t remember what it was I wanted to say. What a dilemma. I was in a quandary. And I didn’t like that vexed feeling. No, I didn’t like it even one, little bit.

So, what did I do? What COULD I do? Well, my last name starts with Fun. So, I knew what must be done.

I started to write about the mystery of the lost words. And here’s what I said:

Now, where did I put those words. Hmm, that is most peculiar. I just had them a minute ago. In fact, just before I sat down to type out this message I put them all in…uh…in what? Where did I put…

The Words

Did I put the words in a bag
With a tag that looks like a flag?
Did I stick the words in a shoe
Painted blue to make it look new?
Did I hide the words in a drum
Which, to some, could make me look dumb?
Did I let the words out the door
Where they’ll soar and come back no more?
Did I leave the words in my head
To be read by no one instead?
Nope, I found the words in my eyes,
So surprise! They’re here for you guys.  © 2014

OK, I hope this is a truly Thankful Thursday for you. And I pray you are never more than a thought away from thinking about your awesome Creator.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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It’s a mighty mean world OUT there. But that doesn’t mean it has to be the same way IN there. And when I say “IN there,” I mean inside your heart. You have a great brain, designed by God, that you can choose to use or choose not to and lose. So, you can let Love win the day, every day. Or you can let the world win.

But a world win reaps a whirlwind unless you let Love win.

From the second you were conceived you were a lightning strike example of the power of God’s love. And you are here because God lets love win. Or He at least gives it the opportunity to win. Because every human being is created in His image and likeness.

Of course, I could say things like this all day every day, till I’m Blueberry blue in the face. But it’ll never make a difference till you put Truth in a lie’s place. Because I’m just another person who also needs the power of God’s love in his life. So, I’m no better than anyone else.

But, as I’ve said before, maybe I’m not better THAN, but I’m better OFF. Because I know, beyond a shadow of a doubt, God IS real. And I know He has shown the world how great He is, how great His love is, and how great is His mercy.

So, I’ll keep on writing and composing about that Love. And regardless of how many despise the messenger, my message is the result of Love for the One who loved first. And He will have…

The Last Word

Keep a bolt of lightning in your brain
And a jar of honey in your heart.
Let Love be the last word from your lips
Whether you’re together or apart.

Lightning is your passion over pain.
Honey is your holy hope within.
Send those feelings through your fingertips
And remember, always let Love win.

© 2020

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Gonna talk about truth and mercy right now. So, get ready to take some mental notes. Yeah, put away those silly tablets and other writing accoutrement. Because I don’t want your brain distracted by an urgent need to jot notes.

The value of truth and mercy is too important to miss.

So, before I go any further, I know your brain is already distracted by the grammar in my headline, “Truth and mercy for what him and her say.” Right? C’mon, admit it. Your first thought was to call the grammar police and report some noun/verb abuse. But, hopefully you remembered I’m Mister Tony, the Rhyme and Reason Guy. And you thought, “Hey, wait a minute. I bet Tony’s using his poetic license to make his headline rhyme.”

And I’m so glad none of this caused a ruckus we can’t overcome. So, on to the main point(s).

Have you ever been called a loser? I hope not. But if you have, I’m sure you remember how much it hurt. Right? People who call you a loser or some other name have already lost something. I bet you didn’t know that, did you? Yep, people like that have lost 2 things you should never lose. Would you like to know what they are? Keep reading…

There are a lot of things in this life you could lose and it wouldn’t make much difference. Your pencil. Your paper. And your bubble gum. But those are just thingy things. You can almost always get more thingy things. But there are other things much more important.

And here are the 2 things you should never lose:

Truth and Mercy. Did you already guess? If so, you win a big pat on your back. Go tell someone I said to give you one.

And you know what mercy is. Right? It’s kinda like telling someone you’re not mad at them for breaking your toy. In fact, instead of getting mad at them, you tell them they can play with another one of your toys. You should try that sometime. You might be surprised to see what a big smile you could put on your friend’s face. Yeah, mercy is a pretty special thing. You should have a lot of it in you.

And I bet you know what truth is, too. Right? It’s what you say that can stand any test. And it’s the same for everybody. Let’s say I tell you the sun is bigger and hotter than the moon. Am I telling you the truth? Sure am. And isn’t it true for everybody who lives here on Earth. Sure is. Everybody can see the sun is bigger. And they can feel how much hotter it is. So, if I tell someone those things…I’m telling them the truth. It’s good to know some things are true for everybody.

It makes it easier to understand the world.

There’s something that ties mercy and truth together. Do you know what that is? It’s love.

When you love somebody, it’s much easier to show mercy and say, “You can play with this toy even though you broke that one.” And when you love, you want to know truth…because you might be curious where love comes from. Don’t you think so?

Here’s the biggest reason why it’s important to know these 2 things you should never lose. Because when you have those things in YOUR heart, you win a place in God’s heart.

And winning a place in God’s heart is the best thing you could ever win because that lasts forever. Go share some Truth and Mercy today. I’m counting on you. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Mercy and truth are lighted lamps
To help you find your way…
So with God’s help, go share your love
For others every day.

Get some music and a book sent your way real fast. Just jump on the The TRUTH. And join a growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the power of God’s Love.

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Just for grins, here at the Funderbungalow, we watched the sequel to a shark movie. No, not Jaws 3D. This one was Meg 2. It came out last year, and it’s the sequel to The Meg. And the reason we enjoyed those movies is because of how totally believable the whole storyline is.

And that’s probably because of the star power acting of The Meg.

In case you’re not familiar with The Meg, that’s a nickname for the Megalodon giant shark from down in “The Trench.” And, don’t worry, I’m not gonna give you any spoilers. Because I don’t wanna ruin it for you when you watch it after reading this.

Now, right about here I could start to make up anything I care to about the Meg, which is short for Megalodon. And that’s the largest shark to ever roam the oceans. The reason I could make up anything I want is because apparently that’s what you do when you talk about stuff like the largest shark ever.

For example, look at what one website, that even has the word “science” in its web address said:

“While the popular 2018 movie, “The Meg,” pits modern humans against an enormous megalodon sharks, it’s actually more than likely that the beast died out before humans even evolved. But it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact date that the megalodon went extinct because the fossil record is incomplete.”

Yeah, they say the fossil record “is incomplete.” But they have no problem pinning the extinction dates like this paragraph, from their research, that says:

“…found that most of the fossils date back to the middle Miocene epoch to the Pliocene epoch (15.9 million to 2.6 million years ago). All signs of the creature’s existence ended 2.6 million years ago in the current fossil record, the authors wrote. For comparison, our earliest Homo sapiens ancestors emerged only 2.5 million years ago, during the Pleistocene epoch.”

See what I mean. They just love to make up big numbers. Because the bigger the numbers, the harder they are to disprove. Or so “they” believe. I wish they wouldn’t do that silly stuff.

Well, I won’t just make up stuff like they do.

But I will take you back to another scenario I asked you to “imagine” a few years ago. It went like this:

Imagine you’re a jellyfish…just jellyfishin’ along, mindin’ your own business. Suddenly you look behind you and see a huge cloud of mud coming your way in the water.

You swim with all your might and as fast as you can. But the muddy cloud keeps gaining on you. And you look all around you and all your jellyfish family and jellyfish friends are swimming for their lives, too. But you just can’t outrun the cloud of dirt-filled water. Then you’re all buried alive faster than you can say “yo ho ho, and a bottle of rum”.

What do you think just happened?

Well, it’s probably a whimsical rendition of what happened when the whole world was flooded and only eight people survived. The jellyfish and trillions of other marine life were buried so fast their bodies didn’t even have time to decay. And thousands of years later (yes, thousands) we humans can dig them up and see what they looked like in almost perfect detail. It’s amazing.

Have you ever seen a jellyfish washed up on the beach?

If so, you know it doesn’t take them very long to start to decay and smell bad. If fossilized jellyfish were buried over hundreds of millions, or even just millions of years, their bodies would have decayed or faded away. They wouldn’t have stayed intact for all that time. To think so requires a faith greater than Noah or Abraham or David. And most certainly more than you and me.

Chances are pretty good you’ll never come face to face with The Meg in your lifetime.

But you WILL meet God face to face one day. And I recommend you don’t tell Him any of your millions of years theories. Because you could find yourself with the jellyfish fate. Even worse.

Poor jellyfish, go make a wish
And sadly close your eyes
Because this day you’ll pass away
And quickly fossilize.

I know it’s bad, but don’t be sad.
One day you will be found…
A work of art, not torn apart
Squeezed into solid ground.

Lots of mankind will surely find
Your fossils there quite odd,
But ology will help us see
The mighty hand of God.

© 2014

Of course, you can always jump online to find all my really refreshing Rhymes and Reasons? But I recommend you jump on the The TRUTH. And I’ll send them directly to your inbox. Do it now, and I’ll send you some songs and some other surprises: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com

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And should you trust your gut? Search the internet and you’ll find plenty of books and articles about the power of intuition. Some say it’s real. Some say it isn’t. Others say it’s psychological. And still others say the research is up for grabs. But one thing’s for sure.

The power of intuition isn’t in your actual gut.

I’m sure you know the gut you trust (or don’t trust) is not where you find the power of intuition. And that your intuition is more a brain feeling than actual gut feeling. But you might truly “feel” the sensation in your gut. So, that’s how it got its name.

And here’s why I bring it up.

Because you gotta keep your brain (and, by connection, your gut) in check.

I believe you can “trust your gut” once you first put your faith and trust in your Creator.

But it has to go in that order. Or else it might be easy to believe that whole “follow your heart” mantra you see and hear just about everywhere. And that could be disastrous. Because your heart definitely will lead you astray. At least it will without proper wisdom and understanding. And guess what?

Good wisdom and understanding are as hard to find as a truthful politician these days.

But, thankfully, they’re not impossible to find. In fact, you might have a great source of wisdom and guidance in your own house. And you might not even know it’s there.

And, no, it’s not the news app or browser on your mobile device.

And you can stop looking for it in Yahoo answers. And you don’t even need the all-knowing Google search engine wizards. Is your power of intuition starting to kick in? I’ll bet it is. And I’ll bet you think you know what advice I’m about to give. So, I’ll go ahead and give it.

Look around for a Bible. Or get yourself a Bible app if you detest physical books.

Even if you’re not the least bit interested in God or Jesus or any sort of gospel message, you can find incredible wisdom and understanding in the Bible.

And once it all starts to make sense, that’s when you can…

Trust your gut. It’s clear-cut.
It might help you get back out of that deep rut.
Might be real…how you feel,
And if so, that would be perfectly ideal.
Take a break from the ache
And the pain of selfish lies for goodness sake.
You’ll be glad that you had
The good sense to find your life a launching pad.

© 2020 Tony Funderburk

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I wield my superpower from a secret desk, behind a sonic curtain, high above the world, in my Blueberry Tower. And I focus this intense power on little minds of mush. So…

Hide your kids. Or at least cover their ears. Unless you’re willing to let them be controlled by my superpower. Because I can activate their different brain lobes all at the same time. And even their brain’s motor center.

They cannot resist my superpower.

And there’s nothing they can do about it. Because they can’t even see me or find my Blueberry Tower. So, they (AND YOU) can’t resist (insert sinister laugh here).

And now you wish you could discover my superpower. Because you think if you discovered WHAT it is, you could figure out HOW to stop it. But that is a foolish waste of time. Because it’s invisible. Alway has been. Always will be.

But I’ll give you a hint, if you truly want to be able to protect your kids. You could try to cover their ears. And you should cover your own ears, too. Otherwise, there’s nothing you can do about it. “But what is IT?” you ask.

Rhythmic Rhymes.

I create them every day. And they remain here, on my website and in the audio of my podcast episodes, every hour of every day. Then, every day more and more people fall helplessly into my trap. Sometimes it’s as simple as listening to one of my songs. Other times I recite an innocent poem on the The Power of God’s Love Podcast. And Ka-bluey!

More tiny brains are mine to manipulate.

And those tiny brains perceive that my words and music are true. And they start to memorize them. Then, they irresistibly begin to repeat them. Again and again. Because I tap into four system lobes in those tiny brains. And my rhythmic rhymes start building trust. Built-in defense mechanisms vaporize . And it all starts to feel so familiar and comfortable and safe and true.

Then, the ongoing manipulation begins. And I mercilessly repeat and transmit dastardly, otherworldly messages. Messages of faith, hope, and love. But not the kind you find on puny human greeting cards. No, these messages are directly from the one, true, living, loving God of all creation. (re-cue the sinister laugh again).

So, I recommend you don’t fight my superpower. Give in to it. I wouldn’t be surprised, at all,  if you actually feel energized by the experience. Mental manipulation can be like that.

(echoing sinister laugh fades out)

Today, you should share your love and smile.
You might help somebody else a while.
And then they might wanna do it, too.
That’s how it all bounces back to you.
So try. Just go see if I am right.
And then, when you sleep and dream tonight,
You’ll rest with the peace you’re longing for
And wake ready to go share some more.

© 2020

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I’m sharing an account of what happened on D Day back in 1944. And when you get to the end of that part, be sure to check out a comparison story.

The sunrise on June 6, 1944 (D Day) brought with it wave after wave of landing vessels. And they carried more than 150,000 American, British, Canadian, and French ground troops. They were the ones who stormed fifty miles of coastline, in Northern France, that the Germans fiercely defended.

Strong currents pushed the Americans 2,000 yards south of Utah Beach. And that forced them to march that distance back to the intended landing areas to seize German fortifications.

But they still secured Utah by the evening of D Day.

The Germans were aware of the importance of the sector designated Omaha Beach. And they knew the Allies would need to connect and secure the beachheads together. So, they made certain it was heavily defended. Fortifications and elevated terrain meant the American landing on Omaha would be the bloodiest that day.

4426 casualties is the official number for that bloody day. Men stormed beaches with artillery, machine guns, and bombs from planes filling the air. That had to be mighty scary stuff. But they still moved ahead courageously, in the middle of all that chaos. Because they fought for freedom.

Now.

Keep those D Day pictures in your head as I share what unimaginable horrors the world faces in this much more modern age. Horrors known, collectively, as “climate change.”

Here’s a paragraph, from an article I found, that talks about the consequences of foolish human existence in such a fragile world. This is scary stuff. Prepare yourself.

This paragraph talks about what happens if ocean currents change.

_ A shutdown of that ocean current could dramatically alter phenomena as varied as global weather patterns and crop yields. Messing with complex systems is chilling precisely because there are so many levers: If the temperature of the sea surface changes, precipitation over the Amazon might too, contributing to its deforestation, which in turn has been linked to snowfall on the Tibetan plateau. We may not even realize when we start passing points of no return—or if we already have. “It’s kind of like stepping into a minefield,” Armstrong McKay said. “We don’t want to find out where these things are by triggering them.” _

That’s the kind of nonsense “they” use in public schools to scare kids. Notice how things “might” happen. And how it’s all tied together. So, if one part fails, the whole world fails. And we “may not even realize when we start passing points of no return. Or if we already have.

But it’s one thing to scare kids. It’s quite another thing for actual adults to buy into such fear tactics. As the older folks used to say, “You’re old enough to know better.” And to help offset all those Negative Nancy’s out there, here’s a rhyme for the kiddos:

In This Life

You might win a few things in this life,
And you might even win a whole lot.
But you’ll lose everything if you don’t trust the King
Who has given you all that He’s got.

Know that nothing is too hard for God.
He can help you through all of your fears.
If your gold turns to rust, or your diamonds to dust,
Only God can dry all of your tears.

Make the most of the moments you have.
They fly by in the blink of an eye.
Don’t waste time in the dark, jump inside of the ark
Of God’s love. Kiss the old life goodbye.

© 2015

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My DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) includes some awesome tools to enhance music clarity. And there’s a wide variety of software to help audio producers and songwriters make their music sound as clear as possible.

But the music clarity I see in my mind’s eye can’t be achieved.

At least not with gear anybody has here on Earth. Because the music clarity I’m talking about is clear as crystal. Music so clear it’s like a pure river of water of life. Almost as thought it’s proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

Yeah, show me a DAW or any plugin that can achieve that kind of music clarity. And save yourself the hassle. Because you’re never gonna find it.

And even if you found something close, the level of clarity you might reach would still be lost on millions of tinnitus sufferers. And hard-of-hearing or deaf people.

Plus, the crystal clear music I see and hear, in my mind, is free of all profanity and vulgarity. Only G-rated messages are allowed. Or maybe some PG if there’s some harsh truth that must be shared.

My guess is, that to even try to create music in that sort of direction is a waste of time. Right? Because nobody wants to hear clear, clean songs anymore.

Nobody cares about innocent imagination.

Or poetic lines of words and music. Everybody wants DARK. That must be true. Because all around you it’s easy to see dark. Lyrics. Movies. Magazines. All the physical and mental imagery is dark.

But I think I’ll keep on keepin’ on. And I’ll keep looking for word combinations to shine a spotlight on The Light of Hope. The Love of Freedom. And the Lamb of God. Like this:

The color of music notes is in your head,
In circles and parallelograms,
And in abstract and translucent bowls.
And it’s all held together by sonic thread.

The colors keep dripping down into the song
Like jellies and marmalades and jams.
And they take on sweet lives without souls.
And that’s where you’ll find yourself floating along.

Jump on the The TRUTH and be part of a growing band of believers who know life has rhyme and reason because God IS Real.

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It’s the second day of the week in the first week of the sixth month of the 2024th year of our Lord. Now, THERE’S an eyeful, earful, and mouthful. But the point is, it’s Tuesday.

So, I’ll tell you a little Norse story about this second day of the week.

Once upon a time, there was a huge wolf named Fenrir. And it was prophesied that Fenrir would eventually kill Odin, king of the gods. (You remember Odin from the Thor movies, right?)

Anyway…

The gods decided to restrain Fenrir while he was still growing. Because, as I mentioned, he was huge. And strong. In fact, he kept breaking the chains and ropes the gods used to tie him up. So, those conniving little gods asked the even smaller dwarves to use their magic powers and create a huge, magical leash. And, as you might expect (NOT), they even gave the magic leash a name. Gleipnir. Get a load of what the dwarves used to make the leash:

  • the sound of a cat’s footfall
  • a woman’s beard
  • the roots of a mountain
  • bear sinews
  • fish breath
  • bird spittle

But, wouldn’t you know it? Fenrir didn’t want to be tied up by Gleipnir. In fact, he wouldn’t submit to it unless one of the gods stuck their hand in the wolf’s mouth. Only Tyr, the god of the sky and war was brave enough to do it. And that’s how Tyr came to be known as Lefty. (Just kidding. I added that last part myself. Just Norsin’ around.)

Here’s the plot twist. Tyr’s name, in the Germanic language, is Tiu. And pass that on down through the Olde English language, and that’s where we get Tuesday. Tiu’s Day.

Well, I guess since Tiu was stupid enough to put his hand in the mouth of a huge wolf, and have it bitten off, he only rated being second day of the week. But according to the following rhyme, Tuesday still wants to be…

The First Day of The Week

Tuesday thought he was the first day of the week.
Others waved and smiled, but Tuesday would not speak.
He thought the sun rose just for him
‘Cause he was tall and sleek and slim.
He didn’t know it’s not about a day’s physique.

Tuesday thought the other days had moved away.
He called out and none of them would come to play.
But then the others came to chat.
They said, “Tuesday, you’re such a brat,
And here’s a couple more things we came here to say…

Monday really is the first day of the week,
But without you everything would look so bleak,
‘Cause seven is the right amount.
So, every one of us still count.
Now, Tuesday thinks that being second day is chic.

© 2013

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Why, in the name of godzilla, would you ever want to identify with a lower creature? Why would you ever, ever, ever want, or claim to have, a lizard brain? And how would that ever help you tune in to your limbic arc? Or help you maintain balance in your emotional vectoring? Not to mention (but I will) your energetic posture.

No reptilian brain is ever gonna benefit from a limbic arc.

At least that’s my prediction. And I believe that goes for the paleomammalian and neomammalian brains, too.

Of course, this is only MY prediction. And it’s based on 000,000 years of study on the subject (YES, that number IS correct). But my prediction is a result of decades of study on why humans prefer creatures over the Creator. And, by the way, this dirty, broken world provides proof, every second in every day of where that worldview leads.

If you’ve read this far, give yourself a big pat on the back. Because I know, on the surface, it looks like I’ve read too many science fiction books or listened to too many wacko “influencers.” So, here’s why I brought this up today.

I discovered there’s an app that was created to help you with your limbic arc. I’m not going into detail on how an info boost goes into the zero point field and gets directly to YOU. Just know that it does. And that your brain is smarter than you think.

OK, just so you know, part of me prefers to make fun of the limbic arc app. And part of me is intrigued by how much study went into all the emotional vectoring, zero point fields interaction, and info boost talk. Because your body apparently DOES have a limbic system. And that system is more proof that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

But to say you can tap into info boosts, with your phone (or even your computer) and reap the benefits of anti-aging is a stretch. In fact, every time I see ANY product that mentions anti-aging, alarms ring out in my brain. Because there is no such thing, in this life, as anti-aging. You live another day. And you’re another day older.

Nothing can change that.

When you claim your product can help with allergies, digestion, and gut health, I already know that’s feasible. Because there are plenty of products out there with those proven benefits. And when you claim your product can help detox livers, strengthen hearts, or build up immune systems, same thing. I’ve experienced some of those products.

But when you start adding the benefits of anti-aging, “resolve,” and “prosperity,” my male-cattle-by-product radar starts beeping the alert bell. And when someone talks about the 2000 pieces of information your conscious brain processes every second, in the frontal cortex, BUT you leave out God, I question the integrity of your purpose.

Then, when you talk about the reticular activation system in the brain, and how the brain subconsciously processes over 400 million pieces of information, BUT you leave out God, that’s another YUGE red flag.

So many misinformed, mistaken, and misaligned people actually believe in a triune brain. But they can’t begin to imagine believing in a triune God. Yeah, the actually say things like certain parts of your brain are older than others. And they believe humans started with a brain stem which was supposed to be “responsible for primitive survival instincts such as aggression and fear.” And, apparently, that “evolved” into a more complex brain that included the limbic system.

Of course, if you’re just another reptile, then you’re just a work in progress. And that removes the right and wrong aspect. Because you’re just a work in progress. And a work in progress will have problems. Revisions will be needed. The system will require more development. And LOTS more time.

But won’t it be glorious when reptilian-brained humans reach version 100.0? I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait.

Or how about this?

How about looking deeper into your incredible brain. How about discovering all the untapped abilities you have in the exponentially more complex design that is YOU? And I know you’re exponentially more complex. Because you had an infinitely more complex Designer. By the way, He made you WAY more complex and intelligent than reptiles.

So, there’s THE Way to tap into whatever limbic arc you might have.

You were well-made with a wholly human brain.
So, don’t let your life go swirling down the drain
To a swamp of endless dread. Choose to raise your eyes instead
And behold the One who will remove your chain.

OK, when you tap into your limbic arc, be sure to use it to jump on the The TRUTH. And be part of the growing band of believers who know life has Rhyme and Reason because God is Real.

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Tony Funderburk talks about the silliness of the lizard brain