Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I hate to be the bearer of bad news. But I know you’re tough. You can handle the truth. And I’m sure you wouldn’t want me to sugarcoat the facts just to save you a little bit of anxiety. So, here goes. You can’t make yourself live forever. There. I said it. And it feels great to lay it all out there on the line.

And see? I knew you could handle the truth.

Because you’ve got a brain. Yeah, you don’t wanna use your head for, as my Dad used to say, just a hat rack.

So, while you’re in the mood to handle the truth, I’ll expound (a word that sounds pretentious but isn’t).

There’s no magic herb, organic plant, or hallucinogen that will ever help you live forever. Despite the fact that countless human beings have wasted their lives trying to prove otherwise.

The body you’re living in, now, just isn’t gonna last forever. The more decades you’re alive, the more you understand how true that is. So, why waste time worrying about your mortality? Sure, take good care of yourself. Eat sensibly, and that should include the best foods you can afford.

Drink plenty of water. Move around more and get fresh air and exercise.

But remember, only fools believe immortality can be found anywhere apart from your Creator.

And that’s great news. Because it takes the burden and responsibility for eternal life off your weak and dying body. So,  give up the quest for the fountain of youth, Ponce. Acknowledge your finite shortcomings. And trust in the one One who knows even the number of hairs on your head.

Put your faith (or continue to put it) in the One who will restore your soul. The One who’ll always be there to help you handle the Truth. And I mean the One who’s in this song:

Your Love Restored My Soul

From my mother’s womb You have been my God…
Even if I didn’t always know it.
And I’ve loved You since my salvation day…
Even if…I didn’t always show it.

I believe Your Son is the only Way
To the life I know is never-ending…
So I cast my lot with the King of Kings
And His Truth I trust is never bending.

Jesus…Your love restored my soul.
You gave Your life to make me whole.
I’d be a lifeless lump of coal…oh
But Jesus…Your love restored my soul.

On my darkest days I am not alone.
You indwell me with Your Holy Spirit.
And Your still small voice is an open book
So, Your grace is there if I draw near it.

And in that open Book is the one True God.
All the words revolve around His story.
And the words are turned into flesh and bone,
And He shares, with each of us, His glory.

Chorus twice

Your love restored my soul. your love restored my soul
Your love restored…your love restored my soul.

© 2010

Do you like to journal?

If so, download this song and a bunch of others with a link you’ll find in the Raise The Praise songbook journal.
(https://www.amazon.com/Raise-Praise-Songbook-Journal-Funderburk/dp/B095WRJBF1) And if you search through my Rhyme And Reason Podcast episodes, you can hear this whole song.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Once upon a time, and “for billions of years, single-celled creatures had the planet to themselves, floating through the oceans in solitary bliss. Some microorganisms attempted multicellular arrangements, forming small sheets or filaments of cells. But these ventures hit dead ends. The single cell ruled the earth.”

(cue the record scratch sound effect!) The single cell ruled the earth?!

Are you kidding me?! I wish they were kidding me. Because that evolution fairy tale sounds so juvenile I’d find it difficult to believe even juveniles would fall for it. But juvies didn’t write the article. Full-growed-up-adults wrote it. Well, that is to say, growed-up adults whose minds were so open their brains fell out.

Ten years ago, in March 2014, I wrote about single cell life. And I asked the question, “Did you know there is no known two-celled life?” Today I noticed that a few months later, in 2014, someone wrote that single cell article. Coincidence?

Anyway, I mentioned that “it’s no big deal.” Because “we’re just talking about tiny, little, microscopic particles of life.” Of course, that was sarcasm. And I said these things matter because people stake their eternal soul on things like this. I certainly have. So has everyone else, whether they know it or not.

Here’s the thing. In order for macroevolution to be a valid theory for how we got here, there should be a whole lot of transitional forms of life with 2-20 cells. You should see them everywhere. And that would help close the huge gap between single-celled and multi-celled organisms.

But that’s not the case.

In reality (a place fewer and fewer people prefer to be these days), the only known forms of life with 6-20 cells are parasites. How ironically appropriate. And, by the way, those simple multi-celled parasites need a much more complex host animal for even the basic functions of life. Basic as in breathing and digestion.

So, do you get the dilemma? Those parasites couldn’t evolve into something greater than themselves. They need something greater than themselves to even exist in the first place. A bit of a ta-ta-ta tautology, you might say.

No single cell life EVER ruled the earth. And none EVER will. And it’s only one of the many tiny (and huge) reasons why evolution just doesn’t work as a theory for the origin of life.

Elgielene and I didn’t have kids. But if we would’ve had them, we would never tell them they came from goo. We would have shared much more sensible, loving, and nurturing information about their origin. And we probably would have started them out on something like my book, “The Very First 6 Days.”

Of course, that’s a blatant plug for my book. But that doesn’t mean your kids should be deprived of such a wonderful resource to help them know how they got here.

If you have young kids, or know someone who does, do them a favor and get them this book. Which, as it just so happens, was also written back in 2014.

Here’s a snippet from the book:

Before there were created things, and darkness filled the air…
No world or human beings were existing anywhere.
Then God created earth and sea and all the heavens too.
There was no sun, no moon, no stars, and only God shone through.

He looked down at the waters and the dark face of the deep.
The earth was still and quiet just as we are when we sleep.
He said, “Let there be light” the way a perfect, true God could,
And then He saw the brand new light and knew that it was good.

Then God divided light and dark, and darkness He called Night.
The light would be called Day, and it was pleasing in His sight.
That evening and that morning wouldn’t be the total sum…
No, that was just the very first day…five were yet to come.

Stay tuned,

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Here’s the ugly link to the book:

(https://www.amazon.com/Very-First-6-Days/dp/1515251330/)

 

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

It’s sadly humorous. The way so many fall into (actually they leap into) a trend under the guise of edginess and non-conformity. For example, a website based on what they call edgy discord.

But there are almost a half million edgy discord members.

Granted, a half million people is still a fraction of the overall population. But it’s certainly not what I’d call a haven of non-conformity. Because when you build a “tribe” of that many people, it basically nullifies your edgy discord. After all, if a half million people share your view, you’re not that edgy.

And it reminds me of what the “old people” used to say. “If everyone else jumped off a cliff, would you?” I bet those old-fashioned ne’er-do-wells ne’er imagined how we could get to this point where many would actually jump, too.

But maybe that’s my own dark, edgy discord revealing itself. If so, I’d put mine up against the members of that website any day. Because I can almost guarantee I won’t find half a million who agree with me.

I remember how music, when I was growing up, was so much more fun. And stories shared reasons to be glad to be alive. Now, there’s just so much darkness.

Take music licensing. I remember a listing, online, that said a publishing company was looking for “Black Metal, Death Metal, Grime, Hard Rock, Hardcore, Heavy Metal, Metal, Post-Hardcore, Progressive, Screamo, Thrash”

And another one asked for “Dark urban, dark country, & goth”

Obviously most young people feel very “dark” about their lives these days. And, apparently, they’re not very optimistic about their future. OK, I can’t say I blame them. I might be like that, too, if I was a young guy, with no wisdom, these days. I mean, think about i. “People (and I use that term loosely) in charge” of the government spend present, and even future, money like it’ll never run out.

That’s partly why I’ve never made it my mission to trust what politicians do or say. Because almost all of them lie even when the truth sounds better.

And their whole purpose in life is to satisfy their lust for power, money, and control. You know what? Those are strong forces on the dark side. And I call it powernomics. Which definitely trickles down to the masses and sows the seeds of edgy discord.

So. If you’re a young musician, singer-songwriter, or other artist, take it from me. I’m a guy who’s been around the block a time or two when it comes to music and what’s going on in this world.

Look Up. Because your days on this planet will end before you know it. But YOU are an eternal being. And you were fearfully and wonderfully made. You didn’t happen by accident.

So, seek Truth on purpose.

And if you want actual non-conformity, trust Jesus.

He showed how there’s nothing like going against the grain to produce powerful edgy discord.

“C’mon and beat the world, and try to leave a dent.
But don’t regret the time that you’ve spent.
C’mon and beat the world, and try to leave a bruise.
You need to know the life that you choose
Is gonna beat the world.”

(from the song “Beat The World“)

Stay tuned,

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Download “Beat The World,” and twelve other songs, for zero dollari, when you get the “Do Right” songbook journal.

Here’s the link: (https://www.amazon.com/Do-Right-Tony-Funderburk/dp/B08CWJ7HB7/)

 

 

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

A few years ago, I wrote about how challenging life can be these days. And I talked about how it leads to so much frustration. So much hurt and hopelessness. Not to mention all the terrible things humans do to earth other. And just as it was back then, it’s still tempting to just complain, gripe, and yell at the sky.

But a yell at the sky is still a whisper in the wind.

Because a loud, frustration-filled gripe or complaint tends to get ignored. Probably rightfully so. Especially since that sort of information is conveyed with whiny voices, rude hand gestures, and less than pleasant face contortions.

If you spend any time on social media (and that’s more of an oxymoron than ever), surely you’ve seen lots of examples of what I’m talking about. And when someone shares one of those frustration-filled rants, most of the replies and comments pile on with more of the same. Until the threads are filled with more yelling at the sky.

I hope you’re not filled with that kind of frustration. Especially since the solution is still so easy to find and access. Believe me, I know most people don’t want a solution. They’d rather yell at the sky, point their IQ fingers upward, and perpetuate the problem. Because they crave attention. Not redemption.

Sure, you’ve got plenty of good reasons for frustration these days. Not the least of which is a government that increasingly takes what you earn in order to buy influence, power, and votes. But even THIS, too, shall pass.

And one day, instead of empty, fruitless words in the sky, there will be a King.

So, how about you change your frame of mind ahead of time? Yeah, do this…

Instead

Don’t try to pray away all the pain.
You could be disappointed, disillusioned, disenchanted.
Don’t ask God to save you from the hurt.
You could live to see that the prayer has not been granted.

Instead…give thanks for all His love.
Instead…be glad for all He’s done.
Our sin could torture us forever.
Instead…He gave His only Son.

Don’t be so quick to ask for an end
To the hard times, rocky roads, and fire and rain.
Don’t cry out for a wonderful sign
And when it doesn’t appear, throw your hands up in vain.

Instead…give thanks for all His love.
Instead…be glad for all He’s done.
Our sin could torture us forever.
Instead…He gave His only Son.

There will be trials…and tribulation,
In every life…in every nation.
You could give up…but bow your head
And thank your loving Lord instead.

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

Stay tuned,

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Enjoying the radically sensible Rhyme and Reason world? Don’t stop. Dive into much more.

Buy books and music from me:

Or tell those you care about to jump on the The TRUTH: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com OR Get the The Power of God’s Love Podcast: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundercast

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

As I write this, it was just a few days ago there was a Full Snow Moon. As much as I love moonlight, I didn’t stay up to see it, watch it, or log it in my memories in any way. So, if you were counting on me to give you the details, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But I read that it was beautiful.

In fact, I read at least 3 poetic-sounding descriptions of the Snow Moon.

And they made me feel guilty, for a nanosecond, that I hadn’t journaled it for you. Of course, it’s not like there haven’t been countless Snow Moons over the centuries. It’s also not like the moon hasn’t been up there spinning around and revolving around the Earth ever since they were both made.

But I get it. That silvery white light can definitely inspire poets and singers and romantics of all stripes.

And I’m certainly no exception. Several years ago I wrote a song for my “Bedtime Buckaroos” collection of lullaby songs for kids called “Cowpoke’s Lullaby” (which you can get in a unique songbook coloring book on Amazon).

In that song I described the crescent moon as a “fingernail moon.” If you’ve seen my illustrations in the book or the video that goes with the song, you already know what I meant.

And then, about 50 years ago, I wrote a little song called “Crescent Moon.” And it was about that same sliver of light. Only that time described a common feeling I shared with someone else, and the moon was a good way to tie it together. After all…no matter where you are in the world, you see the same moon I see. Right?

Well, here are the lyrics to…

Crescent Moon

I know how well you love the crescent moon.
I remember things like that,
Yes, I do remember things that make you happy.
For if anyone can say the magic words
To draw a smile on your face…
I hope that you say I can.
I know how much you love to swim in the ocean.
And I can almost see the surf splashing on your back
Making you look so dizzy.
We think so much alike, we surely must be one,
Inseparable as is the sun from the dawn.
I know how well you love to plant roses
And watch them grow, and see them bloom,
And see them glow under the crescent moon.

© 1974 Tony Funderburk
July 1

So, yeah, a crescent moon, just like the Snow Moon, is beautiful. And it can inspire poetry and music. But that’s how God’s creations always are. But it’s still just a gravitational satellite. And, technically, from the sliver of light to the full round silvery white orb that lights up the whole night sky, it’s just part of a monthly phase.

But don’t try to tell that to the poets, philosophers, and dreamy-eyed songwriters of the centuries.

We’ll not be ensnared in such unromantic drivel.

Stay tuned,

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Your support means more than you know. And in case you’d like to know how you can…

Buy books and music from me:

Or tell those you care about to jump on the The TRUTH: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com OR

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So. There’s this little protoplanet named “Vesta.” And, as it churns out, little Vesta might have some clues as to how life on Earth might have formed? Yeah, scientists discovered some areas of impact on the “minor planet” that seem to show “collisions with carbon rich asteroids.” And of course, they emphasize that carbon is the essential building block to all life on earth, from single cell to human.

All that information on a little protoplanet.

But what, in the universe, is a protoplanet? Well, there’s this (lying) definition you can easily find online:

“A large body of matter in orbit around the sun or a star and thought to be developing into a planet – This analysis supported the view that the moon originated from a glancing collision between the earth and another protoplanet 4,500 million years ago.”

But don’t listen to stupid descriptions and definitions like that. Because they just love to bandy humongous numbers around in order to eliminate the possibility of a Creator or Designer of the universe and life. After all, there’s no evidence, of any kind whatsoever, that planets and/or protoplanets existed 4500 million years ago. Because there’s no evidence, of any kind whatsoever, that material things (aka: matter) existed then.

And yet, there’s oodles and oodles (words to describe numbers even bigger than millions) of evidence to suggest that Earth came into existence only thousands of years ago. No, you don’t have to look at any of that evidence. You can choose to totally ignore it ALL. But I suggest you consider the consequences of that choice.

Here’s a little roundabout explanation for why I say that:

When a human being dies, the same carbon that was there before death is still there. Yeah, all the ingredients, so to speak, are contained in that dead body.

So it’s one of those things that should make you go, “hmm.”

Why is there no life in that remaining carbon? Because, if it’s the essential building block of all life on Earth, why does a carbon-rich body die?

I’m not a scientist…and I don’t play one on TV. And I’m not a physicist or alchemist or biologist. I’m just a humble Rhyme and Reason guy. A guy who probably contains as much carbon as anyone in those other professions. And I’m a guy, who, like everyone else, has a time limit for my LIFE here on earth.

But if and when my time to die arrives, my carbon will still be here. So my life did not arise from or depend on carbon. And real science shows the enormity of complexity in human DNA. The code in a single human cell fills volumes of information.

You have your own unique DNA. Everyone does. My finite mind can barely apprehend (and certainly not comprehend) the almost infinite implications of that. But I can say this without hesitation. DNA clearly shows we’re information based.

Not carbon.

It’s sort of like this: my computer is a cool looking device. But without the information in the software, it’s just an intricately designed, shapely piece of aluminum. It’s “lifeless.” And no amount of added aluminum will ever get it to calculate, punctuate, or create a single image, sentence, or sound without help from life and information based people.

I wish scientists who trust in carbon could get real and approach life from the information base. I believe they’d be better equipped to process that information and build a much better understanding of life, love, and design. And they wouldn’t be looking for reasons why we exist on a protoplanet.

Yeah, they might even develop a trust in the Designer.

Hey, a guy can wish, can’t he?

Here we stand
While the clock is tickin’ we’re alive and kickin’.
Time moves on.
But we must remember, keep a burnin’ ember.
Let’s go out and capture life together!

(from my song “Let’s Capture Life Together”)

© 2020

Stay tuned,

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Share this link with everybody you know, so they can jump on the The TRUTH
(My regular emails about the essentials of life, AND some music and other good stuff, for Fa-Ree)

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Climate changes. It’s always done that. And it always will. Well, until that final climate climax when the whole Earth is consumed in a ball of fire. But not to worry. That probably won’t happen for at least another 1007 years. Give or take.

Oh yeah, just so you know, you won’t have any control over that climate climax.

Nope. You can drive your huge carbon emissions vehicle 24 hours a day for the rest of your life and have zero control over, or impact on, the coming climate climax.

And the same is true for the billions of other people on Earth, too. But I realize I’m an optimist. And I realize I have hope for the future. Plus, I understand how most people are the total opposite of me. So, my take on the coming climate climax won’t be their pot of molten lava. No problem. Whatever.

Nothing will EVER get me to look at the future as dystopian. And I can say that for one profound reason. I believe the Bible, and I trust the One who wrote it. I’m going with Jesus who tells me “fear not.” Not someone who writes this:

“One grim paper that came out last year is titled ‘Climate End Game.’ It mapped out some of the potential catastrophes that could follow a ‘tipping cascade.’ And it considered the possibility that ‘a sudden shift in climate could trigger systems failures that unravel societies across the globe.’ Chris Field, the director of the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment and a contributor to several IPCC reports, warned that ‘at some point, the impacts of the climate crisis may become so severe that we lose the ability to work together to deliver solutions.’

Well, on the one hand, as a global society we’ve never had “the ability to work together to deliver solution.” So, why would anyone think that could start now or end now? Silliness really.

Then, on the other hand (the right hand), compare that talk to this statement:

“While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, and day and night shall not cease.” If that was just some farmer from Kansas making that bold statement, you might quote Robert Duvall’s character from the original True Grit movie, starring John Wayne.

The Duke’s character had just told him, “I mean to kill you in one minute, Ned. Or see you hanged in Fort Smith, at Judge Parker’s convenience. Which’ll it be?” And Ned’s response would be the quote you might use to respond to the Seedtime and harvest statement:

“I call that bold talk for a one-eyed fat man!”

Yeah, it’s bold talk, these days, to say there will be no climate climax to end this world. But I trust the words my Creator wrote universally more than anything anyone in the climate scare community writes or ever will write.

So, take it from a two-eyed average-framed fella:

Live your life with hope and optimism. And find out about the author of the Bible. Because He’s the only one who can save you from an eternal “global warming.”

Here’s an ode I wrote to illustrate the lunacy from certain people of influence:

Secretary Kerry said that things are gettin’ badder.
Better pay attention ’cause your gases really matter.
He said that warming causes freezing, and it must be true
‘Cause even with the sun above the sky is cold and blue.
“The world has only nine more years,” he said without a smile.
But all this kind of talk of his has gone on for a while.
He spewed out all this garbage, and he spewed out carbon, too.
A hundred tons of it each year. You know? Like me and you.
Oh wait, we don’t fly private jets around the world and back.
We only drive our cars to jobs that underwrite this quack.
But maybe we won’t have to work in only nine more years.
Because we’ll either all burn up or drown in leftist tears.
But just in case, in ten years, we can live on Earth safely,
I hope we have more open eyes to this hypocrisy.

© 2021

Stay tuned,

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Your support means more than you know. And in case you’d like to know how you can…

Buy books and music from me:

Or tell those you care about to jump on the The TRUTH: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com OR

Get the The Power of God’s Love Podcast: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundercast

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I’m not sure who needs to read or hear this. Hopefully it’s not you. But consider these questions. Are you at the bottom rung of life’s ladder? Or are you on the mountaintop of momentum? Either way, it’s important to remember this one truism. This, too, shall pass.

Yeah, great or awful, this, too, shall pass.

This life you’re living right now doesn’t last forever. So, it never ceases to amaze me that so many people waste so much of it thinking of ways to hurt others. Especially when it be so much better to think of ways to help others. And you never know when someone might need your hug, or your words, or your listening ears. Because they might think you’re THE one who understands them. And you can help them to discover they’re never alone.

When you do, here’s what else you’ll be doing. You’ll be doing a little something (that’s actually a huge something) known as storing up treasures in Heaven. And those treasures in Heaven last a very long time. Even longer than a politician’s speech.

Don’t worry if you see others doing more or better than you. Because you can bet there’s almost always someone else doing less or worse. You just gotta be the best YOU.

And there’s enough work in that to take you through your whole life.

But the good news is, you don’t have to do it alone.

Because your Creator is available at all hours of the day or night. Jesus sent His Spirit to be with you through your whole journey here on planet Earth. How cool is that?!

And when things look their worst, He’ll help you remember this, too, shall pass. AND it might even be more important to talk to Him when your life is a picture of perfections. Because He’ll help you remember this, too, shall pass. But most of all you’ll know He’ll never leave you nor forsake you.

It’s only for a little while our time here on the earth.
It’s only for a little while, it’s true.
No matter what you see and do while you are in this world
It’s only for a little while you do.

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Enjoying the radically sensible Rhyme and Reason world? Don’t stop. Dive into much more.

Buy books and music from me:

Or tell those you care about to jump on the The TRUTH: https://www.TonyFunderburk.com OR Get the The Power of God’s Love Podcast: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundercast

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I mentioned this speck of dust over ten years ago. And I joked about the mutants who formed, completely on their own, once some molten goo cooled down enough. Well, I won’t just keep talking about what I talked about back then. I’ll just share it with you.

Imagine, if you will (and you must), a tiny speck of dust.

We’ll call it dust for the sake of creating a word picture. Now, that little speck of dust is just floating around in…uh, let’s call it space. Or is it a non-dimensional vacuum? Doesn’t matter. Either way, the little speck of dust floats around and begins to feel its oats. So to speak.

And here’s the thing. The little speck of dust is actually a compressed version of all the matter that is about to explode and cause a “universe” to come into existence. Now, stick with me. Because this fairy tale has a happy ending.

After much internal combustion this tiny speck of dust, no bigger than the period at the end of this sentence, mind you, actually explodes. And a vast universe with possibly thousands or millions of galaxies unfolds into a glorious spectacle. So glorious that human minds can only marvel at it in awe.

Now, here’s where it gets good. In a little corner (figuratively speaking) of the universe a little system of swirling, whirling masses of molten goo begin to spin around one larger mass of molten goo. And, just for the sake of identification, let’s call it our Solar System.

Then, one particular little mass of molten goo begins to form into something even more interesting. Hmm…what is it? An orb of luminous colors and a combination of delightful chemicals.

Suddenly something (we’ll call it lightning) sparks a little puddle of warm goo, in the orb, and lo and behold…little mutants are born. Or hatched. Or seeded, regurgitated, or something. Doesn’t matter. Don’t get stuck in that detail.

Because, here’s the point.

The mutants are the beginning of life on this little orb of molten goo.

C’mon now. You gotta admit, this is exciting stuff!. Right? And the mutants immediately get to work. Because they have to figure out how to mutate into something better (whatever “better” is…it doesn’t matter…they just know they have to do it).

Now, for the sake of time, I’m gonna compress billions of years into a couple of sentences.

During those billions of years the mutants eventually develop internal and external organs, skeletons, fingernails, skin, teeth, ears, and eyes. Then, they develop Wonder bread, chewing tobacco, murderous video games, rap music, and thieving, tyrannical governments.

And to this day, according to many scientists, the mutants are still hard at work inside each and every organism. I can hardly wait to see what they come up with next. Can you?

Thank God (because I don’t thank goo) that’s all just a fairy tale. Can you imagine what kind of hopeless world this would be if it were a true story?

In awe of all creation and how it all could be
The fairy tale illusions increase with every year.
The wrinkled plans expand, exponentially,
Until one day, perhaps, a duck becomes a deer. (yeah, right)

(from my song, “Fast Forward”)

Stay tuned,

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Your support means more than you know. And one way you can do that is to click or tap the links below to buy my books about creation on Amazon. Like this one for kids called “The Code”

(https://www.amazon.com/Danny-Andy-Helix-Duo-Code-ebook/dp/B008QSYDC4)

And this other one for kids called “The Very First 6 Days”

(https://www.amazon.com/Very-First-6-Days/dp/1515251330)

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

So-called “enlightened scientists.” And so-called “moderns.” And I certainly wouldn’t use those labels for the so-called “Light People.” But they certainly like to use those kinds of labels for themselves.

Light People say the darndest things.

For example what the so-called “Light People historians” said on Ancient History Encyclopedia:

“Aside from being more accurate, BCE/CE is inclusive. The use of BC/AD relegates every event prior to, and since, the birth of Jesus of Nazareth subordinate to the Christian understanding of who he was. For Christians, Jesus is the Christ, the anointed of God, the Messiah. And the calendar “counts down” to the birth of Jesus and then proceeds to count away from it. To a Christian, this may seem like simple common sense and the way the world works. But not so to someone outside of that tradition. People of different cultures and belief systems should be able to access and discuss history without having to date it according to the Christian belief in Jesus as the son of God and the Messiah.”

In case you’re not familiar, BCE stands for before common existence. CE stands for common existence.

Yeesh.

Slightly side note: it’s interesting they call themselves “light people” since it’s Christians who are called to be salt and light. But I’m probably making a lamp stand out of a candle. So, don’t mind me.

Anyway…

Read that paragraph from the “historians” and you’ll see (again) how their so-called “inclusive” tends to shy away from including the Christian perspective. Oh sure, they’re not mean about it. But I suppose when you shy away from your Creator, that sort of action just naturally follows.

This all came up on my radar after reading an article about nothing.

Well, to be clear, the article was about zero. And why it’s important. I found this paragraph particularly interesting because of its reference to nothing.

“To answer this I think we need to investigate the idea of the zero. It turns out that zero matters a hundred percent. The place you start counting from counts. The zero divides and marks edges. It offers a mystery, and the mystery invites meaning. Zero denotes a threshold. A timeline without a zero is all how and no why. But don’t take my word for it. Let’s look at the zero in history and see if this can make more sense.

The ancient Greek philosophers, most of them anyway, did not invest much in the concept of zero. They didn’t really have a zero because they couldn’t make sense of the notion that nothing is something. The idea did not captivate the ancient rationalists. But other cultures did use the zero.”

Now, call me a nitpicker, if you must, but I also can’t agree with, nor “make sense of the notion that nothing is something. ” I understand what the writer’s intent was. But it’s kinda silly to say nothing is something. Because there’s no such thing as nothing. Maybe conceptually, for the sake of argument. But I prefer not to argue about something so blatantly obvious. There’s NO. Such. Thing. As. Nothing.

However.

A starting point must start from (the concept of) zero, aka: nothing.

Because every THING had a beginning. Every THING came into existence. Because every THING did not always exist. But in order for every THING to come into existence, there had to be a THING Maker.

And therein lies the rub. Methinks the “light people” have a problem with being the products of a divine Designer. They don’t want one to exist. Because they want to be products of their own imagination. And when you can manipulate thousands of years of record keeping into your own ideology, score!

I know this whole most people in the world will never ponder these seemingly insignificant little details. And maybe none of this means anything to you either. But I’m confident it matters.

Ideas have consequences. And most of them end up as eternal. Do with this what you will.

I can always use your support to help me keep the nearly 3000 posts I’ve shared on my website available to the world that needs to see and hear about the one, true, living, loving God of creation. So, see if one of my books suits your fancy. Get one for yourself or for someone you love. Here’s a link to check ‘em out:

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Who wants to listen to (much less, sing) a bunch of  old songs with a bunch of thee’s, thy’s, and thou’s? I mean, not only is that stuff not cool, it just sounds weird. Yeah, the old hymns lyrics say stuff that nobody even understands anymore. Right?

Well, old hymns lyrics might be hard to understand. But not impossible.

Most of the old hymns lyrics talk about a living, loving Father who shows compassion to all who ask for it. As this example from the song, Great Is Thy Faithfulness, shows. It’s the second verse in most hymnals (and, yes, I know that’s an uncool thing to talk about, too). Here’s the verse:

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Those lyrics simply show how the almost endless, observable forces of nature and the universe show God’s mercy and love.

And the first verse of the song expresses the hope you can have for each new morning. The hope which can only come from this God. He provides, and has always provided, everything you need.

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Sure, there are a lot of those TH words.

That’s what I call ’em. Thy, thee, thou, thine. But you can basically just change them all to some form of you or your. And then the meaning is clear.

Side note: when those lyrics say “thou changest not,” they allude to God’s nature. He’s always been, is now, and always will be good, living, loving, personal, and relational. But He has also changed over the course of time. A LOT. And all for your sake. And mine.

Your Creator has made an everlasting pardon for your many terrible mistakes available to anyone who asks Him. Anyone who asks with genuine repentance that is. And when you do, you’ll receive the peace that endures forever. Because you’ll receive the Spirit of everlasting Life from Jesus. That message comes through in another verse from the song:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside!

Remember this…God doesn’t give you a spirit of fear. He gave you a “spirit of power, and of love, and of a sound mind“. If you’re not experiencing the strength and hope for a bright tomorrow, it’s most likely because you’re still depending on yourself or your things or something worse. My recommendation is that you don’t have faith in YOUR faith. Have faith in His. As the old hymn’s lyrics say:

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

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One day, way back when, as I sat in my college dormitory room in Manhattan, Kansas, I looked out the window and saw feathery, floating flakes of snow. An early Autumn snowfall had just started. So, I knew it wouldn’t last. Or maybe wouldn’t even stick around at all.

So, as I did at just about every opportunity, I flipped open my nifty spiral notebook, grabbed my trusty Bic pen, and began to write. It was a love song I never wrote the music for. But to this day I can hear the melody in my head when I read the words.

A lot of my words and lyrics back then were vague. And filled with open-ended implications. I don’t think I always did it on purpose all the time. But sometimes I did. This was one of those…

Love Is Snow

I’m not borrowing the phrases
That you’ve heard so many times.
I’m just putting down my feelings,
And if by chance it rhymes,
It rhymes for you.

For the misbegotten melodies
That ring from birds an bells
Could sing not of the beauty
That my spy, the wind, foretells.
It tells of you.

Let me be sand
That tickles your toes.
Let me be air
That enters your nose.
And exits your mouth
In delicate sighs.
Then, let me be light
That sparkles your eyes.

I’m not borrowing the phrases
That you’ve heard so long and know.
I’m just putting down my feelings
Like the clouds put down the snow.

© 1974 Tony Funderburk
September 25
(includes secret 2024 revisions)

All that mush from the window of a dormitory room?

Yep. And I have a plethora of spiral notebooks with similar samples. From bedroom windows, car windows, office windows, and even openings that weren’t windows at all.

Of course, for 99.999% of the world my recollections and reminiscences mean next to nothing. Maybe right on to nothing. So, I don’t share them to gain some sort of fame or notoriety. Just to sort of connect the dots of my days here on this little blue planet. And if, by some odd chance, they strike a chord with you, then so much the better.

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It has been a wonderful day. Elgielene and I started this marriage journey 34 years ago, today. And we were able to enjoy some simple things we love in some new places. Plus, it was particularly special because it’s Friday. And our wedding was on a Friday. And it was cold. Not as cold as our wedding day. But the cold made the memory bright.

34 years ago seems like a long time.

But it also feels almost like a flash of light. Like someone took a flash picture of us at the wedding and when our eyes cleared we were 34 years older. But, as they say, time flies when you’re having fun.

Exactly one year, after we got married, we were in Springfield, Illinois. I was booked in a nice hotel there, and Elgielene was my constant companion. The day before our first anniversary, I spent the whole day on the stage where our equipment was, working on a song. My first anniversary gift to my beautiful wife.

I’ve shared the lyrics before. But here they are again. Macho men won’t read ‘em. And that’s fine. But I just like to share them for posterity. Because another one of those camera flashes, like the one from 34 years ago, could happen. And when it does, I won’t be here anymore.

Some Day One Day

Someday; I’ll make it all worth your while
For sharing my life and never losing your smile
It’s not that easy, but you tough it out
You keep within what you’re doing without
and I swear…

Someday; I’ll make it all worth the wait
With all you’ve been through, still you harbor no hate
You could be bitter, but you choose to forgive
You take the punches but you live and let live
and I swear…

Someday; I’ll make it easier
One day; I know our world will be fair
Someday; one day…we’ll get there

One day we’ll make them stand up and stare
We’ll laugh at their doubts,
But we’ll remember to care
And for believing, my heart’s in your hand
You take in stride what almost no one can stand
and I swear…

repeat chorus…inst…repeat chorus to end

© 1991

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I can’t quite see myself writing them. But the memory of how it happened is crystal and clear. When I was almost 20 years old, I wrote a song called “Sparkling Salvation.” It wasn’t a great song. But the melody was nice. I can hear it in my head, right now, as I write about the experience. And I can remember the feeling I had the day I wrote it.

It was also crystal and clear.

Or, in a word, pure. Yep, that’s the feeling. And I wanted to describe purity. So, I used things that sparkle to help verbalize my feeling. Blinking away tears, a china set, children’s eyes.They all had a special meaning for me at that time. So I put them in the lyrics. I never recorded the song. But, as I said, I can still hear the melody right now. So, who knows? Maybe I’ll get around to it. Better be soon, though. I ain’t gettin’ any younger.

If you’re a Christian, how would you describe your feeling of hope and expectation for what’s to come? Write to me and let me know. In the meantime, here’s the much younger Tony’s crystal and clear rhyme and reason about…

Sparkling Salvation

Look to the clouds in the sky.
Blink all the tears from your eyes.
See how salvation arrives.
At last the moment draws nigh.
Think quick…everybody think clear.
No more living in fear.
See now that Heaven is here.
As we are here it is here.
Break out the china for tea.
Let’s talk of the lives we’re to live
And remember the one special rule
That in order to take we must give.
Children’s eyes sparkle today.
What better thing can we say
Than that they have chosen the one right Way
And made our eyes sparkle, too?

© 1974 & 2024

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Ok, let’s take Wisdom from the top, on four. And uh one and uh two. What’s the matter? Never hoid o’ da song? Where ya been, Ben. It’s the cat’s pajamas. And the bees knees.

So, here we go. Wisdom, from the top. On four. And uh one, and

Uh, it looks like some of you didn’t come to play today. Matter of fact, it looks like most of you aren’t interested in the Wisdom song at all. Wow, that’s too bad. Because it’s more beautiful and valuable than silver, gold, and rubies. Nothing you could ever imagine could or can compare to Wisdom.

But apparently you’d rather:

  • Watch your favorite TV show.
  • Play video games.
  • Go to the movies.
  • Cheer for the anti-wisdom sports teams.

If so, that’s too bad. Because, whether you like it or not, one day you’ll discover how every one of those activities meant next to nothing. They’re not inherently evil. But they DO require time and attention. And, if you’re not careful, they can distract you from your mission.

And your mission is to get Wisdom from the top and use it in this world.

Yeah, by now you know I’m not talking about a song (I’m sure you knew that all along). But, back to your mission.

First, I gotta say that wisdom isn’t the same thing as being intelligent or smart.

But only a relative few seek wisdom. Those few are the ones with humility. The ones who admit they’re not THE God or even A god. Wise people realize that only God can create everything in the universe. Wise people know they owe their own lives to Jesus, who is the Tree of Life.

And in Proverbs you’ll find that getting wisdom is like taking hold of the tree of life. The writer also said that long life “is in her right hand” and “in her left hand riches and honor.”

And here’s the thing. When God gives you long life, it can last forever. All you have to do, to get it, is ask.

Would you like to live forever
Under bright and blue skies?
Then go get some understanding
In God’s word and be wise.

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Back when I used to perform, nightly, in an island-themed restaurant, one crowd favorite was a song by Jimmy Buffett. The lyrics talked about volcanoes erupting and what would happen when they do. Words like,

“Ground she’s movin’ under me.
Tidal waves out on the sea.
Sulphur smoke up in the sky.
Pretty soon we learn to fly.”

And then the chorus said, “I don’t know where I’m a-gonna go when the volcano blow.”

If you’re a Jimmy Buffett fan (aka “parrot head”), then you’ve probably heard that song lots of times. And I can tell you I sure played it lots of times. Not as many times as “Margaritaville” (ay yi yi). But, trust me, a lot.

Anyway…

I didn’t show up, today, to talk about Mr. Buffett (who now knows, for sure, that he did NOT evolve). So, let me get back to those volcanic eruptions.

This won’t be a crowd favorite post. But maybe you’ll enjoy the information.

Did you know volcanoes spew almost a cubic mile of ash, lava, and other stuff every year? I knew it was a lot. But I didn’t know it was that much. Until I read it in Dr. Walt Brown’s book, “In the Beginning.” And he said that, “At this rapid rate, about 10 times the entire volume of Earth’s sedimentary rock should be produced in 4.5-billion years.”

But then he explained how “only about 25% of Earth’s sediments are of volcanic origin.”

And while that might still seem like a lot, it’s not how much should be there if volcanoes had been erupting for 4.5 billion years. Dr. Brown also shared how volcanoes erupted much more in the past. In other words, they’ve slowed down a lot in recent history. And by “recent history” I don’t mean the past million years or so.

In 2000, I wrote and sang about the silliness of the theory of evolution in my song “Fast Forward.” And, in the bridge of the song, I asked…

So, what does it all mean?
And why should we care?
That we didn’t come from slime!
And there’s a God out there!

Yeah, worldviews matter. Because your idea or ideas for how we all got here can have eternal consequences. Bad theories lead to bad choices and bad consequences. But if you truly don’t care about any of that, then I hate to think about where you’re gonna go when the volcano blow. It won’t be a crowd favorite.

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This will be the third year I’ve shared the Doris story. And it probably won’t mean anything to anyone who didn’t know her. But to those who knew her, were related to her, and even worked with her, it might make you smile a sad smile.

It was a cold day in January of 1938. In rural Oklahoma. FDR was in the first year of his second term as president of the U.S. And a second daughter was born to a young couple named Lee and Syona. But it was also a time when America was still struggling to recover from the Great Depression. So, after a time, the little family was ready to travel. And they piled into their car and headed west to California.

Yeah, that first cold day in Oklahoma turned to west coast warm.

And the young couple went to work, as countless other migrant workers did, picking produce and fruit from the fertile California farms and orchards. But times were tough. And even the Golden State didn’t provide enough work and wages for Lee and Syona to take “proper care” of their two daughters.

So, they sent Donette, the oldest, and Doris, who was 2 years younger, back to Oklahoma to stay with their maternal grandparents. And Poodle and Poppy, as the kids called the old couple, were happy to take them in to their home “on the farm.”

There would be multiple trips back and forth between parents and grandparents. And there would be hardships far beyond what many Americans would call hardships these days. Hunger from sometimes only one meal a day. Worn out clothes. Barefoot walks to school because there wasn’t enough money for shoes. And, every day, life in shantytowns or worn wood and dirt yards.

But, as life often turns out, the young sisters made it through those hard times. With the loving help of Poodle and Poppy. But both girls yearned to venture out on their own. And, while they were still kids (young teens) themselves, they both married and started having children of their own.

Now, from this point on, it’s the Doris story.

She married a young man named Dwight, she met in school, in Norman, Oklahoma. And, before long, they had two boys. They were the typical young couple adding to the baby boomer population. But their own youthful inexperience and lack of wisdom proved too much of a hurdle. And they divorced, after only 4 years.

So, on another cold day in her life, Doris started to figure out her next step.

After some bumps and stumbles, she found and married a young man named Bill. And after a stint in the Army, Bill went to work for General Motors in the Kansas City area. He and Doris also had two kids. A girl. And then a boy. Plus, the two boys from Doris’ first marriage would join the four of them each summer.

And that life went on for several years until the two older boys graduated high school and left to start their own lives. Sadly, Bill and Doris began to drift apart till one day they also divorced. They worked out the details for the care of their two younger kids. And they went their separate ways.

Once again the Doris story included a “cold day” on her own.

I’d like to tell you her life rebounded onward and upward like a comeback story from an old Hollywood movie. But, for years, quite the opposite was true. And I won’t dwell on the dreary details. Just know that there were considerable obstacles for her to overcome. Some she created with her own choices. And others were thrust upon her.

After a couple more seriously broken dreams, Doris trained for restaurant management. And she worked her way through Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kansas. Either as a manager or assistant manager for restaurants like Village Inn and Sambo’s. Usually it was to be near one or more of her kids and grandkids.

After years in the restaurant business, Doris hired on as the dispatcher for a transportation company based in the Kansas City area. And she lived and worked there until she retired. Then, she moved into her tiny, one bedroom apartment in the small community of Gardner, Kansas.

And she remained in Gardner until late in 2020.

Her health declined for several years leading up to that time. And, on a walk from her bedroom to the living room, she fell, injured her head, and required several stitches. She bounced back somewhat, but dealt with more frequent bouts of headaches and dizziness.

Then, on January 8, 2021, one day after her 83rd birthday, Doris suffered a stroke. And her health and stamina began to slowly deteriorate until she died in her sleep in her daughter’s home.

But a big part of her story continues.

She is survived by her four kids, 10 grandkids, 6 great-grandkids, and 4 great-great-grandkids. And those lives, an extension of her own, will go on for years to come.

And I shared some of her history with you because I was her firstborn. Mom died on this date, February 11, 2021. Hard to believe it’s already been three years since the end of Doris story.

Dorsie, as she was affectionately called by family and friends, will be remembered as a Mom, Memaw, Great-grandma, sister, aunt, and friend who always finished her good-byes with “I love you.”

And we all love you, too.
Your gracious love shone through
The darkest days, like songs of praise,
To those you loved and knew.

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They build them tall. Because they don’t want you to see what’s going on behind there. And they don’t want anyone who cares about what’s going behind there to be able to make eye contact or interfere. And there are guards to keep caring people out so parents can kill their kids in peace. I wrote a song about those guards who stand behind that wall. Sounds like a fun tune, right?

Well, it’s not fun.

It’s not fun to listen to. And it was NOT fun to write. I didn’t enjoy the process. And I certainly despise the fact that the subject matter even needs to be brought up right here in the “land of the free.”

But this “home of the brave” is full of hypocrites who are afraid of their own shadows. And they’re afraid of how their offspring might negatively affect their own fun times and easy-breezy lives. Solution? Kill the offspring.

And they visit buildings, possibly just down the street from you, and pay people to do that very thing. And they even get to go in to those building protected by “escorts.” Some say deathscorts. If you’re one, this song is for YOU.

If You Stand Behind That Wall

There’s a wall here between life and death
Where the unborn are denied their first breath.
There are guards here making sure that life ends
And they don’t care that they’re killing our friends.

Well you can’t plead ignorance.
You don’t stand blameless,
When you stand in the middle of it all.
As you discard the innocent
You shake foundations.
If you stand behind that wall, you will fall.

There’s a clear line between right and wrong.
Listen close, please, to the words of this song.
We were all, once, where those babies are now.
Mothers kept us…we all made it somehow.

Well, the martyred little ones
Your choice keeps nameless
Never had any single choice at all.
Please don’t discard the innocent,
They’re God’s creation.
If you stand behind that wall, you will fall.

You will fall from Grace
To a hopeless place
With eternal, mournful cries.
And the sound you’ll hear ringing in your ear
Is the sound of your own lies.

© 2010

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I remember Ted Kennedy’s shaky voice, during a eulogy for his brother Robert, as he quoted George Bernard Shaw  who said, “Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not.” I’m not sure Ted OR Robert were capable of anything more than why and why not questions. I hope so. But I won’t know until I leave this world. And maybe then it won’t matter. But I DO know that KNOWING why is awesome.

Because knowing why melts away a lot of the wondering in the world.

And the biggest why question is the one about our existence. Why are we here? If you don’t KNOW the answer to that, you’re liable to come up with all sorts of foolish stuff. Not the least of which (in fact, maybe the most of which) is how everything came from nothing.

Foolishness. And for one main human reason. And one main supernatural reason.

The human reason is: there’s NO such thing as nothing.

The supernatural reason: something from nothing isn’t natural. It doesn’t happen. So, if it DID happen, it would have to be supernatural. Above that which is natural. Outside of all that is natural. Beyond everything that is natural.

Supernatural!

Uh-oh. That takes us toward a supernatural Designer. Because all of creation is FULL of design. And you can’t logically look at design and say it happened all by itself. You know, automatically, it had a designer. And this highly complex world, solar system, galaxy, and universe we live in is held together by design. Not accidentally.

I pondered that sort of thing, way back in 1987, when I still hadn’t found the love of my life. And I wrote a poem (because, yeah, that’s what real thinking men do) about my questions. A lot of why questions. But I ended the poem with an acknowledgment of my ability to KNOW even when I didn’t have an answer. And here’s how it went/goes…

Knowing Why

I pause; I wonder,
And see myself through a magnifying glass.
l ask a question,
And give myself a test that I may never pass.

I yearn for freedom;
I don’t belong in a complicated life.
My needs are simple;
A mountain home and perhaps a loving wife.

So why can’t I make this happen?
Why don’t my dreams come true?
Why is the picture always fading?
And why can’t I change my view?

Why don’t things change no matter how I try?
And why do I constantly ask myself why?

I sit. l listen,
And try to hear all the music in my head.

A song; a feeling.
I need someone to understand what I’ve said.

When I’m being optimistic
I know I’ll be fine.
Asking why is realistic;
Knowing why, divine.

© 1987 (August 26)

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There have been countless times when all it took to open a gate of rhyming reason in my head was a picture of one single object. And that happened a lot, last year, after I stumbled upon a seemingly endless flow of stunning pictures in a social media feed. And more often than not the pictures connect my neurotransmitters and receptors to God and His Living Rain of love.

Of course, if you’re unable or unwilling to view or appreciate the poetic approach to your Creator, then much of what I write probably isn’t your chalice of pekoe. Yeah, I could’ve said “cup of tea.” But where’s the fun in that.

Anyway…

Eight lines of rhyme and reason took root, in my mind, last year when I saw a picture of a blue-violet rose swooning over on an emerald vine. Since it’s February, the commercial month of love focused on Valentine’s Day, it’s only reasonable to expect to see roses everywhere.

But you won’t see many like the one I saw on that social media feed. Not unless you do an online search. Or visit enough flower shops. Because most people want the standard red roses. And that’s fine. I just choose a different garden path. And I prefer to discover even more of the awesomeness of God’s creation. But that’s just me.

I love how delicate, and yet hardy, roses are. In the nicest ones you can see the veins. And their petals feel as soft as a baby’s hair. And God could’ve created ’em in black and white. But I think He knew how much some of us would love seeing the rainbow of colors in His creations. And, of course, He was right.

You can see a small version of that special rose in the picture that goes with this article. And, if you’re not offended by, repulsed by, or totally opposed to poetry, then enjoy this floral connection to God and His…

Living Rain

The rain of Living Water
Soaked the petals of the rose,
Blue-violet, and graceful,
In its natural repose.
And someone took its picture,
With the Hope it could explain
That even flowers show us
How WE need that Living Rain.

© 2023

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