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My best friend talked to me, today, about faith and hope and love and evidence. Those conversations tend to be one-sided. But I prefer it that way when we get on those topics. Because I wanna learn new stuff. And maybe you’ve heard the old saying, “When your mouth is open you’re not learning anything new.”

But my best friend always seems to have something new to show me.

So, I try to filter out the noise of the world and pay attention. And I say “try” because that’s not always easy. You probably know what I mean. Right? There are so many distractions these days. And a lot of the time those distractions are no further away than the end of your arm.

But when I’m able to ignore the distractions, turn down the noise, and pay attention, I discover just how much my friend cares about me. And it’s awesome how much brain-clearing information I’m able to soak in.

If you don’t have a friend who can (or who’s willing to) help you like that, I’d be glad to introduce you to mine. But I warn you. Your life will never be the same again. In fact, it will be FOREVER changed.

He’s My Best Friend

He gives me hope in spite of my troubles.
He’s there for me when life bursts my bubbles.
And He descended so I could ascend”
He is my God, and He’s my best friend.

With just His words this world was created”
And just one cell is so complicated”
And His existence I’ll gladly defend.
He is my God, and He’s my best friend.

He laid His life down because I was wrong.
But in my weakness He still makes me strong.
He is The One Truth that I recommend.
He is my God, and He’s my best friend.

© 2014 Tony Funderburk

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Ever notice how easy it is to fool kids? Yeah, as far as they’re concerned, you truly CAN grab a coin from behind their ears. Because their little minds haven’t matured enough to figure things out. So, even Uncle Bill is a skilled magician to them. But the trickery of men and women is a whole different bag of tricks. Right?

Not so fast. The trickery of men and women can be easy, too.

Especially for adults who never grew up in knowledge. Which is most of the world. And, sadly, it’s even a humongous percentage of people who call themselves Christians.

I bring this up because, in the wee hours of this morning, I read a passage, in Ephesians, about this very problem. Paul told the saints in Ephesus to “grow up.” (Wow, he was so mean, wasn’t he?) But why would talk to them that way? Was it because he thought he was all that and they weren’t? Of course not.

Paul wanted them (and us) to know more about the message of Grace so we could share more it more effectively.

When I read the Bible, there’s almost always some sort of words and music going on in the background of my mind. And this morning, as I read Paul’s words, I kept hearing an old song from Sam Cooke. The lyrics say…

Don’t know much about geography,
And don’t know much trigonometry.
Don’t know much about algebra.
Don’t know what a slide rule is for.

Yeah, the person in the song sure don’t know much.

But then he sings about something very important he DOES know…

But I do know that I love you,
And I know that if you love me, too,
What a wonderful world this would be.

And that’s the starting point for anyone who wants to avoid trickery.

Put yourself in the “I” place of those lyrics. And put Jesus in the “you” place. Let Him know you love Him. And ask Him to help you grow up. He will. You can take that to the bank, the one, in Heaven, that lasts forever. But here’s the thing. It’s not a one time thing. It’s every day of your life. Because you’re weak. But He is forever strong.

Here’s what Paul wrote about it…

“And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting, but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head””Christ””from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.”

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Shh. Listen. Do you hear that? Be quiet. And be vehwy, vehwy still. Now do you hear it? Hopefully the ringing in your ears doesn’t drown it out. Because Truth is calling. And Truth knows who you are, where you are, and why you exist.

Yeah, Truth is calling. But humans prefer lies.

Weird stuff, Maynard.

Makes me think of a Kenny Loggins song, from back in 1977, off his “Celebrate Me Home” album. The song was “Why Do People Lie?” And the lyrics asked,

“Why do people lie?
Lyin’ only breaks their hearts,
And tears their lives apart,
Makin’ ’em cry.
Tell me why.”

(Side note: If you’ve never listened to that album, do yourself a favor and check it out. One of my favorites!)

But yeah, why do people lie so much? Especially nowadays. It’s almost like if you’re not lying, you’re just not cool. And like the wise prophet, Al Gore, said, “Everything that should be up is down. And everything that should be down is up.”

So, it’s almost like if God says something is good for you, then do the opposite. Because some “guy in the sky sure isn’t gonna tell me what to do.”

Oh well, I guess if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em. Right?

Uh…no!

Because you CAN beat ’em. But definitely not all by your little lonesome self. No, you’re gonna need some help. And the good news is…help is available. 24/7/365. Here’s the sales pitch…

Avoid the lies and alibis and most of the pain in life with your lifetime (and beyond) subscription to The Truth. And we’re not talkin’ about some magazine or newspaper or even email subscription you’ll scan and toss. No, far from it friends. We’re talkin’ about The Truth that’s the Way to Life that never ends.

But your deadline to sign up is fast approaching. So, don’t delay. Subscribe today.

We need the Truth! The world doesn’t care.
They can’t see design; though it’s everywhere.
No absolutes, and they’re absolutely sure.
They worship time and bow down to chance.
They give themselves up to circumstance.
I have to say I don’t comprehend the allure.

(from my song “How Long Till”)

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You probably remember at least one movie like this. A couple of guys constantly fight each other. Each wants to be the alpha male. And they can’t stop. Almost every scene they’re in together is either an actual physical fight or an exchange of verbal “pleasantries.” Until a powerful enemy, they both hate, shows up. Then, they have to band together to vanquish the evil. And they end up as friends. Or something close to that.

It’s interesting how that band together theme comes up so often.

And I’ll bet there’s only a tiny fraction of people making movies who understand where it originates. But I’ll also bet YOU know. Right?

Yeah, there’s actually a law that tells us to band together.

But most people, in the world, break that law every day. And most of those people couldn’t care less. Because they think there’s no punishment for breaking it. And that’s because they don’t they “feel” punished. But nothing could be further from the Truth.

Just in case you’re scratching your head, right now, and wondering what law I mean, it’s the one Paul talked about. He said, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!”

Wow. That sure stirs up some ominous word pictures.

Like those pictures, you’ve probably seen, of a snake eating itself. And it’s sad to think of how many people of the world are content to essentially do the same thing to one another.

And what’s so sad about it is that it’s all so easily avoidable. All the heartache. All the despair. And all the lack of trust and compassion. It could all be avoided by obeying that one law. “Love your neighbor as yourself.” But that kind of love isn’t natural. No. It’s supernatural. It’s a gift from God. And all you gotta do is ask for it.

I asked for it a long time ago. And He gave it to me. Because love flows freely from Him. That’s why I sing…

🎶 Because You love me so…in spite of all You know…
Because You did the most that You could ever do…
Because I clearly see…evidence of You in me…
Because I can love…I do love…You! 🎶

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Imagine a place where time flies even though the clock stops. And imagine a place where fun falls out of nowhere just because you think about having fun. OK, if you’re not a kid, you might not be able to imagine such things. Too bad. Because you’ll miss out on all the toys and stuff.

Of course, toys and stuff means there’s a lot more to it.

We’re talkin’ about a place where people always greet you with the nicest “hello.” And there are never any sad goodbyes. But it takes a good imagination and a stroke of luck to get there. But “where is there?” you ask.

Well, you’ve probably heard of Timbuktu. Right? Well, this is like that. Only it’s for boys and girls. Not grownups with no imagination. This special place is called Timbuk Toys.

And Timbuk Toys is where girls and boys have super powers and magic hands.

But guess what? Well, you don’t have to guess because I’m gonna tell you. Timbuk Toys is a real place, too.

Yeah, it’s a store where you can find just about anything a kid could enjoy. And it’s one of the stores we used to sell CD’s (remember those?) of my original music for kids. I’ve mentioned it before, but maybe you’re new here. I wrote customized songs for those stores. So, naturally, one of the songs was “Timbuk Toys.”

And it’s included in a book of all the lyrics to all the songs in the “Kiddin’ Around” collection.

You should get a copy of that book for your little ones before the holiday buying frenzy starts. And you can beat the rush when you…

Click or tap the link below.

Eyes light up and the smiles do show
When you finally get to go
Where Timbuk girls and Timbuk boys
Play all day with the Timbuk Toys.

© 2007 Tony Funderburk

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What if joy were against the law? Sounds crazy, I know. But play along for just a bit. And let’s pretend that somehow that kind of law was pushed through congress. What would you do?

If joy were against the law, would you break it?

The law that is. Would you break it? Could you break it?

I believe, and I hope I’m not alone in this belief, that there are plenty of people, right here in “the land of the free and the home of the brave” who’d obey that law. And mostly because they wouldn’t be able to not obey that law.

Because you can’t remove the only source of true joy from your daily life without dire consequences. At best, your ability to press on is compromised. And, at worst, you can’t even find a good reason to press on. And that’s because your spirit is practically null and void.

There are lots of sad examples in the world of music. Stories of pain and heartache. Reports of too much drinking, drugs, and a total disregard for what’s good, healthy, and productive. And it doesn’t matter what music you prefer. Rock-n-roll, country, classical, jazz, hip-hop, blues, etc. etc. etc. They all have their (un)fair share of despair.

Because they turned their backs on, and souls away from, the comforting Spirit of God.

It’s fairly easy to spot someone who’s done that.

Just look at the evidence Paul shared for the fruit of the Spirit. He wrote this to the people of Galatia…

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.”

And when you have that Spirit in you, that fruit can be unstoppable. In fact, it’s the only way you’ll be able to cope with, and overcome, the world that wants to rob you of your joy. And when they outlaw everything good (and they will), you’ll be able to righteously break those sordid, stupid “laws.”

Love leads into joy…
Law leads back into slavery…
God gave us The Way.
Just believe, and we’re truly free.

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Bob Dylan said it. So, it must be true right? He talked about how you gotta serve somebody. In fact, in one of his songs, he sang “you’re gonna have to serve somebody” quite a few times. So, he must be pretty darn sure it’s true. And, in a way, it is.

Sure, you could say you gotta serve somebody, OR…

You could say you GET to serve somebody.

First, and foremost, you GET to serve your Creator. But you ain’t gotta. God doesn’t force you to serve Him. Because He knows that forced servitude doesn’t produce love. And He knows true love produces a servitude attitude. So, He gives you the option to serve Him. But you can also serve yourself. And most people do.

And those are the people who don’t grasp the concept of servitude that flows from love. But, I know my Christian brothers and sisters understand. Because I know that they know it was Paul who talked about liberty and love. He said…

“For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”

Notice how the freedom to not serve one another is implied?

That’s embedded in the love part. And the “opportunity for the flesh” part.

No! We GET to serve. We ain’t GOTTA serve.

But the subtle irony is how freedom produces love.

And love produces the desire to serve someone else. Because, with love (and through love), you “feel” the other person’s needs. And that’s because they’re a human being with the same, basic needs as you. So, it’s not a silly, worldly, touchy-feely kind of “feel.” It’s an empathetic, sympathetic connection.

In spite of what the governments of the world would have you believe, God wants us to connect that way. And it’s a sure bet if God wants something for us, it’s good for us.

But you’re free to pay no attention to what your Creator says, suggests, or commands. Just know, that if you do, just like the great prophet (not) Bob Dylan said…

You’re gonna have to serve somebody, yes indeed,
You’re gonna have to serve somebody.
Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord,
But you’re gonna have to serve somebody

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I read a post, from a friend in social media (thanks Allen) about famous last words from some famous atheists. And the despair in their words struck me in such a way I wanted to share some of them with you. It’s chilling.

But first…why do I say famous last words of foolish jaybirds?

Well, back in medieval days, when I was growing up, the term “jaybird” was Southern slang for a scoundrel or rascal. There were other uses for the word. But for the sake of what I’m talkin’ about right now, that’ll do.

Anyway…

In the post I read, there were 14 examples. I’m just gonna share three of the (hopefully) better known ones. First there’s Thomas Payne (or Paine, depending on where you get the info). According to multiple sources his last words went something like this…

“Stay with me, for God’s sake; I cannot bear to be left alone , O Lord, help me! O God, what have I done to suffer so much? What will become of me hereafter? I would give worlds if I had them, that The Age of Reason had never been published. O Lord, help me! Christ, help me! No, don’t leave; stay with me! Send even a child to stay with me; for I am on the edge of hell here alone. If ever the Devil had an agent, I have been that one.”

Wow.

That sounds like a mortal soul filled with the fear of full, oncoming realization. And the knowledge that ideas and choices can have eternal consequences.

Then there was Josef Stalin. Maybe you recall, from history lessons, that he was responsible for somewhere between 20 and 60 million deaths. And those were people from his own country. Yikes. You don’t get much worse than that. Here’s what his daughter, Svetlana, said about Stalin’s death…

“My father died a difficult and terrible death…God grants an easy death only to the just. At what seemed the very last moment, he suddenly opened his eyes and cast a glance over everyone in the room. It was a terrible glance, insane or perhaps angry. His left hand was raised, as though he were pointing to something above and bringing down a curse on us all. The gesture was full of menace. . .the next moment he was dead.”

No words. But the description speaks volumes.

Svetlana understood her father was tormented in his last moments of life. And his torment will go on forever. Because he made choices that put him in direct opposition to the perfect Judge of all souls. But fools will not learn a thing from Stalin’s evil mistakes.

Finally, how about mister peacenik himself, Gandhi? You know, the skinny runt who threw temper tantrums, like a child, when he didn’t get his way. Yeah, that guy. When he died, he said…

“For the first time in 50 years, I find myself in the slough of despond. All about me is darkness…I am praying for light.”

His prayer was unfruitful, unproductive. Because, unless he knew Jesus, Gandhi was most likely praying to a false god. To unhearing ears. And, so, to no one and nothing. And “praying for light” is an exercise in futility when you don’t understand Jesus is the only one who can provide that light.

I love the way the article I read finished with comparisons from the Apostle Paul and Jesus and their perspective on death. And if you wanna know (and understand) their perspective, there’s a great book I can recommend with unending enthusiasm.

If you’d like to read that book,
I can tell you where to look.
You might love the words inside,
If you let them be your guide.
Or you can join those dead jaybirds
And speak your own famous last words.

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Eight years ago, today, I shared Episode 15 of my Podcast. Wow, 15. I’m now up to 739 episodes. (Side note: I’m way behind on recording episodes because my voice has been, shall we say, less than smooth. But the plan is to get going again shortly.) Anyway…Episode 15 focused on your understanding. And when I say “your,” I mean mine too. In fact, I mean everybody.

Your understanding is small.

Again…that means mine and everybody else’s, too.

But I don’t want that to discourage you from moving forward in life. Unless you’re someone who hates God and hates anyone who loves God. Then, I want you to realize how small you are. And I want the only forward movement in your life to be movement that takes you toward your Creator.

But for those who love God, here’s what I shared eight years ago. It still applies.

There’s no need to let discouragement rule the day. If you find that happening, you may be leaning on your own understanding. Remember…your understanding is limited to what your senses and intuition can tell you. And those are based on the limitations of this space/time continuum and your personal location.

God doesn’t suffer from those limitations.

He can see the whole world. In fact, He can see the whole universe. He created it and everything in it. So…learn to lean on His understanding. He’ll direct your paths, and you’ll walk in stronger faith hope and love.

In Episode 15 of the podcast (which wasn’t called the The Power of God’s Love Podcast back then) I shared the previous week’s articles about:

 

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“They” called him the “Chairman of the Board.” How he got the title depends on who you ask. But there’s no denying that Frank Sinatra liked being in charge. And I was never a fan even though he sang a couple of songs here and there I actually liked. One of those was about lost love.

But this particular lost love was blown away.

At least, according to the lyrics, there appeared to be no human rival. And that’s what I like most about the song. The lyrics. They were written by Johnny Mercer, and he did a great job of rhyme and rhythm. And fortunately for Frank Sinatra, his voice was a nice match for the melancholy message.

I especially like the third verse…

The autumn wind and the winter winds, they have come and gone
And still the days, those lonely days, they go on and on
And guess who sighs his lullabies through nights that never end
My fickle friend, the summer wind.

If you’ve never heard the song, give it a listen. It was a hit for Sinatra way back in the 60’s. I think it made it to #25 on the Billboard Top 100. And it even went to #1 on the Easy Listening chart.

And the reason I thought of Frank Sinatra and “The Summer Wind” is because of something I read about the Sun’s radiation force.

I know. It’s weird to connect the “Chairman of the Board” to creation science. But that’s part of how my brain works. So, there you go.

And here you go. Here’s the connection.

According to Dr. Walt Brown (a PhD from M.I.T.) “The Sun’s radiation applies an outward force on particles orbiting the Sun.”

So…no big deal. Right?

Unless you think about something else that’s no big deal. Like “Particles less than about one 100,000th of a centimeter in diameter…”

Because Dr. Brown says those particles “should have been blown out of the solar system if it were billions of years old. Yet, these particles are still orbiting the Sun.”

Hmm…so I guess that ol’ summer wind’s lullabies only affect human hearts.

Or as Dr. Brown concludes: “the solar system appears young.”

OK, I know you’ll probably forget all about this information once you finish reading it. But “That’s Life.” At least I hope you’ll “Come Fly With Me” again, soon. Because “The Best Is Yet To Come.”

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I’ve heard this from more than one person in literally every place I’ve ever lived. Regardless of whether it was in the South, Southeast, Midwest, Southwest, or West. And I’ve heard it from more than one person in literally every place I’ve ever visited. “If you don’t like the weather, wait a little while, and it’ll change.” Or something to that effect.

Like the weather doesn’t change in other places.

But it does. Well, to be fair, I’ve never lived in or visited remote equatorial jungles. And my guess is it’s always hot and muggy. But even there, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear some jungle dweller, in his native tongue say, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait. It’ll change. Eventually.”

I’ve never been one to get all hot and bothered about whether or not the weather would change or not. Except maybe when I’ve been hot and bothered for 2 weeks straight in July or August. No, I figure my days are far more complex than sunny or rainy issues. And I’m grateful to God for that. Because I know, each day, He loves me despite what the thermometer or barometer say.

And on that note, a few years ago, I shared a rhyme about it for an audience of kids. It was a Tuesday, like today, so I wrote…

Tuesday Weather

We’re gonna have Tuesday weather
Whether you like it or not
Because today is Tuesday,
And we’ve got the weather we’ve got.

We’re gonna have Tuesday weather
From the morning till midnight
Because Tuesday is all day…
Between Monday and Wednesday, right?

We’re gonna have Tuesday weather
So go out and soak some in,
Maybe I’ll see you out there.
I’ll be the one with the big grin.

© 2014 Tony Funderburk

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Several years ago I shared some information on suicides. And, sadly, the news about suicides isn’t any better now. Especially with this destructive, viral world we find ourselves in now. Young people, especially, have become mentally, socially, and psychologically tortured souls.

And tortured souls can last forever.

They don’t have to be tortured forever. But far too many, if not most, will. And that’s why I also shared three reasons to stick with life and see it through. Here’s a re-cap of what I said…

  • Your life is real

And it’s the only one you’re ever gonna get. You’re not living in a dream world. When you hear Christians talk about being reborn, they’re talking about your spirit. And your spirit is the only place where true and everlasting life can reside. If you’ve ever felt a pulling on you from within…a sort of longing to know there’s more to life than what your five senses can tell you…that’s your inner sense of connection to your Creator. He put eternity in your heart. He IS life, and He wants you to be drawn to life…the kind that lasts forever.

  • Hope

Without it, you can easily become another sad statistic like the one I mentioned above and the countless, nameless others. And the living, loving God of the Bible wants you to know that you’re valuable to Him. He also wants you to know that life in this current space/time continuum won’t last. The Prince of Peace will eradicate torment, torture, and tyrants. And that should bring you hope.

  • Eternity is a long time

Like I mentioned in a previous post, forever is forever. It isn’t the absence of time. Because that’s an impossible paradigm. It’s time without end. And since time will go on and never, ever end…it’s important to give some thought and consideration to where you’ll be during that time. My Christian worldview says you can live forever in paradise with the one, true, living, loving God who created you. Or you can exist apart from Him (and therefore apart from life) forever somewhere else. It won’t be paradise. And it won’t be enjoyable. But the choice is yours.

So, there are my three simple reasons for tortured souls to stick with life and see it through. Because Life comes from God.

I hope you’ll ponder with an open heart and mind. Because I want you to live forever in paradise with your loving Creator. Do you? In case you’re on the fence, here are the words, to a song, to nudge you along…

Drawn To You

Maybe it’s Your grace.  I don’t know.
It could be Your Word.  I’m not sure.
But You have a way of refining my thoughts.
Your Will is my strength. Your Will is my cure.

Anytime it’s me making it up
Show me I’m wrong to just forget You.
You barely lift a finger, and You change my whole direction.
What else can I say?  What more can I do?

I’m drawn to You
Like a June-bug to the light.
I’m drawn to You
Like a boxer to the fight.
I’m drawn to You
Like a sweet tooth and ice cream,
And it may all sound extreme,
But I’m drawn to You.

Maybe I’ll wake up…maybe soon
And find You take me home…Who can say?
“˜Til then I’ll live it out…’til then I’ll follow through
And see how many more might feel the same way.

Chorus

Jesus, help me, won’t You take me to my heart’s desire?
Nothing could mean more than having You to be my fire!
Take me higher…draw me near.

Chorus…instrumental…repeat chorus to end

© 1998 Tony Funderburk

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It was one of those weird things. And don’t ask what led me to such odd search engine results. But dream dust is apparently an issue for some people. And when I say “issue,” I mean it’s not good. People apparently dream of dust. And apparently those dreams reveal dark (and dare I say “sinister”) thoughts.

Who’d’ve thunk a search for dream dust would go dark?

Not me.

Because I tend to think of the stuff Mr. Sandman sprinkles in your eyes. You know, the stuff to make you sleep well and enjoy imaginary adventures when you do. And this isn’t just for kids. Even though that’s who I wrote to when I talked about this years ago.

No, I think it’s healthy to have delightful flights of fancy when you sleep. Even if you’ve lived for several decades. Because I believe it exercises your brain in a creative way that daydreams don’t. And I believe that’s part of the design God gave us for sleep.

But I don’t wanna provide any proof for my hypothesis. I’ll just re-share this rhyme…

Once Upon A Starless Night

Once upon a starless night
I read, by the campfire light,
How a comet with its tail
Spied a nova and set sail.

You might think a comet flies
Aimlessly through endless skies,
But this one was really rare,
No more like it anywhere.
It could hear and think and see
Just as well as you or me.

“What?” you say. “That can’t be true.”
If it’s not, would I tell you?
Wait for any starless night
And turn out your bedroom light.
Then look up into the sky
With a wish inside each eye.

It might take a little while.
Then you’ll see a glowing smile
Followed by a sparkling tail
Leaving dream dust in its trail.
That’s the comet, silver gray,
Zooming through the Milky Way.

If, at first, you cannot see,
Just keep trying that’s the key,
And sometime you’ll get it right,
Once upon a starless night.

© 2014 Tony Funderburk

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Several years I wrote a post about the lazy days of summer in eastern Kansas. Not because I thought Kansas was different from the rest of the country. But because that’s where I spent the summers of my formative school years.

And now I don’t see those lazy days of summer anywhere.

They’re long gone.

Because, these days, most kids aren’t interested in sitting on a remote creek bank waiting for the fish to bite. And they don’t seem to care about what kinds of trees are in the forest closest to where they live. And they certainly don’t seem to care about picnics, lying in the grass on a blanket, or watching nature.

But, when I was a kid, we sure did!

We even caught our own bait for fishing. I already shared how we did that. But, in a nutshell, here’s what we did. Two people would grab separate ends of a net. And we’d gently move it up the creek until we had some bait. Mostly minnows and crawdads. Then, we’d find our spot, where the creek was deeper, and we’d cast out our lines. Then we’d talk and wait.

THAT is the epitome of those lazy days of summer.

When we caught a few fish, we took them home for mom to fry up in a pan. And she’d serve ’em up with some vegetables we picked right out of the garden “out back” just before dinnertime.

Regardless of what you do for a living, that’s a healthy lifestyle. And it sure beats a trip ’round the drive-through under those golden arches. Or crunching something, trying to pass itself off as beef, under some bell. But if you can’t get out and enjoy the waning days of summer, relax. I’ve got you covered…for now.

Close your eyes (well don’t actually close your eyes or you won’t be able to read this). Relax your mind, find your happy place, and I’ll take you…

Down by the creek bank…
Sittin’ on a tree stump…
Listenin’ to the birds sing…
Lookin’ at a frog jump…
Thinkin’ lots of nice thoughts…
Sippin’ on a sweet tea…
Writin’ down a few words…
When they come and greet me…
Watchin’ little squirrels run…
Climbin’ up the oak trees…
Lyin’ in the green grass…
Waitin’ for a cool breeze…
Stayin’ till it’s twilight…
Catchin’ me a firefly…
Down by the creek bank…
Life is passin’ by.

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Jupiter, you’ve got it goin’ on. Yeah. And Saturn, you’re lookin’ mighty sassy. Oh, and Neptune! Mighty nice. Yeah, you’re some hot planets, for sure. Hope you don’t mind me sayin’ so.

Uh-oh. Tony’s got sunstroke. He’s talkin’ about hot planets.

Hey Huey Lewis sang a song that said “sometimes bad is bad.” Well, sometimes “hot” means heat. And so, that ‘splains all my hot planets slang talk.

But seriously, those planets are putting off some serious heat energy. In fact, my go-to source (a PhD. from M.I.T.), Dr. Walt Brown, says “Jupiter, Saturn, and Neptune each radiate away more than twice the heat energy they receive from the Sun. Uranus and Venus also radiate too much heat.”

And before you get the big idea that all that heat energy comes from nuclear fusion, I’ll tell you “NO.” Dr. Brown says that, according to calculations “…it is very unlikely that this energy comes from nuclear fusion, radioactive decay, gravitational contraction, or phase changes within those planets.”

So! Who cares?!

Well, anybody who’s into health and self-care should care. Because your long-term health and wellness could be deeply affected by how long you believe those planets (and our little, blue Earth) have existed.

And planets that still radiate a lot of heat are good evidence that our solar system (and universe) are fairly young. Yep, I done said it. Young.

Because hot planets have not existed long enough to cool off.

Plain and simple.

Planets and stars couldn’t have existed for millions and billions of years. Because they would have cooled off at least way more than they have. And they couldn’t have been here forever. Because they’d have reached the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation temperature of outer space. Approximately 2.73 Kelvin.

That’s cold. And basically dead.

And while planets that radiate as much heat as those in our solar system are basically uninhabitable, they’re not dead.

But if you don’t believe in and trust God, forget I even mentioned any of this. You definitely won’t have to worry about cold temperatures where you’re headed.

There’s a choice between Heaven and hell.
It’s YOUR choice, so you better choose well.

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It’s funny (odd, not ha ha) how small comets got me thinking about the old Comet cleanser TV commercials. And you’d have to jump into Professor Peabody’s Wayback machine or hop onto YouTube to see ’em now. (and if you don’t remember Professor Peabody and his Wayback machine, you’re too young to read this). But I’m not talkin’ about those innocent, family friendly commercials right now.

No, this is about small comets filled with ice.

I’m sure you already know how small comets hit Earth’s atmosphere about every three seconds. Right? But no big deal. They probably just bounce off and fly away with their tails between their legs. Right?

Wrong. And…wrong.

It’s actually a pretty big deal when a small comet hits Earth’s atmosphere. Because each one dumps about 20 to 40 tons of water into that big blue sky of ours. But maybe you think that’s no big deal because you think that water would just vaporize or something.

But it IS a big deal. Because even the vapor would add up. It doesn’t just magically disappear. Because, well, there’s no such thing as magic.

Anyway…

Here’s the big reason why small comets dumping water into our atmosphere is a big deal.

Because so-called “scientists” say the Earth evolved.

Then, they build up their fairy tale by saying the evolution of our planet (and eventually us) took place over the course of millions and millions of years. Maybe even billions. (Hey, it’s just numbers, so make ’em big.)

But if small comets would have dumped water into Earth’s atmosphere for all that time, they could have formed all our oceans. Yeah. That much water could have fallen. Maybe even more. Dr. Walt Brown, a PhD from M.I.T. said this about that…

“No doubt past impact rates were even greater, because the planets have swept many of these comets from the solar system. Therefore, small comets would have placed much more water on Earth than is here today. Obviously, this did not happen, so oceans look young.”

But so-called “scientists” don’t want the oceans or Earth or the presence of humans to be be young. Because then Christians, who believe in a young Earth created by God, might have a valid point.

And we can’t have that. After all, that would mean maybe information in the Bible might be true. Gadzooks! We can’t have that.

But we DO have that.

And I thank God how even the stars in the Heavens declare His glory. And His story.

If you see a fiery flame against the midnight sky,
Or just a tiny sparkle in the corner of your eye,
It might be me because I’m sailing through the stars.
I’ll turn and wave when I pass Mars. (excerpt from Perfect Point of View)

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I mentioned, in the past few days, that a friend of mine died. But I don’t think I mentioned how he’s now more alive than he’s ever been. More alive than you or me or anyone else on this planet. Because we’re all born into a broken life on a broken planet. And the only thing that has any possibility of helping me cope with that bleak notion is knowing complete restoration is real.

And I mean complete restoration. Not silly health elixirs.

They say, in those 12 step programs (or however many steps), the first step is to admit you have a problem. And nowhere is that more important than in who you’ll choose to trust for your life. You? Or God? I recommend choosing God.

Because once you realize and acknowledge to God you’re a broken person, you can receive the restoration eternal life brings. And eternal life is gonna be…well…a long time. Forever, you might say. I DID say.

Anyway. Here’s my belief. (And it’s based on so much evidence it would take too long to share it with you in one blog post.) If you’re willing to go wherever Truth takes you, you’ll end up in the saving Grace of Jesus. And, on the other side of that same coin…if you don’t believe you need a savior, then you’ll spend your life trying to save and redeem yourself.

But you’ll fail.

God knew you before you were born.

He wrote eternity on your heart. And He gave you the freedom to choose. Love Him. Or not.

Don’t know about you, but I prefer to know I’m a product of intelligent design. And not some “lifeless lump of coal”wandering this earthly plane toward infinite blackness.

The quotation marks around “lifeless lump of coal” are there because I’m quoting myself. (I know, how vain of me, right?) Those words come from a line in another song in my Raise The Praise collection. The song is “Your Love Restored My Soul.” And it’s about the hope you can only find in your Creator.

All the words to all the songs in the collection are in my book with the same name: Raise The Praise. By the way, in case I haven’t mentioned it in the past 24 hours, it’s also a songbook and journal. And there’s a super secret link, in the book, where you can download all the songs and sing along.

And speaking of links, the link to get your copy of the book, is below. Just like Whataburger, we don’t make your book till you order. So, it’ll still be mouth-watering fresh when it arrives at your doorstep.

Here’s the chorus to this song…

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.

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Get the Raise The Praise book (songbook and journal) here

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

A few days ago, I shared a little backstory to some lyrics by a friend of mine. Cristina also wrote more lyrics that she sent me to look over. And I liked how she described some of the glorious, intangible things God gives us.

Yes, God gives us a bountiful world to inhabit.

But that’s not the truly glorious stuff. Not by a long shot.

Much of what makes you who you are came from God. I won’t say it ALL came from God. Because you’re not perfect. Come to think of it…neither am I. So, what you and I do, of our own volition, that goes against what God prefers or designs, is on us. We do the bad stuff.

But in spite of that, we have a Creator who cares so much about us that He made a way to overcome even ourselves. Not just A way. THE Way.

And when you get to know Who that is and what it means, you wanna tell the world. And in the case of writers and singers, we wanna write and sing about it.

So, I added “I Give You All” to the Raise The Praise collection of songs. And the lyrics are included in the Raise The Praise book (which is also a songbook and journal) you can get on Amazon. If you’re a Prime member, you can get one delivered for Fa-Ree. And that’s pretty affordable.

PLUS…

In the book, you’ll find a super secret link to download all the songs in the book. That way you can sing along. Again for Fa-Ree. Again…pretty darn affordable.

I know, the $17.99 cost for the book is not exactly Fa-Ree. But c’mon man! It ain’t all that much when you consider you won’t just be getting a book, a songbook, and journal in one. You’ll also get lyrics, written in English, by a woman whose native tongue is Romanian. Are you kidding me?! Why are you still here? Why haven’t you clicked the link, below, and ordered a copy of the book already?

Here’s some teaser lyrics…

I give you all
My worries and my fear.
I give you all.
And I can feel you near.
I give you all.
You dry up every tear.
I give you all”

I give you all.

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A couple of days ago I watched a short TV interview. I found it through a link someone shared on a social media channel. And the interview was between a couple of guys who were talking about the murder rates in many cities in American. Especially in the “minority” communities. So, naturally, the topic got me thinkin’ about home security.

But probably not the home security you might guess.

Because, even though you might need and want to feel secure in your own home, there’s no real and lasting security. Not anywhere on planet Earth.

Now, before you think I’m just being a Donny Downer, consider this. What’s the death ratio of human beings in the town, city, or state where you live? I’ll take a wild guess and say it’s somewhere around 1:1. In other words, every person born ends up dying. Am I close?

And that means, no matter what income range, no matter what social status, and no matter what worldview you have, one day you WILL be booted out of your home. That spells trouble for most people. Because it means they go through life on Earth concerned about home security. And then, they spend eternity with zero security. I shudder to imagine how that would feel.

Guess what? Nobody has to experience that problem. Nobody.

But sadly, most people would rather face forever with doubt. And that’s just weird to me. Because, like I wrote about in my song, “The House of the Lord,” the secure option is beautifully awesome. It’s what your Creator wants for you. But He doesn’t force His choice on you.

By the way, I talk about that, and lots more, in the words you’ll find in the pages of my Raise the Praise book (which is also a songbook and journal). And when you get it, be sure to look for the super secret link to download all the songs to go with the lyrics. Speaking of links, the link to get the book is below.

He’s my shepherd through thorns and thru clover.
He’s my new wine, and my cup runs over.
As I walk through the shadow of death”
I will sing till my very last breath”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

After talking about my former pastor, yesterday, I thought about how that story ties in nicely with what I’d like to share with you now. And it’s about what happens when things get dark.

Because when things get dark is when THE Light shines bright.

Or at least that Light CAN shine bright. But it’s still your choice. When things get their darkest, you can either choose to dig in deeper. Crawl deeper into that dark crevasse. And try to blend in to the black void.

But that ain’t gonna get you nowhere (as my good buddies down in Texas used to say).

Because your joy should shine in spite of the world. It shouldn’t be dowsed because of the world and circumstances in life. When life tosses you into a dark place, climb out and get back at it. I know it’s easy to say and sometimes so darn difficult to do. But that doesn’t mean you don’t do it. It just means you need help.

A friend of mine wrote a poem a few years ago. And she asked me if I thought I could use the words as lyrics for a praise and worship song. That’s back when I was the praise and worship guy for a church in Denver.

I told her to email them to me. And she did. And I read them and almost immediately heard some music in my head to put with them. It’s so cool when that happens. So, I told her I’d let her know when the song was done.

The song made its debut in the following Sunday praise and worship time. And I could tell she was happy about how it turned out. So was I. The music and the words go together very well, if I do say so myself. It’s upbeat, infectious, and downright nice on the ears.

Hey, like Babe Ruth said, “It ain’t braggin’ if it’s true.”

The song is called “Shine In Your Glory.” And you can read all the words to it in my Raise The Praise book (which is also a songbook and journal). Oh, and by the way, you can get all the songs, too. They’re all in a single download you get when you buy the book. The link is below. Here are some of the lyrics to this song.

My joy is flowing out
Into your ocean.
Your grace rains down”in my open heart.
You take my hand
When the road is narrow,
And you’re my Light when things get dark.

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