↓
 
  • Tony Funderburk
  • Books
  • Daily Devotional
    • Wisdom Wednesday
    • Thankful Thursday
  • Rhymes For Kids
  • Rhyme and Reason Podcast
  • Songs

Tony Funderburk

Your Life Has Rhyme And Reason Because God Made You

Tony Funderburk's Rhyme and Reason Studio

Category Archives: Rhyme and Reason

Enjoy & understand the rhyme and reason for your life with author, voice expert, and multimedia guy, Tony Funderburk.

Post navigation

← Previous Post
Next Post→
Tony Funderburk Posted on May 25, 2026 by TonyMay 25, 2026
Mask pain on that endless gravy train

Drugs mask pain.

Pain is your body’s way (through your brain) to signal a problem. When drugs mask pain, your brain doesn’t send that signal clearly And most times it only gets worse. Even as you feel fine or even feel better. But a prescription is not a protocol for a healthy, well-balanced life. Despite what most doctors say. (remember, the longer you stay on the drugs easier is for them to make their Mercedes payments)

Sure, you can mask the pain signals to your brain.

And I know there are times when that could be beneficial. But drugs significantly reduce your mental sharpness. And there needs to be what everybody likes to call and exit strategy. At least if your goal is better health and wellness.

I remember, quite a few years ago, when I installed a new front door handle for an elderly lady. As she invited me in to look thing over I noticed a variety of medications in one of those plastic pill organizers. She also had a variety of over-the-counter pills for indigestion, irregularity, and the usual suspects.

This nice lady kept stating how she “can’t remember anything.”

How many times have I heard that from people on multiple prescription drugs.

She wrote down everything I recommended we get to make the repairs. And then she asks me the same questions again and wrote down the same information again. It’s so sad to see someone, so obviously capable otherwise, who can’t remember what she just wrote down while it’s still under the pen in her hand.

And yet, I see (and know) plenty of elderly people who are sharp as a tack, quick as a whip, and bright as a new penny. How’s that for visuals? Almost always, those folks either don’t do prescription drugs or at the most only one or two. Now, I’m not a doctor or scientist, but even I can put two and two together.

Here’s my final word on drugs…(for now)

I’m not telling you to get off all your meds, if you’re on them. And I’m not saying ALL drugs are bad ALL the time. In fact, I benefited, somewhat, from some drugs after a stroke last year. But I AM saying you should consider the long-term effects of any prescriptions you’re told to take. And don’t take all those warnings on the drug commercials lightly. I know, from experience, how it only takes one of those warnings to be true for YOU to make the difference between a truly healthy life and no life. So…

What’s your prescription?
How do you feel?
You’re feelin’ real good?
But is the “good” real?
‘Cause medication
Can’t cure your pain.
You might ease aching,
But what will you gain
Slowing your memory
Down to a crawl?
Consider options.
Consider them all.
Your life is precious.
Give it your best.
Give yourself real foods.
Trust God for the rest.     © 2017 TF

If this helped you get more optimistic, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in healthy habits, Motivation Monday, Rhyme and Reason, Tony Funderburk | Tagged feel the pain, mask pain, pain in this world
Tony Funderburk Posted on May 24, 2026 by TonyJune 1, 2026
Everlasting and everywhere and this love is nothing rare

Play

Get The Rhyme and Reason PodcastDelivered to Your Device Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

God is everlasting and everywhere He wants to be. You and I are SO not like that. But if you could take a minute to try and see yourself from God’s perspective, you can get a better understanding of how much trouble He’s gone through to bridge that gap. And that’s true because of one thing, and one thing only.

The power of God’s everlasting Love that’s available everywhere.

OK, fair warning. This is gonna be a little bit of a Bible study. So if you’re not into it, drop out now.

In case you didn’t know, there was a guy named Paul who wrote a letter to the Romans, about 2000 years ago, telling them (the ones who were interested) about the Grace of God. And God’s grace is synonymous with His everlasting love. Paul wrote this in his letter: “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?”

You might look at that second question and answer, “Well, almost everyone is against us.” But the point Paul is making with that question is that even if everyone IS against us…none of it compares with God who is FOR us. And God is for you the moment you trust in His Son as your savior. That’s a crucial and key point.

Because His Son took your punishment.

Paul’s letter continues, “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? See? There’s that love again. Jesus came to earth as a man to offer everlasting life to anyone who would trust Him. He put His life where His intentions were…and are. And He allowed Himself to be “conquered” by His captors so that we could be more than conquerors. Are you with me so far?

Continuing with his letter to the Romans, Paul wrote, “Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Wow. That’s amazing. You have an advocate whose everlasting love makes everlasting life a reality for you. And when you choose to believe and trust in Jesus, the deal is sealed…

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Here’s a list of physical obstacles unable to separate you from God: “Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: ‘For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.‘ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

And here’s a list of non-physical obstacles unable to separate you from God: “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.“

Are you starting to see how important it is to trust Jesus? When you do, your eternal life is sealed and secured. But, like I always say…it’s YOUR choice. No one can make the choice for you…not even God. He lets you freely choose. If you haven’t already, why would you let another day pass without choosing? You might not have tomorrow.

More than conquerors,
Or even world-beaters.
More than warriors
Or non retreaters…
We are loved with an Everlasting Love.

Everlasting and Everywhere

I want the Everlasting Work Of Art,
Not just on canvas, but engraved in the heart.
I need the Everlasting Scale Of Worth.
That’s the only Way to perfect peace on earth…

Everlasting and everywhere…
He’s Everlasting and everywhere

I look for Everlasting holy clues
To steel myself through all this negative news.
I dream the Everlasting wide-eyed stuff,
But I’m still aware that dreaming’s never enough.   Chorus

You  seek the answers to the mysteries of life.
But how much truth can you handle.
And as for me, well, there is only One Fire
That lights the flame on my candle.   Chorus

I look to the Everlasting Guiding Star
To make my path straight as I travel so far.
I sing the Everlasting song of man;
Teach us to understand our place in the plan.

Chorus…inst…chorus…bridge…chorus…modulate up and repeat 

2 verses and choruses to end    © 1992  TF

If this landed somewhere good with you, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in Christian Articles, Faith Hope and Love, Funderbolts, God is, Rhyme and Reason, Rhyme and Reason Podcast, Romans, Tony Funderburk, Words and Music | Tagged Bible study, Everlasting everywhere, more than conquerors, Romans, The Power of God's Love Podcast, tony funderburk's podcast
Tony Funderburk Posted on May 17, 2026 by TonyMay 18, 2026
Enriched in everything is a good reason to sing

Play

Get The Rhyme and Reason PodcastDelivered to Your Device Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

Hey kids. Have you noticed, when you go to the grocery store, how you see the word enriched in just about everything? And did you know most of the time, if not all, that’s not a good thing?

But there is a time when it’s awesome to see enriched in everything.

And that is when we’re talking about, get this, YOU. And me. Or anyone who’s not ashamed to call himself or herself a Christian.

For just a second or two think about the grace of God, which was given to you by the one whose name you use to describe yourself as a Christian. There’s a place in 1 Corinthians that shows how  grace made sure you were enriched in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, even as the testimony of Christ was confirmed in you so that you come short in no gift

Hey, who doesn’t like gifts? How much would you be willing to give for those gifts? But wait! There’s more! Because in that same section of 1 Corinthians it says Jesus will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Hang on. I don’t know about you, but that sounds glorious to me. Because I know if there’s one thing I’m not, in this life and in this world, it’s blameless.

And I’m gonna go out on a limb and say you probably aren’t blameless either. But Jesus made sure that we will appear that way when we stand before God one day. And He did that by taking our blame and covering us in…

The Glory

You got the glory in you,
The glory of God.
When people don’t understand,
You just smile and nod…

And trust the good things in you,
The Spirit, The Word.
And you can know that it’s true,
This good news you heard.

One day, when Jesus comes back,
To make things all right,
He’ll lift you high up because
You walked in His Light.    © 2013 TF

If you know you’re enriched in everything, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in Bible study, Funderbolts, God is, I Corinthians, Rhyme and Reason, Rhyme and Reason Podcast, Tony Funderburk | Tagged Enriched in everything, glory to God, good news, Rhyme and Reason Podcast1004, share a smile, tony funderburk's podcast
Tony Funderburk Posted on May 4, 2026 by TonyMay 7, 2026
You are the only you and truth makes that true

Play

Get The Rhyme and Reason PodcastDelivered to Your Device Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

“If matter’s all there is, then nothing really matters.” I’ve said that many times over the years. And for a very good reason. Because you are the only you. And the enormous amount of information found in just one of your trillions of cells shows how true that is as it reveals your unique story.

Yeah, truth proves that you are the only you.

But there’s something really interesting about truth. People either love the truth or hate it. And that’s because the truth either sets them free or convicts them. And freedom is great. But that whole conviction thing is a horse of a different color. And people don’t want that different color. Most of them prefer neutral tones.

I’m as fond of gray as the next guy, when it comes to painting things around the house. Because it goes with just about everything. But when it comes to truth, going with gray, or neutral tones, is a recipe for turning you into God puke. Take that off your to-do list.

But let’s get back to your unique story. The reason I write entertaining books for you (especially for kids) is because your story matters. (by the way, “reason” isn’t found in matter)

ThatAnd your story matters because you were created by the original, infinitely brilliant storyteller. You didn’t just happen. And the story of who you are and why you look and sound the way you do is written inside the cells of your body. It’s like a secret code.

But it’s not a secret anymore.

Technology now gives us access to DNA where your code (your story) is written.

Your code is yours and no one else has the your code. That’s how and why you are the only you. And this is true of every person on the earth. Big or little. Fat or skinny. Blue or pink, so to speak.

If we took the code inside of you and used a special decoder ring, we could read the one book in the world written just about you.

It would tell us why your singing voice is so nice. Or why you can’t carry a tune in a bucket. It would tell us how you grew up to be a 7 foot basketball player in the NBA. Or a 5 foot jockey in the Kentucky Derby. Well, your code wouldn’t tell us how you won a place in the NBA or the Kentucky Derby. But it would show us why you’re tall or short.

Imagine how many other things we could learn about you by reading the teeny, tiny instructions in each of the trillions of cells in your body. But then there wouldn’t be time to read or do anything else. You can just be sure that…

Your Story Matters

Inside a trillion tiny cells
Where no one’s eyes can see…
A trillion times your story flies
On sparks of energy.

That energy is life itself
The fire to light your way
To write your story and to live
And love someone today.

Be thankful for your source of life
And bow or smile and nod…
Because your story matters most,
When it reveals our God.   © 2013 TF

Your email address matters, too. It’s what I need so I can send you Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. Get lots of fun stuff delivered right to your inbox. Spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to The Very First 6 Days, a rhyming book for kids about God’s creation week and 2 songs, right away. Fun for kids AND not too cutesy. So grownups enjoy it, too. Your email address is all it takes to get it almost right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in books for kids, creation science, Funderbolts, Revelation, Rhyme and Reason, Rhyme and Reason Podcast, Tony Funderburk | Tagged Original Storyteller, The Power of God's Love Podcast, the real story, tony funderburk's podcast, unique to humans, You are the only you
Tony Funderburk Posted on April 29, 2026 by TonyApril 29, 2026
Wednesday word art includes only my part

Hey there. I got an idea. How about we all pitch in and make some Wednesday word art? I’ll do my part. I’ll write you a poem just for the occasion. Then, all you have to do is keep your whimsy caps on and share your own thoughts. Easy enough. Right?

One-sided, collaborative, Wednesday word art.

Because you’ll be able to see my side of it. But unless you share a comment, I won’t be able to see your side of it. Oh well, so it goes.

A few years ago, as I looked at some pictures of kids doing silly things kids do, I noticed the caption for the picture mentioned the day of the week. So, of course my mind when into alliteration mode (as it often does) and I came up with the idea to write something silly, for kids, just for the fun of it. No other reason. No need to make sense. And no nothing else. Just using the creative side of my brain that my creative Creator gave me.

Side note: I believe it pleases God when we use the gifts he gave us to do creative and productive things. It’s not a debatable doctrinal issue. But I think it’s important to understand at least a little bit of how He sees us. And I think there’s evidence for this in Genesis where He left the naming of the animals up to Adam.

God could have easily named everything and just told Adam what to call them. But it makes sense that the ultimate Father would take joy in watching His son use the brain He gave him. And it’s extra cool that Adam named all the animals AND even named his mate that God had given him.

We don’t have to agree completely about how it all went down. But this is how I see it and read it.

Feel free to agree or disagree and comment about it below. Or send me an email.

Now, I’m not saying my rhyme compares to Adam naming the animals, but here’s my Wednesday word art…

Whimsical Wednesday

Whimsical Wednesday…wonderful breeze
Leaving us breathless…swaying like trees.
Syllables settle inside our ears
Sounding quite silly…calming our fears
Making us mimic cows in the field…
Funnybones flapping…giggles revealed
Whimsical Wednesday…tickles the tongue
Lilting and loving…keeping us young.
Melodies mingle with bubbles and dots…
Whimsical Wednesday living in thoughts.  © 2013 TF

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in Rhyme and Reason, Tony Funderburk, Wisdom Wednesday | Tagged Wednesday blessings, Wednesday word art, whimsical art, wisdom wednesday
Tony Funderburk Posted on April 27, 2026 by TonyApril 29, 2026
A million times over in this clever clover

Play

Get The Rhyme and Reason PodcastDelivered to Your Device Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

“Everything has already been said a million times over!”

“Not exactly the way you can say it,” he calmly replies.

“Oh shut up,” I think to myself.

I’ve never had that conversation while sitting alone at my desk.

Well, not more than a million times over.

When I finish one of those conversations,  I get my hands back on my Macbook keyboard and start typing. And, actually, these days, if I want to write faster, I just use my voice and dictate to my computer. It does a very good job even though I do have to edit and make sure it isn’t autocorrecting incorrectly.

Anyway…

Even I sometimes need a nudge in the creative direction. Because sometimes the ol’ left-brain logical writer, you know and luv, comes out and makes an incorrect deduction about the wants, needs, and desires of the audience. This causes him to pause for too long and stifle his “flow.” Then the so-called logic becomes more and more inflexible and cautious. And the flow becomes a trickle and the trickle fades away.

Then the reliable right-brain writer reminds me…

“Use the trick I showed you to jump-start that flow again.”

Of course, I can’t just freely share what that trick is. Because, in the wrong hands, it could be used for evil, villainous purposes. And I don’t want that on my conscience. So that secret stays with me. The point is, it works like a charm every time.

And that’s how I’ve been able to be so prolific for all these decades. Just so you know, I give all the glory of it to God. Because without him, I’d just be wretched, poor, naked, and blind.

In The House of the Lord

Father God,
You never leave me You never forsake me.
And Your Word…
Gives me courage to go where you take me.

You are with me through each dire upheaval.
With You in me I will fear no evil.
As I walk through the shadow of death…
I will sing till my very last breath…

Green pastures, still waters…
Goodness and mercy for your sons and daughters…
True love dwells in the House of the LORD.
Each person, each nation…
Can be renewed through Your sweet restoration…
True love dwells in the House of the LORD.

Father God,
You made a Way for my total redemption.
I believe…
Jesus died to provide that exemption.

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…Chorus   © 2010 TF

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in Daily Devotional, Motivation Monday, Rhyme and Reason, Rhyme and Reason Podcast, Tony Funderburk, Words and Music | Tagged a million times over, rhyme and reason, The Power of God's Love Podcast, tony funderburk's podcast, words and music
Tony Funderburk Posted on April 26, 2026 by TonyApril 27, 2026
Links and kings and pleasant things

Well, I’m not gonna really talk about links and kings, per se, but what I am gonna talk about kind of relates to that. And I’m basically just gonna share a couple of poems that I wrote for kids and other human beings years ago.

The first one is about missing links. And kings aren’t involved.

If your chain is missing links
And your cup is missing drinks,
Then I have to say methinks there is a snag…
‘Cause we need all of the parts
Before drawing up the charts…
Or we’ll feel it in our hearts, it’s just a gag.

Yeah, I wrote that because kids can get all the way through high school and into college and still believe the lies about so-called missing links in the evolutionary chain.

But here’s something to consider. There’s a  a wealth of “new” information readily available to anyone who’s willing to do more than cruise the internet for social media pop news. And it’s easy to find irrefutable information by even PhD professors and scientists that completely contradicts most of what you learned in school about so-called evolution. Oh sure, you can attempt to refute it. But I don’t recommend that. Especially if you don’t like to lose.

OK, let’s move onto a lighter, more pleasant subject, shall we.

I lived in a small town in Kansas at the time I wrote this next poem. But you’d be hard-pressed to find any indication of that in the words. I guess I just wanted do carry myself away, on the summer breezes, for a mental vacation. Anyway…enjoy this…

Pleasant Breeze

The island’s gentle zephyr
Ran its fingers through the sand.
The epitome of friendly winds
Must have held onto its hand.
Did you know the Lord supplies it
From a corner of the sky
So the people of the world
Can it enjoy it by and by?
Tie your hair up with some velvet…
Stroll a year or maybe ten
In the shadow of a zephyr…
You’ll stroll back and forth again.
And nevermore will you be blue.
Evermore be merriment.
Make no mention of the money
Or the time you must have spent.
And try not to be an island
In an air of all alone,
Because even with a zephyr
You’d be no more than a stone.
Gentle wind please come again…
Blow and flow just as you please.
Every island, every person
Needs your lovely, pleasant breeze.    © 1973 TF

See, I told you it wouldn’t be about links and kings. But I did share some insight about missing links. And I’m always inspired by the words I’ve read in the best selling book of all time. The book that was written by the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords, and the creation of the universe in every living thing. Jesus. So, there’s that.

If you got a kick out of these little rhymes, I’d love for you to connect with me. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotionaldelivered to your inbox for free.

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

Posted in poets and poetry, Rhyme and Reason, Tony Funderburk | Tagged king of Kings, links and kings, missing link, something is missing

Post navigation

← Previous Post
Next Post→

Sidebar Area

  • Add Some Widgets!
    This theme has been designed to be used with sidebars. This message will no longer be displayed after you add at least one widget to one of the Sidebar Widget Areas using the Appearance → Widgets control panel.
    You can also change the sidebar layout for this page using theme options.
    Note: If you have added widgets, be sure you've not hidden all sidebars on the Per Page options. You could switch this page to One Column.
  • Log in

Get A Free Rhyming Book About Creation - Books - Daily Devotionals - Rhymes For Kids - Rhyme & Reason Podcast - Songs
© 1997-2026 Tony Funderburk

Privacy Policy
↑