Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Use Music To Connect With Kids –

Do you have a difficult time relating to kids. One of the simplest and quickest ways to connect with kids is to sing with them. This may sound over simplified on the surface, but what I mean is to sing with them on their level. And this means keeping it fun. You can even sing grown-up songs, but if you sing them from a kid’s view and keep it funny and fun, you’ll have a tuned-in audience.

It’s so cool when this happens. You can almost feel their eyes hooking onto your facial expressions”and their ears latching onto the funny words and sounds.

For some reason kids love it when you poke fun of yourself.

Or sing about things like falling off a building or into mud. They get a big kick out of adult slapstick humor. Don’t ask me why. I’m a grownup. I just know these things work. Because I’ve done “˜em over and over with success just about every time.

There’s also another great way to connect with kids using music. For new parents or grandparents this may be the most enjoyable way of all. Sing lullabies. Yep, this is a time-tested method for calming kids down and putting them to sleep. And I’m sure you’ve never felt anything as nice as a little kid falling asleep in your arms. Don’t worry about whether you’re a good singer. Your kid will love the sound of your voice. They’ve been listening to it since before they were born. It’s a comfort to them. Put their ear near your heart and start singing a song to the rhythm of a heartbeat. Bingo! You’ve got a sleeper.

I’m sure you’ve heard music is the international language. That’s so true, and it’s also the ultimate language to connect kids and adults. So use it every chance you get. Are you ready to sing?

You can thank me later.  🙂

You should jump on the The TRUTH and be part of the growing band of ne’er-do-wells who understand that life has Rhyme and Reason because God made us.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

ProLife Music: Too Much is Too Sad

There’s a reason why this article’s talks about prolife music being too sad. It’s because the vast majority of it is. Pretty simple right? And I include my own songs in this category. I’ve written some uplifting pro life music, but most of my songs for the pro life movement and the personhood movement have been somber, dark, and serious. Again, there’s nothing wrong with that. But I decided, a few years back to change.

I started looking for ways to talk about the most serious issue facing our nation and the world with a joyful voice. In celebration of life, and how it begins in a belly I’m sharing a short video I made for a song called “The Belly Song” It’s part of my music for kids but you might get a kick out of it, too. And it’s the perfect kind of uplifting prolife music I’m talking about. Enjoy and Love Life! (disregard the website address in the video…it’s an old site I don’t have anymore)

Yep, I decided to make my prolife music a voice of optimism.

Because life is awesome! I dearly love that I’m alive. Don’t you? I get to think, live, laugh, and love. And I believe it’s every person’s right to have those same gifts. Every person! And every person started somewhere. It wasn’t in a hospital. Every person starts life in a mother’s womb. That’s one of the easiest things in the world to prove. Where things get confusing (for those who are easily confused) is how soon can we say a person is a person in the womb. Personally, I have no problem saying a person is a person from their very beginning.

And even if you can’t say for sure WHEN that beginning is you know without a doubt WHERE that beginning is. All it took for me to exist outside my mother’s womb was for everyone to leave me alone inside my mother’s womb and let me get from point A to point B. Simplest biology lesson there is. Any questions?

Stay tuned,

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No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

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Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Get Your Name In The Book of Life

There’s an actual, real book of life. And my name is in it. I made sure of that a long time ago. By the way…I don’t mean that giant social media channel with the blue logo.

It’s ironic to me…automobile insurance is mandatory in America. You can’t drive your vehicle around for long without risking your driver’s license if you’re caught without auto insurance. Why? Because “they” know sooner or later the unexpected will happen, and you won’t be able to pay for it if you’re not insured.

So…why is a writer-singer-illustrator talking about the irony of mandatory auto insurance? See, it’s like this…driving a car runs the risk of an accident, and if it’s expensive, you won’t have to worry because insurance will “cover it”. Well, living your life runs the risk of dying. In fact, it’s not a possibility…it’s a guarantee. Yet so many people go through their whole life without “afterlife insurance”. They don’t even bother to look into it. They may just be putting it off until it’s too late. And then there’s no way to get it anymore.

I happen to believe, not by blind faith but by overwhelming, compelling evidence, there’ll be an afterlife. And there’ll be two possible places to spend eternity. I’ve already gotten my insurance. It wasn’t mandatory, and I don’t have to pay the premiums…which is great because I could never afford them. No, the premium is paid in full, as a gift to me specifically, and all I have to do is believe. How utterly cool is that?

My suggestion is simple: look into it.

That’s all. Don’t take my word for anything. And if I’m wrong about this one thing, please show me. The one thing is this: I’m saved from eternal separation from God, my Creator. Here’s how it happened. There really was a man named Jesus. He really did die for my sins and rise from the dead. He really is God the Son. And He really does love me that much. All he asks from me is to believe it. I do. I’m saved. It’s nice knowing I have insurance just in case death occurs…’cause it will.

I got my name in the “book of life”, and I can celebrate forever. Is your name in it yet?

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Let’s connect the dots
of life today.

I can’t imagine considering the complexity in the universe and coming up with the conclusion that it must have all been an “accident.” But maybe that’s just me. Actually, it’s not just me. Lots of other people…way smarter than me…have determined the overwhelming evidence points to a created universe. And yet, even if no one else in the whole world agreed with me, I’d still say we are all created beings, not accidents. Here’s one example that helps connect the dots of creation…

Think about this one tiny, almost inexplicable thing. Certain caterpillars become moths. And you know what happens during the metamorphosis? The caterpillar basically becomes “mush.” How in the world would it ever become a butterfly through the process of evolution? I mean c’mon. Once it becomes “mush” how do the processes continue to function?

I’ll tell you how.

God created life.

He gave us such complex and beautiful variety. Just in my back yard, in the springtime and summer, we see gold birds, yellow birds, orange birds, blue birds, red birds, black and white birds, doves, squirrels, foxes, snakes, deer, elk, dogs, cats, etc.

That doesn’t even begin to include the insects and plant life. And don’t get me started on photosynthesis or grass dormancy or…well…like I said, don’t get me started. Ok, so I’ve already started. But I’ll continue in other articles. Or you can read some of my other information on creation and see how it stacks up to your worldview.

The main thing is…you just need to connect the dots and you’ll find God. Here’s an instrumental piece of music I wrote years ago you can listen to as you do…

Stay tuned,

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No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
(emails with good stuff for Fa-Ree)

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Is This The Root of All Evil?

When I started singing, as a little boy, I began to dream that one day I’d rise to the top and have all the money my heart could possibly desire. And I could see that money in gold, silver, green, and diamonds. Piles of it, buckets of it…for cryin’ out loud…truckloads of it! How could money be the root of all evil when you could buy everything you need with it? So…as I began to practice, I would repeat over and over to myself: “money money money” A few more la la la’s and then repeat “money money money”. It didn’t matter that I was six. I knew if I could envision it, I could make it happen.

And if you believe this story so far, you don’t know me at all.

I spent 10’s of thousands of hours of my life singing and practicing and learning music theory, scales, sight-reading, and everything music related. For the love of money? Absolutely not! For the love of music. Music has been a constant companion and best friend to me for as long as I can remember. And all the years I spent as a full-time musician never got me even close to riches. But I loved it all the same. 

So…in this age of digital downloads where so many people say all music should be free…have I forsaken my love for singing and songwriting? Not on your life. And if you explore my blog, you’ll find plenty of free music available. Still…I’ve discovered something odd in America.

It still takes money to buy groceries, and gas, and cars, and clothes, and housing, and…well…just about everything. What’s up with that? 

You know what I’d like to see?

Everybody works for free and everything is free. Wouldn’t that solve the problem? Or should it be just the goofy singer songwriters and other artists who should work for free? Call me crazy, but that doesn’t seem balanced, fair, equitable, or even sustainable to singer songwriters and other artists.

My track record proves I don’t live for the love of money (which is the root of all evil). But I do live…in a society/culture where money is necessary to live. So…call me crazy again, but…I still work to create and provide musical enjoyment to as many as will listen…and I’d still like to charge for my products. That way I can afford to keep up on the gear and resources to create and provide more musical enjoyment.

What do you think? Is this just crazy talk?

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Are You Facing Impossible Odds?

Impossible odds are usually not as impossible as you think they are. I hope you don’t mind me getting right to the point like that, but I don’t tend to sugar coat things…unless I’m writing poetry or lyrics. It’s true…if you believe you’re facing obstacles you simply can’t overcome, then maybe you’re focusing too much on the problem and not enough on the solution. Speaking of lyrics, here’s a song I wrote about this…

(video no longer available)

If you’re facing impossible odds, maybe you’re facing the wrong direction.

Maybe it’s time to focus on solutions and face the direction of your Creator.

In this world you won’t be friends with everyone. In fact, the majority of this world will even hate you. But Jesus said “if they persecuted me, they will also persecute you.” We’re not better than Him, and if He is for us…who cares who’s against us.

Be strong, and of good courage, and joyful, and willing. And be ready to give a reason for the hope that lies within. Remember…We Win.

Even if you’re a Christian, you feel like the world is against you, guess what? You’re right.

And that’s the view from a singer songwriter in Colorado. The views and opinions are those of this writer, this blog, and its members.

But…these things will help you overcome even Impossible Odds…

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Are you loving life or…?

This is a rerun of a post I made about five and a half years ago. But I’ve been seeing a lot of negative talk about this life on planet earth…even from Christians. And I’d like to share a few reasons why I think you should be loving life…not dreading each day.

Life includes…

  • smooth sailing,
  • trials and tribulations
  • growing up,
  • gaining knowledge,
  • building friendships,
  • awards and rewards,
  • challenges and failures,
  • clouds and sunshine,
  • joy and laughter,
  • pain and redemption, and
  • words and music…

Good and bad days make up this journey we call life.

And it’s vitally important to remember it’s not a two part journey…it’s a two place journey. Are you an eager participant in both? This place we’re in right now is amazing and difficult. The next place will be unimaginably kinetic, energizing, and joyous.

But not for everyone.

That’s a shame because it’s really not difficult to achieve. You just need to believe.

Not in dreams…not in yourself…not in a “force”…not in “the universe”…not in the “law of attraction”…not in internal spirits…not in Mohammed, Confucious, Buddha, Allah, or even Oprah, Billy, or Barak…

Only in Jesus. If that’s the only name you find offensive or problematic, try to find out why. It’s important to know because the second place of your life depends on that One name. There’s really no good reason for rejecting Him. He created you and loves you more than you can ever imagine. He has eternal life waiting for you if you want it. He went through hell and back for you. I hope you choose to love Him back because when you’re loving Him, you’re loving life.

If you just can’t do it, why not?

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Mister Pain – leave me alone!

Did you get a visit from Mister Pain today? Or this week? Or anytime lately? If so, did you yell back at him when he yelled at you? Or did you find yourself giving in and even giving up?

Everybody has to deal with him at least once in a while. But how you deal with him determines a lot about how you’ll end up dealing with your life. If you try to put a mask on him, he’ll wear it proudly and never leave. But when you discover you can tune him out, you’ll discover the strength you need to get through this life. So, how do you learn to tune him out? Well, I can tell you, from personal experience, you can’t do it alone. And there’s only one person in all the universe who can truly help. I’ll share who that is with you after these lyrics…

Mister Pain

He’ll come and jump into your arms.
He’ll stay and try to steal your heart.
And he’ll push and make you say his name.
He’ll shove ’cause he makes force an art.

He’s tough. he turns you inside out.
He’s mean; he means to have it all.
And he’ll push and make you scream his name.
He’ll shove, but don’t you ever fall…

For Mister Pain…he can be seen through.
Mister Pain…you can be mean to
Mister Pain…leave me alone.
Oh, oh, oh Mister Pain…he can be lied to.
Mister Pain…least that’s what I’d do.
Mister Pain…leave me alone.

He’ll smile and stab you in the back.
He’ll pound when he’s inside your head.
And he’ll grab and pull you to your knees.
He’ll yell, but you yell back instead…at…

Repeat chorus

You’ve got a reason to live,
A reason to be in this place.
Take all the pain he can give,
And throw it right back in his face

Instrumental…repeat chorus to end

© 1990 Tony Funderburk

Your reason to live is this:

Life was given to you by Jesus, your Creator. He’s the only one in the universe who can help you cope. Will you give Him a chance to help you today?

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I know a writer who chooses stories
as his writing style.

I work with him everyday. And he challenges me to write engaging, relevant stories for myself and those who hire me to write for them. When I think I don’t have anything to say, he tells me I’m trying too hard to SAY something”when I should be diligently writing to SHOW something. He tells me my writing style will suffer if I don’t.

“But you don’t understand,”I respond. “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. (in case you didn’t realize, it was a conversation with myself)

But then I just smile and get my hands back on my Macbook keyboard and start typing. In fact, that’s how each of these letters and words appeared here in this story I’m sharing with you right now.

Even a professional writer sometimes needs a nudge in the creative direction.

There are those times when the left-brain logical writer makes an incorrect deduction about the wants, needs, and desires of his readers. This causes him to pause for too long and stifle his “flow.”

hen the so-called logic becomes more and more inflexible and cautious. And the flow becomes a trickle and the trickle fades away.

Then the older, wiser writer reminds me”

“Use the trick I showed you to jump-start that flow again. Take a news article, or series of facts, or some other basic information and weave it into a creative story with energy, optimism, and hope. In a world where those three things are increasingly scarce (is that an oxymoron?) it’s important to inject them into the veins of public consciousness. It’s like getting a big whiff of peppermint or lemon scents. They just pick you up and keep you going.”

I’ve been using writing tactics like this for decades now.

And I believe it’s at least part of my writing style. I believe, if you could read through my thousands and thousands of writings through the years, you’d see a style develop. It wasn’t a conscious effort to create the style. I think it developed through a natural progression of my own thoughts spilling onto paper and computer screens. Your writing style probably did (or is doing) the same thing. Let it happen. Keep your pen to paper, or your fingers to the keys, or your voice to the recording device and let those stories flow. And one day a voice inside you will tell you to relax and quit trying so hard. That’s the voice of experience.

Now…go grab some lemon oil and honey”or a nice piece of peppermint”and let the words out into the green pastures of productivity. It’s awesome to watch them dance and jump and live. Ready to give it a try?

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If you knew the path of life
led to joy and pleasures,
would you take it?

Imagine a path you can walk on where you’ll always be happy…not just happy, but full of joy. And imagine a path where pleasures last forever. You could walk on the path any time you wanted because there would never be any night time there. And you’d never get tired. You wouldn’t have to wear sunscreen because there wouldn’t even be a sun…just beautiful light. Can you see it? Is the path starting to take shape in your mind’s eye? What if I told you that path is real? Would you take it? Well, it is real. It’s called the path of life.

I can’t imagine no path of life.

For me, there’s been a connection with the path of life since I was thirteen. And that’s getting to be quite some time ago. My walk on the path began with lessons I learned from my Grandmother, my Dad’s mom. She wanted all of her children and grandchildren to go to Heaven. I’m not certain if all of us will, but I know most will because of her persistence. I appreciate her unwillingness to give up on any of us…now. But I gotta say this, too…I don’t remember Grandmother ever telling me about how pleasures would last forever in the presence of God. I don’t think it occurred to her to present the message from that perspective. Maybe it’s a generational thing. I’m not sure. But I know what I’m telling you is right, true, and good. How?

It’s in the Bible.

When you see a noun or pronoun, in the Bible, that’s capitalized, it’s pointing to or talking about God. And in Psalm 16, verse 11, it says: “In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” See? Nothing to be ashamed about. It isn’t talking about the earthly pleasures that pass away as we do. It’s talking about the pleasures of eternal life without sickness and dying. Can you imagine living forever without sickness? Without anguish? Without fear?

Don’t just imagine. Start walking.

The path of life is a choice. No one can force you to walk on it. No one can make the choice for you. And that’s awesome because you’re completely free to choose it for yourself. If you make the right choice, you can pat yourself on the back if you want to. But remember…it’s only there because Jesus cleared the way. And if you decide to take the other path…the one that’s much more crowded with unhappy people, then you only have yourself to blame. And I have one last question for you…

Why would you not choose the path of life?

Maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, then get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

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A song about the only thing worth anything

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Hold On (you gotta hold real tight)

I would love to take you in my arms
And capture all your dreams that get away
And put them in your heart where they belong
And fill it full of love so they can stay

But I wonder if there’s magic in my hands
And I don’t know for sure what I should do
To make your monsters fade and disappear
So I can only sing these words to you…

Hold on; you know you gotta hold real tight
Gotta keep your dreams where they’re easiest to see
Hold on; I know you gotta hold real tight
If you look behind the Love that’s where they’ll be

I would love to see your smiling face
And know that at least in some small way I was there
When you needed someone to help you through your darkness
And help you get your wings back in the air

Chorus

You got to keep believing in your choices
No one but you can really clear the air
And if you find you’re hearing different voices
Then it isn’t just a passing love affair

Repeat 1st verse and choruses to end

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 1986

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What’s the best route from point A to point B?

All together now…that’s right…a straight line. Now; that being said…what’s point A? And what’s point B? And how do you know if you’re on a straight line from point A to point B?

Good questions. I know I asked ’em, but good nevertheless. Well, point A is where you are now. You know how you go into a mall, and they have the “mall map” inside a case and you look for the “you are here” spot? That’s your reference point, and if you have even the slightest sense of direction, you can find the store you want on the map and start walking to it.

Next…let’s move from point A to point B.

In the same scenario from the paragraph above, point B would be the store you looked for and started walking toward. So, in other words, point B is where you want to go. In the mall example you could locate the store and go in the exact opposite direction following only the outer walls and still get there. Not very effective, but the end result would be successful…albeit very delayed.

Or, you could locate the store, point yourself in that direction, and walk straight to it and get there much faster and much more efficiently. Successful end result and with a lot of extra time to spare when compared to the walking the other way. Right?

Something else that can come up even in your “direct” walk to point B is distraction. After all; you’re in a mall. You’re bound to see some shoes you just “gotta have”. Or you’ll stop and drool over that awesome surround sound digital megaDef home theater system. Maybe you’ll decide to stop and sample that divine cinnamon roll that’s been wafting up your nose for the past 15 minutes. You get the idea. Distractions can keep you from arriving at your desired location. If not for good, at least for a significantly postponed time.

In your ongoing marketing efforts you need to get from point A to point B (i.e. – where you are now to your desired end result, location, or outcome) in an efficient, timely manner to be as effective and successful as possible. So you’ll need to keep some key points in mind…

  • Know (not think you know) where you are…
  • Know (not think you know) where you want to go…
  • See clearly where “point B” is or clearly, vividly visualize yourself there…
  • Be aware of what your distractions are or could be and build up barriers against them…
  • And don’t stop until you get there…then you’ll begin to prepare for a new “point B”

 

This isn’t mystical, magical, or mind over matter.

It’s the good ol’ work ethic. You keep working at it until you achieve it. I don’t buy into the “work harder not smarter” cliche’ either. No way. You work harder AND smarter. Increase your skills consistently so you can achieve more in less time. Learn more software programs to streamline your efficiency. But then you gotta (as we used to say in high school choir) practice, practice, practice!  You don’t get better simply by “being smarter”. I like to say:

Education without Application leads to a Continuation of Frustration. Quote me if you like…just be sure and insert my name when you do.

So apply that wonderful brain of yours to the task at hand and do it until you do it better than anybody. Once you’ve developed this approach to your efforts…your sphere of influence will be made up of bold, straight lines where you can walk from point A to point B with confidence. If you ever need help with your walk, just contact me…or better yet…pray to your Creator. And what’s stopping you from starting today?

Stay tuned,

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No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
(emails with good stuff for Fa-Ree)

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers

 

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Stay Close.

It was a very hot summer day. But Curtis didn’t mind. He was standing in front of the ice cream freezer at the grocery store. Holding the door open he felt the fresh, cold air blow through his short, blond hair. He remembered his mom telling him to stay close, so he slammed the freezer door and turned around.

“Mommy, this feels good,” he chirped. But Mommy wasn’t there. He froze like a vanilla popsicle. “Where’s my mommy?” he thought. Oh no!

Suddenly Curtis ran to one end of the aisle. He looked left. He looked right. No Mommy. He saw those big, gray boxes where grownups slide stuff and put their money in. No Mommy. He ran to the front door of the store and looked outside. No Mommy. He ran all the way down the aisle with the yellow bags of potato chips he loved. He didn’t even see them. And when he got to the other end…no Mommy.

He remembered Mommy saying, “Stay close, Curtis.”

He sure wished she was close right now. But she was still nowhere in sight. Then he saw a woman by the big, green watermelons with a red shirt on. Mommy was wearing a red shirt. He flew across the floor as fast as his short legs could go. As he got to her he yelled, “Mommy!” But it wasn’t her.

“Are you lost, little boy?” asked the lady in the red shirt. Curtis just shook his head and took off again. This time he ran past the shelves with that purple cough medicine he hated. He didn’t even care. Mommy wasn’t there. A man behind a glass window pointed his finger and said something. But Curtis didn’t stop. He just knew Mommy had to be here somewhere.

And he kept remembering her say… “Stay close, Curtis.”

He ran past the sweet smelling flowers in the back of the store. And he heard a crackly, voice from those black boxes in the ceiling. “Blah, blah, blah…little boy…blah, blah, blah,” said the voice. Curtis didn’t listen. He had to find Mommy.

Then he remembered something else. Mommy said she needed to buy some dog food. He knew where that was because Mommy always let him help. So he zoomed over to all the pet stuff. A man was sweeping some crunchy, brown dog food off the floor. But still…no Mommy.

The man shouted, “Here he is!”

But Curtis was already running again. He plopped past the plastic bags of paper towels. He soared past the cereal. And he bolted past the broccoli. No Mommy here…no Mommy there…no Mommy anywhere.

His heart was beating fast. He felt like crying. But he kept running. He turned to run down the cookie aisle, and…

There she was!

“Mommy!” screamed Curtis with delight. He ran straight to her and grabbed her leg.

“Curtis, you had me so worried,” she said. “I’ve been looking all over the store for you.”

He knew he was in trouble. But he also knew everything was going to be alright.

“What do I always tell you, little man?” Mommy asked.

“I know, Mommy, I know,” Curtis answered. “Stay close.”

Yeah, these days this story is crucial to understand.

Because this world is meaner and more dangerous than ever.

Take a second and join the growing body of believers who’ve already signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my books and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy. Then, I’ll do my best to encourage you to sing a new song with the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

““ Talking about some pretty cool
stuff on the The Power of God’s Love Podcast

  • The one thing you need to avoid failure
  • 7 ways to get people to care about you and your work, and
  • 7 ways to stay positive?

This podcast episode brings those topics together for those of you who’d rather listen than read. Thanks for tuning in. Use one or more of the links I’ve provided to share with anyone and everyone you know. Oh yeah, when you get a minute, please leave me a review on iTunes. Here’s the easy link. And don’t forget to get your free music and book if you haven’t already. Look over there in the sidebar of my website .

Rhyme Reason Podcast 153

Play

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Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Rhyme and Reason means the world to me. Please share by telling everyone you know to”

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Digital Dreams

Combine a sleep-deprived night with a bevy of boxes and bouquets under a tree with trimmings and lights”and what do you have? An excited boy or girl on Christmas. Kids who can’t wait to see if they got that Xbox or iPad or BB gun or doll they were hoping for. When I was growing up, the BB gun and the doll were possibilities. But the Xbox and iPad would have only been imaginary. The most high tech gift I remember getting was a do-it-yourself diode transistor radio kit. And my brother and I marveled for hours at how something we could build ourselves would bring in radio stations from far away places. No antennae or cables required. I think that’s where our digital dreams started.

Digital Dreams in the analog age with a Tape Recorder

No, wait!

I remember a very special gift one year. My brother and I got a  portable reel-to-reel recorder. If I remember correctly it was an AIWA model”similar to the picture above. Boys, being boys, we couldn’t just hit the record button and do plain ol’ boring recordings of words and music. No, we had to do things like put our finger on the spool to slow it down during the recording”then laugh at our chipmunk voices in the playback.

This was our first peek into the wonderful world of recording”way before walkmans and way, way before iPods and iPhones and iPads.

But, in this day of gadgetry being within the reach of just about anyone, I think the mystique of electronic experimentation is diminished. Back then we had to “see what it can do”. Nowadays we just expect it to do fantastic stuff with the tap of a thumb or finger.

Don’t get me wrong”I like it both ways. And that’s why I’d better quit writing about digital dreams on my MacBook and go add a BB gun to my wish list for Santa.

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Rhyme and Reason means the world to me. Please share by telling everyone you know to”

Discover my ebooks on Amazon.com or Smashwords
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Do you know a message of hope?

Would you believe most people in the world live without hope? It doesn’t mean there IS no hope…just that they’ve never heard a tried and true message of hope. And I’m talking about the kind of message that stands the test of time…and challenge…and doubt. Of course, I’m talking about the message found in the Bible…the message of eternal life for anyone who’s willing to trust Jesus.

There’s a huge advantage to trusting in your Creator. He promises eternal life. No more growing old, dying…and no more tears. Imagine living in a paradise that will make any and all the persecution you suffer here seem like nothing by comparison. And imagine living in a loving environment where no one will ever steal from you again, or plot to take your life, or lie about you.

Imagine a message of hope.

Now, stop imagining and look into this wacky, so-called “judgmental-narrow-minded-anti-choice…etc. etc.” worldview known as Christianity. I mean truly look into it. Not with your predisposition to those adjectives I just used…but with an open mind. Not so open that your brain falls out. Just open your mind to the possibility that the most popular book of all time might hold that title for a good reason. Maybe there truly is a message of hope found inside its pages. I’m telling you there is. But don’t take my word for it. Read it. At least read the New Testament part.

I guarantee you won’t be struck by lightning.

When I was the music minister for a little church in Denver, Colorado, I wrote a song for the congregation. They were a little group of believers who came from many positions and perspectives…some were even former atheists. But what they all had in common was the eye-opening joy of discovering the one true, living, loving God of creation. And when you know Him, you can do mighty things. Here’s a clip from the song and the lyrics. If you’d like to hear the whole thing, subscribe to my The Power of God’s Love Podcast

The Little Church That Could

Everybody said it really couldn’t be done
To talk about the Father and the Spirit and the Son
In any public places where unbelievers go
‘Cause they don’t wanna listen and they don’t wanna know

But one little group decided that was wrong.
And they began to move and sing a different song.
For absolute Truth and even Personhood
I’m talkin’ ’bout The Little Church That Could.

A tiny, little voice in the middle of the West
They could be called a “cause.” They might be called a pest.
And they wouldn’t let a basket cover up their light
They urged the fallen world to flee the empty night.

Lookin’ to the Lord for the confidence to cope
And keepin’ their momentum with a message of hope.
A little band of ne’er-do-well’s accomplishing good…
I’m talkin’ ’bout The Little Church That Could.

You might remember Jericho or lions in the den.
And how tall was Goliath? Maybe 9 feet…maybe 10.
But we remember Joshua and Daniel and prayer…
And David slew Goliath with a rock. Is that fair?
And Jesus gets the credit for the right we may do.
We’re instruments of clay that He can work through.
So never grow weary to do what you should.
Keep workin’ in The Little Church That Could.

© 2008 Tony Funderburk

Stay tuned,

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Stay positive…after all…consider the alternative

This mean ol’ world can take the wind out of your sails quicker than you can say “can’t touch this”. You might find some days are almost impossible to stay positive. But that’s when you need to more than ever. So, I’ve got seven helpful hints on how to do it in spite of what’s going on all around you.

  1. Show your teeth. What?! I just mean that you need to smile. When I was a young kid my dad was an avid runner. I wanted to go with him, but it was difficult to keep up. He told me to smile as I was running, and it would keep my attitude more positive. I didn’t believe him, and it felt goofy, but I did it, and it worked.
  2. Focus on what you do; not what you don’t. When things don’t go so well on any given day, it’s easy to start focusing on what you did wrong. That’s OK to a point, but only as long as you learn from your mistakes. Sometimes it’s not a mistake. Sometimes it’s just a difference in perspective. Keep in mind…you’re a professional; you’ve worked hard to learn what you know, and just because someone doesn’t agree makes no difference.
  3. Speak “up”. The words that come out of your mouth aren’t just heard by others. You hear them, too. Make sure that your words are uplifting whenever possible.
  4. Eat better. Just as the words coming out of your mouth can affect you; the food going in can, too. If you’re filling your “tank” on sugars and caffeine to keep going, before you know it you’ll have a larger tank. And it’s even more difficult to stay positive when that happens.
  5. Filter the news. While it’s good to stay informed, it’s not beneficial to hear each and every day about the countless crimes and misdemeanors. In fact, you don’t have to hear about them to know they happened, so get a dose of information from your various sources, and then read a good book or work on your next project.
  6. Move it. OK; I know you hear this everywhere you look or listen, but it really does help your positive outlook. Get away from your desk or TV or whatever it is you sit in front of too much. Even if you take a walk around your neighborhood, you’re getting oxygen into your blood. And oxygenated blood goes to your brain, and you know what your brain does.
  7. Love. You really never have to look far to find someone to love. I don’t mean the kind of love you find on the cover of the newsstand magazines. I mean the giving kind of love. If you don’t have a wife or husband or potential, you can still love your fellow human being. Love them enough to say an encouraging word now and then. When you do that, you’ll be working on suggestions 3 & 7 at the same time, and when you combine suggestions….

 

…you might just stay positive! Can you imagine how your days might go then?

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
(emails with good stuff for Fa-Ree)

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Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

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What’s the one thing you need
to avoid failure in this life?

Are you one of those people looking for “the one thing”? The one thing to get your business up and successful? The one thing to make everything right again? Are you looking for that one special thing to take you from despair to delight? If so, do you have any idea what that thing is?

What's The One Thing You Need to Avoid Failure?

Is the one thing”

  • Love?
  • Money?
  • More time?
  • Creativity?
  • All of the above?
  • None of the above?

If your answer was “none of the above”, give yourself a gold star and go to the head of the class. All of those things are essential for some part of life, but you can have all those things and still fail for lack of one thing which is actually a person”

Jesus

If you want to convey or deliver an awesome message…
If you want an infinite source of wisdom”
If you want to nurture and expand your creativity”

Your best resource is your Creator.

And even if you’re the most loving, creative-outside-the-box thinker, and strategist…even if you know how to build a huge following…even if you have tons of money, power, and influence…if you don’t have Jesus in the mix”game over.

The one thing for ultimate success doesn’t exist. With all the hype on the internet and all the get rich plans and schemes available in the world, you’d think just about everybody would be a millionaire by now. Wouldn’t you? You probably already know why those plans don’t pan out. Because we don’t trust the sources”and that’s just good judgement. But you can’t exercise good judgment without the help of the Judge of all creation. You might think you can, but you can’t.

How to trust Jesus in this world of hype and flash…

The Bible is the only book written by Jesus. It’s the only infallible source of truth. It’s the one thing you can test and never find lacking. In it you’ll discover how much God cares about your health, well-being, and success. I challenge you to read it. Make it the one thing you vow to do before you give up on love or life. I promise…you won’t be disappointed. Go ahead, test the Bible. Compare it to all other books of antiquity…or any other books for that matter. Do your best to prove it wrong. Give it your all. I’m confident, when you do, you’ll be changed forever…for the good. Start today.

What do you have to lose…besides eternal happiness?

Stay tuned,

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P.S.  Your support for my Words and Music means the world to me. Please share them with others. Here’s how”

Discover my ebooks on Amazon.com or Smashwords
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Health Responsibility – Is It All About YOU? Lasting Motivation – Part 4

Have you had a night where you just couldn’t sleep lately? If so, maybe you got up, went into the living room, turned on the TV, lied on the couch, and watched infomercials. Right? I mean; unless you have some premium movie channel (which we don’t because the description is an oxymoron) you won’t get much on TV at 2:00 a.m. There’s nothing evil or inherently wrong about lying on a couch watching infomercials. But is it a good act of health responsibility?

Have you ever noticed how many of those infomercials are about fitness and health related products? It’s a gigantimongous industry. People want to look like models, never get sick, and live forever…or at least a really long time. And they want to look the same until they die. As a culture we’re overweight, overfed, undernourished, out of shape, lacking hope, and just plain burnt out.

That’s a shame. But the worst part is…we think the solution must be complicated. We think it must be in the right combination of diet products, or vitamins, or exercise gurus.

(obnoxious buzzer sound inserted here) Wrong!

It’s none of those things. And it’s not complicated. Oh sure, we can make it complicated, and if you need to wrap your brain around some big words like phytonutrients or hyluronic or mass-spectrographic-isotonic-double-biothermal-diophonoscope, then let’s get to it. But if you prefer to follow the K.I.S.S. formula (keep it super simple), I’ve got good news for you. It really is simple.

You know what causes 99% of obesity and other overweight conditions and sabotages your health responsibility? An old-fashioned word…gluttony. You know what else makes sure you stay that way? Another old-fashioned word…slothfulness. I know…I know…it sounds so harsh. Sorry, but it’s true.

Now those words just mean you’re putting too much in and you’re not burning enough off.

I’ve got a super simple acronym to remember to get you started on the road to realization about the weight problem you may be experiencing. I’ll share that with you at the end of this article. First, though, I want to also talk about a couple of the other related potential problems. For instance, you may not realize how food is only one of the culprits in the battle of the bulges.

That’s right…much of the fluids you put into your body dramatically add to the weight problems. Right about now you’re thinking…OK, he’s gonna tell me to stop drinking colas. Well, actually I’m not. Sure; it would be a great idea for you to stop drinking them altogether, but even if you can reduce your intake, you can see excellent results. However; there’s a ton of evidence that shows how you ought to completely stop drinking diet drinks. Unless you enjoy ingesting the equivalent of rat poison.

Health Responsibility – Truth Or Scare

Wow…could that possibly be true? Don’t take my word for it. I’m just a guy who reads about this stuff, and the evidence is startling and massive. Just Google the term diet drinks or diet drinks + health. It only stands to reason when you take something natural, like sugar, and replace it with flavorings like aspartame and others, something’s gotta give. And it’s usually the notches in your belt. It can also be lesions on your brain, and you really don’t want those.

Well, that’s enough to process right now. Believe me when I tell you, if you’re overweight, in almost every case…it’s your fault. And no diet is gonna help without you wrapping your mind around that and owning up to your health responsibility. Because it’s not all about you. Others love you. And you can “be there” for them when you’re healthy. In fact, in almost all cases, you don’t need a diet. You need a healthy lifestyle. Read other health articles of mine to learn more about that. I’m not a doctor, and I don’t play one on TV. I’m just a guy who cares about my fellow human beings. Let’s stay well and live longer.

Stay tuned,

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No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

– Talking about some pretty cool
stuff on the The Power of God’s Love Podcast

 

This podcast episode brings those topics together for those of you who’d rather listen than read. Thanks for tuning in. Use one or more of the links I’ve provided to share with anyone and everyone you know. Oh yeah, when you get a minute, please leave me a review on iTunes.  Here’s the easy link. And don’t forget to get your free music and book if you haven’t already.

[powerpress}

Stay tuned,

Tony Funderburk signature logo

No-cost, low-cost, and premium ways you can help me spread the Word…

Tell everybody you know to subscribe to Tony’s Daily Devotional
(emails with good stuff for Fa-Ree)

Get my Rhyme & Reason Podcast delivered right to your device. (also Fa-Ree)

Get digital Bible stuff from the same company I do.

My books are also on Amazon.com or Apple Books

Grab yourself an un-cool T-shirt

Or how about some music for believers, dreamers, and thinkers