Tony Funderburk Posted on by

How to Put the YOU in Unique
Lasting Motivation Part 3

Fingerprints. DNA. Brainwaves. Know what they have in common? You have all three, and so do I. But yours aren’t the same as mine or anyone else’s. And mine belong completely to me. Think about it. Something as tiny and seemingly insignificant as fingerprints help make you the one and only YOU. And these are only three ways of knowing how to put the YOU in unique.

There aren’t any carbon copies of YOU. And even if “they” could clone you, the clone wouldn’t have your brainwaves. So there YOU are. You’re so totally unique that even if all the scientists in the world got together and agreed to work on making another YOU, they couldn’t do it.

You’re that awesome and wonderfully made.

You’ve probably heard all the hogwash about being the sum total of all your life’s experiences. Bunk, I say. You’ve probably been told you won’t amount to anything because of your family history. Balderdash! And you might have even believed you couldn’t live up to the expectations of mommy and daddy because you didn’t finish “œhigher education” or some other nonsense. Stop believing that.

YOU are a marvelous creature whose brain processes trillions of bytes of information while simultaneously making a peanut butter sandwich. When you smile, muscles move and calories burn”all without the slightest twinge of strained thoughts. Word pictures dance around the imagination section of your mind just by listening to words. Close your eyes and see the images. Amazing. How did you get so magnificent?

So, are you still wondering how to put the YOU in unique?

If you’re spending any time at all on what you can’t do, you’re slowing yourself down from doing what you can. Why keep your eyes on a problem when the solution is within your ability to grasp? Keep your eyes on “œthe prize”. When you hear someone say “œyou can achieve what you focus on”, they don’t just mean the good stuff. If your focus is on the bad stuff, you can achieve that, too.

I’m asking you, as a personal favor to me, to remember the things that make you uniquely YOU. So if you can’t do it for yourself, do it for someone who cares about you. I want you to succeed. Don’t leave the success stories to someone else. Be one. YOU can because now you know how to put the YOU in unique. How will you use the information today?

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Do you see any work in this work of art?

Sometimes a work of art emerges from an artist who never intended it to be that way. Sometimes an artist works his fingers to the bones (so to speak), creating a “masterpiece,” only to see it live in obscurity. Art is fickle…odd. You just can’t predict it. And art can’t be forced. But that doesn’t mean you can’t simply write some thoughts or paint some pictures with no preconceived intentions.

In fact, some of the most fun I’ve ever had, in writing, was when I wrote some random thoughts down, looked at the first lines, and decided to see where I could take them. That’s the case with the following short poem called “Work of Art.” I’ll let you in on a little secret…I didn’t write this poem just now. It happened now and before. Didn’t mean to. It just turned out that way. What I mean is, I wrote two verses of it in June. And I couldn’t find the ending. I wanted three verses, and I couldn’t come up with the third. So…

I ignored the poem for almost two months.

But each time I’d log into my WordPress content area I’d see that little draft looking at me with tiny, sad eyes. “Finish me,” I’d hear it say. “Leave me alone,” I’d reply. (well, not really, but it seemed like a good dialogue between me and words)

Finally, this evening, I decided to give the third verse another shot. And the words appeared. Can you tell who the words are about?

Work of Art

Nobody looked through the crystal blue sky
And ever saw a single frozen word.
But there were songs and a story up high
And they were sung by a little blue bird.

The little bird with its feathers of blue
Sang all the notes that ever could be sung.
And every note was fastened to the sky,
And from each one bright, silver words were hung.

Now lie real still on the darkest of nights
And listen close with the ears in your heart.
You’re bound to hear, when your story is sung,
The little blue bird…who sings every word…
And tells the whole world you’re a work of art.

© 2016

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Security in Wisdom – A High Standard of Living –
A Limited Time Offer – Lightning Love

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.

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Lightning Love

Blue sky backdrop…
A million miles on the blacktop…
What can possibly save him now?

Greener pastures…
He broke her heart when he past hers.
Love stopped; she never quite knew how.

Lightning love can spark the coldest hearts,
And he filled the empty parts with lightning love,
Oh but lightning love can burn the strong house down,
And so they ran him out of town for lightning love.

Beer signs, neon…
What road could he now be on?
Shut down; letting the days go by.

Time creeps…world turns…
The headaches and the heartburns…
Drive on; dying inside the lie!

chorus

Endeavor to be debonair,
Gregarious, extraordinaire…
But still there’s really nothing there?
So nebulous with savoir faire!

Blue sky backdrop…
A million miles on the blacktop…
What can possibly save him now?

© 2002

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The first step to building a house is
laying the foundation

It’s only one of several steps in the whole process. If you stopped there, you wouldn’t have much of a house. So, what comes after the first step?

Sticking with the house-building analogy, let me put it like this… Let’s say John Q. Smith has a home-building company. He hires…

  • a concrete company to pour the foundation
  • some framers to build the main structure
  • electricians and plumbers
  • sheetrockers
  • trim carpenters and painters
  • and a final cleaning crew

 

Each one of those companies or service providers plays a key role in the completion of the house. But when it’s all said and done, John Q. Smith, alone, is acknowledged as the builder. And rightfully so. He made sure the whole project was started and completed. He paid for it all. And He is the reason all the others even have the work in the first place.

Let’s talk about the first step ever.

How about we apply what I’ve just shared to matters of eternal consequence. God created everything there is. He is the builder. When we choose to work for Him, we’re able to use the gifts and talents He gave us to either lay the foundation for salvation in someone’s life…or we get to help at some other stage in the process.

The apostle Paul wrote it like this in 1 Corinthians 3:6…”I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase”. Paul was acknowledging the fact that he was the first step, the planting of God’s love in the hearts and minds of the Corinthians. But he also gave credit to Apollos for expounding on that information. And the full credit he gave to God for any good that came of it.

Here’s another cool part to this. Paul also said “he who plants and he who waters are one…” They’re equal in value and importance, and together they accomplish the one goal. And sometimes we may think we’re laying a foundation or planting when, in fact, the foundation we’re laying is also helping someone further along in their knowledge of God’s love for them.

My desire is to keep sharing rhyme and reason for life. I want to find creative ways to plant golden seeds and saturate them with Living Water. And whether I’m the first step, or somewhere in between, I hope my work endures to the day of redemption.

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Ever thought about creation and imagination?

Creation and imagination are the dynamic duo for a content writer. Your projects often come with their own criteria. But they can really come alive for your audience when they can see the color, hear the sounds, and feel the feelings of the story behind the story.

What do you think of when I use phrases like “painting green skies and orange crushes” or “yellow donkeys and purple poodles?”

Kids, right? Well, I do anyway.

I’ve always enjoyed the looks on kids’ faces when I challenge their perception of reality. You start talking about green skies, and their heads turn sideways. And they give you that “wha?” look. Then you get even more of those funny looks when they try to defend the sky as being blue and you give them excellent “scientific research” that proves it’s now green.

Over the years I’ve written scores of songs, short stories, and articles using creation and imagination just to see kids’ eyes light up. And having my own eyes sparked by their responses. And I’ve used a lot of those same techniques to write for business projects.

Here’s an example of what I mean…

Let’s say you want to advertise on a popular talk radio show. What’s something that’s almost guaranteed to make your ad stand out? Music. Since the whole format of the show is based on “talk,” your commercial will shine like a diamond among coals with an original score behind it. And then, don’t just end the ad by repeating your phone number over and over. Have you heard how many businesses do that? And believe me, they all start to blur together very quickly.

So, my suggestion is you challenge your audience’s perception of reality with words and music that don’t blur into the collective fog. Give them free rides on your yellow donkey while their cares float away into green skies of delight.

Stand out on the pedestal of creation and imagination.

Would you like some help? All you gotta do is ask.

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Can you teach an old dog new tricks?

My Golden Lab, who’s about 13 1/2 years old, and his chocolate brother woke me up too early this morning. They sleep a lot in the daytime, now, so they don’t always sleep through the same night hours as my wife and me anymore. And once the morning coffee started to clear the fog in my head a bit, I started thinking about that old adage of how you can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

Do you do that? Do you find yourself applying your creative mind or your analytical mind or your marketing mind to everyday situations? And do you find yourself digging deeper into information to find a story you can apply to your life, or your business, or your creative endeavors?

If so, then you’ve probably discovered what I discovered. That you actually CAN teach an old dog new tricks. At least if that “old dog” has a mindset to turn “new tricks” into productive habits.

I’ve never truly bought into the idea that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks anyway. In the first place, most people who use that phrase are applying it to people. And people aren’t dogs. And in the second place, I’ve seen actual old dogs learn new tricks, and I’ll be darned if I’m gonna let an old dog outlearn me.

It really does come down to a mindset.

For example, do you have a computer? You know, those boxes with a built-in typewriter, TV screen, and scrolling device? Well, they’ve become pretty handy in these here modern times. So, I recommend you get one.

I’m kidding around to make a point. When the personal computer became commonplace, there were a lot of old dogs who either had to learn new tricks or get left in the digital dirt.

Many baby boomers were in their late thirties and early forties when this paradigm sprang up. It’s hard to believe now, but many thought it would be a trend at best, and they didn’t buy into it. But many of the ones who adopted the new technology and decided to use it for all it was worth reaped exponential rewards. The personal computer and the internet gave a lot of old dogs access to a lot of awesome new tricks.

So, keep this in mind. Everyone eventually grows old, if circumstances and health permit. When you do, will you embrace fear? Or will you look forward to the challenges? Remember, you’re not a dog. You’re a human being made in the image and likeness of God. So, no need to worry about teaching an old dog new tricks.

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It’s always important to
love your neighbor as yourself…

And it’s even more important to know how. Love doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat, always turn the other cheek, or simply keep your mouth shut. In fact, most of the time, if you’re doing those things, you might not love your neighbor as yourself as much as you think you do.

The main thing to focus on, when it comes to loving someone is how your words, deeds, and actions will affect them. And you do that by keeping an eternal perspective first. Everything else is secondary to that. After all…which is more important to your life? 80 years of living here on earth…with all its chaos and confusion? Or an eternity of perfection with the one true, living, loving Creator of Heaven and life? (here’s a hint…go with the second choice)

When you have an eternal perspective, you’ll understand how important it is to make sure your neighbor understands there IS a God, there IS a Heaven, and there IS a choice to be made here and now. If God wishes that “none should perish”, we should too. But to love your neighbor as yourself means you’re willing to share the whole Truth…not just the peace, love, joy, and forgiveness.

Are you doing your neighbor a favor to forgive him of something, when he doesn’t even show remorse or ask for forgiveness? Absolutely not. Are you loving your neighbor, when you watch him drink himself to death? Do you care about your neighbor and never say anything about Jesus to him?

If you truly want to do what God asks you to do, you have to truly love your neighbor as yourself. And would you want your self to go to hell? If not, speak up. Stand up. Get up right now and do something that shows the full love of Jesus…justice and mercy…to your neighbor. Even if you start with someone in your family…start. Who will you love today?

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Frustration Creation and Medication

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The Power of God's Love Podcast - Episode 150

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Long Story Short
Those words almost always come too late

A friend drops by and starts talking about his or her trip to a clothing store. They go on and on about the sale, the clothes, the new styles. This goes on for about 5 minutes, and then they say…well anyway…to make a long story short, yada yada yada. And then the long story continues to get longer, not shorter. Has that ever happened to you?

In the first place you were right in the middle of your favorite show on TV or listening to your favorite tunes or working on something you enjoy. Secondly, you don’t even like that store, their clothes, or their styles. And finally…if you hear this friend say “to make a long story short” even one more time, you’re gonna explode.

You’re not the only one who feels this way.

We’re all so bombarded with messages everyday we sometimes even tune out our friends when they start to ramble too much. God designed your brain to be able to filter in the key words and filter out the noise. I bet you’d be amazed or surprised to discover how many messages you saw, read, or heard today. And if you were asked to recall one in particular, your mind would immediately go to the short one with the memorable sound-byte or punch line.

Why should it be any other way? After all, the cool stuff today will have a cooler version next week, or next month, or next year. Remember the model name and watch for the upgrades. Simple.

Then your long term memory can focus on the ultimately more important things like:

  • Anniversary dates
  • Birthdays
  • Names to go with faces

 

So, I hope I’ve made this long story short enough to to show you how short messages and being a good listener are vital. Do you agree?

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Where Do Good Ideas Come From?

Yeah, I know.”Where do good ideas come from” ends with a preposition. So who made up that rule anyway? And let me ask you something. Have you ever stared at a blank white screen or page, and it seems to stare back at you? Taunting you? Daring you? You could almost hear a voice saying “Na, na, na, na, na.”

And it doesn’t matter that your project deadline is tomorrow at noon. You just don’t have that idea you thought you would. Has this ever happened to you?

If it hasn’t, great. If it has, stop working and start reading the Bible. An online version or Bible app would be a great idea. Using those you could access all the great stories, chapters, and verses, AND you’d discover a wide variety of resources that could get your brainstorm started. Besides the concordance, you’ll find a handy search tool, commentaries, glossaries, language tools, historical reference guides, and even audio and video.

But using all those great tools in the greatest book ever written still doesn’t answer the question:

Where do good ideas come from?

Ideas aren’t some random results of random processing of random information. Ideas are thoughts formulated into an intelligent mental picture as a result of processing logical, reasonable information. But how did all that information get from one source…say your Bible app…into your brain? The answer is simple, but it befuddles (and even angers) most of the so-called “thinkers” of the world.

Your ideas get into your brain by processing and pondering the information you discover using a system designed by…

God.

That system is called logic and reason. Your brain is the user interface. You might call it the the most powerful UI ever designed. And make no mistake…it IS design…not random chance.

It’s uncanny and ironic, to me, how many times I hear the same information bandied around saying the world, and everything in it, came from nothing. At best, that’s a scientific theory. An idea. Yet, that idea can’t explain how ideas are stored. That idea can’t explain logic and reason. That so-called “scientific theory” leads to mankind believing mankind is either the pinnacle of evolution or just another insignificant segment of it.

So, the next time you hear somebody ask, “Where do good ideas come from?”…I hope you’ll smile and answer…

“Good ideas are gifts from God.”

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Since I last spoke to you on the
Rhyme and Reason podcast
I’ve been sharing thoughts, ideas, and truth about

And this podcast episode brings it all 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.

Play

Get The The Power of God's Love Podcast Delivered to Your Device Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | Android | Pandora | iHeartRadio | Podchaser | Podcast Index | TuneIn | Deezer | RSS | More

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Independence Day 2016
Let’s talk about ultimate freedom

I hope you get to enjoy an awesome fireworks display wherever you live. And I hope you also enjoy the company of family and friends and good food and great fun. And I hope you’ll take at least a moment to thank God for the ultimate freedom He gave us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus. Yep, without that I doubt very seriously there’d even be an America…much less a country that made it to Independence Day 2016.

Here’s my song and video about how truly fortunate we are to live in a country whose founding fathers recognized a dependency on our Creator for our ultimate freedom.

And, as my gift to you this Independence Day 2016, here are all the lyrics in one place:

Freedom

Faith working through love…
Let’s praise God for our liberty…
Christ paid off our debt…
Only in Him are we truly free.

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

Freedom from the law that kills,
Freedom with our own free wills,
And freedom from the world of sin…
Just let Jesus in, let the joy begin
Share a hopeful grin, with the Lord “We Win”!
Praise God for what we can become
With our freedom.

What law couldn’t do
Jesus did with finality.
He rose up from the dead
And promised the same life for you and me.

So we have…

Chorus…instrumental…chorus twice

© 2010 Tony Funderburk

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All of creation…
that pretty much includes everything created…
tells us something

There’s a place in the Bible where the Apostle Paul talks about how “the whole creation groans and labors with birth pangs.” He’s not talking about a mom going into a hospital with contractions. He’s talking about the whole world. I don’t want to get into a Bible study right now. I’m just sharing a short excerpt from the bestselling book of all time…and how it talks about the “whole creation”, implying a Creator. Another way of putting it is: all of creation. That’s what I did a while back as I worked on some lyrics for a new Christian song.

I’m not finished with the lyrics yet, but I wanted to share, with you, what I have so far. And that’s because my Christian faith is coming more increasingly under attack…even here in America. And Christianity has been the shining beacon of hope for the land of the free and the hope of the brave. But when your Christian faith is under attack, you don’t retreat. You move forward and onward. That’s because you should realize, as a Christian, you might lose some battles…but you’re going to win the war. Absolutely. No doubt about it.

So take heart today and know that the one true, living, loving Creator of the universe, and everything in it, loves you. You are here because He was always here. You are a beautiful creation of God, and I hope you remember Him this Independence Day.

All Of Creation

All of creation points to the Savior.
We are all here by design.
All the environment and complex behavior…
The Glory of God makes it shine.

All of creation holds information…
Encoded within every cell,
All of the best minds in each generation
Won’t banish what Christians know well.

That…

(Chorus)
All of creation is here by the Word of God.
And all of creation mirrors His mind.
All of creation is saved by the Love of God
All of creation…Jesus defined.

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Get This Limited Time Offer While You Can

Remember…This Is A Limited Time Offer
Hurry, While Supplies Last
Sale Ends Tonight at Midnight

Any of those lines look or sound familiar? In marketing, whether it’s online or off, they say one of the best techniques for selling is the tried-and-true limited time offer”.

I’d have to agree. If you think this deal you’re looking over might not be around tomorrow, you’re much more likely to buy it today. Or if you think the price may go up after today, you might just buy today.

The limited time offer applies to you, too

You’re a little bit like real estate. There’s a very limited supply of you. And you’re only offered for a very short time. On average, a man’s offer may only be into his middle to late seventies, and a woman into her eighties. So how do you position yourself knowing that your supply AND time are limited? My suggestion is position yourself for the now…AND…forever.

Now is the time you live and breathe in, work in, thrive or dive in.

And now is the time you can give of yourself, not just exist.

Now is the time you can jump for joy or fall for lies.

You Won’t Be Around Here Forever

If you concern yourself with conserving resources like water, air, and food, shouldn’t you be even more concerned with your mortality? Market yourself as the valuable commodity you are. Use all the tools at your disposal to create the USP that is uniquely YOU. Then state it with authority, boldness, and courage. Know which part of you is the real person and which is the shadow”and never walk in your own shadow.

Now, go make it a great day, and thank God for life. Remember, your life here on earth is a limited time offer.

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Bullet Points – For Target Practice…sort of

I’ll be making some bullet points in a couple of minutes, but stick with me as I share this high speed journey.

Kana Watanabe woke up this Tuesday morning in a particularly excited mood. She dressed quickly, gulped down a small helping of tamagoyaki and white tea, and rushed out the door. This was no ordinary morning. Today she was going to ride the bullet.

As she walked through the crowded streets of Nagoya she imagined how it might feel to be magnetically levitated and shot through the air at over 482 kilometers per hour. It seemed almost impossible that she’d be seeing her mom, 348 kilometers away in Tokyo, in only 40 minutes. Her mom’s health had been declining in recent months, but Kana hadn’t been able to take the time off necessary to make the expensive drive. And as expensive and grueling as a 4 1/2 hour drive seemed, it still didn’t compare to her grandparents ordeals. She remembered hearing them talk about the many hours of hardship it took to make the same trip only a few decades earlier.

Today was going to be different, though.

Today Kana was going to ride the bullet.

Since 1964 Japan has worked hard to create the world’s most advanced rail system. 1400 miles of tracks provide passengers with a network of destinations and current speeds hovering around 200 miles per hour. And they’re currently testing the new significantly faster “maglev”(also known as floating) trains and expect widespread commercial use to begin in 2027.

“Maglev”is short for magnetic levitation. These trains don’t have any wheels! And that exponentially reduces friction. Of course, that much less friction means blinding speeds.

And here are those bullet points I mentioned earlier. The completed train will”

* Travel over 300 miles per hour

* Have 16 carriages or cars, and

* Carry up to 1,000 passengers

Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, hopes to sell the technology to emerging countries. India could be one of those first customers since they’d like to reduce heavy travel time between their main cities.

Looking at the pictures of this aerodynamic bullet train and comparing it to the humble light rail in my neighborhood I think how Kana must feel. She’ll be flying through the air on a bullet while I’ll be rolling along writing down these bullet points.

 

Stay tuned,

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Security in Wisdom – What’s it all about?

I’m sure I don’t have to tell you it’s a mean and dangerous world. And I know I don’t need to tell you to protect yourself. But maybe you don’t realize the best security you can have is the security in wisdom. Yep. It beats the most encrypted software and passwords you can ever have or imagine. Why? I’ll tell you.

Or maybe I should say I’ll share with you what God says about wisdom. In the book of Proverbs (in the Old Testament) He says “Wisdom is the principal thing. Therefore get wisdom.” That means it’s the main thing you should get. And you should try your hardest to get it. It should be at the tip-top of your to-do list.

Why is there security in wisdom?

Wisdom will help you make the best decisions. Wisdom will keep you from taking the wrong path. And wisdom will guide your steps so you don’t stumble into lies when others around you are falling for everything they see and hear.

And here’s the number one reason there’s security in wisdom…eternity. Eternity is real. You’re gonna exist somewhere forever. You can either wonder where that will be or you can be sure (secure in your knowledge) you’ll be in a perfect Heaven with your living, loving Creator.

Here’s my challenge to you today. Open a Bible and look up Proverbs. Read what the writer has to say about the security in wisdom. I believe you’ll discover the Truth. I believe you’ll discover a love for you this world will never show you. And I believe you’ll discover how much love you’ll want to pass on to someone else. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember the reason…

There’s security in wisdom
When you trust God and His word.
And your wisdom will direct you,
And you’ll never be deterred
From a life that’s everlasting
Full of bright and perfect days.
So go get yourself some wisdom
And help others change their ways.

Stay tuned,

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Six Days of Creation – Can you say “wow!”

Imagine taking only six days to create the universe…with all its stars, planets, moons, creatures, and human beings. In your wildest imagination you can’t comprehend only six days of creation to produce all that. But there’s a good reason you can’t. Because…

Six Days of Creation - that's all it took for God

But you’re created in the image and likeness of God. And that makes you completely different from all the other creatures. It’s important to know that. It’s crucially important to realize you’re special in all of creation. You are! And if you have children, or you know children, or you have any connection to children, it’s vitally important to show them how special they are to God. They need to know how much God loves them. They need to know they can live with Him forever.

That’s why I wrote an short, entertaining book about the six days of creation. Coincidentally I call it “The Very First Six Days”. Here’s a free sneak preview, and I promise you…the cost of the book is affordable for just about anyone on the planet. And the benefits are priceless. Send me a message and let me know when you’ve read it and how much your kids enjoyed it…

It’s written in easy, poetic verses. Each day has its own three verses because three is the “number of God“. And three is an easy number for little kids to remember. The rhythm is easier for them to get into. Now, stop reading this, go read the book, and you’ll see what I mean.

Stay tuned,

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Father’s Day 2016

When you stop and think about it, every day is Our Father's Day

On this Father’s Day 2016, think about the Number One Father, your Creator. I wrote a song about Him about a few years ago, and I’d like to share it with you today. It talks about how we owe everything we are to the One who made us. Your DNA is a unique code that determines what color eyes and hair you have…what your face will look like…how tall you’ll be…even your fingerprints. From the moment you were conceived you were loved by the Creator of the universe. So, remember…every day is…

Our Father’s Day

We have eyes and ears, a heart and mind.
If we truly seek, God’s not hard to find.
As we leave this broken world behind,
Only His Truth and Love are the ties that bind.

We have hours or days or weeks or years
To be reconciled from our hopeless fears.
Think of this before your last day appears…
Only a loving God wipes away your tears.

He gives life and love and light.
Only He makes all things right.
And we’re here, so we should say…
Every day’s our Father’s Day.
With each day our daily bread…
Every thought that’s in our head…
Should illuminate the Way
Every day’s our Father’s Day.

We can see design upon His land…
Even in an unborn baby’s hand,
And when life is not the way we planned,
Only a living God helps us understand.

© Copyright Tony Funderburk 2010

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Intense frustration – has it ever hit you?

If you’ve ever been hit by a deep and abiding sense of intense frustration, here’s what you do…give up. That’s it. Problem solved. Let’s move on.

Intense Frustration - what to do when it hits you

OK…I’m not really moving on. I do wanna talk through this a bit with you today because I’ve been experiencing some intense frustration  this morning. And it’s spilling over into midday. I hope to have the problem resolved before it spills into the afternoon and evening. Yikes. That’s too much. Agreed?

Even if you’re a Christian, you might have found…at least a time or two…that you were unable to pray away a bout with intense frustration. I’m not talking about the run-of-the-mill frustrations like dropping your grocery bag as you try to unlock the front or back door of your house. I’m talking about the frustration that comes from working and working and working on a problem without getting it solved. Attempting every possible solution you can think of only to discover you’re no closer than when you started hours ago. And even though you pray, the problem still stares you down.

What do you do when this happens?

I have a couple of ideas, and you can tell me if you’ve ever tried ’em.

First thing I suggest is…loosen up. Unclench your jaw. Or relax your shoulders. Or sit back in your chair. In other words, whatever part of you is holding onto the stress, loosen it up.

Next thing is…remember, this to shall pass. It really and truly will. There’s absolutely no doubt about that. I’m paying attention to these words as much as I hope you are.

Finally…even if you’ve prayed to God for help…say one more prayer. Tell Him thank you. Even if your problem is resolved. Even if you’re still dealing with the sense of intense frustration. Even if some part of you doesn’t believe your problem will be resolved today. Thank God. Not for the problem. For being with you. Tell Him you’re so glad He’s there for you to talk to. Thank Him for listening. Thank Him for being able to talk directly to Him without needing a “high priest”. Thank Him for giving you a brain that works well enough to even try to solve your problem. Thank Him for creating you. Get the point? Just thank God for everything you can think of. Then…

…get back to work. You’ll work it out and live to fight life’s other battles. What do you think? Can you do it?

Stay tuned,

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You might be “The Greatest”
but you’re still like the flower of the grass

Have you ever noticed how unimportant grass becomes to most people once a lawn or field is mown? Even the flower of the grass quickly becomes an unremembered memory. Just a fleeting part of a fleeting day. Who cares…right? Well, you should because you’re just like that…in a way.

I’ve already lived over six decades, and it doesn’t seem like more than two could possibly have passed by that quickly. But they have. I’ve got the silver hair and the extra lines in my face to prove it. (but don’t make me prove it)

And over the course of all those years I’ve done a lot. I’ve sung thousands of songs thousands of times. I’ve traveled across the United States multiple times. I’ve made and lost plenty of friends. I’ve written books, songs, poems, and articles for myself, customers, clients, friends, family, and for fun. At times I’ve made a fair amount of money. Other times I’ve struggled to make ends meet. I’ve shaken hands with some fairly famous people. And I’ve had some brushes with fame myself. But no matter how many awesome things I’ve done or experienced, it’s all gonna be like the flower of the grass one day. Unless…

…unless I go to Heaven.

And I’m going to Heaven.

And even when I go to Heaven, most of what I’ve done or experienced here on Earth will be like the flower of the grass…withered and forgotten because it didn’t mean anything. But what won’t be burned up or forgotten will be the things I said and did to display God’s glory. The songs I wrote for Him…the poems I wrote for Him…the times I talked about Him to anyone who would listen. All those things will go with me and be part of me forever.

You can say the same thing, too, if you choose to go to Heaven. And it’s all in your hands to choose. But you have to choose while you’re still here on Earth. One millisecond after your last breath will be too late to choose.

“Choose what?” you ask.

Jesus.

Here’s a question for you: Why would you not want to choose the one person in all of existence who can give you eternal life? Don’t you wanna be more than just the flower of the grass? Wouldn’t you prefer to be a twinkle in God’s eye?

Stay tuned,

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