Rhyme and Reason Podcast with Tony Funderburk

Posted on July 26, 2023 by TonyAugust 9, 2023

Hypnotic groove, but what does it prove?

“It has a very hypnotic groove, a samba, which has a tremendous hypnotic power, rather like good dance music. It doesn’t speed up or slow down. It keeps this constant groove. Plus, the actual samba rhythm is a great one to sing on, but it’s also got some other suggestions in it, an undercurrent of being primitive. Because it is a primitive African, South American, Afro-whatever-you-call-that rhythm.”

What are we talkin’ about here?

Obviously a song. But what song? There are basically countless songs to choose from that fit that description. And so many of them entice your toes to tap, your fingers to snap, and your heart to chance a little dance.

But this particular hypnotic groove is asking for a little sympathy.

Well, if you care about your fellow man (aka: love your neighbor as yourself), then it’s probably easy to prepare to offer sympathy. Especially if it can help ease someone’s pain and suffering. Right?

Yeah, fair enough. But the hypnotic groove I refer to, here, isn’t asking for sympathy for your neighbor or fellow man. Far from it.

In fact, the lyrics request sympathy for the one who has NO sympathy for you, me, or any human being. Rather ironic, to say the least.

The song, with the so-called hypnotic groove, takes the first person narrative perspective. And the “person” it represents is your most dangerous enemy. The one who wants your soul to endure eternal torment in a place so awful that mere words fail to thoroughly describe it.

Does that sound like someone you wanna show sympathy?

I don’t.

But Mick Jagger (and possibly Keith Richards) thought there might be reason enough to show Sympathy For The Devil. So, way back in 1968 they recorded the song with that title.

Actually, on a certain level, their lyrics revealed truth.

Of course, that truth is overshadowed by the songwriter’s bias. But the overall concept is that Lucifer, or Satan, or the Devil, was around for all the worst atrocities in history. And that’s basically true.

But take this verse, for example:

I was ’round when Jesus Christ
Had his moment of doubt and pain
Made damn sure that Pilate
Washed his hands and sealed his fate

I don’t take issue with any of those lyrics except the word, doubt. So, some truth peppered with some misinformation. Then, some blame game lyrics that lack wisdom:

I watched with glee while your kings and queens
Fought for ten decades for the gods they made.
I shouted out, “Who killed the Kennedys?”
Well, after all, it was you and me.
Let me please introduce myself.
I’m a man of wealth and taste
And I laid traps for troubadours
Who get killed before they reach Bombay.

Yes, humans are to blame for much of the evil in this world. But individually. Not corporately. You commit your crimes and sins. And I commit mine. So, somebody “killed the Kennedys.” But it wasn’t you. And it wasn’t me. Also, the devil is not a man. So, he has no wealth and taste. Unless you count the souls he’s destroyed as wealth and his attention to chaos, confusion, and corruption as taste.

After all of my sort of negative review, here’s a curve ball for you.

I enjoy the percussive, samba beat to the song. And the instrumentation, too. I’ve never been a fan of Mick’s vocals. So, even if the song wasn’t peppered with bias and misinformation, it still wouldn’t be hit material in my world. Clear up those lyrical problems and insert Michael McDonald’s voice or Kenny Loggins voice, and then you got the goods.

And I most likely wouldn’t have talked about this song at all except it popped up on my radar, that it’s Mick Jagger’s 80th birthday. I don’t know this for a fact, but my guess is the 80 year old Mick probably still has the same perspective as the 25 year old Mick. I hope, for his sake, that he comes to realize his misplaced sympathy. And wouldn’t it be cool if he came up with a hypnotic groove for the One who will defeat the devil once and for all?

Yeah, it’s enjoyable to daydream.

Before you go, share this link with everybody you know. Tell ’em to jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon AND get some music and other good stuff, for Fa-Ree.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 25, 2023 by TonyAugust 8, 2023

Byline author shares the reason why he cares

I’m the only byline author here on TonyFunderburk.com. And, of course, that makes sense since the website bears my name. In case you’re not familiar with journalism jargon, a byline is just a title of the article and who wrote it, who it’s “by.”

And so I’m the byline author of this whole website.

So, whether it’s blame or credit that’s dished out or given, I’m the receiver.

And that’s a fact. Not a brag. Because I can’t (and don’t) make the claim that all my writings are epic works of art. Far from it. But they’re art from the heart. And science from reliance (feel free to ask me about that).

This website of mine is flows from a heart changed by the art and science of what I can clearly see AND what I don’t see at all. Reality, itself, is a clear indicator that there’s a force greater than all the gravity in the universe. And I’m perfectly willing to acknowledge that force flows from another, greater heart. The heart of God.

You’re free to disagree.

But I believe, whole-heartedly, that you’ll do so at your own peril. Naturally, it seems somewhat logical to believe you can be your own king. Because you make your own decisions about when to eat, sleep, and be merry. And you’re the only one who’s with you 24 hours a day. But your reign, here on Earth, is a very very short one.

So, it’s important to find out if I (or anyone else who makes the claims I make) share the Truth. Or am I just making up a fairy tale one step at a time? Sure I could do that. In fact, a while back I shared how I can just write one line after another and create rhymes I didn’t even know existed in my brain.

And then I shared an example of that. I opened my text editor without a clue of what I was gonna write. But I had NO doubt I’d write something. But I had nothing to start with. So, I took the idea of having nothing to start with and started. And here’s what happened…

ByLine

I didn’t have a thing to say when I first started out.
And I believe that sort of thing can fill your mind with doubt.
But then ideas began to form. I quickly wrote them down.
It felt so good to clear the dust from my mental ghost town.

Hey, have you ever felt like that, not sure of what to say?
And if you did, what did you do to make it go away?
Or did you find yourself at odds with even your own brain
And watched, as every thought you had, went swirling down the drain?

Well, may I recommend the treatment I just put me through?
I think you’ll find it might replace what’s missing inside you.
Just write your foggy, fractured thoughts down slowly line by line.
Then share the words and walk away. Don’t worry. You’ll be fine.

So, you read all that and you might not be ready to believe what I say and go all in. Because, if I can do it with a rhyme, surely I can do it with my so-called “Truth.”

Yeah. No.

Because the Truth I’ve shared in some way or another almost 3000 times, here on the website, is not something I conjured up out of thin air. I found it in someone else’s writings. In a book that is time-tested and proved, over and over to be the most reliable source of Truth and love in existence. And it’s from the ultimate byline Author.

It can clarify, edify, and quantify your ideas, thoughts, and words.

And those are all conceptual examples of how life has Rhyme and Reason because God made you.

AMEN!

Stay tuned,

Heat wave slave just can’t behave

Posted on July 14, 2023 by TonyAugust 7, 2023

I’ve talked about the Holland–Dozier–Holland songwriting and producing team before when I shared some info about The Supremes and their hit song, “I Hear A Symphony.” And they had another hit, 60 years ago this month, with the song, “Heat Wave,” performed by Martha and the Vandellas. Martha’s version was a number 1 hit. Then, Linda Rondstat had a number 5 hit with the same song 12 years later. Even Phil Collins had a hit with it.

“Heat Wave” is an energetic, get-you-on-your-feet-to-dance kind of song.

Some critics might say it’s “infectious.” Reviews might call it a “danceable rock-a-twister.” But the main thing is, it’s an upbeat dance song about some of the effects of love.

But here we are 60 years later. And now a heat wave is an ominous and potentially world-changing (maybe even world-ending) event.

Sometimes I open my digital tablet and then open the “News” app. I don’t do it ALL the time. Because the basic news, weather, and sports are so predictable and mostly non-believable. But today I saw a headline that read: “Heat Wave Spanning From Florida To California Prompts Urgent Warnings.”

In case you didn’t already know this Florida is on the Eastern edge of America. And California is all the way on the opposite, Western, edge of America. So, right away, (if that info is familiar to you) you understand this truly IS an urgent matter. Because we’re talking about our entire country here.

So, obviously, that’s a report you gotta read.

And it follows up the headline with plenty of information to get your antennae up and your heart racing. The opening sentence says: “An expanding, intensifying heat wave prompted the National Weather Service to issue heat alerts for 115 million people on Friday in 15 states, with no letup in sight for some areas.”

Oh no!

115 million people! That’s a third of all the citizens in America. And the point is, it’s HOT! With no “letup in sight.” (uh, hang on, there’s still gonna be a September, October, etc. this year) But let’s not muddy the fear waters with actual provable facts. Because we’ve got a populace to control. And fear is the best tool for that.

So, let’s talk about the “public health dangers.” And the “scope, intensity, and endurance” of this hot weather. Plus, we need to get the “alerts” about where the “longest-lasting impacts” of this “heat dome” will occur.

But maybe I’m not being fair.

Maybe the weather services just have our best interests at heart.

So, maybe they just want you to have all the facts so you can make good decisions while your brain is frying. And maybe that’s why they say things like: “Heat waves can be extremely deadly.” And “Heat waves are quiet killers, with deaths often going uncounted until well after an extreme weather event has subsided.”

It’s true that “extreme weather” events can kill you.

But so can aging, boating, camping, driving, gambling, gardening, hiking, recreational marijuana, a sedentary lifestyle, and sports. Yeah, pretty much all you have to do, in order to one day die, is exist in the first place.

Here’s the kicker to the “weather report” I read.

They had to toss this in: “…using peer-reviewed methods, from Climate Central shows climate change is likely boosting the odds for the upcoming extreme heat.”

And they add these guilt-loaded bullet points to make sure you’re aware that YOU are the problem:

The main cause of long-term climate change is human-caused emissions of greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide, due to burning fossil fuels such as coal and natural gas.
Some research has shown that without climate change, certain heat waves would have been virtually impossible.

I hope you realize there’s no such thing as “fossil fuels.” And I also hope you realize that volcanos spew more into the atmosphere than all the “human-caused emissions.”

But if those reports truly care about your safety, then it shouldn’t be long before they warn everyone to stop growing pot. Yeah, according to some estimates, growing an ounce of pot indoors can emit as much carbon as burning a full tank of gas. “Hey, somebody shut this guy up. He’s trying to take away our natural medicine.”

You’re probably like me.

And you probably realize that a “spirit of fear” comes from a dark place. Because God gives a “spirit of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

So, you probably know that when it’s extra hot outside, you reduce your energetic outdoor activities. And you wait till Autumn before you ramp things up again. The same is true for the cold, dark winters. Wait for Spring.

And the next time someone tells you Earth is heating up, just ask, “Since when?” Don’t buy the lie of climate change. Because it’s YOU “they” truly want to reduce.

When the Truth is revealed, it transforms
And establishes reconciled norms.
And the people who care are both humble and rare,
Well-equipped to extinguish firestorms.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 13, 2023 by TonyAugust 7, 2023

Ok, all seriousness aside. My brain thinks in rhymes. Not 24 hours a day. But certainly every day. My wife will tell you about (or rather ask you to save her from) my daily rhymes. She’s been with me over 30 years. And somehow she’s managed to stay reasonably sane. Despite all my iambic pentameter parameter

But my daily rhymes aren’t always cuddly and cute.

Yes, I’ve written plenty of those. Because I’ve created tons of music and books for kids. And, for some strange reason, the little rugrats seem to like cute and cuddly and funny stuff. Go figure.

Anyway…

A lot of brand experts will tell you how you need people to either love you or hate you. Because that’s proof you actually stand for something. And then you know the ones who choose to follow you, or hit the like button, or give you thumbs up, truly know what they’re getting.

So, I CHOOSE to do that with daily rhymes and reasons. And I emphasized the word, “choose,” because I’m very pro choice when it comes to actions in life. Uh-oh. That might sound confusing to the uninitiated.

No, I’m NOT pro choice when it comes to aborting unborn children. But I AM pro choice when it comes to the decisions you make in life. Because I know God did not create robots or automatons who can only do His bidding. And He did NOT mandate or preordain everything you and I (and everyone) would do throughout history.

Your Creator knows that in order for love to truly be love it has to be freely given. So, you and I get to choose to love Him or not. And we also get to choose what we do in this life. That’s why I added this next poem to my daily rhymes a few years ago.

(Fair notice…this is pro life stuff)

The Choice You’re Making Now

You’re standing on the edge of a decision.
You’re hiding from the eyes of future dreams.
You think you’re facing cold hearts and derision,
But this life isn’t always what it seems.

You’re drowning in the murky mass opinion.
You’re gasping for a breath of fresher air.
Denial of the truth makes you a minion,
Denial of a life means you don’t care.

Caught in a whirlwind, swimming in flames,
Counting the faces without any names,
And it’s the choice you might make now that blames
You.

You tell yourself it’s sweet emancipation.
But, sadly, you will just become a slave
To nightmares, lies, and selfish adoration
Of ideas reaching far beyond the grave.

Before erasing someone else’s chances
For life and liberty and happiness,
See how you get to choose your circumstances.
Why would you want them having any less?

Caught in a whirlwind, swimming in flames,
Counting the faces without any names,
And it’s the choice you might make now that blames
You.

Jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon (regular emails with my rather poetic perspective on life and truth) AND I’ll send you some music and other good stuff.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 12, 2023 by TonyAugust 5, 2023

In the garden your mind shouldn't be left behind

It’s summer time. And no doubt you’ve been in the garden yourself, or you know someone who has. Or you’ve been to someplace to get some of the good stuff that comes out of a garden. Right? And I can tell you, from a LOT of experience, how good it is to go into a garden to feel the dirt beneath your feet and smell the variety of scents.

But you don’t go in the garden to lose your mind.

Now, I know this is gonna sound a little bit nitpicky. But I think it bears at least a little scrutiny. And I’m talkin’ about a picture of a sign I saw, this morning, with something that’s not quite right. It’s a cool sign. And it looks like it’s for somebody’s garden shop or restaurant or something similar. Here’s what is said:

Stephanie’s Garden: And into the garden I go to lose my mind and find my soul.

Innocent enough. But I still gotta take a bit of issue with it. Because you should never think or believe it’s somehow a good thing to “lose your mind” or “forget your mind” or “ignore your mind.” You hear something like that in all kinds of movies and other videos, podcasts, seminars, webinars, etc.

And if you lose your mind, how will you know if you find your soul. I know, I know. As I said, it’s nitpicky. But I think people would be much better served to think of it like this:

Into the garden I go
To clear my mind and soothe my soul.

That’s still not my favorite.

Because it’s an approximate rhyme. But I shared it that way to tie it into the lines from the sign. And, as you might have gathered from my description of a garden experience, mind-clearing and soul-soothing are much better perspectives. Especially if you understand where you get your mind and soul.

As I thought about what I wanted to say about that sign, I also started to remember an old hymn. Turns out it was first published in 1912. And you might not believe it, but it has been recorded by some famous singers. Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Perry Como, Rosemary Clooney, The Statler Brothers, and, get this: even Elvis recorded a version. How cool is that?!

The song is called, “In The Garden.” And it was written by a pharmacist who lived from 1868 to 1946.

C. Austin Miles also was an editor and manager at a publishing company for 37 years. And according to an article I read about him, his great-granddaughter said the song was written “in a cold, dreary, and leaky basement in Pitman, New Jersey that didn’t even have a window in it let alone a view of a garden.”

That goes to show you what the true mind-clearing, soul-soothing love of God can do for your perspective. I’ll share the lyrics to the song. And if you wanna hear a beautiful rendition of it, listen to Rosemary Siemens’ video.

In The Garden

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me
Within my heart is ringing.

And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known. ~ C. Austin Miles

Jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon (regular emails with my rather poetic perspective on life and truth) AND I’ll send you some music and other good stuff.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 11, 2023 by TonyAugust 4, 2023

Here’s a tough one, even for Christians. God is not currently in charge of this world. And again, Jesus tells us that. Three times! He WILL rule this world one day. But He currently does NOT rule. And the evidence should be as clear as the daily news.

I know you literally hear, in just about every Christian circle, that you need to “trust God’s plan.” Or that you just might not understand what He’s doing because His ways are higher than ours. Sorry (not sorry) if this offends you, but that’s childish theology. And it’s time to put away childish things.

Your righteous, loving Creator does have A PLAN. But He did NOT plan the course of history.

And He will be in charge of this world again one day.

But He did not make infinite plans for the infinite potential of directions billions of lives could go each and every day. God is infinitely more brilliant than that. He’d never design men and women, in His image and likeness, only to have to plot out their every move. That would be what marketers call “make work.”

No, God did something far more amazing and glorious.

He designed us to be able to think. And work. And build things. On our own brainpower and brawn. Because He’s the ultimate, dazzling, loving father. It brings Him joy to see what you come up with. At least until you come up with ways to ignore and even remove Him from your life.

And my assertion is that when you tell unbelievers that everything in this world works according to God’s plan, you give them good reason to ignore and remove Him from their lives.

Someone else is currently in charge of this world. In fact, Jesus called him the “ruler of this world.” That certainly sounds like someone who’s in charge. Right? And that someone wants you to blame God for everything. And the world is more than willing to do just that.

Don’t be like the world.

Be like Jesus and as He designed you to be.

Everything is for a reason,
God is in control.
Everything He turns to good
For His higher goal.
So do you want to thank Him for
Destruction and despair?
Is He the author of confusion?
You see it everywhere…
No, no…a thousand times no.

(from my song, A Thousand Times No)

Jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon and I’ll send that song (and other goodies) to your inbox right away.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 10, 2023 by TonyJuly 30, 2023

Social media noise from all the girls and boys

It’s mostly just social media noise. And not actual conversation. Oh sure, I suppose if you grew up in a home where everyone yelled at each other at the same time, and called it conversation, social media seems just fine with you.

But for those who prefer meaningful dialogue, it’s just social media noise.

And I know that even the best communication can get noisy sometimes. But it shouldn’t stoop to the profanity and vulgarity you can find on most all social media platforms with even half a glance.

I talked about this same thing over 10 years ago. And the points I made are truer now than ever. I said this:

The trouble I see with online social media tools is they too often become a soapbox, a bully pulpit, a digital megaphone. And the message too often becomes argumentative, pointless, and in the long run directionless. This phenomenon doesn’t play favorites with nobody’s and has-been’s.

No, it readily affects the rich and famous, the political, the powerful, the pundits. It binds the bold and beautiful people. It needles the nerds. And it frequents the freaks.

Why?

Well, think about it. Isn’t it more fun to sit at your computer (like I am now) or smartphone or tablet and say whatever you want without having to listen to someone butt in with their rant or their rave? I mean, c’mon. Who wants to actually listen anymore. If people really wanted to listen, they might use their phones to talk with other people. Instead, they text, play games, and watch videos.

But back to the main point.

Social media noise happens because people prefer to talk. Or, in many cases, that should be rant. But either way, the sound of their own voice is much more appealing than listening to others. Of course, it’s difficult to listen to others when they regurgitate the party line. Or they insist the world is flat. Or that vaccines are for your health.

Anyway…

I’ve never preferred “media” over actual person-to-person interaction. And, by interaction, I mean where everyone involved gets to speak, listen, and learn.

I love media as much as the next person, and more than most. In fact, I use some form of media every day. But the real “social” part is mostly gone now. That part we used to call “visiting with friends.”

Yeah, I know a FaceTime call can give you some, well, face time. But it ain’t the same as breaking bread (or slicing grass fed beef these days) with someone in person. There’s just no digital substitution for that.

Well, the glow of the sun is starting to show at the horizon. So, time to get some work done before I go see how much the social media noise is cranking up today.

Your sense of humor doesn’t make a bit of sense to me
And your rebuttals; well they’ll only get you sympathy
You don’t play fair, but I don’t care
You ain’t got nothin’ over me!
You’ve got a problem with your social and emotional
You think you read me, but your literate ain’t functional
And you’re no sage so act your age
You ain’t got nothin’ over me!

(from my song Ain’t Got Nothin’ Over Me)

Jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon (regular emails with my rather poetic perspective on life and truth) AND I’ll send you some music and other good stuff.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 9, 2023 by TonyJuly 29, 2023

Largest protest sign and some friends of mine

It was fifteen years ago, next month, that some friends of mine attempted to put together and display the largest protest sign ever. The event took place in Golden, Colorado (near Denver) to send a message to the Democratic National Convention held in that city. And, according to the Guinness Book of World Records^TMthey succeeded.

According to American Right to Life, an abortion abolition organization, the sign “…weighs more than 2,700 pounds and was sewed together with more than four miles of seams connecting 2,400 sheets. And backpacked onto location and unfurled by 44 letter carriers with spotters a mile away to ensure proper letter placement.”

And the group added, for anyone concerned about environmental impact, “After three hours ARTL removed the DNC Sheets Of Shame and left the area cleaner than it had been.”

The largest protest sign, ever, was “530-foot tall and 666-foot wide.”

And the width wasn’t accidental. If you weren’t there, or you’ve never seen the sign, here’s a music video:

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Here’s the link to the video on YouTube: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1TggVhlgNk)

Many of the protesters/workers, that day, were friends of mine.

I was juggling three jobs, at the time, and was only able to make it to the mountainside (with my video camera) as they were coming back down. The higher elevation in Colorado can really tax your breathing. But everyone was walking back down with smiles on their faces, praises to God, and even some singing. Pretty cool.

At that time in history, abortion had already claimed the lives of at least 40 million Americans. And, sadly, many millions more have been murdered in the fifteen years since then. That’s despite the efforts of most pro life organizations to establish, market, and support abortion regulation. A horrible plan. With obviously horrible results.

I saw a meme that drove home this point. It had a picture, from some time in the 1850’s I think, of a slave with chains on his neck. And the text that went with the picture said that he was not a person. Next to that picture was one of an unborn baby. And the text that went with it said, “And now this isn’t a person either.”

You and I, and every other person who has ever lived on this beautiful blue planet, are human beings. People. Persons. Not “viable persons.” And not “self-sustaining persons.” Just persons. Made in God’s image and likeness.

So, even if the largest protest sign ever didn’t stop the killing, every person has equal value and a…

Right To Life

When tiny seeds take root in tiny eggs,
Then you get tiny eyes, ears, arms and legs.
Then tiny babies form inside their mother’s womb,
And then the human life begins to bloom.

I was an unborn child until the day I was born.
I lived inside my mom until the cord was torn.
Then I began to grow and grew up “big and strong”
And learned to cherish life…and so I sing this song.

Everyone has a right to life.
A gift from God before it even starts.
Everyone has a right to life.
Your right is wrong when it stops innocent hearts…
Innocent hearts deserve a right to life.

(Repeat)

When you’re born, and someone lets you live,
You only take cause you’re too small to give.
But the joy a tiny baby brings
Is way beyond all those other things.

Give yourself some room to think about
What your “right” might do…who you’re leaving out.
Put yourself right there in that baby’s place.
Either way you “choose” you’ll see a baby’s face.

Everyone has a right to life.
A gift from God before it even starts.
Everyone has a right to life.
Your right is wrong when it stops innocent hearts.

(Repeat…modulate up then repeat twice more)

Let’s defend the innocent and life.

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 8, 2023 by TonyJuly 27, 2023

Time travel is real if this direction has appeal

Time travel is real. Before I explain that assertion, I’ll say this. And I’ve said it before, and maybe I’ll say it again sometime. I’ve enjoyed a wide variety of time-travel themed movies and other shows. Because it’s fun to imagine all the what-ifs. But all the what-ifs in the universe won’t make back and forth time travel a reality.

So, how can I say that AND say time travel is real?

Because time DOES “travel.” But it only travels in one direction. Forward. And it’s more accurate to say we move forward through time. Time’s not an organic entity. Or any other kind of entity for that matter. Or anti-matter.

Time exists because God exists. I know I just triggered a lot of little gods with that. But so be it.

And because God has always existed, time has always existed. And, even if you agree with me, here’s where you might jump off this bandwagon. God does NOT exist outside of time. But that makes Him all the more awesome when you think about it.

The Creator of the universe has/had no beginning. And even though you can’t even begin to wrap your mind around that, it’s true. But you and I had a beginning. A starting point in the never-ending invisible thread known as time.

And on that note, I have some great news. For a few. Most people won’t give a rip about this next tidbit I’m gonna share. Because it requires something they’d rather not deal with. Humility. And the willingness to accept a savior.

Uh-oh, one of those religious S words.

Yeah, I know. I’m old-fashioned. Out of style. And not inclusive, tolerant, or diverse.

Blah, blah, blah.

But, here’s the thing. The main reason most people don’t want any part of God is, they don’t wanna take personal responsibility for their life. I hope that’s not you. But if it it, I hope you decide, sooner rather than later, that you don’t want your time to be forever filled up with empty space. Think about it.

So, time travel is real, when you acknowledge it only goes in one direction. But when you believe time is fluid or flexible or relative, it’s easy to come up with all sorts of fairy tales. And even though I get a kick out of reading fiction and watching science fiction, I don’t buy into the childish ideas of traveling back in time to undo past wrongs.

And I don’t buy into the idea of traveling forward in time to warn future people of what’s coming. Because all of that silliness is just an attempt to be the bottom-line arbiter of right and wrong. And you and I didn’t create the universe. So, you and I don’t get to be the ultimate authority over the laws that govern it. Personally, I don’t see that as a problem. Because I’m willing to admit there IS a God, I’m not Him, and He IS authority over all creation.

And I’m content in that knowledge. And that contentment gives me the peace to share words of whimsy like this:

Way Over There

Way over there is a pool of blue sky
Where the mountains drink and the bluejays fly.
There’s an echo, too, and it says that I…
Can be way over there with the wink of an eye.

So I wink and think about way over there,
And I feel myself flying through the air.
And I ride the wind, and it feels so cool.
And I land right next to the blue sky pool.

I dip my hand in, and I splash my face.
I love the feel of this beautiful place.
Then I look back where I flew through the air
And see myself wave from way over there.

Get lots more of my words of whimsy (and free delivery) on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Tony-Funderburk/author/B008R08LUG

Stay tuned,

Posted on July 6, 2023 by TonyJuly 26, 2023

Castles in the air and who can take you there

Update: The CD version of Do Right is currently unavailable. But you can still get the digital download at this link:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=ZX3MBTG37Q9WA

Do you know a kid with a vivid imagination? That’s kind of a loaded question. Because basically ALL kids have a vivid imagination. I know I sure did when I was a kid. Yeah, my world of make believe had the traditional stuff. You know, castles in the air, bicycle is actually a horse, tree house is a rocket ship stuff.

Of course, that doesn’t make me unique at all. I’m sure just about every kid conjures up worlds of wonder. And a healthy imagination is an indication of a healthy brain.

So, it’s great to see your castles in the air.

But it’s also great (and necessary) to build a foundation under them. Because you don’t want your “impossible dreams” to turn you into another Don Quixote. Even though, these days, people might not find it so crazy if you’re out in a field battling a windmill. Crazier things have happened.

But as an adult, flying ponies start to fade away. And tree houses are replaced with house payments. And it’s actually a good idea to “put away childish things” when you grow up. That’s in the Bible. So, that means it’s true AND right. Because it’s important to know how to deal with reality in this world.

But that doesn’t mean you have to toss your imagination out the window. Far from it. It’s just a bad idea to surround yourself with make-believe. Which is easier than ever to do, now, with the internet and AI. And that makes it more important than ever to get out and enjoy the great, big, beautiful, outdoors.

This incredible blue planet we call home (for now) has everything your body needs to survive and thrive. And that’s absolutely not by accident.

God created everything in the universe.

And He created human beings with feelings and intellect. And most importantly, awareness and the potential for eternal life. And, from what I’ve gleaned from the Bible, it seems to give Him great pleasure to watch us explore the wonders of the world. I think He loves to see us use the resources He gave us to build stuff and grow food and advance our knowledge of His design. But it also grieves Him to see us destroy and pervert His creation.

Back in 1996 I composed, produced, and recorded a collection of songs and put them on a CD titled: Do Right. Those songs talk about how this world didn’t happen by chance. And they admonish others to be bold and take a stand for God’s Way.

They also show how it’s foolish to turn your back on the only One who gives any meaning to your life. Because, in a way, He’s already built those castles in the air that you and I imagined when we were kids.

So, Do Right and risk the consequences because Heaven is real. And so is hell.

Now, whatever you do with all your might,
Do Right.

Click or tap on any of the links to get your own Do Right CD. Yes, CD. There aren’t many of these original, unopened ones left. But “warning, warning!” If you prefer the sugar-coated songs you can find in just about any church these days, DON’T click any of these links. This music isn’t for you.

But if you’re looking for meatier music, and you’re OK with a 90’s sound, get one delivered to your doorstep soon. And from one of the most trusted e-commerce sites on the planet. Ebay.

Now, whatever you do with all of your might,
Do Right.

Stay tuned,