Tag Archives: songs for kids

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

The pony expressed, in the rhyme I’m gonna share today, is a figment of my imagination. And just the title will make that completely obvious.

Because real ponies (and horses) do real stuff. And a lot of that stuff is very tough. And, just as a reference for what real ponies and horses can do, read about these four.

Yeah, you’ll never find a lemon star gumdrop or a watermelon mountain in the real world. And you’ll never be able to slumber on a moonbeam. C’mon, get real. I mean, what person in their right mind would ever want to fall asleep in swirls of chocolate and pure vanilla ice cream?

The person who rides the pony expressed in this rhyme…

The Peppermint Pony

I cast my gaze into the bright sky
That slowly fades into the night sky.
Stars like sparkling candy twinkle in my mind’s eye.

My pony’s red with a white stripe.
We’re riding down through a snow pipe.
Snowflakes flicker around me; the weather is just my type.

On the Peppermint Pony…
I can ride beyond the daylight into the twilight.
On the Peppermint Pony…
I can dream about the sweet flight into the safe night…
On the Peppermint Pony.

A lemon star is like a gumdrop.
We take a bite and do a flip-flop.
We find a watermelon mountain and land right on the tiptop

And then the world becomes a sweet dream,
And we can slumber on a moonbeam.
We fall asleep in swirls of chocolate and pure vanilla ice cream.

On the Peppermint Pony…
I can ride beyond the daylight into the twilight.
On the Peppermint Pony…
I can dream about the sweet flight into the safe night…
On the Peppermint Pony.  © 2008 TF

That’s a song you’ll find in the Lullabye Bye collection.

But I recommend you don’t buy that collection. Because it’s for kids. And you might get embarrassed when you find yourself enjoying it too. OK, you’ve been warned.

Now here’s the link:

(https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundersongs)

Get Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, my ongoing Devotional that’s Logical AND Emotional. Because then the flashes of light I share on my website come right to your inbox. So you can spend your valuable time reading and listening instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to books and music, right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies.

Daily Devotional

Stay tuned,

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

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OK, you’ll enjoy this story much more if you use your best Irish or Scottish accent as you read. Even if you read it to yourself and you don’t read it out loud. You’re already doin’ it. Aren’t ya? Yeah, the way that power of suggestion works is a mystical phenomenon.

And speakin’ of a mystical phenomenon.

Have you ever heard of the Blue Celtic Cloud?

Some say it’s not just a vapor. Not just part of the sky. And some will swear the Blue Celtic Cloud is even more than just a mystical phenomenon. They’ll swear it’s a living, shimmering “entity” that floats above the verdant highlands and rugged coastlines of Eire.

In fact, I heard a story about it. And I’ll share the story with you now. Word for word.

(by the way, your accent is delightful)

Anyway…

Rhiannon, a young druidess, was the guardian of the aforementioned Blue Celtic Cloud. She had inherited this sacred duty from her grandmother, Maeve. And Maeve had whispered tales of the cloud’s power into Rhiannon’s ears ever since she was a child.

Maeve told her the Blue Celtic Cloud was no ordinary puff of vapor. Not at all. Because it contained the dreams and hopes of the Celtic people. And it could transform those dreams and hopes into healing rain to nourish the earth and all who with open hearts to music.

And one crisp morning, during the last few days of Spring, as a mist kissed the heather-covered hills, Rhiannon felt a drop of water on her forehead. The Blue Celtic Cloud was swirling with a luminous energy. Even as the rest of the world was quiet and still.

Emerald greens, rich purples, and sunlit golds shined from within.

So, Rhiannon chanted ancient incantations she learned from her grandmother. And the Blue Celtic Cloud descended and surrounded her in a soft, glowing mist.

A gentle rain began to fall. But the strange thing about it was that Rhiannon didn’t get wet. Because the rain fell directly into her heart. Or at least it felt that way. And she could also feel the dreams and hopes of the Celtic people as beautiful music also found its way to her heart. And, without even realizing it, the song made her smile.

It sure was a whimsical, wonderful mystical phenomenon. But sadly, Rhiannon had no one to share the song with. So, she sang it to the Blue Celtic Cloud. And she asked the Cloud to send it to someone, someday, some way, who could and would pass it on to others.

And the Blue Celtic Cloud promised to do just as she asked.

Finally, hundreds of years later, the Cloud found an unsuspecting, but willing, songwriter to write down the words and compose the song.

And that’s how the ninth song on my Lullabye Bye collection of lullaby songs for kids came about. Cross my heart and hope to fly.

Listen to a sample of “Blue Celtic Cloud,” as well as all the other songs in the Lullabye Bye collection here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV4pKjLJWgg)

And it shouldn’t take a mystical phenomenon for you to jump on over to the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop to get your special kids their very own Lullabye Bye coloring, drawing songbook. And did I mention, there’s a link, in the book, to download all the songs?

Well, there is. So, download your Lullabye Bye book in the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop right now.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I remember learning the Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep prayer way before I “went to school.” Naturally, I didn’t get the full meaning of it, at the time. Because I was a little kid. I just loved the sound of the rhyme.

“Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep.”

Did you ever learn that one? And when I say “one,” I gotta add that I didn’t realize there were several versions of that little poem. Here’s the famous version I learned.

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.

After I got older I started to think of that one as a little bit morbid. Or pessimistic. So, when I found this next version, I immediately liked it more.

Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep;
Angels watch me through the night,
And wake me with the morning light.

Not that dying in my sleep, and going to be with the Lord in Heaven is morbid or pessimistic. Quite the opposite. But that first version still seems pessimistic to teach to a little kid who’s just getting started in life. You can see that, right?

And this third, longer version, takes it a step further.

Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
Bless the bed that I lie on.
Four corners to my bed,
Four angels round my head;
One to watch and one to pray
And two to bear my soul away.

No, I’m gonna go with the second version. Because it’s filled with hope for a new day. But I guess I’m just a hopeful romantic. Or, in this case, hopeful optimist. Of course, I’ve read the ending to the bestselling book of all time. So, I know there’s massive logic to feeling optimistic. And it’s nice to lie down to sleep that way.

But, believe it or not, some kids don’t wanna lie down to sleep.

Gasp! Can that be true?! Yes. And I hear tell that some of them fight nap time with all their might. I know older people think, “Fight nap time? Why?!” But put yourself in a kid’s place. They’ve got a whole world of brand new things to learn. And sleep just robs them of time to do that.

I wrote a song about a kid who doesn’t wanna lay down to sleep. And when you read or hear the three verses, you can almost see a little kid who’s fighting sleep with all he’s got. He thinks he has good reasons, too. And you almost can’t argue with his logic. But he’s also losing the battle of mind over nap time.

That’s why the chorus says:

Now I lay…lay me down,
Blink and wink, my dreams come and take me.
Now I lay…lay me down,
If I’m gone too long, come and wake me.

So, I referenced two famous bedtime poems in the chorus.

I’m sure you could easily see the connection to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. But did you notice the “nod” to another famous one, when I said “blink and wink?”

Anyway…

Listen to a sample of “Now I Lay Me Down,” as well as all the other songs in the Lullabye Bye collection here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV4pKjLJWgg)

Then, after you have a nice nap, jump on over to the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop to get your special kids their very own Lullabye Bye coloring, drawing songbook. By the way, you’ll find a link, in the book, to download all the songs. AND they’re included in the cost of the book. That’s called Fuh-Ree.

Download your copy of the Lullabye Bye book in the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop right now.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

If you’ve ever seen the movie “Forrest Gump” you might remember seeing a feather dance around him and his surroundings at the bus stop. Of course, I’m sure you’re all savvy enough to know that little feather didn’t make all those moves all on its own. Right?

I read an interesting description for how they made that feather dance.

According to the transcription for a video, it went something like this:

“You could use a man in a green suit to puppeteer the feather. But Mister Green can’t fly. And so the feather  sequence was done by first filming the entire shot without the feather. And then filming a  feather on a wire in front of a blue screen and then superimposing and animating its position on top of the footage. However, aside from it needing to make reflections on a car, or on a wet pavement, the feather still needed to transition from superimposed to real. And this is where vFX came in handy. On the original plate they lent a real feather against Tom Hanks’ shoe which was then digitally painted out. Then, by using a cg feather, they were able to  make the transition from blue screen feather to cg feather and then finally animate it to fall and be crossfaded into the real feather.

If you haven’t seen the movie and don’t know what I’m talking about, check it out. And you’ll get a visual feel for an instrumental song included in the Lullabye Bye collection. I didn’t have that scene in mind when I put the music together. But after I read that description of how they did it, it fit kinda nicely.

Feather Dance is one of four and a half instrumental lullaby songs.

And it has soft, plucky sounds dancing around to the rhythm of somewhat subdued percussion. So, it’s just right for little ears to take in as little eyelids get a little heavy.

Oh, and if you wondered why I said four and half instrumentals, you should get yourself a copy of the Lullabye Bye coloring, drawing songbook. Because hidden somewhere in the book is a link to download all the songs. And they’re included in the cost of the book. So that makes ’em Fa-Ree.

You can download your copy of the book in the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop.

Or you can hold off till you get to know me better. And you can do that a lot faster when you jump on the The TRUTH. Join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Low self-esteem. Negative body image. Even suicide. This world is chock full o’ nuts. Oh wait. That’s coffee. Must’ve gotten distracted by the aroma emanating from the cup on my desk. Seriously, there are countless numbers of people dealing with doubt about themselves. It’s important to be humble and all. But there’s an awesome way to overcome the problem.

If you’re dealing with doubt, you’re probably looking the wrong direction.

And you’re probably all focused on, uh, YOU. But to coin those lyrics in a Kim Carnes song again, “That’s where the trouble lies.” Because it’s easy to live in doubt and fear when life is all about YOU.

So, here’s the best advice for anytime you’re dealing with doubt.

Remember, you originated in the mind of God.

Yeah! AND, you even look like Him. Well, not exactly, of course. But you (and I) were created in the “image and likeness” of Jesus. And He made a huge sacrifice for us when He took on human flesh. Because He took it on forever.

In all of eternity past, He was spirit only.

But, now, He has a face you can recognize. Because it’s like yours. Two ears and eyes. A mouth and nose. Hair, teeth, lips, and so on. And He is not like false gods who can’t empathize with your pain. Jesus knows your pain. Even better than you know it yourself.

So, look up.

And, at the risk of sounding simplistic, the next time you’re dealing with doubt, Don’t fear. Instead, focus on your Creator and what He says about you. And speaking of “Don’t” here’s more you don’t do. The link you see at the end of the video has been replaced. You should click or tap this one: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/fundersongs  And scroll down till you see the Kiddin’ Around songs.

© 2008

You can also get a paperback version of the Kiddin’ Around book on Amazon. It’s a coloring book, songbook (with lyrics), and there’s a secret download link to all the songs. Click or tap this link:

(https://www.amazon.com/Kiddin-Around-Tony-Funderburk/dp/B08BV18T5J/)

Stay tuned,

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