Category Archives: current events

Tony Funderburk Posted on by

I read a short article about human suffering. And it reminded me of some old commercials for the headache product you’ve probably heard of. Bufferin. I remember old commercials from back in the days of black and white TV. Yeah, we humans sure want the pain to be gone. Even ALL the pain of the world.

C.S. Lewis is quoted as saying this: “The problem of reconciling human suffering with the existence of a God who loves, is only insoluble so long as we attach a trivial meaning to the word love, and look on things as if man were the centre of them. Man is not the centre. God does not exist for the sake of man. Man does not exist for his own sake. Thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We were made not primarily that we may love God (though we were made for that too) but that God may love us, that we may become objects in which the divine love may rest well pleased.”

I wouldn’t have explained human suffering that way.

But ol’ C.S. certainly had a way with words. And it’s easy to see where his heart was. Which is quite a big deal since he started out a as an atheist. But he also discovered that a good combination of love and logic eradicated all doubt in the evidence for the Creator.

But love from God doesn’t entice most people. And logic, for just about everyone, went out the door a long time ago.

It’s annoying how people who hate Christianity (and Christians) try to use its doctrine instead of their own to try and ridicule or debunk it. But they know their own worldview of complete, blanketed tolerance doesn’t actually work. And one of the biggest reasons is that it means, to be true to their tolerance mantra, they should also tolerate whatever a Christian says or does as simply “doing what he feels is right.”

But they don’t, of course.

If they could just leave it at that, at least they’d be living true to their so-called love for tolerance and diversity. But they’re not interested in merely co-existing. They want wipe out any or evidence or even a notion of a living, loving Creator God. And their goal is NOT to coexist.

It’s to make sure Christians don’t exist.

So, that’s why Christians should stand more boldly and proudly than ever. Be like C.S. Lewis in your own circle of influence. Do your best to expose and invalidate the thoughtless, careless, and loveless doctrines of humanism and self-worship. Both love and pain will be involved. It’ll probably require a little human suffering. So, are you with me?

There will be trials…and tribulation,
In every life…in every nation.
You could give up…but bow your head
And thank your loving Lord instead.

© Tony Funderburk 2010

If you enjoy what I share, join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you daily flashes of light to help you focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

For three years I led the praise and worship music in a church in the Denver, Colorado metro area. And the services were held, every Sunday, in the gym of a Christian school. Elgielene and I got to know the owners of the school pretty well. They were a former pastor and his wife and their grown children. And I remember many enjoyable conversations with the former pastor as well as a few with the rest of the family.

One of those conversations was a comparison I made about their Christian school.

And I guess you could say it wasn’t a “nice” comparison. Because I pointed out how the secular high school I attended was FAR more conservative than their Christian school. Oops. That didn’t go over well.

But it was observably true.

So, I proceeded to make the case for why I’d dare say such a thing. And there was no shortage of evidence. For example, my high school required:

  • Boys’ haircuts to keep the hair above the ears, collar, and eyebrows
  • Girls to wear dresses, with the only exception being extreme cold weather
  • Girls’ dresses to be no more than a certain amount above the knees
  • Boys’ shirts to be tucked in, with the only exception being a “shirt-jac” style
  • A belt to be worn with any pants that had belt loops
  • NO attire with any images or words deemed obscene or similarly inappropriate
  • NO excess noise in halls during class transitions
  • Shoes AND socks to be worn. NO sandals
  • Corporal punishment (paddling with significantly large paddle) for some offenses

And that’s not all the rules. But certainly enough that you get the point.

My secular high school included prayer before assemblies and sports events.

And there was a moment for silent prayer at the beginning of every school day during morning announcements. Students, who were found guilty of certain offenses, were often assigned “lunchroom duty.” That included cleanup of the trays, trash, and spills that might occur.

But it wasn’t all about rules, regulations, and rowdiness.

For example, our choir often sang (get ready for a shocker) “religious” songs. I was a member of the choir for the last three years of high school. And I don’t even remember how many Christian themed pieces of music we performed. Matter of fact, I received my first ONE, as a soloist, for singing a song called “The Lord Is My Light.”

And check out the lyrics to this song our boys’ choir performed. As you read the words, try to hear most of the Amens being sung by the baritones and basses. And imagine the lyrics in parentheses being sung by the tenors. I was one of the parentheses singers:

Amen

Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(Sing it over) Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen
(See the baby) amen, (wrapped in a manger) amen,
(on Christmas morning) amen, amen, amen.
(See Him in the temple) amen, (talkin’ with the elders) amen,
(who marveled at His wisdom) amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(See Him at the Jordan) amen, (where John was baptizin’) amen,
and savin’ all sinners) amen, amen, amen.
(See Him at the seaside) amen, (talkin’ to the fishermen) amen,
(and makin’ them disciples) amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(Marchin in Jerusalem) amen, (over palm branches) amen,
(in pomp and splendor) amen, amen, amen.
(See Him in the garden) amen, (prayin’ to His Father) amen,
(in deepest sorrow) amen, amen, amen.
Amen, amen Amen, amen, amen.
(Led before Pilate) amen, (then they crucified Him) amen,
(but He rose on Easter), amen, amen, amen.
(Hallelujah) amen, (He died to save us) amen,
(and He lives forever) amen, amen, amen.

During one of the school spring presentations, our choir also sang what was known as a “negro spiritual.” It went a little something like this:

Soon-a will be done-a with the troubles of the world,
Troubles of the world,
The troubles of the world.
Soon-a will be done-a with the troubles of the world.
Goin’ home to live with God.

Yes, I promise, I did NOT attend a Christian school.

But it was heavily influenced by Christian principles and standards.

And I believe those of us who attended, during that time, were much the better for it. It was FAR from perfect, just as any human establishment or organization. But it’s painfully obvious what happens when establishments, organizations, and people stray as far as they have from those principles and standards.

And I hope you understand that government will not return us to something better. People, who willingly soak up government indoctrination (public schools) instead of God’s word, will be easily led astray. To the point where a Christian school or even a church will raise the sinful rainbow flag.

That’s why, almost 29 years ago, I wrote:

Do you see the pattern form
How the wrong becomes the norm?
Say Yeah! 

If you enjoy what I share, join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you daily flashes of light to help you focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Elias was a carpenter, a building contractor, and a farmer. He moved his family to Kansas City, Missouri way back in the early 1900’s, and gave up the farming part. In Kansas City he bought a paper route and got his sons to help him deliver the papers. And they got to learn to deal with the discomfort and pain that went with that work.

But discomfort and pain can either make you or break you.

In the case of his fourth son, Elias, I think you’ll see it helped make him remarkable.

In 1917, the elder Elias moved his family to Chicago. And the junior Elias took photographs and worked on his drawing skills for the school paper. He hoped to become a newspaper cartoonist. But World War I interrupted his progress, and he served as an ambulance driver.

When he got back to the states, he moved back to Kansas City and went through a series of trials and errors. And I won’t go into detail because you probably already know a lot of them. But his ability to get through them probably came from working with his dad on that paper route.

Oh wait, I forgot to mention one minor detail. Elias was actually his middle name. His first name was Walt. And you’re probably way ahead of me as I tell you his last name was Disney.

But do you know that, because of his production work, he still holds the record for the most Academy Awards? Yeah, for the most nominations. 59. And for the most wins held by a single individual. 22

I remember my whole family gathered around the TV, back in the 60’s, to watch “Walt Disney’s Wonderful World of Color.” There was usually a special Sunday evening movie the whole family could watch together. Imagine that. And there was never a show that included any bathroom humor or sexual innuendo.

No wonder it was so unsuccessful. NOT!

Anyway, I just thought I’d share those little tidbits of into with you to encourage you to work through whatever discomfort and pain you’re dealing with, today. And Elias, I mean Walt, was the motivation because he was born on this day, December 5th, 123 years ago, back in 1901.

Time flies when you don’t Micky Mouse around and waste it.

My guess is that Walt would not be pleased or proud of where the Disney empire has gone since then. But I’ll leave that for another time.

CrackerJack and Disneyland,
Scorin’ crack and lyrics banned,
Gets better everyday. Just cast those sins away.
Right and wrong? Who thought of that?
Some guys who thought the world was flat?
Now we’ve learned to see. “No one’s the boss of me.”
(lyrics from my song, “Worldview”)

As long as you’re here, joint the wonderful world and growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Truth sets you free. It just does. It can also get you in a world of hurt. And even tossed into prison. Yes, even in this day and age. And even right here in the good ol’ U S of A.

But it’s still awesome how the truth sets you free.

Because it can free up your mind. Yeah, truth is SO much easier than remembering a bunch of lies. Especially if you don’t remember which one you told who which person. Yikes, that was a tangled, woven, worldwide web long before the digital world wide web.

Anyway…

The reason I brought up this truth revelation is because of how lying has gone on this year, here in America, during the so-called “election season.” From. Every. Single. Main. Candidate.

I encourage you to focus instead, during this Christmas “season,” on THE Truth that sets you free. The One who is the reason for the season. And the One who is the reason you even exist. I hope you already do. And if not, I hope you will. As for me? Well, I wrote a song where I simply said…

I Have To Believe

I can hear my heart, but I just can’t feel my life.
I can feel You cut, but I just can’t see the knife.
You slip Yourself inside of me
To show me what I’m meant to be;
Unlock me with Your golden key;
Protect me from the wizardry
Of this world far below.

I can feel Your love; though I never see Your face,
And whenever I’m alone, You still fill the empty space.
I never have to reach for You.
You always seem to pull me through.
You do the things that I can’t do;
Not even if I wanted to…not even if I tried.

And I have to believe…You did everything for me.
‘Cause what I have to believe
Is the truth that sets me free (repeat)

You must know my dreams
Because you’re making them all come true.
I know that You’re the One
Because no one could but You.
Your steady hand is always near.
With perfect love You conquer fear.
You brush away the dark veneer,
And suddenly it’s all so clear which way I should go.

© 1989

Join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

It’s a milestone birthday. And it’s big enough that no one would ever accuse me of being young again. Not that they have for a long time. But it’s a certainty now.

But even an “old” milestone birthday is a huge blessing.

I read a short blurb about this one. The “writer” said:

“Marking the milestone of the ** birthday is a profound acknowledgment of a life well-lived, showcasing the profound legacy crafted over the decades. And to honor this significant moment, employ sturdy, flame-resistant candle holders to illuminate ** birthday candles. Because it’s a powerful symbol of the celebrant’s enduring spirit and unwavering resilience. AND incorporate entertaining games into the festivities. Because they can infuse an extra layer of joy and merriment. And that can foster a lively and celebratory ambiance that resonates with guests of all ages. Plus, you’ll ensure a memorable, enjoyable experience that youngsters and adults will love.”

Notice I put quotation marks around “writer.” Because that little blurb sounds like something concocted by an A.I. prompt. I mean, c’mon. Who talks like about a milestone birthday? Or about anything else for that matter.

Anyway…

I won’t go so far as to say my life has been “well lived.” Or that I’ve built a “profound legacy…over the decades.” But I WILL say it IS a significant moment in time for me. Because there were times, during the last 7 years I wasn’t so sure I’d see this birthday.

Thankfully I’m still here to be light bearer.

And in an increasingly darker world, the light can shine brighter and brighter. Also, I’m grateful and thankful for your prayers and continued connection through the years. I pray for your health and happiness and endurance and strength.

I know the morning sun will shine,
And so, I’ll draw another line.
I’ll keep a box of all my most important things
Inside my heart where they can be
A constant song of joy to me.
I love the sound of optimism when it sings. (from my song “I Can Do”)

© 2020

And here’s something you can (and should) do. It’ll be a no-cost gift you give me (and you) for my milestone birthday.

Join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

As I write this, it’s officially the first day of December. The first day of the last month. And I gotta say, so far so good. I hope it’s off on a high step for you. If you’re not sure yet, I have some words that might help.

I saw this quote, by Dr. Seuss, about the first day of December.

And being a similar sort of poet I immediately liked it. Maybe you’re familiar with it. He said, “How did it get so late so soon? It’s night before it’s afternoon. December is here before it’s June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” Sure, he took poetic license with the word, flewn. But we poets are allowed. Don’t try it, alone, if you’re a newbie.

So, this being the first day of December, 2024, I thought it would be fun to share some other quotes about it. And I found some very interesting one. But I’ll only share upbeat, cheery, optimistic, positive ones. Because there’s enough darkness in the world. No need to add to that with talk of gloomy winter angst. So, here ya go…

“God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December.” ~James M. Barrie

“December has the clarity, the simplicity, and the silence you need for the best fresh start of your life.” ~Vivian Swift

“You have again made your way in, cold and beautiful. You are December, and I love you.” ~Thomas R. Parsons

“Of all the months of the year there is not a month one half so welcome to the young, or so full of happy associations, as the last month of the year.” ~Charles Dickens

“I’ve come to sing you a song called December.” ~Ryan Murphy

“Will you love me in December as you do in May, Will you love me in the good old fashioned way? When my hair has all turned gray, Will you kiss me then and say, That you love me in December as you do in May?” ~James Walker

Here’s one last rhyming quote from Professor Fundy:

So, I hope this December finds you happy
And as healthy as you’ve earned the right to be.
I hope it helps you start your new year snappy
Fueled by blessings that you can and cannot see.

OK, let’s you and I go fire up those warm, December embers and add some special flickering flashes of light to this world. Whaddaya say? Are you up for it?

And just in case you haven’t already, join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Business owners can’t be coasters. At least not if you wanna have any kind of shot at success. Because the only way to coast is downhill. And, last time I checked, that was the opposite direction of success.

Business owners who prefer to go the success route have to:

  • rent an office or design a own home office
  • buy the office supplies
  • get the phone line(s)
  • establish internet service
  • upgrade gear (computers, software, phone, printer, etc.)
  • pay the bills

And they also need (and want) to:

  • work on ideas
  • brainstorm
  • learn new software
  • design business promo materials
  • build a website (or have one built) for SEO, e-commerce, etc.

Wow! That’s a lotta stuff. And if describes you, I applaud you.

Because coasters don’t do that stuff.

They don’t brainstorm an idea and work hard to build it into a business. And they don’t work hard to build that business into something that’ll pay their bills. Plus, they don’t care about how even business owners who can work from home put in WAY more hours than job workers.

Yeah, they don’t care that business owners have to deal with knowing you can “build it and they still won’t come.”

There are only two kinds of good coasters.

  1. THE Coasters who told you to “take out the papers and the trash, or you don’t get no spendin’ cash.”  Matter of fact, the lyrics to Yakety Yak are filled with work orders. Check ’em out:
    If you don’t scrub that kitchen floor
    You ain’t gonna rock and roll no more
    Yakety yak (Don’t talk back)Just finish cleanin’ up your room
    Let’s see that dust fly with that broom
    Get all that garbage out of sight
    Or you don’t go out Friday night
    Yakety yak (Don’t talk back)You just put on your coat and hat
    And walk yourself to the laundromat
    And when you finish doin’ that
    Bring in the dog and put out the cat
    Yakety yak (Don’t talk back)

    Don’t you give me no dirty looks
    Your father’s hip; he knows what cooks
    Just tell your hoodlum friend outside
    You ain’t got time to take a ride
    Yakety yak (Don’t talk back)

  2. And those little knickknacks that go under your drink on the coffee or end tables.

When you get right down to it, those thingys under your drink DO something. Sure, they’re obviously motionless. But they’re doing the work they were designed to do. Man, there’s that work word again.

And here are the kinds of things life’s coasters do.

They play video games in mom and/or dad’s basement. Into their 30’s and 40’s. They illegally sneak across borders of countries at all hours of the day and latch onto government “benefits” that the government stole from you to give to them. And many of them beg on street corners and live in tarp-topped communities along what used to be lovely river walks and neighborhoods.

And they buy chemical-filled foods and gulp them down till they have to waddle, at a snail’s pace, to get anywhere. Plus, they jump on every social media channel and cry, scream, and whine about how “rich people need to pay their fair share.”

Oh, if only there was some way to know what to do about them.

Wait a sec.

I believe I DO know the Way.

But I think I’ll save that for the next time.

In the meantime, join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional, if you haven’t already. And I’ll send you good stuff so you can focus on faith, hope, and love with me.

Stay tuned…

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