Category Archives: Rhyme and Reason

Enjoy & understand the rhyme and reason for your life with author, voice expert, and multimedia guy, Tony Funderburk.

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Pride and self-promotion can lead to the  pursuit of likes, followers, or other forms of validation. And even Christians can start  to prioritize self-glorification over humility, the opposite of biblical teachings on servanthood and modesty.

So, avoid all social media and you’ll avoid pride and self promotion.

There’s your solution. I done did all the research for ya. No need to thank me. But you’re welcome.

Of course, you might be thinking,” Wait a minute. I have a solo business to run. And I don’t have a budget to hire an advertising agency or publicist or some other kind of company to promote my business. So I have to self promote.”

Yeah, you might be thinking that. And you might also think social media is a great tool to do that. And that’s correct.

But you wanna avoid pride and self-promotion problems. Right?

So, here’s what you do. Self promote as much as you need, want, or desire. Put your name and your information, products, and services out there for everyone to see. Use whatever social media tools you have at your disposal. And just don’t make it all about YOU. Don’t brag about YOU. Because that’s how pride sneaks in. And there’s no need for it.

Besides that, as the old marketing saying goes: “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” And if they get the impression that you care about YOU more than helping them, you’re dead in the water.

That being said, yourself promotion should still show that you’re confident you can do what needs to be done. And here’s what I recommend to help you keep a check on your pride versus your self promotion.

Read what the Bible says about pride.

And it has a lot to say about it. And it ain’t good. Especially in the Proverbs.

Then, once you get your head on right about it, you can securely sing, along with the words to this song:

I Can Do

Outside the lines the grass is greener.
But that will not change my demeanor.
Because my life runs like a river.
I’ll take what all my days deliver.

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.

I can do…what I need to. I know it’s so, so I can do!

Inside the lines the route is shorter.
Outside the box there’s no recorder.
Some days your view is from the summit.
Some nights your dreams might let you plummet.

But 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.    © 2020

Hey, you can dive into lots of my other songs, AND all kinds of books, when you click or tap this link:

(https://www.amazon.com/stores/author/B008R08LUG/allbooks)

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Tony Funderburk Posted on by

Proverbs 14:30 says it like this: “A sound heart is life to the body, But envy is rottenness (aka: a sin) to the bones.”

Yikes! Rottenness to the bones. Yeah, envy is a sin alright.

But even though they know that’s true, a lot of Christians have a lot of envy in their lives. And you see it all over social media. That’s where too many Christians compare their lives, ministries, or spiritual journeys to others. And that fosters envy or feelings of inadequacy. They see curated and idealized posts and feel like they don’t measure up.

And even though social media is only a faint shadow of real life, too many people put WAY too much emphasis and value on what is shared on those platforms. Especially when it comes to political issues. Take taxes, for example.

Just think how much more efficient and effective our country would be if taxes were used to keep the utilities infrastructure safe from pollutants and poisons. And if our tax dollars were used to keep bridges safe…and roads safe and smooth, and night lights shining, and a military with state-of-the-art equipment to defend us against all aggression. Personally I’d be OK if my taxes were for that. And it could all be done for approximately 5% of each person’s earnings. Amazing huh? But…

•A government who takes my money and gives it to corporate idiots who’ve run their businesses into the ground? No.

•A government who takes my money and gives it to bankers and insurance company owners who’ve squandered their assets? No.

•A government who takes my money and gives it to people who won’t work, or others who spend it on abortions, or others who spend it on athletic shoes, or flat screen TV’s, or satellite radio and mp3 players for their cars…No, No, No, and No.

Those things cause envy, bitterness, and resentment. And you can see it literally all over the world right now. So, that’s why I wrote…

God Over Government

Rights don’t come from government.
They only come from God.
Man’s words might acknowledge this,
But they can be outlawed.
No one here is sovereign.
And no one here is good.
And nations will disintegrate
Until that’s understood.
Truth will not prevail upon
The ones who choose to hate
The One who is the Truth, the Life,
The Way, and narrow Gate.
“Freedom isn’t free,” they say.
And you won’t disagree,
When you find out just what it took
To bring you liberty.
The man-made “constitution,”
Amended to add rights,
Barely reflects the message
From the one Father of lights.
He said perfect life awaits
For “who believes in Me.”
So, choose God over government.
His Truth shall make you free.

photo by: @CertainHope Words © 2023 TF

Get my 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.

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You never heard of the old TV show, To Tell The Truth, so you probably won’t be able to relate to what I’m gonna share with you right now. It’s about an episode we watched, here in the FunderBungalow, yesterday evening. One of the three contestants was asked why fingerprints are different and she answered, “Well, because God made them that way.” Elgielene and I cheered and clapped for her. And even cooler than that was that the other two contestants agreed with her.

The celebrity panel seemed surprised at the “because God made them that way” answer.

But, of course, that is absolutely the correct answer. We sure loved hearing it on TV. Every person on the planet has their own unique fingerprints. Because God made them that way. A few years ago, I went into more detail, with a very scientific explanation, about why any of this is important.

No, wait. I mean a very unscientific and poetic explanation for why you have…

Your Unique Properties

OK, look at your fingers, and what do you see?
Look at them now, and don’t point them at me.
On each of your fingers you have fingertips.
Maybe your mom touched hers to your lips.

Your fingertips make their very own prints
Like no one’s before and no one else since.
It’s true of the billions of people on earth.
It means you have value. It means you have worth.

And something inside you too tiny to see
Says you will be you and never be me.
It was God who designed it and made it that way.
He gave you a code, and it’s called DNA.

It controls if your eyes will be brown, green, or blue.
It makes you a human, not an odd kangaroo.
And under a microscope what do we find?
That your DNA makes you into one-of-a-kind.

OK, never forget to remember this news
There will never be three or even two you’s.
And even the voice you use when you speak
Will show the whole world you’re truly unique.

Get my 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.

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Human beings have probably thought about or wondered whether there is life beyond the sky and beyond the stars. I’m not an astronomer, and I don’t play one on YouTube. But I’m convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that the answer to those questions and dreams is yes…

There is DEFINITELY life beyond the sky.

In fact, infinite life is up there somewhere beyond or behind the whole universe. It’s as close to you as your next breath. Or maybe I should say your last breath. And that’s actually the best news you’re ever gonna hear. Because infinite life is found only in your Creator… no matter who you are or who you claim to be. And he offers it as a free gift to anyone who is willing to admit God DOES exist, no created being is God, and He came to earth to become a man and pay the price of admission into eternity. That price was His earthly life. It cost Him dearly and eternally.

For the most part, I realize I’m “singing to the choir,” as they say. But I share this message, in one form or another, over and over because you never know when some world-weary straggler might stumble on something I’ve said that clicked for them. Plus, there are lots of different ways to say what needs to be said.

And people need hope. And knowing there is eternal life beyond the sky is a very hope-filled message. No, it’s not a fairytale. It’s backed by archaeological evidence, manuscript evidence, the science of statistical probabilities, and fulfilled prophetic evidence.

If what I believe turns out to be a lie (and I know it won’t), then I was one of the biggest fools who ever lived. But when it turns out to be the Truth, everyone who did not trust in Jesus, will be the biggest fools who ever lived.

So, I recommend

In Your Dreams

I don’t know if you can see me in your dreams,
But I’ll be here
In case you need a helping hand to pick you up
Or calm your fear.

I don’t know if you can hear me in your dreams
But I’ll be there
To sing a tune and hold your hand or pat your back
And stroke your hair

In your dreams you fly up high
Beyond the clouds, beyond the sky
And the sun and all its beams
Will keep you smiling in your dreams.

Golden birds and rocket ships are in your dreams
To help you roam…
And it don’t matter where you wander in your dreams,
You’ll still come home.

Tell the sandman and the stardust in your dreams
You’ll see them soon.
Every night you’ll go and visit in your dreams
Inside this tune.   © 2009

Get my 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 I’m sorry I know you’re 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.

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If you’re a Christian, and you have kids or grandkids, or had kids or grandkids at one time, maybe you’ve considered Christian rhyming books for them.

By the way, Christian rhyming books aren’t actual Christians.

Because inanimate objects can’t be Christians. And I added that in there because there are some people who have some sort of aversion or opposition to using the word Christian as part of a label. So, I just wanted to clear that up for ya.

Anyway…

I read some information about why there does seem to be a significant portion of the Christian community who enjoys or likes Christian rhyming books. And here’s what the article said are reasons for that:

  • “Educational Value: Rhyming books can help with language development, including phonemic awareness, which is crucial for early reading skills. They make learning fun and engaging, which is particularly appealing to young children.
  • Moral and Spiritual Lessons: Books that rhyme can convey Christian values, Bible stories, or moral lessons in a memorable way. The rhythm and repetition can aid in memorization of key messages or prayers.
  • Entertainment: Rhymes are naturally appealing to children due to their musical quality. This can make reading time more enjoyable, encouraging a love for reading from a young age.
  • Cultural and Religious Identity: For Christian families, books that combine faith-based content with rhyming can serve as a tool for passing down religious traditions and teachings in an accessible format for young minds.

Some popular examples might include Bibles for children that:

  • Use rhyme to simplify and explain scriptures.
  • Include Christian morals like sharing, kindness, or the story of Jesus, told through rhymes
  • Share prayers written in poetic form

However, preferences can vary widely based on individual family values, the specific denomination of Christianity they follow, and their approach to child-rearing. Some might prioritize books with explicit religious content. And others might be more focused on general moral lessons. The kind that align with Christian values but aren’t overtly religious.”

I’ve never written any Christian rhyming books to help with language development or phonemic awareness. But I DO hope they are fun and engaging and that they convey Christian values, Bible stories, or moral lessons in a memorable way. Parents who’ve bought have said they appreciate the Christian messages I’ve shared and that their kids enjoyed them. So I’ll take them at their word.

And because that feedback I’ll keep writing and publishing Christian rhyming books that say things like:

Spiral through the galaxies
And circle through the stars.
Rocket to your earthly home
Past Venus and past Mars.
Make a landing, safe and sound,
And look up at the skies
And know, for sure, God made it all.
You’ll know ’cause you’ve got eyes. © 2021

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Man, it all goes by in the blink of an eye. I bet, if you’ve lived a few or more decades, you’ve heard somebody say something like that. Right? Yeah, me too. And we know why.

Because, man, it all really does go by in the blink of an eye

When I was a little boy, living with my grandparents in Norman, Oklahoma, I used to wonder why old people talked about time the way they did. But then a bunch of time passed, and I became one of those old people. And I don’t wonder that kind of stuff no mo.

I don’t know how much time I have left in this earthly life. But one thing I do know. I have way less time left than I’ve already lived. Unless, of course, God decides He wants to miraculously caused me to live another hundred years. And I can’t imagine, for the life of me (pun definitely intended), why He would need or want to do that.

The reason I bring this up is because I saw a few social media posts where young people talked about being bored. That’s hard to wrap my mind around. Because there’s so much to do, and so little time to get it all done. In fact, it’s not realistic to think or believe you ever will get it ALL done.

And that could discourage, dishearten, or dismay, the faint hearted who don’t currently have a hopeful future. A future that goes on forever in the heavenly paradise that God promises to those who love Him.

Most people who read or listen to what I say have that hope.

Not because of anything special I’ve done. But because they decided to go where the overwhelming evidence led them. And that was to the truth that there is a God, none of us are Him, and He did an amazing thing to make sure anyone who wants it can have eternal life.

But if you’re not one of those people who already believe and trust that’s true, I hope you do before too many more blinks of your eyes. Because when you do, it can be like this for you…

In the blink of an eye
It will all pass you by,
But the future is bright for the free;
The ones who will trust
That this house made of dust
Is a shadow of life that will be
When your soul travels on
And, forever, is gone
To the good Lord’s divine jubilee. © 2025

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If you’ve walked on this here terra firma for more than just a tiny little bit, you’ve heard the story of chicken Little. And you get the gist of it. Right?

I saw this description of what Chicken Little means:

An article said that bird character “has become almost synonymous with alarmism, with the term being used to describe people who needlessly stoke fear among people.”

And that’s because Chicken Little ran to tell the king that the sky is falling. Along the way she told Henny Penny, Goosey Loosey, Ducky Lucky, Turkey Lurkey, and others. And she said she had first-hand evidence that it was gonna happen.

These days, in real life (or what passes for it on social media platforms), there are more Chicken Littles then you can shake a…well…dead chicken at. At. just about any hour of any given day somebody’s running around telling anyone who’ll listen that we’re all gonna burn up here on planet Earth. Or that we’re gonna run out of our natural resources. Or something similar to those notions.

When you choose to buy into that kind of thinking, you end up weak, hateful, and unable to think clearly. I don’t wanna end up that way. It’s the total opposite of what God is willing to give you. Paul described it like this: “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.”

I urge you to take that as the gospel truth and let it guide your day. And definitely don’t be…

Chicken Little

Chicken little, chicken little,
That old, darn sky just won’t fall.
But I guess that doesn’t matter
Long as they can fool us all
Into thinking that the climate
Is an enemy we’ve made
Just by breathing and by living.
It’s a heat wave masquerade.
But discerners don’t believe it.
Yes, we know where Truth is found.
And we know the sky will not fall
And the Earth will spin around
For as long as God determines.
He has made that point quite clear.
So, go spout your hoaxes elsewhere.
Earth will still be fine next year! © 2023

Get my 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

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