Wow. It’s America’s 250th birthday. And I bet there’s a good chance you get to enjoy an awesome fireworks display wherever you live. I hope you also get to enjoy the company of family and friends and good food and great fun. After all, on Independence Day, 2026 you can actually sing along to Saturday In The Park by the band Chicago, and the lyrics will actually fit.

I read somewhere that won’t happen again until the year 2037. I haven’t verified that. But it seems plausible. Because I sure don’t remember the last time it happened. And it might only mean something to boomers. But I think it’s cool.

Freedom of expression and creativity, the kind we’ve had in America for my whole life, is a big reason why happy, upbeat songs like that ever get written. But most people don’t know that our freedom didn’t start with a declaration of independence from England or a constitution.

And that’s why I take at least a moment on 4th of July 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 that made it to Independence Day 2026.

Here’s my song, in a 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.

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Happy and safe Independence Day 2026 to you. I hope and pray there will be more to come.

Faith working through love…

If you enjoy this kind of freedom, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Independence Day 2026 with a song in the mix appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Just about everywhere you look or go people seem to be mad about something. And a lot of them don’t seem to have any problem letting that anger, inside, out for everyone to see.

People are walking around with chips on their shoulders. That’s what we used to call it anyway. Or you could say they’re carrying grudges in their hearts. And that would be bad enough. But at least it would be invisible to just about everyone. Trouble is, they don’t stop the anger inside from coming out. And a lot of it even leads to escalated physical harm.

But I’ll let you in on a little secret about the root cause. Selfishness.

Yeah, selfishness is at the heart of almost all anger issues. It’s difficult to manage your anger, when all you care about is how he or she or the whole world wronged you.

And you find a way to justify your own anger, when you don’t take responsibility for your actions. I’ve been dealing with this with someone I’ve known for a very, very long time. He believes I’ve wronged him in the past (issues from 20 years ago and beyond). And he has told me I’ve never apologized or shown any remorse.

I’m not gonna share the whole sob story. But I can say with a clear conscience that this person has ripped me off multiple times, left me in the lurch multiple times, and F-bombed Jesus in my house. And, to this day, he’s never once apologized or shown any remorse for his actions. Some say this is narcissism. And I don’t disagree.

The person I’m talking about doesn’t care what God says about anger. But, to quote from Paul’s writing in Ephesians, “be angry and do not sin.” And when Paul wrote that, he was actually quoting from one of King David’s Psalms where it said, “Be angry, and do not sin, Meditate within your heart on your bed, and be still.”

But people obsess over problems, challenges, and obstacles in everyday life. That makes it easy to form a tunnel vision where the tunnel always leads to SELF.

And that leads to projecting those problems onto others. And that leads to self harm. Physical, mental, and emotional harm. You might not realize the full negative consequences of letting the anger inside out while you’re young and strong. But they’ll show up eventually. And the older you are, the more harmful the consequences.

I’m not saying those studies are absolutely true. But it might be more than coincidence that the rising rate of cancer in the world happens at the same time there are more angry people than ever.

So, what about you? What rules in your life? Anger? Or joy? I wrote this rhyme about it years ago…

If you’re angry, just don’t sin.

If this didn’t make you mad, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Anger inside out can take a harmful route appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

When I was a young boy, my mom saved S&H Green Stamps. They were like rewards you get on your apps these days. Stamps a shopper received at stores, gas stations, or just about anywhere housewives shopped. Yeah, I know. “Housewives” is a politically incorrect term. But it wasn’t back then. Ah…the good old days.

Because when a woman saved enough Green Stamps, she could redeem them for all sorts of household items she found in the S&H catalog. It was like free money. I remember my mom talking with her friends and family about some clock radio or dish set she just got with her stamps. It made for fun, and sometimes lively, conversation. And they’d share the news of double stamps days at the local grocery store. Then, bam! Time to storm the grocery store.

Speaking of time, how is time like Green Stamps? And that’s not actually a trick question.

Answer. They can both be redeemed. Well, I don’t think Green Stamps can anymore. Because I don’t think there’s that kind of rewards program around anymore. But time can still be redeemed.

Dan don’t believe me? Don’t think you could redeem time and get something “for free?”

Well, you can. And guess what you get? OK, I won’t make you guess.

Yeah, I don’t mean you can turn 24 hour days into 30 hour days. But you can buy more time by making good use of the time you have here on planet Earth. In fact, you can buy time that never runs out. How cool is that?!

But you can’t just sit on your time. You gotta redeem it. Here’s how you do that. First, become a Christian. And if you’re already a Christian, you gotta “Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” That’s getting a lot harder to do. Because more and more the world doesn’t wanna hear the name Jesus mentioned under any circumstances. So, it’s important to emphasize the “grace” and “salt” part.

I do that here on my blog. I’m redeeming the time I have left by sharing the power of God’s love and His enduring message of eternal life with anyone who cares to listen and/or read.

Now, are you paying attention to the clock? Because there’s a lot more than green stamps at stake.

“All I need is some time to hold in my hands.

If this landed somewhere good with you, let’s stay connected. It’s super easy. Here’s how:

It’s good stuff based on the power of God’s love. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Green stamps, good stuff, and it was all good enough appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

So many so-called pro athletes, movie stars, musicians and other artsy fartsy freakazoids are full of angst and aggression these days.

And I’m not saying they don’t have a good reason.

And I’m talking about the ones who make millions of dollars for just playing with a ball, or memorizing lines, or looking good on a screen, or for recording some lunatic lyrics with a catchy beat. Yeah, ironically, those who make the most money seem to do the loudest complaining about the free enterprise system we have here in America.

Talk about biting the hand that feeds you. Sheesh.

Sorry, but they just don’t have a good reason for being so full of dark angst and aggression. And don’t try to tell me they’re just looking out for the little guy, you and me. Puhleez.

I know a lot of those pop icons would call me lame. Or a Bible-thumping-do-gooder. And I know a lot of them like to poke fun at Christians and say they have no grasp on reality. They love to attempt to condescend with statements, like, “Go ahead and pray to your little friend in the sky.“ But I really don’t care.

Because the Christian message is true (an overwhelming amount of evidence says it is). So, I’m already on the winning team. My so-called “little friend” just happens to be the Head Coach of all creation. And He will lead my team to victory over ALL other opposing teams.

The leader of my pack is not only the True Alpha male. He’s also the Omega Man! And that helps me sing and write angst and aggression free. I gotta tell ya, that’s a huge boost to my endorphins and a significant reduction to any potential cortisol issues. In other words, Jesus is the ultimate stress reducer. He’s the cure. And I’m just a supplement. But I’m blessed to even be that.

And here’s what I recommend for your health. Don’t watch the TV or cable news. Filter out the mainstream from all your social media and internet connections. Stick with me, of course. And, by all means, skip, the namby-pamby, ne’er-do-well, yada-yada rants made by privileged celebrities who think they’re all that plus the bag of chips.

Your body, soul, and spirit will thank you. And don’t be surprised if you start smiling more.

When I’m being optimistic

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

Stay tuned,

The post Angst and aggression from a privileged profession appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I’ve been encouraging anybody who would read what I write and listen to what I say to remain optimistic in tough times. But I don’t just say the words. I also share why it’s not just good advice. It’s important to your health down to the marrow of your bones.

The subject came up in my thoughts this morning for a particularly personal reason. Today, April 17, 2026 marks the one year “anniversary” of a stroke that challenged me to follow my own advice. But I believe I can honestly say that, despite challenges, I never dreamed I would face, I have remained optimistic in the tough times of the past year.

I won’t tell you what all the challenges were/are. But they include a left arm and hand that won’t hold things very well without wavering in the air. And a left leg that refuses to take normal steps during a walk. Plus most things on my left side operate with much less efficiency than they did a year ago. That includes my left lung and blood circulation on that side. And probably the weirdest thing that happened was the development of a neurogenic bladder.

Most of the information you’ll find on a neurogenic bladder deals with incontinence, urgency, etc. But what happened to me is something they call an under active bladder. And that means the nerves that alert you to the need to go and allow you to start a stream and go don’t work now. So, I have to insert a catheter four or five times a day, to empty out. Not my idea of a fun time.

And I’ve only shared this personal information with you because I hope it helps somebody understand how crucial it is to remain optimistic, even during rough times like what I described. I know it isn’t always easy. But it’s always necessary. And it’s always doable when you remember that, if you believe and trust in Jesus, one day, sooner than you might imagine, you will see Him…

When we’re born into this world,

Each and every one of us

Face to face with Truth…face to face with Life.

When we leave this world, we’re

Get my Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. Because the flashes of light I share on my website come directly to your inbox. So you can spend your valuable time reading 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.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Remain optimistic in tough times and I show you how with my rhymes appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Just because some authoritative power makes a rule doesn’t make the rule a good one, a just one, or a fair one. In fact, many rules, policies, and laws are downright bad. But you gotta think and ponder and examine to know which rules are good and which are bad. Before you decide to break rules you’d better be sure you’re on the right side.

But is that possible?

Short answer is yes.

Maybe you have a lot of self-imposed rules for your life and/or the life of your loved ones. And maybe it would be a good idea to sit down, today, and re-examine whether they’re good ones or not. Here’s how you can know. If your rule shows your love for someone else, it’s a good one. If it doesn’t show love, or if it actually displays selfishness, it’s a bad one. That’s pretty much it. Simple. Right? Well, that depends on if you know HOW to show love.

So, do you?

If you’re not sure you’re any good at showing and sharing love, then I have another simple answer for you. Would you like the rules, you impose on someone else, imposed on you? If you conjure up a silly notion in your head for how someone else should live and treat you, are you willing to live that way and be treated that way? If not, you might’ve made up a bad rule.

I remember this subject came up in a conversation with a nice couple. I met in Tulsa, Oklahoma years and years ago. I was on the road full-time. And I got a booking at a nice hotel in that area. And that couple came in several nights while I was there. They heard a song I wrote, which I’ll share the lyrics to below. And on my break, we all talked about it.

In the end, we all agreed to come down to this: “If I don’t want that done to me, I shouldn’t do it to someone else.” Yeah, get together with the ones you love and talk over what’s going on. If you realize the rules aren’t working, somebody needs to say…

We play it all so careful.

So let’s break some rules tonight…

We curse those Monday mornings

Chorus…

Well, who’s gonna do it if we don’t?

chorus…etc.

© 1987 Tony Funderburk (April 29)

(psst…if you wanna hear an old recording of this song, Tune in to The Power of God’s Love Podcast)

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Break rules but not like fools appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I saw this headline on a social media platform today: Podcast Host Calls White Evangelical Christianity a Cancer – And I could not believe how badly they misspelled the word blessing. I mean, cancer doesn’t even remotely look like blessing. So how could they mix those words up so badly?

At least if they really wanted to share the truth. But I know that’s a rare commodity in journalism these days. So, now that I think about it a little bit more, maybe they actually meant to write the word cancer.

No. Could that possibly be it?!

But could someone actually study the overwhelmingly positive influence of white, evangelical Christianity and actually come up with this illogical, incorrect conclusion? Absolutely they could. Because people who hate God, the one true, living, loving creator of the universe God, will say anything against Him and His followers.

Jesus said that would happen, by the way.

So, if you’re a Christian, and the color of your skin is what the world call white (even though it isn’t), and you share the truth of God’s word and the power of God’s love, you might as well face it. You, my friend, are a cancer in this world.

But never worry, never fear. Your buddy Tony is here. And here are some white evangelical Christianity lyrics to help you deal with it:

I’m in this world but not of it.

This world can beat me up.

So…Chorus

This world has lots of love,

This world has moans and groans.

Chorus…inst…chorus 3 times    © TF 2008

I share it with believers who want to focus on the power of God’s love and rightly divide the word of truth. Spend your time reading, listening, and watching good stuff based on the power of God’s love instead of looking for it. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to music and The Very First 6 Days (a rhyming book for kids about the creation week) right away. Kids from 3 to 103 can enjoy these fun goodies. Just add your email to the form and let’s connect right away.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post White Evangelical Christianity a blessing to humanity appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

We’re finishing up the first half of July 2025. And this is the weekly edition of the The Power of God’s Love Podcast. This week I talk about the when where and why of it. Here’s the down low you need to know:

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 go 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.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post When Where Why the first half of July appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I woke up this morning and saw the same stories in the news again. Too many fires. And too many people with questions. And not many who shared how Living Water is the answer. So, you know what that means.

But this ain’t about too many fires burning down forests, prairies, or houses. It’s about a focus on problems when you should be focused the solution.

A long time ago, if you wanted to tell God something, you had to follow a bunch of rules. And if you wanted God’s help with your problems, you had to ask a high priest to let God know your request.

But then Jesus lived, died, and rose from the dead to make a way to change that. Now, you can pray to God anytime and every time you want, and He’ll listen. It doesn’t matter how many fiery problems are burning across your landscape right now. Because Jesus, who called Himself the Living Water, can help you put them all out.

He loves to hear from you, by the way.

So, try this idea.

Talk to God today and ask Him for some peace and quiet. Then, be still and listen for His word. I should say, that last part works if and when you’ve been in His word and His word is in you. If that’s not quite how it is, then grab yourself a Bible and read Paul’s letters. You can find them way over in the right side of the book. He wrote 13 of them. And they’re the ones from Romans to Philemon.

He was beaten with rods. And he received 195 lashes on his back. He was stoned. Shipwrecked three times. Dangerously adrift at sea. Thrown in prison, where he almost died, several times. And he listed a bunch of perils:

Wow. Every way he turned. But those weren’t the only issues. He also dealt with:

And he knew when you focus on all the fires (issues), you just end up with too many fires. So, I hope you’ll follow my suggestion and stop listening to and reading what everyone, who gets their unwise wires crossed, says about it. Forget about all the sky-is-falling people running their potty mouths, full time, about the bad news of the day.

Because the Good News is as close as your thoughts.

Stay tuned,

P.S. Your email address connects you with download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away. Fun for kids AND not too cutesy. So grownups enjoy it, too. Subscribe, today.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

The post Too many fires and unwise crossed wires appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

This world is getting darker and meaner every day. And there are fewer kids doing wholesome kid stuff with each passing year. But I think you’ll find that the sights and scents of a flower garden can still attract kids almost as much as they attract bees.

So, stop what you’re doing and make the most of it. So what if you had an appointment. Be a little late. So what if you’re on the way to work or the kids are on the way to school (which I recommend is in your own home). What you can teach them in a single, precious moment can have eternal benefits. And that trumps the daily routine any time.

Here’s the main reason you and the kids should stop and smell the flowers. Because it’s a simple, effective connection you and they can make to your living, loving God who made the flowers. He’s the Creator who spoke words and all the universe exploded into existence. That’s powerful stuff packed into each flower. And right down to the very fragrance that wafts up into your nose. I call it…

Take a look at the colors in a flower.

Even more than the best and brightest flower

“Lord I love to smell the lilies of the valley

Your email address is all it takes to get encouraging, regular issues of my Tony’s Rhyme and Reason Daily Devotional. It comes directly to your inbox so you spend your valuable time reading instead of searching. And, to show my sincere appreciation for your time and attention, I’ll send you download links to 2 of my Christian books for kids and 2 songs, right away, that grownups AND kids can enjoy.

The form can be filled in the actual website url.

Stay tuned,

The post Each passing year flowers show the Truth here appeared first on Tony Funderburk.