Genesis - discover the rhyme and reason for your life in this old book.

Genesis - discover the rhyme and reason for your life in this old book.

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Genesis - discover the rhyme and reason for your life in this old book. episodes

  • Caesar Augustus and imagination for just us

    Did you know the month of August was named after Augustus Caesar (or Caesar Augustus if you prefer) and was lengthened to 31 days by Julius Caesar? And did you know that Caesar never ate a Caesar salad because it wasn’t invented until 1924?

    Well…with that information and a smartphone, you can connect to the internet and even make long distance calls.  ha!

    Caesar Augustus didn’t decree this, but…

    I wondered what a month would have to be called if it were named after me. Let’s see, using my nickname, Tony, we might have the month of Tonyary. Or Tonus. Or Tonember. Yeah, I think I like the sound of that last one. Because my birthday is in December. And we could maim two birds with one pickleball racquet with that month. What do you think? Sound good?

    Here’s a rhyme about it, decreed by yours truly…

    On August 1 2014

    The congress did declare
    A new month named Tonember
    To people everywhere.
    And every person big and small
    Began to clap and cheer.
    “Oh we can hardly wait,” they said,
    Until Tonember’s here.
    We’ll gather up the chocolate chips
    And cashews and pecans
    And bake Tonember cookies
    Till they’re delicately bronze.
    We’ll visit friends and family.
    This year we’ll top the last.
    Don’t hesitate to celebrate.
    Tonember, please come fast. © 2014 TF

    Science shows the earth revolves around the sun.

    So, scientifically speaking, there’s no such thing as a sunrise. But, when you know you were created by the one, true, living, loving, artful God of all of creation, the sun does rise.

    A sunrise is a metaphor, an allegory, or even a simile. It’s how your creative mind “sees” things. Either as you’d like them to be, or as they appear to be. In both cases you get a sense of the imagination forged into your spirit. God didn’t have to give you imagination. He could have just designed you to see whatever He wants you to see. And to perceive only things He says are necessary for survival.

    Yeah, He could’ve created your mind to work just like animals and bugs.

    But God loves to see what you come up with. Not that silly here-today-gone-tomorrow kind of Hollywood luv. His is a real and enduring love. And your imagination is an intangible proof of His love. You can think with logic and reason. But you can also imagine and create worlds of your own. You can soar into the skies, dive into the depths of the oceans, paint rainbows into the leaves of trees, and even rise above whatever physical limitations you have.

    So, where will you go…

    When the sun does rise,

    And it surely will,

    We will run straight to
    The aroma hill.
    We will pluck one rose
    From its thorny vine,
    And refresh our lips
    With a sip of wine.
    We will find delight
    In the sweet bouquet
    Of this flowered hill…
    Of this brand new day.
    It will be a feast
    For the nose and eyes,
    And it all begins
    When the sun does rise.   © 2014 TF

    If you prefer the God-given gift of imagination over Caesar Augustus, let’s stay connected.

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    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.

    Stay tuned,

    The post Caesar Augustus and imagination for just us appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    8 min
  • Rainbow City fading away but I thought of it today

    I lived in a one bedroom one bathroom garden level apartment in Lakewood, Colorado for a couple of years. I finished up the 80s there. And I started out the 90s there. During my first summer, in that complex, I noticed oodles of rainbows after the almost daily short summer rains. And that inspired me to write a song called Rainbow City.

    The only recording I have of the song is an MP3 demo version. And when you hear it (and listeners of the power of God’s love podcast can hear it), you’ll notice two voice styles. Because I had intended to make it a collaborative project with another singer. And I wanted to send the demo to him with a different voice, so he could hear where his part would be.

    That never happened. So, I just ended up with a funky little demo. And I thought about that old song today as I watched the sun finally emerging after two days of heavy rains here along the Emerald coast. I don’t really see rainbows here like I did in Colorado. And I miss that.

    So, I guess that got me feeling nostalgic and I figured I’d share the lyrics to…

    Rainbow City

    Why does everybody worry?

    Spend so much time fretting and fussing
    And you’re bound to end up grey.
    Why is everybody faithless?
    Detour yourself into the night
    And you can’t enjoy the day.
    Where is everybody going?
    We’re escalating and elevating
    And still no ground is gained.
    Where can people find an answer?
    They put away for a rainy day,
    But it already rained.

    Don’t you see? We’re living in Rainbow City.

    Don’t you know? We own that pot of gold.
    Can’t you tell? We’re livin’ in Rainbow City.
    Can’t you feel, and come in from the cold?

    How can anybody profit?

    Give of your hand and not your heart
    And no one’s world can change.
    When will anybody listen?
    When all the deer and the antelope
    Lose their home out on the range?
    Why does everybody forget?
    Their little brick and glass domain
    Can’t shield them from the fire.
    >I wish that we could all be happy.
    >I know we should and maybe we could
    Put our faith a whole lot higher…repeat chorus

    I know it’s cold out there…I’ve been to that empty place,

    But you can be warm inside…the light can shine on your face.

    inst…repeat chorus    © 1990 TF

    All these years later, the so-called lgbtq movement has attempted to hijack the meaning of rainbows. But, as a Christian, I know it will always be a covenant God made with us. He said He would never again flood the entire earth. And that the bow in the sky, after a rain, would be a sign of His covenant with us. Now, that’s a beautiful use of beautiful colors. Too bad some try to pervert it.

    In the end, that won’t work out well for them.

    If you support the modern day take on what a rainbow means, you should connect with me. And one good place to start is right here…

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    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 Rainbow City fading away but I thought of it today appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    11 min
  • Each passing year flowers show the Truth here

    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.

    With each passing year you have fewer chances to make a difference.

    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…

    The Scent of Heaven

    Take a look at the colors in a flower.

    They’re as beautiful as anything you’ll see.
    And God knows just exactly what they all need
    To bring joy and delight to you and me.

    Even more than the best and brightest flower

    God loves you every moment of the day.
    So the next time you stop and smell a lily
    Take a minute just to thank the Lord and say…

    “Lord I love to smell the lilies of the valley

    And the roses, lavender, and lilacs too.
    I love to know they come back every springtime.
    Best of all I know the flowers came from You.”  © 2015

    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.

    7 min
  • Predict the future but don’t be too sure

    I can predict people will still be living on Earth a thousand years from now. And that prediction includes their ability to drink water, eat real food, and breathe fresh air. Yep, that’s right. I can predict the future.

    But, just because I can predict the future like that doesn’t mean much.

    No, I’m not a prediction savant. And I don’t play one on YouTube. So, just because I can predict the future with confidence still doesn’t mean I think I know it all (and I knew that’s what you were thinking about me just now).

    Yeah, I’m what you might call a prognosticating magician. Oh yeah, you know it’s true. Given enough time that’s what you’d call me. At least once you discover some of my secrets of diversion.

    Anyway…

    Someone, long before me, shared some predictions about how long this planet could last. And, when you consider how accurate that source has been time after time after time, there’s no point in doubting the accuracy of any “future talk.”

    So, I’ve shared what I’ve shared, up to this point, to point out how outrageous the end-of-civilization claims are. And in recent years, as they’ve attempted to predict a dystopian future, those claims have gotten increasingly stupid. And they reveal who the control freaks are. Good news is, they’re just clanging brass clowns and provisional, passing puppets. And, in the long run (eternity), their message will vaporize.

    But they DO get to have their 15 minutes of fame right now. So, as they slither through their slogan-filled sleepwalk, we can focus on things that are pure and praiseworthy. Because…

    We Know

    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

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    Stay tuned,

    The post Predict the future but don’t be too sure appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    8 min
  • The Earth remains and the fool complains

    Fires burn down beautiful places. Volcanoes erupt and destroy communities. Hurricanes blast entire cities. Tornadoes uproot even the heartiest of trees. Mudslides annihilate peaceful homes that were minding their own business. And through it all the Earth remains.

    Yeah, the Earth remains through this blistering hot summer.

    And it’ll remain through this coming cold winter.

    So, you can fear what might happen, if you wanna. But I’m just not gonna join you in that whole fear thing. For one, it’s totally counter-productive. And, oh yeah, God says “fear not.” And “worry not.”

    A few years ago I shared this about that:

    Fact is…when you believe and trust in God, He gives you a spirit of power. And love. And a sound mind. That’s a mind based on reason, sense, or judgment. Full of competence and security. When you feel the opposite of that description, you’ve moved away from, or you’ve forgotten what God says about you.

    But that doesn’t mean you’re doomed. If it did, you and I and everybody else would be doomed. Don’t throw your hands up in despair or frustration. Instead, turn around and ask God for more wisdom. He loves to give it to those who love Him.

    And remember His promise about this planet we call home. “While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, Cold and heat, Winter and summer, And day and night Shall not cease.” Only the fool complains about it.

    Get Wise

    Don’t drink the wine of violence

    Or eat the bread of hate.
    You might just get away with it.
    Can you afford to wait?

    Don’t push and shove the simple.

    Seek knowledge just like gold.
    And in so doing you’ll lay up
    Your treasures manifold.

    A word to the confounded”

    Pour light into your eyes.
    If you expect more than neglect,
    Get wisdom; yeah get wise.

    Get wise to the deceiver.

    Don’t harken to his lies.
    Keep commanding understanding.
    Get wisdom; yeah get wise.

    Don’t walk, you, with the wicked.

    Beware the scornful tongue.
    Let never part your loving heart
    And live forever young.

    © 1995

    God’s promises are better than gold and rubies. Grab ’em while you can.

    Stay tuned,

    The post The Earth remains and the fool complains appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    6 min
  • No such thing as transgender and one day you’ll return to sender

    There’s no such thing as actual transgender. Sure, you can make up words and apply whatever touchy feely definitions you devise in your own mind. But just saying it doesn’t make it true.

    You can identify. But it doesn’t change your identity.

    And Christians should know that better than anyone.

    So, it seems almost unthinkable that someone who call himself a Christian would also “identify as a transgender man.” And that last sentence is blurry since I’m talking about someone who “identifies” as a “transgender man.” Because that person was born a female.

    At so-called “news report” started out with “Caught between his Christian faith and what some Americans view as a deepening assault on transgender rights, Zayn Silva remembers the moment he decided to fight back.”

    Apparently Zayn was denied admission to a seminary after identifying as a transgender man. If Zayn truly believed in tolerance and diversity, that would have been that. But, nope. Zayn wouldn’t think of allowing opposing views on gender identity and so-called “sexual orientation.” Because wants to receive tolerance. Not give it.

    There’s no such thing as true tolerance in the LBT+GQRSTUV world.

    They don’t want to simply “coexist.” They want Christian believers, those who believe the Bible is true (even the “mean parts”) to not exist at all. Of course, they won’t say that. And they deny that truth. But, remember, they also deny their own chromosomal design.

    So, the article I read about Zayn shared this:

    “Silva is one of dozens of LGBTQ+ Americans suing the U.S. Department of Education, challenging a law that allows religious colleges to discriminate based on the sex of students and applicants, even when those schools receive millions in federal funding.”

    I see three main irritating points in that little paragraph.

    First, Silva’s intolerance of the rights of religious colleges. Second, the fact that people any Americans can sue the government or its departments at the cost of their fellow taxpayers (and even themselves). And third, the evil theft that has to occur in order for there to be federal funding for ANY school, even religious ones.

    But, we’ve gotten to the point, in America and the world, where the wrong has become the norm.

    The article said Zayn’s lawsuit “has arrived at a moment when federal courts, including the Supreme Court, are increasingly siding with religious groups over gay and transgender rights.”

    Sadly, that’s not likely to remain true.

    OK, the “Supreme Court backed a graphic artist who will decline to design wedding websites for same-sex marriage.” And “a federal appeals court, in Cincinnati this month, ruled that a Tennessee ban on gender-affirming care for transgender minors may be enforced for now.”

    But those are system results.

    Not a recognition of right and wrong.

    And, if you call yourself a Christian, it means you acknowledge there IS such a thing as right and wrong. And you also acknowledge that God is the one who determined that, long before you were born. Plus, you know the Bible is a recording of God’s word. And you know what God’s word says about homosexuality. (hint: He’s anti gay)

    This trans agenda is not to gain recognition and rights. It’s to find even more ways to thumb noses and flip certain fingers at God. That’s why I love my dazed and confused neighbors enough to tell them that their “lifestyle choice” is a ticket to hell. AND I hate them for what they do to themselves, to children, and to others who have to tolerate them.

    Their gender confusion and delusion even convolutes journalistic reports. For example, reporters end up writing sentences like this: “Silva said it was an especially challenging time, given his upbringing and faith, when he realized at around age 12 that he was no longer comfortable as a female.”

    That’s whacko. “He was no longer comfortable as a female.”

    Then people, like Zayn, get even more insidiously confused. As in this sentence from the article: “After years of fighting it, Silva decided to align his faith with his identity, helping young people at his church and their parents navigate their own sexuality and gender identity.”

    I don’t even want to imagine being a parent who’s actually willing to listen to a female claiming to be a male. Much less being a parent who’d take any advice from that person who also claims to be a Christian.

    However, I’m just an old, white guy.

    I’m a guy who identifies as a person in need of a savior. And I identify as a guy because my chromosomes, included in my genetic makeup at conception, prove I’m a guy. My gender isn’t determined by my feelings.

     God created only male and female. Not people who can trans into whatever they feel like.

    Zayn apparently said, “Plenty of religious families are looking for ways to reconcile their faith and sexuality without being humiliated or ostracized to help them accept and feel loved.”

    See? Feelings. Not Truth. Feelings.

    And those dazed and delusional feelings often lead to costly, lengthy court battles these days.

    But right and wrong are determined by the constitution, the courts, or even popular conformity. And when a person, like Silva, can say, “This journey has increased my faith significantly,” it emphasizes the main point:

    Faith in who? Self? Or the one, true, living, loving God of all creation?

    You don’t have to agree with God’s word in the Bible. You can be your own god if you prefer.

    But I highly recommend you reconsider, if that’s you. Because ideas have consequences. And there’s no such thing as neutral territory with God.

    Do you see the pattern form

    How the wrong becomes the norm? Say Yeah! Say Yeah!
    Would you like to stop the ride;
    Could you dare to take a side? Say Yeah! Say Yeah!

    Stay tuned,

    The post No such thing as transgender and one day you’ll return to sender appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    10 min
  • Moon phases and my mind glazes

    With all the randomness in the universe, and our cute, little solar system, it’s a wonder that we can predict the moon phases with such accuracy. But we’re so good at it (and by “we” I mean earthlings) that we name the phases. And we know when they’re gonna happen. And we even know the best places to view them.

    Nothing short of miraculous.

    Because moon phases shouldn’t even exist.

    Well, not with regularity anyway. But here we are. About to enjoy another Buck Supermoon. (Is it just me, or does that sound like the name for a Saturday morning cartoon hero?) Yep, a Supermoon that occurs right around the time the antlers on buck deer are growing. That’s a phase you can hang your hat on.

    Anyway…

    There’s supposed to be a Buck Moon in full view tonight. July 2, 2023 as I write this. And it’s this year’s first supermoon. Depending on how you do the timing, it’s anywhere from this evening to tomorrow morning.

    But, as I said, we can actually pinpoint the moon phases with such accuracy it’s nothing short of uncanny in this random existence in which we find ourselves. Check out this description from a science website:

    “The Earth-facing side of the moon will be fully lit by the sun at 6:40 a.m. EDT on Monday, July 3, but it will be best viewed at moonrise the previous evening as it appears in the southeastern sky. It will be in the constellation Sagittarius, and will appear bright and full on the nights of July 2 and 4 as well.”

    See what I mean?

    Like how astronomers know that every month, in the moon’s elliptical orbit of Earth, it has a point of perigee and a point of apogee. Just a fancy way of saying when it’s closest to Earth and when it’s farthest away from Earth. And they know the distance between those points ranges from 225,800 to 251,800 miles. So, knowing all that, they can tell you when supermoons will happen.

    By the way, the Buck Supermoon, this month, is gonna be the smallest one this year. So, if you really wanna be impressed, stick around for the two supermoons in August and one in September.

    I get goosebumps just thinkin’ about all the miracles of moon phases.

    In case you can’t tell, or you don’t know me, NO, I don’t get goosebumps because of the miracles of moon phases. Because there aren’t any such miracles. But I AM thrilled to know how dependable those phases are. And how dependable the rest of our cozy solar system is.

    Because that dependability points to a designed system. Not a result of randomness. No, randomness could never, in trillions of years (much less a few billion) have created the precision we can observe. So, when I look up at a moon that looks bigger than usual, I think about Who put it there.

    And it reminds me of these words: “Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.” (You can find that in the very first paragraphs of the Bible.)

    That was the fourth day of creation.

    Which was a 24 hours day, by the way. Not potential eons of time. And that’s a rabbit trail that leads me to a book for kids that talks about the very first six days. Matter of fact, it’s called The Very First 6 Days. What a colossal coincidence. Here’s a clip, from the book, about the very first day…

    Before there were created things

    Like water and fresh air…
    No world or human beings
    Were existing anywhere.
    Then God created earth and sea
    And all the heavens too.
    There was no sun, no moon, no stars,
    And only God shone through.

    He looked down at the waters

    And the dark face of the deep.
    The earth was still and quiet
    Just as we are when we sleep.
    He said, “Let there be light”
    The way a perfect, true God could.
    And then He saw the brand new light
    And knew that it was good.

    Then God divided light and dark,

    And darkness He called Night.
    The light would be called Day,
    And it was pleasing in His sight.
    That evening and that morning
    Wouldn’t be the total sum…
    No, that was just the very first day…
    Five were yet to come.

    Get the rest of the book on Amazon. Digital download or paperback.

    Stay tuned,

    The post Moon phases and my mind glazes appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    8 min
  • Contemplation and action and special light’s refraction

    Back in the day a rainbow was a rainbow. And, for a relatively small group of people, it also represented a promise from God; that He would never flood the earth again. I consider His promise to be proof of contemplation and action. Because I believe God contemplates His actions toward us based on ours toward (or away from) Him.

    So it goes. In that order. Contemplation and action.

    And I believe that because I see so much evidence throughout His bestselling book. Of course, younger, so-called, pastors say we probably shouldn’t use the Bible when we talk to people about God. And their reasoning is because if they don’t believe in God, then they just don’t care about your “good book.”

    What a load of Bulgarian whale dung.

    Obviously those nicer-than-God pastors prefer self-indulgent action, without contemplation in God’s word, over what has been true for millennia.

    Anyway…

    Back to the rainbow. An ironic perspective twist popped into my brain this morning. Rainbows occur when light is refracted (bent, deflected) through water. And, yes, I know the same thing happens through a crystal prism. For the sake of my point this is about water rainbows.

    Before the worldwide flood (Remember? The one with Noah, his family, and all those animals?) the world had never seen rainbows. Some Christians say there was no rain either. But some others say that’s not necessarily true. Doesn’t matter.

    The point is, there weren’t rainbows.

    But once God flooded the whole planet, He decided to tell Noah He wouldn’t do that again. So, He said, “This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, and every living creature that is with you, for perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.”

    Now, God didn’t have to invent rainbows. Because He created water. And He created “lights” and placed them above the Earth. Then, the “natural laws” of physics did the rest. Light shined into the water, refracted, and split into the colors you see in each rainbow.

    Here’s where the ironic and twisted twist, I mentioned earlier, butts in. A group of people, who prefer to thumb their noses at God and claim their sin as their identities, has also staked a claim to the month of June. They say it has something to do with pride (ironic twist #1 since that’s what happens before destruction). Because they not only claim their sin as their identity, but they also want everyone else to acknowledge and accept their “right” to it.

    And they staked a claim to the rainbow (and here’s ironic twist #2) and cast their darkened hearts over the refracted light of God’s promise.

    But those darkened hearts don’t (and will never) diminish the Truth of the rainbow. So, the most they can do is sew some different colored fabrics together and make a flag. Sure, they can wave those flags around and stir up their own frenzied hysteria in an attempt to elevate their self-indulgence. But, in the end, it’s just fabric and futility.

    They definitely don’t connect wise contemplation and action. And they definitely aren’t well represented by rainbows.

    And you should know, I don’t hate them.

    But I DO hate them. Uh-oh, it’s another one of those bigoted (and apparently confused), hater Christians. Because, how is it possible to hate and not hate at the same time?

    That’s a legitimate question if you’re a new, or baby, Christian. Or if you’re someone who’s easily offended by the Truth. And truth is hate to those who hate the truth.

    If you’re someone who’s hell-bent on claiming your despicable and destructive sin as your identity, I love you enough to tell you that leads to eternal torment. And I hate you for doing that to yourself and others. Because you destroy SO much more than you even realize. Especially if you partake in so-called “pride” parades where you flaunt your perversion even in the face of children.

    I do NOT enjoy writing or talking about this. I’d much rather spend that time in deep thought about how to connect rhythms, syllables, and words together into beautiful pictures for the mind. Especially if those pictures help show the glory of God and His love. And that reminds me of this snippet in time…

    Once upon a magic moment there was a young poet who sat, for a little while, in a meadow filled with spring flowers. The clear, yet slightly opaque blue, spring sky added the finishing touch to the idyllic scene. Putting pen to paper, this poet wrote about what he saw all around him AND what he saw in his mind’s eye. And the result was…

    Contemplation

    There was nothing but a pretty, blue sky…

    But then a redbird joined the high.
    Always, there’s nothing that’s alone.
    How can there be a heart of stone?
    That’s why I contemplate:
    Why does anybody hate?
    If they would only wait for an answer,
    They would find
    There are some who are kind.
    They’re standing right behind to lend an answer.

    There was nothing but a pretty, clear brook…

    But then someone wrote about it in a book.
    Always, alone shall gather friends
    With joy that lasts and never ends.
    That’s why I contemplate:
    Why does anybody hate?
    If they would only wait for an answer,
    They would find
    There are some who are kind.
    They’re standing right behind to lend an answer.

    Stay tuned,

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    The post Contemplation and action and special light’s refraction appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    9 min
  • Full moon drive and feeling alive

    Tucson, Arizona. Central New Mexico. Music. Moonlight. Dan Fogelberg. Storytelling. All parts of “the road” from a long time ago. And, early this morning, I thought about an incredible, singular experience I had during a full moon drive. Strangely enough, it was a motion-sensor light that triggered that full moon memory.

    Huh? A motion-sensor light and a full moon drive?

    Yeah, I got out of bed and started to get dressed in the dark. Just as I always do. Because a beautiful wife should have all the beauty sleep she can get. So, flipping on the overhead light would just be rude and uncalled for. And I’m nothing if not considerate and called for.

    Anyway…

    As I dressed, the motion-sensor light in back of the house suddenly lit up and seeped through the window blinds. It wasn’t as bright as the overhead bedroom light would have been. But it definitely gave the room a sort of moonlit glow. And I peeked out the window to be sure there were no prowlers or ferocious animals I’d have to slay. No intruders in sight. Probably just a bird flying by that triggered the light.

    So, I finished dressing and went to the kitchen to brew some wake up elixir, as I always do. And as I measured out the dark-roasted coffee beans, and drew the pure water from our gravity filter, I kept thinking of how that fluorescent light reminded me of that full moon drive, years ago.

    The memory of the wavy road, in the wee winter hours, reminded me of when I first learned about metaphors and similes in school. My English composition book shared examples of each. And one of the examples of a metaphor was “the road was a ribbon of light.” I remember thinking, “Hey, I’m on that road all these years later.”

    Back to the drive.

    Dan Fogelberg released his eighth album, Windows and Walls, in 1984 (the year of my full moon drive). And one song was called “Tucson Arizona (Gazette). He said he wrote the song based on a story he read in that paper. And the song is a little over eight and half minutes long. But if you like Spanish-sounding guitar riffs and percussion (I DO), the song certainly doesn’t feel long.

    And that’s the song I played several times over as I drove my little Toyota pickup through the cold, New Mexico night. On a secondary highway heading north toward I-40. The full moon reflected on the road. And there were basically no other cars. So, I turned off my headlights and skimmed across that ribbon of light.

    I could see almost as easily without the headlights. Because the reflection from the road seemed to amplify and magnify the moonlight. It was exhilarating. And obviously a sensory experience I’ll never forget.

    And all these years later, something else comes to mind.

    None of that experience, nor any others like it, could ever happen without the love of God. Because, without Him, there would only be darkness and void. In fact, he inspired Moses to describe the light He made for us. So, Moses wrote this:

    “Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night. He made the stars also. God set them in the firmament of the heavens to give light on the earth, and to rule over the day and over the night, and to divide the light from the darkness.”

    Think about that. Those lights RULE. You and I have zero control over whether the sun and moon will shine or not. So, in a sense, they rule their light over us. Day WILL be lit up by the sun. And the moon lights the nights. Well, the stars, too. But the main light is the moon.

    And those lights in the sky are indicators of how important light is to God. Then, when you go to the other end of the Bible, you discover that, in Heaven, there won’t be a sun and moon. What? If light is so important to Him, why would Heaven have no sun or moon? Simple. Yet almost impossible to imagine. God will BE the light.

    And that Ribbon of Light will wrap around anyone who chooses to be there. That includes you. Right?

    If not, consider taking a full moon drive, out West, the next chance you get. Turn off your headlights. And think about what could happen if you accidentally ended up in a ditch because you missed something on the road. And think about if you ended up like Tony and Mary, in Dan Fogelberg‘s song. Where would you go or be?

    I hope you’d ride the ribbon of Light to Heaven.

    But that could only happen if you had already chosen wisely. Otherwise, you could just be another side story in a small newspaper. And Dan won’t write a song about you. Because he left this planet years ago. And even I might not be around to write a song about you.

    So, don’t put it off. Choose your Creator and you’ll feel (and be) more alive than you can imagine.

    You’ll thank me later.

    Stay tuned,

    Share this link with everybody you know, so they can jump on the The TRUTH (My regular emails about the essentials of life, AND get some music and other good stuff, for Fa-Ree)

    The post Full moon drive and feeling alive appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

    10 min
  • Chlorophyll benefits more than just a few tidbits

    How much grass have you eaten lately. NO, I didn’t ask how much you smoked, you knucklehead. And I’m not an advocate of grazing out in your yard. But I bring it up because there are apparently some chlorophyll benefits to eating grass. Well, to eating greens, that is.

    And when I mention chlorophyll, I mean that green pigment, present in all green plants and in cyanobacteria. The stuff that’s responsible for the absorption of light to provide energy for photosynthesis. And its molecule “contains a magnesium atom held in a porphyrin ring.”

    Yeah. You know what I’m talkin’ ’bout.

    So, here are a few chlorophyll benefits found in greens:

    “They” say it…

    • Increases energy
    • Is anti-aging
    • Promotes red blood cell growth
    • Supports healthier skin
    • Makes it easier for wounds to heal
    • Is a free radical scavenger, and
    • Is a natural deodorant
    • Naturally, it depends on who you check with. Because there are people on both sides of the health fence when it comes to chlorophyll benefits. According to one article I read, “research to support these claims is both lacking and conflicting.”

      I’m not so sure about that. But I know that since foods contain chlorophyll, they were designed to be that way. And the Designer (aka: Jesus) originally created a world where “every green herb” would be food for us. Thankfully, the Designer is so much smarter than us.

      But you know us humans (or I hope you do).

      We always find a way to mess things up. And that includes the food supply. But, to reiterate, the Designer is so much smarter than us.

      He knew there would be problems with “every green herb” for a while after the worldwide flood (which was our fault, by the way). So, he told Noah (the guy who built the ark, not Russell Crowe) that “every moving thing that lives shall be food for you.”

      Because God knew the animals could turn bad greens into good meat. And guess what’s found in beef that comes from cattle that eat grass. Yep, chlorophyll benefits. Well, chlorophyll, to be more precise. And to be even more precise, allow me to quote from a government website:

      “Because grass-finishing alters the biochemistry of the beef, aroma and flavor will also be affected. These attributes are directly linked to the chemical makeup of the final product. In a study comparing the flavor compounds between cooked grass-fed and grain-fed beef, the grass-fed beef contained higher concentrations of diterpenoids, derivatives of chlorophyll call phyt-1-ene and phyt-2-ene, that changed both the flavor and aroma of the cooked product.”

      OK, I’m not a phyt-1-ene or phyt-2-ene expert.

      And I don’t know about that flavor altering. But I know how yummy a grass fed burger or steak is. Because I eat that stuff every day. Sure, it increases my toxic masculinity. But that’s a side effect I’m willing to live with. Or is it “with which I’m willing to live?” Doesn’t matter. I’m willing.

      Over the years I’ve tried a wide variety of “healthy” foods and supplements. We even had a wheatgrass juicer in the FunderHaus for a while. So, I can tell you, from experience, that chlorophyll benefits are much tastier in grass fed beef than they are in “every green herb.”

      But as tasty as a juicy steak is, and as tasty as a burger with real butter and sea salt is, I’ll be glad to never eat any more of them one fine day. And that day IS coming. Maybe soon.

      Whether it’s soon or a thousand years, the truth is, one day no animals will ever have to die again in order for me to eat a healthy meal. And that will be Heavenly. Speaking of greens…

      Avocado and cilantro

      And a hint of lime.
      Salsa bueno, words you may know
      When you take the time
      To dip a chip into this dip
      Like a foodie would.
      Guacamole isn’t holy,
      But, man! It’s sooo good!

      Stay tuned,

      Share this link with everybody you know, so they can jump on the The TRUTH (My regular emails about the essentials of life, AND some music and other good stuff, for Fa-Ree)

      The post Chlorophyll benefits more than just a few tidbits appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

      7 min

    About Genesis - discover the rhyme and reason for your life in this old book.

    From the publisher's feed

    Your Life Has Rhyme And Reason Because God Made You