Rhymes by Tony Funderburk - hundreds to share

It’s so cool how fast little kids learn to talk. You’re so young when you start talking that your parents have to tell you about your first words. My mom told me I spoke way before I was a year old. But you know how moms are. And I’m more the strong, silent type. So, I tend to believe I waited till I had valuable information to share before I started spouting anything out.

And even though that sounds like bragging, it’s true. Because it’s true of all newborns. Kids get all goo-goo gah-gah over letters and sounds because they see and hear adults.

Yeah, you and I learned to talk mostly by watching adults.

It’s amazing when you get right down to it. You’re born with the ability to make sounds. But those sounds don’t mean anything. At least not to the adults who listen to your gibberish. But what if that gibberish is somehow connected to your Designer? Yeah, what if God is still wirelessly connected to you when you’re a newborn. And what if He sends you the code and decode “software” to decode your parents’ language?

And what if you’re then able to re-code that language into your own unique voice?

I’m not saying that’s how it happens. Just that it’s cool to consider.

Now, think about how the English language is basically only twenty-six letters. And think about how we’ve managed to put together thousands and thousands of words from those twenty-six letters.

I love the simplicity in the design. The extra cool thing is, you don’t have to do anything special to an infant to get them to understand us.

They’re already “hard-wired” for language. Of course, that’s no surprise to anyone with a Christian worldview. The Designer knows what He’s doing. And so all you gotta do is act naturally.

Ever since I found my I’ve manipulated and formulated letters into words. And words into music. And I still find the whole process fascinating. I’ll never get tired of it or bored with it. What about you? Does language fascinate you? Do you pass that awe and wonder on to the little ones who watch you to learn to talk?

Letters and sounds go together…

With a voice we can talk to each other,

We only need twenty-six letters

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You might believe what I’m about to share with you from an American food ingredient checker. You might, but I think most Americans won’t believe it.

~ These ingredients are banned in Europe. But legal in the US. Really makes you think twice when it says “FDA approved.” 

POTASSIUM BROMATE

* Can irritate nose, throat and lungs

* Shown to cause thyroid and kidney cancers in animals

TITANIUM DIOXIDE

* Enhances products white color and opacity

* The IARC has listed it as a group 2b Carcinogen

BROMINATED VEGETABLE OIL

‘ * Contains Bromine, which irritates the skin & mucous membranes

* Long term, it can cause neurological symptoms

AZODICARBONAMIDE

* Used as a whitening agent in cereal flour and bread dough

* When broken down, it creates two compounds believed to be carcinogenic

PROPYLPARABEN

* Can affect fertility in mice

* Also can affect or alter the endocrine system 

RED 40, YELLOW 6 & YELLOWS DYES

* European authorities have not banned them. But they require a warning that dyes can affect attention in children.

* May contain with several carcinogens

ANTIBIOTICS IN ANIMALS

* Overuse of antibiotics can contribute to deadly drug resistant bacteria that can be passed onto humans 

RBST

* A hormone injected into cows to increase milk production has tenuous links to breast cancer cells in humans  ~

No, we’re not scientists. And we don’t play researchers on some YouTube channel. But we read ingredients on just about everything we bring into our home. I’m not sure we hit the 100% mark all the time. But we do our best to be sure our food doesn’t contain food enhancers with laboratory sounding names.

‘ Salt, pepper, garlic, and butter.

Those are just about the only enhancers good food ever needs. And food that contains inflammatory ingredients, like the ones listed before, ain’t good for you. Plus, my guess is, most of those ingredients aren’t accidentally bad for you. But what do I know. I’m just a guy who’d rather eat the way my Great-Grandpappy, who lived into his nineties, ate.

You can eat whichever way your little ol’ heart prefers.

After all, we still have a right or two left, here in the land of the fees and home of the slaves.

In the land of the fees,
On the home of the slave,
Where the Savior still sees
And still says to be brave;
‘Cause the time will still come,
And it just might be soon,
When it all ends for some,
The astute and immune,
Who believe in the Truth
That still strengthens and frees,
And will free us, like Ruth,
From this land of the fees.  © 2022

I heard someone say, “Hey Tony, I don’t know you well enough to buy something from you.”

Ok, let’s change that. Get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And receive daily dashes of salt and flashes of light from the power of God’s love. Be a careful ingredient checker. You can unsubscribe any time.

And you can always break out your credit card for my stuff later on.

Stay tuned…

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Now and then, with a keyboard or pen, I go back where I’ve been.

I find it difficult to write anything without trying to make it rhyme in my head. Or without pondering the rhythm of the words. It isn’t obsessive. But it IS almost constant. And dare I make a mention of the need for this attention to words? Oops. I did it again. Well, it’s no sin.

Drat! There I go without even trying. You gotta believe I’m not lying when I tell you I don’t mean to. It’s just something that I do. And there’s no lasting purpose to it. I don’t know what makes me do it.

When I asked my good friend, Emma to help me with this dilemma, she let out a snicker. Then I wondered “why’d I pick her?” I could solve this on my own and then leave the rhymes alone. But if you have a solution to my rhyming execution, would you send me a note and tell me?

A little help, please.

Maybe your problem isn’t as serious as mine. But when you lay it on the line, it’s important. We’re all here for each other. Every sister, brother, and mother. And father. But so much of the time we’re so disconnected, misdirected, and unaffected. What’s wrong? Where did we shift? What caused this rift?

It’s not a matter of some mystical, magical hocus pocus. It’s a simple shift in our focus. We follow our own hearts. And that’s where the trouble starts. Your heart is not a good leader. In fact, it’s often a bottom feeder going for the lowest common denominator. In doing so, it becomes a terminator of wisdom. And wisdom is the key. For you. And for me. For anyone who’d rather benefit from lessons learned instead of getting burned over and over.

Is wisdom discovered? Uncovered?

Or is it something you’re born with and have to practice? Please, please. It’s none of these. It’s knowing the difference between wrong and right. And seeing the light of truth. OK. Where does truth originate. I don’t mean to agitate. But the answer is God. Without Him, it’s a matter of opinion, and every little minion has one of those.

So, in my rhyming way, today, as I do most every day, I’d like to offer a little help. It would be more than nice if you took my advice, but I’ll leave it up to you.

Look into God’s word. Don’t just go on what you’ve heard. Discover what He actually says. I believe you’ll find truth you never knew that can completely change you and your eternal destination. And to show my dedication, I promise to help you when I can because God says to help my fellow man.

Now and then, if you have any questions, share them with me. And I’ll do my best to help you see…

God’s love.

Now, maybe you don’t know me well enough to buy something from me, yet. Ok, let’s change that. Get to know more about me and my worldview. Join the growing body of believers who’ve signed up for the Tony’s Daily Devotional . And enjoy my daily flashes of light from the power of God’s love.

Stay tuned…

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OK kiddos from 3 to 103. I’ll just let you know, right up front, that I’m here for you. Because I know that you fit into one of these categories. You are the:

And maybe you’ve even come up with something else you think describes your effervescent and irresistible personality. If so, good for you. Or is it, good ON you these days? No matter.

And I bet just knowing that relaxes you to your very soul. Right? Yeah, because until I popped into your email inbox, you were fretting about something. And you know what they say about fretting, don’t you? Well, I don’t know what they say. But I’m sure it isn’t complimentary or reassuring.

Anyway…

Back to why and how I’m here for you.

I’m here for you because you need a break from the negativity, vulgarity, and instability of the news and the “newsmakers.” And you need a reason to smile, forget about who said what about whom, and just remember that God is gonna make everything beautiful, bright, and completely right again one fine day.

I had some special words I wanted to share with you about that. But I seem to have misplaced them. I’ve searched under my computer. Down the side of my desk. And even under my cap. But the words appear to have vanished into thin air (because nothing vanishes into thick air).

Well, there’s my quandary. My dilemma, plight, and predicament.

Did I put the words in a bag

© 2014 Tony Funderburk

As always, thanks for joining me on another ride on the rails of Rhyme and Reason.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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The post Here for you but what DID I do? appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I’m not a fan of hot weather conditions. Yeah, there’s a pun hiding in plain sight, there. But I’m not gonna pun-ish you, more, right now. If you’ve been staying inside to lounge in the coolness of air conditioning, believe me, I’m with ya man. And it IS a manly thing to do. Here’s why.

At least they can for the writer who dares to relax in the air conditioning with his (or her, and those are the only two choices) head in the metaphorical clouds. Oh, and his mind off things that don’t matter.

Aye, as they say in olde Arland (that’s Irish phonics for Ireland), and that’s just what I allowed m’self ta do just a sprinklin’ over 10 years ago. And the result is this Rhyme Time riddle. Forget the hot weather conditions for a few minutes. And see if the wee lads and lassies can solve it and tell me…

Can you guess where I am now?

But the grass is just close by.

I’m in something you might love

Little bugs crawl on my face,

But now here’s a little twist…

If that puppy sees a cat

© 2013 Tony Funderburk

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

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I bet your name is NOT Titus. Because that’s not one of the more common names these days. At least not in English speaking countries. But, according to some information I found, Titus was once “one of the most common first names in the old world.”

(HEY KIDS: be sure to read through this whole post. Because, if you do, you can win a chance to get your name in one of my books of Rhymes and Reasons.)

And there’s a lot of info that says the name, Titus, means something like “title of honor.” Even if you don’t speak Greek or Latin or some other old language, it seems pretty easy to make that connection. Some other connections people have made with the name Titus include:

And some say that people who are named Titus are “thought to be confident, assertive individuals who possess great charisma and the ability to inspire and lead others. They are often seen as natural leaders, with a strong sense of responsibility and a deep sense of duty to those they love.”

Maybe those are some of the qualities the Apostle Paul saw in his follower, Titus. And Paul wrote Titus a letter which became one of the “books of the Bible.” The letter/book is pretty short. But Paul wrote it to offer Titus some encouragement and wisdom.

And Paul told Titus how to complete his assigned job of establishing elders for the churches under his care. Paul described how these leaders should be. Plus, he wanted Titus to know how all believers should relate to each other. And know how to be and act with nonbelievers, too.

So, here’s your challenge. And your chance to get some fame for your name. Even if it’s one of the uncommon names.

All you gotta do, is read Paul’s letter to Titus. It’s a very short letter. So, it won’t take you much time to get through it. And somewhere in the letter is the answer you’ll need to fill in the final word that finishes the rhyme below. Think you can do it? If so, be sure to leave a comment with your answer.

Here’s the rhyme:

Obey the ones who are in charge,

There’ll be other challenges. So, there’ll be other chances to get your name in one of my upcoming books of Rhymes and Reasons. If you wanna get a jump on the competition and know when the next one is, jump on the The TRUTH.

That way they’ll come to you, and you won’t have to go lookin’ for ’em.

Stay tuned,

The post Common names and simple claims appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

I remember watching certain kinds of sci-fi movies, way back in decades past, that showed unbelievable scenarios for the future. But here we are, IN that future, and some of those things actually came true. One thing, in particular, is how easy it has become to terminate people just because they annoy you.

Starting in the womb.

Your own internet browser will give you the evidence for this. They’re called “suggestions.” Type something into your browser search bar. You don’t even have to type the whole phrase “terminate people.” Just type the word, terminate. Then, add a space. And then start to go through the alphabet. You won’t have to go past A to find the evidence I’m talking about.

Because one of the “suggestions” after you type “terminate a” is “terminate a pregnancy.” The other suggestions include contract, lease, and process. No problem. But then there’s pregnancy. Why is that a suggestion? Because that’s what people search for.

And that’s because nobody wants to do a search for “how to kill a baby in the womb.” That just sounds so bigoted, hateful, and mean. Why would anybody say that about a terminated pregnancy? They must be old or republican or something.

But have you noticed how many people act as thought they don’t even know what that is in a mother’s womb? And that’s in spite of the fact that ultrasound technology has made it SO simple to see it’s a baby.

It has turned into a debate over location and connection.

One of the main reasons so many people are comfortable calling a baby in the womb just a “lifestyle choice” is the baby’s location. In the womb.

You’d have to be willfully ignorant (aka: X-tra Stupid), to see a woman who’s 6 months pregnant and not know what’s making her belly protrude. (side note: I know the explosion of grossly obese women has blurred this distinction a little. But the point stands.)

Anyway…

Point is, even if you’re a person who CHOOSES to act stupid, you know what it means when a woman is pregnant. There’s a baby in there.

So, when you “terminate pregnancies,” you terminate people. Period.

And if you support the murder of the most innocent human beings, where will you draw the line? The answer is, you won’t draw a line. Because you’re willing to buy into the idea that murder is an actual solution to problems.

So, since you can terminate an “unplanned pregnancy” it’s only a short step terminating people you disagree with or don’t like.

And one of the most disagreeable, unlikeable people you’re likely to run across is someone who holds the opposite political opinions.

I haven’t been a Donald Trump supporter because of his willingness to compromise on the termination of babies whose fathers were criminals. And his willingness to turn his head when it comes to certain other issues that, let’s say, don’t meet with God’s approval.

That being said, I DO believe Mr. Trump is an American patriot on a fairly high level. But even if I disagreed with him on everything, including his compromise on abortion, it would never enter my mind to want him terminated.

I don’t even want that despicable, poor excuse for a human being, who currently occupies the big white house in Washington, D.C. to be terminated by a bullet. I WILL rejoice when I see God’s vengeance on him and all other God haters one day, though.

But someone decided it would be fine to put a bullet in Donald Trump’s head. And that person, with the backing of who knows who, came within an inch or two of doing exactly that.

Oh how I wish that close call would clarify Mr. Trump’s respect for human life. I wish he’d think, “Wow, that bullet zing across my ear hurt bad. I can only imagine what an unborn baby must feel when those cold steel clamps tear his or her arms and legs off. We’ve got to abolish abortion.”

And if Donald’s brush with death helps seal a win for him this November, at least he won’t destroy America the way Joke Biden has. But without a connection to the True moral compass of the one, true, living, loving Creator, NO administration will save America from destruction.

Trump will possibly slow down the process, somewhat. But a nation that kills 3000 innocent babies every day, and teaches evolution in government indoctrination camps, will not last. And America has already been doing that for 50 years and more. Time is running out.

My audience is very small, compared to the population of the world. But thanks to internet technology, my message can be seen and heard around the globe. So, if you see or hear this, I hope it inspires you to do what you can to share the saving grace of Jesus.

Because as long as the idea that it’s OK to terminate people grows, you have a bullseye on your head, too. And you don’t have a secret service team to shield you from the assassin’s bullet.

Time is all you need to create

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

The post Terminate people and forget the steeple appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Me: “Of course I’m pro public education. Why would you want to keep education a secret?”

A friend: “Actually pro public education means you’re all for public schools.”

“Wait, what?! Well, of course I’m not THAT kind of pro public education!”

A friend: “Whew, thank goodness. I thought you might be a closet Brandon dude.”

That never happened. I just made it up to get you ready for this next rough stuff.

Because I know what it means. And I know it only means trouble for kids. And parents of kids. The only reason I even brought it up is because of some social media posts I saw today. Check out these samples. They’re all from accounts on X.

~ Joe Biden leads the most pro-public education, pro-union administration in modern history. His positive and caring vision for America is one that educators share, and we know he will continue to deliver for students and families.

That was a quote from someone who’s obviously blind, deaf, and stupid. Here’s another.

~ i’m a kindergarten teacher and every day I make my students choose new pronouns and when they recite the pledge of allegiance they have to say “pride flag” instead of “flag of the United States of America” and “gay” instead of “God”

Notice the horrible grammar and typos. OK, depending on who says what, that post either is one of the stupidest ever, or it came from a public school teacher parody account. Even if the parody account version is true, you can bet there are plenty of teachers in government indoctrination camps who “feel” (and write) that way.

This “person” used a group of hashtags to send a despicable message out to the masses. Because they want to start their sexual orientation grooming of kids as early 3 and 4 years old.

#pride #pridemonth #drag #beyou

Thankfully, there are social accounts who are out there fighting the fight. Like these two posting examples.

~ PSA: Don’t worry about the world’s standards for your kids. They are a failure, academically speaking, and are focused on pushing a culture of sex, racism, and socialism. Ditch the state. And raise counter-cultural children who read, write, and think with excellence.

I love that. Especially the part about counter-cultural children who read, write, and think with excellence.

And here’s the other post:

~ Our children deserve an environment that fosters true learning & critical thinking, not one that promotes fear & compliance. Public schools have shown time & again that they prioritize control over education.

Maybe you, or someone you know, is still on the fence about it. Maybe you’re still pro public education. I hope not. But as long as you breathe it’s not too late to do something incomparably amazing for kids. And that’s to homeschool them.

Here’s a hint that it’s a terrible idea to send them to government schools:

The government says it’s a good idea.

This isn’t a problem that comes from politicians with a D by their name. It’s an issue supported, in some way, by 99.9% of ALL politicians. And that means 99.9% are socialists.

Socialism is HERE now. Despite what ANY politician with ANY letter next to his or her name says. And if your government officials have anything to say about it, and they do, socialism isn’t the last step. So, they’ll keep pushing the pro public education agenda till they completely ruin this once great nation.

Now, I’m gonna take my own advice and not just focus on the problem.

You might win a few things in this life,

Know that nothing is too hard for God.

Make the most of the moments you have.

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

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Have you ever made a rock? And how about a stick? Have you ever made one of those? Well, what about a drop of water? Surely you’ve at least made a drop of water in your life. And surely, somewhere, there’s a school science class where that has happened. Naturally, I don’t expect anyone to create a river. But surely at least one, single drop of water shouldn’t be that hard to do.

I can almost see the headline: Whiz Kid Invents World’s First Drop Of Water In A Laboratory

Yeah, that whiz kid’s gonna be able to boast about that street cred for a long time.

OK, a rock, a stick, and water seem like simple things. But no whiz kid on earth can make even a grain of sand or a seed. Because only God can make those things.

And I bet you’re fine with that. Right? I’m sure you don’t mope around wishing you could invent dirt and stuff. Because it’s a lot more fun throwing rocks, lying in the sand, and splashing in the water. Especially on hot summer days.

But, if you COULD invent a drop of water, everybody would wanna be your friend. And before you knew it, you could brag about how you have a million friends. And think about how proud that might make you feel.

But you gotta watch out for that proud part.

So, maybe you’re not a science whiz kid. But let’s say win a running race. Or you paint a picture that wins first place at the art chow. Or maybe you write a hit song people love to listen to on the radio. Nothin’ wrong with any of that. But I recommend you don’t get all caught up in being proud of yourself.

It’s a much better idea to thank the Lord that He gave you strong legs to win the race. Or thank Him for giving you the talent and good eyes to paint a beautiful picture. Or good ears and skills to write music.

After all, God was the one who created you. He designed your muscles and bones and eyes and ears. He gave you a brain. And He gave your brain the power to think your own thoughts. Dream your own dreams. And even sing your own songs. No, you wouldn’t have any of those things without Him.

So, God must love you a lot to make so many wonderful things for you to enjoy. Right?

And just so you know, it’s fine for others who love you to be proud of you. They wanna see you do good and awesome things. Because that means you’re growing and getting better and better at what they helped you learn how to do.

But don’t forget. You didn’t invent art and music, or even that one drop of water I mentioned earlier. And you certainly didn’t invent YOU. So, stay humble. Don’t fall into the pride and proud trap.

Remember, there ARE some things God hates. And at the top of His list is “a proud look.”

So, my hope for you, today, is that you’ll go do some great things. AND give thanks to God.

If you’re proud of yourself for the things you do,

Before you go, jump on the The TRUTH. And join the growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs, and videos about the Rhyme and Reason and power of God’s love.

Stay tuned,

The post Drop of water from the clay not the potter appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Feelings change. It’s a fact of life. That was even true when I was a young whippersnapper, all those decades ago. I remember the first time I felt like I was in love with a girl. But, later, I felt like I was in love with another girl. It happened several times. What can I say? A red-blooded American boy is a boy after all.

And your feelings will (or did) change many times, too. So, that’s why you shouldn’t depend on feelings for the important things in life. And the most important thing in life is truth. And there are some things that are just plain true. It doesn’t matter how you feel about them. They’re still true.

One big truth is that God created only two genders of humans.

And it will always be true. No matter how you or anyone might feel about it.

These days some boys wish they were girls. And they do awful, horrible things to their bodies. The same is true for girls. It may sound weird, but it’s true. There are people who try to change genders. And they have to take drugs, take shots with needles, and even have gross operations.

All those things hurt your body because it isn’t built to take that. And it hurts God’s feelings to see it happening. He knows how much it hurts a person.

There’s a place in the Bible where it says you’re made in God’s image. And God doesn’t make mistakes. He never puts any one in the wrong body. He puts you right where you need to be. But if you don’t trust Him or love Him, you might believe just about anything bad somebody says about Him. You might even believe (or feel like) it’s OK to be whatever gender you choose. But it’s not. It hurts you. In fact, it can even take you somewhere you truly do not want to go.

How about you read more about what God says about you? Because you’ll find out how unique He made you. And since God does that for you, who cares what anyone else says? God says you’re one-of-a-kind. You’re special. And He even knows how many hairs on on your head. He wants you to live forever. There’s only one way to do that. Trust in His Son, Jesus.

Jesus made you and He knows what’s best for you. And He made sure you could live with Him forever. And Jesus is the one who says what you’ll be. That’s why you should trust Him and not your feelings. He loves you. And there’s only one person who can ever change that. YOU.

Here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

There’s a life inside of you, and it comes from God,

Stay tuned,

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