OK, you’ll enjoy this story much more if you use your best Irish or Scottish accent as you read. Even if you read it to yourself and you don’t read it out loud. You’re already doin’ it. Aren’t ya? Yeah, the way that power of suggestion works is a mystical phenomenon.

Have you ever heard of the Blue Celtic Cloud?

Some say it’s not just a vapor. Not just part of the sky. And some will swear the Blue Celtic Cloud is even more than just a mystical phenomenon. They’ll swear it’s a living, shimmering “entity” that floats above the verdant highlands and rugged coastlines of Eire.

In fact, I heard a story about it. And I’ll share the story with you now. Word for word.

(by the way, your accent is delightful)

Anyway…

Rhiannon, a young druidess, was the guardian of the aforementioned Blue Celtic Cloud. She had inherited this sacred duty from her grandmother, Maeve. And Maeve had whispered tales of the cloud’s power into Rhiannon’s ears ever since she was a child.

Maeve told her the Blue Celtic Cloud was no ordinary puff of vapor. Not at all. Because it contained the dreams and hopes of the Celtic people. And it could transform those dreams and hopes into healing rain to nourish the earth and all who with open hearts to music.

And one crisp morning, during the last few days of Spring, as a mist kissed the heather-covered hills, Rhiannon felt a drop of water on her forehead. The Blue Celtic Cloud was swirling with a luminous energy. Even as the rest of the world was quiet and still.

So, Rhiannon chanted ancient incantations she learned from her grandmother. And the Blue Celtic Cloud descended and surrounded her in a soft, glowing mist.

A gentle rain began to fall. But the strange thing about it was that Rhiannon didn’t get wet. Because the rain fell directly into her heart. Or at least it felt that way. And she could also feel the dreams and hopes of the Celtic people as beautiful music also found its way to her heart. And, without even realizing it, the song made her smile.

It sure was a whimsical, wonderful mystical phenomenon. But sadly, Rhiannon had no one to share the song with. So, she sang it to the Blue Celtic Cloud. And she asked the Cloud to send it to someone, someday, some way, who could and would pass it on to others.

Finally, hundreds of years later, the Cloud found an unsuspecting, but willing, songwriter to write down the words and compose the song.

And that’s how the ninth song on my Lullabye Bye collection of lullaby songs for kids came about. Cross my heart and hope to fly.

Listen to a sample of “Blue Celtic Cloud,” as well as all the other songs in the Lullabye Bye collection here: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VV4pKjLJWgg)

And it shouldn’t take a mystical phenomenon for you to jump on over to the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop to get your special kids their very own Lullabye Bye coloring, drawing songbook. And did I mention, there’s a link, in the book, to download all the songs?

Well, there is. So, download your Lullabye Bye book in the Rhyme and Reason Bookshop right now.

Stay tuned…

The post Mystical phenomenon, in this song, goes on and on appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

He’s talked with dead people, personally. He’s talked about dead people as though they were still alive. And he consistently serves up word hash like it’s going out of style or something. You know him. You loathe him. Of course I’m talking about little Joey Biden. Mrs. Biden’s pride and joy.

You no doubt have seen commentaries, of one sort or another, about Joe Biden’s brain fog. His brain fog reminds me of the Peanuts comic strip character, Pig-pen. Because wherever Pig-pen went, his little dirt cloud went with him. Just like JB’s brain fog.

Someone shared, yet again, a “greatest hits” compilation of Joe’s “gaffes” on social media. And as I laughed (even though on a certain level it’s NOT funny), I remembered a word hash I created a couple of years ago. Except my hash only sounds like hash. The words are actually real. Not that blurred, slurred slop that slips out from behind the executive teleprompter.

If you know a kid who enjoys looking up words for their definitions, they should get a real kick out of this remix of words. Every other line ends with a word that rhymes with…

The light revealed the interstice,

© 2022

There’s a lot more fun, goofy stuff kids seem to get a big kick out of in the Kiddin’ Around coloring and drawing songbook. From a green monkey to purple poodles to who knows where, it’s kid friendly through and through. Here’s the link to get a copy for your favorite kid today. And, the big PLUS is that there’s a secret link in the book where all the songs can be downloaded for free.

https://www.amazon.com/Kiddin-Around-Tony-Funderburk/dp/B08BV18T5J

Stay tuned,

The post Word hash for Joe and those in the know appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

Information inside your cells determined whether you’d have brown or blue or green eyes. And it determined whether you’d have black or brown or blonde hair. AND whether you’d be a boy or a girl (Those are the only choices, by the way). Take a trillion trails of that information, see where it goes, and I believe you’ll come to the same conclusion I did: “Whoa, dude. That sounds complex. My head just exploded.”

You could take a lot more than that and still remain in the cells of one, single person. Yeah, you’re gonna need to stock up. Because that’s gonna be a long journey.

Think about the thoughts and memories you have floating around in your mind right now. Those thoughts and memories have no physical parts. In fact, you can’t feel, smell, taste, hear, or see them. And here’s the thing. They didn’t create themselves. Information can’t do that. It’s too complex.

I know I keep saying that, but I just can’t help myself. It’s tru. The information in the DNA of each of your cells is basically equal to a library with 4000 books. It’s like your body isn’t a single star. It’s a whole constellation.

So, to say that much data stored in the 37 trillion cells in your body happened by chance mutations is ludicrous (Not to be confused with “Ludacris” although he IS ludicrous).

Anyway…

Why would you (or anybody) prefer to believe in chance, circumstance, and some sort of mutations dance? And why wouldn’t you (or anybody) prefer to believe in the living, loving God who wants us to live forever? Chance, circumstance, and mutations don’t care whether you live or die. So they certainly don’t care if you live forever. In fact, they only contribute to your hopelessness. Until they eventually erase it altogether.

Toss it aside? Make fun of it? Sure, those options are at your disposal. But you could also check out scientific links I’ve shared. Don’t take my word for it. And see if your belief system is challenged. Who knows? Maybe your belief system will change. That happens a lot when people open their eyes to the truth.

If it hasn’t already happened for you, I hope it does REAL SOON.

Through the trillion trails of starlight

© 2017

Milky Way Bouquet is an instrumental included on the popular collection of lullabies called “Lullabye Bye.” Get all the songs, in the unique songbook and coloring and drawing book for kids by the same title, from this link:

(https://www.amazon.com/Lullabye-Bye-Tony-Funderburk/dp/B08BWFWSLN)

Stay tuned,

The post Trillion trails of information in your personal constellation appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

When I was a kid, there was a show on TV called Hee Haw. And every weekend, through the summer, I remember the family gathered around the TV set to watch all that “cornpone” humor. It was hosted by Roy Clark and Buck Owens. And Buck Owens is the guy who sang “Tiger By The Tail.”

Now, keep in mind, I’m basically not a country music fan. Especially what’s trying to pass itself off as country music these days. But I was raised in the midwest, mid south, and south. So, there was no way to avoid it all together. And I DO get a kick out some of the old songs.

It was a hit back when songs didn’t always try to have a political message. Or lyrics focused on who’s hookin’ up with who (or is that whom?). In fact, lyrics didn’t have to be deep at all. Just catchy. Like these from the chorus of Buck’s song:

I’ve got a tiger by the tail, it’s plain to see.

You might not believe this, but whole families used to sit around the TV, together, and listen to stuff like that. And just in case it doesn’t sound cool, get this. Dean Martin, aka: Mr. Cool, had Buck Owens on his TV show, and he sang that song with Buck. You don’t have to believe me. But it’s on YouTube, so there.

I took a different spin on the tiger tail idea.

In the first song, off my Kiddin’ Around collection of songs for kids, I said “Don’t grab a tiger by the tail.” And I followed that up with “Don’t go dancin’ with a whale.”

Yeah, that song is filled with lots of advice on what you shouldn’t oughta do. And I remember how kids laughed when I sang it for them at a Christian school outdoor get-together a few years ago.

Lyrics to all the songs in the collection are on the first pages. Then there are characters to color. And then there are blank pages for drawing. But the best part is the secret link to download all the songs that go with all those lyrics. And right now I have a limited supply of autographed copies of the book.

Get one for your kids today: https://www.tonyfunderburk.com/kiddin-around-book

And just in case you doubt the Dean Martin, Buck Owens connection, here they are on YouTube:

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RBDezyqHG60)

Stay tuned,

The post Tiger by the tail and boy that cat could wail appeared first on Tony Funderburk.

From here to Timbuktu. You’ve heard that expression or something like it. Right? Well, I’m not gonna give you a history lesson on where the expression originated or if it’s even a real place. But it DID inspire a toy store in the Denver area.

It’s one of the 10 fun and silly songs in the Kiddin’ Around collection.

When CD’s were still a “cool” way to get music, we sold thousands of them through several kids’ stores across Colorado. One of those stores was named Timbuk Toys. And I wrote a song by that same name to motivate the store owners and employees to keep the CD’s in stock.

It worked well. And they sold a bunch of ’em for us.

But these days, CD’s have sort of fallen out of favor with most music lovers. So, I created another way you can get these fun songs for kids AND give them a lot more. I published the Kiddin’ Around Singalong, Coloring, and Drawing Book on Amazon.

Inside the book your kids get the lyrics to all the songs in the collection. AND they get coloring pages. AND they get blank drawing pages. PLUS they get a super secret link (which you can help them with) to a free download of all the songs in the book. Here’s a clip from “Timbuk Toys”

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You can even scan the QR code you see at the top of this page, or in the video or below to go right to the page, on Amazon, where you can order a copy today.

And next time you find yourself in Timbuktu, don’t be surprised if you catch yourself humming the Timbuk Toys song.

My, my what a stroke of luck…

© 2007 Tony Funderburk

If you’re not a scanner type of person, here’s your easy, friendly link to the book.

Get your special, silly kid the Kiddin’ Around songbook today.

Stay tuned,

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