Rhyme and Reason with 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. Mm, mm. Nothin’ like a bowl of homemade word hash. You no doubt have se...

There’s always tomorrow. Which is weird. Because tomorrow never comes. In the big picture, those two sentences aren’t mutually exclusive. So, “ride the wind” when it’s windy. Drink up when it rains. Sunbathe when others complain of the heat. Your days here on earth are very, very short. Don’t take yourself so seriously that you can’t sieze the moment with...

I saw a silly question this morning. And I’m sure you’ve seen one like it at least once or twice. It said, “‘Mass Extinction: What Happened 65 Million Years Ago?” Of course, the correct answer is “Nothing.” Well, another correct answer would be, “Ask God. He was the only one around.” But nothing on Earth happened 65 million years ago. Because E...

He built a small log cabin on the bank of a small creek, in Kansas, in the early 1830s. Then, the U.S. government built some other lodges in the area. And one of those lodges was for Tonganoxie. But who in the world was Tonganoxie? And why does it matter? Well, I’ll answer both those questions. But you should know ahead of time that you might not be satisfied with my answers. If you’re...

When I was a kid, I’d almost always be the first one to get up. And I’d sneak into the kitchen and pour myself a bowl of cereal. Not every day was a cereal day. Because moms knew growing kids need a variety of nutrients. But a bowl (or two) of that tasty goodness could take you all the way to lunch. Of course, that was back before cereal (and just about all other food) was so manipulat...

Most of us humans go on our merry way, every day. And most of us never give a second thought to what happens next. But I don’t mean in the next minute or hour. And not even the next day, week, or month. Nope. Think much further ahead. We’re on our merry way to somewhere else after this life. So, get out the roadmap, plot out a destination, and work out how you’ll get there. Thank...

Hey, hey, it’s May and May Day. So, what do you say? I say hey! Let’s talk about the May birthstone. And in case you didn’t already know, it’s the beautiful emerald. Emerald for a May birthstone makes sense when you learn more about it. Because the emerald is considered a symbol of rebirth. And superstitious people believe it has the power to grant the owner foresight, good...

Being a parent, especially one with a baby or young child, can be isolating. That was a headline that caught my eye this morning. And maybe it’s just me (I doubt it), but that kind of parent seems like the selfish type. But the article included some reasons why being a parent can be isolating. Now, hold on to your hat. Because there are some terrifying things parents do that bring on this pr...

Slim and None. Those are the probable answers to the question. But, naturally, that begs the question. And at least one version of the question would be, “What are the odds that everything happens for a reason?” And I’d say chances are also slim and none that people who believe everything happens for a reason would agree with Jesus on that. Uh-oh. I done went and done it that tim...

I saw a headline that I had to check out. It said: A prominent doctor asks Democrats: “If abortion is healthcare, my question is: what disease are you treating?” And I say Kudos to the good doctor for the “what disease” question. So, the doctor’s name is Monique Wubbenhorst. And, according to an article clip I ready, she’s “a renowned medical professor and...

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 co...

The end of April is fast approaching. So, get read for all those May flowers. Of course, that leads to Mother’s Day and then Memorial Day and backyard barbecues. All that wonderful evidence of Spring can help you forget that God hates you. Anyway… So, last week I had a nice conversation with some people who walked their Yorkie by the bungalow. We got to talkin’ about how they don...

If it’s Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, just ignore this message. Because this is specially designed to help you focus on your Wednesday blessings. I won’t be responsible for results you get by attempting to use it on those other days. “Why Wednesday blessings, Tony?” you ask. Well, I’m glad you asked because I’d like to expound with grea...

I get it. You’ve heard it all before. Right? And if you have to listen to one more person spout off about how “God so loved the world blah, blah, blah, you’ll scream. But here’s the thing. Truth is always truth. Even when you’ve heard it all before. It’s testable. And it comes through with flying colors every time it’s tested. But that makes it detestable...

Here in America, we still enjoy a certain amount of “free speech.” During the 20th century this country participated in two world wars. And many men and women fought and died to get rid of evil dictators and despicable governments. The ultimate sacrifice for God-given rights. Thomas Jefferson sort of acknowledged where our rights originate when he composed the Declaration of Independen...

For a long time I sang for my supper. And breakfast, lunch, and snacks. And I sang for my monthly bills, my gasoline consumption, and even my cool clothes. When you can pay your way as a musician, do you know what they call you? Yeah, somebody who should get a real job. Wait a second! That’s not right. They call you a professional musician. Or professional entertainer. Or something like that...

My brother and I had a two-week booking in Erie, Pennsylvania. And we had just arrived. We unloaded our music gear and clothes and took them into the hotel. But I left a few boxes and assorted items in the back of my pickup. Because it was our first night in town. And we were tired from a long drive. Plus, the truck was parked inside the hotel’s “secure” lot for guests. So, no pr...

Your whole life here on earth is only the beginning. The fullness of eternity opens up to you, clearly, once you die. That’s the point of no return. Or, as the band, Kansas, said, the Point of Know Return. Anyway… If and when you choose to trust your Creator, you wouldn’t want to return anyway. And when you see what’s in Heaven, I doubt seriously if you’ll have any lo...

To see me now, it might be difficult to even imagine I was once considered part of the cool crowd. Not the smoke-dope-drop-ludes-party-till-you-drop crowd. But because I was a full-time musician that so-called “cool crowd” those people figured it was OK to have me around. Even though they discovered it’s difficult to find someone as uncool as me. But the truth is, it’s pref...

Forgiveness without repentance is selfish and unwise. How’s that for an opener? But I only said it because it’s true. Forgiveness without repentance kills dogs. Not just people. Yeah, if you won’t apply the proper way to forgive, to and for you, won’t you at least save the little puppies. And before you think I’ve gone completely bonkers, let me show you an example of...

I don’t fly the unfriendly skies anymore. Because I don’t wanna be stuck in an unsanitary tube, soaring through the air at 35000 feet up, with a passenger list that includes people who hate each other and God. But, hey, that’s probably just me. Anyway… Here’s why I bring up my aversion to airline travel (the same is true for just about any mass transit). Whatever happens in this world is temporary...

This dreadful message is dark. Too dark for the front page news and prime time. So, you won’t see or hear it unless you tune into channels where people share the truth even when it’s unpopular. I’ve shared that kind of truth for decades. And I haven’t enjoyed even one day of it. Not even before I lost most of my “friends” because I dared to speak up this way. Thankfully, these days, I can create m...

Before I get into what a mess you are, let me first say Happy Super Tuesday. I have no clue what that means. But apparently there’s some holiday being celebrated, and that’s what they call it. Now, where was I? Oh yeah. You’re a mess. I know you are. Beyond a shadow of a doubt. And I know it because it’s a human condition. Bad choices. And a strong tendency toward selfishness. Trouble is, there’s...

So. There’s this little protoplanet named “Vesta.” And, as it churns out, little Vesta might have some clues as to how life on Earth might have formed? Yeah, scientists discovered some areas of impact on the “minor planet” that seem to show “collisions with carbon rich asteroids.” And of course, they emphasize that carbon is the essential building block to all life on earth...

Who wants to listen to (much less, sing) a bunch of  old songs with a bunch of thee’s, thy’s, and thou’s? I mean, not only is that stuff not cool, it just sounds weird. Yeah, the old hymns lyrics say stuff that nobody even understands anymore. Right? Well, old hymns lyrics might be hard to understand. But not impossible. Most of the old hymns lyrics talk about a living, loving Fa...