Rhyme and Reason 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 because He did, a boy is a boy and a girl is a girl.

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.

So…how about this?

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,

And He wants you to live and to always enjoy

And remember He made you the person you are,

Yes, a girl is girl and a boy is a boy.

Stay tuned,

Gonna talk about truth and mercy right now. So, get ready to take some mental notes. Yeah, put away those silly tablets and other writing accoutrement. Because I don’t want your brain distracted by an urgent need to jot notes.

The value of truth and mercy is too important to miss.

So, before I go any further, I know your brain is already distracted by the grammar in my headline, “Truth and mercy for what him and her say.” Right? C’mon, admit it. Your first thought was to call the grammar police and report some noun/verb abuse. But, hopefully you remembered I’m Mister Tony, the Rhyme and Reason Guy. And you thought, “Hey, wait a minute. I bet Tony’s using his poetic license to make his headline rhyme.”

And I’m so glad none of this caused a ruckus we can’t overcome. So, on to the main point(s).

Have you ever been called a loser? I hope not. But if you have, I’m sure you remember how much it hurt. Right? People who call you a loser or some other name have already lost something. I bet you didn’t know that, did you? Yep, people like that have lost 2 things you should never lose. Would you like to know what they are? Keep reading…

There are a lot of things in this life you could lose and it wouldn’t make much difference. Your pencil. Your paper. And your bubble gum. But those are just thingy things. You can almost always get more thingy things. But there are other things much more important.

And here are the 2 things you should never lose:

Truth and Mercy. Did you already guess? If so, you win a big pat on your back. Go tell someone I said to give you one.

And you know what mercy is. Right? It’s kinda like telling someone you’re not mad at them for breaking your toy. In fact, instead of getting mad at them, you tell them they can play with another one of your toys. You should try that sometime. You might be surprised to see what a big smile you could put on your friend’s face. Yeah, mercy is a pretty special thing. You should have a lot of it in you.

And I bet you know what truth is, too. Right? It’s what you say that can stand any test. And it’s the same for everybody. Let’s say I tell you the sun is bigger and hotter than the moon. Am I telling you the truth? Sure am. And isn’t it true for everybody who lives here on Earth. Sure is. Everybody can see the sun is bigger. And they can feel how much hotter it is. So, if I tell someone those things…I’m telling them the truth. It’s good to know some things are true for everybody.

It makes it easier to understand the world.

There’s something that ties mercy and truth together. Do you know what that is? It’s love.

When you love somebody, it’s much easier to show mercy and say, “You can play with this toy even though you broke that one.” And when you love, you want to know truth…because you might be curious where love comes from. Don’t you think so?

Here’s the biggest reason why it’s important to know these 2 things you should never lose. Because when you have those things in YOUR heart, you win a place in God’s heart.

And winning a place in God’s heart is the best thing you could ever win because that lasts forever. Go share some Truth and Mercy today. I’m counting on you. And here’s a rhyme to help you remember…

Mercy and truth are lighted lamps

To help you find your way…

So with God’s help, go share your love

For others every day.

Get some music and a book sent your way real fast. Just jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon. And join a growing band of believers who enjoy my books, daily rhymes, songs,

Episode 929 of the Rhyme and Reason podcast is all about the demo. Back to the regular programming next time…

Why, in the name of godzilla, would you ever want to identify with a lower creature? Why would you ever, ever, ever want, or claim to have, a lizard brain? And how would that ever help you tune in to your limbic arc? Or help you maintain balance in your emotional vectoring? Not to mention (but I will) your energetic posture.

No reptilian brain is ever gonna benefit from a limbic arc.

At least that’s my prediction. And I believe that goes for the paleomammalian and neomammalian brains, too.

Of course, this is only MY prediction. And it’s based on 000,000 years of study on the subject (YES, that number IS correct). But my prediction is a result of decades of study on why humans prefer creatures over the Creator. And, by the way, this dirty, broken world provides proof, every second in every day of where that worldview leads.

If you’ve read this far, give yourself a big pat on the back. Because I know, on the surface, it looks like I’ve read too many science fiction books or listened to too many wacko “influencers.” So, here’s why I brought this up today.

I discovered there’s an app that was created to help you with your limbic arc. I’m not going into detail on how an info boost goes into the zero point field and gets directly to YOU. Just know that it does. And that your brain is smarter than you think.

OK, just so you know, part of me prefers to make fun of the limbic arc app. And part of me is intrigued by how much study went into all the emotional vectoring, zero point fields interaction, and info boost talk. Because your body apparently DOES have a limbic system. And that system is more proof that you are fearfully and wonderfully made.

But to say you can tap into info boosts, with your phone (or even your computer) and reap the benefits of anti-aging is a stretch. In fact, every time I see ANY product that mentions anti-aging, alarms ring out in my brain. Because there is no such thing, in this life, as anti-aging. You live another day. And you’re another day older.

Nothing can change that.

When you claim your product can help with allergies, digestion, and gut health, I already know that’s feasible. Because there are plenty of products out there with those proven benefits. And when you claim your product can help detox livers, strengthen hearts, or build up immune systems, same thing. I’ve experienced some of those products.

But when you start adding the benefits of anti-aging, “resolve,” and “prosperity,” my male-cattle-by-product radar starts beeping the alert bell. And when someone talks about the 2000 pieces of information your conscious brain processes every second, in the frontal cortex, BUT you leave out God, I question the integrity of your purpose.

Then, when you talk about the reticular activation system in the brain, and how the brain subconsciously processes over 400 million pieces of information, BUT you leave out God, that’s another YUGE red flag.

So many misinformed, mistaken, and misaligned people actually believe in a triune brain. But they can’t begin to imagine believing in a triune God. Yeah, the actually say things like certain parts of your brain are older than others. And they believe humans started with a brain stem which was supposed to be “responsible for primitive survival instincts such as aggression and fear.” And, apparently, that “evolved” into a more complex brain that included the limbic system.

Of course, if you’re just another reptile, then you’re just a work in progress. And that removes the right and wrong aspect. Because you’re just a work in progress. And a work in progress will have problems. Revisions will be needed. The system will require more development.

The longest bridge in the world spans over 100 miles. Can you imagine driving that far, and it’s all on one bridge. Well, that’s all I’ll do. Because I’m never gonna drive on any bridge that long. Much less this particular one.

Because the longest bridge in the world is in China.

And I have no desire to visit China just so I can say I was on the longest bridge in the world. For that matter, I wouldn’t visit parts of America just to say that. But that’s just me. Feel free (as much as anybody can feel free anymore) to go drive on any bridge you like.

According to an article I read, the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge, the name for the longest bridge in the world, is an impressive feat of engineering. And apparently it’s part of the Beijing-Shanghai High-Speed Railway. That article included these interesting facts about the Danyang–Kunshan Grand Bridge. Directly from the article:

1. Length: 164.8 kilometers (102.4 miles) long, making it the longest bridge in the world.

2. Location: Between the cities of Danyang and Kunshan in Jiangsu Province, China.

3. Construction Time: Started in 2006 and completed in 2010. The bridge officially opened in June 2011.

4. Purpose: It was built to support high-speed rail travel, allowing trains to travel at speeds up to 300 km/h (186 mph).

5. The bridge was constructed by a workforce of around 10,000 people. It used 450,000 tons of steel and 2.3 million cubic meters of concrete. The construction involved extensive planning and engineering to ensure stability and safety over various terrains, including rivers, lakes, and rice paddies. Prefabricated sections were used to expedite the building process and ensure structural integrity.

6. Design and Engineering Challenges: Soft ground, water bodies, and varying terrains. Incorporating modern engineering techniques and materials to ensure durability and safety. Ensuring the bridge can withstand natural disasters like earthquakes and typhoons.

7. Economic and Social Impact: The bridge significantly reduced travel time between major cities, boosting economic development and connectivity in the region.

Sounds like quite an accomplishment.

And I’m still not going there. Even though, my guess is, to a HUGE degree, most of the cost to build it was paid by Walmart, Costco, and Hobby Lobby customers.

If that includes you, don’t feel too bad. Because good luck trying to find something that’s NOT made in China. Of course, that’s no big deal because their government luvs America. So, what do we have to fear but fear itself?

Anyway…

These kinds of stories, combined with stories about American border invaders, atrocious abortion activists, a despicable criminal justice system that’s just a system, and more, inspire me to encourage you.

And, just in case, because things can go wrong SO fast, I encourage you to share more than a coke and smile with your loved ones. Share more than a dinner and a movie. Share more than a wink and a nod. Matter of fact…

I hope you’ll tell someone you love, today,

Something they will not soon forget,

A little something they can take through life,

A memory. A love vignette.  © 2023

And while you’re at it, you and your loved ones should jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon. And be part of the growing band of believers who know life has Rhyme and Reason because God is Real.

Stay tuned,

This is something good to share with the kiddos. I talked about this over 10 years ago. But since this kind of nerve health is an ongoing issue, it’s just as relevant as ever.

And here’s what I mean by “this kind of nerve health.”

Have you ever heard someone say “you got a lotta nerve?” Usually they don’t mean that in a good way. It’s usually someone thinking you shouldn’t have said or done what you just said or did.

Like maybe you just told a guy his purple mohawk looks goofy. And he says, “Hey, you got a lotta nerve.” Here’s a helpful tip. When you see some dork, who has a purple mohawk, just do like Dionne Warwick sang. Walk on By. Let the dork have his purple mohawk. And act as though you never saw it.

Same thing goes for someone who has one yellow shoe and one pink shoe. Or someone who loves prunes. Let ’em wear their mismatched shoes and eat their strange fruits. Because other people’s mismatched shoes, strange fruit, and weird hair should have NO effect on YOU. And when you get down to it, the world is full of much stranger things.

I know you got a lotta nerve. And you’re bold for the Lord.

But, as the saying goes, don’t sweat the small stuff.

You can think whatever you want, about their dorkiness. But keep it to yourself, and don’t say it out loud. You’ll either make ’em mad or make ’em sad. Either way, it’s best to just keep on walkin’ and whistlin’.

The best side effect of taking my advice is your own good nerve health. And besides that, when you have more “regard for good things,” it’ll be more of an insult to dorks than all your verbal criticisms. Plus, you can focus your boldness on self-improvement. Like this:

You Got A Lotta Nerve

You got a lotta nerve sayin’ you’re gonna climb that tree,

And run that race,

Or ride that bike,

And camp out in your own teepee.

You got a lotta nerve sayin’ you’re gonna read that book

And learn that math

Or clean your room

And hang your coat on the coat hook.

You got a lotta nerve sayin’ you wanna be your best

And dress real sharp

Or stay real clean

And be happy and not depressed.

You got a lotta nerve sayin’ you wanna do what’s right,

But keep that nerve

And don’t give up

You’re a winner in God’s good light.

© 2013

Just use a little bit of nerve, and jump on the Rhyme and Reason Bandwagon. And be part of the growing band of believers who know life has Rhyme and Reason because God is Real.

Stay tuned,