Picnic Tables From God 5/17/2026

 Good Morning, 

I started this morning in prayer and I hope this day affords me the luxury to be able to pray throughout it. I just poured a hot cup of Door County Salted Caramel Whiskey Coffee and it is time to write.

Philippians 4:19 KJV But my God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. 

Our Men's Ministry from our church has undertaken a project to build three picnic tables for the physically impaired, wheelchair accessible. We prayed about how we might do a fund raiser to just purchase three, but our prayers were answered in a way I never thought would happen. The lumber needed to build some was donated by a saw mill in Southwest Wisconsin. White oak lumber was given to us by a generous soul who owns a small mill. 

The process started a few months ago, with me picking up the lumber with one other fella and drying the wood in another man's driveway. 

Yesterday morning after coffee and prayer, a team of men from the church began the process, which was cutting all the pieces and planing them smooth. Today we start the assembly of one or two of them. 

My point for today is this. God's work done in God's way never lacks His support. It was also good to be working around those guys and seeing God's work being performed by Godly Men. I am not a carpenter at all. I am more of a wood butcher than a carpenter. But they even found something this old guy can do. I was the gopher for the project. We all started with ten fingers and we ended the day with ten each. The work continues later today. 

Friends, is there a project God wants you to do? Do you need a small group to get it done? If God is in it, He will supply all that is needed. 

Food for thought!

Marty

The Size Of The Potato Doesn't Matter??? 5/16/2026

 Good Morning,

I am writing from my desk this morning with a very hot cup of Door County Irish Creme coffee as my main wake up tool. 

                              

World's largest potato traveling Interstate 94 to the Wisconsin State Fair. Photo credit Marty Schutte.

I do most of the preaching for our Saturday Night Church Service. It is a small faithful flock who are truly family to me and my wife. It is a low key service and you will always hear the classic hymns being sung by our guys known as the "Singing Hymns" 

One thing that we can do easily is to have a short time of testimonials. Right after the hymns are sung, I will ask the flock this question. "What Did God Do This Week?" It is the flock's chance to share what God did in their lives this last week. It is my way of showing that God is still alive, and working in the lives and hearts of His people. We usually have 3-4 responses and then we move on to my message. 

I mentioned that the flock is family to us and like all good families do, we fellowship now and then, most always as a meal after the service. Tonight we will be having a Baked Potato Bar. Big potatoes and whatever the flock brings to top off the spuds is the menu for tonight. I some how always purchase very large potatoes. It makes me laugh when these little ladies come through the buffet line and I plop a potato that is enough for two maybe three people on to their  plate. Their eyes bug out and they ask for a small one. My reply is "that was a small one." My wife and I usually take one of our potatoes home and fry it up for the next morning's breakfast with some eggs. 

My point for the day is this. It is not the potato and it's size that make the night a success. It is the fact that as a family of about 40 people, we gather in the name of the Lord and enjoy each other's company. You could call us "Spuds, Buds".

Act's 2:42 NKJV And they continued steadfastly in the apostles, doctrine and fellowship in th breaking of bread, and in prayers. 

Food for thought. Do you come to church and rush out before you take time to enjoy the people who worship with you? Judas was the first to leave the table early? Just saying!!!

Have a great day!!

Marty

The Wrong Opinion 5/15/2026

 Good Morning,

I am enjoying my hot cup of Door County Irish Creme Coffee while I am writing this morning from my desk. Let's get started. 

Proverbs 18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, But expressing his own heart.

I have the luxury of being able to have this blog critiqued in a few different forums. They have often written true facts about my coffee choice and where it is from. They offer explanations of what I am trying to achieve with my writing for the day and that's where they often get it wrong. Most of what I write is usually easy to understand and one can form their own opinion of what I am trying to say within every blog. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and their thoughts on my blog. 

No one except the critics have really asked me to clarify anything, so in many instances they are just assuming my intent and my heart. They have their job and I believe they are entitled to speak the truth and critique anything I write. 

We tend to do the same thing. We at times without enough information form an opinion of what others are saying, or not saying, doing or not doing. We go off and offer our opinions without knowing all the facts. 

When in doubt, it is better to ask for clarification and without it, maybe just not say anything at all.

Food for thought,

Conspiracies Of Your Mind 5/14/2026

 Good Morning,

My cup of Door County Cherry Creme Coffee is cooling off and that tells me I should start writing. 

Philippians 4:13 NKJV I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. 

The morning is fresh and clear, just the way I like it for a day in May. 

My wife Rene and I are undertaking not what I would call a remodeling project, but an uplift of our home which includes some paint, flooring and some new furniture. 

Since this project started we have run into a couple of difficulties somewhat out of the ordinary. Our lawn tractor broke down and is in need of a repair that I cannot do, so into the shop it will go. The gate on our fence broke and needs repairs. 

Not one to believe in conspiracy theories of the heart and mind, I just chalk this up to a couple of blessings. The tractor has a loud screaming noise coming from underneath the carriage. I saw this as a bad thing but also a blessing. The blades could be in a place like one time when they flew out from the tractor and just missed our dog. I this time received a warning. 

The broken gate can be fixed and it was found before the local coyotes could pay us a visit through a dysfunctional gate that did not close properly. 

I could have yelled to my wife , "Get in the house and don't go anywhere. We are under attack!!!" Or I could say, "Wow That was close, we were blessed to catch those problems before they were serious issues."

In my mind we give Satan way too much credit for mishaps and have this theory that all bad things that happen are because of him. We tend to look beyond the blessing and search for the conspiracy theory of being under attack. We create in our mind that every bad thing that happens was meant to defeat us. Things wear out. Lumber does not do well in the cold Wisconsin winters and gates move around and break. Yet no one was killed by lawn blades flying through the air and our dogs remained safe despite the gate failure. 

Our own minds deceive us and we adopt the attitude that Satan comes after us and then we need God, We begin to say things like I/we can't do this. We should stop what we are doing, obviously God is against this. Then once defeated Satan does win, because we can't see the blessings through the fog of our conspiracy theory. We don't see how God protects us and helps us to see things from His view. 

W begin to think that we can't do what we set out to do. If we say we can't we will convince ourselves that we can't. If we say we can we will get it done.

Food for thought. God is with us through every trial and He often sends the trial to protect us. 

God bless,

Marty

Breakfast The Best Meal Of The Day 5/13/2026

 Good Morning To All,

I have with me this morning two sleepy dogs and a hot cup of Door County White Chocolate Cranberry Coffee and my thoughts. It is time to write.

If God were to ask me what I wanted as a blessing I would not be shy at all with me request. I have mentioned it before and it is a large request. 

Some of you who read my blog I know very well. Some of you are occasional readers, and maybe you just stumbled across the title and you were curious and decided to read my words today or in the future. 

Numbers 6:24-26 NKJV  "The Lord bless you and keep you;

25. The Lord make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you

26. The Lord lift up His countenance  upon you, and give you peace."

My request would be that in this lifetime or in eternity we could sit down to breakfast and a hot cup of coffee and meet one another. Or we could resume our friendship like days of old. I also would ask God to bless our time together and you in particular. I think that it would be a grand morning, with the two of us or one large enormous group.

So for now, I will eat a nice breakfast and pray for those who read this today or in the future that God would bless you and keep you under His watchful eye.

Love you all. 

Marty

The Key To Facing Your Fears 5/12/2026

 Good Morning, 

My cup Door County Frosted Cinnamon Buns Coffee seems to be cooling off faster this morning. I think I will warm it up soon. But for now, I am ready to write. 

Isaiah 26:3 NKJV You will keep him in perfect peace, 

Whose mind is stayed on You, 

Because he trusts in you. 

I have a lot on my mind this week and my heart is troubled. I needed to go to my vault of worry beaters and read the Scripture verses that I have filed away for when times of confusion and worry set in and tumble my emotions and thoughts. 

Do you have a memory vault or scrapbook of passages that help to take your mind away from your worries and woes? Are your fears getting the best of you? Open the vault and bring the worry beaters out and read them while pleading your cause to God. Like a good janitors closet, is filled with cleaning supplies, mops, and dust rags, the passages you read might clean up the directions you need and remove, hatred, fear, and insecurity.

Food for thought

Marty

In The Green House 5/11/2026

 Good Morning,

A hot cup of Door County Frosted Cinnamon Buns Coffee is next to me and I am ready to write.

The past weekend I wrote that our nephew and his wife brought into this world a little girl name Adeline Jean. Adeline joined my prayer list before she was born and now she is a live member on my list of daily prayers.

My advice to her parents is the same advice I have given to other parents with a new born coming home. 

Lamentations 2:19 Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children. 

It is never too early to lift up a child in prayer for their immediate needs and also for their future. This morning I prayed for her health and the health of her parents. I also prayed that at a young age, Adeline would start her walk with God as her Lord and Savior. 

This next statement will make my nephew faint, but if it is her choice to date and then marry, I pray that God will direct her to the man He has made for her. 

I will pray for those and other things that come along with her walk through life. I hope that she learns to pray early. Her mom is no longer the incubator for her, but I pray that Adeline will spend plenty of time in the Greenhouse Of Prayer developing her walk in this world!

Pray for those children with a direct link to you. 

God bless,

Marty