Be Nice Or Stay Away 5/23/2026

 Good Morning,

I am going out today to assist with a Springer Spaniel hunt test and I will hav a Thermos bottle full of Door County Sunrise Roast Coffee with me.

This has been a rough week no doubt. It touched everyone of my nerves. I would like to say that after some prayer most of my problems faded away, but that is not the case. I am working very hard today to have the right attitude toward people at all times.

I guess what is bugging me the most are people who are just plain nasty toward others. I sincerely had to bite my lip this week and curb my temper toward others. For me to go off and tear folks apart would just make God look bad and my wife would worry more. 

So I sought a solution for my anger issues this week which are numerous. I am working extremely hard to just to grin and bare it. So I will claim the verse I used last week and one other to be my nerve calming passages.

Job 5:8-9 NKJV

"But as for me, I would seek God,

And to God I would commit my cause

9. Who  does great things, and unsearchable,

Marvelous things without number.

Psalm 37:8 NKJV 

Cease from anger and forsake wrath.

It only causes harm.

 Friends guard your anger and your wrath; Lean on God to help you deal with others,

Pass the coffee please.

Marty

Exercise Is Good For The Soul 5/22/2026

 Good Morning,

It is a little cold outside this morning. I had to put on another layer of clothing this morning and heat up my Door County Irish Creme Coffee just a little more. It is time to write. 

3John 2 NKJV Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in  health, just as your soul prospers. 

Most doctors will tell you that physical exercise is good for your body and helps you to live a healthier life. I don't disagree at ll with the theory. 

Today I want to talk about spiritual health and one thing that is good for the soul. Prayer and a healthy talk with God on a daily basis is good for the soul. Prayer is the God given right to exercise your faith and call upon the Lord on behalf of others and yourself. 

Now, when I want to exercise my body I need someplace to do so. I might have to use some equipment. Exercising our prayer life requires nothing but a willing heart and you can do this anywhere at anytime. In some instances a person can cause injury to their self  while doing physical exercises. One has to know their limits and observe those limits. An injury can slow down your exercise unlike prayer which has no limits on how often  or how much you pray. The  prayer gym is always open and you don't have to wait for a machine. You can pray alone or have a soul exercise group to workout spiritually together. 

How's your spiritual health? Are you on life support or running with all valves open?

God bless,

Marty

This Old Desk 5/21/2026

 Good Morning,

I am enjoying a hot cup of Door County Cinnamon Hazelnut Coffee at my old desk this chilly morning in Wisconsin. 

Psalm 5:3 NKJV My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord;

In the morning I will direct it to You.

And I will look up. 

Psalm 63:6 NKJV When I remember You on my bed.

I meditate on You in the night watches. 

This Old Desk has not been with us forever. It was found in an antique shop in Door County Wisconsin. It's condition wasn't pretty, but it was just what my wife wanted and it would work with my needs for work, church and pleasure planning. 

When we brought it home it took a few months to get it into usable shape. Then we had to find a chair suitable for the old relic of a desk. It took the longest time to finish the drawers for the desk. They were pretty beaten from years of use. I actually started to believe that I might just have to build some new drawers. I started using the desk without drawers for awhile. The drawers were completed in about 6 months. 

The point for my day is this. The desk area and the desk became more than a den and a place to work from. For some reason this desk has become the place where I pray and study the most. It holds the books I use as references and has a few family photos in frames on it. There are a few duck hunting memories on it and past work memorabilia tops it off . Many decisions have been made after intense prayer took place at my desk. Gallons of coffee have been consumed while sitting here. I have fallen asleep at this old desk. 

Now I do pray in other places, but there is no place more suited  to my needs than this small spot in our home sitting at the desk that I love. Peace and turmoil have both found their seats here at times. 

But this is where I go to meet with God. It's not an ornate building with crosses, statues, or a beautiful organ, it is my place where I go to be alone.

Do you have a spot you run to when you need to pray and study? Has the wood been spilled upon by tears and some coffee? Have you worn out a pair of shoes walking in your quiet spot outdoors? Wherever the place is where you meet with God, be sure to visit it often.

Food for thought,

Marty

Choices, They Prove You Are Blessed 5/20/2026

 Good Morning,

The weather took a nose dive last night and the house is a little chilly this morning. The cool weather just makes the Door County Peanut Butter Cup Coffee taste even better. 

James 2:15-16 Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them. "Go in peace, keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? 

I opened the freezer door this morning and had a choice of several items to choose from as to what we will eat for dinner today. I could not make up my mind as to what it should be. 

This had me paralyzed in shame. Here I am puzzled as to what to choose from a full freezer.  Others just wonder how they can prepare the only food they have in a different way to change the diet a little. Then there are others who wish they had my problem because they have nothing to eat at all. 

I hung my head in shame because I had considered being blessed to have choices as some type of pain I was enduring. I will be dropping some items off at the food pantry later today and smile because I can bless others and should have done so sooner. 

Never consider an abundance to be a nuisance. Not when others have nothing. Be thankful, share, and remember, you are blessed to be a blessing. Faith in action sees needs and attempts to solve the need.

Food for thought.

Marty

The First Few Words Set The Tone For The Chat 5/19/2026

 Good Morning,

My morning started with a prayer of thanks and a hot cup of Door County Toffee Pretzel Coffee and two crazy English Springer Spaniels who wanted to eat. That in itself is enough action for one day!

Proverbs 18:13 ESV If one gives an answer, before he hears , it is his folly and shame. 

Yesterday my phone was ringing and knew it was my wife Rene because I have assigned a ring tone to her calls. I know when the Queen of the house is trying to reach me. Rene isn't one who calls just to chat. So when she calls it is for something needed or something I need to know. 

I answered her call yesterday and before I could say more than hello I heard. "There was an accident". Rene was returning home from taking her mother to and from a doctors appointment. Those four words stopped my in my tracks. My immediate response was "Are You OK? How is your mom? Where are you? She calmed down to let me know that it was a close call for her but everything was fine. She stopped to render aid until the first responders arrived. Two cars ahead of her were involved and she was also the number one witness to what happened. 

Rene then went on in an excited fashion to tell me that one of the people involved had a dead body in the car. By this time I had to sit down and strap myself into the chair and just listen. Then before I could process the dead body issue she went on to say that the guy driving the car with a dead body knew me. I poured a cup of iced tea and just waited for the "Rest of the story". "I don't know this young mans name but he said he knows you and your brother. He knew my name too." By this time I was picturing bodies in cars and what I wanted to know was " Are you ok? Where do I have our car towed to and where are you so I can come and get you? 

The response was Oh. I am fine. The car is fine. I stopped to help. And by the way. The young guy with the dead body in the car is a funeral director. I was able to piece the story parts together and knew who that young man had to be. 

"I will be late coming home because I have to be interviewed by the police as to what I witnessed. I assured her that the important thing is that no one was injured. "Drive safely! And I will see you when you get home."

This whole thing reminded me of two old comedians performing the skit of "Who's On First"? It is one of my favorite comedy skits performed by Bud Abbott and Lou Costello. 

                                                        Photo Credit Universal Studios.

My point for the day is that in all things we sometimes jump to conclusions prematurely. In my mind I had already jumped from beginning to the end without hearing the middle. 

Once I calmed down from my blood pressure skyrocketing, I could stop, and pray saying thanks to God for keeping my wife safe. Jumping to the end without obtaining all the facts makes for a bad scenario and the scenario can be a lot easier to deal with when we have all the facts. 

Food for thought! Always listen first before we respond. Praying is easier when you know what you are praying for. And in all things, be grateful and thankful. 

Who's On First Today!!

Marty

Making A Bad Impression? Be On Time 5/18/2026

 Good Morning,

The birds outside my window are chirping steady and easy this morning. That song from nature is  welcome tune that we enjoy while sipping a hot cup of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee. It is time to write. 

Proverbs 21:5 NIV The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty. 

                                      

I am going to state this directly and with a heightened emphasis on the importance of my blog this morning. 

Folks, being on time and not late should be a goal for every person.Being late does happen but it should not be a steady experience.  Appointments made, should be kept and both parties should be there on time or in the rare instance when being late could not be avoided proper communication should take place and include an apology to those left waiting. 

Being late and then failing to communicate, leaves a bad impression and shows a lack of respect for other's time and in some instances their money. I was taught at a young age that being ten minutes early is actually being late. My Dad ran on Marine Corp time and you got one chance to impress him with promptness and after a couple late occurrences and not much of an excuse for being late, his opinion of you began to shrink. 

Keeping a deadline, and communicating promptly and often is expected in relationships and  in business, especially if you are hoping for a future referral.

On time. Every time, with no excuses should be the goal of all businesses and personal relationships. Maybe tomorrow I will talk about being under budget if you can get there on time. 

God Bless,

Marty

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