Keeping Your Heart Refrigerated 8/11/2026

 Good Morning,

I have a hot cup of Door County Cinnamon Hazelnut Coffee at my side and it is time to write.

Many a person has extended their heart to someone and in return has had that heart broken by betrayal, death, or just a bad connection and love was just one sided. 

People who have been stung by relationships will handle it by backing up and putting a chill on their heart. They resist putting that heart out there to love again and be loved. They are social, only to a point, and then they turn down the thermostat of their heart. 

It's a shame that a heart that once beat for others is now frozen. The first step in getting your heart to beat right and experience love is to realize just how loved you are. Now some people who have lost their mate to death may never experience that love relationship with someone again. That is easy to understand their view point. But I am hear to challenge them. There is a whole lot of love to experience just by being friends with others. 

That first step to unlocking a heart is to accept that God has made us to be relational. And it His God himself that desires a relationship with us. He went so far as to prove His love for us that He sent His Son to die for our sins. Next, within His word are invitations to experience Him.

Revelation 3:20. NKJV Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Reopen those closed cold hearts and experience traveling with God and experiencing fellowship with people again. Be the first to be there when the door opens on an event of fellowship. Let God lead you to serve others and experience Him through His work.

Food for thought!

Marty

A Bad Experience Makes A Long Lasting Impression 8/10/2026

Good Morning.

My mug was just filled with Door County Breakfast Blend Coffee and it is time to write. 

Matthew 7:12 ESV So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them for this is the law and the prophets.

A few years ago, my wife Rene and I purchased tickets for a music concert being performed at our State Fair. 

Much to our surprise when we tried entering the venue we were turned away because the tickets had already been used that night. 

Basically our tickets had been sold twice and the best the ticket people could do was to seat us a couple rows away from each other. We chose to sit apart and we did hear the concert but really could not see the concert or enjoy it together. The seats given to us were not the same quality and area we wanted or paid for. 

After that incident we have not attended the State Fair or purchased ant tickets from that same vendor. 

We both understand that things happen and what was disappointing is that the solution was minimal at best. "We can offer you a credit for these other two concerts." The offers were for music genres that we would never attend. 

Rene was very disappointed and we just went home afterwards. All future attempts to get her to the State Fair  have been unsuccessful. It wasn't the fault of the Fair management. But the sting of the mishap will always be equated with a trip to the fair.

Now I preach a message that we should all be forgiving and kind.  But!

And again I know that things happen now and then and the best of plans fail. But when that happens it is your response to your failure that is measured more than the failure itself. You can't leave the impression that "Business is good" so we aren't really going to work to keep your business. 

Things happen. But if it was your responsibility to provide a service and it failed you  own the response to the failures.

Food for thought. 

Marty

Hope Can Be Found 8/9/2026

 Good Morning, 

I am enjoying some quiet this morning to g along with my hot mug of Door County Black And Tan Coffee. It is a good time for me to write.

I do the preaching for our church's Saturday night service about 90% of the time. I pray and choose the topics coming from the pulpit. For the last month I have been speaking on hope and what the Bible has to say about it. It is the first time in a very long time that I have done a series for more than two weeks. I enjoyed it and I think it was well received by the church members who attend on Saturdays. God speaks and gets all the credit for impacting hearts souls and minds. 

What most attenders don't realize is that the lesson or sermon I deliver starts with me and is often something I need to hear for my life. The message often applies to me most of all. You can't deliver a message without it having an impact on your own heart and life. 

After four weeks of looking into the subject of hope I can summarize what you need to find hope for the day, month, year, future. When looking for hope in any situation get down on your knees, pray and dive into the Word of God. Surround yourself with other believers and exercise your faith. Note that God hears your prayers and encourages us through His word.

Faith Does Not Operate in the realm of the possible. 

There is no glory for God in that which is humanly possible.

Faith begins where man's power ends. 

George Mueller

So here is another note to share today. 100% of these blog statements apply mostly to me, for me and  to help me through a day, troubled times and happy times. I just share them with you. If they apply to you , help you, encourage you, instruct you, God gets all the credit. Basically He does the writing. He finds your heart!

Proverbs 4:20-22 NKJV My son give attention to my words; incline you ear to my sayings.

21. Do not let them depart from your eyes.Keep them in the midst of your heart.

22. For they are life to those who find them, and health to all their flesh. 

Food for thought on this fine Sunday morning. 

Love to all,

Marty

Don't Take Yourself So Seriously 8/8/2026

 Good Morning, 

I just poured  hot mug of Door County Black and Tan Coffee and I believe it is time to write. 

The reason angels can fly is

 because they take themselves lightly

G.K. Chesterton

Sometimes we like to put ourselves first in everything and soon we are weighted down with the fact that we always have need for attention. We thrive on being first in all things and when that is not achieved we throw ourselves a pity party. 

Those who have a heart that beats for others have a heart that beats best. If God never did another thing for you, wouldn't the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for you and I be enough?Yet in addition to that He has his angels watching over us. 

 Psalm 91:11 NKJV 

For He shall give His angels charge over you. To keep you in all your ways.

Food for thought! Lighten your load. You are too heavy to carry! Why be anchored to a need for attention? That need holds you back from experiencing others. 

Marty

Do They Have Scrabble In Heaven 8?/7/2026

 Good Morning!

The Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee just finished brewing and I am looking forward to my first cup. It is time to write.

As a family we enjoy playing the board game named Scrabble. There have been times when we play too late and are tired the next morning. There is nothing like trying to think when our daughter and my wife get going as they talk through their next steps on the Scrabble board. 

Ecclesiastes 9:7 ESV Go. Eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart, for God has already approved what you do. 

But for me, just being around the board with two that I love so much  makes it even better. If Kristy comes to Wisconsin we have a fire going in the hearth and some munchies for three people who really don't need any. Pretzels always taste better when your are sharing with loved ones. 

For me, those late night games let me experience the love of God for who he put in my life. On a recent trip Kristy found the perfect Scrabble board so that you get some physical exercise as well as exercise for your brain. I believe when we are together at her house or ours, we are experiencing just a little heaven on Earth.

Can't wait for November. We will use our old board. We would need a ladder for Kristy with the big one she found. She is height challenged. Let the battle begin!!!!

Have a Great Friday.!!! 

Marty

Conceding To Age 8/6/2026

 Good Morning,

It's a tired morning in our house. My cup of Door County Bourbon Vanilla Cream Coffee is working hard to wake me up. It is time to write.

Isaiah 46:4 NIV Even to your old age and gray hairs, I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you. I will sustain you and rescue you. 

I have been working the last few days for our city as a poll station worker for an upcoming election. It is easy work but yesterday was a twelve hour day. I am basically out of shape for work. I can recall working many twelve hour days back in my prime and they never tired me out like they do now. 

The good old days!

I have been struggling with not being able to split firewood like I used to. I need a right shoulder replacement and an hour on the wood pile has me feeling the pain for two days. I am holding off as long as I can before I go under the knife. I have been shopping for a hydraulic log splitter and the trigger date on that purchase might just be today. I have conceded the battle with age and if I want a nice hot fire in our home the log splitter is now going to be my buddy.

My point for the day is this. We all get older and we just need to accept it and work smarter not harder. For our own good, there are times when we just have to find a work around or accept some help. Accepting help is a humbling moment that most men do not enjoy. But there comes a time when you just have to admit that the splitting axe just doesn't fly through the air and deliver a split piece of wood like it used to. 

That's enough whining for one morning. I have some shopping to do. And no. I am not shopping for fire wood!

Have a great day. 

Marty

Every Word. Every Word. 8/5/2026

 Good Morning, 

My day started extra early today and mu insulated bottle is filled with Door County Bourbon Vanilla Cream Coffee for later. But for now it is time to write. 

Matthew 12:36 NKJV But I say to you that for every idle word that men may speak, they will give an account of it in the day of judgement. 

God has recorded every nasty thing we have ever said. Angry words and curses are on our personal list of stupid things that we said. Every lie, big or little will be recorded. On the day that our every word is reviewed and taken into account we might want to pack a lunch because it is going to be a long day for some of us. 

So before you spout off today with filth, fits, tantrums and cursing, think ahead. Is what you are about to say worth having God review it on a later day? Is it worth being embarrassed by your own words? 

Food for thought. Try to avoid shifting your mouth into high gear. It might seem like today is a great day until it is reviewed on judgement day. 

God bless,

Marty