The Black Board Of Your Heart 9/29/2026

 Good Morning,

I am sitting at my desk this morning with a hot cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee. My eyes are open wide and it is time to write. 

1 Peter 5:7 NKJV Casting all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

When I was in grade school the teachers relied heavily on blackboard and chalk to make presentations to the class. I believe the infamous wall to wall board was designed to also embarrass children who struggled with getting up in front of their peers and then solve some stupid math problem. I just dreaded having to go up in front of the class for anything. In high school times changed and all you had to do was sit at your desk and answer a question or two now and then. 

                                                              Photo Credit Stock Cake 

Every day someone needed to clean the blackboards and erasers so they were fresh for the next day. If the teacher left something on the blackboard they would instruct the person doing the cleaning for the day to leave it on the board or erase it. I do recall one day when I totally botched dividing out some fractions and it did not get erased and was still visible the next morning. My mistake lived for another day and totally ruined my day for sure. 

My point for the day is that now and then we all are out on the stage of life and the experience of that day is embarrassing or painful. Or as much as we love another person, they don't love us as much or in the same way. You have the I Love You for them written on the blackboard of your heart. It is hard to erase a memory from that blackboard. 

I have only one solution for the hurts of the heart. And that is to take your heart to the Big Eraser. God is the only one that can really help to mend a heart and erase some bad memories. 

But, you have to want the board to be cleaned. You have to ask for it to be erased, washed and cleaned up. It is never too late to clean the slate. 

Have a great day/ God bless,

Marty

Guard Your Heart And Your Mind. They Make You Vulnerable 9/28/2026

 Good Morning,

My mug did overflow a little bit this morning and some of my Door County Wisconsin Harvest Blend Coffee spilled out. I might have 1 Springer Spaniel with a caffeine high. It is time to write. 

Titus 1:15-16 NKJV 15. To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience are defiled.16 They profess to know God but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work. 

Tough subject for an early Monday morning. But we live in a world that goes to great lengths to discourage believers in Jesus Christ. People will claim to know Him and even call him Lord. But after 15 minutes you can easily tell what they believe. 

They see your acts of service to Christ and His church as folly and not worth all the time you put in. They don't see your efforts as pure faith coming from a pure heart. Sooner than later their mouth will get ahead of their brain and they will poke fun at believers . Anything they don't understand and would not do themselves becomes fodder only fit for late night talk show hosts, making a dollar at the expense of others. 

There is a time when you become fully aware of the attack on your spirit and heart. God is faithful to point you in the right direction and exposes those who want to hide their sinful lives by putting Christianity down. 

So today, pray that you walk with your eyes wide open and guard your hearts from the defiled world.

Food for thought.

Marty

Another Year Babe. 9/27/2026

 Good Morning,

My writing is taking  place in our kitchen this morning instead of our desk. My Door County Wisconsin Harvest Blend Coffee is very hot on this beautiful cool morning. 

Song of Solomon 8:6b-7  Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm for love is strong as death. Many waters cannot quench love. Neither can floods drown it.

Forty years ago I was a single man in the morning and I was married in the afternoon. I believe that my wife is a gift from God for two reasons. I believe God gifted me the wife that I needed. She gets the credit for keeping me grounded and steady. She and I make decisions together after prayer. We have mourned together and have rejoiced together. We have seen dreams come true and dreams that passed us by due to one circumstance or another. 

Rene and I plan on celebrating our anniversary with a meal at one of our preferred restaurants tonight and then get back to our normal routine tomorrow. 

I have no specific point to make except to add all of the readers into our celebration and ask for your prayers as we start this new year of marriage. 

Have a great day. Your spouse might be snoring yet this morning, but he or she is a gift from God. Cherish the time. It goes too fast.

God bless, 

Marty

No One Said It Would Be Easy 9/26/2026

 Good Morning,

I am happy and blessed to be able to pour a mug of hot cup of Door County Autumn Spice Coffee and dine on sme cornbread for breakfast. It is time to write. 

In July of 1981 I placed my faith in Jesus Christ My Lord and Savior on a night filled with agony and despair. Attending church and studying the Bible became the norm for me. Reading the Bible also reminded me from where I came from and now what was expected of me. I remember struggling with all of the church meetings  and how it interfered with the things I do. 

Shortly after conceding that a Godly life was in my best interest and that some things needed to go anyhow, my thoughts were changed. 

One of the passages that I read in August of 1981 was Titus 2:11-13 It was simple to read and understand. Nothing was being forced down my throat. It was a passage that I chose to follow.

Titus 2:11-13 NKJV For the Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men, 12. teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ. 

I don't know about you. But I often don't concede with one warning or directions. The day after I read Titus 2:11-13 I read another passage. Micah 6:8 landed the blow that blew me away. Two passages in two days let me know that God wasn't kidding with me and surrender was in order. 

Micah 6:8 NKJV He has shown you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you.  But to do justly, To love mercy and walk humbly with your God. 

I have never regretted making the decision to follow God. I regret how many years that went by before I found the Way.

Food for thought!!

Marty

4983 Times 9/25/2026

 Good Morning,

Yesterday I was unable to put a pen to my thoughts because of personal reasons and a spirit that was in plain rebellion to just about everything and anything. 

Micah 6:8 NIV He has shown you, O, mortal what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and love mercy.

and to walk humbly with your God. 

As I set up to write my blog this morning I was notified that this morning I would be publishing number 4983. I started writing in 2012 So roughly speaking this labor of love is 14 years old. 

I have invited the readers to share  in my choices of coffee, my heart and mind as well as the food menu in our home. I have shared times of joy and times of sorrow. Times of anger and depression  have been shared as well. You know the names of our dogs and what I am hunting for. I have taken the readers with me on vacation. 

Today I am enjoying a hot cup of Door County Wisconsin Blend Coffee. You might ask me as to why I started writing in the first place.  Our church admin assistant had the idea that we could have a daily devotional written each day by our pastors and elders.She was politely ignored due to a myriad of reasons, some good and some not so good. I didn't want to hurt her feelings so I took a shot at it and have been writing ever since. I stayed with this call and some day I will receive the call from God to rest up and drink my coffee alone.

I have never taken the time to thank you readers for your comments, good or bad. I have never said thank you for reading and some of you read this daily.  Thank you. It is your faithfulness and God's call to write that keeps me at my desk and wanting to serve Him.

Again thank you. And God bless you all. I will be back and focused tomorrow. 

Marty

When You Can't Be There Send Prayer And Good Thoughts. 9/23/2026

Good Morning,

I just finished my last cup of Door County Chocolate Cherry Coffee and it is time to write. 

Before writing this morning I had a small chore of love to do. I have been marinating two pork loins in the refrigerator for two days. I have two of my nephews headed out to opening day of duck season in the Northern part of our state this Saturday. They will be leaving for the hunting hot spot on Thursday. I was invited to go, but due to an upcoming anniversary and a few other solid commitments I need to stay home. 

Colossians 3:14 ESV And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 

It bothered me that I can't go and I would have enjoyed a weekend of solid hunting, but I need to stay back. So this uncle will send the guys off with prayer and pork to warm up and eat after the hunt or during the hunt. That part is all up to them. They have two friends joining them and there is enough meat for all of them. A bottle of barbecue sauce will be sent along to accompany and compliment the pork. So the pork is now slow roasting in the kitchen and won't be done until late this afternoon. 

My point is this. I know the guys will be cold and warm food will be welcomed at their campsite. I can't be there but my love for those guys will be sent and that makes me feel like part of the team but just absent at roll call. 

If you can't be there send your love and prayers to your family today. It's not like being there, but they will know your heart. Make the call. 

Have a great day!!!

Marty

A Handshake Makes It A Deal for Me 9/22/2026

 Good Morning,

I have at my side a hot cup of Door County Chocolate Cherry Coffee and I am ready to write. 

Matthew 5:37 NKJV But let your Yes be Yes and your No, No. Whatever is more than these is from the evil one. 

I know  the world turns on contracts and legalities' for business. I prefer the old days when your word was your word and you could look another man or woman in the eye, shake hands and the deal was done. And your word was solid. 

I am here to say that even with all the contracts one can sign it still takes an honest heart and and good word to seal a deal. And the deal is not done until the work is completed to satisfaction.I found out the hard way over the last few months that business etiquette  is no longer followed by everyone and a man's word and a hand shake  doesn't mean snot to a lot of people. 

My wife Rene and I learned that even with a 15 page contract for service your chance of hiring someone with integrity  is quite slim. We needed some repairs and upgrades to our home and it took a year to get them done. Through that we were subject to shoddy work, schedules that were never met and excuses after excuses. Not all service was poor, but some companies will not be recommended or used again. I found that a man's word even with a contract is not taken seriously. Sales from large big box supply stores is impossible to claim a warranty without pulling teeth. 

Our roof was recently replaced and we have used this company once before, many years ago. The owner meets with you. He shakes your hand and looks you in the eye and promises that we will be satisfied. He has a short contract with a spot for two signatures, his and mine. Everything and more that he promised came on time and true. His crew was on time and worked for the hours allotted for the day. He will be recommended with high praises and if needed used again. 

How good is your word? Can those you contract with count on you? Beware of the long; long contracts and subcontracting. Ask plenty of questions and of course pray for wisdom before you sign and spend your money. 

Food for thought!

Marty