Saying Farewell Bitter Sweet 4/26/2026

 Good Morning,

I will be traveling with my wife today with an insulated bottle filled Door County 'Smores Coffee. 

Proverbs 3:13 ESV Blessed is the one who finds wisdom and the one who gets understanding. 

We are finishing off a week of vacation and are returning home today with a drive of about 10 hours. We had a wonderful time visiting with our daughter, her dog Sadie, and some of her friends. 

It always hurts when we have to say farewell until we see her the next time. It looks like we have a November date in mind for this year. 

As I reflect on the week, I can't be prouder of our kid who is a hard worker, and also a caring person who gives of herself to family, friends, and neighbors. I am sad to leave, but I look forward to the next visit. In between visits we will have plenty of telephone time. Some of the time spent on the phone will be planning out our next visits. Until November we will put away the Scrabble board and maybe pray for Scrabble coaching for Kristy and my wife Rene. 

I am thankful for the time God has given us this last week. He gets all the credit for fashioning this visit. God is a great travel planner.

Blessings to you all.

Marty

The Game Goes On. 4/25/2026

 Good Morning,

I am staring into a hot cup of Door County Sunrise Roast Coffee and it is time to write.

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be sober, be vigilant, because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 9. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world. 

My wife Rene and I are still visiting our daughter in Georgia. Yesterday all three of us were busy prepping for a yard sale in her sub division . 

Later we continued the family Scrabble tournament for about two hours and it was intense. Around 10:30PM all three of us were tired out and we decided to call it quits for the night. We decided that we needed to rest before the big yard sale of today. 

My point is this. Know when it is time to rest. Say good night and get some sleep. Be aware that as wholesome as a night of games can be, Satan prowls around to see if he can turn a good time into a mess, some how, someway. 

Update on the tournament. All the games have been very close and it has tested our vocabulary skills without mercy.!!

Have a blessed day and enjoy friends and family. 

Marty

Mr. Good Bar Good is Good 4/24/2026

 Good Morning,

I hit the floor running this morning, with hope and good intentions for today. I will have a great breakfast later to help set my day rolling. My Door County Breakfast Blend Coffee had better keep up with me. It is time to write. 

"Good is good" said Kevin Costner in the movie  Open Range as he ate a melted chocolate bar. The candy had to be licked from the wrapper, but it still tasted good. 

                                          Photo credit The Hershey Company

I write this morning to encourage those who just might be tired of doing good without seeing the desired results they hope for. 

Galatians 6:9 NKJV And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.

Today might bring a challenge or two to "melt away our good intentions and efforts to be and do good. 

But "Good is Good". And it is better to be doing good for others and yourself than  concentrating on what is bad and out of step with our efforts to do good. A candy bar doesn't need to be tossed away after it melts. That gooey sweet treat is able to bounce back after spending some time resting and waiting to harden up again in a cool spot.. Melted or solid in form. The candy bar is still good. 

God bless. Good is still good and so is God.

Marty

Greeted And Blessed By Music In The Morning 4/23/2026

 Good Morning,

My mug was just filled with Door County Cherry Creme Coffee and it is time for me to write. 

                                                     Photo Credit Nate Kilps

My wife Rene and I are still visiting our daughter in Georgia. I am the only one who is up and operational so far on this fine Southern morning. I stepped outside and the air is fresh and crisp. There are distinct differences between the three of us as to what hot and cold are. 

For us Northerners 60 degrees is a great temperature and anything warmer is too hot. While in comparison our Southern  friends start breaking out extra blankets at 50 degrees. Enough said about the weather. 

As I stood out on the patio this morning I was greeted by song birds who seemed to be an organized  orchestra playing loud and proud. The cardinals were leading the chorus and their music rose above all of the other birds of song.

For me as I watch the sun come over the tree tops, I can't help but be happy to be alive and well. Just when I thought it couldn't get better a sound that this old hunting boy likes to hear brought in the bass section of the orchestra as 7 geese flew over honking a tune that makes my heart feel awesome. 

Lamentations 3:22-23 ESV The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; 23. They are new every morning, great is your faithfulness. 

There was no one standing or sitting next to me. No one but me had my view of the world, or had the seat I had at the concert of song birds. I believe God had me greeted this morning with a concert designed in heaven and sent to the back patio. 

Point for the day? I am not sure what to say except that I experienced a moment built for me by God. Stop. Open your ears and listen. Open your eyes that you might see heaven around you. 

God bless.

Marty

Turtle In The Sand 4/22/2026

 Good Morning,

I am enjoying  hot cup of Door County Salted Caramel Whiskey Coffee and I might just have two cups this morning. 

Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.

Yesterday while traveling down a dusty Georgia road I spotted a turtle going through a sandy bank next to a large pond. Our daughter was driving so window gazing was ok to do. I haven't seen a wild turtle out and about in many years. That sandy pond bank seemed like a good spot for a turtle to lay it's eggs.

 Now seeing a turtle is not exactly an earth shattering experience. but it was nice to witness life in a very simple scenario. 

Even though I am retired, it doesn't seem like life has slowed down at all. I am as busy now as I was while I was working full time. Life is not slowing down, especially to match a turtle's pace. At times my life seems to be traveling at the speed of a NASCAR event and I am in the middle of the pack at the Daytona 500, where you have to push the speed just to keep up with the traffic let alone win the race. 

My point for for the day is this. The turtle must have made it to it's desired destination. It wasn't seen near the sandy shore on our return trip on our way back to our daughter's home.

 Is life going so fast that you seem to be caught in high speed traffic moving from projects to crisis management 50 times a day? At the end of the day are you weary and tired and not have much to show for your time? I think it is time to go into turtle mode and move a little slower and check out the day with purpose.

If you have been following my blog the last few days you will know that we are visiting with our daughter and the game of Scrabble is something that the three of us like to play. Specific challenges between the three of us have been deployed and so far this "Old Man" has been representing my gender very well. Last night we played until almost midnight, but I am not tired this morning. I just slowed down and enjoyed life at a turtle's pace. 

God bless your day and you slow down a little. It's good for your heart mind and soul.

Marty

You Just Might Be In My Blog Today 4/21/2026

 Good Morning,

I just sat down to a hot cup of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee and it is time to write. This blog comes to you from the beautiful state of Georgia USA  this morning. 

My wife Rene and I are visiting our daughter for a few days and I am writing from her kitchen in great comfort. Last night the family Scrabble tournament began and each of us won a game in the preliminary round. My two female opponents have ben lulled into thinking that they can actually defeat me. The next round might have them eating some humble pie. I don't want them to quit too early in the week. 

Matthew 25:35 ESV For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger  and you welcomed me. 

Yesterday we were able to visit with our daughter's neighbor Donna. We too have a neighbor back home named Donna. Both of them are wonderful people. I promised Georgia Donna that I would write about her in today's blog. There is no way that I could justify not writing about her after making that promise. Good Morning Donna!

Just a short point today. No matter how far you travel away from home, God always seems to give you a new neighbor or two even if it is just for a week or a few days. The important thing to do is to be neighborly in return. A smile and some conversation is just God's way of saying "I am lending you a new neighbor for  few days.". So always make sure to be friendly in return and try to understand a new language. 

I am having a difficult time with the local language. It seems that Y'all can be used to address one single person or a gaggle of folks. Then someone throws a curve ball at you with Y'alls . It seems there are different dialects in the Southern states. 

But just to end this correctly You All Have A Nice Day.

Marty

That Was A Close One 4/20/2026

 Good Morning,

I am sitting at a desk in the room we stayed in for the night on our vacation journey drinking some of the Door County 100% Colombian Coffee I brought in my insulated bottle. It is still hot! I guess you get what you pay for. It is time to write.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. 

We have about three more hours to go before we land in our daughter's driveway. We were not too far from calling the trip last night as complete for the day when I misjudged the speed of the car next to us. It was neither his fault nor mine, but it caused me to make a maneuver that put our truck on course to slide on some gravel that was left on the side of the highway. It was a little hairy to say the least. The truck was righted and we just sat there for a minute or two praising God for taking the wheel . I give Him a #10 score for His landing of our truck. 

We were shaken a little, me more so than Rene for some reason and once we caught our breath we moved on thanking Jesus for the protection. I know that back home, members of our church are praying  for our trip and we truly saw the power of prayer in action. 

Point for the day. Never under estimate the power of prayer and the need to pray in all things.

Here's to a quieter day.

Marty