Fish Fry Season 2/20/2024

 Good Morning,

I will be enjoying a hot cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee very soon. I am looking forward to it and it is time to write. Christians around the world are observing Lent and one of the customs is not to eat meat on Fridays. A lot of food emporiums serve fish to accommodate those who are fasting from meat. 

Daniel 9:3-5 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with Him in prayer and petition, in fasting , and in sackcloth and ashes.

This has produced a custom of going out for a fish fry. I really enjoy a good fish fry and dining out is always more fun if you go out with friends or family. I know for a fact that my wife and I will take advantage of "fish fry season.". The small sacrifice of not eating meat affords you the opportunity to give up something and in addition you receive time with friends and family. 

So make each Friday a day of prayer, fellowship and fish. Jesus served fish to the crowd and fed his disciples along the shore after He arose. 

Food for thought!

Marty

Another Year Gone By 2/19/2026

 Good Morning,

I sit here early this morning with a hot cup of Door County Vanilla Creme Brulee Coffee and a dim light.

Matthew 11:28 Come to me all who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest. 

As I look at my surroundings,I want to take time today to appreciate all I have been given, and all the experiences I have taken part in, good or bad. I also appreciate the one chance to see our child come into this world and then see her grow. I saw a woman afraid and  nervous about walking down an aisle to say "I do" and then be married to me for 1000 years. I have been blessed with some great hunting dogs and great friends. My family is always in my heart and always on my mind. 

I am also appreciative of some tough times sprinkled in this one life. They also helped me to be the man that I am now. I wish that I had  found my faith in Jesus earlier in life. But it is what it is and I can't change it now. I am thankful that Jesus called me out one night in 1981. If I were to try and place all the blessings and learning into a garage for storage, I would be building an  addition on to the garage. 

Thank you Lord, for another trip around the sun. Love to all!

Marty

When The Coffee Tastes Best 2/28/2026

 Good Morning, 

I just walked up to the den with a hot cup of Door County Vanilla Creme Brulee Coffee and it is time to write. 

1 Timothy 6:6  But Godliness with contentment is great gain. 

I don't know about you, but I really enjoy my coffee the next morning after a long day of work the day before. The first cup seems to soothe the soul and helps to remove the aches and pains acquired yesterday. 

Yesterday I used a step counter to just see how many steps I walked in a 15 hour work day. I like to have a job that keeps me moving and yesterday was great in my mind. There was some boring time spent behind the computer screen, but you can't always have everything your way. 

That's my point for the day. Each day brings us things we need to do or perform tasks that are given to us. And although we might have an idea what a perfect day should be, we need to take the day given to us and walk it through. We can't always have everything our way. 

If more people would go to work, and be there to work and accept assignments readily and with a smile, life would be a happier place for them. We need to remember that life isn't really Burger King and we can't have it all our way. Contentment with a smile is our order for today!

Have a blessed day,

Marty

There Are Times When?? 2/17/2026

 Good Morning. 

Door County Mocha Mint Coffee filled my cup and my insulated bottle today.

The day will be a long one. Our city is holding an election today and I am assisting as a poll worker. It is going to be a long day. 

2 Corinthians 1:3-4 NKJV 3. Blessed be the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of mercies and of all comfort, 4. who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort  with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 

I have  had my share of grief and a few hard times. I have to say that it is difficult to go through the grief and sorrow of your own. But it is super difficult to watch life sting a family member or dear friend. There are times when you just don't know what to say or how you can help. There are times when you just plain old hurt inside for others. You want to say something of value or powerful enough to start turning their world around. You pray and pray and nothing seems to work. It is hard to sit by and watch them hurt.

What I have concluded is that sometimes the best thing you can do is be there or be there asap. And just maybe reminding them that you love them and are in it with them. And maybe it is just going to take time to heal their wounds. Pray for them. Pray with them if they allow it. Most of all, don't give up. Your family and friends are worth it. 

Food for thought. 

Marty 

Some Dances Never End 2/16/2026

 Good Morning,

 I needed to start writing before my Door County Mocha Mint Coffee was finished brewing. I will catch up to that cup of coffee within an hour. It is time to write.

John 3:16 NKJV For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him, should not perish but have everlasting life. 

I recall going to my first school dance and I was with my buddies. We weren't attached to any young ladies. at the time. We were just freshmen in high school and things with the girls were still a little awkward at that time. As far as dancing went, I could be compared to a bear wallowing through a swamp. 

But then, it happened. They played a slow song and all the girls who came to the dance unaccompanied were just standing there. My eyes met with the eyes of this cute little brunette. I was terrified, but managed to walk over and ask her to dance. She actually said yes and my immediate prayer was "Lord let this song play all night." Well it was over in four minutes and I never saw her again. My first dance was over and done. 

Many years later and happily married for 1000 years I am still dancing now and then with my wife. We both believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and some day after we die, we will both be reunited in heaven. It is there that I will dance across heaven with Rene. 

I am grateful for God granting me a wife and the hope of eternal life through Jesus Christ. I have just one more thing to ask God for. "Lord when I get to heaven, can I have some rhythm in these feet and legs?  I have always wanted to cha cha somewhere outside of the bathtub. 

God bless. 

Marty

The Start To A Blessing 2-15-2026

 Good Morning, 

Psalm 133:1 KJV Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.

My cup was filled with Door County Blackberry Shortcake Coffee a few minutes ago and now it is time to write.

Our Mens Bible Study has been blessed with a donation of lumber. The goal is to construct a couple of picnic tables for use on the church grounds. These two will be built so someone using a wheel chair can sit at the table. My job is to go and pick up the lumber and transport it back to our house until        " building day". The fellas with carpentry skills then take over. When it comes to carpentry at best I can make tooth picks.

My point for today is this. Always have the right person for the job, perform the work or direct the work. 

Not only will someone benefit from a table they can actually sit at. A sense of accomplishment will be felt by the carpenters. The day spent constructing tables will be a time of team building and fellowship. 

I know for sure that construction day will start with prayer and end with prayer. So you could say God provided the lumber and the skilled builders. These are his tables.

Food for thought?

Marty.

A Day For Sweethearts 2/14/2026

 Good Morning,

 I have with me a hot quick cup of Door County Blueberry Cobbler Coffee and it is time to write. 

Today is Valentines Day in the United States. Although with a little research I found out some knowledge on Valentine's Day

Philippians 2:3 ESV Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.  

Valentine's' day is celebrated in many countries around the world , not just in the United States.  While the traditions may vary, the day is recognized as a time to express love and affection in various cultures. 

My wife Rene and I have been married for over one thousand years now. Earlier in our relationship the Valentine's Day gifts were a little more extravagant than they are now. After eating a few bad dinners in crowded restaurants where the prices reflected the holiday as well,or get aways that just seemed to lack the hype of the day. We discussed the future observance of Valentine's Days. We decided to keep it simple yet make an expression of love within the day. 

Rene is diabetic and my box of Sugar Free Valentine cookies for her arrived yesterday. My favorite Jello is the lemon or lime flavor. I saw two boxes of lemon Jello in the cupboard two days ago, Guess what my gift will be? 

It is not the extravagance of the gift, it is what comes from the heart. Valentine's Day is a day set aside to express love. But shouldn't every day recognize the love between two people? If we need a reminder to be nice, caring, and loving, we are in a world of hurt. 

Food for thought???? 

Marty