A Restless Soul 6/23/2026

 Good Morning,

I have just started to enjoy my cup of Door County Cherry Creme Coffee and it s time to write. 

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is deceitful , in all things and desperately sick who can understand it?

Proverbs 3:5 Trust in the Lord and lean not on your own understanding. 

Have you ever had a time in your life when your heart and soul are restless? A time when you feel a change is coming and you aren't in the know  as to what it is. 

I offer a little bit of a solution to the issue. Don't trust your feelings. Feelings should never be trusted to lead you to and through any changes. Feelings can often be misleading and following them can lead to bigger issues down the road. 

For instance, I didn't always feel like I wanted to go to work. If I trusted my feelings I would have stayed home, and missed out on hours where I could have been paid. If I caved into my feelings and stayed home, I wouldn't be able to pay my bills. 

When you are feeling restless, don't make any changes by acting on feelings,. Take the issue or thought to the Lord in prayer and read more of God's word and await instructions. Continue going to work, paying your bills, loving your family and attend church regularly. 

Feelings can't be trusted. Food for thought. Deal with facts and only the facts.

God, bless,

Marty 

Time For Me To Absorb Some Sweet Tea 6/22/2026

 Good Morning,

I am awake and ready to write and then enjoy some breakfast that will consist of biscuits and jam. I had my limit of Door County Coffee about n hour ago. Here we go. 

Proverbs 3:5-6 trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding, in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight. 

I am retired from work now for about 7 years. And what I thought would be a time of catching up on fishing, travel, and more time with family, proved me wrong and somewhat silly. 

Life still goes on and does not slow down to adjust to your retirement. Houses still need repairs and touch ups. The lawn needs tending, and then as you age you have more doctors appointments. 

I am quite active serving in our church and there are different seasons in church life. In the past two months I have been extremely busy at church. I have performed a lot of repairs to our house or had to wait on misguided contractors. 

Here is my point for the day. It is almost the fourth of July and I have yet to brew a pitcher of peach sweet tea and have yet to set out the patio furniture. That alone startles me. Summer will be gone and I will have a bag of should have, could have, and well maybe next year thoughts. The thought of not getting out to fish makes me shudder with disrespect for myself. Watching my wife wave to me as I mow the lawn and she has to go somewhere alone again is my fault. 

Today I will set out my calendar before God and ask Him to help set my priorities or reset some. I am not sure how that will go or what it will look like, but I am going to practice what I preach!I am not sure what the answer is to the calamity I have allowed to invade like cancer but I trust God to help me clean up my calendar. 

Have a great day.

Marty

Happy Father's Day 6/21/2026

 Good Morning,

I am drinking some French Coffee given to me by my daughter and it is very strong and just what I needed.  

Today in the Unites States we honor all of the dads and say happy "Father's Day" I am not sure if Father's Day is observed all around the world, but I will pay honor to all by thanking each and every one of you for filling a very important role.

It is not easy being a dad these days with the pressures of the world all around. I at one time thought that if Dad went to work, got up early, went to bed last, and got the family to church, he was doing a good job. Add in protecting the family and as you get older trying not to be a burden to them. 

I found the perfect Bible passage and I consider it to be the God given job description for a man. 

Deuteronomy 5:6-9  5.You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. 

And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8.You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 

So men, Let your family spoil you today and you grill for them. Take a small bite from the soggy Oreo the baby wants to share with you and has been chewing on for the last hour. Pray for your families, and thank God for each and every one of them. Be grateful that you are called Papa, Dad, Father or whatever you are titled. 

Smile, some day you will miss that soggy Oreo. 

Love you all.

Marty

One More Wall To Go 6/20/2026

 Good Morning,

My mug was full of Door County S'MORES Coffee a few minutes ago. It is empty now and it is time to write. 

Proverbs 24:3-4 Through wisdom a house is built ,

And by understanding it is established ;

4. By knowledge the rooms are filled 

With all precious and pleasant riches.

My wife Rene and I have been giving our home an uplift on our first floor. As a reminder  we don't live like most people. Our home looks more like a museum than a home. We enjoy our home with all the antiques we have acquired and display. We are on the last wall to have all of the photos of our family and friends put back in place. We affectionately call it the "wall of honor." A lot of memories hang on that wall. 

Out of all the things I have moved and then remounted on walls, this one will be the most difficult to do. There is a lot of stuff to rehang and I probably will spend the most time on this one wall, just because I will relive in my mind the memories of days gone by and the people who were with us at the time. The wall holds a picture of our daughter and the one and only time she goose hunted with me. You can see in the photo just how excited she was to be off from school and spending the day with Dad and a dog named Walter. I did not post the photo, because I value my life! You will have to visit and see it for yourself. 

I have noticed that when we get new visitors in our home for the first time, that many of them will stop at that wall and gaze for a minute and some even comment about the wall and those in the pictures. 

My point for the day is this. Your home is your place to decorate. We all have different tastes. Our home will never receive an award for being the perfect home in a magazine, but that wall means something to us and for us it is decorated perfectly.

Live your life to the tune of "My Way:" 

God bless.

Marty

You Called Me To Yell And Scream? 6/19/2026

 Good Morning,

I am headed toward a long day this morning and my hot cup of Door County S'MORES Coffee is helping to put some wind in my sails. It is time to write.

It has been a long time since I have received a phone call that actually got through my spam or robo call precautions. But yesterday I received a call from what looked like a legitimate call at first. It was in the disguise of the health system I use. The caller asked if I knew that I had a financial balance of $3000. I replied that I did not know about a balance and that just two days ago I  paid $3.33 for a prescription and that I had paid it on time and for the full amount. 

Their next statement gave away the fact that this person was trying to scam me for money. "You will be arrested and jailed if you don't pay. Use your credit card. I can help you." I declined the assistance. Their accent also gave away their true identity. The caller began to get belligerent and I asked to speak with their manager. Oh my. That sure upset my unwanted caller. He started yelling and screaming in his language. Then he asked if I was going to pay or not. My reply was a no thank you. I will drive to the nearest office of my health provider and check my balance and pay in person if their is anything to pay. I knew there wasn't any balance.

This sent the caller ballistic to the point of me laughing. I said "You called me to yell and scream, threaten me, and try to make me afraid of what you can do to me.?" 

I decided to fight back and left the caller screaming some more. I read a Bible verse to him and it cut through to his evil intentions and had me thinking that this caller needed an exorcism. I offered to meet him in person and buy him a coffee at Starbucks but that didn't break the ice either. I can't imagine someone not wanting to meet me and have a chat over a hot cup of coffee. 

Revelation 20:10 NIV And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented  day and night forever and ever. 

Beware of scam callers, never give out your credit card. There are some nasty people out there and especially avoid those who refuse a coffee? 

And really never meet with these crooks. It could be dangerous. Report the calls to your local police. I still have hurt feelings because the caller who called me (a nice guy) turned down my invitation. How's that for being rude?

God bless,

Marty

My View Of The World Cup 6/18/2026

 Good Morning,

Romans 12:18 ESV If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

The inside of my cup is decorated with Door County Peanut Butter Cup Coffee and I think it is time to write. 

Photo credit Dicks Sporting Goods

I wrote yesterday that my wife Rene and I are giving our home a little bit of an update. This upgrade includes a large screen wall mounted television. Rene and I are not known for keeping up with the times. We drive cars until they can't be driven. We watched a small television for 20 years and we just don't keep up with the times. You could say we are frugal.

One of the things I tried watching on the new addition to our living room was some soccer or as they say in other parts of the world "football". My version of football will be played this fall! 

But I want to say this about the World Cup. The television coverage shows the world enjoying a sport that has people getting along and having fun from all parts of the world. Soccer is played around the world and it is enjoyed by all of the ages. I don't know one thing about soccer except that the world now has a new epidemic (soccer) and it has been good for the heart and soul to see people laugh, cheer and enjoy themselves for a time. 

To coin a phrase I would like to buy the world a Coke right now and save some of this good will for later date!

Food for thought!

Marty

Agree To Disagree 6/17/2026

 Good Morning,

I just sat down to write and I have in front of me a hot cup of Door County Breakfast Blend Coffee and a head full of ideas.

For the past few weeks we have been doing a small uplift to our home. It started with painting on the first floor. New carpeting is coming on Thursday and some new furniture will be here as well as a large screen television. But right now the place looks like two teenagers just moved in and need to wait to fill the house with possessions. 

Proverbs 13:3 Whoever guards his mouth preserves his life; he who opens wide his lips, comes to ruin. 

So far we have done all of this and haven't disagreed much during the process. Our kitchen is the source of contention between my wife and I. Our home is filled with antiques and the kitchen has many old utensils and dishes mounted on the wall. We are at the point where things are going back on the wall. 

Before we removed everything from the walls I asked my wife to take pictures of where every thing goes. I thought she did. But last night I found out she did not take my request seriously. I started to ask her where things get mounted on the wall. She replied totally wrong. The magic words for disturbing the sleeping giant came out of her mouth. "I think this goes here, no maybe it goes higher.." I knew right then and there she hadn't taken pictures and was winging it by memory. It is true that many items come down at Christmas for the holiday season and other festive things go in their place. "I remember where they all go. I take them up and down every year."

I wanted to dig in and dig in hard as I dislike painting and decorating with a passion. My reply was "when you know where you want this stuff let me know. Because it is only going up once". I couldn't resist saying "just look at the photos."  There was total silence and as of this morning there are still a few kitchen pieces left to be put up. What was in place last night was assured to me that they were in the correct spots. "I know where they hang." 

Funny thing though as I was preparing for my blog I scrolled through the archive of the pictures I have used to make my point of what I wrote for the day. . Guess what I found? Yes! a photo showing the wall I was working on and the placement of the bowl of greatest contention last night. 

I love my wife and according to her mother. Out of six kids I married the stubborn one. Rene will not admit a mistake and will dig in when she believes she is right and according to her she is always right. 

So here is the point of the day. Who really cares where a dish from 1930 hangs.? It is not a ditch to die in. Sometimes you have to just agree to disagree.  When Rene crawled out of bed this morning she came to the desk to tell me that she knows where the bowl goes. I replied. "Too late it it has a new home on the wall and it is staying there. No wall will be patched and repainted." She replied "That's ok." I just wanted to let you know so it did not keep you awake." She told me where the old location was and I showed her the archived photo. "Oops" was all I heard and by later this morning I will be back to hanging things up and hopefully in the correct place. Tomorrow this whole thing will be forgotten. 

Now no one died in this exchange of wills and all is well in our home. So learn this. A picture speaks a thousand words and if you want something done!! You know the answer!!! Do it yourself.

Treat things as important only if they really are and don't let mistakes rule over you. 

Have a great day.

Marty