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

You Foolish People 9/21/2026

 Good Morning,

I forgot last night to set the coffee maker up with fresh grounds and water. Thus, no fresh coffee for me today was brewing when I hit the kitchen floor. I just poured some of yesterday's Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee into a mug and it was microwaved for a minute.I am at times my own worst enemy.

Galatians 3:1You foolish Galatians. Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

The Apostle Paul wrote this letter to early Christian churches in Galatia who were turning away from the message of grace. A lot like the Israelites who were rescued from Egypt started to complain about the long walks and the dietary menu during their trek to the promised land. They Israelites mumbled and grumbled and sought to go back to slavery. 

Paul calls the Galatians foolish which is harsh language for the time and implicates them as stupid people who abandoned the message of grace. Paul also uses the term bewitched meaning spiritually misled into relying on human effort rather than faith. 

They were resorting back to works for their forgiveness which was sacrifices, seeking forgiveness through men not on faith. 

My point for the day is this. Have you embraced the love of Christ who provided the way of salvation and living life with grace? A good example would be to still sin and then throw some extra cash into the collection plate at church thinking the cash could compensate for your sins. Or continuing in sin such as gossip and hurtful language, drunkenness or anger and then ignoring it. People often excuse their language as "good for the church" thus condoning gossip. 

So my friends if you long for the days of you controlling your faith and spiritual destiny.  I suggest you turn your eyes upon Jesus and His grace for the day.

Marty

Some Guilt Can Be Useful 9/20/2026

 Good Morning,

I just sat down to write with a hot, stiff cup of Door County Pumpkin Spice Coffee. The chair is way too comfortable and could make for a lazy Marty. 

I often wonder. When God looks at me what does He see? According to Scripture God sees Jesus in me first before He sees the rest of this shamble of life 

Colossians 3:3 NIV For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

We have been forgiven of our sins and Jesus died and paid the price of atonement with His life. Yet from time to time the feelings of guilt overtake our heart and mind. I believe that not all guilt is a bad thing. God can use a measured amount of guilt to wake us up from sin. 

Max Lucado said, " If guilt causes us to experience indignation, alarm, longing, concern, readiness to see justice done it is God given guilt." 

2 Corinthians 7:11NIV See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 

If we are forgiven, why do we still experience feelings of guilt. I believe God uses measured doses of guilt and regret to keep us from sin and change us. 

On the other hand Satan's guilt attacks are designed to enslave us to a life of regret and shame. 

My thought for today is this. If guilt has shackled you from feeling worthy to be forgiven and claim a clean slate through Jesus Christ, pray for strength and make Satan flee from ruining your days. Resist him and he will flee. Do you trust Christ your Advocate or the Accuser your enemy?

Love you all.

Marty

Remember a little God given guilt can be a good thing. Food for thought.