Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus 3/16/2026

 Good Morning, 

I an sitting at my desk staring at the blizzard outside enjoying the warmth of the house and a hot cup of Door County Chocolate Cherry Coffee. It is time to write. 

I call any snow storm in March the "second winter". Well our second winter arrived last night and is supposed to last until late this afternoon. We have every thing we need to stay inside and dig out later today. 

Ephesians 5:19 ESV Addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart. 

My day began with prayer after my radio alarm woke me up to an old hymn. And I can't get it out of my head. 

Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus 

1.O soul are you wearied and troubled? 

No light in the darkness you see?

There's light for a look at the Savior. 

And life more abundant and Free

Chorus Turn your eyes upon Jesus 

Look full in His wonderful face 

And things of the earth will grow strangely dim,

In the light of His glory and grace,

2. Through death into life everlasting ,

He passed and we follow him there;

O'er us sin no more hath dominion

For more than conqu'rors we are!

3. His word shall not fail you, He p[romised;

Believe Him and all will be well;

Then go to a world that is dying.

His perfect salvation to tell.

This hymn was written by Helen Howarth Lemmel. It has soothed the heart of many troubled souls since it came to the attention of the public. It is a beloved hymn of the sick, the stressed , the bereaved and all that need rest from our stress filled life on earth. 

So may your coffee be hot, your troubles small, and keep a hymn in your heart today.

God bless.

Marty

Being Polite Isn't Totally Lost Yet

 Good Morning,

I just poured a hot cup of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee for myself and it is time to write. 

Ephesians 4:29 NIV Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, only what is helpful for building up others according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 

Last Friday we had some strong winds blow through our state. Once again we had some damage to our home due to the wind storm. I happened to be out and about picking up supplies for a church dinner being held on Saturday. That wind was "rocking". A young lady was in the parking lot of the food emporium trying to gather the shopping carts that had set themselves free to roam the parking lot. It was a losing battle for one person. As one of those runaway carts was headed to smash into the vehicle parked next to me, I was able to grab on to it and give it to the cart gatherer. I was able to fetch a few more with her and help her back into the store. 

The young lady was wind blown and a little tired. As I handed off my stack of shopping carts she looked  me straight in the eye and said, "Thank You Sir. Have a great morning despite this storm." I replied "Good Morning  Mam, You are welcome. Have a better day"

As I walked away I recalled some training I received during my work years when I was cautioned not to use the term "Mam" as it could insult some folks.   A cloud of doubt entered my mind. Did I just ruin a good deed by saying Mam?  My thought as I tried to justify my use of the term Mam was this. She called me sir first. I thought her polite greeting could be answered using politeness in return. I did not know the lady's name. Although addressing her by name was not called for. I am sure I was about fifty years older than her so she probably wrote me off as being old fashioned and not knowing better. I will probably make that mistake again and sometimes the way I was raised clobbers me when the world declares a change.  It's a shame when this world even impacts a civil response or greeting. Or makes you stop and think on how to respond so no one gets hurt.  The world has made a lot of changes in etiquette over the last ten years. I don't always roll with the changes so if we meet and I say good morning Mam or Sir just consider me the old goof who just can't change.

Have great day. 

Marty

Enjoying A Little Down Time This Morning. 3/14/2026

 Good Morning,

I have as my companion this morning a hot cup of Door County Inn Keepers Blend Coffee and it is time to write. 

James 4:14 ESV Yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 

                                                photo credit simply called food .com

Yesterday I was very busy with arranging storm repairs to our home once again. Our church is having a taco dinner after the service tonight. I cooked the beef for the tacos yesterday as well as some duck, goose, and pheasant meat as a surprise taco filler. Our cheese supply failed us and I had to make a cheese run in the wind storm. I could have done some of this today, but you never know what a day will bring, so it is better off to take advantage of the time allotted. 

I received  a call last night from a neighbor who was gifted a recliner from another neighbor. There is one function on the lift type chair that isn't working right now. We promised to look at it in the near future and I guess we will look at it this morning. This neighbor is a right now is the best time kind of guy. 

Proverbs 16:3 ESV Commit your work to the Lord and your plans will be established. 

Sounds a little like I am complaining. Not really, my point for today is this. God has numbered our days on this earth and He fills them with tasks He wants done and He sets the time frames. So if it looks like the to do list is large it is God who made the list. We should be happy to have a list. The list lets you know that God is thinking about you and you are valued. 

Food for thought!

God bless. Marty

The Wind Is Blowing Hard Today 3/13/2026

 Good Morning,

I am sitting at my desk with a hot cup of Door County Sunrise Roast Coffee and it is time to write. 

I am late in writing today because of windstorms that are blowing in excess of 60 miles per hour over our house. It isn't hurricane strength or wind like tornadoes but strong enough to let you know to be wary of their strength and very cautious. Earlier I heard something smash against the house and I went out to see what that might be. I was chased back inside pretty quickly by the strength of the gusts. Damage assessment will have to wait until it is safe to get on a ladder. 

1 Chronicles 16:11 ESV Seek the Lord and His strength, seek His presence continually. 

My point for the day is this. Unless you are battling a storm that requires you to step out to save a life, stay inside until all is clear. There is really nothing you can do that is worth risking your life or injury to yourself or the dogs that followed you outside.  This storm, like others will pass and you go on from there. 

Life has many storms other than the type nature provides now and then. It might be a personal dilemma, a stormy relationship, illness, loss of a job, or other calamity.  The advice is the same.  Seek refuge in the arms of God. Don't rush out under your own power. Wait on Him. 

Have a blessed and safe day. 

Marty

You Have To Be Patient 3/12/2026

 Good Morning,

It is a cold crisp day outside and I am allowing my hot cup of Door County Cherry Creme Coffee to move slowly through my system and warm me up. It is time to write.

Yesterday, I had the experience of training our dogs with my nephew Matthew. We had with us Matt's dog, one of mine and Matt's brother's dog. You could tell that we hadn't been training much as of late because we were hunting quite a bit and winter wasn't cooperating with our efforts.

All three dogs were a little sloppy in the training arena yesterday at first. The response we were getting wasn't what I desired from all three and especially the two champions. I had to scratch what I was originally going to do for a training session and slow down and ease into it. Every time I hit the field with the "two honchos" I have come to expect almost perfection and yesterday wasn't it. 

So I backed off on the skill level and intensity of the training and soon there after the dogs were coming around. I was less frustrated and so were the dogs. A little patience, less stress and more praise seemed to do the trick.

My point for the day is this. Sometimes you need to start slowly in life's daily grind and make sure all of those involved in an endeavor with you clearly understand the goal and expectations. You need to make sure that you are also clearly communicating,  and if needed go back to the basics and don't leave anyone behind. 

At the end of the day, things looked better and we finished on a fun note for the dogs. Last night all three dogs in our home were content, tired and just looking to get their ears scratched. Today is a new day and yesterday forgotten. 

Food for thought. God bless.

Marty

Time To Add, Not Subtract 3/11/2026

 Good Morning,

I have a hot cup of Door County Cherry Creme Coffee sitting at my desk with me. The flavor is one of my favorites. And since it is a little dreary this morning I might just have two cups to warm me up. It is time for me to write. 

Proverbs 31:30 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain; but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. 

My side of the family has not added anyone except for marriages in a long time. Our niece and nephews have kept the family growing through marriage and that has been nice to see them flourish in their marriages. It has been a long long time since the family grew through a birth. This weekend Rene my wife will be attending a baby shower for a little baby girl who is joining the family. Our niece and nephew are welcoming their child to this world in May. I prefer not to call his wife a "niece in law". Once you marry into this clan you are a niece or nephew as well. As a great uncle to this little lady I really don't have any responsibilities. 

My thought on that is really ok. My important job is to be praying for the little munchkin. First of all I need to pray for a healthy baby and an easy delivery for Momma. 

And here's the list I will pray for until I die some day. I will be praying that she finds her way to Jesus as Lord and Savior at an early age. Continued good health and safety from injuries. I have already started praying that if it is her desire to marry someone, some day, that the right man will come along and be worthy of her hand. He too should love and serve the Lord. 

I pray for her parents as well. We all know that raising a child is not a job for sissies. I pray for their health and welfare as well as their spiritual guidance. You probably will not find me changing a diaper or feeding a little one/ I am, allergic to both tasks. I will accept my role proudly and watch to see if she spills a lot of things like her dad did. I owe him a soggy pizza or two. 

Have a great day!!!! Hug your family. 

Marty

Close The Window 3/10/2026

 Good Morning, 

Mu mug is filled with hot Door County Highlander Grog Coffee and it is time to write.Yesterday was sunny and warm at 73 degrees Fahrenheit and this morning is is 38 degrees Fahrenheit. That 35 degree difference is a major swing. We were able to open our windows yesterday and let the fresh air into our home. 

Proverbs 19:11 NIV A person's wisdom yields patience; it is one's glory to overlook an offense. 

When I was rousted out of bed by our attention deprived dogs it was pretty cold in our house. We had also turned the heat off for the day yesterday. I turned up the heat and it just seemed too long for the furnace to catch up to the heating needs. 

I came upstairs to write this morning and much to my surprise we had left two windows open all night. The two of us forgot to close them and they kept the house more than cool. Once we were heated to normal, my wife and I both turned into today's version of politicians. Basically neither one of us wanted to accept responsibility for leaving the windows open all night. 

Rene's excuse was this. "You opened them yesterday morning. So you are responsible for not closing them." My reply was this. "I went to bed early. You walked right by the windows and did not close them before you were in snoring mode." 

Neither one of us wanted to own the small mistake and both of us could  easily own the miscue. Instead of both of us saying "oops my mistake, sorry" the blame game was into full motion. How silly it was to even go down this road of unimportant blame. Other folks in the world have bombs dropping from the air and exploding in their neighborhoods. Some are cleaning up after being struck by huge storms that spawned tornadoes. 

The open windows were not an international incident and it should have been considered a blessing that they were discovered being open before the predicted rains show up. Only politicians can see finding a mistake before it is a bigger mess and then apply the blame to it when no harm was done.

Don't vote for me as husband of the year . I don't even have the support of my main constituent . Food for thought from the play 'Frozen" "Let it Go" and just close the window. 

Marty