Jesus and His Love 5/31/14

Good Morning,

The day has started with a bowl of Cheerios and a cup of Door County Coconut Crush Coffee. My goal in June is to re-visit the Door County Coffee Company while taking a rest and relaxation trip to Door County Wisconsin.

I have a friend named Ara. We met on a mission trip a few years ago and then served the Lord again in Haiti on a trip a couple summers ago. She is a lovely young lady who is now returning to the United States after serving on the mission field in eleven countries in eleven months. Ara had to quit her job, raise enough support and be trained before she could even leave the US. This article is not being written to praise Ara. She would never want that. The question I want to raise today is what would compel a young lady to do this?

The answer is found in two parts. Jesus is Ara's Lord and King. He loves her and Ara loves Jesus. She heard Him call and she went. I have followed her around the world in the last eleven months via Facebook and email. This was not an easy trip. I noticed her weight loss and at times the noticeable lack of sleep in her eyes.

I know she will allow me to write about her Lord.         

1 John 4:19        

We love because he first loved us. Jesus loved Ara first. He died for her sins and ours.

John 10:10    
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. Jesus left heaven and came to Earth not to steal our lives but to be part  of our lives while saving us from our sins. His death, burial and resurrection were the first step in building a relationship with God through Jesus.

 John 16:13        
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit that we might hear from God and know when He speaks. We can be in the right place at the right time. We can join God in His work when He calls. I can only imagine everything that Ara has seen God do and all that He said to her while on this trip. She will tell us and we will listen but only Ara experienced God and that was only because of the gift from Jesus.

God desires to have that same type of relationship with all of us. He is at work daily and would love to have us join Him and experience Him. Ara left all that she had to gain much more, and it is only because of her love for Jesus and her empowerment by the Holy Spirit and her love for the Father which Jesus brought her to.

Have a great day.
Listen and love today. God might be calling.

Marty

House of Prayer? Are You One? 5/30/14

Good Morning,

Friday has arrived and I can say that I am embracing it without any regrets. My coffee this morning is Door County Heavenly Caramel. The cup is not really big enough today.

You will see below in our verse  that God expects prayer from His children. And prayer should be joyful because it is time spent with God, letting go of our burdens and cares. Lifting up our pain can be relief and joy. We can pray with praise.

Isaiah 56:7 (NASB)

⁷ Even those I will bring to My holy mountain
And make them joyful in My house of prayer.
Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar;
For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.”

 

I would like for you to think of yourself as a house. Are you the type of house that attracts people to want to come inside? Basically are you the type of Christian that leads others to prayer? Are you the type of Christian that others seek out for prayer? That's quite a compliment if you are. But don't get too puffed up about it. This is better. Do you lead others to pray? Do you teach them to go to God on their own? Are you the type of Christian that would rather pray than play? Does your family recognize you as one who leads them to prayer? What type of house are you? Are you a house of prayer for all peoples? Do you take your house on the road? Or have you built a house of prayer that resembles a fast food emporium with a drive through? How many times do those orders get messed up? Is that what you teach others?

 

Can people call you to pray at 1:AM? Then, do you go and lead them in prayer as soon as time permits, teaching them to pray? Do you teach others to listen in prayer or have you pumped up your ego so far that they always come to you for the answers?

 

That's why I love my duck hunting buddies. Prayer always comes first. If our families knew how much they were prayed for while in a swamp it would amaze them?

 

I could write on this one for days, but I won't.

 

Have a great weekend!

 

God bless,

Marty

 

 

Re-Purposed Furniture 5/29/14

Good Morning,
Happy Thursday to you. This morning is starting with a big mug of Door County Chocolate Meltdown coffee.

My wife, Rene likes to take old things (antiques) and if they are missing a few things and cannot be repaired and re-purpose them into useful items. For instance she watches for old wooden chairs that are being thrown out. He brings them home and if there are a few parts I can use or if I can make simple repairs the chair gets a 6 inch hole cut in the seat and a flower pot is placed in the hole filled with plants for the summer. I will post a picture later this week of one of the finished products. She always says "I hate to see things tossed to the side when they still have value and are useful." Many items once thought as junk and useless have found some new life and served us for a few more years.

People are like that too. As I age I cannot do all the things I used to do. But also with age I have learned a few more new things that I can do now that I could not do when I was younger. I now can restore furniture and have more patience to do so. When I was young I could not see any value in doing that myself. People can re-purpose as they get older and can be of the same value to their community, church and family just by doing the things that they can now do or learned to do through their experiences.

God is willing and able to use us, no matter how young, and no matter how old we are. Everyone – old and young – has their strengths, and we can all learn from and appreciate each other

Psalms 92:13-14a
“Those that be planted in the house of the LORD shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age” (KJV)

Don't grow older and sit on the sidelines. You might not be able to kick the ball anymore but you are able to call the play. Don't be content to watch the petunias grow. Water the garden. Don't wit to receive a card, send ten. Babysit for a young couple so they can get away. The kids can teach you a computer trick or two. Serve in the church no matter what the capacity. Make a difference.
RE-PURPOSE

God bless,
Marty

They Were With Jesus 5/28/2014

Good Morning,

Wednesday and I am starting the day with a big cup of Door County Red Velvet Mocha coffee. I went to bed late last night. My mind was like a train station with thoughts coming and going like trains at Union Station. My mind finally slowed down and I was able to sleep a little. So the coffee is going to hit the spot in a big way.

Acts 4:13

¹³ Now when they saw the boldness and unfettered eloquence of Peter and John and perceived that they were unlearned and untrained in the schools [common men with no educational advantages], they marveled; and they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

We see in our Scripture, that after Pentecost, Peter and John anointed with the Holy Spirit were different. What the Roman leaders noticed was "they had been with Jesus". Many Christians go through life and cannot be recognized as Christians because no one sees a difference in them from their former life. They show no evidence of having spent time with Jesus. Spending time with Jesus through prayer and reading our Bible is the key to being different. Spending time cultivating our relationship and accepting His love causes us to want to be different. An old preacher once said "if you is where you was, you ain't."

I think if we were all to spend more time with the Savior we would find that we would be different and want to keep it that way. As we see from the example of Peter and John, Jesus brings out the best in people.

Love to you all.

Marty

Generator Repairs

Good Morning,

Today is starting with a hot cup of Door County Heavenly Caramel Coffee. Last night was very unusual. A small storm rolled through and knocked out our electrical power for a few hours. I welcomed the rain but did not think that the storms were strong enough to impact the power.

Our neighbor was having difficulty starting his generator. A couple of us went over to help. A little starting fluid and a few pulls and the generator sputtered and started.  It seems as if the gasoline in the generator was a little old and he had not run his generator for awhile. We added fresh gasoline, prayed and went home.

I think life is like that too. We get comfortable and busy. Next thing we know our prayer life gets slack, Bible time reduced and then something happens and we fall apart. We need some starting fluid to get a dead engine going. Or better yet a reminder from someone to not to neglect the engine in the first place.

As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. – Proverbs 27:17

The fact is, we were never meant to walk this life alone. God made that very clear when he stated it as His very reason for creating a partner for Adam in Genesis 2:18, “The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone.’” After God repeatedly says “it is good,” we get our first picture of what God deems to be “not good.” But why is it “not good” for man to be alone? Because we were created for community.
To hold each other accountable and make each other strong is not an option, it’s a command of Scripture. Paul commands in Galatians 6:2, “Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.” This begs the question, “How does sharing your burdens allow you to obey the law of Christ?” Because when you have someone encouraging you to do what is right, and kicking your butt when you screw up, you’re going to be walking in the Spirit and following His law.

We need to take care of our spiritual engine before it becomes hard to start.

Think about it. Do you have an accountability partner?

God bless,
Marty

Honoring Our Fallen . 5/26/14

Good Morning.

I am writing today a little later than usual. I did fill a thermos with Door County Highlander Grog coffee to stay with me throughout my adventures. My day started early with a little scouting for duck season and some time later to honor our fallen American Veterans. A grateful nation says thank you.

Thank you for fighting and giving your life for our freedom never seems to be enough. As I go through life and discover veterans as I go, or active military members, I make sure to say thank you to them. I have had several say "it was my honor to serve you". And they always reply with a thank you in return. This always amazes me. They say thank you for a thank you. I am proud to say that I am the son of a veteran who is still alive. He still salutes the flag, removes his hat during the singing of our national anthem and places his hand over his heart. He always says that war was not anything he would wish on anyone but that he would do it all over again if asked to.

Today let's pray for the families of the fallen, the older veterans we are blessed to still have with us, the new veterans and the men and women currently serving. Let's pray for peace that we might not have to lose anymore.

John 15:13

King James Version (KJV)

¹³ Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Have a wonderful day.

Marty

Watching The Sun Come Up 5/25/2014

Good Morning,

I am starting the day with a cup of Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee. Today is my wife's birthday. I wish her many, many more. There will be a little outing tonight to try a new food emporium that opened recently to celebrate her life.

Genesis 1:14

Then God said, "Let there be lights in the expanse of the heavens to separate the day from the night, and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years;


I was up early today. It seems as if my internal clock does not recognize those days when I could grab a little more sleep. Well that's what naps are for. There might be one in my future today.

As I awoke today, it was still dark outside. The coffee had just finished brewing and I grabbed one of my favorite mugs, filled it and headed out to the back yard. It was cool outside and as I was sitting there in a pair of gym shorts questioning my intelligence level for not wearing sweat pants, when the sun started to rise in the East.

It came up slowly and started to shine on the lilacs and apple blossoms in our yard. I could see the tomato plants that were recently planted in the vegetable garden. Birds were starting chirp and coo. Two mallard ducks flew over so low that I could hear their wings in the still morning. One of them gave out a hearty quack as to say "Good Morning". My portion of the world was at peace today and busy at dawn.

I thought about some of the places I have been on mission trips and a few of the people I met along the way in different countries. The sunrise made me think about how many places I have been and that it was always the same sun that greeted me and warmed me up each day. Now I will admit that a few of the tropical places were "well heated" and the heat wasn't always appreciated. But there was one trip where the climate at night was very cold and the shelter we were using did not have heat. In the middle of the night I would look at my watch and say to myself "only a couple hours until I warm up". I knew I could count on that sun rising and the impact it would have.

Each day the sun rises and gives us warmth and light. I know that there are places in the world where the sun stays up and there isn't any night for up to 85 days in Alaska.

But can you imagine days upon days without the sun's light? Each day when the sun comes up we are reminded that God our Creator knew what the Earth and we would need. Each sunrise is a gift from God and shows us that He cares. God was well ahead of the technical revolution. He never uses still pictures. My morning was in full color and  moving. God let me see a live shot of His love and power. 

So in ending today. Take the time to enjoy a sunrise. Get up a little earlier on a day when you don't have to rush off anywhere and enjoy the video that God has planned just for you.

God Bless,
Marty

Fighting Temptation 5/24/2014

Good Morning.

My coffee today is Door County Heavenly Caramel. I have to work for a couple of hours this morning so I will be headed out soon to return to some yard work later.

Temptation. Everyone has a week spot that we are tempted to cave in to.  It could be anger, jealousy, list, greed, alcohol, drugs, lust, over eating, laziness or being rude. If you read these again you will notice that anyone of these if acted upon can open up a can of seven kinds of crazy and start problems for you and those around you. Make it worse by combining a couple of these and you have "Disaster". Now you don't have to own both of the weaknesses to start the disaster, you might be prone to laziness and your spouse has an anger issue. When we give into the temptation to be lazy and our spouse gives into a burst of anger the calamity begins.
Temptation does not come from God.

James 1:13-18

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹³ Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am tempted by God”; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone. ¹⁴ But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. ¹⁵ Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
¹⁶ Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. ¹⁷ Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. ¹⁸ Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first fruits of His creatures.

Satan knows our weaknesses. Out a plate of cocaine in front of me and there is no temptation. Put a duck hunting trip in front of me at the same time as a family gathering and I am tempted beyond belief.

There is a way out.

1 Corinthians 10:13 (AMP)

¹³ For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin), [no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear]. But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently.

 

We can use one of the first words we learned as a child. NO. we can say no and then run to the right choice. We must resist.

 

James 4:7

King James Version (KJV)

⁷ Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

Not only are we to resist but submit to God. We must learn and memorize Scripture to battle the devil. There is power in the word. Submission to God is declaring our love for Him. Loving God and is the first defense against giving in to temptation. We don't want to sin against someone who loves us enough to send His Son Jesus to die for our sins.

This lesson is fool proof. Try it. God guarantees it.

God bless,
Marty

 

What To Plant In Your Garden. 5/23/2014

Friday and it came just in time. Good Morning to you all. My coffee today is Door County Chocolate Meltdown.

This weekend the United States will be observing a holiday. It is our Memorial Day. It is the day that we remember those who have given their life on behalf of our country and it's freedom. I will devote more time to that on Monday.

It is also a time that for many is the time to plant their garden. Much time and study goes into what flower, plant or vegetable will be best in the soil you have to work with. As for us we have both types of gardens. One small vegetable garden and a few flower plots. Tomatoes and onions seem to do best in our climate and soil. The two are also favorites of ours.

We usually do harvest more tomatoes than we can preserve or eat. But we have decided that when we harvest more, we have more to share with neighbors and friends.

So when deciding what you are going to plant whether it be flowers, fruits or vegetables plant what you like most. But plant enough to share. It makes that sun burn on your bald head all worth it when you can give a neighbor of family member a few tomatoes or a jar of salsa.

Hebrews 13:16

New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ But do not forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.


God bless, plant much, plant often.

Marty

Scripture Verse on the Moon 5/22/2014

Thursday Morning and it is one more day until Friday.

My coffee this morning is a big cup of Door County Red Velvet Mocha. It looks like it is going to be long one.

I was listening to a radio show yesterday and the radio evangelist was talking about the moon landing that the United States performed in 1969. One of the items that the astronauts left was a placard with Psalm 8 transcribed on it.

Psalm 8  (NKJV)

The Glory of the Lord in Creation

To the Chief Musician. On the instrument of Gath.^[a] A Psalm of David.

O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth,
Who have set Your glory above the heavens!

² Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants
You have ordained strength,
Because of Your enemies,
That You may silence the enemy and the avenger.

³ When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
The moon and the stars, which You have ordained,
⁴ What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?
⁵ For You have made him a little lower than the angels,^[b]
And You have crowned him with glory and honor.

⁶ You have made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands;
You have put all things under his feet,
⁷ All sheep and oxen—
Even the beasts of the field,
⁸ The birds of the air,
And the fish of the sea
That pass through the paths of the seas.

⁹ O Lord, our Lord,
How excellent is Your name in all the earth

 

I was thinking that Psalm 8 was probably the best Scripture that could have been left on the moon. It was very appropriate and really honored God.

 

But then I thought " Hey the Word of God is On the Moon" That was followed by "that's nice but God was there too. Now that's a bigger deal."

 

Psalm 139:7-8

⁷ Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
⁸ If I ascend into heaven, You are there;

 

As men we might even travel to Mars some day. But God was there first and will be there when we get to Mars. Now that's amazing!

 

God bless,

Marty

Ice For The Pain 5/21/14

Good Morning,

This morning I am starting the day with a mug of Door County Highlander Grog Coffee. Just thankful for another day of life and the friends and family that I have been blessed with.

Being one who has always enjoyed sports and the outdoors you learn that the hard activity eventually takes a toll on your body. Age seems to multiply the issues. I find that with the aging process the aches and pains from a work out or a hard day of hunting often requires a little tender loving care for the body later. I find that ice packs work the best for the aching muscles and joints. The ice reduces the swelling and lessens the pain. Nothing like the soothing relief of an ice pack.

The Bible works the same way. Sometimes days can be long, emotions get hurt, feelings bruised, egos decimated, and thoughts smashed. We can turn to God's Word for soothing comfort. I have copied some Bible verses below that can be read for those days when the hurts won't go away without some TLC.

 

Psalms 55:22 Cast your burden on the LORD, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.

Psalms 9:9 The LORD is a stronghold for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

 

Psalms 27:4-5 One thing have I asked of the LORD, that will I seek after: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to inquire in his temple. For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble; he will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will lift me high upon a rock.

 

Psalms 46:1 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 

1 Peter 5:6-7 (KJV) Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

 

Psalms 22:24 For he has not despised or abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, and he has not hid.den his face from him, but has heard, when he cried to him.

Psalms 56:8 You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?

 

Psalms 116:1-2 I love the LORD, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

 

Jeremiah 29:11 (KJV) For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
 

Nahum 1:7 The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; he knows those who take refuge in him.

 

Hope this helps.

God bless.

Marty

Opening A Full Can of Crazy? 5/20/14

Good Morning,

Have a cup of coffee and get going. My coffee this morning is Door County Chocolate Meltdown. Out the door I go to face a day that might be somewhat planned on my daily calendar but you just never know what any day might bring.

There have been many phrases used to describe life or a person's day. Forest Gump. "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what your going to get". Doris Day. "what will be will be". Frank Sinatra, "I did it my way". "This day has been a full can of crazy" Author unknown.

Someone told me that the other day was the first day of her new job and on the way to work the heel broke on her shoe. Today my car stalled at the left turn signal and this guy pulled up and went ballistic because he missed his turn just as my car restarted. I had to laugh at his anger and slurs considering this is a conceal carry state. I heard about a guy today that wants to raise honey bees. He purchased 90 bees and did a release into their new home, they all flew away. What about the new car with the dent in the door from some careless person in a parking lot. Then one of the kids gets sick or decides to fly off the bunk bed playing Spider Man and breaks an arm. And why does one actually put real dish soap in a dish washer and wonder why there are suds everywhere? Or you can't wait to get home and start the grill to cook a little supper. 20 minutes later as the grill goes out you remember you were supposed to pick up propane on the way home. As you return to your car with the propane you find that you have a flat tire. Or the duck that walks through your wet cement. Some days are just 7 kinds of crazy.

But here is the good news. A day only lasts 24 hours.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (NKJV)

²² Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
²³ They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness

Despite the day of days, it only lasts 24 hours and each day is new. God shows up all day and all night.

Try to laugh today. Tomorrow is coming.

Marty

Chicken Dinner and Teens 5/19/2014

Monday and the weekend slipped by again with lightning speed once more. My coffee mug is filled with Door County Highlander Grog and I am on my second cup as I head out the door.

Proverbs 22:6 (NKJV)

⁶ Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Last Saturday we were invited to my brother's home to fellowship and eat dinner. He grilled some chicken breasts and the table was filled with many other items that went well with the chicken. He had invited family and friends over to relax and feast.

The conversation during dinner turned to one of our nephews and the experience he had during the week at his high school. It seems that he took part in a drama where kids were removed from class by the "Grim Reaper" and they were placed to study and live in a motel for 24 hours. Their leaving symbolized the death of a teen to their classmates and families. They could not call anyone, text anyone and social media was banned. To the world they were dead. Their fake deaths were explained as car crashes, drug overdoses, and other ways a teen might make a bad choice and die. Their friends and family found out what it would be like to not have the teen around anymore.

Rene and I found this quite interesting and actually a worthwhile project. On the way home we discussed the project and wondered if the message hit home with the classmates. I think the school did a great job. But don't all of us know a teen or two? I think it is the responsibility of all of us to watch out for kids headed for a bad choice and at least say something. I think that choices should be openly discussed within the home.

Think about it. The teen you save might be your own.

Have a great day.
Marty

Lilac Explosion 5/18/2014

Good Morning,

I hope your Saturday was a good one. My coffee this morning is Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti from the Door County Coffee Company. 

Job 12:7-9        
“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this?

Yesterday I spent a good portion of the day in our yard performing some chores like mowing the lawn, trimming the fence line and pruning some bushes. I tend to watch the yard with a little more intensity right about now than I do the rest of the year. We have several lilac bushes, apple trees, flowering crab apples and rose bushes spread out on the property. Each year I can usually tell a day or two before when everything will bloom. It seems as if they all open on cue together except for the rose bushes. They open later and last longer. But our yard for a few short days smells like lilacs and the fruit trees are one of the most beautiful displays of color and promise every year. I thought for sure today would be the day. A few small blossoms have opened on the lilacs and the trees look ready, but I think it will be another day or two. I look forward to this every year. We purposely planted one of the lilac bushes near our bedroom. If the weather cooperates we can open a window when the lilac explosion takes place and go to sleep and then wake up to that fragrance that will only be there for a few days.

This doesn't sound too manly for the guy who mostly writes about hunting and fishing. Well the lilacs blooming are usually a sign that it is time to catch crappies near shore.

But every man needs to take time to enjoy the seasons that present themselves. I am not much of a fisherman so I am pretty much in between seasons. It won't be long and I will be preparing for the early goose season.  But for now it is a little rest and time to smell the lilacs. Many people mark the year as beginning in January. I really don't pay much attention to the New Years hype. The time that I place my thoughts around are when our yard comes to life and I ponder as to how many more lilac explosions I will experience. It then reminds me to be thankful for all the explosions we have enjoyed here through the years. I recall vividly what used to be a muddy mess for a couple of years and how small the trees and shrubs used to be. I remember planting each and everyone of the trees and shrubs and replacing a few on occasion. So today I look out into the small portion of the world God has given Rene and I to be stewards of and I do not see the wars, the crimes, the disasters, the hurt, work issues or the pain. I know they are still there but for a short while they are not on my mind. I spent time in the garden. Maybe the silent explosion takes place tomorrow!

God bless,
Marty

A Lesson Found In Micah 5/18/2014

Good Morning From Wisconsin.

Saturday May 17th and I awoke to a yard decorated with frost. Our fireplace has a small but very warm fire crackling in it. Our dog Gibbs is currently covering my feet like living Springer Spaniel slippers and the cup next to me is filled with Door County Red Velvet Mocha Coffee. Frost is not unusual at this time, but very unwelcome by my neighbor who uncovered his pool last weekend hoping for it to warm up.

Micah 7:18-20 (NKJV)

¹⁸ Who is a God like You,
Pardoning iniquity
And passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?

He does not retain His anger forever,
Because He delights in mercy.
¹⁹ He will again have compassion on us,
And will subdue our iniquities.

You will cast all our^[a] sins
Into the depths of the sea.
²⁰ You will give truth to Jacob
And mercy to Abraham,
Which You have sworn to our fathers
From days of old.

In this passage we see that God does get angry with His people. I have hi-lighted that in red. We would do well to remember that verse. But as we move through the  rest of the passages we see that God does desire to pardon us from our transgressions through Jesus. He casts away our sins into the "depths of the sea". God desires to show us mercy.

Now wouldn't we all deep down inside want to be that guy or gal who can do the same thing and show mercy to others? It would be nice, when someone does you wrong, if we could just show mercy and not react with retaliation or anger. It does help when things go awry with others and it seems like they just cleaned up all the dog poop in the neighborhood and dumped it  on to your shoes to remember what you are like and how many times God has forgiven you. It is then easier to show mercy when you think of the mercy given to you.

Now that's lesson number one for the day. Lesson number two is do not plant flowers before you are pretty sure that the frost is done for the season. Lesson number three. If you are angry today and need to cool off my neighbor's pool is just the right temperature for you to have a nice cool down.

God bless,
Marty

Peanut Butter Cookies 5/16/2014

Good Morning,

Friday has landed and it was right on time. My coffee this morning is Door County Highlander Grog. My friend Bob from Alaska recommended this flavor a few years ago. I am glad he did.

Ecclesiastes 9:7 KJV

Go thy way , eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine with a merry heart; for God now accepteth thy works.

Yesterday was one of those days that wasn't one worth writing about for good or bad. I was telling someone yesterday that my mind seemed to have checked out and I did not really seem to care. I just wanted to get home after work, have the dog greet me with his tail wagging, and then spend some time with Rene , before studying.

We were out of milk, so I stopped at the gas station near our home to purchase a gallon. The gas station is more than just a fuel stop. They sell food and bakery. I noticed that some big peanut butter cookies were there, just begging me to buy them and take them home. I pondered the purchase for a minute and then decided that a peanut butter cookie with a large glass of cold milk was just what I needed to finish the day that seemed to be without any zip.

Later as we were each munching on a cookie I decided that I felt like a kid who had just been rewarded with a cookie for eating all of my supper or for performing some chore. It was then that I knew that just to have a cookie is a blessing and that all the ingredients for the cookie were made by our Creator. And despite my feelings about the day a cookie comes from heaven and it is ok to sit back and enjoy one now and then and feel like a kid once in awhile.

Go ahead and do something to feel like a kid again. It's ok and might be just what you need to make a ho hum day better. God doesn't mind, He provided the ingredients.

God bless,
Marty

My Favorite Bible Verse 5/15/14

Good Morning,

Very thankful today for a friend who came to our home yesterday and cut down some trees that needed to "leave". LOL  My coffee this morning is Door County Coconut Crush.

Last night my Nephew Nick sent me a text message and asked me what my favorite Bible verse is. I did not have to think very long before I replied. Matthew 11:28-30 is and probably always will be my favorite.

Matthew 11:28-30 (NIV)

²⁸ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Many years ago on a night when my heart was burdened and I thought that anger and hurt were going to win the battle for my life, I saw an open Bible where there was a picture of Jesus and the verses from Matthew 11:28-30 were written below the picture. It was then that I heard for the first time Jesus call my name. He was extending a saving hand to me and asking me to trust Him. Those verses spoke new life to a heavy soul.  My life has never been the same.

What's your favorite verse? Please feel free to share.

God bless,
Marty

How Do I Know When God is Speaking to Me? 5/14/14

Good Morning,

I am starting today with a hot cup of Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee. I feel the need for it to be very hot today and have steam rising from the cup.

Many people go through life as Christians and are bored. They go to church, feel entertained or fed spiritually and they pray. Many of these same people read their Bibles. But yet they seem  bored with their Christian walk. If I could listen in on their prayers I bet I would hear things like, "Heavenly Father please heal Uncle Joe, help me to find the job you want me to have. ( This assumes God wants you to have a job). And then they end with in Jesus name I pray amen". Then they go to bed and God never received a chance to answer. The Scripture below tells us to expect God to speak.

Jeremiah 33:3 (NIV)

³ ‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’

 

But how do we know when God is speaking?

 

1. What does the Bible say?
As followers of Christ, we believe that the Bible is God’s Word. All truth is God’s truth, certainly. But, any direction attributed to God must square up with God’s Word. God isn’t going to contradict Himself. That wouldn’t make any sense.
Let’s say your group member feels closest to God in nature, so he feels led to quit his job and spend more time seeking God out in the woods. The problem is that he’s not independently wealthy and isn’t ready to retire. His wife will have to carry the load of the family finances. She hasn’t worked outside of the home for years, and he would basically expect her to do everything she’s doing now, plus provide the total family income. This may seem farfetched, but in over 20 years of ministry, I’ve heard some doozies. This one is hypothetical, however.
While it may seem spiritual to connect with God in a peaceful place, it’s also spiritual to provide for the needs of your family. If you don’t, you’re worse than an infidel (1 Timothy 5:8, KJV). When God’s leading conveniently confirms our own desires and violates God’s word, then we must question whether the person has actually heard from God.
This is just a silly example, but I’ve heard of people feeling led to leave their spouse, stop paying their taxes, stop giving to the church, buy a new car, drill an oil well in a specific spot – you name it. While God does speak to us, the primary way He speaks is through His Word. If what they are hearing doesn’t line up with Scripture, then they need to listen again.
2. How does it line up with other circumstances?
Sometimes people feel a leading from God to escape a problem. I believe that we should allow God to help us work through problems. We come out better people on the other side. “But, my wife just left me. It’s the perfect time for me to go to the mission field.” Not so fast there, buddy.   Divorce is one of the highest stressors there is. (And we didn’t need a stress test to tell us that). If you add leaving your home, friends, and your church to taking on a new job, a new culture, a new climate, a new language, and so on, not to mention the spiritual toll of divorce, it’s the recipe for disaster.
But, sometimes the circumstances line up. When the person is not in the middle of a problem, when they feel a leading and finances line up, and the house sells, and the spouse agrees, God’s plan just might be coming together.
3. Has the person sought godly counsel?
Who has the person consulted on this leading? Have they talked to mature believers and pastors who will ask the hard questions and tell them the truth? Or, have they just sought out people who would easily agree with them? Every believer needs people in their lives who love them, but aren’t impressed with them.
They shouldn’t be in a hurry for quick affirmation. It’s important to ask others to discuss the potential leading and to pray with them. God often uses others to confirm a leading.

I hope this helps,

Listen, God is speaking,

Marty

 

Family Troubles. You have To Deal With Them. 5/13/14

Good Morning,

After a long night of storms in Wisconsin I am looking forward to that first cup of Door County Mocha Mint Coffee. The sky was pretty noisy last night.

This last winter left it's mark on our home. As I continue to recover from the winter I keep finding things that need repair. My next project is to re-mortar the field stone flower garden back together. The frost was so deep that it caused the soil to heave and spilt the stone walls. No way will they be able to hold together and produce a flower garden without falling apart and having the soil run away with the next rain. It needs to be fixed!

Families are a lot like winter damage. Once we find an issue we need to act on it and correct it before the issue gets worse and causes damage beyond repair.  This devotional is quite long today. But aren't our families worth the time? God requires us to raise our families according to His standards.

1 Samuel 2:12-36 (NIV)

Eli’s Wicked Sons

¹² Eli’s sons were scoundrels; they had no regard for the Lord. ¹³ Now it was the practice of the priests that, whenever any of the people offered a sacrifice, the priest’s servant would come with a three-pronged fork in his hand while the meat was being boiled ¹⁴ and would plunge the fork into the pan or kettle or caldron or pot. Whatever the fork brought up the priest would take for himself. This is how they treated all the Israelites who came to Shiloh. ¹⁵ But even before the fat was burned, the priest’s servant would come and say to the person who was sacrificing, “Give the priest some meat to roast; he won’t accept boiled meat from you, but only raw.”
¹⁶ If the person said to him, “Let the fat be burned first, and then take whatever you want,” the servant would answer, “No, hand it over now; if you don’t, I’ll take it by force.”
¹⁷ This sin of the young men was very great in the Lord’s sight, for they^[a] were treating the Lord’s offering with contempt.
¹⁸ But Samuel was ministering before the Lord—a boy wearing a linen ephod. ¹⁹ Each year his mother made him a little robe and took it to him when she went up with her husband to offer the annual sacrifice. ²⁰ Eli would bless Elkanah and his wife, saying, “May the Lord give you children by this woman to take the place of the one she prayed for and gave to^[b] the Lord.” Then they would go home. ²¹ And the Lord was gracious to Hannah; she gave birth to three sons and two daughters. Meanwhile, the boy Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord.
²² Now Eli, who was very old, heard about everything his sons were doing to all Israel and how they slept with the women who served at the entrance to the tent of meeting. ²³ So he said to them, “Why do you do such things? I hear from all the people about these wicked deeds of yours. ²⁴ No, my sons; the report I hear spreading among the Lord’s people is not good. ²⁵ If one person sins against another, God^[c] may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death.
²⁶ And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.

Prophecy Against the House of Eli

²⁷ Now a man of God came to Eli and said to him, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Did I not clearly reveal myself to your ancestor’s family when they were in Egypt under Pharaoh? ²⁸ I chose your ancestor out of all the tribes of Israel to be my priest, to go up to my altar, to burn incense, and to wear an ephod in my presence. I also gave your ancestor’s family all the food offerings presented by the Israelites. ²⁹ Why do you^[d] scorn my sacrifice and offering that I prescribed for my dwelling? Why do you honor your sons more than me by fattening yourselves on the choice parts of every offering made by my people Israel?’
³⁰ “Therefore the Lord, the God of Israel, declares: ‘I promised that members of your family would minister before me forever.’ But now the Lord declares: ‘Far be it from me! Those who honor me I will honor, but those who despise me will be disdained. ³¹ The time is coming when I will cut short your strength and the strength of your priestly house, so that no one in it will reach old age, ³² and you will see distress in my dwelling. Although good will be done to Israel, no one in your family line will ever reach old age. ³³ Every one of you that I do not cut off from serving at my altar I will spare only to destroy your sight and sap your strength, and all your descendants will die in the prime of life.
³⁴ “‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. ³⁵ I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always. ³⁶ Then everyone left in your family line will come and bow down before him for a piece of silver and a loaf of bread and plead, “Appoint me to some priestly office so I can have food to eat.”’”

 

The wickedness of Eli's sons, Samuel's ministry.

Samuel, being devoted to the Lord in a special manner, was from a child employed about the sanctuary in the services he was capable of. As he did this with a pious disposition of mind, it was called ministering unto the Lord. He received a blessing from the Lord. Those young people who serve God as well as they can, he will enable to improve, that they may serve him better. Eli shunned trouble and exertion. This led him to indulge his children, without using parental authority torestrain and correct them when young. He winked at the abuses in the service of the sanctuary till they became customs, and led to abominations; and his sons, who should have taught those that engaged in the service of the sanctuary what was good, solicited them to wickedness. Their offence was committed even in offering the sacrifices for sins, which typified the atonement of the Saviour! Sins against the remedy, the atonement itself, are most dangerous, they tread under foot the blood of the covenant. Eli's reproof was far too mild and gentle. In general, none are more abandoned than the degenerate children of godly persons, when they break through restraints.

Your kids deserve enough love that you will correct them.

God bless,
Marty

Working For A Living 5/12/14

Good Morning,

My coffee this morning is Door County Heavenly Caramel. Monday once again and I am headed into a long week of work. Yesterday as I wrote the devotional I was able to sit on my patio with the temperatures around 68 degrees. The sun was coming up and I said to God, "what a beautiful day this is". During the week with my work times being what they are I don't have time to enjoy the patio until later in the evening. I really am a morning person. A cup of coffee, a sunrise and  watching our dog Gibbs chasing doves around the yard is more pleasure than I can ask for.

Colossians 3:23        

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,

         

2 Thessalonians 3:10         

For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.

         

Proverbs 14:23         

In all toil there is profit, but mere talk tends only to poverty.

         

Proverbs 16:3         

Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established.

         

Proverbs 10:4    

A slack hand causes poverty, but the hand of the diligent makes rich
 

 Like many of you I have to work to pay our bills and keep food in the freezer. When we all signed on with the companies we work for,  a wage was established and expectations set for us. If you find yourself without work right now, my prayers are with you. This devotional will help in the future. If you own your own company and employ others you will agree with me whole heartedly.

We owe our employers our best efforts each day. We owe them work for time paid. I see more and more people on their cell phones every day, and participating on social media during times when they are to be working. Friends this is stealing. I hear of people browsing the internet during work hours shopping for this or that. If our employers were to deduct the non worked hours from their pay, there would be a lot of whining and complaining. We should only do these things if allowed during our lunch or break times.

Here's the hard cold facts. You accepted the job and expectations. Now do your best to meet them. Work as if you were being hired as a new employee every day. Make your employer want to choose you every day.

You will be surprised how much faster the day goes by and how much more content you will be knowing that you aren't stealing.

God bless and work hard.

Marty

Slow Smoked Pork For Mom 5/11/14

Good Morning,

Sunday and It is Mothers Day. My Coffee Today is Door County Highlander Grog. Enjoy church if you can with your Mother.

My Mother went to be with the Lord a few years back. I do miss her and look forward to seeing her again in Glory some day. On Saturday while our home was being painted I was smoking a large pork shoulder which today will be smothered with barbecue sauce. My Mom loved things with barbecue sauce. She had this uncanny knack for getting sauce on whatever she was wearing during her dinner. This still makes my wife and I chuckle.

 Our Mom taught us kids many things. How to cross the street without getting killed. All three of us have accomplished that so far in life. We learned from Mom how to tie our shoes and make toys from buttons and strings.  All three of us learned how to cook. I must say that the cooking lessons were ones that all three of us excelled in. My sister can make cup cakes to die for, my brother can make pork chops that are out of this world. I can barbecue ribs and pork and there is never any left overs.

Mom also spent time teaching me how to hit a baseball left handed at the plate. She taught me to keep my eye on the ball and swing fast. My dad perfected that swing by letting me chop wood. The chopping developed hand and eye coordination as well as strength.

One Mothers day many years ago I was in a baseball tournament. My Mom was in town and my wife and mother came to watch the game. As I approached the plate my Mom asked me to try and hit a home run for her. ( No added pressure there). The first pitch was just right and it ended up over the right field fence. That day provided 5 trips to the plate for me and 5 home runs for Mom. She beamed with pride. (Sorry, this is not bragging about a great game day just a fact) . Later she told me that she was proud and that the home runs I should also hit were to be for God and family.

I wish I could say that all my days since, that my life batting average for God and Family was 1000. I think about that day now. When I was little and she would toss the ball to me in the back yard, it was more than baseball to her. She was teaching me to try and swing for the fence or pass on a pitch if it was bad in my adult life for God and Family. Unfortunately I have taken some bad life pitches from time to time and came up with a big fat strike out in life. I think we can all say that now.

So today, go back in time and remember at least one of the good things you were taught and apply it to God and Family today.

Philippians 1:9-11
And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ-to the glory and praise of God.

Have a wonderful day,

Marty

The Camp Fire And Friends 5/10/14

Good Morning,

The paint will be flying in our home today. It's that time again. So, up early and getting ready for a professional painter to come and tackle this. Our coffee this morning will be Door County Coconut.
You might be thinking "why doesn't this guy paint his own house"? Good question. I am not lazy, but I know my limits. If I was to paint the bedroom, we would need all new wood trim, new doors, new carpeting and I would be in locked up for room abuse.  I can put plumbing anywhere, lay concrete, build patios, but painting??? Well, one has to know where they are gifted and where they are not.

Spring is here and yesterday I saw trucks pulling pop up campers heading North for a weekend or week of camping and maybe some fishing. Most people love to sit out at night while camping next to a nice bonfire. The smell of smoke and burnt marshmallows are in the air. Then the stories begin.  In my younger days the Country Western tunes would be sung until the coyotes started to howl along.

I don't camp much at all anymore. My idea of camping now is my fireplace with a hot cup of tea in January while in my living room and my favorite book in my hands.

Jesus enjoyed a camp fire and friends. Have you ever thought of sharing some Jesus time around the fire?  How about some prayer around the fire, before the singing begins and the scary stories are told? How about reading my favorite book out loud (The Bible) around the fire?

Many people enjoy camping. Think about how much better it would be if Jesus was brought into camp?

John 21

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus and the Miraculous Catch of Fish

21 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.^[a] It happened this way: ² Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus^[b]), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. ³ “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

⁴ Early in the morning, Jesus stood on the shore, but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus.
⁵ He called out to them, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?”
“No,” they answered.
⁶ He said, “Throw your net on the right side of the boat and you will find some.” When they did, they were unable to haul the net in because of the large number of fish.
⁷ Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, “It is the Lord,” he wrapped his outer garment around him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. ⁸ The other disciples followed in the boat, towing the net full of fish, for they were not far from shore, about a hundred yards.^{[c] 9} When they landed, they saw a fire of burning coals there with fish on it, and some bread.
¹⁰ Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.” ¹¹ So Simon Peter climbed back into the boat and dragged the net ashore. It was full of large fish, 153, but even with so many the net was not torn. ¹² Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. ¹³ Jesus came, took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish.

God Bless, Can you imagine how great that fish tasted? Jesus had to be from Wisconsin. He understood the term Fish Fry! LOL
Marty

Nigerian School Girls, Prayer and One Mad Duck Hunter 5/9/14

Good Morning,

Friday once more and I am looking forward to the weekend. My coffee of choice is Door County German Chocolate Cake today.

Below is a snippet of a press release from the BBC.

Nigeria's police have offered a $300,000 (£180,000) reward to anyone who can help locate and rescue more than 200 abducted schoolgirls.

They were kidnapped more than three weeks ago by Islamist Boko Haram militants from their boarding school in the north-eastern state of Borno.

The militants have been blamed for another attack on a town in the state on Monday, a busy market day.

A senator from the remote area said some 300 people had died in the raid.

Ahmed Zanna said the gunmen arrived in a convoy of vans in Gamboru Ngala, near the border with Cameroon.

They stole food and motorbikes, burning hundreds of cars and buildings during their rampage, the politician told the BBC's Hausa service.

Friends, this is pure evil. My heart goes out to these girls and their families. At times my heart just rages with wanting to go to Nigeria personally and hunt down these thugs and give them their "come uppins". This duck hunter wonders if there is a limit on militants or is it just a plain old open season?

I mentioned a month or so ago that when theses types of things happen that I would call upon all who read this to pray and spread the word through social media for more prayer. This is one of those times. My prayer is that the usual "Big Powers" of the world would set aside differences long enough to "do the right thing in a joint effort".  Maybe once they joined together for good they would see that deep down  each of them really can be nice people.

I can't imagine a bunch of militants lasting very long with Russia, China, England, and the United States hot on their trail.

Better yet what these militants need is Jesus. They can't run from the Holy Spirit. We should also pray that they would find Jesus Christ and take Him as their Lord and Savior. Please join me in prayer today.

Hebrews 13:3 (NIV)

³ Continue to remember those in prison as if you were together with them in prison, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering.

Have a great weekend.
Marty

The Wow Factor 5/8/14

Good Morning,

Today will find us taking the Mrs. to see an Orthopedic Surgeon. Along with my Bible reading this morning I am drinking some Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee. Hoping for the best outcome and a quick recovery for my gal.

I was watching a lightning show on Tuesday night from the window in my den. It seemed as if every 10-30 seconds a new flash of lightning would occur and paint a new masterpiece of sky writing for me. I watched this display of power and beauty for a good 15 minutes. The display made me think about God. I looked around my den and I have several pieces of art work on the wall. They are all beautiful pieces of wildlife art. They have received many compliments. The artists did phenomenal work. But yet as  good as they are, only God's handiwork in nature has ever taken my breath away. I call this the Godly Wow factor. Only God can write in the sky. Only God can light on half of the world and cause the other half to be dark. Only God can provide a meteor shower for star gazers to watch. God controls the Wow factor. When was the last time you stopped long enough to let a sunrise take your breath away?

I have attached some Bible verses declaring God's power and the beauty He created for us to see.

Psalm 19:1
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.    

John 1:3        

All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.             

Colossians 1:16-17        

For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.            

Genesis 1:31        

And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.       

Psalm 104:1-35         

Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord my God, you are very great! You are clothed with splendor and majesty, covering yourself with light as with a garment, stretching out the heavens like a tent. He lays the beams of his chambers on the waters; he makes the clouds his chariot; he rides on the wings of the wind; he makes his messengers winds, his ministers a flaming fire. He set the earth on its foundations, so that it should never be moved.    

Psalm 33:5        

He loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of the steadfast love of the Lord.

         

Romans 1:20    

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.    

Psalm 24:1        

A Psalm of David. The earth is the Lord's and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein,

Enjoy your day. Take some time to enjoy some WOW!

God bless,
Marty

And don't forget to say thank you to the Father. he painted you a great scene.

When Bad Things Happen To Good People 5/7/2014

Good Morning.

Door County Mocha Mint Coffee swirls in my cup today. The aroma woke me up well before my alarm clock.

I want to apologize for not posting yesterday. My day did not allow for any time to be able to do so.

Let me explain. Monday night found me coming home from work to my wife who had experienced some type of a small misstep and had an extremely sore leg. After looking at her leg I knew that a trip to the hospital was inevitable. The night went into the morning and being tired the blog did not get written. At first the diagnosis was thought to be a blood clot. It wasn't. But we are facing the need for a leg muscle repair with an orthopedic surgeon. I thought about giving in and asking God "why us"?  But then I thought about it and who am I to question what happens. But I did ask God to help us get through this. And He will help us, this I have no doubt.

My dear wife is in pain and not really comfortable. As I helped her to get cleaned up last night and brought her some milk and a peanut butter cookie she said "thanks, if you get me an ice pack there is only one more thing I need." I asked what that could be? Rene replied "all I want to see is you headed to bed. You are exhausted. If I need something I will call out to you. Please take care of you!"

Ok a bad thing happened to a good person. But in that I see that she lives her Bible.

Philippians 2:1-11 ESV        
So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

So I do ask for prayer for Rene. But I must say once again. I am blessed to have someone worry about me while she suffers. Thank you all.

God bless,
Marty