Tough To Chew 2/3/2026

 Good Morning,

I am enjoying a hot cup of Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee and it is going down in fine fashion. It is time to write. 

1 Peter 4:10 ESV As each has received a gift , use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace. 

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It  has been a long long time since I have made Beef Jerky or jerky from wild game. But I tried it anyway the other day. I used to make some pretty good Beef Jerky back in the late 1980's and I don't know why I stopped. In over 30 years the equipment sat until I started drying apples in the last few years. 

Any how I started a small batch of beef jerky with some new equipment and I have to say that the first batch was terrible. I know jerky is supposed to be a little tough to chew, but this first batch was like plywood and shoe leather in a spicy mixture. I believe where I went wrong was with the temperature and the time. 

My point for the day is this. If you have a skill set and you don't use it, it is bound to whither a little by the next time you need it. In other words, practice makes perfect. I have never claimed to be good at carpentry and I avoid it at all cost. The other day my week skills had me using a saber saw, drill, screw gun and glue. I told myself that my efforts to make a repair to shelving had me looking like a bear cub with boxing gloves on trying to pick up marbles. 

Don't put your skills on a shelf and take the risk of losing them. Use your skills to enjoy having them. If possible use them to bless others. Keep the skill set sharp and usable. It makes for a great day to see your work and someone else enjoying it. 

God bless,

Marty

Charging Ahead 2/2/2026

 Good Morning,

My insulated cup was just filled with Door County Bourbon Vanilla Creme Coffee and my goal is to drink it while it is still hot. It's time to write.

Our youngest dog Leo has been a hard charger since the day we brought him home a few years ago. He only knows one speed and that is "wide open". Leo had a great competitive career and aced what we had set as goals for him. He could and still can hunt with the best of dogs. 

Isaiah 30:20-21 NKJV And though the Lord gives you. The bread of adversity and the water of affliction, Yet your teachers will not be moved into a corner anymore. But you eyes shall see your teachers.

21. Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, This is the way, walk in it. Whenever you turn to the right hand . Or when you turn to the left. 

Then the set back came. Leo contracted a dog type of covid and lost his sense of smell for quite awhile. He could walk right by a pheasant on the ground and not smell it. I could tell that losing his sense of smell was driving him crazy. We worked diligently to assist him in recovering from his plight. It took a month or more to get him back to form. During that process Leo had to rely on me for more directions in the field and trust that I was directing him to a bird or practice dummy. I am happy to say that Leo recovered and is doing well once again in the field. 

During the time when Leo could not smell anything he had to trust and know that I was there to help him pull through. For once in his life Leo needed me to show him the way. As his master I did not let him down. 

Friends, there are times when life sets us back right on our butts and we wander around with despair and lack of purpose. It is at theses times that we need to go back to the basics and trust God to lead us, guide us, and help us through the tough times. It is in that trust that we can forge on and run like a champion through the obstacles of life. Our Lord and Master will not let you down. He is there to cheer you on, feel your pain, and show you the way.

Run on my friends and look to God for the directions and soothing care He has for you.

Marty

How Great Thou Art 2/1/2026

 Good Morning, 

I just poured a hot cup of Door County Bourbon Vanilla Creme Coffee and it is time to write down my thoughts. 

The alarm clock sounded off and the song How Great Thou Art is what was playing to wake me up.I guess you can't ask for a better way to be roused up and out of bed. The coffee is just another added pleasure to the day. 

The music immediately made me think of some of the beautiful things I have seen in my walk around this earth. It also made me feel pretty small to know how great our God is and and how much and how many He has created. And then somehow, He knows my name and yours. It humbles a person to consider it all. 

Then there is the promise "I am with you always." It just adds security and knowledge that we are loved. My desk is a little lonely on some of these very early mornings, but am I really alone? No, I am never ever really alone. 

Isaiah 49:16 See, I have carved you on the palms of My hands. Your walls are continually before Me.

Deuteronomy 31:8 It is The Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed. 

Psalm 56:8 You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.

So friends, take the promise of not leaving us or forsaking us with you today and try to remember just how great God is.  Give Him a wave!

Marty