Assumptions. You Know What They Say!

Good Morning,

This one is running way behind and I believe it is for a good reason. This story had to be completed before written. My Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee went really well with my bowl of dried Honey Crisp Apples and bananas. That was quite a treat this morning.

 2 Timothy 2:15   
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.

This story started yesterday. I just had to wake up early today and find out how it ended. On Saturday it was cold and rainy. I decided to dust off my membership card to the local fitness gym and go for a work out. I thought that it was a nice enough place to have a heart attack. So I found my work out clothes and shoes and went to the place for some pain and torture before I collapsed from not being in shape. My good friend Steve always says as long as round is considered a shape. "We are in good shape".

It was only a minute or two that I had been on the tread mill, surprisingly I wasn't experiencing chest pains yet, when this younger lady in her matching outfit and shoes came bounding up on to the tread mill next to me. Sweat had begun to pour out of me like a drippy faucet on steroids. As she reached a speed on her tread mill that I am sure was going to set a world record for the mile she turned to me to engage in conversation. "Do you come here often" she asked? Now what went through my head was not nice. My thoughts were (which I kept to myself) "she must be blind, or the dumbest person on two legs in tight pants). I replied through my gasps for air "oh once in awhile, not enough obviously". She then advised that I try a lower speed and go a little slower. I excused myself wished her a good day and went to a weight lifting bench to nap.

I talked about my experience in church last night and we all chuckled about it. One lady did say however that it could be that the young lady was hitting on me. We all laughed about that one and concluded that the girl was probably without sight and we should pray for her.

Well Rene enjoyed that laugh at my expense. "Maybe you should not have worn the sweat pants with the holes in them. You might have been leading this young lady on. Maybe I should go with you to work out. Seems like you must have a girlfriend there." Oh how she laughed on that one.

So I decided that working out two days in a row might create a good habit. Off I went at the crack of dawn, not expecting to meet anyone at that time of the morning. I did not wear my sexy Browning Camouflage sweat pants. I wore the ones that had paint dripped on them. I did not want to tempt any young ladies.

No sooner than two minutes into my early morning dodge with a heart attack on the tread mill, guess who popped up on to the tread mill next to me? It was the perky little lady once more. " You do come here often" was her greeting. "Good morning, do you ever smile"? My thoughts again went straight to King David and his experience with Bathsheba. "Fight her off boy set her straight said the little angel on my shoulder." " I saw you drive in today." Now I had a stalker on my hands!!!!! Soon she was running at high speed and I was planning my exit strategy. Fake chest pains and leave? That wouldn't be lying because the chest stress could be real. "Oh Lord what to do? Don't fail me now"!!!  She then politely said "Can I tell you about a decision I made a couple years ago?" I replied between gasps for air "sure". I was planning on showing her my wedding ring on advice from the women at church last night. But I decided to let her speak. "I made a choice to follow Jesus as my Lord and Savior. I was wondering if you have ever thought about that and where you would spend eternity when you die?"

I hit the stop button on the tread mill and started to laugh. She looked hurt and I quickly explained that I had made that decision in 1981and could assure her of my spot in heaven. I then assumed that she went to exercise gyms looking for people most likely to collapse on the floor so she could witness about eternal life in Christ to them before they died on the tread mill. We both laughed, prayed together and I went away after thanking her for taking time to care about my soul. It was refreshing to see how she turned her work out routine into a mission field for Jesus. I left with my ego bruised but my heart was renewed. I guess I can wear my Browning sweat pants and sleeveless shirt again.

Have a great day. Now you know the rest of the story.

God Bless,

Marty

My Browning, My Dog, And Me

Good Morning,

My goodness, it is cold and rainy today. This reminds me of a cold day in November. I would be out duck hunting right now and would be thinking "perfect weather for a duck hunt". My thermos bottle would be filled with Door County Maple Coffee. By the way a full mug is sitting right next to me as I write.

It's funny how time just slips away and one season runs into the next. Before you know it you are in the autumn of your life. More funeral home advertisements arrive in the mail and everyone want to sell you a burial plot. They all tell you how nice they will make it for you when you pass away. I find that kind of funny. I won't be there. What is left of this relic of a body will be but I won't. So I don't really care how I look or what they bury me in. By that time I will have crossed the Fox River  my last time with my Browning shot gun, my dog and me. I have saved some dollars for the family to be cared for when I am gone some day. But what's most important is that I have my eternal reservation made like we all need to do. So someday when you pass by and my wife has me dressed in flannel holding a Bible and my duck calls don't look for me I won't be there. When they lay what's left into the ground I won't be there either.

Romans 10:13King James Version (KJV)
¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.


Revelation 22:1-2New International Version (NIV)

22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb ² down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.

 

Revelation 3:5   

The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels.

Yes, we’ll gather at the river,

The beautiful, the beautiful river;

Gather with the saints at the river

That flows by the throne of God.

Have a great day. Make sure to have your eternal paper work in order. See you at the river.

God bless,

Marty

Where's Wilson? 5/29/2015

Good Morning,

Last week, Friday promised to return seven days later and it did!!! I have to say goodbye to a co-worker today. I haven't known him for too long but he is headed off to a new adventure and I wish him well. My mug is filled with Door County Blueberry Cobbler Coffee today and I toast a hard worker and say farewell.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-12New King James Version (NKJV)Friend

⁹ Two are better than one,
Because they have a good reward for their labor.
¹⁰ For if they fall, one will lift up his companion.
But woe to him who is alone when he falls,
For he has no one to help him up.
¹¹ Again, if two lie down together, they will keep warm;
But how can one be warm alone?
¹² Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him.
And a threefold cord is not quickly broken.

 

Two of my close friends are working on a short term mission trip as I write this in Brazil. Ryan and Zach are father and son. Zach is a teenager who has been called by the Lord to be a pilot. Our church is one of the sponsors for a "Pilot Missionary". The opportunity arose for Zach to go to Brazil and be mentored by our good pal in the Lord Wilson. Now that I read this I am picturing Zach on a deserted island holding a volleyball named Wilson. Wilson is a real person who loves the Lord and serves with his wife Lori.

After much prayer Ryan consented to God's call for Zach. Again after some prayer it was obvious that Ryan was to travel there with Zach and stay for a week or more. Zach would return later with assistance from Wilson. We don't want Zach at 15 to wander off and get married or something. I need him to run the sound system for our Saturday night services. Who would screen his sister's suitors that will be arriving any day?

 

Now I am sure that God has His big boy pants on and could have delivered Zach and brought him back without Ryan or Wilson helping. But look at what God did. He provided dollars for the travel. He provided for Ryan to be able to go along and minister with his son. Wilson is receiving some much needed help and can mentor a very nice young man in his call from God.

 

I agree two are better than one, no doubt. But in verse 12 of our text today it speaks of a threefold cord. If Zach is one fold of the cord and Ryan is the other, who is the third cord spoken of? The third line in the cord is the Holy Spirit. The Author, Provider Director, and Finisher of this adventure from God. That is a cord that cannot be broken.

 

Have a great Friday,

 

Love you.

Marty

Goodbye World 5/28/2015

Good Morning,

I have overfilled my cup with Door County Raspberry Butter Crunch Coffee. Now the game begins. Will I spill or won't I spill? That is the question.

Psalm 27:4King James Version (KJV)
⁴ One thing have I desired 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 behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple.

I rode my bicycle last night before sunset and watched people walking their dogs, kids playing basketball, a dad trying to teach his son to catch a baseball and some others finishing their yard work.

Overall I have to say it was a lovely evening. All this took a walk in my mind and I had to admit it to myself that I was enjoying the evening. A nice sunset topped it off. I came home to Rene standing in the driveway holding a nice cold glass of iced tea for me. Nothing could be better than that I thought.

Then I recalled that as beautiful as the evening was, something better awaits us in heaven.
C.S. Lewis wrote "Has the world been so kind to you that you should leave with regret? There are better things ahead than any we leave behind."

I saw a little bit of heaven on Earth last night. But deep down inside I can't imagine what waits ahead. I know this for sure. When I get there I want to meet the One who died for me.

Have a great day. Take a walk in the sunset.

God bless,

Marty

God's Glory, Where Is It? 5/27/2015

Good Morning,

Short week, due to the Memorial Day Holiday. I find myself in prayer for a couple of my dear brothers in Christ who are on a short term mission trip to Brazil. I am sipping a cup of Door County Highlander Grog coffee. Deep in thought, I think I see God's glory. Let me explain.

Isaiah 6 King James Version (KJV)

6 In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

² Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
³ And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

You sense the glory of God and catch hold of it when you gaze in awe at His presence in nature. I faced in two different directions within a minute and snapped these two pictures. From the Southwest was an approaching storm. The sky was turning red. From the Northeast the sky was clear and was still shining on some flowers that Rene had just planted. He is in a flower with all it's color, and in the breathtaking storms.

His glory is also in the work of hands that He sends in a life totally devoted to love and service. I see that in my two brothers who jus arrived in Brazil.

Take time to absorb the beauty around you. Pray for those He sends, and are obedient to go. Join in with the chorus that praises Him, in which we can take part with nature and the angels.

Have a great day!

Marty

Planting The Tomatoes 5/25/2015

Good Morning,

I am a little tired from the work we put in yesterday. We were up early an attended a service to honor the fallen members of our armed forces. Then it was off to work in the yard and get some planting done. Thus my Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee is more of a medicinal brew than a breakfast beverage.

Rene and I planted some tomato plants yesterday and then moved on to the flower garden. Rene loves to see flowers in the yard. For me it isn't really done until I see the flowers flourishing in full bloom a few weeks from now. Right now they look kind of puny and rather hopeless. But with some sunshine, water and vitamins, I am sure the garden will be a rainbow of color soon. The vines on the tomato plants do not have any tomatoes on them yet, but there are blossoms. Hope springs eternal.

People do the same thing with other people. We tend to want to see production before we give them a sign of positive worth to the world.
Usually every professional baseball player played little league baseball. I have watched plenty of those games in my life time. You see more ground balls going through their legs than into their gloves. But by the time the kids are older they really develop into  good ball players or move on to another hobby they are better at. But they need time and we need to show patience. We have to look at the heart and be willing to teach and nurture.

1 Samuel 16:7English Standard Version (ESV)
⁷ But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Give each other a chance!

Have a great day.

God bless.

Marty

In Flanders Fields. Remembering Our Fallen. 5/25/2015

Good Morning,

I am enjoying a hot cup of Door County Cinnamon Sugar Biscotti Coffee this morning. I am sipping on it slowly and enjoying it because I can.

I am free today and have been all of my life. It is because of those who fought hard for my country and other countries. Today in America we honor those who have fallen in battle for freedom. They gave the ultimate sacrifice.

John 15:13New King James Version (NKJV)
¹³ Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

In Flanders Fields

by John McCrae, May 1915

In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place; and in the sky
The larks, still bravely singing, fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved, and now we lie
In Flanders fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:
To you from failing hands we throw
The torch; be yours to hold it high.
If ye break faith with us who die
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields.

Inspiration For Flanders Fields During the early days of the Second Battle of Ypres a young Canadian artillery officer, Lieutenant Alexis Helmer, was killed on 2^nd May, 1915 in the gun positions near Ypres. An exploding German artillery shell landed near him. He was serving in the same Canadian artillery unit as a friend of his, the Canadian military doctor and artillery commander Major John McCrae.
As the brigade doctor, John McCrae was asked to conduct the burial service for Alexis because the chaplain had been called away somewhere else on duty that evening. It is believed that later that evening, after the burial, John began the draft for his now famous poem “In Flanders Fields”.

Today take time to honor the fallen. Pray for their families. Thank God for the brave men and women of our past and present who have given it all for us.

God bless,

Marty