Hopple Popple And Coffee With My Friend 6/16/2018

Good Morning,

Our house is filled with the aroma of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee and Nueske's Bacon this morning. We will have a Hopple Popple breakfast very soon.

In a few minutes my good friend is coming over to join me for breakfast and coffee. He is actually stopping over to help me move a large heavy object, load it into the truck, and take it to the dump. It's the kind of thing we do for each other now and then. We tend to be there for each other and often will sit and pray. We discuss matters of God, family and church. In a short hour we are usually full of coffee, solved all the problems of the world and irritated most everyone around us with our laughter.

 

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 New International Version (NIV)

⁹ Two are better than one,
    because they have a good return for their labor:
¹⁰ If either of them falls down,
    one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
    and has no one to help them up.

We have seen each other at our best and at our worst. We don't judge one another and we aren't afraid to tell each other what we need to hear, not what we want to hear. You can't mess with one of us without messing with the other. I believe that God made people to be friends and in some instances the friends are the ones who can bring out the best in you and make you grow from time to time. God equips us with the friends we need. We should practice being a good friend to those who God has placed in our life journey. Together two can accomplish more than one, and some of life's lonely trips are easier to bear with a friend to walk alongside of you.

Proverbs 18:24 New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁴ A man who has friends must himself be friendly,
But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

What kind of friend will you be today? It is your choice.

Marty

Setting The Hook 6/15/2018

Good Morning,

Happy Friday to all. My cup was just filled with Door County Black And Tan Coffee. My heart is filled with a prayer or two and I am looking forward to this day beginning.

If you fill a room full of fishermen or anglers like some of them prefer to be called, you can fill hours upon hours with fish stories and different jargon on preferred methods of fishing. There are plenty of different types of fishing lures, fishing poles, fish nets, line, hooks, or sonar. Fishing techniques often differ from region to region and from boat to boat. I have witnessed a few technique debates get animated but none were ever heated to the point of anger.

John 10:10 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁰ The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

One thing that most fisherman agree on is that at the right moment when the fish has taken the bate the hook must be set hard and fast. This allows the sharp hook or hooks to dig into the mouth of the fish and not allow them to get away. "They Are Hooked".

Now prior to the hook being set the lure is presented in a way that is attractive to a fish. Some minnow type bats look so real and enticing that fish are fooled easily and they cannot resist biting into a trap. Once hooked they are eventually landed into a net and their freedom is over.

 

1 Peter 5:8 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Satan tries to do the same thing with people. He uses the attractiveness of the world to lure people into something that is not good for them. Before long they are hooked or addicted and cannot get away. For instance take the alcoholic. Like many people he or she started out as a social drinker, which many people handle just fine. But somewhere along the way the alcohol becomes more important than anything else and it fills a void, numbs a hurt, or takes away some pain. But before long it takes more and more alcohol to do the job. Satan has really set the hooks. He seeks to destroy lives through excess and addiction.  We need to acknowledge Satan's purpose and then flee from temptation and be aware how he can twist things to his advantage in his effort to harm us.

James 4:7 New International Version (NIV)

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

There are many things that Satan can use to tempt us, It is our duty to be aware of those things.

Enjoy your weekend and be at peace with one another.

Marty

Celebrate Weddings And Anniversaries. 6/14/2018

Good Morning,

An old friend of mine came to visit my mug this morning and the visit was overdue. Door County Highlander Grog Coffee was just poured from the pot to my mug. I will enjoy it nice and slow.

Ruth 1:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ But Ruth said:

“Entreat me not to leave you,
Or to turn back from following after you;
For wherever you go, I will go;
And wherever you lodge, I will lodge;
Your people shall be my people,
And your God, my God.

Have you ever wondered why people celebrate weddings? Why is it such a big deal?
We are celebrating a commitment between two people in front of God. It is a statement being made by the couple to follow Christ in marriage. Any commitment like that should be noteworthy and celebrated. Thus, anniversaries are to be remembered and celebrated because it is a day to remember your commitment and be thankful for another year together in Jesus.

The wedding affirms before God, friends, and family that the couple’s desire is to live according to God’s plan for the family.

The wedding ceremony should also be a reflection of the couple’s dedication to the glory of Jesus Christ. Every part of the service, from the music, to the vows, to the message delivered by the officiator, should reflect that commitment. Music should be reverent and Christ-honoring, not worldly or flippant. Vows should be taken with the couple’s full understanding that the words they speak to one another constitute a lifetime commitment and with the knowledge that what they promise to one another, they are promising to God. The message delivered by the pastor should reflect these truths and commitment.

A Christian couple should choose their attendants carefully and with their commitment to Christ in mind. Bridesmaids and groomsmen aren’t simply there to dress up the ceremony. Their presence testifies to their agreement with, and their promise to support, the commitment of the couple to honor Christ in their marriage.  I believe the vows are to be repeated by the couple annually as a reminder of the promise they made to God and each other.

Food for thought on a Thursday!!

Marty

Practicing Evacuations 6/13/2018

Good Morning,

My morning ramblings are a little late today. Even my Door County Peanut Butter Crunch Coffee is delayed due to a long night at work.

One of the many hats I wear at work is the duty of Emergency Management Leader. I coordinate the disaster responses for the hospital and this week finds us practicing building evacuation techniques. As we all know not all patients are ambulatory and part of our drills is to practice taking people down flights of stairs to a safe exit. This means that we have to practice using a patient sled that employs a sling type strap and we lower the simulated patients down the stairs.

 

James 1:22-25 New International Version (NIV)

²² Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. ²³ Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror ²⁴ and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. ²⁵ But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.

To make it seem real, the caregivers take turns lowering their co-workers down the stairs. They place their trust in some equipment and their friends. So to reach everyone we are conducting the training drills at various times of the day and night. Last night we trained from 1:AM until 3:AM. Thus I am a little tired and took some time to sleep a little longer today. I was able to catch a much needed three hours of sleep.

In each of the training sessions the first couple of times we lowered one of our co-workers, who is strapped into the sled and actually helpless to control their descent it has been slow and too clumsy. But after a couple of runs the evacuation runs smoother and quicker. Practice makes perfect. I will be doing this for another week at our medical center.

So what does that have to do with my blog? Like anything else, disaster management requires knowing what to do and then putting that knowledge into motion when needed, even if it is a drill.

It is the same thing in life, we can know all of the advice that is held within the Bible, but unless we put that knowledge into practice it is just wasted knowledge. People can often quote Scripture but fail to follow the directions it gives. They do not "Practice What They Preach".  The Bible has some advice on this practice also.

James 4:17 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁷ Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

Have a great day. Practice makes perfect.

Marty

A Good Night Of Sleep 6/12/2018

Good Morning.

Wow! It seems like the days are arriving earlier all the time. In all reality I don't mind having more daylight. My Door County Lighthouse Blend Coffee tastes good no matter what the morning brings.

 

 

Psalm 4:8 New King James Version (NKJV)

⁸ I will both lie down in peace, and sleep;
For You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

God made all of us and He made us to require rest and sleep. There are many theories as to why, but for today we will just chat about making sure we get enough sleep. Our bodies need to regenerate and we regenerate by resting and sleeping.

I found out a long time ago that I wasn't committing my rest to God. He desires for us to let Him handle our worries so that we can sleep. He wants to carry us through our burdens. I have asked God to provide sleep for me and in most instances it works well, but only if I have surrendered to His bidding and will. Those times when I can't sleep it is after I stayed awake too long and drank too much coffee. My body was telling me I needed sleep, but I chose to ignore the Holy Spirit calling out to me to sleep. I suffered later when I couldn't sleep.

We surrendered our hearts to Jesus, but we can't surrender our sleep to Him and get back on the winning side?

Rest in the Lord my friends. Amen!

Marty

Losing A Police Officer 76/11/2018

Good Morning,

My Cup of Door County Dublin's Delight Coffee is steaming next to me and once again the dog is sleeping on my feet. Life is good.

Last week our community experienced the loss of a police officer during a high speed chase in the line of duty. He was very young and gave his life in service to the community. Relations between the police and the citizens of our country have been on edge for a lot of years and  the last two years have been worse than any others. I thank his family for his service and extend my prayers and sympathy.

During a media conference, right after accident the local police chief fielded questions from reporters. I was surprised that he took any questions during the time of fresh grieving, but he did. A local reporter pushed her boundaries by asking some contentious questions.

What I saw here was a deliberate attempt to sow discord within the city. The question although possibly appropriate at another time, did not need to be asked in the moment.

 

Proverbs 15:28 New International Version (NIV)

²⁸ The heart of the righteous weighs its answers,
    but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.

America does enjoy freedom of speech and I whole heartedly support it. Yet there is a time and place for things to be said. It became painfully aware to me that the news is not just news, it is a business and the root of all evil can be money.

Instead of promoting peace she "stirred the pot" and the timing was less than perfect. The lesson here for us is this. Things need to be said from time to time, but timing is everything. I am sure that before she blurted out her question she either knew what a stink bomb she would drop or she was just plain ignorant. God has something to say to us in the way of advice in these situations.

Matthew 5:9 New International Version (NIV)

⁹ Blessed are the peacemakers,
    for they will be called children of God.

 

Business at the price of others is not business at all. It places profit before people. Lesson for the day. Think before you speak.

 

Marty

Meatloaf For Grandma 6/10/2018

Good Morning,

I am sitting in our den looking out at the rainy morning. The rain has grounded my plans for later today so as I drink my cup of Door County Cherry Crème Coffee, pray, write and rethink my plans I will take a little more time to enjoy the quiet.

Tomorrow my wife Rene will take her weekly trip to visit her mother in a town about 60 minutes away from us. Mother is 91 years young and still lives in her own home. She is active, still serving others in her community. She drives, safely and can crochet a sweater that easily wins ribbons at the county fair competitions. Rene goes out to help her with the house chores and basically to visit. This has been a great bonding time for them and Rene has her mind put at ease when she checks in on her. Any way you look at it 91 years old is 91 years old.

Deuteronomy 5:16 New King James Version (NKJV)

¹⁶ ‘Honor your father and your mother, as the Lord your God has commanded you, that your days may be long, and that it may be well with you in the land which the Lord your God is giving you.

My part on making the day better is to make a couple of meals to send out to Grandma. Now she is perfectly capable of cooking and she does so most of the time. I send the meals because Grandma is so busy that I like for her to be able to eat a couple meals without working at it. This way she can enjoy something to eat and rest up for her next adventure. It's my way of thanking her for all the family meals and celebrations she held at the house when she was younger.

Grandma really likes to eat soup and she will eat it year round. Potato soup is her favorite. One of her other favorite meals is meatloaf , mashed potatoes, and corn. So today it is meat loaf day. Rene and I have plenty of conversations about many things and most of our conversations are not very deep in thought. When I asked Rene what she thought I should make for Grandma's care package, she replied "meatloaf!" I said OK and thought that would be the end of it. But Rene went on to explain that she can still see all six kids and her two parents sitting at the kitchen table eating meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and corn. It actually is one of Rene's favorite meals also. It hit me while thinking about it that the meatloaf is a memory and is a comfort meal for Rene. Later today when she gets home from work there will be two pans of meatloaf in the oven. I plan to help Rene with that fond memory.

My dear friends, respect and love the elderly in your life. If at all possible help your immediate family to retain their fond memories. You have the ability to make it a meatloaf day for someone.

 God bless,

Marty