For Your Own Good 4/14/2025

 Good Morning,

I am sitting at my desk with a hot cup of Door County German Chocolate  Cake in front of me and it is time to write. 

Proverbs 18:24 A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. 

Later this morning I need to take our two dogs Leo and Gibbs for a grooming session. Neither one of them embraces the idea of having their hair cut. As the owner of these two fur balls it is my duty to do the right thing for them despite their wishes. 

Hopefully you have a friend or a relative who watches over you. A friend who loves you enough to tell you what you need to hear, not just what you want to hear. A true friend speaks, acts and leads you to the right thing and good outcomes, even when you get a little riled up at them. 

Many years ago, I was told that it would be in my best interest to have colon cancer screening performed every five years as cancer runs in my family. I used every excuse in the book to avoid experiencing the "Longest Yard". My last attempt at staving off the inevitable was to say that I did not want Rene to take off from work and drive me to and from the appointment. A good friend who was included in the conversation piped up and said. "I can adjust my schedule so I can drop you off ". Rene on the other hand worked a shift that would allow her to be able to drive me home. Once my friend basically robbed me of all my excuses and he knew I wasn't happy about going for this exam, I had to book an appointment. 

Later he called me and said, "think about it. You owe it to your family to stay healthy. They would miss you if you died from something that could have been detected and treated in the early stages." He was right and did not care if I was angry,. He acted for my best interest despite me not wanting it. He told me what I needed to hear and not what I wanted to hear. 

A good friend is there in the good and the bad times. A good friend is not afraid to tell you what you don't want to hear. On the other hand, can you be a friend to someone at all times and lead others to what is best, despite the flack they give you? 

Food for thought.

Marty

Hanging A Picture 4/13/2025

 Good Morning,

I am setting out on a busy day so my cup of Door County German Chocolate Cake Coffee will need to travel with me. 

Proverbs 18:9 ESV Whoever is slack in his work is a brother to him who destroys.

Not long ago, my wife Rene and I decided to move some artwork around and remove a couple of old wild life scenes from our walls. I do not possess a flair for hanging anything without a bubble level, tape measure, and patience. My eyes are good enough to shoot birds out of the air, but not quite good enough to just eyeball a picture to be hung straight, and inline with other objects on a wall. I cannot guess at distances between objects without measuring. Every time  I have decided that I had it pinned to the right spot without checking myself by using the right tools, my venture hangs crooked or not in proportion to the others already on the wall. That is where patience comes in!!! Don't rush a good work! In the photo shown I was in a hurry and the the print on the right ended up not aligned closely with the others. 

I looked for the author of this quote. There doesn't seem to be a clear line to credit the author "Any job, big or small, do it right, or not at all." While looking up this quote I stumbled on another quote from Mr. Quincy Jones.

"Imagine what a harmonious world it could be if every single person, both young and old shared a little of what he is good at doing." Quincy Jones

My point for today is this. God has given us skills, and knowledge. We are to utilize our gifts to not do just an adequate job of anything but to do it and give it our best. And if at all possible we are to help others who do not posses the skill or knowledge . Food for thought. 

God Bless. 
Marty

Practice Makes Perfect. 4/12/2025

 Good Morning,

My mug was just filled with some very hot Door County Jamaican Blue Mountain Blend Coffee and it is time to write. 

The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, and his glory is to overlook a transgression. 

Sometimes serving in church isn't always easy. Our small Saturday evening flock is usually very easy to please and are supportive of the speaker. But every now and then I will say or preach something that gets under the skin of someone and they become irritated. They will stew over it for a day or so and then I get the "dreaded email". I asked one of our Pastor's if he ever had to deal with the aftermath of a sermon. He replied with a laugh and said "yes sir". He went on and said that once he receives a message from the Holy Spirit He delivers it and it goes out and it is on the recipients to deal with the message. "Not all people are easy to please and you can't begin to please everyone." 

He and I both agreed that email is a cheap shot just waiting to happen and should never be a form of communicating something that bothers you about the person or something they said. Face to face is the best way to settle questions or differences. 

In general it is good advice for us all to not be easily offended or to get our undies in a bundle. He also told me that it is a good idea to pray for the congregation or flock so that they arrive on time ( My personal biggest peeve) ready to listen, with their hearts, and to realize that not every thing is about them. We too need to not be easily hurt or offended. 

In this life we can choose not to be easily offended and especially over little things that should just be overlooked. Life is a lot easier that way! I need to practice what I preach.

Marty

A Day To Reflect 4/11/2025

 Good Morning,

I am awake and ready to write this morning. I have a hot mug of Door County Turtles In A Cup Coffee in front of me and all is well.

Proverbs 31:26-27 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. 

Today would have been my mother's birthday. She went home to be with the Lord several years ago and today causes me to reflect on a few things she taught me. Yesterday as I was training my dog with some others,  I recalled something my mother said now and then. "Watch a person and how they treat their dogs and you will see someone who loves their families as well." During a short break in the training I could not help but see how each person there took special care with their dogs. I believe Mom was right. 

I took off from training when hunting season started last September. Yesterday was my first time back for training since then. It was a common goal of all of ours to train our dogs and help each other as needed. I have to say that the group who was present yesterday are genuinely nice people and I look forward to a some more training with them. I told some of them that I would write about them today!

My point for the day is this. Mothers teach their kids many things. I can't remember half of what Mom taught me. Do your best to take the good things Mom taught and write them down. Two things I recall are the lesson about dogs and how to make bread rolls. 

Oh, I plan on going outside today. I will lace up my boots. Guess who taught me how to tie my shoes?

Have a great day and live the way your mother taught you. 

Marty

Crazier Than A???? 4/10/2025

 Good Morning,

The Door County Turtles In A Cup Coffee finished brewing and I will stop writing for a minute so I can fill my mug with the hot java. 

Proverbs 23:33 Your eyes will see strange things and you heart utter perverse things. 

We just finished an election for a judge in our state and I have to say, I am glad it is done. No incessant calls and political commercials at least for a little while! Although we are free to vote for who we desire to be elected, some of the adds on television were shown during prime time and actually inappropriate for young eyes and ears. There seems to be no cap on how far these adds can go. 

The new trend also for people who disagree with your choice of a candidate feel the need to drop you as a friend. The immaturity of some people shows. I guess they missed kindergarten the week they were teaching respect, accepting differences, in each other, and disagreeing with dignity and grace. Do unto others!

I have to say this. I heard a new quote and to me and it rings true for how I feel about election behaviors in this age. "Some people are crazier than a soup sandwich." It's time to work together and it's time that the common folks require civility, respect, and cooperation from their elected parties as well as the same from the other side. The example we tolerated this year and what was seen by our children, should make us ashamed. If we continue to tolerate this behavior we are crazier than?????

 Ask yourself this question, If your house was on fire would you want the person you unfriended to call the fire department or just ignore the blaze?

Have a great day. 

Marty 

Surrounded In A Good Way 4/9/2025

 Good Morning,

I am enjoying a hot cup of Door County Peanut Butter Cup Coffee as I write this morning. 

Ezekiel 22:30 And I sought for a man among them who should build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should not destroy it, but I found none. 

Last night I attended our Men's Bible study at church. One of the key pillars of our ideals for the group is that what is said there stays there. Your personal issues if discussed never leave that room. I was all prepared to study last night, but we side tracked right into prayer and that is where we stayed for the entire night. Not one man objected to some serious prayer time and I for one felt the time spent surrounded by men of prayer, lifting up requests to heaven, was time well spent. Those prayer requests and discussions will never see this page and will remain anonymous forever, as they should. 

Friends, prayer should never be allowed to turn into fodder for gossip and a group who meets like these men do is a place to draw on the strength of others without fear or worry. When one man requests prayer for whatever, it is protected by these men who truly understand being brothers in the Lord. If I were on the outside of this group, looking in I would wonder why more men do not participate. I believe God has assembled a group of prayer warriors and if I need to be surrounded I would want to be surrounded by these guys. 

Men, join a Bible study and learn together, but most of all be a man of prayer.

Marty

Sweet Aroma 4/8/2025

 Good Morning,

The alarm went off and the Door County Peanut Butter Cup Coffee also started brewing at the same time. I have poured a hot cup for myself and it is time to write. 

My mother in law lives in an assisted living complex and her room actually has a small kitchen with a refrigerator . Mother likes to keep egg salad on hand for an evening snack. She likes to spread some on a cracker or two for her evening treat. So when my wife Rene goes to visit or I go, we always make sure to bring some egg salad to her. Mother always compliments me "you make the best egg salad". There is nothing special about the egg salad accept for the little bit of spice that gets added to the standard egg salad. Our daughter tends to give me different seasonings and rubs for gifts and I surely use them. The egg salad spice is a dill blend and it has a sweet aroma and makes the egg salad a little tastier. 

I looked up dill in the Bible and found that dill was a valued commodity and often used in paying tithes. It has been used as a seasoning for many many years and also was a treatment for ailments of the gut. 

Matthew 23:23 "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, and dill and cumin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and faithfulness and mercy. These you ought to have done, without neglecting the others. 

My point for the day is this. Whatever we do with the right attitude toward others never lacks God's blessing. And it only takes a little more effort to send a better tasting egg salad instead of sending the plain old standard. So when doing for others, give it your best shot.

Marty