Day 217 - Day after Thanksgiving

Celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday at the Nelson home. Various Nelson relatives attended from across Denverland.

I made my famous mash potatoes and pumpkin pie. Rich made his turkey, ham and stuffing.

After dinner Pastor Josh, Rich and I enjoyed a bowl of pipe tobacco and talked of days gone by.

Today, Rich, Marge and Jeremy took off for a day and a half at the YMCA Camp at Estes Park to stay at the lodge.

The Griders and I used to rent a cabin for several days up at the YMCA at Estes Pk each year right after Christmas. We would bring food and board games with us. Some visits depending on weather we would ice skate, hike, swim, play ping pong, pool and other games.

Cabin names we rented included Shoshone, Navajo, Lupine etc. Jonathan Mardell's son and I would strike off for Moraine Park on foot and hike through the swampy grassland and then return on Ute Trail.

We once chased a pack of coyotes across the grassy plains. We have seen elk there as well as other mountain critters.

We would all meet up later in the day to eat supper then head to the rec building and play board games and/or ping pong and pool. Jonathan was fierce competition in both ping pong and pool.

One year in fact the first year 2002 we had Andrew up with us. Andrew and Jonathan got along great together. They shot hoops in the gym together and played ping pong.

I have a lot of good memories of both sets of kids in Colorado and Illinois.

Nowadays, its pretty much just me and a mixture of old and new friends.  Plus, my new job journeying on foot proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God will be keeping me very busy over the forthcoming years.

You can read my column at mortontimesnews.com. My upcoming column on December 3rd deals with a possible change in my mission. I may head out in early January for Idaho Springs, CO about 40 miles west of Littleton where I am currently staying. The plan would be to stay there for 3 to 6 months to get to know people, start a public bible study and proclaim the good news of the Kingdom of God. Afterwards, I would hike the little isolated mountain towns on both sides of the Divide in CO. Then after about 2 years of wandering the Colorado Mountains I would head west to the Pacific then east to the Atlantic then south to the Gulf then either back to Morton, IL or Denver, CO.

I have not yet made a decision. Once I do I shall make it known here on my blog.

Day 214 - Large tree falls on cabin in Eldorado Springs

Drove up to Eldorado Springs elevation 6000 ft to assess large fir tree felled by high winds. Tree fell onto the roof of a log cabin covering the entire area about 30 squares(3000 sq ft).

I have been to this cabin several times over the years with Nelson Tree Service.

We will need to get a bucket truck and possibly a crane to get this very large tree off the house.

Discussed future options re: my journey with Pastor Josh Nelson about my hiking up in the mountains of CO proclaiming the Kingdom of God to those living in the many small mountain towns like Nederland, Ward, Estes Pk and the like. I would start up small bible studies in these towns and stay for months at a time. Then I would move on to the next mountain town...all with the help of Mercy Bible Baptist Church.

No decisions have been made but I am considering it seriously. Then after a while I would head out of state and continue.

I have tried to be malleable and ready to change my focus to accommodate changes in circumstances. However, my primary focus of this trip or journey is still the same...being and becoming literally a disciple of the Lord.

This pilgrimage has been so rewarding already and I have been in it for only 214 days now.

I need prayers by whoever reads my blog so I can make a decision.

Feel free to make a comment. But, if you are going to be denigrating please don't do so. I will delete your comment. Anyone opposed because of differing opinion that's fine. Just don't tell me that God is not pleased by my journey or that I shouldn't be on this journey.

God has let me know in no uncertain terms that it is indeed his desire/will for me to be on this journey.

And, no God does not speak to me audibly. It's being in tune with his Spirit and the doors he opened and closed that I discovered his particular will for me.

I am just excited at seeing what God will do next!

See pics of Eldorado Springs and surrounding environs below.

Day 209- Difficult day emotionally

I have come under attack from various people who were once very close to me. The one thing they seem to have in common is this belief that they know God's will for me better than I do...maybe even better than God Himself.

They all are of the opinion that I should not be on this journey. One person told me "God is not pleased by your walk." Another person asked me if I "even like my children." She was upset that I abandoned my 3 children to go on my walk. My children are 29, 25 and 24 years of age. They are adults who lead lives of their own. They are not young children.

Now in fairness, I did in fact abandon them when they were young. I moved away from them to Denver with my new wife in 2003 11 years ago.

I had not forgiven myself for this and other sins I committed which I believe was a subconscious reason or partial reason why I embarked on this trip in the first place. And, I had just gotten to the point where  I could in fact forgive myself.

Now after this last week I am struggling mightily with the whole concept again.

That's life. 2 steps forward and one backward.

Pray for me. Thank you.

Day 205- Its my 55th birthday today. Working on my sermon for Dec 14

Happy, happy birthday to meeee!!

Haha! This is officially my 55 th year in this great experiment called my life! Thanks to my mom and dad for the privilege!

Thanks to Jim Burns my good friend from Quincy, IL who encourages me regularly as I continue this journey even as I rest over here in Denver-- and who wished me a happy birthday via email!

Thanks to Rich, Marge and Jeremy Nelson for taking me out to Red Robin for my b-day feast! It was wonderful!

Thanks most of all for my daughter, Ally's b-day message for me! What a nice message it was!!!

It was a great day at church with Pastor Nelson preaching from Hebrews about the fact God forgets our breaches, sin and rebellion when we come to Christ by faith. Very moving sermon. Actually brought some tearage to my eyes! That's a rare thing for me to experience in a church setting! Pastor Josh has a very compassionate heart for people especially those of his generation.

Looking forward to some back breaking tree work this week! Yeah!

Pics are from my travel home via train then via Slaughter Gulch Trail. Other pics are of my table at Fireside preparing my sermon for Dec 14. Then a pic of Pastor Josh Nelson playing with his beautiful little daughter, Sierra, during lunch at church. Lastly, a pic of Michael, a homeless gentleman I had the honor to meet with while supping at King Soopers in Littleton. Will be meeting up with him hopefully on a regular basis

Day 204- Snowing again! Yeah!

Another beautiful day in Denver! Got a great haircut today from Mallory(Mal) at Supercuts in Englewood off Hampden. We started talking about my trip across the country and she remarked how much she would love to go an adventure like that. Warned her not to wait until she was 54 like I did. Mal is 22 years old. Wisely, she told me that anytime you undertake a spiritual journey is the right time. Very wise and perceptive statement!

Well, Mal, if you are reading this...go on your own journey and find God, yourself and let the "way" transform you in the renewing of your heart and mind. You will always be grateful that you did!

Met Michael a homeless guy while I was at King Soopers eating supper. He lives out of his van. He went through a divorce, then another bad relationship then lost his job. He admitted that he is an alcoholic as well but is sober.

We talked about God and His forgiveness and grace. We talked about spiritual events that took place in our lives. I talked about my hike in the Superstition Wilderness 30 miles in the desert outside Phoenix when I got crazy lost but was rescued. He hiked this same area and tried climbing Weaver's Needle a 1000 foot tall monolithic spiral rock. I got lost near the Needle in 2011.

My column coming out on November 19th is about my harrowing spiritual experience on Green Mountain in 2005.

Told him I am writing my next column November 26th about the Superstition Wilderness incident.

He also told me he is directly related to Junius Brutus Booth, John Wilkes Booth's father. I reluctantly forgave him and his ancestor for assassinating my favorite President. Haha!

Michael wants to meet with me regularly. So, I will get with him at King Soopers and buy him supper and see how I can help.

You can read my column at mortontimesnews.com.

Pics below are of Weaver's Needle and Michael.

Day 197- Church at Mercy Bible Baptist

Rich Nelson preached the sermon today at church since Pastor Josh was away traveling this weekend. I did the announcements. We had a good number of visitors today.

I am feeding the homeless downtown this afternoon. Hopefully, I won't be cited or arrested for my unlawful activity of offering food to my fellow man. I am planning on going to McDonalds and buy the food there then basically have supper with the guys in the park. I am getting to know them better with each time I visit.

Day 196- Its my daughter Allyson's 24 th birthday!

Happy birthday Ally. I love you very much! Hope and trust you have some fun today celebrating!

Miss Ally so much especially today. Birthdays are hard when traveling.

Im handling the announcements tomorrow as Pastor Josh is traveling. Rich is preaching. I will be preaching December 14.

Next week we will be removing/trimming trees with highs in the 20s and 30s! Ouch! Winter is here folks!

My friend, Jim Burns, from Quincy, IL emailed me. He is so encouraging while at the same time admonishing me. He is a true brother in Christ! Wished he was walking with me on this journey.

I am working on my next column and my sermon for December at Fireside while listening to Atomic Pablo jazz band playing live. They are so talented.

I mentioned previously that I experienced a harrowing spiritual event on the summit of Green Mountain back in 2005. I will write about that in tomorrow's post. I hesitate to write about it as it was very personal, scary and I know there will be some who will question it. But, Jim Burns told me he wants me to talk about it. And, I did mention it. I think about this event every time I hike Green Mtn. Being there a few weeks ago stirred it all up. That's why I mentioned it in the first place.

I will see you tomorrow.

Pics are of Atomic Pablo jazz band and the fireplace at Fireside Books. Last pic is of the summit of Green Mtn.

Day 188- Beautiful Fall Day in Colorado

Its a beautiful morning here in Colorado. The leaves are falling off the honey locust in the front yard.

Yesterday, I left McDonalds after writing my weekly column and went down to visit my friends at the parks/green ways. Met some new people, Tim and Kim. Talked to Tony, and Zack too. Tim is an accountant by trade. He lost his wife years ago and is still in deep mourning for her. Tim was clearly inebriated. He almost fell into the pond as he walked along the edge. I talked to him about God about his loss. Dont know if it helped or not but there it was.

Prayed over Zack and the spiritual problems/attacks he is undergoing. Talked to Doug. Doug seems very stable and sober. However, he is now being displaced from the house he was living in since his friend invited his girlfriend to move in. So, Doug has to move out.

I once again invited all of them to our Sunday services and the potluck following.  Zack seems determined not to go. He has been damaged by his previous church going experiences. The others all say they will attend but never do so. So I am thinking that church needs to come to them.

I may go out there Sunday morning at 10am and see if I can persuade some to follow me to church.

Church of course isn't everything. It does not save anyone. But, it is a group of believers and some of my friends in the park are believers and in need of fellowship.

We will see what happens Sunday.

Pics show the front yard at the Nelsons and Jeremy Nelson walking "Sadie". Tim is in the green T-shirt with Tony and Kim sitting next to Tim on the park bench. Took a pic of the pond too.