A Beautiful Day For A Long Hike!

Hiked up to Dumont, CO with my Amy P yesterday. It's a 12 mile proposition there and back. We previously arranged to meet up with Amy's sister who lives in a mobile home just outside Dumont on the east side.

We needed to obtain her instructions on taking care of her diminutive Akita as she will be vacationing for a week. So, we'll be dog and house sitting commencing tomorrow through the week next to Saturday morning.

Amy has requested this week off from work to keep me out of trouble. If said request is denied I plan on walking back to Idaho Springs a few days during the week to walk Amy to work at Beau Jos in the morning as is my custom. 

It was a foggy, cool, rainy day--perfect for hiking. Along the way, I experienced the usual blistering on the heels of my feet but other than that it was a most enjoyable walk.

We packed a small box lunch of cheese/turkey sandwiches along with ice tea and ate our fare in the open space at the Philadelphia Mill about a mile outside Dumont. We splashed about in Clear Creek and examined the colorful flora and fauna along its scenic banks.

We followed Clear Creek west along the ever snaking Stanley Road all the way to Dumont. The drivers are almost always obliging and courteous as we hike on the opposing shoulder. It's the same with the bicyclists.

Just about every time I'm on the road hiking Pastor Bill Robertson of United Church is either flying downhill or going uphill on his bike. Yesterday was no different. His usual greeting to me as he jets past is "hello Reverend!"

Just as we we're entering Idaho Springs on our way back negotiating the water wheel trail a passing car hit a massive puddle sending torrents of filthy oily dirty water over the retaing wall drenching us to the bone!

We got home around 730pm and took badly needed showers. Then the Horner's and we watched "Back To The Future Part 2" for a lovely finale to the day.

Tomorrow, Amy and I will be headed back to Dumont to commence our dog sitting. I'm hoping my blisters will be somewhat healed by then. Amy P experienced no blistering and is always amazed when I announce breaks along the way. She's like the energizer bunny! Of course, it must be noted for the record that she carry's around a lot less weight too. Plus, the "Beast" decided it wanted to go on our little trip too! So, that added around 20 pounds.

All in all it was a fantastic day out on the road! And, Amy P and I are looking forward to many more such days in the future.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
August 25, 2016- Thursday

Quit Thinking About It And Just Do It!

A great deal of talent is lost in the world for want of a little courage. Every day sends to their graves obscure men whose timidity prevented from making a first effort; who, if they could have been induced to begin, would in all probability have gone great lengths in the career of fame. The fact is, that to do anything in the world worth doing, we must not stand back shivering and thinking of the cold and danger, but jump in and scramble through as well as we can.

It will not do to be perpetually calculating risks and adjusting nice chances; it did very well before the Flood, when a man would consult his friends upon an intended publication for a hundred and fifty years, and live to see his success afterwards; but at present, a man waits, and doubts, and consults his brother, and his particular friends, till one day he finds he is sixty years old and that he has lost so much time in consulting cousins and friends that he has no more time to follow their advice.

Sydney Smith

Amen to that! My previous post generally echos these pithy sentiments. My only wish is that I could have made these same points with similar sublimity as this author.

BR Schoenbein
August 20, 2016- Saturday

You Never Know What's Up Ahead On The Road Of Life!

You never know what's up ahead. That's both the beauty and the frustration of living life out on the road as well as life lived out in it's generality.

Yesterday, while headed to the store to pick up a medley of miscellany, I ran into my good friend, Cody French, better known around the seedier precincts of town as "Frenchy."  As is his custom, his countenance was extraordinarily bright, his smile wide and his demeanor embracing.

Yet, while catching up with the day to day happenings in his life he related to me black news of multiple tragedies. While riding his bike near Safeway he unexpectedly hit a bump in the parking lot and was subsequently tossed off his bike and propelled violently into the bitumenous pavement. 

He sustained horrid injuries, which, it should be made known, that the making of a complete list would necessitate more time than I currently have available, but, includes the following: broken back in two places, split sternum, broken shoulder along with as I previously mentioned, a myriad of lesser afflictions and trauma.

And, if that wasn't enough, while recuperating in the hospital for a period of not less than ten days he took a phone call from family advising of his dear mother's passing!

Sometime later that week, adding insult to injury, Frenchy's long time lady friend, who, while standing beside him at his hospital bed as he was taking soup, blithely announced she was cavorting with another, which of course, necessitated the heart rendering discontinuation of their once close now irreparably ruptured relationship.

As he strung out these intolerable happenings like a sordid string of pearls he then chose to wrap up our fortuitous meeting with a resounding exclamation regarding the fact that just minutes before running into me on the street he had been summarily terminated from his six year long job as a premier pizza maker!

And, take it from me, that boy can make pizza! And, why not? He is, after all, like yours truly, from Chicago.

And yet, through this tortuous exhibition of cataclysm, Frenchy continued smiling all the more. He truly is a fount of spiritual strength! It did me a world of good to hear of his unshakeable faith in the benevolence of our loving and faithful God!

Frenchy, my boy, my hat's off to you!

In other news: Lois the 80 something widow lady I stayed with for a few weeks while hiking through the Plains on my way West called me up yesterday to see how I was doing. We had so much to catch up on! Unfortunately, because of financial concerns, the widow may be selling her two story Victorian to find something smaller with less upkeep. It seems the two story high eaves on her house are in desperate need of priming and painting and she just cannot afford to have it done.

Her dire circumstances are forcing me to evaluate options about how to get out to Paris, MO and do the necessary job for her for free. However, my schedule is tight due to the new church and my engagement to Amy P so I'm not sure what I can do...if anything.

Will talk it over with Amy P. Would need transportation there and back.

Amy and I will soon be heading down the hill to register at various retail stores in anticipation of our nuptials taking place October 29th. That should be fun...for Amy P.

I just finished up a list of character references for Amy's parents to review along with my resume. They didn't require either but I thought it would be a nice gesture. So, I will be sending same out to them post haste.

This upcoming week I will be preparing for my anticipated train excursion across the Great Plains in September to that most beautiful Illinoisan village sitting high atop the eastern banks of the great Mississippi not more than an incidental hop and a skip from Mark Twain's old home in Hannibal.

And, Amy P and I are beginning our own personal Bible study together in the Psalms and Proverbs. We both have a real passion for learning more about God and his ancient Way.

Finally, let me relate to all my Colorado peeps that much anticipation abounds here in the environs of Clear Creek and western Jefferson Counties regarding Pastor Craig Babcock's preaching from the book of The Song of Solomon. I have never had the pleasure of sitting under the teaching of this somewhat controversial love story in the Hebrew Scriptures and consequently am looking forward to it!

And, if anybody can make this even more fascinating it is Pastor Craig! He will be presenting this course of study Sunday mornings at Calvary Evergreen and Sunday evenings at our satellite church in Idaho Springs.

Pics are of Cody(Frenchy)French while telling his stories on the street and Pastor Craig Babcock of Calvary Evergreen while preaching at our satellite church assembly in the old Anglican Catholic Church located at the corner of 14th and Colorado in Idaho Springs, Colorado.

BR Schoenbein
August 20, 2016- Saturday

Not Sweating The Small Stuff Like How Am I Going To Provide For My Future Wife!

Now that we are engaged to be married Amy P and I are being peppered by well meaning barrages of questions that goes something like this: how is/are he/you going to provide for you/Amy? Where are you going to live? You two will need things to live on. How is Bruce going to support you?

These questions come quite naturally from concerned people since my pay as a Pastor isn't quite up to the standard.

Are you continuing your journey across America and taking Amy with you? Will she be able to walk those distances? Again, I understand where questions like these come from. I'm sure they originate out of concern for Amy's safety and well being. This is entirely reasonable.

However, my beef is that not one question dealt with the strength or conversely, the lack of my faith. Not one question regarding what I believe or what the nature of my relationship is with God. Do I trust God for my/our provision?

These same concerns and questions about my material safety and provision coming mostly from my family and friends reared their ugly heads back two years ago when I was about to embark on my trip. How are you going to finance your trip? What happens if you get sick? You know you can get mugged or worse! You have no financial security! You should be building up your estate at your age! Your window of opportunity is closing quickly! The roads are dangerous! You can get killed! OMG!

Yes, I know. Very true. And, yes, I do know I can get killed out on the road. Yes, if you keep watching TV and get your information from the talking heads and pundits on FOX News, you know then there are serial killers running amok from the Florida Keys to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. And, that's OK. I'm OK. What's the worse that can happen? I die doing what I believe God called me to do?

Believe it or not, none of us, not one is getting out of this alive! I'm not kidding! Extra, Extra...read all about it! We're all going to die someday of something! So, my philosophy is then let's live like today is our last and actually DO something! Something that will last for all eternity! Something for God's Kingdom!

When a soldier is out on campaign in a combat zone he's not normally worrying about paying the rent or the mortgage back home. He's not really concerned about having a car or whether he can afford healthcare. He's only worried about advancing across the killing fields right in front of him and taking whatever town, base or other target was picked out that day by his commanders. He's concerned about just surviving THAT day and about his buddy's survival. Nothing else. Everything else is trivial and inconsequential. The Apostle Paul said as much almost 2,000 years ago.

Well...that's my worldview. Those are the glasses with which I look through now. Of course, it wasn't always like that especially before I woke up out of the deep sleep I was in for most of my adult life and finally figured out what was truly important in this dimension.

I'm never going to regret not having lots of money or owning a nice house or not having a fancy car especially when I'm lying someday on my death bed contemplating all that has happened in my life. Ive had all of those things and more in my previous life and they didn't bring me any lasting joy or purpose.

Instead, I'm going to look back on these days...without having the proverbial pot to piss in...with joy, with peace and with some befuddled amusement as well. I will revel in all of the wonderful friends I have met and in all the blessings thrown in my lap along the way. Life is for me a big grand party with one adventure following the other.

This obsession with the cares and concerns of life remains a major problem in the American Church. Too much worry. The cares of this world choke out our life with Christ. There's way too much attachment to career advancement and keeping up with the Jones's. That's one reason why Christians don't seem to look nor act differently than the world. 

American culture with all the baggage that comes with it like the so-called "American Dream" has conquered the Church and not the other way around. We Christians want it all: everything the world can offer PLUS Christ! We have been warned though: We cannot serve God and Mammon. It's either one or the other. You must choose.

No sir. I no longer fear the vagaries and the inevitable twists and turns of life. Mostly, I no longer fear death. And, it's because I'm no longer inordinately attached to things and people nor even to my own life. My life is not my own any longer! It belongs to Christ...for his work. I'm now truly hidden in Christ. And, this reality has released me from living a life out of fear. As they say, "I may not know what tomorrow holds but I know who holds tomorrow."

Remember the lilies of the fields and the birds of the air?

So, excuse me if I am not as hell bent on worrying about whether I can provide for myself and my future wife. God will provide. Having said that, I do realize that working for my living is necessary. In fact, I do have a job, that of a Pastor. I will however, likely secure an additional job soon to supplement my income...if we stay in Idaho Springs. 

But, to those of you who have followed my journey via social media or otherwise, know that God has abundantly provided my meals, clothing, shelter, money, friendship and every other type of provision. Will he stop now that I'm getting married? I think not. He's proved himself over and over again. I no longer question him nor do I test him. No need to. He's done it for over two years now while I have been on the road, jobless and without income. 

I kicked out from under me all of the crutches I had been using over the years and threw myself unreservedly upon the merciful provision of God Almighty himself and because of that I have no regrets.

My message to all is this: Put your faith in God alone. Fear no man. Fear no--thing. Fear only God. Trust him and him only.

Irregardless of whether Amy P and I stay here in Colorado or hike to the shores of the Pacific and the Atlantic we will let God worry about the details. Whether we eat three squares a day or not. Whether we find a house or a barn to sleep in or have to pitch a tent out in the woods. Whether, we have money or not.

Remember, I've already been there. I hiked 1,100 miles across the burning hot Great Plains. And, do I looked like I'm starving?

So, relax! Come on! We are but a vapor, a wisp of smoke. We are like grass which flourishes in the morning only to be cut down in the hot afternoon. So, let's enjoy our incredibly short lives. And, remember, regardless of whether we have food, clothes, shelter or money we all end up in the same place...the grave. My grave will be right next to the banker's...you know, the guy who struggled every day to siphon off as much money out of the economy as he could in order to pay for the McMansion, the Louis Vuitton luggage and the chalet up at Tahoe. He's going to be just as dead as me someday.

Alrighty then! 

To those who trust God in deed and not words alone you have so much to look forward to both in this life and in the Age to Come; so, may God bless you further with a truly abundant and purposeful life!

The pics are of Amy P and the cabin up at Bell Mountain which Bruce Bell finished recently. We are debating whether to move into the cabin or not. A lot to consider here with winter on the doorstep.

BR Schoenbein
August 19, 2016- Friday

Busy Sunday!

My sermon at Calvary Evergreen on Floyd Hill regarding John chapter 6 "Feeding The Multitudes" was received well by the congregation. During the sermon as I recognized Amy sitting in the front row as my fiance, Assistant Pastor Ben yelled out a "whoop." He and his fiance, Kay, are themselves getting married in October just a couple weeks before we do.

Pastor Josh and Emily Nelson and daughters Sierra and Brooke were also in attendance. Since arriving in Colorado 2 years ago I have so appreciated their avid support of my ministry. It was Josh and Mercy Church of Englewood who ordained, commissioned and sent me out in the first place to Idaho Springs. My preference was to start my mountain ministry at Estes Park up north. My Grider family and I used to rent a cabin up at Estes Park during the Christmas season; so, I had wanted to reconnect with this beautiful Alpine town next to the Rocky Mountain National Park.

When I consider all of the possible choices which confronted me with all of the twists and turns I see the hand of God directing my steps. I wouldn't have met Amy or any of my now life-long friends in Idaho Springs had I gone the way I wanted.

After the morning service the Nelson's took Amy and me out for lunch at Tommyknockers. Then, as we left the restaurant Josh handed me a sizeable contribution. Josh and Emily have been quite generous to my mountain ministry to be sure.

Later that evening we worshipped at Calvary Idaho Springs where I spoke about my 2014 Trek Across America, the whys and the wherefores along with highlights of the happenings along my path from Central Illinois to Denver, Colorado.

All in all it was a busy if not an exciting and rewarding Sunday. My thanks to Pastor Craig Babcock for giving me the opportunity to proclaim the Kingdom of God on his pulpit. And, I thank him and the congregation for appointing me the Campus Pastor of our satellite church in Idaho Springs.

Life for me is a grand adventure that only gets better as I continue to round the bends and the curves!

BR Schoenbein
August 15, 2016- Monday

Finished Dinner At Amy's Brother's House

Met Amy's mother, Jeanne, brothers Rick and Joe along with sister, April, this evening over dinner at Joe's home up on Wall Street in Idaho Springs.

Amy and I had a great time enjoying barbecued hamburgers and chicken along with the enjoyable company. Unfortunately, I had to leave around 8:30pm to finish up my sermon notes for tomorrow's two sermons. Amy stayed behind to play cards and catch up on familial happenings.

The first sermon is at the 10am service at Calvary Evergreen on Floyd Hill and the other is at the 6pm service at Calvary Idaho Springs.

Rick, Amy's brother will be attending the first service. Yikes! I am already a bit nervous to begin with and more so with Amy's brother sitting in the front row with Amy. But, I'm glad he showed enough interest to attend. It was easy to see how close Rick and Amy are. And, it was patently obvious how loving and protective her family seems to be too.

I forgot how nervous I can get. Just a normal case of in-law jitters is all.

I guess I am as ready as I can be for giving tomorrow's sermons. The morning sermon is about the feeding of the 5000 and how that was foreshadowed in the Hebrew Scriptures. Jesus is the New Moses leading his people out of bondage and slavery just as Moses led the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt. This is the great Second Exodus.

During the evening service I will be expounding out of the Book of Luke and how the stories related to the sacrifices made by the disciples inspired me to chuck everything and to hit the road on my own itinerant missionary journey across the Great Plains.

It's going to be an exciting day tomorrow. First, I am teaching the Adult Sunday School Class at the United Church, then preaching at Calvary Evergreen then lunch with Pastor Josh and Emily Nelson then preaching at Calvary Idaho Springs. Whew!

Getting back to the subject of my morning sermon...Jesus not only came to the world to lead the Jews out of spiritual bondage but he came to do the same with all of the people of Earth.

Now, today, we find ourselves in the wilderness of life living under the care and auspices of the Savior and are headed to the upcoming Marriage Banquet when the New Heavens and New Earth appear after the last days. Read Isaiah 65-66 and Revelation 19, 20, 21 and 22.

Jesus was the Good Shepherd back during the first century when he fed the 5000 families on the hillside on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. And, he still is the Good Shepherd as well as the Bread of Life today.

I found so many allusions to this feast in the Old Testament set like sign posts along the way alerting readers to the fact that God has from the get go planned on coming down to Earth to become one of us and to ultimately reign as King in the Kingdom of God.

Our ultimate destination isn't Heaven. It's the New Earth where we will reign in the Kingdom of God as sons and daughters of the King of Kings! Imagine that!

In a sidebar...Jeanne offered her old wedding ring to Amy tonight. It's a nice large rock to be sure! Amy and Jeanne will soon be busy making wedding plans. The ceremony is scheduled for October 29th.

Well...I need to get cracking on these sermon notes. So, I will provide an update on tomorrow's events.

The first photo is a piece of unleavened flat bread with pickled Herring as a relish possibly similar to the loaves and fishes which Jesus miraculously created when he fed the multitudes. The second photo is my honey sitting on the steps at church.

Grace and peace to you all.

BR Schoenbein
August 13, 2016- Saturday

Getting Married! Preaching My First Sermon At Calvary Evergreen on Floyd Hill This Sunday

Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Welp...the big news is that I'm getting married October 29th to Amy P! That's right!

And, I'm preaching my first sermon at Calvary Evergreen on Floyd Hill 8 miles east of Idaho Springs this Sunday August 14, 2016 at 10am. So, this is an invite to all my Colorado peeps to come out this upcoming Sunday morning and evening and hear what I have to say.

I'm preaching that Sunday night as well at our campus Church in Idaho Springs. However, the message will be different.

Amy's mother, Jeanne and her brother Rick, are apparently coming out to meet me for the first time this Friday and likely will be in attendance at church on Sunday morning. Talk about being nervous! It's one thing to meet your future in-laws for the first time, but to have them hear you preach a sermon! That's a horse of a different color altogether!

Last week I had very constructive telephone conversations with Amy's father, Rick Pettit and her mother, Jeanne Strange. They were very reasonable, understanding and helpful considering they don't know me from Adam's off ox.

Amy and I decided to push back the wedding date from September 3 to October 29th to give her family time to rearrange their schedules and to help her plan the wedding. They all work and have very busy professional and personal lives with most living out of state.

If you were to tell me 2 years ago when I set out for the West that I would meet someone and get married, I would have scoffed and laughed at you! I was thoroughly finished with the idea of marriage and greatly enjoyed the freeing life of unencumbered bliss. And, now, this whole situation has hit me like a load of bricks!  And, Amy couldn't be a better trooper. That's for sure!

What a journey this has been after 2 years! When I think of all that has transpired along the way I have a difficult time pondering it all. I have made life-long friends and experienced situations I would never have run into if I hadn't of thrown on a backpack over my narrow shoulders and walked out the front door into the great unknown.

I even encountered God on this very eventful and painful trip across the Plains! Wow! But, so far, the biggest discovery I made was myself. I was tried, tested and found wanting; but, I kept at it and now I know a bit more about what makes me tick.

The only thing that remains is...what's next!? I have no earthly idea! Do I take Amy with me and continue my journey across the US? Or, conversely, do I stop and put down roots here in Colorado? Can Amy walk these great distances? Can she put up with the sometimes unbearable heat, the inevitable dehydration, the gnawing hunger, getting rained on constantly, the freezing cold, the lack of a roof over her head, camping in the dark bear-infested forests of the Pacific Northwest...more importantly, can she put up with me!? What to do!? Yes, what to do!? Hopefully, I'm open to what God wants and not what I want only.

Will I be faithful to God? That remains to be developed. For now, I'm going to bask in the enjoyment of my engagement with Amy and give the remainder to the Lord.

BR Schoenbein
August 9, 2016- Tuesday