Wedded!!

Got married Saturday October 29, 2016. Ceremony went on without a hitch other than when I forgot the ring goes on her left hand.

Amy looked stunning coming down the aisle with her dad. Her dad gave an impassioned toast afterwards as did maid of honor and sister, April.

Joe and I likewise gave toasts. The cake was great as was the apple cider.

Pastors Craig and Ben drove us to the Marriott Denver West for our honeymoon.

We had a great rest of the day. Unfortunately, the next day we both spent vomiting and diarrheaing  due to a stomach bug. We later learned most of Amy's family came down with symptoms too as did Pastor Craig's family.

So, I extended our stay one more night so we could recover somewhat before heading back to the Horner House tomorrow.

Except for my quick excursion into the Denver West shopping center and over to Whole Foods for juices, water and yogurt to replenish all the liquid we lost the other night we stayed in sleeping all day.

We're hoping by tomorrow we will be ship shape.

Pics show Amy shopping and dining out at the Colorado Mills across from our hotel on Sunday morning before the dreaded plague hit us. The next pic shows us as we're being driven to the Marriott. The next 2 pics show Clara and her best friend, Caroline Commodore. The Commodores are very good friends of mine going back to the turn of the century when I first came to Colorado. Last 2 pics are of April Pettit and Joe Eaton maid of honor and Best Man respectively.

Well...until then goodbye.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Schoenbein

October 31, 2016- Monday

.

Last Day As A Single Man- A New Day Is Dawning

Tomorrow is D-Day. I have been living single now for pert near near a decade. I have not sought relationships with the opposite sex during that time and thought I was finished with marriage.

But, that was not to be. Life is full of the mystery of God. My former secretary from State Farm, Mary, unknowingly prophesied to me on my first day out on my trek across America that I would find a wife on my journey.

Of course, I scoffed at this idea as that was the last thing I expected nor wanted. I was to become an itinerant disciple proclaiming the Kingdom of God as I marched westward across the Great Plains to the Pacific.

Incredibly, this old dog is still learning new tricks. The Lord does what he pleases notwithstanding conventional wisdom or our vision of what life should look like.

These past years have been vastly more profitable for me than college and law school combined. I wouldn't trade those year's for anything.

I am slated to have dinner with Amy and her family in Georgetown this evening sometime after rehearsal. I feel as that old prophet must have felt when he was thrown into the lion's den! Just kidding. I'm looking forward to meeting Amy's dad and step mother.

It's my last day as a free man and will be spent raking the leaves fallen from the apricot tree in the Horner's back yard and finishing up on preparing my remarks for tomorrow's reception. Yikes!!

As a side note, I started my trek on April 28, 2014. It is October 28, 2016 today. It was exactly 2 and a half years ago when I left home and turned my face to the west.

So, as I embark on this new journey I commend you all to the care and keeping of God as I hope you will likewise in your prayers commend Amy and I to His Providence and protection.

Shalom and grace to you all especially to my old Illinois friends and family. I will miss having my family attend the wedding ceremony but fully understand the particulars as to why they must be absent. I am however looking very much forward to seeing my step daughter Clara tomorrow! She has always been a ray of sunshine in my life ever since I first had the fortune of meeting her when she was just a 2 year old toddler. And, she just celebrated her 18th birthday on October 20th!

She has certainly blossomed into a marvelous young lady ready to take on the world. Happy birthday sweetie!

BR Schoenbein
October 28, 2016

The Countdown To Our Wedding Begins

Saturday is only 3 days away. Amy's family will begin arriving tomorrow. Amy will spend all day tomorrow with her mother and will be picking up her sister at DIA. She is flying into Denver from Chicago.

Had Rhonda spruce up my hair this morning in anticipation of the wedding. Also met with Pastors Craig and Ben at the Frothy Cup this morning to review some of the details of the ceremony. I'll be giving the last toast at the reception.

Made a call this morning about renting a mobile home located out on RT 103 a  mile and a half south of town. Unfortunately, it had just been rented a few minutes prior to my call. 

We discussed moving in with Susan out on Soda Creek Rd but after ruminating about it for days she decided against it. Don't blame her. Her teeny cabin is just too small for the three of us. But, she did consider it seriously.

Our options are drying up. It looks more and more likely that we will move back to IL, back to Quincy. But, we may return to Colorado in April if that job at the Tree Service in Denver materializes. But, we would look for a place to live in Denver or thereabouts.

Doors do seem to be closing here. On the one hand, I never expected to stay here in Idaho Springs this long. It's been 88 weeks since I blew into town. 

In Hebrew 8 is the number symbolizing new creation. Hence Christ arose on Sunday the 8th day. A Hebrew boy was circumcised on the 8th day. So...maybe Amy and I have a new mission coming up on the horizon.

It really doesn't matter as God can use us anywhere.

Being open to new directions is the hallmark of an itinerant lifestyle. We have to be flexible and mobile.

Well...it's time to prepare for my remarks on Saturday. Winston Churchill used to say that it took him only 2 minutes to prepare a 2 hour speech but it took him 2 hours to prepare a 2 minute speech. 

And, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address was only 2 minutes in duration while the keynote speech at Gettysburg given by Edward Everett, former Secretary of State, Senator, Congressman and Governor of Massachusetts took 2 hours. He later told Lincoln he wished he could have flattered himself that he came as near to central idea of the occasion in 2 hours that Lincoln did in 2 minutes. Lincoln's remarks came to 270 words whereas Everett's came to around 13,000.

Anyway, I won't be delivering the Gettysburg Address but will be summing up my experience in Idaho Springs as well as toasting the attributes of my beautiful new bride.

Grace and peace to you all.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
October 25, 2016- Tuesday

Amy's Last Day At Beau Jos Pizza

Walked Amy to her last day at work Saturday October 15th. She is getting ready for the wedding on the 29th.

She's going to miss her co-workers very much. They gave her a fond farewell with a lot of compliments about her work ethic. I'm very proud of her!

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
October 18, 2016- Tuesday

Raked Horner's Back Yard

Raked Horner's back yard of zillions of Norway Maple leaves. Lesser amount of Apricot leaves fell too. We had 50 mph wind gusts yesterday bringing the leaves down.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
October 18, 2016- Tuesday

Bighorn Sheep Block Our Way

Came across a big male and female Bighorn Sheep. We decided to give them ample space to maneuver. They can be dangerous especially during rutting season in the fall.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
October 18, 2016- Tuesday

Amy Has Her Ring!

Amy shows off her wedding ring. Had Jerry the jeweler re-size her ring to fit.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
October 18, 2016- Tuesday

Josh and Emily Nelson Family Attended Calvary Idaho Springs Last Night

The Nelsons including Josh his wife Emily and their daughters, Sierra and Brook attended Calvary Idaho Springs last evening. The sermon was on Song of Solomon Chapter 7. We will be finishing up on Song of Solomon with next week's study on Chapter 8. I preached Chapter 8 at Unity Church in Quincy, Illinois a couple of weeks ago.

Afterwards, Amy and I went out to dinner with the Nelsons at Beau Jos. We had a great evening of fellowship and food.

Josh and I discussed an employment situation with his employer in Denver. His dad, Rich, also works for this tree removal company.

It's a spraying and sales position which would come open next spring. I have worked in tree removal sales before with Nelson Tree Service so I would definitely be comfortable in that position.

Of course, that would mean postponing my walk once again. But, Amy and I need to build up our bank account to help finance our future hike across America. My only worry is that I would become too comfortable with getting back to my old habits and lifestyle. But, I would be re-entering the mainstream armed with the wisdom I gained by my walk experiences crossing the Great Plains in foot. 

Josh is my very best friend in Colorado and my former pastor as well. Our church, Mercy Bible, ordained and sent me out to Idaho Springs. In fact, I wanted to go to Estes Park to start my mountain ministry, but, Pastor Josh had other ideas. He wanted me start out closer to home in Englewood by proclaiming the Gospel in Idaho Springs.

After a brief tussle over this issue I relented and went to Idaho Springs and the rest is, as they say, history. I made a lot of new friends, brothers and sisters in Idaho Springs and preached in every church in Clear Creek County with only a few exceptions.

And, then there is Amy P! I would never had met her if not for Pastor Josh's insistence on starting in Idaho Springs.

To date, Amy and I have not found housing in Idaho Springs so unless something happens soon we will be moving away from Idaho Springs, possibly to Conifer or Denver. 

We have to leave the Horner House soon after our wedding. The Horner's need their house back because of their son's upcoming wedding along with Thanksgiving and Christmas because of a large influx of relatives coming to stay.

We love the Horner's and will miss living with them. They have become great friends to be sure!

So, if any of you are so inclined, please pray for Amy and I in the area of housing in Idaho Springs and job opportunities for me.

The first pic shows Pastor Josh and Pastor Craig. Second pic is of Emily holding little Brook. Amy is on the right and Pastor Craig and Christie's daughter, Audrey is in the foreground. 

Next pic is of little Sierra Nelson. Then the following pic shows, Jason, Pastor Craig and Christie's son. The next photo shows William the Babcock's eldest son. Last photo is Jason again posing as he usually does.

Grace and peace to y'all.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit

October 10, 2016- Monday 

Pastor Ben and Kaye Marry

Amy and I attended Pastor Ben Szugyi's wedding to Kaye Clayton yesterday afternoon at Gateway Mt Zion Church in Golden.

It was a beautiful ceremony with a moving sermon by Ben's best friend from childhood, Pastor Nate Denbow.

After the conclusion of the nuptials a fine reception catered by the Olive Garden was held at the Elks in Evergreen.

The groom and bride were arrayed and adorned handsomely and marvelously.

This charming event reminded Amy and I of the imminence of our own wedding nuptials to be held, Lord willing, and Clear Creek don't rise...3 weeks hence.

We are forced by the circumstances of road construction smack dab in front of St John's Church in Idaho Springs to switch the ceremony over to Calvary Evergreen on Floyd Hill.

Amy and I certainly regret the situation as we were looking so much forward to holding the wedding in the old St John's Anglican Church because of the beauty and dignity of the old style architecture and solemnity afforded by this venerable house of worship.

Nevertheless, we look forward to October 29 with Pastor Craig Babcock officiating.

BR Schoenbein
Amy Pettit
October 8, 2016- Saturday

California Zephyr

The train from San Francisco to Chicago, California Zephyr. If you have/make the time this is the best mode of transportation.

BR Schoenbein

Take The Road Which Leads To God

It matters not which way you take... whether you trudge over a weed covered path hidden deep in an iron-dark wood...or climb up the craggy face of a mountainside...or shuffle on the well paved boulevard through the center of town.

It only matters that you persist, never giving up and then finally taking that last turn as you summit finding the loving Father already there waiting for you.

BR Schoenbein
October 7, 2016

Looking Up Today

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121: 1-2

I took this photo of Deborah Lee's cat while visiting her farm, Four Winds, North of Quincy, Illinois.

The Sun In The Rockies

Sunrise sunset in the Colorado Rockies.

BR Schoenbein

The Sun In Illinois

Beautiful sunrise and sunsets illuminating the skies over rural Western Illinois.

BR Schoenbein

More Galesburg Photographs

Buildings in Galesburg:

Gun shop near the Depot
Galesburg Antique Mall
Downtown Main St looking West
Wine shop on Seminary St
Packinghouse Restaurant

BR Schoenbein

Galesburg, Illinois

Photographs show the Railroad Depot along with the Quincy night train pulling in at 8:38pm into Galesburg for the last leg of my trip.

It's about an hour and half excursion from Galesburg southwest to Quincy. As usual, Jim Burns was waiting for me at the Quincy Depot when the train pulled in at 10:12 pm.

It was a 30 hour trip from Denver to Quincy including the wait at Denver Union Station and the 9 hour layover in Galesburg. Why take the train instead of a 2 hour flight? A long train ride is a life experience. A plane flight is basically mass transit in the sky. They pack you in like sardines with everybody on top of everybody. 

During the flight you can't just get up anytime you want. On the the train I get up and go to the observation car and watch the scenery go by. I hoof it down to the lounge car, get a diet pop and mingle with my fellow passengers. I still have friends I met years ago on the train between Denver and Galesburg.

Plus, the scenery is wonderful especially crossing the Mississippi at Burlington, Iowa. 

Then there's my long layover in Galesburg, one of my favorite towns in Illinois. I visit the Sandburg Museum, Uncle Billy's Bakery, the Innkeeper Coffee Shop and other establishments. Before I know it I have to get back to the station to board the last train to Quincy.

Then there's the heightened security at our nation's airports creating long lines and the resultant temper flare ups. Not my cup of tea. 

And, I usually get pulled into the high security line where you are required to take off your shoes, belt and Lord knows what else. I guess I look suspicious. Especially when I wear my turban. Hahahaha!

There's no comparison for me. The train always beats the plane. 

BR Schoenbein