Timothy Schwartz
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Tear Down the Walls
Ringing out loudy a bright acoustic guitar fills the classroom of fourth graders with tones emanating from three chords and a voice shouting “Tear Down the Walls, Tear Down the Walls.” Sitting on the wooden desktop with her long flowing straight black hair parted in the middle is our hippie music teacher. With all her heart, passionately she plays a defiant and rebellious early 70’s anti establishment folk song.
It is pre bicentennial, probably 1974 or 1975. Close to 40 years later I recall Miss Hilderbrandt’s effort to give us youngsters a musical education.
Today I want to tear down the walls. The stone walls, the brick walls my lovely friend put up.
On my journey I meet a precious woman. We spend much time together, in her early 50’s she is widowed two times over.
Several men want her. She is a true Midwesterner, a farm girl from Iowa or somewhere where they grow a lot of corn a few states north of Dallas.
Her heart is bigger than the Tappanzee Bridge fully stretched across the freshwater section of the Hudson River. I am giving this real life person the fictious name of Sarah.
Most recently Sarah is being pursued by a silver haired older gentleman that knows exactly what he wants out of life. He meets Sara, THUNDERCRACK!!! Lightening strikes, eyes open real wide, mostly on his end because Sarah’s guard is up. She quickly closes the curtains and lets the storm pass by although a connection just took root.
Why does Sarah have this concrete wall that no man can penetrate? Answer: It is her defense mechanism to keep her from getting hurt.
Having lost two wonderful and loving husbands whom both passed on prematurely, Sara is afraid of what if?
What if I fall in love? What if I get married a third time? What if he predeceases me? Can I go through the pain a third time?
The new man on the horizon looking to enter Sarah’s life I will call Ted. I changed his name to protect the guilty. Ted wants to pursue Sarah and travel the world with her, practice his culinary skills on her, and take long motorcycle rides with her into the descending sunset. In short, he wants to treat her like the Queen that she is.
Me being bald like Dr. Phil, playing therapist and wanting to help I offer my two cents. I learn on my journey that putting up walls only cheats yourself out of love and I question her whether or not it makes sense to miss out on a great time with someone that makes you laugh and wants to spoon you for the rest of your life?
The price of a broken heart is the best value on the shelf I tender. If your heart breaks it means you experienced something special, your heart was molded with your partner’s heart and stiched together.
Of course when two tethered hearts tear apart through death, separation, or divorce there will be deep cutting pain that causes aches all over your whole body with a period of sadness.
You only feel those aches because you loved someone deeply and on a very intimate level. This type of love can not be bought, traded, or sold. It only comes free and it is better than any material thing you can own.
If pain is the price for all the free time you shared love, made memories, and walked through life together holding each others hands regardless of the length of time it lasted, it is a steal. Simply the best bargain you will ever find.
This is a clear cut case. The good outweighs the bad. Let that wall down, invite people in. Take a risk, get hurt. I promise you it is worth it.
I see how wide the smile is on Sarah’s face when I mention Ted’s name and I begin to think persuasion is not very difficult when it comes to romance that can bloom into a lifelong friendship where mutual care for each other is one of the most glorious things on Earth. God built us this way for our enjoyment and fulfillment.
Do you have a wall up? Are you short changing yourself to avoid heartache? Are you preserving yourself at the expense of God’s most precious gift?
Let it down, live large. Take a risk. Love today, love tomorrow. Love forever! Tear down the walls, tear them down now!
Where do I start?
I see it every time I exit my one and only bedroom. A wooden plaque hangs a few inches above the lightswitch. It simply says, “Faith start where you are and take the next step.”
I heed those words of wisdom on my wall on a daily basis. They are right in front of me. Focusing on what is in front of me now is more beneficial to my well-being and far more important then living life in the rear-view mirror.
Notice it does not say start where you were and just do it again. It also does not say wait until tomorrow and then start. It says start where you “ARE” now.
Do not get stuck in the past, remember the good times and forget about the bad. Today is a new day, rejoice and be glad in it. Take up life in today. Live today to the fullest.
Be kind. Share grace. Show patience with others. Always love! LOVE? Yes…start with love. Love conquers all.
Choose no strife. Have faith that there is a divine plan for you otherwise you would not have been created. Unwrap the plan right now by starting where you are this very minute.
Marching forward NOW brings anticipation, optimism, and great hope. We hope we have a fantastic twentyfour-hour period. We hope we have a wonderful week, an amazing month, and a terrific year. We hope we have a long great life.
This hope only occurs through faith and I encourage you to start your journey of trust right now if you have not ventured out yet to unearth God’s treasures. Look around you and be conscience of all the things and people God has put in your life.
Start exploring today, He will give you answers. Many of those answers will be found in the Bible by the way.
Have faith that the things you need will come your way. Every day is a fresh start. Learn all you can. Be a sponge. Learn from other people. Trust God, know that He is with you right now as you take that next step.
Start where you are. Are you ready? Did you take that first step from where you are right now? The best part is you get to restart it everyday even if you do not have a $7.00 plaque on your wall to remind you. Forward march.
There will never be a more beautiful you.
Written truly by Timothy Schwartz
Over thirty years ago I remember seeing a refrigerator magnet that said “God don’t make no junk.”
The double negative on that magnet was so obtrusive it nearly lunged off the refrigerator door but the important message remained openly displayed on the fridge and it was recalled into my memory tonight more than three decades later as I gazed in my mind of all the beautiful people that I know and everyone of them is different and have their own special glow.
God made us, of course He doesn’t make any junk. Heck, we all need a little touch-up and a little paint, nonetheless, we were all made “one of a kind” and junk is not an included ingredient in us.
Despite our flaws and imperfections, we were still created by someone that loves us more than…
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Guys, it is called PASSION!
Guys, it’s called Passion
10-20-12
Palms are sweaty, butterflies are flapping their spontaneous wings in your belly. Smiling ear to ear you are going to see her momentarily and enjoy the scent Al Pacino experienced in “Scent of a Woman.”
Waiting anxiously to lock your eyes with her eyes, the heart flows blood at an elevated pace. Placing your forehead on hers, a giant grin takes place as you fold both your hands gently into her precious hands. Eskimo kissing, you wiggle your noses together and excitingly say hi to each other.
Hugging her, a plethora of loving hugs flow naturally. Kissing her forehead, neck,cheeks, nose, admiring her eyes, the embracing is nearly irresistible.
Next, standing at the sink she is cutting the stems on the fresh flowers you brought her as you gently massage her shoulders. You are happy knowing the bright flowers make her heart smile as she enjoys the vivid living colors and smell of nature permeating her home all week. Adding joy to this person’s life is high on the priority list. You soak up the joy, the joy this person gives you and the joy you give her. It is called passion.
It has no perversion of any sort. It is simply when you can not get enough of someone. Your hearts are open and attract each other whether you choose to or not.
How does this happen? It’s called chemistry, when two people click and want to shower each other with caring and love. They can not do enough for the other person.
Is it infatuation? No. It’s just a really good vibrating feeling when you like someone so much, you just want to hold their hand and run your fingers through their hair and give them the attention they deserve while listening to their every concern.
This behavior happens when lovers start a new relationship and over time unfortunately it fades and becomes pale.
Could you imagine if this happened everyday for fifty years with the same person? Everyday your love deepens and you care so much for the other person that you automatically place your needs in second position and put hers first.
You are not afraid of losing this person to another man because you fill her cup above the brim and it spills over. You protect her, support her, admire her, recognize her beauty, reassure her of her beauty. You encourage her to be all she wants to be.
You make sure she has plenty of time for her girlfriends and her own personal time to regroup. You give her space and it draws you even closer together because the hours apart you are both thinking, I can’t wait to see my best friend.
It’s the best friend part that keeps that passion alive. It does not have to wear away, although everyone says it does. Unfortunately I have a slight tendency to buck the system and this is one area where I wish to prove the marriage books wrong. We can burn with a loving passion if we choose to. It is a choice.
Yes, certain days will be tough because it’s called life. But with commitment to a higher-standard of love to each other, your love can grow off the charts exponentially.
If the person ever takes ill, you are privileged to be the one to hold their hand and nurse them back to health. You are empathetic. You take care of them even if you have to jump on them to shield them from a piercing bullet.
You are nothing other than kind to this person. You listen to her, all ears in tune to what she is saying. You hear about her dreams, wishes, and fantasies. You do everything in your power to make those things come to pass. You do it spontaneously and surprise her often.
Sometimes people do not have this chemistry and there is no staying power in the relationship and love fades away.
Suddenly full moons lose their shine, waterfalls just sound like a clanging whirlpool-tub, and the stars lose their brilliance.
My next time around, I will never miss an opportunity to dance in the moonlight and Eskimo kiss. I will picnic with her on a blanket that holds a basket of peanut-butter and jelly sandwiches, close our eyes and listen for God’s voice as the waterfalls crash to the riverbed so loudly it causes an echo and tiny droplets of moist mist sprinkles her hair. I will not allow a bright starry night go by when I don’t try to find her face in the stars.
I will appreciate her, never take her for granted and in return she gives me undying love and quintessential respect.
I am proud of this Princess. I want her to get all dolled up and escort her to taste all the cultures of the world, from fine cuisine, fine art, and music we discover along the way whether it is planned or unplanned and dance the night away.
We will start each morning in prayer and give thanks to our everlasting and loving God every night. We will be blessed to worship together arm in arm.
She will wear flowers in her hair often, not just in San Francisco. The flowers will accent the natural glow in this fine lady’s face.
Her chair will always be pulled out for her and she will not know what a door handle feels like in my presence.
She is an angel. An angel of the Lord. She gives me long-term companionship. She is my baby, the one I am to feed and nourish whether it is simply spoon feeding her yummy dessert or spoiling her with luscious compliments on her style, good-looks, her delicious smile, and most importantly on her inner-being.
I want to breathe this woman in. I am committed to her and only have eyes for her.
Do these type of relationships exist? On my journey I learned that they do.
Be patient, you will know right out of the gate whether or not they are the one.
I encourage you to never settle for any less. Fairy tales do come true with divine intervention.
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Tagged God's love, love, passion, relationships, the scent of a woman
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I want an Oompah Loopah and I want it
I want an Oompah Lumpah & I want it NOW!!
There are no windows, the walls are closed in, the soaring ceilings are majestically set high. Vats of a heavenly liquid drip down a large plastic tube pumping the cocoa ingredient laced with sugar into an indoor stream that flows delicious milk chocolate uninterrupted on a daily basis until an impatient boy cups his hands and slurps up the heavenly concoction.
Later on in the factory a spoiled brat demandingly shouts, “Daddy, I want an Oompah Loompah and I want it now.”
Really now….Is there anyone that liked that snot nosed kid?
Should we always get what we want when we want it?
Many people want something so badly they often ask God for it and get impatient when He does not deliver on a timely basis. They kick and scream much like Feruka’s behavior inside an eccentric man’s chocolate factory.
These same people often ignore God all year long and then expect Him to be a vending machine in the sky or a genie in the bottle that disburses wishes upon demand.
I’ve been there, I have begged God for things in the past that never came to pass. Or, maybe they did get delivered and I just do not see it because it is in a different package.
Time will tell, in the meantime I wait with great expectation, I know it’s gonna be good and well worth waiting for when He answers my prayer with a favorable reply.
On my journey, a verse rings in my head from Isaiah 40:31. It says, for those that WAIT upon the Lord, they shall run and not grow weary but shall renew their strength and rise up and be mounted with eagle’s wings.
Youth?? Fly like an Eagle??
Sold…. I will take that offer eight days a week.
When you wait upon God’s hand and His timing, not only will He tell you when to make your next move, He will also renew your strength, no extra charge. Tax included. There is no tax on free gifts.
Waiting has it’s reward. Listen for God and see how He delivers your request. Just do not pull a Feruka on Him. He will deliver.
It may look different than what you expect and probably better than you ever imagined for it will be God’s best when you wait upon Him.
Daddy, I can wait for an Oompah Loompah, I don’t need it right now.
How about you? Are you shouting at God in Feruka’s voice?
Fall Changes
The summer is gone, the temperture and the calendar tell me it’s Fall.
The glossy calendar hangs from a thumbtack in my bachelor pad boasting a portrait of a beautiful tree changing colors along Highway 23 in Lake Huron, Lake Michigan.
It serves as a reminder of my favorite pastime when traveling North on Rt 23 in North Jersey with my family seeking who could find the prettiest colors amongst the changing trees.
The colorful palette of a New England landscape are only a memory for a guy living in Texas. From New Jersey to Maine, the Northeast offers the most amazing and breathtaking foliage displaying God’s appreciation for fine art.
For my friends back home, enjoy every minute of the astounding scenery before the leaves make way to the ground waiting for someone to pick it up and say, “Hey, look at this one, isn’t it beautiful?
Autumn represents change and change can be beautiful. Change needs to be welcomed, just like the Fall, it’s going to come whether you enjoy the Autumn season or not.
Walking the local hiking path I recount all the change currently taking place in my life. I know it is all good yet some of the pain that comes with change is easier to endure when we see the benefit of the change within us.
The change taking place is the growth of my mind, spirit, and soul. I become thicker skinned in a strange way where loss and negative change weakens its effect on me. This is unusual for me as the heart that beats inside my chest bleeds only tenderness. Growth abounds.
Growth and change offer opportunity. Learning something new about love, people, ourselves, and life at large on a daily basis teaches us how to fight when we need to and when to admit defeat.
Experiencing these changes makes us wiser and often tests our faith. The changes come faster then I bargained for, yet I realize it’s all for the good. The pace of my growth over the last three seasons makes up for the years of stagnation I unintentionally deployed.
The upswing of accepting difficult change offers maturity. The things we can change that make us better people are worth seeking out.
The things that we can not change for we do not possess any control over them, can also make us better people.
Forging through undesirable change gives us strength when we seek it in the right places.
There is also beauty in change. The decaying leaves offer a pretty sight and crunchy sounds under our feet. Wait a couple of seasons and the deciduous trees will have new growth representing fresh life. It may be all green but it has a beauty all of its own.
Certain changes took place in my life today that I will share at another time. I prayed today about a particular situation and a decision that will alter my comfort zone entailing a significant change. I am quickly reassured as I find a scripture in front of me that says:
“For I the Lord God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, fear not,
I will help thee” Isaiah 41:13
Although I am a south paw, with God holding my right hand it’s all good. I have developed a healthy concern for unforeseen changes yet and I stand intrepid. When God tells me He will help me, I believe Him.
Now is the time to take in the expanse of the natural scenery and enjoy the short lived Autumn with God’s right hand actively painting vivid colors displaying His massive artwork that is the envy of every art gallery.
Are you challenged by the change in your life? Nature’s bright colors are showing you there is a creator and He wants you to see Him in His creations.
Open your heart towards the One that can see you through these changes and the changing seasons of life.
If you give God the steering wheel, and an unexpected change takes place, know that somehow, somewhere He is making room for something new in your life. Trust Him, He has a plan.
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Tagged change, faith, God's love, learning, relationships, the Journey, trust
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Somewhere over the…
“Somewhere over the…”
If you failed to fill in the next word, my guess is you were not raised in our United States.
It is a fantastic day at work today. I am blessed with a successful contract after a challenging 2.5 hour negotiation ending in a successful accord.
A short while later the lightest of drizzles sprinkle the sky, barely making it to the dry ground. I look up and I see the most amazing unbroken full sized rainbow. My heart makes the deepest smile for I know this rainbow points out to me God is in control not only on the tough days when I need Him the most but also on the near perfect days such as today.
Everyone regardless of their faith knows the legend of the rainbow and this message appeared with perfect timing.
The question is… What is on the other side of that rainbow? A pot of gold? If the natural element gold is your treasure then yes.
My earthly treasure is in relationships including a successful relationship with someone I not only choose to love in love’s purest form but have a nearly uncontrollable passion for before I even ring her doorbell. This is worth more to me than any gold can buy. For me, this is “Somewhere over the rainbow.”
I can speak to this firsthand. I’ve been blessed to have both gold and a golden relationship although it did not see itself through fruition. Next time this precious gold enters my life, it will shine with a better luster because I have been blessed with a clean slate, a fresh start and a new beginning.
In confident hope I dream of leaping up into the sky, floating over that rainbow and landing in a magical land. Is this just a fantasy? I don’t know but having no hope is the opposite of an idealistic fantasy and crushes dreams.
If the promises on the other side of the rainbow have not been fulfilled yet for you. stay the course. Keep the faith! ALWAYS hope. Allow us to NEVER give up hope.
If we have not landed safely on the other side of that rainbow, it simply means we are not ready for that glitzy pot of gold whatever it may be.
My prayer is that God tells me when I am to take the next leap of faith and jump to the next stop on my journey.
I encourage you to never give up hope. Look at the awesome colors of the rainbow and know who made it and why He is showing it to us.
Do you really think God doesn’t talk to you? Next time you are blessed with the vision of this majestic spectacle made from a misty formation comprised of ultra lucent light, ask yourself, “Why is that illusion in the horizon shaped perfectly like an arch each time?”
Could it be that a higher power created it to send us a beautiful message of hope and it is not just random vapors reflecting pretty colors in the sky?
By putting your hope in God, when it’s time to leap over that colorful display, isn’t it much easier to hop that high with the help of God’s hand?
He can pick us up and cause us to float over that magnificent spectrum in the sky containing a pile of treasure on the other side.
Trust God, and come take a leap with me. I will hold your hand as He lifts us up. Whadda ya think? Are you in?
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Tagged God's creation, God's love, God's promises, hope and faith
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Enjoy Every Sandwich
Enjoy Every Sandwich!
The bus glides by and passes me on the right side of my vehcile. No surprise since I am not the fastest driver in the Southwest. Three words in bright red letters on the back of the steel cage grab my attention, they are….Love the Journey.
Having realized recently that my life as yours is nothing more than a journey, a quick reminder of enjoying that journey is served to me via a box of steel wrapped around a few wheels traveling along a Texas highway.
Never arrive. When you “arrive” your growth gets stunted. Always thrive, always be alive. Always yearn for ways to learn.
When David Letterman asked the dying Warren Zevon what is he going to do with the rest of his life, Warren’s most memorable response was simply “Enjoy every sandwich.”
I am with Warren on that one. Enjoy the sandwiches that come across your plate. Enjoy the sandwiches with someone you love or with someone you want to get to know and learn about their journey.
Life is a journey. Learn about people. Enjoy their company. Live life. Take it all in. Eat slow. Relish every bite. Enjoy every sandwich.
Enjoy every minute of the journey. Better yet, follow the simple words I witnessed on a bus today….Love the Journey!
Avoid complacency at all costs. Love, love the Journey.
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Tagged chicken soup for the soul, encouragement, enjoy life, Just a guy on a journey, love
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Just a guy on a Journey! 