Category Archives: spirituality

Hiking the PCT with Strayed

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“You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.”
~ Dr. Seuss Oh the Places You’’ll Go

This week I’ve hiked the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s a place I never thought I’d visit. I hiked it with author Cheryl Strayed
and saw bears, rattlesnakes, a Texas longhorn bull and more.  At times throughout the journey I felt desperation set in, unimaginable fright, gratitude, inspiration, relief and grief.  Strayed’s thoughts of accomplishing what she set out to do, were familiar.

crossroads in the woods

No, Strayed was not alone  in her story, good authors always find the company of readers who appreciate what their characters have gone through and can often relate. I decided to travel along with Strayed by reading her book, so that when she shows up in Steamboat, at the Bud Werner Memorial Library http://bit.ly/16nUuYj  on April 11th, I’ll able to envision exactly what the Pacific Crest Trail looked like.

Wild is exactly the kind of book that reminds us why even when things are scary and uncertain, it is best to push through it, and accomplish the goal. Then we can look back and find the lessons within, and how challenges help us to rebuild our life.

Seuss’ words of advice are well-meaning. We need to do better job of teaching children there are so many fulfilling places to see and things to do in this world, and not to let obstacles stop them.  Books teach children and adults that we  never travel alone, there’s always a path thats been traveled and beaten before us.

“And when you’re alone, there’s a very good chance

You’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.

There are some, down the road between hither and yon,

that can scare you so much you won’t want to go on.”

~ Dr. Seuss Oh the Places You’ll Go

Return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Visions and Memories of Easter

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Easter tells us that life is to be interpreted not simply in terms of things, but in terms of ideals.~ Charles M Crowe

It’s Friday,  the beginning of Easter weekend. Today on All Things Fulfilling rather than communicate through text, I have posted a visual extravaganza of all things Easter, as seen through the eyes of a child. I have tried to capture images of my favorite things that represent the coming of spring, and my childhood memories. Dressing in our Easter finest, and going to church, was part of what made the day so special. Sadly, for many families this is a tradition that has gone by the wayside. http://bit.ly/YHBXpF.

Listen in to one chapter of my memoir about Easter Traditions. You will get a feel for my publication, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, and for the voice in it.

 

easter forsythia

Easter chicks in cupeaster-egg

Easter Maryland Presbyterian Church

Easter dress from 1950sEaster glovesEaster bonnet

Easterpeeps

easter sugar eggs

Easter_Tea-Cakes

Easter pictureeaster lily

Easter Chickseaster-bunny

easter-birds-nest-graphicsfairy
Have a wonderful weekend, and return on Monday to All Things Fulfilling. Click on this link for info and ordering my memoir.  Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected

Growing from the Inside Out

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“And the time came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” – Anaïs Nin.

living your best lifeWhen I  look at the geranium blooming in my office, there is no doubt the days have gotten longer, and the light stronger. No longer starved of what it needs to thrive, the plant looks enriched with more energy. Now the geranium is beginning to stand at attention, rather look wilted and stilted. Even humans, in springtime, have a renewed sense of spirit. We’re ready to spend more time being rejuvenated, creating, celebrating and growing from the inside out.

I’ve been reflecting that a little more than a year ago, I started writing my first full length piece. The writing has gone through about six revisions, and with it, so have I. Each time I have changed the text, there has been a thought process to evaluate whether the words match the message I had in mind. Alone, the exercise in writing has been valuable. But, it has also been an investment in learning more about my own self and what I have to say.

Like the geranium that sits inside in my office, waiting to be put outdoors when the conditions are right, there will come a time when I will need to release the book. Then a whole new dimension will be added to the self-discovery process. If I I have adequately blossomed and grown,  I’ll be able to spread my message through the spoken word also, about all the things I’ve been writing about. I am looking forward to the next step in independent publishing.

Living Your Best Life, by Laura Berman Fortgang, is a wonderful book that can help you to begin your journey toward feeding and nurturing yourself with what it takes to live a healthy, happy life. It is a good springtime read for those who want to invest in changing or rebuild their lives during this season of new life.

Return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of  Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected

Faith in the Path Less Traveled

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Weave in faith and God will find the thread. ~Author Unknown

I was without my computer for awhile yesterday; it was in the “shop.” I took advantage of the freedom away from digital technology. Since so much of what I do is on-line based, a close relationship with all things paper has nearly been trashed. I often read the news and magazines, and sometimes books, via the computer these days, subscribing to fewer print publications.

Yesterday, for a few blissful hours, I sat in the Bud Memorial Library and read the April 2013 edition of Southwest Magazine from cover to cover. How I enjoyed myself!

The first great article I encountered was about artist Michelle Dunaway. It was superbly written by Gussie Fauntleroy. Dunaway, an artist who lives and studied at the MastersAcademy in Albuquerque, NM mentioned the importance of finding the joy in unexpected things by getting off the beaten path. She told of her childhood hikes with her father, and whenever there was a choice to make about what direction to travel, he taught her to take the path least followed which, more times than not, led to discovering things she didn’t anticipate.

art faithAs a painter, each time Dunaway faces a blank canvas it presents her with opportunities to make choices of color, lines, shape and other design elements that make a good painting. She has been taught to make right choices in art through workshops with the most influential and impressive painters of our time, such asRichard Schmid  and Jeremy Lipking http://www.lipking.com. And by studying the book Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting.

Dunaway says she “has always had an  interest in capturing  human expressions in paintings.” Her image “Faithfulness,” shown in the 2013 issue of Southwest Art, is an exquisite example of her portrait painting talents. It can also been seen on Dunaway’s website. http://www.dunawayfineart.com.

Next time I am in Santa Fe, NM, I look forward to visiting Sage Creek Gallery where Dunaway’s work is represented. Legacy Gallery, M Gallery of Fine Art and Insight Gallery also exhibits and sells her work.

Return  tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Summer: Only a Dream Away

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“In life’s winter, find your invincible summer.” ~ Unknown

Summer Only a Dream AwayI awoke to the cacophony of birdsong this morning, heard it through the open window. One deep inhalation of the chilly air brought scents of freshly mown grass mixed with the crisp, clean fragrance of blooming lavender wafting up my nostrils. As I lay there, trying to become alert after a long, restorative sleep I heard the thwack…thwack of the tennis ball landing on the hard courts across the street, and the players called out “Love Thirty.”  “Thank goodness summer has finally arrived.” I thought.

I turned over, slowly opening my eyes to a bright reflection streaming in the window and saw my husband standing by the bed. “Did you hear me?” He asked.

“What?”

“You’ve gotta love it,” he said smiling. “Its warm, thirty this morning. I am headed out, for another day of skiing on the mountain in Steamboat, Colorado.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “It’s summer. A minute ago I  heard the “thwack” of the tennis balls on the court across the way.”

“Nice try. Go back to sleep, silly. That was the guys up on the roof chopping and clearing away the ice jams.” My husband replied, looking amused.

“What about the green grass and lavender I smell in the air this morning?” I asked, inhaling deeply again.

“You were just dreaming. Thats the lingering scent of the new bubble bath you used last night before bedtime.”

I jumped up and looked out the window, confused. It was unlike my husband to rise before me in the morning. The snow was softly falling, inch by inch, just like the other 321 inches that came before it this winter.

“Its got to end sometime.” I said, referring to the heaped up snowpiles. “Easter is only a week away. I’m going back to the place in my dreams where I know I can find fulfilling scenes of summer.”  I hopped back in bed and pulled the covers over my head.

“Sweet dreams! Shall I put the fan on incase you need it?”

Return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Stories of Faith on Film

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 “Faith goes up the stairs that love has built and  looks out the window which hope has opened” ~ Charles Spurgeon

Easter lily

To many people around the world, preparing for Easter  means more than shopping for Peeps™ candy, jelly beans, chocolate eggs and other confections. Spring is the season of renewal of spirit. For people of faith, that means remembering the Easter story of biblical times – a tale of crucifiction, death, resurrection and life.

On this Film Friday, I have resurrected a list of the top ten Easter movies of all times. Although Easter is several weeks away, perhaps your family would enjoy receiving one of these films in their Easter basket. I am posting this list early so you can add one of these DVDs to your shopping cart. Many of them are considered to be epic productions and can be located, and your order can be fulfilled through the Internet Movie Database www.imdb.com :

    • Passion of Christ (2004)

Click for info & ordering

    • The Robe (1953)

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    • Ben Hur (1959)

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    • Holiday Inn (1942)

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    • Last Temptation of Christ (1988)

The Last Temptation of Christ

    • King of Kings (1961)

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    • The Easter Parade (1948)

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    • Jesus Christ Superstar (1973)

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    • Jesus of Nazareth (1977)

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    • The Greatest Story Ever Told (1965)

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It’s interesting, as I was doing research for this blog I noticed that most of these films were produced decades ago. Is it true that the American people have fallen out of favor with the one of the cornerstone principles that our country was founded upon, faith? Is that why contemporary filmmakers are not approaching religious subjects? I’d like to think not, and Reelz is offering outstanding programming over the Easter Season.

Barabbas: Where the Bible Left off…His Story of Redemption BeganClick for info & ordering, a Reelz Easter Event,  premiers Monday, March 25 and Tuesday, March 26. Part I  of the mini-series, featuring Billy Zane, will be broadcast on the night of March 30 and Part II on March 31. To find out the times and the channel for Reelz in your viewing area, please visit this link . There is also a trailer on the Reelz website .http://www.reelz.com/barabbas/.

I’d like to end this blog with an audio Chapter from my memoir Gift of a Lifetime – Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. It is a short Easter story that the entire family can enjoy listening to together. Have a great weekend!

Lift Up Friends

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 “Let us be grateful to people who make us happy, they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom.” ~ Marcel Proust 

Friday’s blog on All Things Fulfilling was a tribute to friendship and the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. 

I’ve had have further thoughts about the value of friends  since that blog writing. Coming together in friendship is the result of finding community with like-minded people – individuals who have joint interests, passions and beliefs in life.  In recent years I’ve made friends in service, through Kiwanis, and by volunteering once a week at an interfaith, community-run thrift store called “Lift-Up.” Being involved with arts organizations such as We Write Steamboat(a meet-up group for independent publishers), the Steamboat Writers Group , the Colorado Independent Publishers Association and  Strings Music Festival has brought me pleasure. Community involvement, with the Yampa Valley University Women has also been part of my life here in Routt County, Colorado.

It’s interesting, in a time when the news is reporting  church membership is declining, there seems to be very active participation in churches, in this town. Perhaps the remote location and natural beauty of the region make spiritual exploration important to folks. Yesterday, Reverend Tim at the UnitedMethodistChurch in Steamboat, elevated our spirits through his lenten season storytelling. Our new Director of Youth Ministry and independent musician, Taylor Anderson charmed us with  his musical skills playing the modern remix of  “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” on his ukulele. Very uplifting for a day of Irish celebration. A song appropriate for so many who are grateful they can be here to retire, run location-neutral businesses or for recreational reasons.

After the service, our appetites were fulfilled with  tasty goodies baked by women with whom I volunteer at the thrift store donation center. Thank you, Jeanette, Shirley and Louise and to all the other generous people who bring in provisions for fellowship moments after the service each week. The special St. Patty’s Day confections were decorated artistically. The women poured heart and soul into their efforts, it was evident.  It is a pleasure to volunteer with these women at the donation center for the thrift store.

St Pattys Day UMCSt Pattys Day UMC3

Jeanette, Louise, Shirley and Sue (top image). We are only a few the 100+ volunteers that make Lift-Up so successful in this community.

Stories Full of Blarney

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“The best blush to use is laughter: It puts roses in your cheeks and in your soul.”    ~Linda Knight 

It has been said kissing a stone can have the effect of giving someone the “gift of gab?” Did you know that?  Could be true, I suppose. After all, Winston Churchill visited the Blarney Stone in 1912 and he became one of best orators ever. 

Do you think there is any validity to the theory? I am not sure. After all, there have been people for hundreds of years who have kissed and vividly told. People have bent over backwards just to get a smooch, and paid a price to do it, too. Yet, they’ve never been to Ireland.. ..

blarney-stone1Case in point:  I have a friend who can talk up a storm, her name is Chatter. She’d tell you herself, back in her wild and crazy years as a college student, “she kissed many stones she’s walked on after a few too many green ales on St. Pattys Day.”  She’d say “she’s conversed face to face with plenty of frogs, too.”  If she tells you  “She got her ‘gift of gab’ from the famous Irish landmark,” it isn’t so. She’s always been full of Blarney.”

Her Irish heritage, has given her  genes to enjoy being the life of the party and be resilient too. She can find the humor in  all situations, including health issues.  God blessed me with her friendship, she’s one of my dearest friends.  In my heart of hearts, I hope some day, I get to visit Ireland with her to fulfill one of our wishes and start a new chapter, called Active Retirement! Then we will have even more stories to tell about our forty plus years of friendship, filled with laughter.

As an early St. Patty’s Day greeting, I’d like to send out blessings to all my friends and family.

I-rish you a very nice place to live,
I-rish God’s greatest gifts he’ll give.
I-rish you health, and wealth, and more–
I-rish your smilin’ face were at my door! ~ unknown

Saint-Patricks-Day-Greetings-hd

May the luck of the Irish be with you today, and every day! Peace, love and a whole Lot more!

All Things Fulfilling is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

 

Building from the Right Perspective

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“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.”  ~ Zig Ziglar 

Last week I posted a blog called Disappearing Acts. It was about how our world as we have known  it is changing, and we are on the rise of a new era. If you missed  the blog, here is the link.   http://bit.ly/15zJUPx. 

 Rick, Kyle on roofToday’s blog is about new generations in business. Over the past four or five years, there are many industries that have suffered the effects of a down economy. I’m proud of the men in my family who have been good stewards of a  custom home construction business since 1902! http://bit.ly/13T52C1 and http://bit.ly/12PsOPW. Throughout  the decades they have experienced prosperity and have overcome challenges, too. The most recent recession hit (the one our country still struggles to come to terms with) around the time the fifth generation  joined the company. My nephew Kyle,part of the new era, has been witness to what it means when adjustments have to take place to make it through rough economic times.

Indeed, the building trades have gone through trials and tribulations. But according to the news, there are positive signs of a come back. Things are looking up. http://leafne.ws/WKdaxg . Like all gifts, years of a good economy and a strong foundation to build on, need to be appreciated and valued. Hard times also serve great purpose in life. As John Powell once said “the only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.” 

I have much faith the family businesses will continue to survive and thrive, if steered carefully and thoughtfully. Knowing that things must be done a little differently, for sustainability, is a valuable lesson for every industry that has been affected by this economy. 

Kyle on roof trusses (1)

Tomorrow Irish eyes will be smiling in honor of St. Patty’s Day on  All Things Fulfilling.  This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Seasonal Sprouting, Roots of Fulfillment

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“Open your arms to change, but don’t let go of your values.” ~ Dalai Lama

Our blogs this week have been devoted to the power of the mind. Today we are focusing on seasonal attitudes.

I believe God gave us four seasons so we can appreciate each of them for their own reasons and pleasures! What a treat to have Day Light Savings time arrive on Sunday to give us more hours of light. Warmer temps are around the corner, even here in northwestern Colorado. Easter, the holiday named after the Germanic Goddess of the Dawn “Ostern” arrives early this year. I’m grateful for that.

Spring brings beautiful images to my mind, and by just envisioning some the things that I associate with the season brings a smile to my face, and an uplifting of the spirit. It is a good time of year to do some housecleaning because our physical environments, our homes, have been closed up all winter.  

garden sproutsJust as importantly, however, is that we remember that the season of the dawn is for the renewal of the spirit, too. By sweeping away old beliefs, from our minds, that have held us back ,we prepare for new growth of self and allow seeds of fulfilling, new ways of living to take root and sprout.  It has been found that there is a correlation between wellness and spirituality. For more information, see this article. http://bit.ly/15MmRkt.

In this season of Lent, what old attitudes will you lift up and do away with in order to make way for improvements in your life?

Return on Monday to All Things Fulfilling, where sharing independent thoughts, words and views is all part of the business. This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.