Category Archives: Christianity

What’s Inside Counts

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God’s gifts put mans best dreams to shame ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Gold BoxHappy Thoughtful Thursday! I am going to keep this blog short and sweet. Check out the touching short Christmas story I’m posting through a link. It’s only a few brief paragraphs and worth reading. I promise it will make you think twice about the spirit of Christmas and the gifts you put in a box.

The story is called The Gold Wrapping Paper. http://bit.ly/18xB44Q.

May other thoughtful, meaningful stories bless your life during this holy season!

See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Timeless Message and Gifts Within

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“The horse is an archetypal symbol which will always find ways to stir up deep and moving ancestral memories in every human being.” ~ Paul Mellon

In a time when it seems like many in our culture want to do away with nativity scenes and other signs of the Christmas season, author JL Hardesty has found an extraordinary way to tell the story of the holiday that means so much to so many people. Her book, The Lost Legend of the First Christmas, appropriate for middle school to adult readers, uses a beautiful creature that God created, the horse, along with memorable characters, as messengers of lessons to human beings to tell the tale. The cadence and rhythm of the writing is effective in telling a story in a voice that will long be remembered.

If it is important to you that your loved ones know the true meaning of the holiday, The Lost Legend of the First Christmas is an ideal gift that shares insights of Christianity – having faith and hope in our hearts, and God’s promise to people everywhere.

Come to know the important relationship of the horse to people by reading JL Hardesty’s book.  Horse enthusiasts will love all of JL Hardesty’s publications.The author has spent her entire life in the company of horses, loving them and ceaselessly learning about them. Through her writing, Hardesty shares her knowledge of and adoration for these noble creatures with passion and clarity.

This timeless story is available through Amazon.  http://amzn.to/1cYyYO8. What a great read The Lost Legend of the First Christmas will make as a gift to children who love horses. Put one under the Christmas tree this year for the entire family to enjoy together.

Maggie with Jo Hardesty Lauters Book

Photo: Maggie, a member of the University of Vermont (UVM) equestrian team and student of equine medicine says “Every young equestrian should read The Lost Legend of the First Christmas. She wants to recommend it to her friends.”

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Give to Extended Family

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“No act of kindness, no matter how small is ever wasted.” ~ Aesop

Christmas catalogues are beginning to arrive in the mail. Last week I received one that stood out among the others. You know, all the regulars,  such as Land’s End, L.L. Bean, The Territory Ahead and my favorite – Pottery Barn.

The catalog that interested me the most was Samaritan’s Purse. Not only because you can order gifts that fit every budget, but also because of the humanitarian benefit that comes with giving from it. It’s fulfilling to know that each present gives the receiver a sense of hope.

The images below are a just a few of the 43 choices that that particularly struck me on some level, I suppose it has something to do my life values  that were taught to me by my parents. But, there isn’t a gift on the list that doesn’t uplift  the lives of others – and that’s a good thing!. The catalog is available on-line through this link. http://bit.ly/1bfZ9hh .

Extend the love beyond your family this holiday season, by giving a much needed gift to people in other places around the world.

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Youth and Philanthrophy

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Children are great imitators. So give them something great to imitate.– Barbara Bush

How do you teach young children to value what is inside of them selves rather than material objects?

colors of cakeSome parents are teaching their children the importance of giving to others by throwing “no gift birthday parties.” There is still cake and ice cream, balloons, games and other makings for a day of celebration, but the guests are asked to bring a donation, rather than a toy.

The birthday boy or girl gets to decide where the donations are sent. It is important that the child is in on the decision-making process so they understand where the money is going. The cause should be something the child is excited about, so they feel fulfillment in the giving.

How do you explain “no gift birthdays” to your children without them being resentful? Sometimes it is not very hard, children sometimes “get it” if they can relate to the cause.  Make a Wish Foundation is just one suggestion to partner with. There are many other worthy foundations also. http://wish.org/ways-to-help.

What are your thoughts? Do you think “no gift birthdays” would help instill values in your children – a sense of what really matters?

This Thoughtful Thursday’s blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you on Friday on All Things Fulfilling.

 

A Welcome Greeting

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“Positive anything is better than negative nothing.” ~ Elbert Hubbard

This summer, when I was in Maryland, on the Eastern shore of the Chesapeake Bay, I walked into a salon to get a haircut. There wasn’t an attendant in the reception area when I arrived, so I sat down and picked up a magazine. Some time passed, and I looked up at the counter, and there was still no attendant, but I noticed something on the counter that I hadn’t seen when I entered. There was an upright sign that had been posted in a clear glass frame that said, “Good Morning, this is God. I will be handling all your problems today. I will not need your help. So just relax and have a good day.” 

Hmmm….I thought, “Wouldn’t life be great if things were that easy? Having faith is a wonderful thing. It does help us  feel as if we can relax a little when we’re stressed because “someone’s got our back.”  But let’s not be too simplistic and unrealistic – we do have to take an active part in living up to our potential and making our own lives fulfilling.

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Treasuring Art

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 “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”   ~ Chinese proverb 

At a thrift store recently I came across an art print of Thomas Moran – imagine my delight! It seemed like a God thing – the image was just sitting there waiting for someone who’d appreciate it to pick it up . I gave in to my desires and purchased it – a real deal. I am very grateful to have the Moran art print hanging on my wall. He was one of the greatest illustrator and colorists of all times.

Every evening the week before last, I had been watching Ken Burns’ documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.  http://bit.ly/182xh1N. Moran’s name was mentioned as one of the top landscape painters of the 19th century who ventured west. I learned he traveled to YellowstoneNational Park from the Hudson RiverSchool in New York, in the summer of 1871, to document on canvas what others described as a place where “hell bubbled up.”

Many artists traveled westward in the early days of the founding of the U.S. National Parks and they continue to be favorite places for artists who are seeking inspiration. Artists still go to paint, photograph and write about the dramatic landscapes in these protected government lands which are far more unique than many other places across the United States. Ralph Waldo Emerson described the National Parks as places where “God is more easily found in nature than in the works of man.” 

Lots of people find personal fulfillment in poking around in thrift shops. You never know what treasures you might find. I scored!

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Do return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow!

Uniting People and An Artist

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“In my opinion, the cornerstone of our country is free press – that’s the cornerstone.” ~ Milos Forman

I find it interesting, but not particularly surprising, that the NormanRockwellMuseum has been holding swearing in ceremonies for new U.S. Citizens. “At an art museum?” Some of you might be questioning.

norman-rockwell-golden-rule-do-unto-others-april-1-1961Think about Rockwell’s painting, The Golden Rule. In this image Rockwell captures people of all different faiths and nationalities, who have come to the United States seeking a better way of life. In my opinion, a swearing in ceremony among paintings that depict iconic American life is a good fit.

Personally, I hope that the original painting of The Golden Rule is front and center, next to the American flag, in the area where our newest U.S. citizens pledge their allegiance to our country. The image is a good reminder that if you work hard and conduct yourself with integrity and honesty, you can reap the benefits of our prosperous nation. But you must treat others as you want to be treated yourself – with respect and dignity. Our nation’s pioneers founded the country on these principles, and we should not be a nation of “handouts.”

If you would like to read more about the swearing in ceremonies at the NormanRockwellMuseum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, read this article.  http://bit.ly/1dVvgbO. And if you would like to order a giclee print of The Golden Rule, please visit www.art.com.  

I am proud to be an American citizen living in a country where independent thoughts, words and views can be aired on sites such as this. But, again, we must respect each others opinions and values because  “we are one nation under God” and there is “liberty and justice for all.”  We live in a place where the laws of he land must be abided by.

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Journey toward Enlightenment

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Words that enlighten the soul are more precious than jewels. ~ Hazrat Inayat Khan

“Okay…it’s 4:30 in the morning and any minute we’re off to the airport…Burlington VT to Newark, NJ then 14 hrs to Bejing, from there to Mongolia and the Gobi–the first leg of the journey has begun!” ~writes Clemma Dawsen from Sandgate, Vermont.

I doubt my friend Clemma has taken her feline. She’d be more likely to transport her horse. She’s an equestrian, and finds the same kind of fulfillment in owning an equine as the Dali Lama does in having a cat. If you missed the story about His Holiness and his feline, scroll down to yesterday’s blog.

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Clemma is part of a group that is traveling from Vermont to Tibet to learn more about personal fulfillment. This group is made up of artists of all types. She will be journaling as she travels, she is the poet/writer of the group.

I am so proud of Clemma. She is deserving of this assignment. I met her when I worked as education coordinator at the VermontStateCraftCenter “Frog Hollow.” She is one of those kinds of people you feel as if you have known forever – warm, loving and friendly. We “clicked” immediately. Although we only worked together for a relatively short time, she has never left my heart. When we met, we had a lot in common – both of us had sons, who were only children. They attended the same high school and both boys have artistic spirits. We’d share notes on teen rearing a lot.

I encourage you to follow Clemma and her fellow adventurers on the blog Triptych Journey: The Alchemy of Stories, Art and Travel. http://triptychjourney.org/  .

The group is also comprised of a project advisor (a Buddist who has more than two dozen books on spirituality to his credit), a documentary cinematographer, a photographer, and a choreographer. Their mission “is to tell compelling world stories that speak to all of us. Using multimedia arts and expression, Triptych Journey connects audiences to vulnerable people, cultures and ecology, instilling values of conservation and preservation in a rapidly changing world.”

Happy Travels to All! I can’t wait to be enlightened about what is learned from this experience that will take  these artists to far off reaches of the world.

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Labors of Today’s Innovators

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“Thou, O God, dost sell us all good things at the price of labor.” ~ Leonardo daVinci

Today, I am going to spare my labors and shift the spot light to an author who has a lot of good things to say in his books about how to think and work creatively. He has written a number of publications that contain fascinating thoughts and concepts.  For more information on Michael Gelb’s writings and workshops, please visit his website. http://michaelgelb.com/

Here are a few of Michael Gelb’s titles:

Work Like DaVinci: Gaining the Creative Advantage in Your Business and Career  Click for info & ordering

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 Mind Mapping: How to Liberate Your Natural Genius Click for info & ordering michael gelb4

 Innovate Like Edison: The Five-Step System for Breakthrough Business Success Click for info & ordering
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Body Learning: Regain your Natural Poise Click for info & ordering

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I’ll be back tomorrow with some information for parents about a contest that encourages children to use their creativity by writing a story. There are no entry fees, so every child can participate and use their God-given artistic abilities.

Happy Labor Day, everyone! Find something that fulfills your own sense of fun. I’m going for a bike ride!

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Click for info & ordering Return tomorrow for more independent thoughts, words and views from All Things Fulfilling.

Writing Conflict and Lessons

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Life is a circle. The end of one journey is the beginning of the next.”
― Joseph M. Marshall III, The Journey of Crazy Horse: A Lakota History

I read a marvelous article recently in Poets and Writers Magazine about character development in stories and it got me thinking about real life people. Is it not true that some of the most interesting individuals you have ever met have incredibly complex life journeys?

If every thing in life was smooth, easy and breezy, our personal stories would be boring and there would be little reason for memoir writing. Out of strife and struggle comes personal growth, and by reading tales written by others we meet some very interesting characters who inspire us to become better people.

art of perseveranceThere is a book I encountered on Goodreads called Keep Going: The Art of Perseverance.  This book may be a good resource for writers who are frustrated and disappointed in their progress or at a loss for direction. Sage advice on not giving up is incorporated into this book. Rather than the typical new age jargon, wisdom of the ages from the Lakota Indian is shared through the writings. Click for info & ordering

Author Joseph M Marshall III, a Native American writer, inspires others in his workshops on character and leadership and through his other publications. Please visit his website to learn more about Marshall as a writer and motivational speaker. http://www.josephmarshall.com .

This blog brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.Click for info and ordering See you tomorrow on http://www.AllThingsFulfilling.com. The space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.