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Advent #19 Faithfully Confused

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Let the world know you as you are, not as you think you should be, because sooner or later, if you are posing, you will forget the pose, and then where are you? ~ Fanny Brice

Fanny Moore, God Bless Her, the stellar character in the memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected faithfully attended church weekly. She reiterated many of the things her “preacher man” said about faith throughout the week at our family’s house. Often misconstrued, her literal interpretations led to priceless conversations and joyful times.

I get great pleasure in reading church signs that I pass by in the car because often I think many of them could have been posted by my beloved Fanny. Each comical sign in front of a church brings a warm-hearted smile to my face. I can’t help but think the signs are heaven sent, just like Fanny.

Funny church signs

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I  hope these signs have gotten you in the JOLLY christmas spirit. You’ll be warmed by Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected if you enjoy  inspirational yet humorous stories. The eloquence of Fanny Moore is not to be missed!

Celebrate the season in good cheer! But remember, please do not drink and drive!

This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. For information on her memoir, please visit these links.

Audio Book  http://amzn.to/1trrTl9
Paperback  http://amzn.to/1qmcEHI
e-Book  http://amzn.to/1lx7oRh

Advent Day #18 Setting in Story

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“Tragedy is a tool for the living to gain wisdom, not a guide by which to live.” ~ Robert Kennedy

 

Photo: A setting in the story from a Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected

During such a joyful season, we must remember that for some, the holidays can be distressing, depressing and full of challenge to get through. As related in “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected” sometimes it takes a painful experience for us to grasp the true value of life or turn tragedy into triumph

On this 18th Day of Advent, this place in the photo brings me bittersweet memories. The very of best times and the very worst. It takes reading my memoir to understand why.

What a reader has said about the award-winning memoir “This is a story of trust, faith, friendship, and deep love for one another.” ~ Barbara Guelder, Ph.D. Licensed Psychologist and co-author of “Social and Emotional Learning in the Classroom.” http://successfulkidstoday.wordpress.com/

For more information on Sue Batton Leonard’s award-winning memoir, please visit these links.

Audio Book  http://amzn.to/1trrTl9
Paperback  http://amzn.to/1qmcEHI
e-Book  http://amzn.to/1lx7oRh

 

 

Advent Day #16 Poignant Reading

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“A good half of the art of living is resilience.” ― Alain de Botton

Have you ever felt so happy that you settle into thinking “it’s just another day in paradise?” Then WHAM…. an event or circumstance jolts you so severely that it tears your world apart completely? Years later, after much thoughtful consideration, the only way of coming to terms with the emotions that come with this kind of rude awakening is to seek out the good in the bad.

“You’ve been there, done that. You can relate,” you say?

How we face those kinds of challenges says a lot about our “personal constitution” or resilience, our attitudes and our upbringing as children.

rude awakeningWarning!  On this 16th Day of Advent you can expect to find stories in the award-winning memoir by Sue Batton Leonard that will lead to more symptoms of the Advent Virus – ‘an unmistakeability to enjoy each moment” despite storms that each one of us face in life!

Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected was published with high hopes that someone else can be helped to fully embrace life as God intended it, even with all it’s imperfections.

 

How to order the award-winning book?

Audio Book  http://amzn.to/1trrTl9
Paperback  http://amzn.to/1qmcEHI
e-Book  http://amzn.to/1lx7oRh

 

Advent Day #13 Meaning Behind Blossom

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Advent Day #13

A Frequently Asked Question: “What is the significance of the flowers on the book cover?”

The flowers on the cover of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected relates to an Easter Story retold in a simple and unique dialect by Fanny, the stellar character in the award-winning book . Briefly, the twelve year old “Battoney” twins come to understand the deeper meaning behind the beautiful blossom.

To read the backstory about this beautiful flower, the dogwood, check out this article.  https://allthingsfulfilling.com/2011/04/04/a-gift-in-perpetuity-from-japan/.

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The personal story as related by the author is featured in a chapter in Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

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This blog is brought to you the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. For more information on her memoir, please visit these links.

Audio Book http://amzn.to/1trrTl9
Paperback http://amzn.to/1qmcEHI
e-Book http://amzn.to/1lx7oRh

Window into a Composer

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Advent – Day #11   A Window into a Composer

Art has long been associated with churches. As I sat in the Holy Name Catholic Church last Friday listening to the beautiful composition The Messiah from composer George Frederick Handel,  I was reminded of how so much music has lasted through the ages.

In “My Beloved,” chapter 16 in my award-winning memoir Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected, I  kept the legacy of Frederick N. Crouch alive. This ballad was written in 1837 and the family connection is explained in the chapter.

kathleen mavorneenFor more information on ordering the award-winning memoir by Sue Batton Leonard, please go to these links.

Audio Book  http://amzn.to/1trrTl9
Paperback  http://amzn.to/1qmcEHI
e-Book  http://amzn.to/1lx7oRh

 

Labor of Love Book Review

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Advent Day #10  Discovering a Book Review
book-reviewI just became aware of a book review written about my award-winning memoir on another blogger’s site called Labor of Love.

I share the link with our readers today on this 10th Day of Advent to give you another glimpse between the cover of “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.”

http://rycjsbookreviews.blogspot.com/2014/08/gift-of-lifetime-by-sue-batton-leonard.html

Thank you OE Books, your Labor of Love book reviews have insightful thoughts about interesting publications on your website.

It is wonderful that your site, Labor of Love, has won both the Versatile Blogger and Beautiful Blogger awards!

Xmas image of book cover for Mailchimp newsletter

To order this book in time for Christmas giving, please follow these links:

Audio Book  http://amzn.to/1trrTl9
Paperback  http://amzn.to/1qmcEHI
e-Book  http://amzn.to/1lx7oRh

The Reality of Life

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“Trust life a little bit.” ~ Maya Angelou

Have we become a society that is far too difficult to please?  Sometimes I think we need to focus on being less picky about what we eat and remember how many people go to bed hungry.

I heard some statistics from a speaker from the Boys and Girls Club last Friday about the number of children who have their only nutritious meal at school or at the Boys and Girls Club. It was astounding how many kids, right here in America, want nothing more than to go to bed at night with a full stomach. It wouldn’t matter to them whether milk was whole, low fat, two percent, skim, coconut or almond, for instance. For them, just having enough to eat would be the height of living a life fulfilled.

Granted for some people with real health issues food choices are necessary and specialized diets are very important.  But, at the risk of sounding like an old fogey who repeats stories like “when I was a kid we had to walk 10 miles to school, all up hill, in blizzards, without any shoes,” I’d just like to say how persnickety we have become as a society when it comes to food. Back when I was a child there was one choice:

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Because our society as a whole has become so focused on every little thing we put in our mouths, we forget to be grateful that there is even food on the table. There are so many other things in life that should hold more importance, because when you come down to it –

life too short to stuff a mushroom
Would you agree or does my statement sound silly, naïve or uninformed? Maybe my attitude is just too square. It seems as if living with balance has become a foreign concept.

NO MATTER WHAT WE EAT…..

tomorrow isnt promised to anyone

dont sweat the small stuff

In whose hand is the life of everything, and the breath of all mankind? ~Job 12:10

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard. For more information on the award winning memoir, an anthology of stories, please visit this website.http://amzn.to/141aW6S.

Wandering Early Places of Worship

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“Ghosts wandering here and there troop home to churchyards.” ~ William Shakespeare

Today, as promised, I’d like to share more about my fulfilling travels to  St Paul’s Kent in Rockhall, Maryland. If you are ever in the area, do stop by and visit this historic Anglican Church. It was organized in 1692 after William and Mary ruled England.  The historical facts about the church are many but, here is a brief synopsis about the structures in the 19 acre churchyard.

  • The first building was 40 X 24 ft – erected by Daniel Norris (1695 – 1696)
  • The present church was constructed in 1713 at the cost of 70,000 lbs of tobacco
  • 34 pews were contained in the original structure
  • It is only one of four 18th Century churches to have a semicircular apse
  • Church walls feature Flemish bond brickwork
  • Semicircular arches are above doors and windows
  • Church remodeled in 1940 with an addition adding 23 new pews
  • The stained glass window in the chancel cost $250 back in 1864
  • The church bell was installed also in 1864 for $10
  • The Marble baptismal font was a gift by the congregation to the church in 1863
  • The Parish House, offices and classrooms were added in the later part of the 20th Century.
  • Actress Tallulah Bankhead is buried in the churchyard at St Paul’s Kent.

Although our country is relatively new compared to European history, getting out and exploring historic churches and museums in Maryland is a fascinating way to spend a beautiful fall day. Not too far from St Pauls, Kent is the African-American Schoolhouse Museum.http://bit.ly/1tFqu9R. Since I was headed north to another historic church called Shrewsbury Parish, I’ve saved that museum until I return next time to the Eastern shore of Maryland.

I hope you enjoy these images of the historic landmark church St Paul’s Kent. It is a beautiful and holy place for reflection and meditation!

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Below Photos: Another structure in the churchyard – Circa 1766 according to bricks on the side of the building. This building was inaccessible but peaking through the windows there were identical fireplaces on each side of the interior of the structure. The photo of the fireplace was taken through old windowpane.

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IMG_20141028_151351_247Happy Halloween, everybody. On Monday I will making revelations about my mother and our stop at Shrewsbury Parish – off at the beaten path of the Eastern shore of Maryland.

This blog is brought to you by http://www.AllThingsFulfilling.com.For information on Sue Batton Leonard’s EVVY award-winning memoir, please visit this link http://amzn.to/1vDFUMt.

 

 

Earning Wisdom: Experience

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One of the many life lessons that I have learned throughout the independent publishing process is how things don’t always proceed as expected. That’s when frustration, disappointment and self-doubt sets in.

I’ve had a sign hanging on the wall, given to me by a friend from Macedonia, since the start of my memoir writing project that says “anything is possible if you believe.” Sue’s memoir Throughout the publishing of my book I have earned wisdom through experience and proven to myself  there are not false promises in this adage. These simple words have provided me with the motivation to press on, move ahead and keep the faith every time I came to a block along the path toward reaching fulfillment of my goals. “There are no problems, only solutions” says one of my most trusted advisors named Kristen. I’ve learned she’s right on the mark.

every comes perfect timeHave you ever noticed how often things come to us at the right time? It maybe  a life event, circumstance or a person who seems to be heaven sent. This is essentially what my book is about.

I never thought very deeply about this concept but in recent years it  has become my motto. Keeping these sage words at the forefront of my mind has eliminated many moments that would otherwise have provided me with angst.

Admittedly, sometimes I forget the adage because impatience has a great nagging presence. Although there is truth behind the divine timing concept it does not let us off the hook from being active participants in working toward our dreams and goals.

See you tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. It is hard to believe May Day is right around the corner. I’ve got lots to look forward to next month. More about that later.

 

 

More than a Coincidence?

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curiousImagine this. Here it is in a nutshell:

Twins separated by birth, find each other at 39 years old only to discover they have lived mirrored lives.

Jim and Jim have a fascinating story to tell. Although separated at birth, each of their adoptive parents gave them the same first name – Jim. Each had two marriages with wives named Linda and then on the second go-round, Betty. Toy was the name of each of their dogs from childhood, and they each had one son James Allen and James Alan.

Their careers paralleled each other – deputy sheriffs, both! They drove the same cars, drank the same brand beer and are smokers of the same cigarettes. Even though, remember, they were  out of touch for 39 years.

Twin telepathy? It’s a curious thing. What else could it be for these two brothers? How can you call that many commonalities just a coincidence?

Interested to read more true stories about twins? Here is a link. http://bit.ly/1iiBcdU.

Stories like these make people want to read more about twin dynamics.

This blog brought to you by the author of “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.” A story of multi-cultural love, faith, healing, life lessons and above all things – twins!