Category Archives: faith

Out of the Deep Freeze

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 “It is not the mountain we conquer but ourselves.”– Edmund Hillary

When you live in the mountains, spring can be forever in coming. Mother Nature loves to torment and taunt with fickle weather for a long, long time.

One day it is sunny and warm, the next day we are thrust back into winter leaving us confused as what to put on for clothing in the morning. Just when you think you should leave behind the winter weight clothing and spring ahead into lighter, brighter garments, the cold temperatures return again. Makes you feel like climbing back under the covers.

Somewhere between Winter & s

This is how I look and feel this time of year. The beginnings of growth and renewal of spirit have begun to creep over me yet, part of me is still frozen in the previous season.

Today on All Things Fulfilling, I’d like to share with you an article about 21 Things to Do This Spring to Lift your Beaten Down Spirit.

What’s the first thing I’m going to do to start ticking off the list? My husband just filled my bike tires with air. A slow, meadering bike ride through the neighborhood dreaming of when the landscape turns green with colorful flowers will do much to lift the spirit. It will also begin to build the muscles I’ve neglected all winter when my only form of exercise was walking.

See you back here tomorrow on All Things Fulfilling. This blog is brought to you by award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard.

 

Motivated Independent Publishers

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Thinking of writing your story?

find-your-truth-copy

“Like anything in life when the right time comes along, and when you are fully and completely committed to the project you will find the personal resources like commitment, determination, enthusiasm, confidence and energy within to carry it out. The will to make it happen becomes much greater than your desires to let your dreams go by the wayside.” ~Independent publisher, Sue Batton Leonard

~Sue Batton Leonard, award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Grow Your Own Good News Story

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I don’t like to be the bearer of bad news because I like to take a positive, pro-active approach to life. Sometimes it’s hard to constantly ignore, however, what is in plain sight and so very visible in the media.

The breakdown of the family unit has been evident through many socio-economic indicators. The whole culture of a society suffers when the family unit deteriorates. Crime increases, education is no longer valued, we look up to people who are esteemed to be the most valuable members of society yet, all too often, these are the very people whose moral compasses have gone haywire.

But, the good news is, each one of us can do something in our own lives to grow strong families who will have stories of happy relationships that reign through generations.

I’ve noticed there seems to be a dearth of “good news stories” on bookshelves in bookstores. Here are the top 5 genres of books that are the most sought after according to booksellers.

  • Romance/erotica (1.44 billion dollar industry)
  • Crime/mystery (728.2 million)
  • Religion/spirituality (720 million)
  • Science Fiction & Fantasy (590.2 million)
  • Horror (79.6 million)

Frankly, I am surprised religion and spirituality ranks up there as high as it does. Perhaps because people are looking for answers for the ills of today’s society. Better yet, I’d like to think that books of spirituality and religion sell because people have faith that a better day is coming!

Here is what you can do in your own small way to make your relationships, your family and your world stronger.

be-like-a-tree-stay-grounded

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

 

 

 

O’Keefe in Everyday Life

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“To create one’s world in any of the arts takes courage.”  ― Georgia O’Keeffe

I’d always been interested in the art of Georgia O’Keefe. Any artist who paints flowers so magnificently, is alright by me!

Last week I had the opportunity to visit the Georgia O’Keefe Museum in Santa Fe, NM. The art was beautiful, as expected but, what I enjoyed seeing, through black and white photos, was the life of this woman outside of her studio. According to a short film I watched and from reading other literature, O’Keefe found much pleasure in simple tasks of daily living. Images of O’Keefe walking her dogs, hanging out the wash, sitting on the roof of her adobe house and cooking outside over an open fire all acquainted me with her on another level.

She painted much more than flowers. She lived, painted and exhibited in New York City. What a surprise! I’d always thought her entire life was spent in New Mexico. After she married Alfred Stieglitz, America’s first advocate of modern art in America, New York is where she and other modern artists began to proliferate. Her summers were spent in Lake George, NY.

From her great success as an artist,  I would never have considered that she was anything but a person who had all she needed right inside of herself from the start. But according to this quote, not so! “I’ve been absolutely terrified every moment of my life and I’ve never let it keep me from doing a single thing that I wanted to do.” ― Georgia O’Keeffe

I love that! And I look forward to reading more about this woman of extreme talent who had traits of self-doubt that each artist struggles with, from time to time, going about the days of fulfilling oneself in the world of art.IMG_20150221_153831_642

Above: Photo of Georgia O’Keefe taking a car ride.

IMG_20150221_154346_188Above: Replication of O’Keefe’s studio inside the Museum. The photo is the view from her studio window in NM. These are her art supplies, with a work in progress on her easel. Her studio and home in Albiquiu is also open for touring.  That has been put on my “For Another Day List.”

Okeefe church

Above: Non-floral O’Keefe painting.

IMG_20150221_155447_610Above:   Black Hollyhawk & Blue Larkspur (middle painting – my favorite in the Museum).

Below: The Georgia O’Keefe Museum Gift Shop has a wonderful selection of books, DVDs, notecards and other products with the “signature” Georgia O’Keefe art licensing trademark.

Georgia Okeefe books

Georgia Okeefe DVDS

See you tomorrow! We will be talking about an art form that I saw in my travels that I had never witnessed live before until my visit to Santa Fe, NM last week. It was thrilling and fun!

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard.

State of Being

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Have you ever noticed how people tend to rationalize everything? I‘ve been known to do that.

My son, who has always been, from a very young age, very astute about human nature said to me one day when he was about nine or ten “Mom, why do you do that?”

“Do what?” I said.

“Try to figure out the reason for everything?”

“What did just I do?” I asked, not knowing what I had said or done to bring up these questions.

“You just said you are cold.”

“So, what’s wrong with that?” I asked my son, shivering and rubbing my hands together to warm up.

“Then you went on to say all the reasons why you might be cold. Did  you ever think that you might just BE?”

“No,” I replied, “I’ll have to think about that!”

There is no doubt about it I do tend to try to figure out the reason for everything. And what’s more, I go to great lengths to explain things in writing on All Things Fulfilling! Ah well, what can I say? I’ll have to remind myself:

Not everything in life makes sense

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard.

 

 

 

Of All Things! A Mustard Seed?

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From a small seed a mighty trunk might grow ~ Aeschylus

The other day, a memory came to me as I stood in the line at the grocery store. I saw an elderly woman who had a beautiful silver watch on her wrist. It was unlike the kind of watch that you see in this day and age, and it reminded me of my Grandmother. Back in her day, watches were made like fine art – the work that went into crafting them was apparent.

mustard seedMy grandmother always wore a lovely watch with a little bauble that hung from it, just like in this image. What really intrigued me was the seed inside the bauble. I thought it was kind of intriguing but, I couldn’t imagine why would anyone carry around a seed hanging from their watch.

My grandmother told me it was a mustard seed but never told me of the seed’s significance. Perhaps it was just one of those things she wanted me to discover for myself as I grew up.

Did you know there is a full story behind  the meaning of the mustard seed? Skip down to the third paragraph of the article, that really gets to the heart of the matter.

Mustard Seed Faith

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard.

 

 

 

Learning from a Protagonist

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What is a protagonist? According to Dictionary.com, a protagonist is the leading character, hero, or heroine of a drama or other literary work.

“What characteristics then,” I’ve been asked, “does your protagonist have that makes her a leading character in your two publications, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul?

I’ll give you a little insight into Fanny,  the very special character in both books. Not only did she bring humor to an entire family,

character in story

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author, Sue Batton Leonard. See you on Monday on All Things Fulfilling.com.

Thirsty Thursday: Think Again

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Today on Thirsty Thursday – 1 short minute of inspiring news in a video to entertain and motivate.

Even the most successful people have had challenge. It’s all part of the human experience. Don’t let previous defeats stop you! You’ve got what it takes, if you wholeheartedly believe it and let nothing stop you.

This blog is brought to you by the award-winning author Sue Batton Leonard. Check out Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Joyfully At Your Service

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Welcome back to our week of simple pleasures. I hope you enjoy this week’s messages on All Things Fulfilling that have few words but the images reflect little things that make a difference in our lives or the lives of others.

Making the Load Lighter

“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.”  ~ Rabindranath Tagore

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard,  author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and Short Stories: Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Film Friday: Outdoors Adventure

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Thanks to a posting I saw on www.cruxcollective.com I became aware of a documentary film of interest in the outdoor adventure movie category.

valley uprising2

Valley Uprising http://reelrocktour.com/ is a film about extreme athletes who climb to explore massive cliffs, crags, boulders and rocks in Yosemite National Park in high up places. They are a whole culture of adventurous souls who are the next generation of outdoorsmen who flock to this area and find their “religion and fulfillment” in rock climbing.

Red Bull Magazine says it’s “The best climbing film ever made.”

It won the Grand Prize at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Just one award among several others.

Worthy of attention, I am sure, although I have yet to see it.  I am putting this film on my 2015 list of films not to miss! Sounds like a nice evening of adventure from the comfort of my living room. Yet, Yosemite is on my National Park Wish List to see upclose some day.

Valley Uprising

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. For information on her award-winning publication Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and her new book of stories Lessons of Heart and Soul,

visit this website http://www.allthingsfulfilling.com/about-the-book/.