Category Archives: spirituality

Support Along the Path of Life

2 Comments

“No one ever stumbles into success. It is found only in the fulfillment of a certain image, as a certain goal.” ~ Rev. Robert Kirkley

Has anyone ever told you “I’ve got your back” and you wholeheartedly believe it? Doesn’t it feel good? That doesn’t mean that someone will do everything for you. You have to do your part too. But knowing that the person who made the promise will be there for you if you trip and fall, that means a lot.

IMAG0775Today on All Things Fulfilling, I am introducing you to THE publication that I’ve been promising I would reveal.  The book focuses on the idea that someone else has your best interest at heart. No matter what your challenges and struggles might be in a career, business and personal relationships or because of your character flaws, this book reinforces the idea that By God, You Can Do It, if you believe.

This publication came out of Rev. Robert “Bob” Kirkley’s desire to reach more people and share the news that “faith works miracles.” He has seen it happen. Things that people thought they couldn’t accomplish, they overcame and successfully changed their own life.

Rev. Kirkley says although the concepts in his book “may look like extravagant promises” of enjoying fulfillment, the principles “are based on a clear-sighted understanding of the basic laws of life.”  Some people may be surprised to learn it is Rev. Kirkley’s belief that “people should be spiritual and not religious.”

To read more about the author, the book and how to order it, please visit www.revrobertkirkley.com .

All Things Fulfilling is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. The space were independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business. Come on back tomorrow.

Timely Messages

5 Comments

Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” – Joshua J. Marine 

On September 6th, National Read a Book Day I mentioned that reading one spark of an idea from a book can change us for a lifetime. I recently saw a sentence that motivated me big time! I took seriously the words: “the person whose life is full of faith is on the offense; he or she is taking charge of life, making decisions and making things happen.”

morning-roosterHow’s that for a call to action? For weeks I had been indecisive about whether or not to sign up for a public speaking class. I knew it was something that I needed to do for myself if I am to pursue my dreams for my publication. As soon as I read the inspirational thought, I acted immediately and enrolled in the course, before I could “chicken out.”

The course is in the early weeks but it is going well. When it’s time, I will be better prepared to “strut my stuff,” and I will be one more step closer to what I dream of doing.

As I have said before on All Things Fulfilling, I try at all costs to hold myself accountable to any ideas that I broadcast on this website. Otherwise, I am full of phony-baloney. That is not one of my lifetime aspirations I can assure you of that!

The inspiring thought came from THE book I’ve hinted about previously that I will be revealing in due course. Before it appears on this site, I will give you the heads up!

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. Please return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow.

Film Friday: Teaching Emerging Filmmakers

1 Comment

new day films “One of the privileges of being a filmmaker is the opportunity to remain a kind of perpetual student.”  – Edward Zwick

Are you an educator who teaches emerging young filmmakers? The other day I came across a film distribution company that may not be known to visitors who frequent All Things Fulfilling for news about independent filmmaking.

New Day Films is a filmmaker-run distribution company providing award-winning films to educators since 1971. This on-line site “delivers over 230 titles that illuminate, challenge and inspire.”  Many of the films can be digitally streamed directly from the website or delivered in DVD or VHS format.

willard van dykeSince the genre of documentary film is particularly interesting to me, I was drawn to a film called Conversations with Willard Van Dyke. http://www.newday.com/films/Conversations_with_WVD.html. In this film, Van Dyke discusses his belief that “films have the power of film to change the world.”  The man behind his films, Willard Van Dyke, “became synonymous with social documentary in the U.S.”

During his lifetime (1906 – 1986), Van Dyke painted portraitures of Americans, through the medium of film, who made their living through hard labor everyday such as steelworkers, cottonpickers and machinists. The Depression, he said, made an everlasting impression on him.Click for info & ordering Willard Van Dyke’s film

Van Dyke was director of the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from 1965 to 1974. He also began the film department at the State University of New York in Purchase.  In 1978, he received the prestigious George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film. 

New Day Films distributes films on many social issue topics, among them:

  • Aging & Gerontology
  • Media, Art & Culture
  • Religion & Theology
  • African-American
  • Multi-Cultural
  • Children & Family issues
  • Sociology
  • Native American Studies

Film educators and film historians may find the perfect film they are looking for to use in the classroom on the website http://www.newday.com.  Check it out.

See you Monday. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Uniting People and An Artist

3 Comments

“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.

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling This blog brought to you by ww.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com .

Booksellers Dream Wedding

Leave a comment

“Dreams are illustrations….from the book your soul is writing about you.”

 ~ Marsha Norman

The best thing about planning any wedding is designing a day that is uniquely designed to reflect the tastes of bride and groom.

Last Saturday, The Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont http://www.northshire.com/  closed early for a private party. The store hosted the wedding of Sarah, one of their booksellers.

The event was everything fulfilling that a bibliophile could dream of. Even the bride’s bouquet was made from book pages and I’ll bet she tossed the paper posies from the commanding iron staircase that is the outstanding architectural feature in the store.

bridal bouquet with book pages

northshire bookstore stairs

I hope “Miss America of the Independent Publishing Industry,” the Expresso Book Machine, gave up her famed status for the day and let the bride be the star. I don’t want the  EBM to feel downgraded or upstaged, so I’ll give her a repeat feature of the blog I wrote about her early last summer. Click on this link to read more. http://bit.ly/10RIonQ.

Rumor has it that one of the wedding gifts was a handmade quilt with titles and cover images of the bride and grooms very favorite books. Imagine the pressure of having to decide which publication should be included and which will be left out. Avid readers have a long list of favorites, and I am sure there were too many books and too little space on the quilt’s surface.

I wonder if the couple first encountered each other between the shelves of the book store? Do you think they had custom written wedding vows that included a little poetry? Ahhh..the beauty of a relationship where two people come together with the common interests….and the advantages of owning an independent bookstore. “Nothing is set in stone,” as it is etched on the pavement leading into the Northshire Bookstore. That means you can do anything you please including closing early to host a booksellers dream wedding.

To learn more about this event, please visit the Facebook page of the Northshire Bookstore. http://on.fb.me/1cZVDKU

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Fair and Balanced Pets

Leave a comment

Scratch a dog and you’ll find a permanent job. ~ Franklin P. Jones

The other day kitties had their chance to be in the spotlight on All Things Fulfilling. So as not to be accused of being a dog hater, today we will cater to canine lovers everywhere by featuring a book about man’s relationship to dogs.

tibetan mastiff

Photo Above: Tibetan Mastiff

How can anyone not like a dog? After all, dog is God spelled backwards, and I have met plenty who rule the household kingdom. Unless a dog has a specific behavioral problem, they are usually fair and balanced when it comes to trying to understand their owners. They have dogcognition and even seem to have compassion when human beings are hurting. Cats, they can be a stand-offish, often paying little attention to the people who feed them.

If you are interested to know more about what dogs think, PBS has a great article based on their NOVA Series, with questions and answers, about a dog’s emotional intelligence. Visit this link. http://to.pbs.org/14vODVZ .

Dog ma the zen of slobberLooking for a good read about the canine species? Dog-Ma – The Zen of Slobber by Barbara Boswell Brunner is a book for you. The story is about a husband and wife who rescue dogs. When life gets complicated, and deals out some challenges, the tables are turned, and the canines they’ve rescued dish out what’s needed to help the couple through rough patches. The dog’s antics will make you smile, and confirm why a dog is said to be “man’s best friend.”

To read more about Dog-Ma: The Zen of Slobber, available through Smashwords, in digital format for a very reasonable price, please visit http://bit.ly/18MD6xo .

It really doesn’t matter what kind of pet you have as long as they fill your heart with happiness. Return tomorrow to more independent thoughts, words and views from CFS.
www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Journey toward Enlightenment

Leave a comment

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.

clemma dawsen

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.

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

Curling Up with Cat Books

4 Comments

In ancient times, cats were worshipped as Gods, they have not forgotten this. ~ Terry Pratchett

Ok cat lovers, wherever you are….today’s blog has been written with you in mind.

Have you ever wondered why people chose cats over dogs? Two of the top reasons cats are preferred over dogs by so many people is their independent spirit and their low decibel level. So it’s no wonder that the Dalai Lama has been smitten with a kitten. A feline fits much better into the serenity picture than a canine. After all, a fulfilling life for His Holiness is a peaceful co-existence with the world and a purring kitty indicates supreme contentment.

A canine just wouldn’t cut it with Buddhist traditions.  Interruptions in meditation would be too frequent having to let a dog in and out, whereas cats are self-sufficient. Furthermore, a yapping dog breaks the silence and concentration required to live the lifestyle revered by monks.

dali lamas catThere are two books that are hitting the top of the sales charts about the Dali Lama.  The Dali Lama’s Cat is written from the perspective of an animal describing what it is like to be the pet in residence. Greeting dignitaries and always having to be on guard and exhibit good behavior is of utmost importance.

Many readers are also curling up with a second book by David Michie called The Art of Purring. In this publication, His Holiness’ Cat enlightens the reader and shares wisdom about what makes for happiness and everlasting contentment. Both of these books are  good reads.

Anyone who is interested in learning more about the spiritual ways of the Tibetan people, and how the relationship between mankind and feline is harmonious and satisfying will enjoy these books.

art of purring

Do return to All Things Fulfilling tomorrow. I am going to share with you a blogsite that will be chronicling a journey of a group of people who have begun their travels to Tibet to gain insight from their first hand experiences on the meaning of personal fulfillment.

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Happy National Read a Book Day

Leave a comment

“Every book, every volume you see here, has a soul.” ~ Carlos Ruin Zafon

bookdayHappy National Read a Book Day! Reading is one of the best resources for personal growth and development. We can enhance our lives greatly by being open and considering ideas presented by others. One concept, one spark of an idea, from a book can change us for a lifetime for the better. Today, on All Things Fulfilling, I am going to leave you with a list of the top 10 spiritual growth books that have been published over the past fifty years. You will notice that the Bible is not on this list. Perhaps that is because in modern times, the definition of religion and spirituality are two different things.http://bit.ly/19oUydj How many of these publications grace your bookshelves?

There is a book that I recently encountered that contains some synchronistic element from each of the books on this list. The writing is so straight-forward that is it easy to grasp each and every concept presented without having to spend precious time trying to discern what the message is all about. The author knows something about the best road to travel to soar with success in one’s life because he has ministered to the spiritual needs of others for sixty-six years.

I will be presenting the book on All Things Fulfilling and will give our readers a “heads up” before I post a blog about it, so you will not miss it. You’ve already fulfilled the mission of the day, by visiting this website and reading an on-line missive. Have a wonderful Friday and come back on Monday to this space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com and Sue Batton Leonard, author of Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. Click for info & ordering

Labors of Today’s Innovators

2 Comments

“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

michael gelb book 1

 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
michael gelb 2

Body Learning: Regain your Natural Poise Click for info & ordering

michael gelb3

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.