Category Archives: Power of Positive thinking

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)

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    • 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!

Blogging and the Noggin’

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social-media-takes-over “Regardless of the changes in technology, the market for well-crafted messages will always have an audience.” ~ Steve Burnett

Blogging seems to have an effect on my perception of daily living. Staying alert to what is going on around me, forces me pay closer attention to the idiosyncrasies of life. As a blogger I’ve begun to think there is a story in everything, even when there isn’t.

I share this affliction with many  journalists. People, places, events, conversations – they are all of great interest to me. It has gotten to the point that I need to pause, and think, whether something is really newsworthy. Everything, it seems, that passes by the radar screen of my brain gets paid attention to with heightened awareness. 

What’s a blogger to do? I’ve never been known to be a drama queen, so I don’t quite know how to handle the symptoms of this “thing” that is occurring in my brain as a result of being a participant in e-marketing. Social media, has changed the landscape of how news is shared dramatically.

Only “fix” I know, is to create a story, this morning, about this very issue . I feel better already, now I can go about my business of finding contentment in an ordinary day. Where will my observances lead me tomorrow?

Return on 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.

Family Dynamics in Stories

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“Our brothers and sisters are there with us from the dawn of our personal stories to the inevitable dusk.” ~ Susan Scarf Merrill 

Brother-for-saleOh, brother! How I can relate- there were many times when I was growing up that I felt just like the little girl in this image. 

Did you ever consider that sibling relationships are the longest bonds we will have in our lives with other people? There is a lot of research about how birth order affects our family ties. 

 There is an interesting interview on NPR about the sibling effect. Tune in and listen. http://n.pr/WZnKPG. 

My siblings have been on my mind a lot recently since I have been writing a book which involves many universal issues, including human relationships. The manuscript has been in the hands of select advance readers, including a child psychologist  and the feedback has been invaluable.  I am most grateful for it and I’m wrapping up final revisions before the book is published. My very realistic goal is to have it complete this year.

My family has not read my manuscript. I didn’t want the dynamics of the book to be changed by the  opinions of family members. I’ve dropped only a few clues about the storyline, and they are chomping at the bit to read it. By now, they might  be questioning whether there is really a book in the making or whether I am  just  taunting them and  making teasing promises like when we were children.

Only kidding! I can hardly wait for my family to read it. They don’t know to what what extent they play roles in the storyline.

Visit us tomorrow on 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.

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.

Brains at the Center of the Story

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  The Seventh Journey book cover

Robert J R Graham’s newly released fictional story, The Seventh Journey, is fascinating because of it’s insight into human behavior. The experiment that is at the center of the narrative warrants deep consideration. It addresses how brainwaves control our human emotions and potentially, by rearranging frequencies in the brain, the ramifications on a society could be stunning. 

We, as human beings, it must be pointed out, already have the capacity to change our own mindsets and outcomes of our lives through our subconscious thinking. However, the premise of The Seventh Journey introduced me to concepts that go beyond just individual behavior, and begged me take a more serious look at researchers speculation that media, through music and film, has the capacity to change large populations of people. If fiction became reality, the ramifications of this tale could positively overhaul the medical field, military engagement and the energy of the Universe, as we know it. Or conversely, it could be used to create a path of destruction and despair. 

I have not read a large selection of books in the new genre of writing, paranormal fiction, however, Graham’s publication was fascinating to me. I have always been a student of human behavior, and resolve to live a life that is personally fulfilling. I deeply believe my life experience will be the result of my own choices, intentions, thoughts and reactions to relationships. The Seventh Journey addresses the theoretical power of our own brain frequencies and energy we put out into the world. 

Robert J R GrahamThe Seventh Journey has been honored with the Editor’s Choice and the Rising Star awards from the publisher, iUniverse, a division of Penguin Books. It is the first book in a series. For more information on this Canadian author or to order this creatively written story in hardcover or paperback, please follow this link www.robertjrgraham.com.  The book is also available in e-book format through Smashwords http://bit.ly/ViAiFt  and at select bookstores in Canada. 

Anyone who has an interest in quantum physics, self-development and mastery will be stimulated by the concepts Graham brings to this invented story that could have astounding real life consequences.

reviews The Seventh Journey

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

Mind Power Returning

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 “To think is to practice brain chemistry.” ~ Deepak Chopra 

On March 4th, I posted a blog called Stirring the Mind. If you missed it, please scroll back or follow this link.   http://bit.ly/12onO4D . The blog was essentially about some fascinating thoughts that were presented at a Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) conference in Long Beach, California by “The Young, The Wise and the Undiscovered” minds of innovative, creative and brilliant people. 

brain chemistryTomorrow on this site, Brains at the Center of the Story will be featured. Ideas about the power of technology, the brain and research on the sixth sense (our emotive powers) will be entertained through a review of a fictional book by a Canadian author who has “dedicated his life to uncovering the deeper truths within us all.”

Note: This book was briefly mentioned in a blog I wrote several weeks ago, called Transported to Another Realm http://bit.ly/ZxQMJd  where I told of removing myself from external stimuli so I could become fully engaged in this author’s story. He is a leader and life-long student in the field of self-discovery and mastery. and writes about some very fascinating and thought-provoking stuff!

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

Film Friday: Inocente

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“ Art is not what you see but what you make others see.” ~ Degas 

A life was changed on Academy Award night, when Inocente, a documentary film about a homeless girl and her passion for art, won an Oscar. Indeed, despite a dark and lonely past, Izucar, the subject of this real life story, has created a bright world around herself through her colorful art.  Her unwillingness to give up on life and her belief in sharing her art with others has made for an inspiring story. 

Husband and wife filmmakers, Sean Fine and Andrea Nix Fine decided to focus on the plight of Inocente Izucar when they met her through their involvement with artist Matt D’Arrigo and founder  ARTS(A Reason to Survive), “a non-profit organization that focuses on using art as a form of therapy and healing, for children and young adults struggling with major life challenges..

According to the National Center on Family Homelessness, 1 out of every 45 children live a transient lifestyle, floating from street to motel to shelters to living out of cars. This number has increased 33% in the past three years alone. http://usat.ly/YtbFoP. 

art of inocenteIzucar is representative of all youth who have discovered that their brightest moments in an hour or a day comes when they are exploring different mediums of art. For many, it is the only thing that gives them a positive reason to live. 

To read more about this inspirational independent  film and the documentary filmmakers, please visit this link
About Inocente and How to Order

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.