Tag Archives: Gift of a Lifetime:Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected

Growth of Self

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“You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. What you will discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover is yourself.” ~ Alan Alda

Home Sweet Home! Where everything is familiar, safe, and there are few unknowns. I found out seven years ago that you can find fulfilling things when you leave your comfort zone and strike out on new adventures. I left my home state of more than 30 years and ventured into unknown territory, by moving to a place site unseen. It was a culture shock at first for an East Coast gal to move to remote ranching/ski community in northwestern Colorado. But I’ve grown to appreciate all that it’s brought to my life. It ended up being good for the mind, body and spirit and a time of enormous personal growth.

I jumped in wholeheartedly, and did something even more risky. I independently published a book, a memoir, about my remarkable young life.

My life is far from over, and there is more to discover about myself. I suspect it will come next time I step out of my comfort zone and into something else.

Speaking of comfort – did you know there is a place called Comfort, Texas? What I found interesting is there is little information about the place on their website. Perhaps that’s by design so visitors will come see the place for themselves.

What if you flyWhen was the last time you really stepped out of your safe environment? If nothing else you might learn you are stronger than you think!

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard. Award-winning author of Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected and short stories Lessons of Heart & Soul.

Moods Trace the Season

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Did you know March is Optimism month? March has never been one of my favorite months because if you live in the mountains, it’s usually still winter. But the third month of the year is useful to my mindset. March winds transport my spirit into my favorite seasons of the year – spring and summer when I am more inspired and motivated.

In March vague ideas that I had a few months previously get sparked and fired up which means I’ve gotten over the hump of winter. Thoughts of renewal, awakening and rejuvenation start streaming.

Just as many other people experience, the seasons do affect my moods and demeanor. Being aware of that fact helps me to march forward knowing brighter days are coming and to remember ~

bloom-in-your-spring-season-Isaiah-35

Happy Beginnings of Spring, Everybody!

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

Keeping Sunday Special

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Sunday clears away the rust of the whole week ~Joseph Addison

Is there anything in your life that makes Sunday special? Or for you is Sunday the same routine as very other day of the week?

father and daughterEvery Sunday: A Father & Daughters’ Enduring Connection by Donna W Dearborn is a story about a promise kept and treasured. The story goes like this –  when Dearborn left home for college, she promised her father she would write to him every Sunday and her father promised the same to her. Well beyond college, for thirty two years, the practice endured.

As the author’s father aged, the letters became even more important to keep his memories alive of all the fun he and his daughter had  together in large part through an active lifestyle.  You see, they’d been hiking companions throughout Donna’s growing up. Spending quality time together was put high on the priority list when Donna was a young child and it remained at the top to the credit of both parties. The two obviously enjoyed being together.

Do you have a “Sunday story” you’d like to tell? Writing is an important way to preserve culture. Not every relationship is joyful and happy, but there are lessons to be learned from all stories. With the ability to publish independently in this digital world we live in, memoirs and autobiographies are becoming an ever more popular genre of writing. Here is a good article about why memoirs are important not just for the writer but also for the reader. Jane Friedman talks about the up-tick in memoir writing in her article.

For those who are interested in writing stories of faith, here is another article about the importance of storytelling for future generations.

Here is a writing prompt to get you started on writing your story of faith.  Sunday is a day like no other because it allows us to (fill in your thoughts!)

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.

 

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/.

Let’s Talk: Writing & Publishing

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Video footage compliments of Greater Northshire Access TV  www.gnat-tv.org

Last October I was a guest on Let’s Talk with Salley Gibney. Writing and independent publishing  was the subject of the show. With the changes that have come to the publishing industry over recent years there are many people wondering  How to Begin Writing A Story?

Watch this video for insight into how an inexperienced writer became an award-winning published author.

This blog is brought to you by Sue Batton Leonard, author of the award-winning memoir Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected.

Heartfelt Announcement

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When you catch a glimpse of your potential, that’s when passion is born. ~Zig Ziglar

When I was growing up, “Oh My Soul” came out of my mother’s mouth as often as I heard my dear Fanny say “Lord A Mercy.” Do you think perhaps between my mother’s plea and Fanny’s, my life was saved?  Hard to say, isn’t it? Depends if you are a believer!

I am and  I follow the words of  E.B. White who says “Writing is an act of faith, not a trick of grammar.” 

So today I take great pleasure in announcing that I’ve taken another leap of faith and my new publication called Short Stories: Lessons of Heart and Soul is available http://amzn.to/1Da5fST

I can hear my mother now, saying to my father, “Oh My Soul, she’s done it again!  She’s listened to her readers and has published more Fanny stories. Come here, Fred, you’ve got to see this on the computer ….”

Lessons of Heart V4 Cover

This time, I hope I have completely surprised my family. When I published my memoir “Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected,” the release of the book got leaked a little early. No matter! Things always work out the way they are supposed to anyway!

Lessons of Heart and Soul is a limited collection of short stories cut from the original manuscript of the award-winning memoir, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected by author Sue Batton Leonard. Readers who loved the stellar central character, Fanny, in the first publication will fall in love with her all over again.

If you are a parent who is attempting to raise children who will have their values in the right place in life, the ten stories, very appropriate for ages 12+, give a jumping off point to handling those important conversations you have been meaning to have with your children. There is nothing that helps get a conversation started better than humor – that’s inside it!

Lessons of Heart & Soul is available in e-book only.  Did you know you can give the gift of e-books to others?  http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/?nodeId=200555070

This year, instead of a Valentine’s card, give the gift of an e-book instead. Lessons of Heart & Soul is a perfect publication for giving to your loved ones.

Do return tomorrow to All Things Fulfilling. Video footage of my appearance on a program from GNAT-TV called Let’s Talk with Salley Gibney will be posted with important information about independent publishing and how to begin writing your own story.

 

 

 

Letter to Santa

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santaDear Santa,

As I look out through the frozen window glass I am thinking of  a letter that I had sent to the North Pole a few years ago asking for your help with a publication I was writing.

In the correspondence I asked for a few things. I requested a big box of perseverance and patience – I got that! Large enough to see myself through my memoir project.

I asked for memories of my childhood so I could incorporate them into the story. Some were clear and others, a bit distorted, like frozen window glass.

A shovel was sorely needed so I could dig deep to remember the most meaningful times in my life. The shovel appeared, held up and didn’t disappoint me.

Admittedly, I wore out the thesaurus you included in my Christmas gifts that year. I referred to it so many times to get just the right words I needed, it’s all dog eared. This year, I need the latest, greatest updated edition for my next publishing project.

That light bulb you sent me to illuminate my mind – well, it’s all burnt out. I’ll need another one of those too. I think to myself “Maybe Santa will bring it when he and his reindeers drop off the new thesaurus.”

I asked you to send smart people my way to help me with the skillsets where I was lacking. Well, they arrived when they were needed and they were just plain terrific.

 The editor was given a very difficult task with Fanny’s unique and eloquent language. But, the editor hitched up her breeches and lived up to the task.

The graphic designer for my book cover created something I was thrilled with.

 And as for the sound technician and the audio book producer, they were superb. Without them, an award-winning audio book may not have happened.

This Christmas, I’d just like to say thank you, Santa, for your all help. As I look through the frozen window glass I realize my dreams have come true. Fanny and I have even won three book awards. I can hear my beloved Fanny now.  “Lord a Mercy, I didn’t know y’alls were gonna put me in a book. Dis is more den I coulda ever expected!”

This Christmas as Fanny would have suggested, I will leave you and your reindeer champagne glasses full of “da bestest water” as a thank you.

Merry Christmas, Happy New Year and Cheers!

Fondly, Sue Batton Leonard, author of the award-winning book Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected. 

P.S. Thanks to the world-wide web, Santa will receive this letter in plenty of time for Xmas.

Advent Day #18 Setting in Story

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JSC photo

“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 #14 Window Shopping

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The only gift is a portion of thyself.  ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yes, I know how you are feeling and what you are thinking. “I really need do more than just go window shopping.” The days are quickly passing and it will be Christmas before you know it. But you don’t know what to give your loved ones that will be different. Did I get it?

An inspiring story of love and humor that anyone can appreciate might be just the thing. A book that has a unique voice not hum-drum. Is that what you are looking for?

The award-winning anthology of stories, Gift of a Lifetime: Finding Fulfilling Things in the Unexpected is all that and more! It is a book of heart and soul that will leave a lasting impact. Yet it’s an easy, pleasurable read -it’s light-hearted. You don’t have to study over it and it will make you chuckle. Who ever said Christian people have no sense of humor? Gift of a Lifetime has won three awards, one in the young adults’ category.

Book on shelf at Come & See Christian Books

Above Photo: There it sits on the shelf, at Come & See Christian Books & Gifts hoping some little elf will come by and pick up a few copies just in time for Christmas giving.

If you want to buy locally and support writers, it’s available in Steamboat Springs, Colorado at Come and See Christian Books and Gifts at 675 S. Lincoln Avenue. It’s also available in Towson, Maryland at Ukazoo Books. If you can, save yourself some shipping fees and pick it up in the stores because you might find other gift items for someone else in your community, house or family.

Save the Date! January 3rd, 2015 from 11:00 am to 1pm meet the award-winning author! Stop in at Come and See Christian Books and Gifts in Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  Have some refreshments and be one of the first to find out what’s in store for 2015. 

For those who live too far away from Steamboat, CO or Towson, MD the book is also available on-line through all the major on-line booksellers. It is available in paperback, award-winning audio and e-book.

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