A Creator-based® Life

  Creator-based® Cisterns   The iconic Basilica Cistern in Istanbul.   Cisterns are designed to hold water, whether they be as large as the Basilica Cistern which holds almost  75,000 gallons, or as small as the 5 gallon bucket that catches and holds water to nurture life in my garden.   Cisterns hold water for future use.   That water brings life to all around them. They have a flow in for collection. They have a flow out to serve the community and the homes nearby. Our personal cisterns may be collections of memories, relationships, habits, or accumulations of actual stuff.   I have a cistern system of morning study and meditation that adds light and energy to my days, a collection cistern of plastic farm animal toys for my grandkids (almost full), an ever-evolving cistern of relationships for which I am so grateful, and an iTunes playlist cistern that’s quite large and somewhat stagnant. Consider the cisterns in your life. Are they clear and beautifully created like the Bas

Great structures require strong foundations and lots of inner support. This is the beginning of our pavilion at Safe Haven Retreat.  It was a hard day's work to put in this framework with plenty of sore muscles afterward, but we've established the inner framework, and its strong.  The night after this was built we had 95 mph winds in the area, and this baby held fast! Creator-based® Construction In this season of graduations and all of their accompanying accolades, it’s easy to focus on results.  We celebrate the completion of our yearly ‘construction’ goals. We celebrate our accomplishments. We have worked hard by golly, and we deserve it! There’s nothing wrong with that.  You have worked hard.  You do deserve to celebrate.   However: Focusing on what we accomplish can be hollow.  What do accolades and accomplishments bring you? Validation Self-worth Feeling good enough Pride Parties :) Always a good idea. When called to a significant leadership position, a great

Is the avocado jealous of the juicy, bright lemon,  or the garlic coveting the avocado's creaminess?   Comparison’s Cost in your Creator-based® Life As you actively create your one, awesome, amazing, perfect life, you may occasionally stumble with that thief of joy, comparison.  Comparison is so habitual in life nowadays, that you may not even notice yourself doing it, but if you take a present minute, you’ll feel it in your body.  For me, it feels deflating, a sag to my shoulders, or tightness/heaviness in my chest.  With those sensations, I am reminded to check in with my thoughts.  Quite often the thoughts will be judging myself harshly by comparing myself to others. Charles Spurgeon said, “A man will speedily sit down and sympathize with a friend’s griefs; but if he sees him honored and esteemed, he is apt to regard him as a rival and does not so readily rejoice with him.  This ought not to be; without effort, we ought to be happy in our brother’s happiness.”  Why is that?

When I was a young, newly married ‘adult’ (I was only 18), I would watch my father-in-law eat his apple - core, seeds and all - and wonder, who does that? It was just plain nasty to my citified, juvenile self.  That image has stayed with me all these years, until now, at the age of 62, I watch my husband do it. ( and I don’t much wonder who does that- in fact, it makes me smile.) Seeing them eat the entire apple, seeds and all, has given me pause to wonder about our personal core.   Consider the apple. The average apple tree produces about 300 apples in a growing season. That’s about 1,500 seeds per season. Those 1,500 seeds will then potentially produce 450,000 apples and another 2,250,000 seeds. Each seed can produce another apple tree, and the cycle continues. That apple core that my sweetie eats (yuck!) houses seeds that will plant innumerable apples and perpetuate the growth and nourishment of thousands upon thousands of apple eaters. What is in your core that will feed multitudes

It has been said that Life is the C between the B and the D.   B is birth,  D is death, and C is the choices you make that create your life.   It’s what you do in the middle.    What will you choose and create with your C? This week, I choose to create Love.   Love is a stress buster,  a mood lifter, and a compassion filter.   I will create love for myself in such a big way that it can’t help but bubble over to everyone around me and make the world a better place.  My small effort makes a difference. How does one create love? Love is created through gratitude. Gratitude is a Stress Buster.  Gratitude is the highest vibrating energy, so start there. How’s your gratitude list going?  Are you listing 1-5 things that went well each day before you sleep at night? Falling asleep with gratitude on your mind lets your subconscious work on that lovely emotion all night long.   It changes the outlook of our life, dramatically reducing stress.   Use it to create self-love by asking, “W