LIFE COMPASS

This is the compass I used when I was in the army.  It's a Silva Ranger 15T.  It's graduated in "mils" instead of degrees, a feature unique to military use.  6400 mils are equivalent to 360 degrees...so, one degree = 17.7 mils.  There's a mirror built in to the cover which allows for accurate shooting of a compass bearing.  The mirror is also handy for shaving when deployed in the field.  I keep that compass in my desk drawer.

In my basic training and early years of duty, I was a poor way-finder.  My problem was that I didn't trust my compass.  I was prone to letting my brain's sense of direction take precedence over the information that my compass was showing me.  Most human brains - my brain anyway - are notoriously poor and direction keeping and way-finding.  It was about 6 years before I put confidence in my compass and believed in its accuracy.  I came to accept that my compass was never wrong; it always knew where north was and accurately pointed which direction I needed to travel.  Once I learned to trust my compass, I became an expert navigator.

For most of my adult life, I have sought out some sort of "life compass" to guide me in my living.  I need something, or perhaps someone, as reliable as my good old Silva T15 Ranger.  I've tried many things, with varying levels of success.  I have discovered that whatever it might be that serves this purpose, its accuracy is invariably tied to my confidence in it.  If I trust it, the path is clear and direct; if I lose faith, I begin to drift and soon lose my way.

A recent message from Rev. Paul Ivany of Norval United Church reminded me of a valuable life compass for all of us.  He wrote, "How can God's love really be in us if we don't respond with compassion to people in need?  A compassionate heart is something worth having." 

That's it - that's a life compass.  A compassionate heart.  It's a reliable way-finder for our living, it's something that won't let you down...you can trust and treasure a compassionate heart.

Follow your life compass...it will help you find the Way.

Pat

A Week's Worth of Gratitude

Saturday ~ Betty Crocker

Sunday ~ music in all its forms

Monday ~ Chris & Agnes

Tuesday ~ Church Council team

Wednesday ~ sleeping in, resting up

Thursday ~ Don Sweatman

Friday ~ conversations that matter

Friday Prayer
May I live this day compassionate of heart,

clear in word, gracious in awareness,

courageous in thought, generous in love.

~ John O'Donohue, RIP ~

gift of original art from Sandra Bayne