President Gerald R. Ford

For those of you who are new to Life Compass, I write on Spirituality, Faith and Ethics on Sundays.  Here’s why.

Last week, I took one of my sons on a visit to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum, which is located in our community of Grand Rapids, MI.

We’ve been there many times – mostly on the president’s birthday, when admission is free.

One year, for his 90th birthday, we even got to hear the president speak.  This time, we went on Mrs. Ford’s birthday, and yes, there was free admission…and free birthday cake.

Despite my frequent visits, I noticed something on this occasion that I hadn’t recalled seeing before.  At least two of the exhibits referenced something that was a source of strength and courage for President Ford during the most difficult moments of his life and presidency.

What was it that he turned to when faced with difficult challenges and decisions?  What was it that made such a difference in Ford’s life?  [Read more…]

For those of you who are new to Life Compass, I write on Spirituality, Faith and Ethics on Sundays.  Here’s why.

My oldest son turned 13 in December, so I decided I’d make some time each week over the course of this year to have some fun with him and talk about things that will help prepare him for manhood. We call it “man-to-man time.”

We usually play basketball at the YMCA (he always whips my bum), go out for breakfast, and then go to my office where we read a chapter from the Proverbs in the Bible and a book called Boyhood and Beyond by Bob Schultz.

If you’re familiar with Proverbs, you know there’s so much wisdom here that covers just about every aspect of life. We especially enjoy reading it from The Message, which is a paraphrase of the Bible in [Read more…]

For those of you who are new to Life Compass, I write on Spirituality, Faith and Ethics on Sundays.  Here’s why.

We talk a lot about discovering and living your passion and purpose here at Life Compass Blog.  I recently stumbled across Webster’s definition of passion. I found it interesting in light of Easter, which is today, and thought I’d share it with you:

“Passion (noun): 1 a : the sufferings of Christ between the night of the Last Supper and his death.”

Whether you follow Jesus Christ or not, reading Webster’s definition of passion reminded me that Christ’s life and teachings – as recorded in the Bible – are an excellent study about passion and purpose.  Kevin McCarthy, in The On-Purpose Person, explains why: [Read more…]

Have you ever gone for a walk, hike, bike ride, or a drive when you’re contemplating a major decision or life change, or when you need some extra inspiration?

Or have you ever noticed that you get some great ideas or find clarity about a situation when you’re out in the great outdoors, even if you weren’t specifically thinking about the issue at the time?  I know I have.

This weekend I’m traveling for my job in the Black Hills of South Dakota.  I get out here several times each year and always love being here, no matter the season.  There’s something special about these mountains. Native Americans believe the Black Hills are sacred. And as I drive or hike in the mountains, I always feel a greater sense of awe for, and a closer connectedness to, the Creator.

I think there’s something about being outside, in the beauty of creation, that reminds us that our source of strength and inspiration, and our power to change our lives, doesn’t come from ourselves, but from a power that is much larger and greater. [Read more…]

For those of you who are new to Life Compass, I write on Spirituality, Faith and Ethics on Sundays.  Here’s why.

Since New Year’s, I’ve been reading from The Proverbs each week with my 13 year old son, as I seek to share wisdom to help him in his journey from childhood to manhood.

No matter how many times I read from The Proverbs, I always gain fresh and new insights.  Here’s a verse that particularly impacted me this week:

The world of the generous gets larger and larger: the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller. – Proverbs 11:24 (The Message) [Read more…]