August 2008 Newsletter
Ron Kervin
Writer/Author, Motivational Speaker
Noteworthy news:
I was fortunate to be able to attend the spiritual growth workshop in Orlando
this past week. I had an opportunity to meet some great people while there and
I look forward to being able to visit with them and their individual communities
while on future speaking engagements.
Upcoming events:
I would like to wish my granddaughter Joslyn a happy birthday. She has a birthday coming up this month. Joslyn lives in Virginia and I hope that she has a wonderful birthday. I love you Joslyn and I miss you.
Quote for the month:
“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”
Winston Churchill
Scriptures for the month:
“My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother. For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head and chains about thy neck.”
Proverbs 1: 8 & 9
For Your Consideration:
What do you call a large group of chipmunks?
The other day I was sitting on my back deck early in the morning enjoying a hot cup of espresso and I counted 14 chipmunks running around in my backyard playing and chasing each other. So now I am wondering what you call a large number of chipmunks. Is it a herd? No, that word refers to cattle, right? How about a flock? Or is that only for birds? Maybe they could be called a pack? No, that is for wolves and dogs, right? Perhaps they would be a cell? No, I think that is only for bees and such! I thought about a harum but realized that is what you would call a group of wives! (Not that I know from experience.) So, what do you call a large number of chipmunks? For the purpose of this communication we will just refer to them as a bunch, OK?
About ten years ago I noticed a small ground squirrel running across my backyard. Down in south Alabama where I grew up we knew them as ground squirrels. I believe that the more educated folks call them chipmunks. These are the small brown variety with the striped tails. Ten years ago I did not think much about the little animal as I did not frequent my backyard that much.
Over the years I have remodeled my backyard and added numerous decks, porches, walkways, trellises and other amenities that make it a nice place to just relax and watch the world go by. As I have invested time and energy over these past ten years renovating my backyard area I have noticed a great increase in the number of chipmunks that now call my backyard home. To begin with, ten years ago it was just one little animal and you were lucky if you caught a glimpse of it once or twice during the entire year.
The next year after that initial observation I saw two little chipmunks and they made themselves known on several different occasions. The following year I saw four of them and I saw them on a monthly basis around my backyard. Those four little chipmunks have now increased in number to at least fourteen. There could be more that I did not see and count. Not only have they increased in number but also in their comfort level with their surroundings. The first little chipmunk I saw ten years ago was running across the yard so fast that I hardly had time to recognize what it was.
The morning I was sitting on my back deck and counted this large group of chipmunks, two of the little things came up on the deck where I was sitting and approached my chair. Only when I shuffled my feet did they turn and run back down the steps. They only ran a few feet off the deck before they just stopped and turned to watch me. Over the past ten years these little creatures have gone from being so shy that you never saw them to the point where they are approaching me while I am sitting on the deck.
I have to take part of the responsibility for their actions as I have built a large squirrel feeder rack and I also have bird feeders. Between the two feeding racks a lot of seeds, corn and other items fall to the ground and create an ideal environment for the little chipmunks to feed. I have also built large arbor trellises and walkways that afford the little creatures plenty of living quarters. So over the past ten years they have taken up residence, multiplied in number and become embolden in their surroundings. Over the past ten years through each successive generation of new chipmunks these little fellows have become comfortable with me and my yard. Through each successive generation they have become less afraid. It is quite an experience to see animals that are normally so wild and elusive become so comfortable with their surroundings that they act like my large group of chipmunks.
While sitting there watching the actions of the little furry creatures running around my backyard, I drew a parallel to my children and all the other children of the world. I once read a roadside sign that made this statement: “your children will become comfortable with the things you do not object to and your grandchildren will accept the things as normal that your children accept as comfortable.” I would have to agree with that statement. I have seen it happen in my own life with my grandparents, my parents, my children and now my grandchildren. I can also observe this statement in such things as the successive generations of chipmunks in my backyard. All those little things that you may convince yourself are Ok for your life and actions are being observed by your children and others who look up to you for leadership. You may have a lot of little things in your life that you feel are special circumstances and give you special permission to divert from what is right and acceptable in the sight of God, your fellow man and your country.
You may feel that the condition of divorce is OK for you because of some special circumstance surrounding the act. Your children see it and will eventually become comfortable with it. Their children will then accept divorce as the norm for their lives. You may feel that lying and stealing is OK and perhaps you only did it once. There are those who look to you as an example and will feel comfortable with it in their lives. Their children will then feel it is normal to steal and lie.
You may not be one of those folks who actually participate in a diversion from the straight and narrow path. You may be one who just turns a blind eye to sin and the things going on about you. Your children see that you are not concerned and do not object to such things. They then begin to feel comfortable with these things. Eventually their children will begin to just outright accept those things as being normal and acceptable.
Look with me at the small item of vulgarity in our everyday life. You know, I can remember a time when vulgar words, profanity and sexuality were not permitted in our media. Our grandparents and founding fathers of this country objected to it and actually stood up to those who wanted to use it in our media. Somewhere along the way, some of our parents may not have actually used these things in their communications, but they did not object to it being used by others. Look at what we have now. Can you recall the last time you were able to go to a head-liner movie or show and not be bombarded by vulgarity in the language being used, sexuality spread over the entire story line and vulgarity being at the very core of the media event. When was the last time you turned on TV and did not have to worry about those things being included in the programming? What has happened to our society?
Probably, about ten generations ago, some of our relatives stopped objecting to what was going on around them. A while back, one of my associates at work relayed to me that his wife had read my books and my newsletters. She stated that it was very obvious that I was very conservative when it came to religious matters. I laughed and told my associate that his wife was absolutely correct. I have been called a knuckle dragging barbarian before. I actually still use the King James Version of the bible. I still believe that if God said it, he meant it and we should obey it. God’s commandments to us are very clear and easy to understand. We should not only obey them, we should object to the commandments being abused in our presence.
When I consider this great nation we live in, I can not help but think of and thank our founding fathers who were founded so strongly in the word of God. Had they not been so grounded in the knowledge of God and his will for us, they could not have laid the groundwork for this country and its longevity thus far. I can only imagine how long our nation would have survived if it had been built on the convictions of some of the folks I see in our society today.
Yes, I consider myself conservative when it comes to the word of God. Our founding fathers were and I am thankful that they were. Perhaps we would have a better world today if we had more conservative people around us.
On the lighter side:
“The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits.”
Parting Thoughts:
If you know someone who would like to receive my monthly newsletter, please let me know his or her email address. If they would prefer to view my newsletters online, they may go to my website at (www.RonKervin.com).
If the word be good, then spread it!
I can use all the exposure I can get. I appreciate your telling your friends about my work. I also appreciate your support and encouragement.
Until next month, may God bless your pilgrimage! May you live long and prosper and may the force be with you!