PASTOR DAVE’S MUSINGS FROM THE HEARTLAND

February 7, 2024

SOLVING THE RIGHT PROBLEM

Since moving to Plymouth I have gotten into feeding birds in a big way.  In my backyard I have a number of feeders that either take bird seed, thistle, suet, or sun flowers.

It is quite a sight to see when the birds gather in the morning to feed.  I have a special liking for woodpeckers.  Their food of choice is suet.  Recently, I tried a new type that featured raisins.  Still not sure how well they liked it?

Unfortunately, not only do my feeders attract birds, they have also become a gathering point for seven squirrels that live across the creek from my house.  To prevent uninvited guests from eating from the feeders on two poles in my yard I have installed squirrel guards.  This leaves them free to climb the remaining clothesline pole where I have three feeders.  One small squirrel especially likes the suet.  In effort to extract it, he will remove the feeder from the pole and try to carry it off.

The squirrel guards that I use for my regular bird poles will not work on the clothesline pole because they are designed for poles that have a much smaller diameter.  An idea I had was to make a pole guard out of a three foot square piece of plywood.  To complete the task, I needed something to cut a three inch hole in the center of the board.

In trying to find something that I could use to make the hole, I went to Lowe’s.  I asked a salesperson if they had something that would do the job.  In showing me what they had, he asked why I needed it.

The salesperson said that he fed birds and had a similar problem with a wooden pole.  Two squirrels loved to climb it.  He solved the problem by placing a four-inch pvc pipe over the pole.  He found that the squirrels as well as some raccoons could not climb it.  I left the store with a five-foot section of pvc pipe instead of a rather expensive new piece of equipment to make just one three inch hole.

The salesperson discovered after asking a few questions that my real problem was not to cut a three inch hole but to keep squirrels from climbing my clothesline pole.  By helping me to focus on my primary issue rather than a secondary one, he helped me without much effort to put in place a possible measure to keep squirrels from eating my bird’s suet.

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus instructs his audience not to be preoccupied with secondary questions but to focus on the primary one.  By so doing the secondary issues will take care of themselves.  “Therefore, do not worry, saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or “What will we drink?’ or “What will we wear?’ … But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (Matthew 6:31, 33)

Life goes much easier if one is able to identify the right problem rather than focusing on secondary ones.

(This article was originally published February 27, 2011.  Comments may be sent to davidh15503@embarqmail.com.)