We are in the midst of a very hot week here in the metropolitan Phoenix area. This is the time of the year often referred to as the “Dog Days” of summer, which conjures up images of hot and humid days where dogs laze around in the shade, just trying to stay cool. Here in the Southwest it’s actually too hot for dogs even to go outside, let alone laze in the shade. These are the days when I used to walk my corgi, Chip, at 4:30 in the morning, so he’d not overheat or burn his little feet on the sidewalk. The Dog Days of Summer necessitate slowing down a bit and taking stock of life.
The term “Dog Days” actually comes from ancient Mediterranean cultures that watched the sky for the appearance of the star Sirius (roughly between July 3 and August 11 in the Northern Hemisphere), when days were hottest, and the heat drove dogs and men crazy. Sirius is known as the “Dog Star,” because it is the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major (Latin for “Greater Dog”).
These are the days when things are a little quieter around the church. People choose this time of year to be anywhere else but here, vacationing in the mountains or at their summer homes in the upper Midwest. Even pastors tend to take vacation around this time of year, whether in New England or Jolly Old England. This can be a time of restoration, and if we’re sticking around town, we’re lying low, avoiding doing things outside while the sun’s up.
Though it’s a bit quieter, life goes on. People still come to church! That’s amazing. We still have opportunities for fellowship and learning. And, it’s also a time when pastors can catch their breath. One of the things I have realized lately is that I spend so much time being professionally spiritual, leading others in their personal growth in faith, that I neglect my own spiritual path. The Dog Days of the Summer is a good time for me to step back and assess my spiritual health. Just like a child’s report card that says, “Johnny plays well with others,” I think my faith report card would say, “Little Mikey prays well with others…but he avoids praying on his own.” So, in these recent days, I’ve decided to reconnect with my own prayer life. Because it’s light so early and because I tend to get up with the sun, I definitely have ten minutes to “tune in” to God. It feels rusty now to do so. It feels like I’m in a rut right now with prayer. And I can get a bit discouraged, especially when, as soon as I sit down to “listen to God,” I hear about all that’s going wrong in the world. Yet, if I am able to discern anything from God right now, it’s, “Keep listening. I know you don’t hear anything right now, but keep tuning in. Just relax. It’s the Dog Days of Summer. Lie low. Rest up. Don’t think about being in a rut…think more that you’re in a groove. A well-worn groove…where you can go a bit into auto-pilot mode, and let go. Rest up. Fall is coming. There will be plenty to do. I am restoring you as you rest up. There is always more to do. During these Sirius Days, be a little less serious. Breathe, and rest in my shade…and enjoy the summer with more childlike wonder.”
Sounds good to me. Happy Dog Days!
Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High
will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.
I will say of the Lord, “My refuge and my fortress,
my God, in whom I trust.” ~ Psalm 91:1-2
