Good morning on this Saturday, August 11th. Summer does not officially end until late September, but I always kind of considered the signal for the ending of summer as the time when the kids go back to school. Historically that used to be the day after Labor Day, but now days can occur any time from late July to mid-August for most schools. Most of us will be glad to see this summer finally end and will welcome the cooler temps of fall because of the intense heat - temps up to 108 degrees. In fact the Weather Bureau has announced that July 2012 is officially the hottest July on record since records began to be preserved in 1895.
As I drive around the area I see lawns everywhere browned  because of the heat and drought. Very few lawns have survived unscathed this summer. It seems the only part of my lawn which has flourished this year has been the weeds! The brown grass indicates the lawn has gone dormant, Here are a few facts from the experts about caring for grass in the dormant state.
(1) The dormant state means the grass has focused its water resources on the roots.
(2) Depending on the type of grass and the condition of the lawn, most dormancy lasts at least 3-4 weeks before the grass begins to die.
(3) It is recommended to water the lawn thoroughly (soil whetted down to 5 inches) to rehydrate the grass and keep it from dying if the drought lasts more than 4 weeks.
(4) Do not mow, fertilize or otherwise stress the grass during this dormant period because the grass is not healthy enough to withstand strain or repair itself. You can spot treat the weeds.
(5) When the grass comes out of dormancy, give it much tender loving care to help it grow and thrive.
I have written about this topic to apply a particular  truth to some Christian's lives. Some believers suffer from summer spiritual dormancy. They travel, camp, vacation, attend sporting events, picnic, and neglect church attendance and their spiritual lives. Though they have the Living Water within to sustain them, they fail to tap the spring and let it flow and flourish them. They become spiritually dry and parched. If that is true of you I urge you to water your spiritual life with the water of His Word, His house, and His Spirit. Jesus promised in John 4:14, "Whoever drinks of the water I will give him will never thirst." To maintain spiritual health we need to drink deeply and regularly. Our fellowship with the Lord is dependent upon it..
Tomorrow's message is "Answers To Prophecy Questions." I hope to see you there so we can drink of His Word together.
Mel Brown