What would you do in the doldrums?

When people think of sailboats, they often imagine tidy craft with billowed sails, gently tilted over, coursing along at a nice but not too energetic clip. That truly happens. Once in a while. More common is the experience of extremes. Sometimes the boat is bouncing wildly, lee rail in the foam, through enough breeze to make a large flag stand straight out from its pole. Many times, however, the wind speed is minimal or non-existent.

These are the worst of times. The doldrums. It's hot. The sun is bright. You're thirsty. Sometimes you may even drift backward, making forward progress an illusion. Fish make fun of you. What do you do?

Well this is a perfect time for some boat maintenance! Polish a little brass. Tether to a line (for landlubbers, that's a rope) and drop overboard with a snorkel and face mask to scrub the hull and keel. Maybe even have yourself hoisted up the mast in a bosun's chair to check some rigging high aloft.

You might say we're in the doldrums of the church year, but it's a great time for upkeep. We can polish our spiritual attitudes. We can scrub up our knowledge of scripture. Consider lofty ideas in mission and theology or get an overview of church history.

Don't worry. The wind will eventually pick back up.

Allen