Spring Break

Col 4:5-6 ¶ Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time. Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Eph 5:15-16 See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, Redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

A young boy sat across from me using part of my desk to write a summary of his book report. From his mouth he spoke the words so that he could hear what to write. He had trouble writing thoughts down, so I told him to speak it out loud and then to write what he heard himself say. He sat in a chair with two books and a pillow under him in order to reach my desk. Behind him stretched out on a small mat, a three year old whimpered these words, “I want my mommy.” She saw me out of her crinkled little eyes and began to say it louder. She was intrigued though with all the excitement of the day. Students and teachers flowed through my office like flies! It was the Friday before Spring Break.

Another youngster sat in my adjoining conference room trying to finish his late work from the last five weeks but determined to finish it in 30 minutes in order to NOT face suspension once returning FROM Spring Break.

A sophomore stood at my door looking around at the levels of conversations with groanings and asked, “Mrs. Loyd, did you forget our appointment?” I just smiled and answered, “No, but if you will, have a seat and we can meet with a grand audience! We both smiled at each other and she pulled up another chair right beside the youngster speaking his book report!  “Oh me”…..I silently prayed, “Lord, give me YOUR wisdom for I feel the immediate urge to run to the funny farm!” Grandma Baxley used to refer to the state mental hospital as the “funny farm” but it wasn’t funny to us as youngsters, because we really believed it was a sad place to send anyone. Today was different and I understood what she meant.

Meanwhile, sitting at the desk with two students, I looked up as a teacher enters the room, glancing around at the children and said, “Uhm…..I’ll come back AFTER Spring Break.” We laughed but commented that we can do anything because Spring Break is about to begin!

Everyone “did their time” in Mrs. Loyd’s office and loaded up shouting, “SPRING BREAK IS HERE!”  But the day had not ended, yet…..because on the way to dismissal a seven year old decided to pat a young girl’s bottom as she swished by him. “You did what, young man?” I shouted as he stared at me.

“Mrs. Loyd, I was so excited because we get to have Spring Break, I just lost myself!”

“To begin with, YOU ARE NOT LOST, and secondly, you cannot pat a young girl on her bottom!”

“My daddy does,” he cried.

“You are not your daddy and that girl is not your wife! Now, go to Spring Break before I lose myself, also!”  He ran out of my office, and I busted into laughter. I’m sorry folks, but sometimes, you just have to bust a gut over things that happen all at one time. I began to think over the day and thanked God for His bountiful blessings as He uses us to bring honor and glory to His name even while busting a gut. The student's "time in my office" will end one day and so will MY “time” in God’s order of business end for me.  These verses in Colossians 4 and Ephesians 5 are so full of good meat.

1.        Did the young man who wrote the book report get reprimanded? Yes. He lost several points from his 100, but he finished with a smile on his face, a kick in his step with a couple of pointers that could help him in the future.....while doing time in Mrs. Loyd’s office.

2.       Did the 4 year old learn her lesson by spending an hour in the Principal’s office? No! She loved every minute of it, but it gave her teacher a break!

3.       Did the sophomore accomplish anything sitting beside an 11 year old trying to block out a whimpering toddler behind her? Yes. We had a blast! And, she walked away realizing she needed to sign up for the next ACT and look over a list of scholarships while on HER Spring Break. She also had an opportunity to share with me some struggles in her life while I reminded her that maybe, just maybe her brain was a gift from God and needed some tender loving care by feeding it with God’s Word!!

Spring Break! How many I have seen come and go. I am not in the spring of my life anymore, but I face the Fall before the winter storms, redeeming the time. It is my desire to help you, the reader to know this One who allows us the next Spring Break!  Our speech whether to the adult, the teen, the adolescent or the toddler should be always, always with grace, seasoned with salt that we may know how to answer every man…..(woman & child)  I certainly have not been perfect in this area. God’s word has the answer and as we spend “our time in His Office” don't get frazzled by the interruptions of the day. Grab that time, hang on to it with all of God's strength and rejoice in the fact that God needed YOU for a particular task, redeeming the time.  I believe you and I can walk away refreshed with a kick in our own step!

What does it mean, exactly to “walk in wisdom toward them that are without?”  I would like to share with you some more thoughts this coming Thursday, Lord Willing!

Sharon