This week is Spring Break for FSU, FAMU, TCC, and the Leon County Schools. This means that you will see more students out and about this week because they don’t have school, but there will also be other students that you don’t see because they are traveling.
Europeans have taken spring break apparently since the 1800’s and their spring breaks normally last more like 2-3 weeks than our 1 week. Normally speaking, this spring break also includes Easter holiday – allowing more people to be able to have time off work to fully experience Easter. In the United States, it seems that we can trace back our Spring Break to the 1930’s when swim coaches from around the nation flocked to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The reason? Fort Lauderdale had recently built the United States’ first Olympic size swimming pool, and these coaches wanted to bring their students down for spring training.
In the 1960’s, a book called “Where the Boys Are,” told tawdry stories of these swimmers and others gathering in Ft. Lauderdale for something that was more party than workout. Ft. Lauderdale Spring Break got to be such a big deal that the city began intensifying “anti-partying” laws in 1985 to kick students out and send them all over Florida and elsewhere.
Most cities that have welcomed Spring Break partiers have enjoyed a little economic boost for a little while, but have also normally woken up a little hung over from the experience. Big party cities like Panama City Beach and Daytona have put those same “anti-party” laws into effect. They are looking for a break from the Break.
Likewise you too may be looking for a break. You also may be trying to fill that break with more stuff to do. Maybe you want to do some training like those 1930’s era swimmers. Maybe you want to live to excess like the 1960’s partiers. Maybe you want to set some legalities into your life like 1980’s Lauderdale. But maybe what you need is really just a break.
Maybe instead of all of the training or partying or earning or legislating that you could do, what you need to do is listen to the 3rd commandment. “Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.” Stop. Listen to God’s Word. Rest. Don’t add anything. Just take a break. And you might actually find that you feel a little better for having followed God’s command. He wants you to rest, after all. That’s why He sent Jesus, so that you could rest knowing that Jesus has covered everything for you. So take a break, a real one.