Today, my stoic self-control is slipping.
In between caring for my three youngest kiddos, conquering Mt. Laundry, and critiquing my writing friends' submissions for tomorrow's meeting, I have checked my email and the websites of the people/ organizations I'm waiting to hear from in regard to my writing...several times.
In my defense, it is past the time I should have heard from one, about the time I should hear from another, and hey, anything's possible with the third.
I could learn the fate of my submissions at any minute!
Literary agent Steve Laube blogged this week about how Writers Expect Good News. He prefers the idea of waiting in anticipation to waiting in expectation, and he's right that there is a difference. The foolish bridesmaids expected the bridegroom; the wise ones anticipated him.
Anticipation is what my favorite season of the year is all about.
No, no, no, not Christmas. ADVENT!
Advent is the season of anticipating Christmas, of preparing for the threefold coming of Christ. We ready ourselves to celebrate the incarnation, appreciate the saving work of Jesus active in the world today, and to wait upon Christ returning in glory.
The anticipating reminds me how special each of these is. As I read the passages about the coming of the Lord, my yearning grows, my heart opens wider to receive him--I become more ready.
Waiting on my fulfillment as a writer gives me the chance to be more ready to receive it, both in terms of being able to appreciate it and being prepared with what I need to achieve it.
And practicing patience is good for us, right? Right? Okay, maybe I'll just check my email one more time...
