Anticipation…Is Keepin’ Me Waitin’

Remember the ketchup commercial from the late 70’s where the ketchup bottle was turned upside down, and we all waited for the thick sauce to drop onto the burger? My mouth watered as if that burger were my very own. “Anticipation…Is keepin’ me waitin’.” Yes, it is.

I can still sing the ketchup song:

“Anticipation.
Anticipay-yay-tion.
It’s making me wait.
It’s keeping me, way-yay-yay-yay-yating.”

True Story Ahead

This morning I rose early. I know on a Saturday when I can sleep in, I didn’t. After making myself some hot coffee, I snuggled up with my Bible and journal. Anticipation stirring within me. So much so that I wrote “ANTICIPATION!!” in my journal.

Right after that I wrote: “Pleasurable Expectation”
“I’m going to hold my grandchild soon!” 🙂

As we get closer and closer to the birth of our little bundle of joy, I can actually feel anticipation building within me. This pleasurable expectation is not measureable. There’s so much hope in me I feel like bursting with shouts of joy! But I won’t because I’m supposed to be quiet when I’m in the writer’s studio.

This morning the excitement of anticipating my first grandchild’s birth reminded me of a Scripture passage that spoke to me so clearly about hope, patience, and our future glory. Almost eleven years ago I underlined in my Bible Romans 8:18-25, but verses 24 and 25 jumped off the page at me.

[callout]’For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.'[/callout]

In the margin of my Bible, I added my own understanding of these verses:

Just like an expecting mother, we become more joyful the larger we get – for our hope is growing. We know there is much to wait for and so we wait patiently.

How relevant to how I’m once again feeling. Expectant. Joyful. Full of Hope. Anticipating future delight!

Grandma’s Morning Prayer

As I prayed for my grandchild this morning, I prayed from the Psalms:

Lord God, for You created my grandchild’s inmost being;
You knit Baby Bear together in his or her mother’s womb.
I praise You because my grandchild is fearfully and wonderfully made;
Your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
Baby Bear’s frame was not hidden from You
when he/she was made in the secret place,
when he/she was woven together in the depths of the earth.
Your eyes saw Baby Bear’s unformed body;
all the days ordained for him or her were written in your book
before one of them came to be. (Psalms 139:13-16)

I know Lord, You choose when this little one I call Baby Bear will be born. I pray for a safe delivery into this world. May he or she be ready to be welcomed by a lot of people who already love him or her so much.

In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; this morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation. (Psalms 5:3)

In Jesus Name
Amen

We really don’t hope for what we already have. We hope for what we don’t have yet. I’m hoping for a healthy little chubby-cheeked grandchild who is full of joy, energy, and will one day dance with this Grandma and be silly. Maybe we’ll even write our very own story together.

Dear Little Baby Bear,
I’m waiting patiently for your arrival. And that’s okay because you are worth waiting for. I can hardly wait to see your face and kiss your cheeks. I love you more than is measureable.
Grandma 🙂

Anticipation…Is keepin’ me waitin’!