Of Genesis and Joy and Black Beans

A few weeks ago, on March 25th, I vicariously enjoyed the excitement of all the writers receiving calls about the Golden Heart and RITA contest. Even though I hadn't entered a manuscript, I felt the same tingling nerves and jittery anticipation as people awaited calls.  I shared the joy of those who got calls and felt the pain of those whose phone didn't ring. I've been on both sides and know the feelings well.

Fast forward to this week. Or maybe rewind to the end of February. It's been a long time since I entered anything in a contest, but back in February, I made the decision to submit an entry to ACFW's Genesis contest. It was a risk, a leap of faith to seek feedback for a new direction I'm taking in my writing. I didn't have high expectations, just hope.

I was brave enough to hit send, but a total coward about the results so I purposely didn't pay attention to the date when the semi-finalists would be announced. No pressure, no expectations, right?

Wrong!

Two days ago I was reading something on the ACFW website and noticed that semi-finalists were due to be announced this week.

I really didn't want to know that.

Good news - Thursday was so busy that I forgot all about it,

Bad news - I woke up this morning and remembered.

But then a funny thing happened. I was sitting reading a Lenten meditation this morning and the message was all about not needing approval from others. Timely reminder, I told myself. This is my clue not to be disappointed when I don't get a call today.

Um, sure.
I need to pray more for help with that!

Today was another busy day at school, but I have to admit, every once in a while I'd glance at my phone to see if maybe, by some impossibly remote chance, I'd gotten a call.

Nope. Nada. Zilch.
Then it was lunch time. Still no call. Now I resigned myself to not making it and deliberately put it out of my mind. Tried to remind myself about not needing the approval of others.

And there I was, standing at the Smartboard, teaching a lesson on fractions, when all of a sudden the phone in my back pocket started ringing. The display was a number I didn't know. Dare I hope???
The kids must have wondered what it was about fractions that suddenly had their teacher grinning like a fool.

Oh the suspense until I had a break and could actually listen to the message.

"Congratulations!" the voice said.

WOW!!!!!!
What a feeling.
Suddenly I was no longer worried about the state of publishing or the many solitary hours spent staring at a screen.

That thrill, that absolute euphoria that comes from knowing that someone has read your work and liked it enough to give a great score, that is an absolutely indescribable joy.

I'm still smiling.


Oh - the black beans part of the title - today is my day over at Healthy Writer.com and the topic is healthy recipes for black beans